Just Moved From Boston - Explain This To Me!

[Augie]

I'll turn this around: My wife will be spending half of her time for the foreseeable future in Boston. What are the best restaurants there? She'll be working downtown and I plan to join her as possible. I spent a week there last summer, have a sister in Providence and we even started our honeymoon there many years ago, but curious about the best restaurants. She just got home a couple hours ago, and I don't envy the regular commute. Some treats are in order.

[Hardcore Bills Fan]

Negative? more like realistic. The Bills are not making the postseason; It is over.

I like your optimism as a fan but this team is worse then what the record indicates.

TT is not a long term answer, he is not clutch at all. Shady can't do it all and that's what the offense is built around.

DW is a not a very good GM; trading a 2nd 1st for Sammy was a real boneheaded move.

I'm still on the fence about Rex because of the 3 year rule but when the team doesn't practice or "script" plays that they will use there is a problem.

 

But lets assume for a minute that everything falls Buffalo's way and they back into the postseason, then what? They would go to a way better, less dysfunctional team's home and get creamed.

Right now, from the GM down, this is barely a winning team let alone a playoff team or Super Bowl contender.

[Nitro]

Context: I grew up in Buffalo, diehard Bills fan, lived as a kid through the '90's Super Bowl.

 

I've lived in the Boston-area for the last ten years because of school/work. This past month I was incredibly blessed to move back to Buffalo for work. As a football fan, living in exile for the past decade, I couldn't be happier to be back in Buffalo.

 

WTF is with the negativity in this town?? We are alive for the playoffs on Christmas Eve. With a win, there is a good chance we will go into week 17 still alive. We have a historically good rushing offense and have a chance to knock Miami out of the playoffs, leaving the Fish with cleat marks on their back.

 

We are scoring 26 points a game. Do I wish we were 9-5 instead of 7-7? Yes. But this team needs a SAFETY to make the playoffs next year. A freaking play-making SAFETY. Maybe a linebacker. Not a new GM, new HC, new QB. And I'm listening to Schopp and the Bulldog drone on about the drought and reading idiot columnists talk about how Buffalo should want to trade places with the Browns.

 

I don't understand the Buffalo mentality where we have to ask permission from the outside to be relevant. The team is talented and the team is CLOSE. I am ready as the next person to see the drought end. But guess what - the drought might end on New Year's. And if it doesn't, I believe it will end in 2018.

 

I for one, will be happy to gather with my family on Christmas Eve and watch a big game this Saturday and then do a little scoreboard watching after we run over the Dolphins on Sunday.

Welcome back. I moved away too and returning the negative vibe about nearly everything took me aback. It is the nature of the population.

[Augie]

Welcome back. I moved away too and returning the negative vibe about nearly everything took me aback. It is the nature of the population.

 

But the depth of love for the team is hard to challenge. I took both my sons to Buffalo when they turned 16 to experience a Bills game. People came up to me in advance begging me to bring my kids to eat their food and drink their drinks at tail gates. It was truly amazing. The boys are HUGE fans now and I hear from them almost daily regarding the Bills. I get why people are disappointed, but the love is amazing. And Pegs will get it right.

[Peter]

51 but how is that relevant....in week 1 they scored 26 but week 2 only 7...week 10 45 but week 11 only 14.....

 

How is that relevant? We were unstoppable going into the Super Bowl. I was at both games. If you do not want to give Bill B credit for knowing how to coach or coach defense, that is up to you. I thought that Belichick came up with a good game plan to do enough to win that game for the Giants and not have 51 points scored against them (or something like that).

