SectionC3

That’s possible. The Lions are going to draw eyeballs for that game no matter what, though. Home game on Thanksgiving against a marquee opponent (say, the Patriots??) might draw big numbers. We’re one of the big dogs now, both on the field and on the television screen. Anything is possible.

No way. They’re putting bills chiefs on Sunday night in sweeps no matter what. they don’t need to waste this game in the opener.

It was. Kind of like this year, with all of the fires in social media. Not quite the same, but close. Bottom line for this year is that the last game should have been played in Buffalo. But we screwed up the Titans game, the Steelers game, and the Jags game. Frankly a lot of where we are now falls on McD. Not for strategy at the end of the Chiefs game (it’s debatable, but the chiefs screwed a lot of stuff up too in that game and we never should have been in position to win with 13 seconds remaining). But for the body of work this year. The team itself lacked that killer instinct. Sort of like 1989. We are in the cusp of something great. Enjoy the ride, because the next five years are going g to have some pretty great “ups.” Can’t wait.

We are the big boys now.

Another fair point. And one I thought of when I started the thread. In the flip side, this iteration of the Bills has Josh Allen. Kelly was great, but this kid is the best QB the franchise has ever seen.

Those who do not learn from history are bound to repeat it. And this is just like 1989, for what it’s worth. Just like that season, there was friction within the team and we diddled around most of the year until we figured it out. And by then it was too late. Daboll is out of here, if you’re referring to the fact that we were on 22 points 58 minutes into the game. Frazier … ugh.

He’s a monster now. And I agree with you. Next year is going to be special. This kid has it all. He’s a great leader. Best QB in football. We will be in every game for the next 10 years. We will crack the Mahomes nut sooner or later. Probably sooner, actually, because Kelce is what makes them tick and he’s getting older.

Ask a friend if you’re too young to remember. But this is where we’re at right now. I remember being ill after the Ronnie Harmon drop and losing that game. But we all knew we were on to something. We discovered the no huddle. Cleveland was one of the big dogs in that era and, just like yesterday, their fans left that game knowing that the Bills were really, really, really good. Yesterday we confirmed that we have the best quarterback in the league (you read that right, Mahomes fans). We know there is a paper thin margin between the best team in the league and us. We also know now, just like the 1989 Bills, what it’s like to be the “hunted” and how important it is to bring our best every week. Buckle up. It’s going to be a great ride, and this team is only going to get better. Go Bills.

If forced to answer now, I’d say I won’t watch another minute of football until august. Can’t handle it. But that may change. Going to throw myself into something productive and grind for awhile instead.

Age will guard him. And Tre White, next time through. Yesterday is done. It sucks, but it’s done. I’m focused on smoking them next year. It really, really sucks, and the autopsy is necessary. But it’s also done. This team will win a Super Bowl with Josh Allen as its quarterback. I’m sick to my stomach this morning, but you know what? I’m going to go out and run my *ss off tonight after I work hard today. And I’ll work hard tomorrow. And the next day. And the day after that. It’s the only solution. We don’t know joy without sadness. And we wouldn’t love football as much if it didn’t end in despair for all participating teams but one. So how do we get to revel in that joy? Work harder than the next guy. On to 2022. Go Bills. See you at Highmark in August.

Milano walked himself out of position. In my view at least. I hate the result, but I’m coming around on the concept. Hill’s speed scared them. Rightfully so, given what happened earlier.

I HATED the sequence on offense that you’re talking about. And I can’t believe that we didn’t go for it on fourth down. I’ve been replaying the defensive sequence in my mind repeatedly. The only thing I would have done differently is mug hill and Kelce on first down. Otherwise, I kind of understand the idea of coming downhill to make a tackle and keeping every ing in front of the defenders. It sucks that it didn’t work. But I wonder if Hill’s speed and the last Chiefs touchdown in regulation (coupled with the fact that our coaches knew that our secondary was out of gas) contributed to that decision. Bottom line: the whole thing sucks. I believe we would have won the Super Bowl had we stopped KC. But we don’t need to blow anything up. We’re the second best team in the league, and the margin is paper thin. Get better in a few areas, and get a few lucky bounces next time, and we’ll be fine.

