Week 14: Steelers at Bills on SNF

[Pokebball]

I guess they might help Josh find his receivers better  

[Bills fan since 87]

4 minutes ago, QB Bills said:

Beat the Jets on a Thursday night when all the colour blind people went berserk because of the Jets all greens and not being able to tell the teams apart. 

 

We lost a Thursday night home opener with them too, when Fitz was a Jet and he passed all over us to drop us to 0-2 on the 2016 season.

[RichRiderBills]

Yep missing the Jets Win. I like the red...would not buy a red jersey, but i dig it. 

[YoloinOhio]

 

[YoloinOhio]

 

[YattaOkasan]

1 hour ago, Stank_Nasty said:

I know theres some people that love the DVOA stat around here. So here's a nice tid bit from Fairburn on "the athletic". The fact that the defense has crept up to an average ranking after such a horrendous start says a ton about how they've played over the last 6 or 7 games. Fun to see.

 

7. The Bills are now ninth in total DVOA, according to Football Outsiders. They finished the 2019 season ranked 12th in DVOA. They have the sixth-highest Super Bowl odds in the league, according to Football Outsiders, winning the Super Bowl in 10.5 percent of simulations. According to DVOA, the Bills have the No. 7 offense, No. 16 defense and No. 5 special teams units in the NFL. Even the analytics are coming around on these Bills.

Considering that involved games against Russ, Murray, and Herbert thats pretty impressive.  We be coming.

[Big Turk]

1 hour ago, billsfan89 said:

50/50 game at home here. Steelers are a well coached team with an elite defense, good ST unit and an offense that has struggled at times but has been good enough (and is anchored by a two time Super Bowl winning QB), toss in the fact that they are well coached and this is going to be a tough one in bad weather conditions. This is going to be a game where Josh, Singletary and Moss have to rush the ball and control the offense. John Brown is still out and the weather will be bad on Sunday. What gives me some optimism is that the Steelers haven't been able to run the ball well and their pass rush suffered a big setback losing Bud Dupree. In the end this game is going to come down to three factors. 

 

1- Turnovers (as most games do but especially in bad weather where one turnover could be the margin.) 

2- Who can rush the ball.

3- Which team makes the big play. 

 

This is a pure tossup. Right now I am feeling Buffalo 24 Steelers 21. 

 

Too early to know about the weather yet.  A few hours can make a big difference and we won't be able to be that accurate weather wise until Saturday afternoon.

[YoloinOhio]

 

[Franco_92]

50 minutes ago, The Wiz said:

2-1.  I think there was another win I am forgetting though.

 

W Colts in 18

W Miami in 19

 L Ravens 19

 

I feel like they wore them against the Jets in a win and also agains Jags but can't find it right now.

We've played more than that in them. Also beat the Lions and I'm pretty sure we've both won and lost to the jets in them 

[The Wiz]

9 minutes ago, arcane said:

We've played more than that in them. Also beat the Lions and I'm pretty sure we've both won and lost to the jets in them 

I thought the lions also but couldn't remember. 

[RiotAct]

will be watching for news on Haden and Spillane closely the next couple of days.  Them being out could be helpful to our offense.

[RichRiderBills]

1 hour ago, billsfan89 said:

50/50 game at home here. Steelers are a well coached team with an elite defense, good ST unit and an offense that has struggled at times but has been good enough (and is anchored by a two time Super Bowl winning QB), toss in the fact that they are well coached and this is going to be a tough one in bad weather conditions. This is going to be a game where Josh, Singletary and Moss have to rush the ball and control the offense. John Brown is still out and the weather will be bad on Sunday. What gives me some optimism is that the Steelers haven't been able to run the ball well and their pass rush suffered a big setback losing Bud Dupree. In the end this game is going to come down to three factors. 

 

1- Turnovers (as most games do but especially in bad weather where one turnover could be the margin.) 

2- Who can rush the ball.

3- Which team makes the big play. 

 

This is a pure tossup. Right now I am feeling Buffalo 24 Steelers 21. 

 

I think the Steelers have the best defense for 2020, but I would not use "elite" as a term. They've let 5 teams go 20+ on them.

 

The elite defenses from 20 years ago cringe at that.

 

The Eagles got 29. Bring it. That QB list speaks for itself....

 

BTW let it snow. Pitt looked lost in the bad weather vs a Balt team missing everyone, can't run, can't catch...I know we dont do great either, but bring it all. 

 

 

Edited December 9, 2020 by RichRiderBills

[YoloinOhio]

 

[PaattMaann]

15 minutes ago, RiotAct said:

will be watching for news on Haden and Spillane closely the next couple of days.  Them being out could be helpful to our offense.

 

Spillane wont be playing. Tomlin slow played it in his presser saying "still being evaluated", but the beat reporters said he "will avoid surgery, but will miss time, expected back this season". He aint playing. 

