Popular Post Virgil Posted December 17, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted December 17, 2019 (edited) *Note - Due to it being freezing and wearing gloves, I really wasn't able to take notes at the game and it's not almost 48 hours later. Feel free to correct any mistakes and I'll update the original post. Well, that was an interesting 48 hours. My sister and I made the drive from the Maryland to the game and drove back the same night, which is about 4 hours. With traffic and it snowing the entire drive back, didn't get home until around 4am. Then, as luck would have it, schools were closed for a snow day and I was up at 7:30a to spend the day with my daughter. So, after not sleeping well the night before the game and the 2+ hours the next night, I was nothing more than a zombie last night. Worth it? One moment made it all worth it, and it wasn't just the win... 1 - Billsy - This is a term that bothers a lot of people and one that I've used many times; including this season. To me, it's any time in the past 20 years where the Bills snatched a loss from the jaws of victory in the most ridiculous way. Think McKelvin against the Pats or the Prime time comeback loss to the Cowboys. It's that feeling when the casual fan would assume a game is over because of the score and time left on the clock, but true Bills fans can do the math and realize there's still a way to lose. In most cases, we found that way. Billsy is the reason I don't travel to big games, or games against the Pats where we think we have a chance because I learned to not let the hope in. I learned that the Bills can always find new, creative ways to rip my heart out. But the minute this game was flexed to Prime Time and we would clinch with a win, I knew I had to be there. For the first time in 20 years, I Billieved we were going to win that game. I didn't care what the line was or how good the Steelers defense was. I didn't care that they were 5-0 in those black jerseys or that we hadn't won there since forever. I just knew that we were going to win that game and the drive would be worth it. I knew that expecting Billsy things to happen was behind me and that McD had killed that in us. If there's anything we've accomplished this season, it's that to me as a fan. And that, is a great feeling. 2 - Pre-Game - We got to the area 4 hours before the game as we didn't know much about the area. The stadium is within a few blocks on the baseball park and the whole area seems to have been built up to support the fan traffic. The restaurants are all franchises and the parking was insane ($40-$60). The cheap/free parking was across one of the many bridges. Now, I'll say that about 30% of the fans I saw pre-game were Bills. We went into Bar Louie to watch the 4pm games, but they didn't have Sunday ticket and could only watch the Cowboys game. We had to ask them four times to take bass fishing off the other TV's. We met two guys from Rochester that used to work for Wegmans as they saw us waiting for a table and invited us to join them. They proceeded to get hammered and actually paid for our food (Shout out to them). The fact that the bar didn't have the Sunday ticket was embarrassing. We headed to the stadium around 6:30p and everything felt very....corporate. Yes, the SNF bus was there and they had pregame taping happening, but there wasn't any personality to the area or stadium. It reminded me of the field walls at the Ralph when they stopped letting people bring their own banners in like Skid Row and replaced them with their own HR approved prints. Don't get me wrong, the stadium looked nice for being 15+ years old, but it just didn't have any personality to me. 3 - Steelers Defense - I'll be honest, I haven't paid any attention to the Steelers this year and only knew they were ravaged on offense due to injuries and their defense lost a lot of key players over the years. I kept hearing about how great their defense was, but wasn't sure why. The great thing about going to a game is being able to see the entire field and how teams match-up. Here's what I learned about the Steelers defense: They play a very straight forward base defense and dare you to beat them. When they blitz, they rarely disguise it and simply put 5 guys on the line. When it's 3rd and +5, they put 4 on the line, 4 on the second level in zone, and 3 deep. They are very similar to the Bills defense in that they will bend, give you a little, but not break. They are disciplined in their assignments and extremely good tacklers. There were a few plays that could've broken big for the Bills but the Steelers made big tackles. If you can execute quick passes and hit zones accurately, then you can succeed against them, which I will get to later. I was very impressed with Watt and didn't realize how good he was. 4 - They can tell us how small we are, how we aren't fast enough, but they have no idea how big the heart is in this locker room. 5 - DiMarco - On our first passing play, we shifted DiMarco out wide and had him run a deep route to clear the way for our receiver (Knox?) to run an out route. The moment Allen started to motion towards the receiver, the safety broke to cover him. Again, he broke when Allen started to move towards Knox, not even throw. In that moment, DiMarco was 20 yards down field and not a Steeler within 10 yards of him. He could have walked into the end zone from 75 yards out. In a game where it was all about defense and capitalizing on mistakes, that play sat with me the entire game. This is where I think sometimes follows the script a little too closely because both players had to be in his eye line, he just executed the scripted play. More so, why was DiMarco the guy to clear out the pass? Was he supposed to block downfield after the catch? Didn't make much sense as it was a sideline throw. 