[WildBills]

Yea, I agree, I was huge Jets fan but now huge Bills fan because Rex (if/when fired gonna hate you guys like Jets right now). Disappointed with his job on defense but overall not doing a bad job. For some reason, the fans think they won the superbowl in 2014 and Rex ruined it. After 2014, their coach quit and their quarterback retired. And they had no first round (or fourth round pick I believe but could be wrong on that). They also had a dominant defense that was based on a defensive line that had two over 30 year olds (one washed up, one awesome but injured last year) and a pothead that is not a winning player. Their only good safety has a neck injury that probably should keep him out of playing football again-so basically have worst safeties in the league. And their linebackers are below average and the WR they spent two first round picks on has been injured basically this whole year. Shocker they're not 10-4. If only the great Doug Marrone had decided not to leave a superbowl roster they would be so much better. The biggest problem on defense is that their highest paid player, Dareus, is not a winner. They need leaders on defense that will show up even when things are not going well like Kyle Williams and Lorenzo Alexander. Let Rex get that and watch him build a good defense like he did in NY. I know he hasn't made playoffs in 6 years but four of those years were with Mark Sanchez and Geno Smith. He is in a new place, with new Qb. Give him some time to turn around his defense and it will be worth it.

What kind of crazy person only likes a football team because Rex Ryan is coaching it? Are you in his foot fetish disorder class? Are you his wife? I would never have guessed a person like you existed in this world.

Maybe you're Rob Ryan?

[Buffalo Barbarian]

Context: I grew up in Buffalo, diehard Bills fan, lived as a kid through the '90's Super Bowl.

 

I've lived in the Boston-area for the last ten years because of school/work. This past month I was incredibly blessed to move back to Buffalo for work. As a football fan, living in exile for the past decade, I couldn't be happier to be back in Buffalo.

 

WTF is with the negativity in this town?? We are alive for the playoffs on Christmas Eve. With a win, there is a good chance we will go into week 17 still alive. We have a historically good rushing offense and have a chance to knock Miami out of the playoffs, leaving the Fish with cleat marks on their back.

 

We are scoring 26 points a game. Do I wish we were 9-5 instead of 7-7? Yes. But this team needs a SAFETY to make the playoffs next year. A freaking play-making SAFETY. Maybe a linebacker. Not a new GM, new HC, new QB. And I'm listening to Schopp and the Bulldog drone on about the drought and reading idiot columnists talk about how Buffalo should want to trade places with the Browns.

 

I don't understand the Buffalo mentality where we have to ask permission from the outside to be relevant. The team is talented and the team is CLOSE. I am ready as the next person to see the drought end. But guess what - the drought might end on New Year's. And if it doesn't, I believe it will end in 2018.

 

I for one, will be happy to gather with my family on Christmas Eve and watch a big game this Saturday and then do a little scoreboard watching after we run over the Dolphins on Sunday.

 

We've been here a dozen times so nothing to get excited about. The chances of us winning out and others losing out are slim and none.

 

 

Also we a re SICK AND TIRED of having poor QBs that will never be the guy and Rex Defense isn't the greatest and everyone's pissed off he ruined our great D under Schwartz and have grown tired of his bravado although he is more subdued this yr but that is because of all the mediocrity.

[r00tabaga]

Vocal minority vs silent majority my friend. That is all. Welcome back.

This.

[nucci]

 

How is that relevant? We were unstoppable going into the Super Bowl. I was at both games. If you do not want to give Bill B credit for knowing how to coach or coach defense, that is up to you. I thought that Belichick came up with a good game plan to do enough to win that game for the Giants and not have 51 points scored against them (or something like that).

I was at both and the SB...The offense had the ball for 19 minutes and produced 370 yds...got the ball back at the 10 yd line with no time outs left and got in to FG range...the defense blew that game....I'm not taking anything away from Belichick but almost 400 yds of offense and 17 points in 19 minutes of possession

[Chandler#81]

 

Did you see what Bill Belichick came up with to stop our explosive offense in Super Bowl 25? Bill is not so bad at that defense thing himself

 

A tad selective memory, Peter. Yes, his 2-5 scheme took advantage of Kelly's hangover and swashbuckling charisma, but the running game -Thurman in particular- was fantastic against a Pass-1st D scheme. 19 points in 19 minutes of TOP says we were effective against it. The NY offense (Otis Anderson and timely 3rd down conversions) is what ultimately foiled us. Well, that and a 47 yrd FG attempt..

[vincec]

Did you see what Bill Belichick came up with to stop our explosive offense in Super Bowl 25? Bill is not so bad at that defense thing himself.

