Mike Tomlin on physicality of Bills

[RunTheBall]

Can we please dispense with the “trap game” tripe before every game? This team doesn’t have trap games, its just an expression of Bills fan insecurities. McD has been preaching a game by game approach since day 1 and you can hear the players have bought in totally when they talk. I’m sure there will be games they come out flat like the Titans, it happens to every team. But the reason won’t be because “it was a trap game” and this team was overlooking the one in front of them. It just doesn’t happen with a McD coached team.

 

 

[eball]

I commented to my friends in a text thread during the game that something I was most proud of was how the Bills were matching the Steelers’ physicality — something we have rarely seen out of our team over the past 20 years.  It’s exciting.

[Simon]

9 hours ago, SDS said:

Jesus. When did you come back? 👍

 

I've caught him prowling around a couple times the last few months.

We tried to secure all the windows but it's hard to keep a good second story man down.

[Simon]

8 hours ago, AKC said:

Poyer is so awesome I had to laugh at the PFF “rankings” they put up to start the game. He’s tough, durable, smart and athletic. He’s top 5 or 6.

I'll take this opportunity to admit how wrong I was about him his first couple years here. He still makes me a little nervous in short zones but his game has developed far beyond where I thought it would ever go. I've been a Micah Hyde fan since the Pack started wisely using him at Safety, but I think Poyer has become an even better player at this point.

I don't know that there is another combo in the league for which I'd trade these two right now.

[Simon]

3 hours ago, CSBill said:

 

Please! @AKC, what was that post? You have me curious, can you re-post it?

It was just some guy losing a debate and getting really overwrought about it to the point he started cussing me out and at one point accused me of talking some kind of Shakespeare stuff at him. It was strange but in a desperately amusing way, and seeing me compared to the Bard cost AKC two monitors when he aspirated a quart of Irish coffee all over them.

[Royale with Cheese]

We lost to the Chiefs because we weren't physical enough.  The bullied us all game.  

 

It won't be that way the second time around, the teams confidence is much higher.  

 

Doesn't mean we stop Mahomes, I think we come in more aggressive and physical.    

 

They've been held to 20-29 points 5 times this year.  They're a juggernaut on offense but not every single game.  We can beat them.

[ganesh]

1 hour ago, Doc said:

 

Yeah, WFT's defense is nasty.  

and well coached. Same Carolina connection

[TPS]

This might as well go here too.  The loss to the Bills has Big Ben mentioning the R word...

https://sports.yahoo.com/ben-roethlisberger-on-loss-to-bills-if-i-dont-play-good-enough-football-i-need-to-hang-it-up-152149722.html

 

[BearNorth]

It's been a while, but folks forget that Milano was a DNP in the first Chief's game. I think we are much healthier now than that game.  Titan's game was an aberration with the constant uncertainty about when the game would be played. 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

9 hours ago, BADOLBILZ said:

Yeah Tomlin is simply trying to light a fire under his players by saying they got manhandled.   

That was hardly a slobber-knocker performance by the Bills.  

The biggest weakness of the Bills defense is tackling and Sunday night was hardly a revelation in that regard.  

 

Tomlin made a point of saying "all three phases of the game"

 

I think he meant it.  The Matekavich tackle with a side order of Siran Neal was linked above. 

Stefon Diggs was literally (and legally) knocking people down. 

 

I believe that's why the second half was the Stefon Diggs show.  Beasley can be swallowed when he's bracketed or jammed with physical play.  So can Brown.  I did not realize before that Stefon Diggs was a "Bring It!" guy.  I do now. 

 

LOL at all the responses to Baldy's calling that a "push off".  Within 5 yards, ball not in the air, baby.

 

Then there's this clip showing an example of how Dawkins physical protection enabled those 2nd half drives, including that lovely TD to Davis:

 

Our OL was pretty physical in the 2nd half.

[eball]

10 hours ago, AKC said:

Playing the long game, Tomlin sees an advantage to a playoff matchup against us this postseason if his players are focused on being more physical.  Leader of our D isn’t a physical guy. Surprising how many game day analysts including Sunday night have called Tremaine physical. That’s hardly his game. He’s long and laterally fast, but I don’t recall him ever knocking the snot out of a running back. Not too many years ago we had a couple LBs with different games. Tremaine is much more London Fletcher than he is Takeo Spikes. He isn’t getting in the runners grill to knock him out, he’s instead trying to bring him down without a big collision. I love his skills but it’s poor homework to call him physical. Was the team more physical Sunday than Pitt? Maybe, but not by a large margin IMO. My guess is Tomlin looking at the likelihood of seeing us again and shaming his guys a bit for the rematch.