6 - Roberts - I'm really curious to see a snap count for this game because it appeared as though Roberts was our clear-cut #3 receiver. I don't think I saw Foster take a single snap and Beasley was rotating with McKenzie a lot. Not only was Roberts out there a ton, but they didn't use him at all really. If he was a decoy, I don't understand why as he has zero previous success and wasn't really thrown to in this game. Why even activate Foster if he's not going to see the field. I even called into the post-game show to ask about it but no one seemed to know what was going on. I'm not sure what the strategy was, but would love to know more. 7 - Front 4 - I can't believe I'm going to say this, but pay Shaq and Phillips. These guys have become the heart and soul of the pass rush. Yes, we sent a few extra guys from time to time (Edmunds mostly), but these guys were getting pressure with just the 4 of them. What impressed me the most was the path they took to the quarterback. Sometimes Phillips had to loop around the entire line to get his push, but neither him nor Shaq ever stopped moving. They were always pushing forward and getting after Hodges. They never gave up on a play and were very impressive to me and allowed our coverage team to focus on the pass. 8 - Hodges - The Steelers have their own Uncle Rico in Hodges and the fans absolutely love him. There were posters, duck calls (He's apparently a professional duck hunter?), and camo gear everywhere. I asked out dinner companions about him vs Rudolph and he said most players want the team to keep Hodges as the starter of the future. In looking at his stats, it looks like he is nothing more than a game manager, but still 3-0 as a starter. In watching the game, his elusiveness in the pocket was very impressive. He kept more than a few plays alive with his legs, all while keeping his eyes downfield. He wasn't looking to scramble eluded multiple sacks. His arm strength left a lot to be desired. I don't think Tre picks off his second ball if there was any zip on that ball. His interceptions at the end were all lobs too. It really made you appreciate Allen. The arm strength did benefit his deep ball though as he was able to lob a few of them in their perfectly, something I'll get to about Allen in a moment. 9 - Defensive Backs - I'm a little concerned about the chunk passing plays we gave up in this game and wonder if it's a matter of scheme, miscommunication, or just the play of our defensive backs. I called every single deep ball before it was snapped because they kept putting the guy in motion or he was lined up in the slot with a fake-blitzing LB on him. I don't know why Tre wasn't shadowing Washington and that bit us a few times. Either way, we didn't seem to respond to players in motion and I honestly wonder why we don't do a similar thing with Brown. I get that we only gave up 10 points, but it bothered me because how obvious the deep shot was coming. 10 - Singletary - I really only want to call out his fumbles and say that I think this is going to be a learning issue for him, not a technique or broken issue. We always hear about how rookies take a while to adjust to the speed in the NFL. On both of his fumbles, Motor was hit from behind while trying to shift in the second level. I don't think Motor is used to guys being able to catch him from behind like that and overall being swarmed to. I know he wasn't a burner in college either, but he was always surrounded by 3-4 guys once he got 5 yards down field. In that moment, he only sees the guy in front of him he wants to make miss, but isn't used to the guys baring down on him from behind. Either way, I think he can learn from this and will be fine. Also, I read somewhere that he's one of the best RB's in the game statistically over the last 4 games, which is nice to hear. 11 - Hype Video - This was mentioned in another thread, but I promise I planned to mention this earlier. The Ravens played a defensive highlight reel during the 4th quarter and blasted some hype music through the speakers. It was about 1 minute, but it really got the fans going and it was the loudest I head the stadium (still nothing on the Cap). Moreso, seeing Allen hit Brown on the next play just destroyed the fans. It was beautiful to see. I really liked this idea and it was the only moment I felt like the stadium had any personality. That's something I'd really like to see the Bills steal, as well as the virtual mascot before kickoff from the Ravens. 