Pay Dirt - This week's fan column in Buff News

[Kelly the Dog]

https://buffalonews.com/2019/11/05/buffalo-bills-washington-redskins-bills-mafia-pay-dirt/

 

Please read, comment, critique, pick nits, ballwash, badmouth, quote, misquote, preach, beeotch, and/or otherwise be yourselves.

 

Here is a tease...

 

By definition, “pay dirt” is the “ground containing ore in sufficient quantity to be profitably extracted.” In football parlance, it is reaching that hallowed ground of the end zone for a touchdown. 

 

The Bills reached pay dirt three times against the Redskins on Sunday, without allowing Washington to mine that ore once, in a strangely unsatisfying 15-point win, 24-9. 

 

Devin Singletary is a human jukebox. He somehow runs sideways like a crab, with a burst of speed he is not supposed to own. With X-ray vision only superheroes possess, he can see through walls, seemingly behind him, and before stuff happens in real life. 

 

Bills fans have been screaming for Singletary to get the rock more, and he finally had his breakout game with a few breakaway scampers, including the Bills' first well-designed, timed, and executed screen pass in 83 years. 

 

Singletary hit pay dirt by skedaddling to the corner of the end zone from two yards out to ice the game and put the Redskins out of our misery.   

Frank Gore tried to batter-ram his way into pay dirt on three consecutive carries in the first quarter but got steamrolled each time. During the Bills' first drive of the third quarter, on fourth-and-1, they tried to bum-rush it in again and got barricaded again, turning it over on downs. Undeterred, or insanely stubborn, in the fourth quarter on third-and-2, they tried it a fifth time and got promptly curb-stomped. Looks like a trend. 

 

Bills fans complain offensive coordinator Brian Daboll gets a little too cute at times in the middle of the field, and then is not adorable enough in short yardage.  

 

Many Bills fans left mildly if not majorly disappointed with the win. A substantial portion of Bills Mafiadom is not all that happy with the 6-2 record because they have all been untidy wins against bottom dwellers. Buffalo has not had a clean, convincing victory all season.

 

l

 

 

 

 

Edited November 5, 2019 by Kelly the Dog

[I'm Spartacus]

Good analogy of McDermott "driving like an old lady"! Sometimes he is too conservative, just like Skeletor.

[Bleedbuffaloblue]

I can’t read the full article w/o the BN subscription which I refuse to pay for. From the parts you provided it sounds like a decent description of some of the game action. As for the disappointed fans I am not sure there were the numbers they would like you to believe. This seems more of a national press opinion. To say a substantial number of the Bills Mafia are not pleased with the 6-2 record is a bit of a stretch IMO anyways.

Basically sounds like more of the same that has been hashed and rehashed on this board adnausium.

[Casey D]

Great stuff!!!

[jkeerie]

Always a pleasure to read your take on the game, Pete.  The word "unsatisfying" hit the nail on the head...yet we won by 15 points, 5 points better than the spread.  

Has the minimum acceptable standard for Bills fans become perfection?

[Kelly the Dog]

56 minutes ago, I'm Spartacus said:

Good analogy of McDermott "driving like an old lady"! Sometimes he is too conservative, just like Skeletor.

Ha! Skeletor used to drive me up a wall. Not there yet with McDermott, but he is frustrating at times..

[Warcodered]

Didn't the Bills hit pay dirt three times?

[Nanker]

Well, eye for won am not paying for that dirt.

 

 

[NoHuddleKelly12]

I laughed out loud at the 83 years in the waiting successful screen pass line--hyperbole that absolutely however hits its mark.

[Kelly the Dog]

10 minutes ago, Warcodered said:

Didn't the Bills hit pay dirt three times?

Yep. My mistake. I was thinking Josh. I will have it changed. Thanks a lot, good sir.

[NoHuddleKelly12]

Side note Kelly--how long does it normally take to knock the column out? Do you write it all in one sitting, or come back to it bit by bit? Finished product always entertaining either way. 

[Kelly the Dog]

7 minutes ago, Nanker said:

Well, eye for won am not paying for that dirt.

 

 

There are those who call you... Cheap Tim?

Just now, NoHuddleKelly12 said:

Side note Kelly--how long does it normally take to knock the column out? Do you write it all in one sitting, or come back to it bit by bit? Finished product always entertaining either way. 

Couple hours. One sitting. I will watch the condensed game on Game Pass right before I start to write, and usually have a little theme before I start. Thanks!