That’s the name of the game. Get someone who can wreck Pat Mahomes’s day. And draft an s-load of speed on the other side of the ball.

Fair enough. You want to invest in offense. It’s a reasonable approach. Chris Jones ruined that in last year’s AFCCG. I want a guy who can do the same thing. And I’d also like to be off of 22 points 58 minutes into the game. So maybe you and I are in the same spot there.

The hold on Jackson was ticky-tack. Cost us four points. Yes, it was a hold, but . . . In a game where the players were allowed to play that was cheap.

I agree. Wreck one drive—just one—with a timely sack and we win. Believe it or not, I’m into the Jordan Phillips idea if AZ cuts him loose. He has no anchor, but he’s a cheap idea to pair with Oliver on passing downs.

Ding ding we have a winner. We swung last year in the draft and maybe hit a single. Time to take another whack at it. Clear cap space and buy or trade for one.

Levi is gone (he will get an offer on the market that we will not want to match). Dane plays off ball next year. Draft/find a corner. Star, Feliciano or Morse (only one; Morse may retire, Feliciano goes if Morse stays), and Klein probably are cap casualties. Darryl Williams may be on his way out for cap reasons. Addison and Hughes are gone. Beasley probably is out of here (although I’m not totally in favor of that.) Harry gets Star’s money. Matakevich may go, too, if they want to pinch pennies to make a luxury acquisition. Find a game wrecker somewhere. Anywhere. Clear the space and either buy or trade for one. We played safe last night because Daboll wasn’t going to let Chris Jones ruin this game. Draft speed. And someone who we trust to return punts. But mostly draft a ton of speed, find a backup TE, and take a flyer somewhere on a raw but athletic pass rushing prospect.

I’m sort of with you on the “not sure anyone could have stopped anyone” approach. I disliked the strategy with 13 second left. Don’t mind the kick through the end zone; would have mugged everyone on the first play and rolled the bones on the second one. I was thinking about it on the way into work today; I wonder if the passivity was borne of fear of Hill’s speed on a hook and ladder or similar misdirection. Not sure. Either day it didn’t work. Looking back, though, the game wasn’t won or lost on the 13 second. S happens. We couldn’t close the door on the prior drive, and we couldn’t get home on the pass rush and change the game at any point in the proceedings. That was it. And, if we really want to dive into things (a topic for another thread), we were on 22 at 58 minutes into the game. Score more points and we don’t have this conversation.

No doubt they sucked. But they're not old and slow like the Pats. So what is it? Lack of pass rush that gets home. That's where I'm going with this.

Me too. Three timeouts and josh Allen was fine with me.

I have a friends who lost a father recently. I feel similarly to you. I wanted it not for myself, but for him. And for all those who need a pick up in life, be it because of the death of a loved one, the sadness and isolation of the last couple of years, whatever. It would have been so nice for so many people. That part sucks. Also, I refused to check the weather because I didn't want to jinx us. Maybe I should have. Although I admit with 13 second left I was thrilled to be going to the AFCCG a few miles from home next week. Next year, I guess. There was an unoccupied meadow in the middle of the field on the last two offense plays of regulation.

Awful lot to ask of the #1 defense, you say? Where was the pass rush? A nuisance last night, but really didn't get home. What happened to the waves of D-linemen? Gassed at the end. So was the whole defense, too, when we have LBers running several miles on drops and chasing little people across the field all night. They need to re-think the whole deal, Mahomes or not. I actually give them a pass on the OT. Whichever team got the ball was going to score. That was obvious. There was no energy left in either D.

The myopic focus on the 13 seconds. Let's be real. Poyer doesn't get caught flat footed and the game is different. Frankly, if Hill went down before scoring they could have choked us out. But our D blew it TWICE. And that's far worse than just one round of stupid strategy with 13 seconds on the clock.

Lost in the discussion of the blunders with respect to the 13 seconds is the fact that our defense had two chances to close the door following the two minute warning. It blew them both. So what needs to change? And what can we change? Frankly I think we were gassed so I'm not entirely sure that it's fair to say that the defense as a whole is slow (as I've seen in other places). Maybe it's time for Frazier to go. Maybe it's time to make some tough decisions and clear some cap space to acquire a pass rusher who can actually get home. We're close, and it's up to Beane and McD to figure this out.