12 - Edmunds - Yeah...this kid is getting it. Conner had two strong runs that ran away from Edmunds on sweep draws, but that was about it. Edmunds was decisive, fast, and hard hitting in this game. Even from the upper deck, you could see how quickly he broke down a play and went after it. He also did a great job of faking a blitz on the line, only to drop back into coverage and swat a few balls. His speed was very impressive and I think he's a main reason why the Steelers had to change up their gameplan. I was very impressed with him and we was clearly the best Edmunds on the field. 13 - Allen - When Allen hit the deep ball to Brown, the guy beside me said "Wow, he just flicked his wrist". That ball was deeper than any throw Hodges made and it barely had any air under it. That's the deep ball that Allen needs to try to keep making. His arm strength makes any deep ball under 40 yards go against everything his arm wants to do. It doesn't mean he shouldn't learn, but I think back to the Jaguars deep pass to Foster and even that was on a rope. It was fun to see the Steelers fans watch with their mouth's open on that pass. I love that they tried it again and that Brown went up to get the first one. However, I still think Foster should've been in this game and tried it to him a few times as well. As for the Int, was that really too high of a pass? To me, it looked like it hit both Beasley's hands and he needs to make that catch, as well as his other drop. Also, on the last drive, I would've liked to have seen a naked QB bootleg on the playfake as the Steelers were biting hard on the middle runs. End of the day, it was an average day for Allen, although I'd hope for more from him and the receivers with the amount of time the offensive line gave him. They played VERY good. 14 - McD - I get that we called a trick play in there, but two rushes and a trick play before the 3 points was too timid for me, just as the last drive of three straight rushes were. I know Daboll calls the plays, but McD needs to have some influence there; no matter how much he trusts his defense. That's all I'm going to say about the coaching within the game Listening to his press conference on the drive back, you could tell this win meant something to McD. He was getting emotional and really talked about the journey to get here and what they've done in three short years. I mean, two playoff trips in three years after a 17 year drought? C'mon!!!! Even more so, EVERY SINGLE post game interview with players had them talking about the coaching staff unsolicited. These guys are bought in and love the coaches. Shaq took an interview saying how his first year there was a party with Wrex and that it took him a minute to buy in, but now he's having fun but working harder than ever. McD deserves coach of the year for what he's done with this team. We never had our blow-out losses (Eagles was junk time) and we will not have lost back to back games this season. I saw that because depending what happens Saturday, we should rest our starters the last week and I'm not counting that game. This is just a huge step forward for us and we all should be very thankful for the staff that the Pegula's brought in. It's been a long time coming. 15 - My Win - I'm going to be very selfish here and talk about what made me smile as much as the win. We had a few obnoxious fans around us in the upper deck. Granted, an 8pm game gives people more time to pre-game and some special kind of people hang out in the decks and endzone, Bills games included. Sadly, there was one Bills fan a few rows ahead of us that was taunting a Steelers fan, and when they responded in kind, she tried to threaten him. She was obnoxious and I was sad to be associated with her as a fan. However, the real show was the row in front and back of me. One row up, four seats to my right was your typical mid-20's frat guy double fisting beers all game. When the Steelers scored their FG, he was giving everyone the middle finger yelling F- You Buffalo (another reason I will not bring my daughter to a regular season game until she's at least a teenager). He was like this on every good Steeler play. When Allen found Kroft in the endzone, he quitely put his head down and headed for the exit. Yes, he left that early and cowardly. The girl almost directly behind me was the real star of the show. She was everything I can't stand in a fair weather fan. She knew nothing about football, but talked like she did. Just wouldn't shut up the entire game, talking about the 1pm games and how the Rams could have possible lost, how every Steeler drive "They have to score here", and then after it was 10-7, she really found her groove. She kept talking about how dumb Bills fans were for thinking they could take over their stadium and the Steelers have the best traveling fan base in the NFL. She joined in the F-You Buffalo chant with my other friend in front of me. At one point, she even leaned forward to scream in my ear after a first down. Granted, the Bills fans cheered, sang the Shout Song, and did our Heeyyyy chant, but were never disrespectful as a group. I never turned to the girl or incited her throughout the entire game. When Hodges threw his 3rd interception, even with over 2 minutes to play and timeouts remaining, the stadium almost completely cleared out. The Bills fans around me any myself couldn't believe it. We knew we were just going to run the ball and probably punt it back, but the Steelers fans either can't do math or just gave up, because they left. It was insane. And in that moment, I turned around and sure enough, she