 

Haden is worth watching for. Personally I doubt he clears concussion protocol on a short week, but it has been done. 

 

Like you say, two big blows if they are out. 

[NewEra]

16 minutes ago, RiotAct said:

will be watching for news on Haden and Spillane closely the next couple of days.  Them being out could be helpful to our offense.

Tomlin said that he expects Spillane to miss time.  🙏🏻 That he does.  I don’t want that guy coming near any of our players.  He clobbers people!! 

[YoloinOhio]

 

 

 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

LOL "Dr Poyer and Mr Hyde" say nothing Josh does would surprise them:

 

“That’s not new, we know what Josh is capable of doing,” Bills safety Micah Hyde said after the game.

“He’s on a mission right now, he wants to win, he loves to win and I’m happy for him.”

“He’s a baller, he’s been a baller it’s no surprise. I mean that’s our quarterback he’s a baller. It’s no surprise to us what he does every week so happy he’s on our team,” Bills safety Jordan Poyer said.

So is there anything Allen can do that would shock anyone on this team?

“To be honest, nothing. He can go out there and throw for 400 and five touchdowns and I’m not surprised. He’s just Josh, we watch him every day in practice making big throws on us,” Hyde explained.

“It’s huge when you have a quarterback playing like that,” Poyer said.

https://twitter.com/JennaHarner11/status/1336739196434837510?s=20

 

[YoloinOhio]

 

[Stank_Nasty]

2 minutes ago, YoloinOhio said:

 

I just....... I just love him so much. I LOVE THAT MAN.

[Pokebball]

6 minutes ago, Stank_Nasty said:

I just....... I just love him so much. I LOVE THAT MAN.

That was one of those questions I mentioned in the Kyler thread.  As soon as the media guy said, I'm going to get philosophical with you, with this question, I thought Oh Oh.  Josh hit it out of the park with his answer.

[Steptide]

I know John brown can't return for this game, but is he eligible to return next week? 

[NewEra]

25 minutes ago, Stank_Nasty said:

I just....... I just love him so much. I LOVE THAT MAN.

More than your spouse or significant other? 😂

Just now, Steptide said:

I know John brown can't return for this game, but is he eligible to return next week? 

haven’t looked it up, but it’ll be 3 games so I believe the answer is yes

[Stank_Nasty]

Just now, NewEra said:

More than your spouse or significant other? 😂

i voted "same"... which may as well mean "more"

[Johnnycage46]

Allen is so self-aware.  That I think is one of the biggest keys to being successful in life.

[The Wiz]

12 minutes ago, Steptide said:

I know John brown can't return for this game, but is he eligible to return next week? 

This will be his 3rd game so yes.  He can come back next week.  Which I don't know how that works with the IR now because it's technically only going to be 2 weeks and 2 days (assuming they activate him on Monday).

 

I'm curious how the IR rules would work for the Steelers (assuming someone went to IR beforehand) since they are going to be playing their 3rd game in 12 days.

Edited December 9, 2020 by The Wiz

[K-9]

35 minutes ago, YoloinOhio said:

 

That might be one of the greatest answers ever. It’s one thing to have the intellect for the position and quite another to have the requisite emotional IQ and internal motivation.
 

Allen has displayed this maturity from the moment we selected him in the draft. His detractors just don’t seem to understand that what he has can’t be coached. 

10 minutes ago, Johnnycage46 said:

Allen is so self-aware.  That I think is one of the biggest keys to being successful in life.

And he’s only 24. Guess he has an old soul. 

[Johnnycage46]

1 minute ago, K-9 said:

That might be one of the greatest answers ever. It’s one thing to have the intellect for the position and quite another to have the requisite emotional IQ and internal motivation.
 

Allen has displayed this maturity from the moment we selected him in the draft. His detractors just don’t seem to understand that what he has can’t be coached. 

 

He had another quote this year after I think the Rams game when asked about how he is able to bring the team down the field for a game winner and his answer was "I just want it...more than anything".  He just has all the right pieces to be great.  Couldn't be more pumped.  God knows we deserve it!

[WideNine]

3 hours ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

Question: how many games is this and when?

 

Yeah there a few variables missing here like the elements rain and/or wind blowing the uprights flat, or game plans against teams with good secondaries that can be shredded running the ball, and as you alluded to - probably not much of a sample size.

 

 

[JGMcD2]

48 minutes ago, YoloinOhio said:

 

 

Sounds familiar, Joshua. Kudos to you for “adopting” it as Kyle Williams asked at the end of his speech. 
 

Josh is wise beyond his years and takes the best pieces of the people he’s been surrounded with to make himself better. 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

32 minutes ago, Steptide said:

I know John brown can't return for this game, but is he eligible to return next week? 

 

Yes.