 

Not saying I disagree with you but Edmunds was plenty physical on the goal line vs. SF last week.  And yes, the Bills matched the Steelers' physicality Sunday night.  Nobody said they did it by "a large margin" -- the fact is that Buffalo squads of the past 20 years have rarely risen to the occasion when facing "physical" opponents but this season they are doing it.

[finn]

11 hours ago, Inigo Montoya said:

We are getting healthier and playing better each week in all three phases of the game.  We are peaking at just the right time.  I don't think I'm being a homer when I say this, if we can stay healthy, I think we have a chance to win it all this year.  I can't believe I'm actually saying that...

 

If the Bills win the Super Bowl, Buffalo will look like St. Patrick's Day, Mardi Gras, Cinco de Mayo, and Chinese New Year all rolled into one.

It's easy to think it'll be next year of the year after. But the Bills' time might be now. Hard to get my mind around that. I almost want them to stretch it out over two or three years so I can enjoy it more. But, who knows? Maybe they'll win the SB four times in a row!

[BigPappy]

11 hours ago, I am the egg man said:

I can't readily dismiss Smith-Schyster's logo dance as not furthering the Bills desire to put a beat down on the Steelers.

 

Contrary to Tomlin vowing he was not aware of the pregame stunt, I'm sure Bills players were.

 

.....that's an attitude I like to see.

 Based on the video of the team coming together in the tunnel for JA's pregame speech I'd say you're 100% correct that they knew about it. As for Tomlin, that POS can vow all he wants that he didn't know about it but Ju Ju does that at EVERY road game. There is no way he's not "aware" of it. I know it, I know you know it.... and i know all of Bills nation knows it.

[Meatloaf63]

3 hours ago, Greg S said:

 

3 games in 11 days for them took its toll. Don't want to take anything away from the Bills as it was a great win but they caught the Steelers at the right time.

Any team that plays a Thursday night  game plays 3 games in 11 days...

[x-BillzeBubba]

 

[JÂy RÛßeÒ]

3 hours ago, Greg S said:

 

3 games in 11 days for them took its toll. Don't want to take anything away from the Bills as it was a great win but they caught the Steelers at the right time.

Bad news then - Buffalo is about to do the same thing:

Monday 12/7

Sunday 12/13

Saturday 12/19

[Florida Bills Fanatic]

One of the great physical performances of the game came from Williams on TJ Watt.  He basically took Watt out of the game.  Watt only was a factor on a few plays where Allen held the ball much too long.  Having watched almost every Steelers game this season, I haven't seen anyone handle Watt as easily as Williams did.  I have to admit, I was expecting Watt to have a big game and it just didn't happen.

[ROCBillsBeliever]

2 hours ago, BearNorth said:

It's been a while, but folks forget that Milano was a DNP in the first Chief's game. I think we are much healthier now than that game.  Titan's game was an aberration with the constant uncertainty about when the game would be played. 

 

Wait... You mean to say that a team built on Process, structure, and repetition, that was thrown off schedule because the NFL decided NOT to punish the egregiously COVID-rule-breaking actions of the Titans, and was rife with injuries might have been affected in a negative way by these factors? 😱😱😱 

 

(I agree... The Titans should have forfeited their game against us, allowing us to prepare for the Chiefs).

 

Oh well, now they won't know what hit them when we come for their jugulars in the playoffs!

[Doc]

45 minutes ago, JÂy RÛßeÒ said:

Bad news then - Buffalo is about to do the same thing:

Monday 12/7

Sunday 12/13

Saturday 12/19

 

Huh?  That's 3 games in 13 days.

[Nuncha]

I'd say Tomlin's statement is true in the second half.  During the first half, Pittsburg's D-line was getting push right up the middle and getting in Josh's face.

[BuffaloBill]

Credit to the Bills for playing with presence and making adjustments.

[Simon]

1 hour ago, Florida Bills Fanatic said:

One of the great physical performances of the game came from Williams on TJ Watt.  He basically took Watt out of the game.  Watt only was a factor on a few plays where Allen held the ball much too long.  Having watched almost every Steelers game this season, I haven't seen anyone handle Watt as easily as Williams did.  I have to admit, I was expecting Watt to have a big game and it just didn't happen.

 

I had a bunch of beer-swilling Stillers hooligans in my living room, all of whom have spent most of their lives playing or coaching ball, and they could not stopping talking about Williams. They were blown away by the seeming ease with which he just kept swallowing up Watt down after down after down. They said the guy had been virtually unlockable for the last two months and they hadn't seen anybody come even close to handling him like that.

They were laughing at me before the game when I told them I was way more afraid of Heyward than anything they could bring off either edge. We are really really lucky; there are not many teams in the NFL that are putting a pair of Tackles like that out there on every down.