was leaving. I locked dead on her eyes and couldn't help myself. "Hey, where you going? Is this the Steelers traveling well?" She looked right back at me and started crying. I couldn't help but laugh. Maybe I'm a bad fan, but it was 3 hours of her in my ear being obnoxious and no regard to anyone else. Watching her, and all the other Steelers fans do their walk of shame as we clinched our playoff birth felt amazing to me. It reminded me of why we have the best fans in the NFL and how far we've come. Go Bills!!! Edited December 17, 2019 by Virgil 19 5 19 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Punching Bag Posted December 17, 2019 Share Posted December 17, 2019 7 minutes ago, Virgil said: 1 - Billsy - This is a term that bothers a lot of people and one that I've used many times; including this season. To me, it's any time in the past 20 years where the Bills snatched a loss from the jaws of victory in the most ridiculous way. . I knew that expecting Billsy things to happen was behind me and that McD had killed that in us. If there's anything we've accomplished this season, it's that to me as a fan. And that, is a great feeling. Your are like a junkie trying to kick heroin or Gordon with MJ - lets see how long before you get back on your addiction. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Poojer Posted December 17, 2019 Share Posted December 17, 2019 I've been hitting Ctrl + F5 since sunday waiting for this...i can't read any recaps until yours is posted......ahhhhhhhhhhhhh 3 1 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rico Posted December 17, 2019 Share Posted December 17, 2019 Re:15, The party isn’t a success until you make the hostess cry. 3 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebandit27 Posted December 17, 2019 Share Posted December 17, 2019 You made a girl cry. Over football. That's called "doing road games right". 1 14 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoBills808 Posted December 17, 2019 Share Posted December 17, 2019 Tl:dr - OP made a girl cry?? 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaw66 Posted December 17, 2019 Share Posted December 17, 2019 Nice job, Virgil. A lot of interesting comments that we can get only from someone being there. I was there a few years ago. That video they play to start the fourth quarter, I guess they call it renegade, is great. I loved it when I was there. The point I was most interested in was DiMarco. I've been talking about Allen a lot lately, about how he's just learning. That DiMarco play is a good example. Three years from now, Allen will see DiMarco (even if he didn't on Sunday) and have the courage to throw it, despite what he's being told about protecting the ball and following the script. Give him time. 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasons1992 Posted December 17, 2019 Share Posted December 17, 2019 What a wonderful write-up! Two things: Your Bar Louie experience sounds a lot like mine in Nashville: HORRIFIC. Glad to know I'd rather be sober and hungry vs. go into that crappy chain ever again. No thanks to @Augie..... Your line to the girl at the end is priceless. Just perfect. 2 1 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsFanSD Posted December 17, 2019 Share Posted December 17, 2019 20 minutes ago, Virgil said: When Hodges threw his 3rd interception, even with over 2 minutes to play and timeouts remaining, the stadium almost completely cleared out. The Bills fans around me any myself couldn't believe it. We knew we were just going to run the ball and probably punt it back, but the Steelers fans either can't do math or just gave up, because they left. It was insane. And in that moment, I turned around and sure enough, she was leaving. I locked dead on her eyes and couldn't help myself. "Hey, where you going? Is this the Steelers traveling well?" She looked right back at me and started crying. I couldn't help but laugh. This. Is. Awesome. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virgil Posted December 17, 2019 Author Share Posted December 17, 2019 12 minutes ago, Limeaid said: Your are like a junkie trying to kick heroin or Gordon with MJ - lets see how long before you get back on your addiction. I know, it's sad really. I'm really hoping to stay clean this time 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pine Barrens Mafia Posted December 17, 2019 Share Posted December 17, 2019 Sick burn on that obnoxious yinzer. I approve. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freddie's Dead Posted December 17, 2019 Share Posted December 17, 2019 Proud of yourself, making a girl cry? MODS! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virgil Posted December 17, 2019 Author Share Posted December 17, 2019 Just now, Freddie's Dead said: Proud of yourself, making a girl cry? MODS! I mean, a little...... Dude, she sucked and not in the good way. I really hope she doesn't have a man to go home to because that guy is probably miserable 6 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billsfan_34 Posted December 17, 2019 Share Posted December 17, 2019 Damn Virg, I thought you forgot about us !!! Thanks for the write up ? 