1 hour ago, jkeerie said:

Always a pleasure to read your take on the game, Pete.  The word "unsatisfying" hit the nail on the head...yet we won by 15 points, 5 points better than the spread.  

Has the minimum acceptable standard for Bills fans become perfection?

Sure seems that way. It's true they haven't put a whole game together. And I myself was not wholly satisfied. It's a totally new feeling though, after losing so many games so many years like this, we're not happy with wins either.

 

Thanks for the kind words, girl.

[Kelly the Dog]

1 hour ago, Bleedbuffaloblue said:

I can’t read the full article w/o the BN subscription which I refuse to pay for. From the parts you provided it sounds like a decent description of some of the game action. As for the disappointed fans I am not sure there were the numbers they would like you to believe. This seems more of a national press opinion. To say a substantial number of the Bills Mafia are not pleased with the 6-2 record is a bit of a stretch IMO anyways.

Basically sounds like more of the same that has been hashed and rehashed on this board adnausium.

Well, I looked all over here, looked all over twitter, looked on other Bills sites, talked to a lot of people in LA and some friends in Buffalo and everyone seemed like that. You are basing this opinion on what?

[Formerly Allan in MD]

Good read.  This business about the Bills schedule is kind of lame.  For years we've been advised that our schedule is one of the toughest; so we lose and everyone agrees it was a given.  So we finally have a easier schedule and we're winning and everyone thus says it's a given.  Take the "given" and run with it.  If we were losing to these teams, everyone would be complaining as well.

 

By the way, I haven't seen much comment on the all white unis.  I really like them.  Reminds me of the old Cleveland Browns when Jim was smokin'.

[Punching Bag]

1 hour ago, NoHuddleKelly12 said:

Side note Kelly--how long does it normally take to knock the column out? Do you write it all in one sitting, or come back to it bit by bit? Finished product always entertaining either way. 

 

Maybe he does it like Jerry - writes it ahead of time and then adds facts which fit his story after game.  This method allows more drinking after game.

6 minutes ago, Formerly Allan in MD said:

Good read.  This business about the Bills schedule is kind of lame.  For years we've been advised that our schedule is one of the toughest; so we lose and everyone agrees it was a given.  So we finally have a easier schedule and we're winning and everyone thus says it's a given.  Take the "given" and run with it.  If we were losing to these teams, everyone would be complaining as well.

 

So you are saying some like complaining more than winning.  As the saying goes "No ***** Sherlock!" 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

1 hour ago, Kelly the Dog said:

Well, I looked all over here, looked all over twitter, looked on other Bills sites, talked to a lot of people in LA and some friends in Buffalo and everyone seemed like that. You are basing this opinion on what?

 

I don't think "not pleased with the 6-2 record" doesn't quite capture it.

 

I think everyone is pleased that we're 6-2, BUT.... the team's past track record of snatching disappointment from the jaws of a winning season combined with the low offensive scoring makes us fearful

 

But maybe I'm mistaken and a substantial number of fans actually are displeased.

[Kelly the Dog]

5 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

I don't think "not pleased with the 6-2 record" doesn't quite capture it.

 

I think everyone is pleased that we're 6-2, BUT.... the team's past track record of snatching disappointment from the jaws of a winning season combined with the low offensive scoring makes us fearful

 

But maybe I'm mistaken and a substantial number of fans actually are displeased.

If you are fearful, you are not pleased. If you are pleased, you are not fearful. It's a semantic argument.

 

My point is actually that I agree with you, if you asked fans "Are you pleased with a 6-2 record?" They would almost universally say yes. But they are not acting pleased at all. They start with what went wrong rather than what went right. The cries that this is unsustainable come out before it's awesome that the Bills are 6-2. That is more of the point. People leaving the game or sports bar seem more relieved and concerned than pumped.

 

37 minutes ago, Limeaid said:

 

Maybe he does it like Jerry - writes it ahead of time and then adds facts which fit his story after game.  This method allows more drinking after game.

 

 

Ummmmm. no... and I drink plenty during the game.

 

They have a special drink for me at the Bills bar, called "A vodka." It consists of vodka, vodka, vodka, and grapefruit juice, with a splash of sprite.

[Kelly the Dog]

47 minutes ago, Formerly Allan in MD said:

Good read.  This business about the Bills schedule is kind of lame.  For years we've been advised that our schedule is one of the toughest; so we lose and everyone agrees it was a given.  So we finally have a easier schedule and we're winning and everyone thus says it's a given.  Take the "given" and run with it.  If we were losing to these teams, everyone would be complaining as well.

