Lost Facts in all the Toronto Series Hyperbole

[JM57]

With all the whining about the venue and the (false) claims that it would have been a totally different game if played at RWS is this:

 

The Falcons offensive game plan yesterday would have succeeded just as well in the "bad weather" of Orchard Park yesterday. 39 degrees with a little wind and a little rain?

 

Run a balanced attack, take what the defense gives you on pass plays, and control the ball is how you win in those conditions. What did they do?

 

Dink and dunked 47 passes for 311 yards (6.6 yards per attempt the same as EJ Manuel)

 

Shifted from a 70/30 pass/run offense and called 3 0 runs for 150 yards (5 yards a carry) and 3 TDs

 

Held the ball for just over 36 minutes of regulaton

 

Newsflash guys. They would have won in Buffalo with that production too.

[PearlHowardman]

The ATL run offense is something like the 31st or 32nd ranked offense in the NFL?

 

And they ran all over the Buffalo Bills defense yesterday!

[Livinginthepast]

You really think that Ryan would have been able to call his signals or audible with 70000 fans screaming at the Ralph as opposed to maybe 20000 Bills fans screaming in that loser cavern in Toronto. Do you think that all those handoffs to the RBS or all those tight spirals that Ryan threw would have been as effortlessly accomplished with wet cold hands or a wet ball in the wind at the Ralph? You have to be joking!

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

Nice post.

 

The only issues are:

 

1) Matt Ryan has a significantly worse performance record playing outdoors than indoors (might be skewed due to home/away).

 

2) It is tough to measure the effect of crowd noise. I do know that the Falcons had no issues on offense; I could hear Ryan's voice clearly over the TV.

[Gerry]

Even with the Packers missing Rodgers, let's see how the Falcons play in Green Bay this weekend, their only cold weather game this year.

[NoSaint]

The ATL run offense is something like the 31st or 32nd ranked offense in the NFL?

 

And they ran all over the Buffalo Bills defense yesterday!

 

they were without jackson much of the year. the falcons offense is better than their ranking. we shouldnt have given up what we did, but we shouldnt pretend like they are a bunch of bums either.

[PolishDave]

No way to know for sure one way or the other ultimately.

 

But here are some things to consider:

 

1)Home crowd noise in the Ralph is far superior. Crowd noise in the Rogers Center is a complete non-factor.

2) Home crowd noise when the Bills are on defense can disrupt communication between the opposing QB and his receivers resulting in mistakes/penalties against them, unplanned usage of timeouts and turnovers.

3) Home crowd noise when the Bills are on defense can disrupt communication on the offensive line resulting in mistakes and/or penalties against them.

4) Home crowd noise ignites emotional sparks in players which helps our team build momentum and helps their team give up their momentum.

5) Familiarity and game day routine of playing in at the Ralph - Do you think players are more comfortable playing in the Ralph or in any other stadium? Do you think that helps the players or not?

6) Playing in a dome is exactly what the Falcons are used to doing and exactly like the conditions they practice under. Playing in real weather logically would make the Falcons feel more "out of their element".

 

Would any single one of these factors have made the difference in that game? Impossible to know for sure. But arguing that these things don't matter is pretty delusional I would say.

 

The truth is that they might have mattered.

 

Why do you think every team in the league refers to it as home field advantage?

Edited December 2, 2013 by PolishDave

[JM57]

You really think that Ryan would have been able to call his signals or audible with 70000 fans screaming at the Ralph as opposed to maybe 20000 Bills fans screaming in that loser cavern in Toronto. Do you think that all those handoffs to the RBS or all those tight spirals that Ryan threw would have been as effortlessly accomplished with wet cold hands or a wet ball in the wind at the Ralph? You have to be joking!

 

I do. Because he's a top 10/12 QB in the league and its not his first rodeo. You think he's never experienced crowd noise or cold weather before? He played college ball at Boston College for Christ's sake.

[mjt328]

You really think that Ryan would have been able to call his signals or audible with 70000 fans screaming at the Ralph as opposed to maybe 20000 Bills fans screaming in that loser cavern in Toronto. Do you think that all those handoffs to the RBS or all those tight spirals that Ryan threw would have been as effortlessly accomplished with wet cold hands or a wet ball in the wind at the Ralph? You have to be joking!

 

 

Ugh. Excuses. Excuses. It's always something.