[Stank_Nasty]

10 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

Yes.

And when they IR'd him they made known they expected him to be ready after that 3rd game, correct?

Edited December 9, 2020 by Stank_Nasty

[YoloinOhio]

 

1 minute ago, Stank_Nasty said:

And when they IR'd him they made known they expected him to be ready after that 3rd game, correct?

That was what Rapsheet reported

[Hapless Bills Fan]

40 minutes ago, K-9 said:

That might be one of the greatest answers ever. It’s one thing to have the intellect for the position and quite another to have the requisite emotional IQ and internal motivation.
 

Allen has displayed this maturity from the moment we selected him in the draft. His detractors just don’t seem to understand that what he has can’t be coached. 

And he’s only 24. Guess he has an old soul. 

 

"Intangibles", yes.  Or as is sometimes said, "You can't measure heart"

 

Analytics are like a mutual fund prospectus: "past performance no guarantee of future results".  The combine is a snapshot in time, showing the physical talents a potential draft pick has at that moment in time. 

 

But in the end, like Antoine de St-Exupery said, "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye"  Commitment and willingness to work hard at improving one's game and willingness to lay it all out for the team make the difference between one player with physical talent who improves a bit then plateaus or pretty much stays as they are, and another who looks at the ceiling they're supposed to have, turns sideways and jump kicks a hole in it, and climbs through to get better each season.

 

 

8 minutes ago, Stank_Nasty said:

And when they IR'd him they made known they expected him to be ready after that 3rd game, correct?

 

I didn't hear that, actually.  High ankle sprains take time.  But I was surprised they IR'd Brown in the first place after watching that video of him standing on a balance ball with his injured ankle and rolling another ball around it with his foot. 


 

Not liking today's estimated Injury Report.  Did McDermott or anyone else speak to it?  What is Mongo's knee injury and what does "Achilles" injury mean for Roberts?

 

[RichRiderBills]

Wondering about Pouncy. He was put on list 4 days after Conner, so may be on a different timeline. Not sure if he ever tested positive or had symptoms. Even still, if he gets activated Sat what would he do having not practiced in 2 weeks? A skill guy i get jumping in, but a Center every snap making line calls is a stretch. 

[WideNine]

On 12/8/2020 at 10:36 AM, Over 29 years of fanhood said:

I am not sure the bills have the pass rush And run defense to Force the short game. But they are likely to try... they will probably will drop and Try to force Everything in front of them.

 

I am not sure how but they need something better at CB#2. 
 

It will be an interesting game. 

 

If I were an OC I would just be telling Ben to look for the guys covered by Wallace and by Taron Johnson.

 

Frazier needs to seriously consider either replacing one or both of those guys either throughout the game or at least in more situations. I always felt Milano could play the heavy nickel/slot role that Taron is often asked to play and do it a bit better. Not sure you lose much in the way of physicality at the LOS either and he is better in coverage, but not sure how far back Milano is to being healthy... last week he played like he is getting closer.

 

I would like to see more of Dane Jackson... kid seems to have a nose for the ball and is a bit more physical than Wallace. He'll make some mistakes, but tired of these lapses where Wallace plays too far off and soft.

Edited December 9, 2020 by WideNine

[freddyjj]

1 minute ago, WideNine said:

 

If I were an OC I would just be telling Ben to look for the guys covered by Wallace and by Taron Johnson.

 

Frazier needs to seriously consider other replacing one or both of those guys either throughout the game or at least in more situations. I always felt Milano could play the heavy nickel/slot role that Taron is often asked to play and do it a bit better. Not sure you lose much in the way of physicality at the LOS either and he is better in coverage, but not sure how far back Milano is to being healthy... last week he played like he is getting closer.

 

I would like to see more of Dane Jackson... kid seems to have a nose for the ball and is a bit more physical than Wallace. He'll make some mistakes, but tired of these lapses where Wallace plays too far off and soft.

yes I would go with Dane Jackson outside and let Norman play the slot and show Taron and Levi the bench.

[JGMcD2]

5 minutes ago, WideNine said:

 

If I were an OC I would just be telling Ben to look for the guys covered by Wallace and by Taron Johnson.

 

Frazier needs to seriously consider other replacing one or both of those guys either throughout the game or at least in more situations. I always felt Milano could play the heavy nickel/slot role that Taron is often asked to play and do it a bit better. Not sure you lose much in the way of physicality at the LOS either and he is better in coverage, but not sure how far back Milano is to being healthy... last week he played like he is getting closer.

 

I would like to see more of Dane Jackson... kid seems to have a nose for the ball and is a bit more physical than Wallace. He'll make some mistakes, but tired of these lapses where Wallace plays too far off and soft.

Wallace and Johnson were pretty brutal to start the season.