 

By the way, I haven't seen much comment on the all white unis.  I really like them.  Reminds me of the old Cleveland Browns when Jim was smokin'.

Thanks a lot. Some people are never happy. Or rarely I should say.

 

I mentioned here before the games those white on whites are my favorite jerseys. They look awesome.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

4 minutes ago, Kelly the Dog said:

If you are fearful, you are not pleased. If you are pleased, you are not fearful. It's a semantic argument.

 

Nonsense.  I can, for example, be pleased that my mother is currently out of the hospital and doing well, but fearful based upon her past track record that this will not last.

Likewise, I can be pleased that my Buffalo Bills are currently 6-2, but fearful based upon the team's past track record that this will not last.

 

4 minutes ago, Kelly the Dog said:

My point is actually that I agree with you, if you asked fans "Are you pleased with a 6-2 record?" They would almost universally say yes. But they are not acting pleased at all. They start with what went wrong rather than what went right. The cries that this is unsustainable come out before it's awesome that the Bills are 6-2. That is more of the point. People leaving the game or sports bar seem more relieved and concerned than pumped.

 

Fair.

[Happy]

4 hours ago, Kelly the Dog said:

Many Bills fans left mildly if not majorly disappointed with the win. A substantial portion of Bills Mafiadom is not all that happy with the 6-2 record because they have all been untidy wins against bottom dwellers. Buffalo has not had a clean, convincing victory all season.

 

I think a win against the Patriots and/or a better showing against Philly would alleviate some of these concerns.  Some Bills fans know we have Dallas, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, and NE coming up again; three of those can easily be losses.  Cleveland and Denver will be no cake walk and are winnable games, yet there is concern that the Bills will lay an egg on one of these games.  No one wants to see potentially 11-5 slip to 9-7 and needed help again just to get to the playoffs.

[HOUSE]

 

5 hours ago, Bleedbuffaloblue said:

I can’t read the full article w/o the BN subscription which I refuse to pay for. From the parts you provided it sounds like a decent description of some of the game action. As for the disappointed fans I am not sure there were the numbers they would like you to believe. This seems more of a national press opinion. To say a substantial number of the Bills Mafia are not pleased with the 6-2 record is a bit of a stretch IMO anyways.

Basically sounds like more of the same that has been hashed and rehashed on this board adnausium.

Edited November 6, 2019 by HOUSE

[Locomark]

Singletary making himself small by running sideways to get that extra yard is what 34 used to do a lot on short yardage. He could learn from the Thurm.

[ColoradoBills]

29 minutes ago, Kelly the Dog said:

Thanks a lot. Some people are never happy. Or rarely I should say.

 

I mentioned here before the games those white on whites are my favorite jerseys. They look awesome.

 

Another good job.

 

I guess I'm in the minority because I truly am enjoying the Bills season so far.

I made no predictions and had no grand expectations to start the season.  All that matters is Sundays game against the Browns.

The Bills could go 7-2 and that is just crazy fun to me.

 

I'll save my autopsy report for the end of the season.  LOL

[Hapless Bills Fan]

 

Some good insight here in this Vic Carruci article on the fanbase and how the team reacts from Micah Hyde:

https://buffalonews.com/2019/11/05/buffalo-bills-micah-hyde-cleveland-browns-vic-carucci-nfl-football-week-10-opinion-2019/

 

"With their fans, it's the fear of building up hopes only to see them crushed into dust. Better to protect the heart with a thick shield of skepticism than expose it to being broken, as has happened so many times through the years. So find every flaw imaginable in a 6-2 start and brace yourself for when they bring on the inevitable unraveling.

With the national media, it's the idea that, well, they're the Bills. When you've been mostly bad so long, it's hard for anyone to accept that you can actually be good, even if the record suggests otherwise. There's no star power. There's nothing all that dynamic about the coach or the ownership or the city"

(....)

"[Hyde says] "You change our name with the majority of teams in this league, at 6-2, they're going to be up there in the top whatever in the rankings [note: I think he's speaking of the subjective rankings of various pundits put out by many outlets including nfl.com -hap] and all that stuff," Micah Hyde said Tuesday. "But we're the Buffalo Bills. We don't have the $30 million quarterback on our team and the high-profile players, so we've got to get it the hard way. And that's what we appreciate. The people here in Buffalo do the same thing, so we're going to have to try to fight it out and get the recognition somehow."

(....)