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virgil Posted December 17, 2019 Author Share Posted December 17, 2019 4 minutes ago, billsfan_34 said: Damn Virg, I thought you forgot about us !!! Thanks for the write up ? Never. I wanted to do it last night, but I was just drifting in and out of sleep. I needed to recover Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billsfan_34 Posted December 17, 2019 Share Posted December 17, 2019 2 minutes ago, Virgil said: Never. I wanted to do it last night, but I was just drifting in and out of sleep. I needed to recover We all appreciate you! Merry Christmas ? 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herc11 Posted December 17, 2019 Share Posted December 17, 2019 I love your reply to the obnoxious fan and her reaction. Bravo to you Sir, Bravo ? 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whatdrought Posted December 17, 2019 Share Posted December 17, 2019 3 Comments on specific points: 1- "and the grinches heart grew three sizes that day." 5- Check out this video and try to slow it down to see when the safety breaks. It actually looks like he goes for the flat as soon as allen throws- not before. Before his break he has good position of Dimarco and a good angle on the sideline. If you pause it at 3 seconds, you can see him start his break as allen's arm is coming forward. 15- "Hey, where you going? Is this the Steelers traveling well?" this is just.... This is food to my soul. Thank you. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virgil Posted December 17, 2019 Author Share Posted December 17, 2019 6 minutes ago, whatdrought said: 3 Comments on specific points: 1- "and the grinches heart grew three sizes that day." 5- Check out this video and try to slow it down to see when the safety breaks. It actually looks like he goes for the flat as soon as allen throws- not before. Before his break he has good position of Dimarco and a good angle on the sideline. If you pause it at 3 seconds, you can see him start his break as allen's arm is coming forward. 15- "Hey, where you going? Is this the Steelers traveling well?" this is just.... This is food to my soul. Thank you. I think a pump fake here and DiMarco is free and clear. 13 minutes ago, ScottLaw said: Good post. The conservative offense and playcalling is more McDermott than Daboll. I was screaming at the TV during that sequence inside the Steelers 15. Just ridiculously conservative playcalling. That won't work in the playoffs against much better QBs. And the award for first person to quote the entire post goes to........ ? 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whatdrought Posted December 17, 2019 Share Posted December 17, 2019 1 minute ago, Virgil said: I think a pump fake here and DiMarco is free and clear. Could be. Things like that that Allen needs to see on the tape and take away for later. Not sure why Dimarco is our deep ball runner, but he's had some random wheel routes go for yards before, so who knows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheCockSportif Posted December 17, 2019 Share Posted December 17, 2019 The reason why I joined is because of what you do, @Virgil, and for what @Shaw66 does. Thank goodness that I just got a chance to read this -- and keep on keeping on. Have an excellent holiday season, and looking forward to reading your next one! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhoTom Posted December 17, 2019 Share Posted December 17, 2019 (edited) 1 hour ago, Virgil said: I turned around and sure enough, she was leaving. I locked dead on her eyes and couldn't help myself. "Hey, where you going? Is this the Steelers traveling well?" I'm not big on trash-talking other teams' fans, but your response to her was perfect. Just perfect. And thanks for another great write-up. Been looking for it all week! Edited December 17, 2019 by WhoTom 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corta765 Posted December 17, 2019 Share Posted December 17, 2019 1 hour ago, Virgil said: The girl almost directly behind me was the real star of the show. She was everything I can't stand in a fair weather fan. She knew nothing about football, but talked like she did. Just wouldn't shut up the entire game, talking about the 1pm games and how the Rams could have possible lost, how every Steeler drive "They have to score here", and then after it was 10-7, she really found her groove. She kept talking about how dumb Bills fans were for thinking they could take over their stadium and the Steelers have the best traveling fan base in the NFL. She joined in the F-You Buffalo chant with my other friend in front of me. At one point, she even leaned forward to scream in my ear after a first down. Granted, the Bills fans cheered, sang the Shout Song, and did our Heeyyyy chant, but were never disrespectful as a group. I never turned to the girl or incited her throughout the entire game. When Hodges threw his 3rd interception, even with over 2 minutes to play and timeouts remaining, the stadium almost completely cleared out. The Bills fans around me any myself couldn't believe it. We knew we were just going to run the ball and probably punt it back, but the Steelers fans either can't do math or just gave up, because they left. It was insane. And in that moment, I turned around and sure enough, she was leaving. I locked dead on her eyes and couldn't help myself. "Hey, where you going? Is this the