TampaBillsJunkie

Sometimes I believe it is a matter of size and physics, not the actual process of tackling someone. These guys have been playing this game for their entire life. One of the first things you learn as a defender is how to tackle. You learn leverage, getting your shoulder's squared up, making contact and driving through with your legs to get the opposing player down. By the time you are a pro, it is instinctual. The problem is: Getting into position to do this. Tremaine Edmonds can tackle. He led the team, but his problem is getting into position to make the tackle. He often attacks the wrong gap, over pursues and puts his body in a position where the process of tackling is more difficult. Klein is much better at this. Poyer and Hyde are excellent tacklers, but for them it becomes a problem with physics. Guys like Taylor, Henry, Stephenson, have a 20+ lb weight advantage and a full head of steam after dodging past Edmonds. Physics says when I make the hit, the momentum of the ball carrier is going to move him forward and I have to make contact and hang on. For guys on the DL, they are most likely trying to slow down a defender and it's a lot of reaching and trying to get off a block to make contact. I think the issue is we need more size up front to shake off the OL and let the LB's finish off the tackles, or the DL to get penetration and making sure the LB's fill those gaps. So it's about being in position to make the play. It would be great to see the DE's get better at contain and finishing sacks, but the biggest problem is the stupid rules designed to protect the QB. You can barely blow a feather on some guys without getting flagged. This is ruining the game. I get it, no helmet to helmet or leading with the helmet, but let a guy finish a play without the fear of getting flagged. Our CB's could use some help, but having speed and being able to cover and not give up the big plays is more important in today's NFL than run support. To me, this problem is solved with shoring up the DT's, Hoping Phillips and Oliver continues to get better, and Bryant and Zimmer develop into the rotation. I still think we need a 310lb+ athletic freak in the middle. Not easy to find, but needed. I'd look to replace Edmonds or hope he improves enough to get that mental part of the game instinctual so his physical traits become useful. If Groot adds 10-15 lbs and keeps his speed in tact, he could be dangerous. If they plan on moving Basham inside, I'd like to see him gain about 10+ lbs too. I'm on the fence with Frazier. I'd love to see us more aggressive on D and not reliant on that small 4-2-5 lineup. If he moves on, I wouldn't mind seeing a fresh perspective on how to utilize all the talent we have on D. This is a top 5 unit and I'd expect them to play at that level next year. GO BILLS!

The fact is that we need a RB who can make plays when we need him. When teams decide to stop the run, this guy still gets his yards. Taylor, Henry. No matter what you do, you can not stop them. Merely slow down the pain they bring to a defense. I thought Moss would make people make business decisions. Well after this year, its the FO, not. the opposing defenders making them. We don't need the superstar, but we need the dependable "I can pick up those yards at will" guy.

I was ready to start that one, but can't LAMP it just yet.

Barkley.

Especially when the season is still going on.

Exactly. McD said they practice this every week, so for me it's another Billsy WTF moment in our history. No way we should have let that game slide away. If I'm the kicker I would have to believe the pooch is the automatic call to drain time. They played scared for 13 seconds and it cost us a season and chance to win the Super Bowl.

He's the GOAT, hands down. There's nothing left to prove. Passing for over 5,000 yds and 40TDs at age 45 is insane. The only QB playing into his 40's was Warren Moon and he was a shell of himself at 42 before hanging it up. I have a love/hate thing with Tommy boy for what he did to Buffalo, but living in Tampa now I was bombarded with Brady all the time. I've finally grown to shed the hate, still couldn't root for him, but totally respect what he's done.

Great summary. I think they can get over the hump because we have Josh, but it is a talent and execution problem that still needs to be addressed. #1 We need a running back who can take the pressure off Josh at any time. Singletary had his moments, but when the pressure was on he couldn't carry the load and we had to rely on Josh running the football. That can't be. We need more balance. #2 OL. It goes hand in hand with the running game. We got pushed around too much in the trenches when it counted. It will be interesting to see how Doyle develops. I'd love to get some maulers at guard. #3 DE. This could be #1 too. Man do we need someone who can finish a damn sack. When Addison leads the team with 7, you've got problems. #4 LB We could really use a MLB that can punish people and make plays. #5 Coaching. If we lose coaches we need to find better ones. Special Teams will be on the hot seat if we truly made the call to squib and it never got to Bass. It hardly felt like we had the #1 Defense. Especially against the Colts and KC.

I'm done with the emotional part of rooting for any team. I could care less who wins now. It's Buffalo or nothing. Now it's about rooting for players to win money. Playing Fan Duel and making a few bets gives me some rooting interest in what's left of the season. My Fantasy Teams went #1, #2 and #3 this year across 3 leagues, but that's over. The sucky part of betting now is that I don't follow the other teams close enough to know who the sleepers may be. Betting on Buffalo players, it was easy to grab Breida on his streak, Knox, McKenzie and other unknown talents on a national level and win money. But now, trying to dissect who's going to step up out of nowhere and score make the bets a little harder.

I think Daboll has been a bit overrated. I think Josh's progression is a result of a team of people and Josh's insane desire to be the best. He is the ultimate competitor. I think Daboll's play-calling left a lot to be desired and his in-game adjustments were minimal and ineffective. I root for him and hope he does well (being an SF Red Raider and hometown guy how can I not want him to succeed) but I think his best shot at success is with Miami if they take him. NY will eat him up. I'd like to see Josh team up with a real offensive guru and dial up some high octane offense.