"Part of the perception problem, [Hyde] thinks, is also due to the messaging that he and his teammates have become conditioned to deliver, regardless of a game's outcome. That's a Sean McDermott thing.  "He preaches to us a lot about, 'We've got to win, but let's play better, let's play better, let's play better,' " Hyde said. "I think that we've been kind of saying that so much to the media that we're kind of drowning out the win part. "

(....)

Hyde doesn't want the Bills to ever settle for just getting by, nor does he believe they're wired that way. "It's obvious, we want to play better," Hyde said. (.....)

(...)

"Every game is close, anybody can beat anybody. ..... if you can win, at the end of the day, that's all that matters."

 

 

 

 

[Kelly the Dog]

1 hour ago, Locomark said:

Singletary making himself small by running sideways to get that extra yard is what 34 used to do a lot on short yardage. He could learn from the Thurm.

Very true. His sudden, stop, juke and acceleration is often reminiscent of #34. We obviously do not want to make the total comparison to a Hall of Famer, but that element of his game sparks flashbacks.

1 hour ago, ColoradoBills said:

 

Another good job.

 

I guess I'm in the minority because I truly am enjoying the Bills season so far.

I made no predictions and had no grand expectations to start the season.  All that matters is Sundays game against the Browns.

The Bills could go 7-2 and that is just crazy fun to me.

 

I'll save my autopsy report for the end of the season.  LOL

Thanks. I'm personally thrilled with all of these wins. There is a lot of mediocrity around the league this year, and it is a good one to take full advantage.

[jkeerie]

13 minutes ago, Kelly the Dog said:

 

Thanks. I'm personally thrilled with all of these wins. There is a lot of mediocrity around the league this year, and it is a good one to take full advantage.

Thank you for saying this.  There are very few good teams this year.  Mediocrity is rampant.  No one has played a tough schedule.   So no one should criticize anyone for playing a weak schedule. 

[Kelly the Dog]

1 hour ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

Some good insight here in this Vic Carruci article on the fanbase and how the team reacts from Micah Hyde:

https://buffalonews.com/2019/11/05/buffalo-bills-micah-hyde-cleveland-browns-vic-carucci-nfl-football-week-10-opinion-2019/

 

"With their fans, it's the fear of building up hopes only to see them crushed into dust. Better to protect the heart with a thick shield of skepticism than expose it to being broken, as has happened so many times through the years. So find every flaw imaginable in a 6-2 start and brace yourself for when they bring on the inevitable unraveling.

With the national media, it's the idea that, well, they're the Bills. When you've been mostly bad so long, it's hard for anyone to accept that you can actually be good, even if the record suggests otherwise. There's no star power. There's nothing all that dynamic about the coach or the ownership or the city"

 

 

 

 

 

I never subscribe to this doomsday theory. It ruins your week and attitude. It's much more fun, you are much better to be around, and your life is just plain better if you are optimistic about the next game following a win. If, of course, they are a decent to good team, which they are.

 

That's not saying anyone should be blind to the team's faults or to just be a blatant homer. But rather to just look at the rosier possibilities. I never feel LESS bad after a loss just because I thought they would win. They all suck. I may be pissed more by how the game was played or if they blow it somehow, but it's ridiculous to not enjoy an entire week of buildup to the next game just because you might feel more bad if you get your hopes up. That's stupid, IMO.

12 minutes ago, jkeerie said:

Thank you for saying this.  There are very few good teams this year.  Mediocrity is rampant.  No one has played a tough schedule.   So no one should criticize anyone for playing a weak schedule. 

Exactly.

[ColoradoBills]

10 minutes ago, Kelly the Dog said:

Very true. His sudden, stop, juke and acceleration is often reminiscent of #34. We obviously do not want to make the total comparison to a Hall of Famer, but that element of his game sparks flashbacks.

Thanks. I'm personally thrilled with all of these wins. There is a lot of mediocrity around the league this year, and it is a good one to take full advantage.

 

I frequent a locally owned sports bar here in Colorado Springs for years.  Have a lot of friends rooting for a lot of different teams.

Out here almost everyone is FROM somewhere else but one thing everyone agrees on is their hatred of the Pats* (except for the few Patsy* fans of course).

The general consensus is the Bills are doing a lot of good things.  Funny how a lot of them are higher on the Bills than some here.

FWIW.

[Kelly the Dog]

19 minutes ago, ColoradoBills said:

 

I frequent a locally owned sports bar here in Colorado Springs for years.  Have a lot of friends rooting for a lot of different teams.

Out here almost everyone is FROM somewhere else but one thing everyone agrees on is their hatred of the Pats* (except for the few Patsy* fans of course).