 

 

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

I'll bet he did have a little talk with Ju Ju and told him "you moron, stop doing this!"

[Punching Bag]

1 hour ago, Florida Bills Fanatic said:

One of the great physical performances of the game came from Williams on TJ Watt.  He basically took Watt out of the game.  Watt only was a factor on a few plays where Allen held the ball much too long.  Having watched almost every Steelers game this season, I haven't seen anyone handle Watt as easily as Williams did.  I have to admit, I was expecting Watt to have a big game and it just didn't happen.

 

Watt was also gasping for air on sideline on some defense plays.

[y2zipper]

Pittsburgh's defense is an overwhelming Force that can stop anyone. We all saw that Sunday. They basically get two turnovers a game and every yard against them is tough sledding.

 

The issue has become teams figuring out how to defend their extremely limited offense. big Ben is a little too old and a little too injured to put his body on the line the way he's used to, and they can't run the ball at all, so Pittsburgh is heading in a direction where they're going to play a lot of games like Sunday's, where teams are going to be able to match the defensive performance just because they know what to do and because Pittsburgh isnt versatile on offense. The Johnson interception is something I can literally picture Buffalo doing in practice with their defensive backs and linebackers.

 

I still think Pittsburgh is really good, but I don't know how far they can go being so one-dimensional.

 

[Nihilarian]

16 hours ago, CorkScrewHill said:

This really says a lot about the culture the Bills have built. He stated itt hasn’t happened often but the Bills physically outmatched the Steelers .. that is serious respect

 

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/mike-tomlin-points-to-one-big-reason-the-steelers-lost-their-second-game-in-a-row/?amp_js_v=0.1&usqp=mq331AQHKAFQArABIA==

 

I love watching this team hit people

Tomlin saying that is some serious respect. Considering the Steelers are known for knocking other teams around and running the ball to weaken a defense. Times have changed!

 

Although, you could see it in the third quarter as Steelers players were panting like dogs with their hand on their hips....

 

That reminded me of when the 90's Bills used to go down to Miami in that heat and out perform the Dolphins plays all game long. Simply very, very out conditioned those phins. Rusty Jones used to have the Bills one of the fittest teams in the NFL in that era. 

 

That last Buffalo drive 13 plays, 52 yards for 7:11 to not give Pittsburgh a chance at getting the ball back was just so awesome.

[AKC]

7 hours ago, Simon said:

It was just some guy losing a debate and getting really overwrought about it to the point he started cussing me out and at one point accused me of talking some kind of Shakespeare stuff at him. It was strange but in a desperately amusing way, and seeing me compared to the Bard cost AKC two monitors when he aspirated a quart of Irish coffee all over them.

Rare as it is for the wildly overmatched to reference an Olde English literary figure as their parting shot, I'd guess maybe William Tell or Robin Hood would have been more likely choices? That dude pulled off the Triple Lindy of all tailtucks I've ever seen on a sports message board!

[AKC]

6 hours ago, eball said:

 

Not saying I disagree with you but Edmunds was plenty physical on the goal line vs. SF last week.  And yes, the Bills matched the Steelers' physicality Sunday night.  Nobody said they did it by "a large margin" -- the fact is that Buffalo squads of the past 20 years have rarely risen to the occasion when facing "physical" opponents but this season they are doing it.

I never felt we were losing ground on the physical front in the Steelers game but the beginning in SFO definitely spooked me. They came out hammering helmets and playing like they meant it but our guys broke them by not showing any signs of being bothered by it. Doesn't appear we can be intimidated.

[YoloinOhio]

Meanwhile, his players ... commit to continue to be a tool in the 3rd person 

 

 

[Doc]

27 minutes ago, ScottLaw said:

Agreed... the difference was a pick 6 that changed the game and an ascending Josh Allen vs a washed up Big Ben....dude is a shell of himself. 

 

Didn't see much of a difference in “physicality” 

 

Who stole your account?

[Augie]

19 hours ago, CorkScrewHill said:

This really says a lot about the culture the Bills have built. He stated itt hasn’t happened often but the Bills physically outmatched the Steelers .. that is serious respect

 

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/mike-tomlin-points-to-one-big-reason-the-steelers-lost-their-second-game-in-a-row/?amp_js_v=0.1&usqp=mq331AQHKAFQArABIA==

 

I love watching this team hit people

 

 

 

I remember being on the wrong side of this equation years ago against the Steelers. Andre Reed was trying to run little 5 yard crossing patterns over the middle and getting totally blown up time after time. I’m kinda surprised he didn’t set the precedent and become the first guy to retire at halftime! It was like fighting Mike Tyson, except the fight didn’t end for 60 minutes. 