WyoBills hit it and I was thinking the exact same thing as I read the OP. He needs to work on pre-snap reads and dissecting the defense. Josh can make a lot happen with his feet and athletic ability and his arm is a lethal weapon. Now is the time to master the mental part of the game. Yes relax, but guys like Brady got better with age. Brady's release time and throwing motion actually improved as he hit 40. That's insane. If Josh takes these same measures he can be the GOAT!

That's the truth. 50+ years is a long time to be a fan and we've seen much horror.

Nice. There's only one Bill on the list. Hughes. We should keep most of our core intact for 2022. Now to fill in the pieces.

I feel the same. Anything football related is just painful because we should be there. The only thing I'm doing this week is placing my Fan Duel bets, because winning money helps cure the ills.

We need a big body next to Oliver. Moving Basham around for situational rushes is fine but we need someone bigger and better than Star. Although Harry started to come into his own the last third of the season.

Love it. We need to bring at least 1 solid vet WR in to pair with Diggs/Davis. Maybe Hodgens or Stevenson step up. But I think Beas, Sanders and McKittrick are all gone. The good part is that playing with Josh is an attractive offer.

At the end of the day, I think these losses are way tougher on our die hard fan base. Players are disappointed, not devastated. Players get their game checks, they give their all, but the truth is that they move on. They may play for another team. They may retire. They may get hurt and end their careers. But their love of the team and the city doesn't last a lifetime (except Jimbo maybe) Owners change. Teams move cities. There's no lasting commitment outside the fans. Fans like us have endured decades of traumatic losses. It's not a few games a player may experience. It's a lifetime. I'm celebrating 50 years in as a Bills fan and I've seen it all. Well, almost all. And losses like last night sting a little longer and burn a little deeper with each passing year. We want that 1 Super Bowl victory so bad and we came so close, so many times, but one Billsy thing after another steps on to the path of destiny and wipes us off the road. I honestly thought with 13 seconds left that this was the year we could finally exorcise the demons. My family was jumping around like it was Christmas and we were kids. The awesome Josh Allen brought us down the field again and threw a 4th down laser for the WIN!!! But no so fast. We have the #1 Defense and although they were tired. I believed Butker was having a rough night and wouldn't hit anything over 50. Of all the nightmare scenarios we've endured over the years, I never expected this one. My heart was in my throat and my stomach was turning as that ball was kicked. No squib. No time off the clock! Damn it. Just hold them for two plays. Don't let anyone run loose... And what happens..... So f'kin Billsy. Now another long off-season and a glimmer of hope for the future because we have a legit Top #3 QB if not the best in the league. So I go into the next 7-8 months, scrolling, reading, hoping that next year is finally the golden one and I really wanted to experience that with my dad. He took me to almost every home game as a kid (and a few road games) He instilled my life-long love of the Bills. There were times he, my grandpa and my uncle would crowd around the radio to listen to Van Miller call the game. I sat with them back at the Rockpile for my first game. Now they are all long gone, except my dad. This year was the first season in over 25 years that we were able to watch the games together. My family moved to the Tampa area this year to help care for him now that his Alzheimers is at a stage where he can't care for himself. The look on his face was priceless when Josh threw that ball to Davis. Even though 20 minutes later he forgot what happened, it was still a joy to be with him watching the game. Hugging him and having that almost glorious moment was so worth it. I just wish for once we could go the distance. Maybe next year.

At least a half quarter or 8-10 minutes is fair.

I hope Epenesa becomes the Knox of the defense. 2 years to get it dialed in then BAM! Groot and Boogie need to continue to develop. Harry and Oliver need to keep getting better and stay healthy. Star, Butler, Addison and Hughes have reached the finish line here. Go out and bring in a game changer at DE and a big bodied DT that can eat up the middle. Then find a MLB that has instinct and let Edmonds walk if he thinks he's getting a payday.

You don't have to listen. "Hey Coach I tried to kick it through and shanked it." "Put a little too much under it"

Is it all on McD? Bass still could have squibbed it. He could have taken a little off an tried to hang it inside the 10. mcD did not kick that ball. Also, I do blame Frazier for the soft D and for not doubling Kelce and Hill for the last 13 seconds. They should have had one play, not 2. We should have won, but didn't. Now its 3:00am and I'm still up haunted by 50 years of this sh^t.

I'm just sick to my stomach over the whole f'king thing. 13 seconds from heaven to hell. Damn it!

Coverage was good for the most part until everyone got winded late in the 4th. It's the damn pass rush. We get close but never get the sacks. Mahomes slipped through everything tonight. We need finishers on the DL and another LB. Edmonds pissed me off on those screens where he didn't even put his hands up. WTF that's LB play 101. The tackling was also piss poor as others have mentioned. We seemed to regress as the game wore on. I think they just ran out of gas tonight. Too bad it happened because of a coin flip.

Now they just have to do it 3 more times.

Add McKenzie to the mix as they are letting him run those jet sweeps and keeping him in motion, which we didn't see for most of the year. (God knows TBD'ers were calling for it) He's also made some terrific catches over the middle. Add Bates to the list. He's been an upgrade from the terror of Ford/Feliciano on the field.