The general consensus is the Bills are doing a lot of good things.  Funny how a lot of them are higher on the Bills than some here.

FWIW.

Apparently, we don't like when other fans don't like us, or when they do. 

[ganesh]

7 hours ago, Bleedbuffaloblue said:

I can’t read the full article w/o the BN subscription which I refuse to pay for. From the parts you provided it sounds like a decent description of some of the game action. As for the disappointed fans I am not sure there were the numbers they would like you to believe. This seems more of a national press opinion. To say a substantial number of the Bills Mafia are not pleased with the 6-2 record is a bit of a stretch IMO anyways.

Basically sounds like more of the same that has been hashed and rehashed on this board adnausium.

Yup.  A win is a win.  It is hard to win in the NFL. 

[Punching Bag]

1 hour ago, jkeerie said:

Thank you for saying this.  There are very few good teams this year.  Mediocrity is rampant.  No one has played a tough schedule.   So no one should criticize anyone for playing a weak schedule. 

 

Parity = mediocrity or do you think the changes of rules, especially concessions to NFLPA, are cause?

1 hour ago, ColoradoBills said:

 

I frequent a locally owned sports bar here in Colorado Springs for years.  Have a lot of friends rooting for a lot of different teams.

Out here almost everyone is FROM somewhere else but one thing everyone agrees on is their hatred of the Pats* (except for the few Patsy* fans of course).

The general consensus is the Bills are doing a lot of good things.  Funny how a lot of them are higher on the Bills than some here.

FWIW.

 

It does not surprise me at all.  Battered Bills Fan Syndrome seems to cause CTE.

[Mikie2times]

Bills fans react the same as scorned lovers. It really is that simple. Most of us just throttle our expectations to avoid getting hurt. It sucks living that way. Don’t blame people that do but prefer the other approach. 

[Kelly the Dog]

Just now, KzooMike said:

Bills fans react the same as scorned lovers. It really is that simple. Most of us just throttle our expectations to avoid getting hurt. It sucks living that way. Don’t blame people that do but prefer the other approach. 

That is true but it really is a choice. You do not have to be the scorned lover.

[jkeerie]

11 hours ago, Limeaid said:

 

Parity = mediocrity or do you think the changes of rules, especially concessions to NFLPA, are cause?

 

It does not surprise me at all.  Battered Bills Fan Syndrome seems to cause CTE.

I don't think parity leads to mediocrity.  I think it should lead to more competitive football.  I think your latter point has merit...with the concessions to NFLPA.  There have been injuries this year that have really set some teams back.  Is that because of the limited contact in training camps and practice?  The officiating has had an impact.  Calls have cost teams games.   Teams that looked good last year and in the recent past are struggling this year with pretty much the same rosters.   

[wagon127]

I find it strange that people say the bills fans were disappointed with the game Sunday. I mean, we were disappointed with the Dolphins game. I think by the time we got to the Redskins game, we got exactly what we expected.

[Don Otreply]

18 hours ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

I don't think "not pleased with the 6-2 record" doesn't quite capture it.

 

I think everyone is pleased that we're 6-2, BUT.... the team's past track record of snatching disappointment from the jaws of a winning season combined with the low offensive scoring makes us fearful

 

But maybe I'm mistaken and a substantial number of fans actually are displeased.

Well if they are displeased they are as DC Tom puts it, Idiots. A year ago we were 2-6, and these tools still whimper like school girls, and to say that is unfair to school girls.

 

Go Bills!!!

[Kelly the Dog]

5 hours ago, Don Otreply said:

Well if they are displeased they are as DC Tom puts it, Idiots. A year ago we were 2-6, and these tools still whimper like school girls, and to say that is unfair to school girls.

 

Go Bills!!!

Will be interesting this week I think. It's in Cleveland. The Browns season is over if they lose although it may be already. They are not really as bad as their record and have some talent. If we win, hopefully it will not be regarded as a toothless win. If we lose, however, everyone will likely jump in and say see? We were a toothless tiger. I'm looking forward to a win.

Edited November 7, 2019 by Kelly the Dog

[Don Otreply]

2 hours ago, Kelly the Dog said:

Will be interesting this week I think. It's in Cleveland. The Browns season is over if they lose although it may be already. They are not really as bad as their record and have some talent. If we win, hopefully it will not be regardless as a toothless win. If we lose, however, everyone will likely jump in and say see? We were a toothless tiger. I'm looking forward to a win.

As am I,  I think we got this Go Bills!!!