Sierra Foothills

Does this mean our new cheer squad will all be eunuchs?

Prompt: In each of the last 7 seasons the Buffalo Bills have had 2 game losing streaks. Summarize the fan reaction to these losing streaks on the message board "The Stadium Wall" Response: 2019 Context: The Bills finished 10-6 and made the playoffs, with losses in Weeks 16–17 (at New England, then vs New York Jets). Wikipedia +1 Forum pulse: The mood was fairly measured at the time of those losses. Since the team already had a winning record and playoff berth in view, many fans framed the skid in terms of positioning and what it revealed rather than panic. For example, one thread summarized: “Context of the skid: The Bills lost Weeks 16-17 … after already clinching a wild card. Forum pulse: Pragmatic and playoff-oriented more than panicked.” Two Bills Drive Outlook: Most fans still believed in the team’s playoff chances and were focused on momentum and how the coaching staff might address late-season execution. Mood: Measured confidence — fans weren’t thrilled about the losses, but they didn’t view them as catastrophic. 2020 Context: The Bills recorded a two-game losing streak (Weeks 5–6: at Titans, vs Chiefs). Forum pulse: The board showed concern. Many posts emphasized the defense looking shaky and the offense under-performing. At the same time, there were voices urging calm — reminding that the Bills had strong fundamentals. Outlook: Mixed. A significant portion of fans were nervous about the skid, but many held faith the team would rebound. Mood: Cautious optimism — worried, but believing the roster still had enough to recover. 2021 Context: After a skid (Weeks 13–14: at Patriots, at Buccaneers) the forum was active with commentary. Forum pulse: More frustration than in 2020. Losses felt more consequential. Some posts were blunt: “This team hasn’t shown enough to believe the hype.” Outlook: While many still believed in a playoff berth (especially given the division), fewer believed in a deep playoff run unless the Bills improved dramatically. Mood: Tentative hope mixed with stronger skepticism. 2022 Context: The Bills lost two in a row (Jets then Vikings) at a critical stretch. Forum pulse: A renewed wave of “here-we-go-again” frustration appeared. The two-game skid had become a pattern. Posts pointed out the repeated nature of the skid and the irritation that it still happened. Outlook: Faith in the Bills making the playoffs (or winning the division) remained, but belief in them being truly elite — or avoiding recurring issues — waned. Mood: Frustrated but still believing. 2023 Context: Another two-game slide (e.g., losses to Bengals & Broncos) triggered posts. Forum pulse: The tone was more resigned than panicked. Many users framed the skid as something expected but still unwanted. There was more focus on coaching/adjustments than doom-and-gloom. Some watchers said: “Elite teams don’t keep doing this.” Outlook: Still moderate confidence in a playoff/division outcome, but less blind optimism about championship potential. Mood: Balanced — annoyance with a dose of optimism. 2024 Context: After a two-game skid (losses circa vs Ravens & Texans) the forum again weighed in. Two Bills Drive Forum pulse: The tone shifted toward calm confidence. The two-game skid, while not loved, was less alarming — fans noted that this happens and that the team often recovers. One thread declared: “The Bills have lost 2 straight games at some point every season since 2020… Their combined record after those skids is 32-2.” Two Bills Drive Outlook: Strong belief the Bills would still win the division and make the playoffs; the skid was seen more as an accommodation than a crisis. Mood: Optimistic with a “no panic” mindset. 2025 Context: The Bills started strong (4-0) then lost two straight (Week 5 at Patriots, Week 6 vs Falcons) bringing them to 4-2. Forum pulse: A mix of concern and vigilance. Some frustration: posts like “Inexcusable loss… these are the games that cost the #1 seed.” Others still hopeful: “We looked sloppy but we’re 4-0 and still in control.” Outlook: The two-game skid hasn’t derailed belief in the team yet, but there is more awareness that the margin for error is thinner than in past years. Mood: Concerned but not panicked — sharper eyes on potential dangers. Overall Trends Over the years the recurring two-game skid has become less of a shock and more of a recognized hurdle. Fan reaction evolved from anxiety (2019-early 2020) → skepticism/frustration (2021-2022) → calm expectation (2024) → vigilant confidence (2025). Despite the skids, faith in the Bills’ baseline (making playoffs / winning the division) has stayed relatively intact. What has changed more significantly is belief in avoiding repeated issues or going deep in the postseason. The forum often pivots quickly from “What went wrong?” to “How do we fix it?” rather than dwelling in panic. Prompt: Is there more fan unhappiness in 2025? Yes — there is evidence pointing to more visible fan unhappiness so far in 2025 on the Two Bills Drive “The Stadium Wall” forum than what was typical in recent years. Here’s a breakdown of how and why that appears to be the case, along with caveats. What supports the idea of increased unhappiness: Recent forum sentiment A thread titled “The Bills have lost 2 consecutive games every season under McD. Here is the reaction…” captures a lot of reaction data across seasons — and highlights that for 2025 there is a notably sharper tone. Two Bills Drive One thread around the preseason/early season in 2025 shows posts like: “It is clear how bad Jackson played in camp and pre-season… hope he hooks up with another team…” Two Bills Drive +1 The article about the 2024 skid noted that confidence dropped from 88% to 28% in some fan-polls after two straight losses. Buffalo Rumblings That kind of drop suggests fans respond strongly — which could magnify in 2025 given heightened expectations. Circumstances of 2025 seem to amplify frustration The team started 4-0 then had back-to-back losses (to the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons) which renewed the pattern of a two-game skid. Wikipedia +1 Given the Bills’ high expectations (division titles, playoff runs) and the recurrence of the skid, fans appear less willing to “talk it off” and more willing to voice critique. More pointed criticism of coaching & execution The forum posts show increasing mentions of issues like: poor defensive performances, situational mistakes, depth concerns, and suggestions of “we’ve seen this before.” That repetition seems to breed more annoyance rather than surprise. Two Bills Drive +1 Some fans are less patient: the tenor in 2025 threads begins to question not just execution but the broader pattern, which is reflective of deeper frustration. ⚠️ Why it may not be fully out of line with past years The forum has for years shown irritation after the two-game skid, so while the tone may feel sharper in 2025, it’s part of a consistent cycle (worry → frustration → rebound). Because 2025 is still in progress, we’re seeing only part of the season’s reaction; full assessments (especially after playoffs or season end) may shift mood again. The “higher unhappiness” doesn’t necessarily mean fans no longer believe in the team — many posts still talk about hope, recovery, and making adjustments. The difference is the volume and directness of criticism. 🔍 My judgement: Yes — there is more fan unhappiness in 2025 than in many recent seasons, largely because: The pattern of a two-game skid has deeper familiarity/fatigue among fans. The losses hit after a strong start (4-0) raising expectations and hence creating more let-down. The criticism is less about “we’ll figure it out” and more about “why are we still doing this?” However — unhappiness hasn’t (yet) escalated into a full loss of faith. The core belief in the team’s competitiveness remains for many, but the margin for error seems smaller, and the patience slimmer. 🔍 My Interpretation Putting the above together, here’s how I interpret the “unhappiness differential” in 2025: Volume of Critique: There are more posts critiquing structures (defense, WR corps, front office decisions) rather than isolated game mistakes. Tone: Less “we’ll fix this” optimism and more “we have deep problems” language. Patience Level: Shorter patience among forum members; earlier in 2025 even preseason posts had strong negative angles (“fire McDermott now”). Engagement: Threads related to the skid/2-game losses are getting rapid replies, suggesting higher emotional investment and concern. In other words: yes — there is more visible fan unhappiness in 2025 (so far) compared to similar skid-points in prior seasons. But important caveats: The season is still in progress; future wins or losses may shift tone. The forum represents a vocal fan segment—not all fans. “Unhappiness” doesn’t mean full loss of faith; many posts still express hope, so it’s emotional intensity rather than wholesale pessimism.