Do you mean begging his offense to dominate the time of possession? Genius!

[OJ's Glove]

 

A tad selective memory, Peter. Yes, his 2-5 scheme took advantage of Kelly's hangover and swashbuckling charisma, but the running game -Thurman in particular- was fantastic against a Pass-1st D scheme.

 

But Belichick, then all of 38, began his presentation with a dangerous idea and damning assessment. He told his proud players “We’re going to let Thurman Thomas get 100 yards.”

“For the group that we had, we didn’t want anybody to get that amount of yards,” said Banks, a Giants linebacker from 1984-92, and now an analyst on the team’s radio broadcasts. “But as he began to explain the plan, we kind of understood why.”

 

[Fadingpain]

Context: I grew up in Buffalo, diehard Bills fan, lived as a kid through the '90's Super Bowl.

 

I've lived in the Boston-area for the last ten years because of school/work. This past month I was incredibly blessed to move back to Buffalo for work. As a football fan, living in exile for the past decade, I couldn't be happier to be back in Buffalo.

 

WTF is with the negativity in this town?? We are alive for the playoffs on Christmas Eve. With a win, there is a good chance we will go into week 17 still alive. We have a historically good rushing offense and have a chance to knock Miami out of the playoffs, leaving the Fish with cleat marks on their back.

 

We are scoring 26 points a game. Do I wish we were 9-5 instead of 7-7? Yes. But this team needs a SAFETY to make the playoffs next year. A freaking play-making SAFETY. Maybe a linebacker. Not a new GM, new HC, new QB. And I'm listening to Schopp and the Bulldog drone on about the drought and reading idiot columnists talk about how Buffalo should want to trade places with the Browns.

 

I don't understand the Buffalo mentality where we have to ask permission from the outside to be relevant. The team is talented and the team is CLOSE. I am ready as the next person to see the drought end. But guess what - the drought might end on New Year's. And if it doesn't, I believe it will end in 2018.

 

I for one, will be happy to gather with my family on Christmas Eve and watch a big game this Saturday and then do a little scoreboard watching after we run over the Dolphins on Sunday.

You should have stayed in Boston if you prefer optimism.

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

I'm not sure if this is a serious question or not...but the team missing the playoffs 17 years running MAY have something to do with it.

[Flip Johnson]

Love all the thoughtful opinions

 

A couple opinions after reading this thread.

 

1. Fans are obviously beat up by the playoff drought and many are unable to separate this year from the last seventeen years. However, having lived through the '90s, the truth is that the inferiority complex was real back then. The "blow it all up," "the world is against us," "the media hates us," "we'll never beat a real team" idiots were there for Kelly and Marv

 

2. The core media people are basically all the same - Sullivan, Carucci, Gaughan, Graham, the GR guys, etc. I would venture to suggest that many of these guys are on the backside of their careers and are personally resentful about how their careers have turned out and that they've spent their prime years covering a losing team. That has nothing to do with the team at current, but it does come out in the way the team is covered.

 

Augie, if you're in Boston, hit up Santarpio's in East Boston for a true Boston pizza experience.

 

Good to be back in town!

[nucci]

Lol. It's comical actually.

 

His mentality seems to be "how dare fans be so critical of this franchise."

 

Good post.

 

I feel the product on the field contributes to those embarrassing tailgates. That's all a Bills game is anymore.... A bunch of kids getting completely trashed and pulling ridiculous stunts.

These tailgates have been happening for years....not much different than the 90s......just more ways to see them now

[genosmith]

What kind of crazy person only likes a football team because Rex Ryan is coaching it? Are you in his foot fetish disorder class? Are you his wife? I would never have guessed a person like you existed in this world.

Maybe you're Rob Ryan?

 

Haha I think I am the only one that actually became a Bills fan while he's coach. There are Jets fans who do agree with me he's awesome and got bad deal with Geno and Sanchez.

[jester43]

I think most reasonable people would.. Bills fans and outsiders alike.

i agree...why can't anyone remember the drastic difference in each of the past 2 years when Williams went down?