Steelers traveling well?" She looked right back at me and started crying. This is why I hate Steeler fans. I know they have a solid base with a good amount of diehards, my brother in law and boss both really love the steelers. BUT They are honest to a fault with their team also and never would do this crap. BUT then you get the bandwagoners who like the Steelers because they been good forever and just jump on arrogantly for the ride. These fans I loathe and the Steelers I've found have the most of them. She's lucky you were the one that said that, I was suppose to be there but we had to cancel due to my son being sick. I would've been rentlessly hard with taunts. If she knew an ounce of football she'd know how fortunate the Steelers are to have been in SB's at least once ever decade since 1970 and how rare that level of success is and to just appreciate what they've had forever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heitz Posted December 17, 2019 Share Posted December 17, 2019 Nice write up as always Virgil! A few thoughts my my bleary tailgating eyes: - I actually really liked the stadium and thought that it felt very Pittsburgh. The big open concourses were a breath of fresh air compared to the New Era (they actually reminded me a ton of Green Bay) and I liked the art all around (helmet sculptures, paintings, etc.) and was more than a little jealous about the beams that each had a Lombardi trophy in them. - The pre-game is definitely different being in a nice paved lot next to the stadium (s/o to my friend for paying for the "good" parking), but we still chilled and grilled and drank (semi-excessively), so it wasn't really THAT different. Obviously it was no Hammer's Lot, but what the heck is? - Pittsburgh D is swarming, fast and tough. To Virgil's point, not a ton of disguising, but they brought the heat - they're the strength of the team and it shows! - Fans: Nearly everyone was cool, sure there was some razzing, but in general all was good. EXCEPT for that ONE guy behind me who kept grumbling about all of the Bills fans, talking smack about how much better the Stillers were. After all his quacking, I had to turn around to give him a pound after Duck's first pick - he gave my the finger instead ?. Then after Renegade he was REALLY chirping, but Josh and Smoke shut the entire stadium up - you could feel the air go out (especially after that song), again, dude seemed less than happy. All-around though I had a great time being back in Pittsburgh after about 20 years - hung with some old friends, got to see the city again and drank about 17,000 beers / cocktails. Good thing we're almost to Xmas break time at work, I'm going to need some time to recover... 2 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haslett_Stomp Posted December 17, 2019 Share Posted December 17, 2019 Thanks Virgil, great synopsis as usual. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plenzmd1 Posted December 17, 2019 Share Posted December 17, 2019 A few thoughts about the game experience, in no particular order(shout to @Virgil) Loved the hybrid bar/lot tailgaiting scene. We took 7 dollar Uber to bar close to stadium( not franchise BTW) and had a great late lunch/dinner and beers walked over to tailgate hosted by @Heitz and his crew about 6:15. Thank god we did as his buddy let us know about the secret gate aroung the corner from the main one, in the stadium in 3 minutes, guarantee everyone else was waiting 20-25. People always follow the herd, i tend to look for options! We had the last row seats in the upper deck endzone..and man that was up there! I would say a good 30-40ft higher than our seats in last row at the Ralph Steeler fans were fine, i had to apologize to the gent in front who had a younger daughter once when i cursed at something, he was all fine and said no worries, appreciated the fact the Bills fans at least we were all having fun, respectful, etc. No wind, was surprised Virgil found it cold, his section must have wind hit different. Majority of the night was hoodie and no gloves. Beer selection was good..19 oz 60 Minute cans..i was in heaven..beer lines sucked way more than in Orchard Park though The whole section thought i was shot when the flag/holding call came in the last drive.....i too was screaming about "Billsy" loss coming( btw, this was my second apology of the evening, there was a very loud F bomb in there) Felt bad for the Steeler fans having to endure that long walk down the ramps with all the Shout song stuff. I think that disrespectul in someone elses stadium, would piss me off if Pats fans did it in our stadium. Every stadium needs a stairs option, ramps suck you know what Finish back at Heitz tailgate, 20 minute walk back to hotel..all good! Overall great time 3 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BubbaT Posted December 17, 2019 Share Posted December 17, 2019 I certainly can relate to Billsy loses and doing whatever it takes to make those happen. Lord knows that is why this fan base is long suffering. That said, I thought the penalty on Spain for holding that stopped the clock and gave the Steelers over a minute and half at the end of the game instead of about 30 seconds was going to be another one of "those plays".Thereafter it's Milano's face mask penalty and it's like "are you kidding me?", "here we f....ng go again". They overcame that. They overcame EVERYTHING! It's the dawn of a "new era". When the clock ran out I breathed for the first time in about 3 hours and it felt wonderful. Glad your trip was rewarded! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heitz Posted December 17, 2019 Share Posted December 17, 2019 3 minutes ago, plenzmd1 said: A few thoughts about the game experience, in no particular order(shout to @Virgil) Loved the hybrid bar/lot tailgaiting scene. We took 7 dollar Uber to bar close to stadium( not franchise BTW) and had a great late lunch/dinner and beers walked over to tailgate hosted by @Heitz and his crew about 6:15. Thank god we did as his buddy let us know about the secret gate aroung the corner from the main one, in the stadium in 3 minutes, guarantee everyone else was waiting 20-25. People always follow the herd, i tend to look for options! We had the last row seats in the upper deck endzone..and man that was up there! I would say a good 30-40ft higher than our seats in last row at the Ralph Steeler fans were fine, i had to apologize to the gent in front who had a younger daughter once when i cursed at something, he was all fine and said no worries, appreciated the fact the Bills fans at least we were all having fun, respectful, etc. No wind, was surprised Virgil found it cold, his section must have wind hit different. Majority of the night was hoodie and no gloves. Beer selection was good..19 oz 60 Minute cans..i was in heaven..beer lines sucked way more than in Orchard Park though The whole section thought i was shot when the flag/holding call came in the last drive.....i too was screaming about "Billsy" loss coming( btw, this was my second apology of the evening, there was a very loud F bomb in there) Felt bad for the Steeler fans having to endure that long walk down the ramps with all the Shout song stuff. I think that disrespectul in someone elses stadium, would piss me off if Pats fans did it in our stadium. Every stadium needs a stairs option, ramps suck you know what Finish back at Heitz tailgate, 20 minute walk back to hotel..all good! Overall great time Good seeing you Plenz - let's do this one more time in OP!! The side entrance WAS key, like you said we were in the stadium immediately! As for the temps, I was cold outside (likely because my blood was 75% alcohol at that time), but once we were inside and settled in, I felt fine. Oh and we had season ticket holder seats, lower bowl, right on the 10. Great seats, especially when the action was at that end. However just like every other stadium when they were on the opposite side of the field you think "Nice 3 yard run. Or was it 6?" - hard to tell from that angle, at that distance 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TC in St. Louis Posted December 17, 2019 Share Posted December 17, 2019 I went to a preseason game in Pittsburgh many years ago. It looked like a sellout, but there were pockets of empty seats here and there. So I wandered around watching the game from different angles (it was against the Bears). At one point the Bears ran a kick back for a td, and I was in the end zone. The PAT was good, and I'm not sure what happened, maybe they forgot to put up the net, but I looked up and the ball was coming straight to me....I mean, it was going to hit me in the chest. I couldn't believe it....but the girl in front of me reached up and slapped it, and some dude a couple rows ahead of me got the ball. It was weird. I think it was the same girl that was sitting by Virgil the other night. Had to be. I cried. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virgil Posted December 17, 2019 Author Share Posted December 17, 2019 15 minutes ago, Heitz said: - I actually really liked the stadium and thought that it felt very Pittsburgh. The big open concourses were a breath of fresh air compared to the New Era (they actually reminded me a ton of Green Bay) and I liked the art all around (helmet sculptures, paintings, etc.) and was more than a little jealous about the beams that each had a Lombardi trophy in them. - The pre-game is definitely different being in a nice paved lot next to the stadium (s/o to my friend for paying for the "good" parking), but we still chilled and grilled and drank (semi-excessively), so it wasn't really THAT different. Obviously it was no Hammer's Lot, but what the heck is? That's the thing to me. On paper, it checked all the boxes. But the "feeling" and atmosphere just felt corporate controlled 14 minutes ago, plenzmd1 said: A few thoughts about the game experience, in no particular order(shout to @Virgil) No wind, was surprised Virgil found it cold, his section must have wind hit different. Majority of the night was hoodie and no gloves. In my defense, I've lived below the Mason Dixon line for over 20 years at this point. I think my blood has started to betray me. 9 minutes ago, Heitz said: Good seeing you Plenz - let's do this one more time in OP!! The side entrance WAS key, like you said we were in the stadium immediately! As for the temps, I was cold outside (likely because my blood was 75% alcohol at that time), but once we were inside and settled in, I felt fine. Oh and we had season ticket holder seats, lower bowl, right on the 10. Great seats, especially when the action was at that end. However just like every other stadium when they were on the opposite side of the field you think "Nice 3 yard run. Or was it 6?" - hard to tell from that angle, at that distance Maybe because I was there 90 minutes early, but I had no problems getting into the stadium at all 50 minutes ago, whatdrought said: Could be. Things like that that Allen needs to see on the tape and take away for later. Not sure why Dimarco is our deep ball runner, but he's had some random wheel routes go for yards before, so who knows. Yeah, no idea. I can only assume to block downfield for Knox after the catch, but then why not use Foster who can block, catch, and run? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yungmack Posted December 17, 2019 Share Posted December 17, 2019 Another great tale, Virgil. Your best since "The Aeneid." 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Solomon Grundy Posted December 17, 2019 Share Posted December 17, 2019 Virgil, one question, was she hot? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virgil Posted December 17, 2019 Author Share Posted December 17, 2019 8 minutes ago, the skycap said: Virgil, one question, was she hot? I mean, they all look the same with the lights out 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasons1992 Posted December 17, 2019 Share Posted December 17, 2019 1 hour ago, plenzmd1 said: A few thoughts about the game experience, in no particular order(shout to @Virgil) AND? You let this one blank. Please tell us you visited some nice clean upper deck commodes pre-game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reed83HOF Posted December 17, 2019 Share Posted December 17, 2019 (edited) 2 hours ago, Virgil said: I even called into the post-game show to ask about it but no one seemed to know what was going on. oh so you are one of those guys with the incredibly incoherent hot-takes? Edited December 17, 2019 by Reed83HOF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billsfan1959 Posted December 17, 2019 Share Posted December 17, 2019 1 hour ago, ScottLaw said: Good post. The conservative offense and playcalling is more McDermott than Daboll. I was screaming at the TV during that sequence inside the Steelers 15. Just ridiculously conservative playcalling. That won't work in the playoffs against much better QBs. I do not believe McDermott is as conservative as people want to portray him and there are plenty of examples to support it. However, I absolutely agree with you on that particular series of plays. The Bills have scored 25 TDs in the redzone this year and 21 of those were either from Allen's legs or his arm (84%). They scored only four TDs all year in the RZ with Allen handing off to a RB. I don't know if it was Daboll or McDermott, but, when you run six plays in the redzone (particularly between the 10 and 18 yard lines) and you take the ball out of the hands of your best RZ playmaker, Allen, on five of them (he kept it on the 3rd and 2 - which he made) you have just drastically decreased your odds of scoring. No excuse at all for the play calling in that series of plays. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reed83HOF Posted December 17, 2019 Share Posted December 17, 2019 11 minutes ago, Seasons1992 said: That's how he hurt his jaw.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasons1992 Posted December 17, 2019 Share Posted December 17, 2019 4 minutes ago, Reed83HOF said: That's how he hurt his jaw.... No no, that quote was for @plenzmd1. Just like the pick-em spread game HE STARTED and fails to make picks every week, he left out a bullet point about his experience. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillnutinHouston Posted December 17, 2019 Share Posted December 17, 2019 2 hours ago, whatdrought said: 3 Comments on specific points: 1- "and the grinches heart grew three sizes that day." 5- Check out this video and try to slow it down to see when the safety breaks. It actually looks like he goes for the flat as soon as allen throws- not before. Before his break he has good position of Dimarco and a good angle on the sideline. If you pause it at 3 seconds, you can see him start his break as allen's arm is coming forward. 15- "Hey, where you going? Is this the Steelers traveling well?" this is just.... This is food to my soul. Thank you. Good catch, Whatdrought. The video shows the DB peeled off of DiMarco JUST AS Allen was throwing to Knox. So, not really fair to say that DiMarco was wide open. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virgil Posted December 17, 2019 Author Share Posted December 17, 2019 38 minutes ago, Reed83HOF said: oh so you are one of those guys with the incredibly incoherent hot-takes? I got Joe on the second show around 2am. It was quality stuff and needed to stay awake. They ran post game until 6am when the morning crew came in. The dedication was strong 22 minutes ago, BillnutinHouston said: Good catch, Whatdrought. The video shows the DB peeled off of DiMarco JUST AS Allen was throwing to Knox. So, not really fair to say that DiMarco was wide open. Again, he breaks when Allen starts the throwing motion. A pump fake and it's an easy TD 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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