 

If only the Bills played ALL 16 games in Ralph Wilson Stadium, never had to play an opponent off a bye week or long break, never had anyone get injured, always had the ref calls go their way, and never had to play a good opponent (not a team like the Falcons...they are tougher than their 2-9 schedule suggested) --- then we would MAKE THE PLAYOFFS !!!! Maybe even with a 9-7 record!!!!

 

[oman128]

Our Bills outplayed the Falcons for 59 minutes and managed to f***** up this game in the last minute of the game.

Edited December 2, 2013 by oman128

[Livinginthepast]

I do. Because he's a top 10/12 QB in the league and its not his first rodeo. You think he's never experienced crowd noise or cold weather before? He played college ball at Boston College for Christ's sake.

 

So you are basically saying that Ryan and the Falcons would have performed exactly the same at the Ralph and that unpredictable weather conditions and crowd noise have no effect on a visiting team whatsoever? Who cares that he went to BC, playing in college is nothing compared to playing in the pros. Look at all the far better QBs than Ryan who have had significant issues with playing at the Ralph over the years and you would probably think otherwise.

[NoSaint]

 

 

So you are basically saying that Ryan and the Falcons would have performed exactly the same at the Ralph and that unpredictable weather conditions and crowd noise have no effect on a visiting team whatsoever? Who cares that he went to BC, playing in college is nothing compared to playing in the pros. Look at all the far better QBs than Ryan who have had significant issues with playing at the Ralph over the years and you would probably think otherwise.

 

for all we know, we wouldve played worse at the ralph in the elements.

[JPS]

Does the "IF" game make anyone feel better???

 

Put a better product on the field and the Bills will win. The "Ifs" is a loser conversation.

[Livinginthepast]

for all we know, we wouldve played worse at the ralph in the elements.

 

We might have. We might have lost the game in just as excruciating fashion. Hell this is the Bills after all. But to say that Ryan and the Falcons would not have been negatively affected by the noise and weather at the Ralph is ludicrous.

[section122]

 

 

for all we know, we wouldve played worse at the ralph in the elements.

The worst part yesterday was the fans. Forget the elements, the refs, the play on the field even. That was a falcons home game.

 

The cheering was clearly FOR the Falcons. That would not have happened in the Ralph. The quiet during the Falcons drives would not have happened in the Ralph. The crowd cheering as the fg went through the uprights would not have happened.

 

That is what bothered me. How in the world are there Falcons fans in Toronto? How did they outnumber Bills fans?

 

 

[BaaadThingsMan]

Steve fumbled, Bills lost. If Steve doesn't fumble Carpenter kicks the game winning fg and the Falcons lose, its really that simple.

[JohnnyBuffalo]

I dislike this thread immensely. The Gosh darn BUFFALO Bills played a game in toronto!!! Yeah the loss would suck but the whole time the game was going on I wouldn't have been ticked off if it had been at HOME!

 

I want to hit somebody!

[peterpan]

Steve fumbled, Bills lost. If Steve doesn't fumble Carpenter kicks the game winning fg and the Falcons lose, its really that simple.

 

Actually no, we lost before that. When we accepted that penalty, and it was 3rd and 16 instead of 4th and 1 at the goal line, I knew right then and there we lost the game. I knew that the bills would somehow allow a TD on The next play in the most embarrassing fashion possible - and they did. I don't care that it was a bad call, it was laughably predictable that the falcons would score. If Marrone was a bills fan then he would have seen this sad ending before, just like all of us have, and he would have declined that penalty like a smart person would have.

[JM57]

I dislike this thread immensely. The Gosh darn BUFFALO Bills played a game in toronto!!! Yeah the loss would suck but the whole time the game was going on I wouldn't have been ticked off if it had been at HOME!

 

I want to hit somebody!

 

And its people that fail to see the bigger picture like you that will cry the loudest if they cut the Toronto series off, the Rogers family wants nothing to do with the NFL and someone swoops in and moves the team to LA in 2020

[QCity]

And its people that fail to see the bigger picture like you that will cry the loudest if they cut the Toronto series off, the Rogers family wants nothing to do with the NFL and someone swoops in and moves the team to LA in 2020

 

Let me see if I got this straight - if they cut the Toronto series off and we revert to playing 8 home games at the Ralph, that will open the door to move the team to LA in 2020? I think you Toronto apologists have been brainwashed.