[May Day 10]

Love all the thoughtful opinions

 

A couple opinions after reading this thread.

 

1. Fans are obviously beat up by the playoff drought and many are unable to separate this year from the last seventeen years. However, having lived through the '90s, the truth is that the inferiority complex was real back then. The "blow it all up," "the world is against us," "the media hates us," "we'll never beat a real team" idiots were there for Kelly and Marv

 

2. The core media people are basically all the same - Sullivan, Carucci, Gaughan, Graham, the GR guys, etc. I would venture to suggest that many of these guys are on the backside of their careers and are personally resentful about how their careers have turned out and that they've spent their prime years covering a losing team. That has nothing to do with the team at current, but it does come out in the way the team is covered.

 

Augie, if you're in Boston, hit up Santarpio's in East Boston for a true Boston pizza experience.

 

Good to be back in town!

 

1. That is pretty much true everywhere.... not just Buffalo. Green Bay was ready to burn last year... and again earlier this year. Even New England fans start to question their team, Brady, Belichick, etc on the rare occasion that the Pats get bopped in the nose (like that KC game a couple years ago). It is different though in cities with 4 major Sports. Odds are 1 of them are doing decent enough and fans will generally flock and pay attention to the better franchise(s). No matter what you are going to have overly critical and negative fans... The Bills deserve it.

 

2. The Buffalo News resents the Pegulas in general. Pegula came on the scene with the laughable notion that TBN needs to write nice articles about everyone no matter what. This was on the heels of another tense relationship between TBN and Golisano/Quinn/Regier. They mocked him and it started a fued. TBN has been stonewalled, and if you paid close attention to the Sabres, they have given information and have been much more candid with out of town sources... while giving TBN nothing.... which stokes the flames more. WGR was also stonewalled, but they started to play nice about when they became the Bills' station. They supported the Sabres tank and are also as fair as they can be with the Bills. As a result, the teams throw them bones and they get more access.

The media DOES want the Bills to do well. They are exhausted by the same story playing over and over again. Readership/listenership/viewership increases when they do well, as do the out of town/national spots and opportunities. They have friends and family who are fans and are members of the community.

[Peter]

I was at both and the SB...The offense had the ball for 19 minutes and produced 370 yds...got the ball back at the 10 yd line with no time outs left and got in to FG range...the defense blew that game....I'm not taking anything away from Belichick but almost 400 yds of offense and 17 points in 19 minutes of possession

 

It was kind of like the old saying about not being able to stop Michael Jordan etc. . . . . I personally thought (and think) that Bill came up with a great game plan (together with Bill Parcells). They played on the fact that Kelly was too stubborn and would want to be a gunslinger rather than be content handing the ball to Thurman. Also, if we had done that, we would have controlled the clock more and our defense would not have been on the field as much.

 

 

A tad selective memory, Peter. Yes, his 2-5 scheme took advantage of Kelly's hangover and swashbuckling charisma, but the running game -Thurman in particular- was fantastic against a Pass-1st D scheme. 19 points in 19 minutes of TOP says we were effective against it. The NY offense (Otis Anderson and timely 3rd down conversions) is what ultimately foiled us. Well, that and a 47 yrd FG attempt..

 

See above. I also agree that those third down conversions did kill us - especially that third and 18 or whatever it was with all of the missed tackles. Nevertheless, keep in mind that offensive and defensive game plans go hand in hand. Both Bills (Belichick and Parcells) did what they had to do to avoid getting 51 points rung up on them. We, on the other hand, were not content running the ball with Thurman because of Kelly's stubbornness (in my opinion). I give a lot of credit to Bill B for coming up with something that helped the Giants win that game against a Bills team that I thought had a lot more talent.

 

Do you mean begging his offense to dominate the time of possession? Genius!

 

. . . and it would have been GREAT if we had, in fact, tried to control time of possession by running the freaking ball rather than Kelly stubbornly not taking what the defense gave him.

 

If you guys are trying to argue that Bill B. is not an excellent defensive mind, we simply are not going to agree. He does more with less and even made Troy Brown (a WR) into an effective CB when they needed someone to fill the void.