 

As the defense has rounded into shape, they’ve improved as well. I actually think Johnson has done a pretty good job the last few weeks, starting with the second Jets game.

 

Wallace is polarizing for me. He’s always in the right position and there to make a play, but he’s just a tad late. I don’t necessarily know what it is... in recent weeks we’ve faced a lot of talent WR groups. I don’t think he’s bad enough to be benched, but he does leave a lot to be desired. 
 

I like Dane, he’s tough, but the sample size is limited. Wallace was the fan darling early on when he had some unexpected success. 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

Banged up on the injury report:

 

 

From bangedupbills.com:

G Jon Feliciano (Left leg/knee)

Feliciano went down with a knee injury with 10:12 left in the 3rd quarter. During the play, he fell forward, the left leg appears to disappear into a pile of bodies before he comes out laying on his right side. There was nothing to suggest that he suffered any injury until trainers began tending to his brace. He missed the rest of the series which resulted in the Isaiah McKenzie touchdown before returning.

Feliciano played up until the 4th quarter following the Gabriel Davis touchdown, leaving the field to be replaced by Brian Winters. Looking at the film, there is nothing to suggest that he suffered a further injury after he returned the first time. Going back to look at the original play again in what I’ll refer to as the “Madden view”, his left thigh did get struck by Kevin Givens which could explain why the bracing needed adjusting. To note, this did take me many viewings with many more slowed down to catch this.

It’s possible he could have a contusion that led to the muscle tightening up as the game progressed, but it’s also possible the game began to tilt more in favor of the Bills and they were able to sub Winters in for playing time. Considering Feliciano was mentioned in Tuesday’s press conference, this is something the team acknowledged and it’s possible he appears on the injury report with a quad or knee injury. However, this appears something he can play through and is minor unless he has multiple DNP’s this week indicating a greater severity than originally appears.

 

Bangedup also summarizes the reports that Hodgins and Ford both had surgeries.

 

3 minutes ago, JGMcD2 said:

Wallace and Johnson were pretty brutal to start the season.

 

As the defense has rounded into shape, they’ve improved as well. I actually think Johnson has done a pretty good job the last few weeks, starting with the second Jets game.

 

Wallace is polarizing for me. He’s always in the right position and there to make a play, but he’s just a tad late. I don’t necessarily know what it is... in recent weeks we’ve faced a lot of talent WR groups. I don’t think he’s bad enough to be benched, but he does leave a lot to be desired. 
 

I like Dane, he’s tough, but the sample size is limited. Wallace was the fan darling early on when he had some unexpected success. 

 

Yes, the concept that "the backup QB is always the most popular guy in town when the starter is struggling" holds true at other positions...

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

11 minutes ago, WideNine said:

 

If I were an OC I would just be telling Ben to look for the guys covered by Wallace and by Taron Johnson.

 

Frazier needs to seriously consider other replacing one or both of those guys either throughout the game or at least in more situations. I always felt Milano could play the heavy nickel/slot role that Taron is often asked to play and do it a bit better. Not sure you lose much in the way of physicality at the LOS either and he is better in coverage, but not sure how far back Milano is to being healthy... last week he played like he is getting closer.

 

I would like to see more of Dane Jackson... kid seems to have a nose for the ball and is a bit more physical than Wallace. He'll make some mistakes, but tired of these lapses where Wallace plays too far off and soft.

If they didn’t abandon the 5 DB nickel verses that niners team they just played, it’s certainly not happening vs Steelers. 

 

[smuvtalker]

On 12/8/2020 at 6:40 AM, Greg S said:

 Three games in eleven days for them could be tough

I think this is something that is severely underestimated.  That is a tough stretch, and please believe they are going to be feeling it after halftime, if not all game...the scheduling Gods have been unkind to the Black and Gold, however I have zero ounce of sympathy for them.  We had to deal with Tennessee and their frivolous-ity.  

 

I couldn't agree more with Chandler, this game doesn't strike one bit of fear in me. Even if they hadn't had the scheduling inconveniences I still picked us to win this game....fellas this team is rounding into form AT JUST THE RIGHT TIME...the time when the true contenders begin to flex their muscles, and impose their will on whoever lines up across from them, as you all saw Monday night...Allen and crew looked like they were playing on All-Madden mode and the 49ers looked like they were on novice.  They KNEW what we were going to come out doing, yet they could do nothing. The vaunted, physical defense looked completely overmatched from our first offensive possession.   

 

This is a beautiful thing we're witnessing, and the crazy thing is, in my opinion, our best football is ahead of us...

 

Josh and Co come out picking up where they left off Monday night.....Pittsburgh hangs around until halftime, but in the second half, fatigue finally gets the best of them and they're helpless as we pound the rock, control the clock, and send them back to the Steel City licking their wounds and staring at a 2 game losing streak.  

 

Buffalo 27, Pitt 16