 

I’m happy to be on the right end of the deal this time! The fact that the Steelers can’t run the ball says a LOT. You need the horses, and you need the attitude. I hope we can get to the point we can close out games consistently by saying “we’re going to run, and YOU can’t stop us!”

 

 

.

Edited December 16, 2020 by Augie

[BearNorth]

3 hours ago, Nihilarian said:

Tomlin saying that is some serious respect. Considering the Steelers are known for knocking other teams around and running the ball to weaken a defense. Times have changed!

 

Although, you could see it in the third quarter as Steelers players were panting like dogs with their hand on their hips....

 

That reminded me of when the 90's Bills used to go down to Miami in that heat and out perform the Dolphins plays all game long. Simply very, very out conditioned those phins. Rusty Jones used to have the Bills one of the fittest teams in the NFL in that era. 

 

That last Buffalo drive 13 plays, 52 yards for 7:11 to not give Pittsburgh a chance at getting the ball back was just so awesome.

On that drive, I have the feeling that Josh could have thrown a dart to Diggs or Beasley for 7, but played the long, smart game.

[eball]

1 hour ago, ScottLaw said:

Agreed... the difference was a pick 6 that changed the game and an ascending Josh Allen vs a washed up Big Ben....dude is a shell of himself. 

 

Didn't see much of a difference in “physicality” 

 

But are you still waiting for McD to show you something against “good teams?”  

[eball]

1 minute ago, ScottLaw said:

Still waiting for that playoff victory......

 

Always moving the goalposts...keep being you, man.

[muppy]

14 hours ago, ganesh said:

 

Look at White's play against Chase Claypool...Knocked the snout out of him

@TroutDog hey man I didnt want you to not see this play...welcome to the NFL mapletron...dude was FELLED LOL  One of my favorite plays of the year Love it.

[TroutDog]

37 minutes ago, Muppy said:

@TroutDog hey man I didnt want you to not see this play...welcome to the NFL mapletron...dude was FELLED LOL  One of my favorite plays of the year Love it.

Thank you! I have yet to watch the All-22 so was unsure. I had assumed, with all the slipping that night, that he may have as well. Clearly not! Tre gave him a ‘Welcome to the NFL!’ play!!! 😃 

[eball]

55 minutes ago, ScottLaw said:

As you continue to count your chickens before they hatch.... the end goal for this season has always been division champs and a playoff win or two.... it’s been a hell of a year, but a first round exit would be extremely disappointing to say the least no? 

 

 

Meh. You’re a sadsack. You also hate that most of my analysis and predictions concerning McD, Allen, and this team have been accurate. I don’t think you’re even really happy when the Bills do well because it gives you less to b-I-t-c-h about. 

[Augie]

On 12/15/2020 at 10:11 PM, matter2003 said:

That is some high praise coming from Tomlin

 

Amen! 

 

I’m skimming thru the Bills vs 49’ers game and I can’t count how many times Louis Riddick mentioned what a physical game it was, and the 49’ers just can’t match the Bills (especially in the first half). I didn’t really remember that from my live watch of the game, but a nice trend! 

 

On a side note, I think I heard Riddick was interviewing for GM jobs.

 

 

.

Edited December 17, 2020 by Augie

[YoloinOhio]

36 minutes ago, Augie said:

 

Amen! 

 

I’m skimming thru the Bills vs 49’ers game and I can’t count how many times Louis Reddick mentioned what a physical game it was, and the 49’ers just can’t match the Bills (especially in the first half). I didn’t really remember that from my live watch of the game, but a nice trend! 

 

On a side note, I think I heard Reddick was interviewing for GM jobs.

Yes - Texans and lions. My boss is a huge Bears fan and wants Riddick to be GM there, unfortunately I told him they are well behind on timing because they haven’t even fired Ryan Pace yet and Riddick is going to get scooped up. Every time the Bears win now he has a fit because he wants an overhaul. I remember those dark days as a fan during many of the old Bills regimes. 

[BADOLBILZ]

12 hours ago, Simon said:

 

I had a bunch of beer-swilling Stillers hooligans in my living room, all of whom have spent most of their lives playing or coaching ball, and they could not stopping talking about Williams. They were blown away by the seeming ease with which he just kept swallowing up Watt down after down after down. They said the guy had been virtually unlockable for the last two months and they hadn't seen anybody come even close to handling him like that.

They were laughing at me before the game when I told them I was way more afraid of Heyward than anything they could bring off either edge. We are really really lucky; there are not many teams in the NFL that are putting a pair of Tackles like that out there on every down.

 

 

 

 

We caught a big break when Bud Dupree got hurt.    Dawkins has not been nearly as good as Williams at his position this year.