I agree that the idea of Pegula pushing for his team's OC to get hired at his alma mater doesn't ring true and is far-fetched. Also, thanks for clarifying who "Fitz" is.

Or if he could identify Carolina if shown a map of the US... Considering the rate at which Keon's synapses fire, it might take him a few weeks before he realizes he has a new teammate. A bildo? Maybe you're underrating Mac Jones? There's something to this... it took Tremaine 4 years, until he was 19 years old, before he became assignment-sound.

Why would reading Finheaven be depressing? 😄

This is KC's version of "Everyone Eats."

McDermott said of Hairston "He's only been back a week... give or take..." I feel like it wasn't a restful bye week for His Clapness...

Did you realize at the time that the "g" is silent?

I'm still hopeful that Bishop will develop into a fine player but for me, it's not that Bishop failed to make the play... it's how miserably he failed. Robinson only has 10 lbs on Bishop. It shouldn't have been like a fly and a windshield. But what a special teamer! Talk about winning the one on ones consistently... It'll always be a mystery to me that some players are great at special teams but their prowess somehow doesn't translate to offense or defense.

So this week you're not predicting a return to glory? The fans forget quickly. Regarding the team itself, I appreciate the culture, the process, and everything McBeane has built here. It counts for a lot and it's made Buffalo a more attractive destination for players. That said, I feel McBeane probably go farther than many/most teams in terms of being dispassionate about their players... meaning that they let their emotions or their convictions on a player cloud their judgement too often. Granted it's a very hard balance to find but I sometimes feel that there's too many feel good stories and not enough cold, hard decisions being made on player performance. Again, it's a hard balance to find because you're trying to build loyalty and trust with the players and that counts too. JMO.

He's been working out with Tremaine Edmunds for the last few offseasons.

There's a rumor that in 2023 the NY State Attorney General's office was investigating the Bills for violating child labor laws... and that's what caused the team to allow Tremaine to leave the state and sign with the Bears.

Gilligan? From Gilligan's Island?

While Tremaine's not as young as many here would lead you to believe, he only turned 20 on May 2nd. I'd bet huge sums of money that JJ McCarthy will be starting the Vikings' next game.

I've heard of him!!! "Twelve men on the field on the defense... that's a 5 yard penalty and repeat 1st down..." He's not quite the heat-seeking missile Milano was in his prime but he's not a huge liability in coverage, though a bit more of a thumper. Also I don't know if or how much he's slowed down from his prime in 2021-22. In his prime he was a 3-down linebacker.

I noticed that Keon's pretty slow at deleting his tweets.

Quick cognitive test... how old is Tremaine Edmunds?

Great topic and a refreshing change from the redundant McBeane hate and Wide Receivers topics. Agreed. Both of those coaches have had greater professional success than McDermott but true... neither one has a discernible tree... I understand why that would be a criteria but I disagree... Firstly, great chart... thank you. To the bolded I was excited to add that to the conversation until you brought it up on page 4. I absolutely agree with you that Dan Campbell (Super Bowl or not) has a coaching tree... Ben Johnson, Aaron Glenn and soon, Kelvin Sheppard... and this after only 5 years as a Head Coach.

Besides that, Ray Ray is definitely not a "process guy." In fact the situation surrounding his release is quite murky and casts doubt on his character. Not only is in left field, it's in foul territory! 😝 Just kidding... it's outside the box and I like it but everything written about the Ravens is that they believe the playoffs are within reach and that they're more likely to be buyers than sellers.

Harbaugh breathing from the mouth...

Aye, the McConkey lad runs like a frisky kid goat on a fresh pitch of spring turf...

He's also a serious mouth breather. @boyst... is that you? 😄 I'm in a 10-team league and was 4th in the waiver order this week. I placed a claim for Gadsden when I saw the 3 teams ahead of me were stacked at TE... so I was pretty sure I'd land him and I did. Hopefully my season-long TE deficit is over for good.

I used to have respect for Richardson based on him being the first NFL player to become an NFL owner. But he was really a piece of work too. Hmmm... I understand the concessions at Mercedes Benz are very inexpensive... that goes for the beer too? 😝 They aren't great... but they're very fast.

Actually I get the $1,000,000... I provided the link. 🤑 https://www.nfbpublishing.com/product-page/fan-stories-of-buffalo-and-the-bills