THE ROCKPILE REVIEW - The Bills Move On

[Shaw66]

It’s Tuesday morning.  Where have the days gone?

 

I got up at 6:30 Saturday morning and was on the road by 7:30.  Then it was seven hours of driving in sub-freezing temperatures, freezing rain most of the day, slush on the highway, snowplows at 50 miles per hour.  Stop at the hotel, then out to Orchard Park.  I passed Schwabl’s on the way; they’re looking for a carver.  Hmm.   Maybe I could move to Buffalo and take the job. 

 

At Highmark Stadium, it was forty degrees, with a steady 20 mph wind out of the southwest. 

 

After the game, it was back to the hotel and watch the the Raiders and Chargers.  To bed after midnight.  Up the next morning, 400 more miles back home in daylight and good weather.  Then there was college National Championship game.

 

Someplace in there, I watched the Bills beat the Jets, 27-10, take their second straight AFC East title, and lock up the number 3 seed in the playoffs.   What to make of the game?  To be honest, I don’t know.  It’s all a bit of a blur, but travel is only a part of the problem.  The opponent is another part of the problem; the Jets had pretty much nothing to offer as serious competition.  Rookie QB, leaky offensive line, inconsistent defense.  Fans worried that the Jets somehow could pull off the upset, but really, how?  If the Bills couldn’t beat the Jets, playoff seeding would be the least of their worries.

 

And still, remarkably, the Jets were in position to win the game, down 3 points and with the ball in the fourth quarter.  It didn’t seem right.  Was I delirious from the drive?  Weren’t the Jets at risk of setting some kind of 3-and-out record, and now they could take the lead?  Well, not really. 

 

Truth is, the game was only half of a game.   As it happened, neither team could do much of anything on offense against the wind.  Three points were scored against the wind – a 41-yard Tyler Bass field goal.  Haack did some really ugly punting into the wind.  Everything else in the game, offensively, was with the wind.  Maybe it’s better to think of the final score as 54-20, which might have happened if each offense could have gone with the wind for four quarters.  Or 6-0, if both offenses always went against the wind.

 

So, what happened?  The Jets’ woeful offense was no match for the Bills’ statistically league-leading defense.  The Jets gained 53 yards, earned four first downs.  Okay, call it that much in two quarters; in four quarters with the wind, that would be a whopping 106 yards and eight first downs.   The Bills simply smothered the Jets in every aspect of the game.  Actually, it looked like the Jets played all four quarters into the wind. 

 

It was a field day for the defensive line.  Sacks galore (more sacks than completions), tackles for loss.  Ed Oliver looked All-Pro, Harrison Phillips was in the middle of the action play after play.  Zack Wilson rarely could find an open receiver.  The Jets were horrible.

 

The only knock on the defense was that once again it was burned for a long gain or touchdown on a quick-hitting run or short pass with no help deep.  The reality is that it’s impossible never to give up a long one; every once in a while everything falls just right for the offense.  Maybe the question should be how the defense is able to give up so few of those plays.  (One site ranks the Bills 21st in explosive run plays allowed, 2nd in explosive pass plays.)

 

For large stretches of the game, the Bills’ offense looked pretty bad.  Well, let’s say for large stretches of the game, Josh Allen looked pretty bad.  Why?  Because he was trying to throw against the wind in the second and third quarter.   Except for the field goal drive to end the half and one deep throw to Knox, Allen did very little against the wind.  He threw hard, to cut the effect of the wind, but by throwing hard, his timing was off.  Receivers consistently cut too late, or looked for the ball too late – or probably more accurately, the ball arrived too early, and off target.   Did Allen have a bad night, or was it simply impossible to deal with the wind?  I’d bet on the wind. 

 

The bigger question about all of Allen’s second- and third-quarter misfires is this:  Why were the Bills passing?  It was obvious if not immediately, then by late in the second quarter, that going against the wind was a losing proposition, and the only objective against the wind was to get ought of the quarter as soon as possible.  So, why go three and out by throwing incomplete passes?   Run the ball.  You may still go three and out, but at least the clock keeps running.  And if on some series you actually get a first down, run some more.  The Bills needlessly extended both quarters, giving the Jets extra possessions, simply by passing instead of running. 

 

And, by the way, the running game was working.  Singletary saw a couple of monster holes, and plenty of others big enough to get to the second level, and Allen was opportunistic.  For a team that was unable to mount any kind of running game most of the season (other than living dangerously with Allen), here was another late-season game where running actually was an option. 

 

With the wind, Allen was Allen.  He ran the offense, under control, not flustered, taking the necessary time outs when things got out of sync.  The touchdown throw to Diggs and the near-touchdown to Diggs were exquisite throws.  He found Diggs often, and Beasley, too, and delivered accurate balls.  Gabriel Davis was unusually ineffective, dropping a couple of balls and seeming to be off-page with Allen. 

 

The path to the Super Bowl is brutal:  New England, Kansas City, Tennessee.  But the truth is that the path for every team is brutal.  None of the Bills’ likely opponents is happy to see the Bills coming down the road.  For every team, your very best may not be enough, and less than your best invites an early exit.  

 

The formula for the Bills heading into the playoffs is clear:   Be solid at every position across the defense and be tough to score on; on offense, be dangerous and find a way to score.  For a statistically great team, the Bills don’t dominate, but they also won’t be dominated, not any more.   They will be a tough out in the playoffs, and they could make a run. 

 

GO BILLS!!!

[Evian]

Good stuff, but I am not sure the path to the SB goes through Kansas City and Tennessee. I think the Bengals are going to be heading to Orchard Park for the AFC Title game. 

 

[Shaw66]

That's interesting.   Bills go to KC (Steelers can't beat the Chiefs), and the Bengals win at Tennessee?   Well, yeah, I could see that. 

[Peace Frog]

Mmm...Schwabl's.  Awesome Beef on Weck.

 

Edited January 11, 2022 by Peace Frog

[WhoTom]

Nice post, Shaw. Spot on regarding the passing vs running against the wind. This is one reason I have mixed feelings about Daboll's play-calling. In Josh's first couple of years, the plays were designed to gradually build his confidence, use the skills he had, and mask his deficiencies. Now that he's evolved into an elite QB, I question whether Daboll knows how to utilize him to the fullest. Some people are great at development but not so good at follow-through. It may be good for both Daboll and the Bills if he moved on to a HC position.

 

Just not Miami, please.

 

 

[Bleedbuffaloblue]

52 minutes ago, Evian said:

Good stuff, but I am not sure the path to the SB goes through Kansas City and Tennessee. I think the Bengals are going to be heading to Orchard Park for the AFC Title game. 

 

Love to see that happen, but can’t help seeing the Titans dominating that game with rushing attack. If Joe Burrow is healthy  I have no doubt they will be able to score points with their elite passing game, but will they get enough possessions?

[NC Lifelong Bills fan]

So glad to finally see your posting, and that travel back and forth to CT/Buffalo is so rough. You are my favorite poster and I was worried. Whew.

Your observations about the wind and the quality of our opponent (lack thereof) have calmed me down. People who haven’t lived in Buffalo just can’t comprehend how brutal it is just to stand up. Sadly, the Patriots are used to bad weather, too, but maybe not the penetrating gales off Lake Erie. Will you be replicating that trip again on Saturday? If so, stay safe and cheer your heart out. We can do this, and Go Bills!

[Shaw66]

1 hour ago, NC Lifelong Bills fan said:

So glad to finally see your posting, and that travel back and forth to CT/Buffalo is so rough. You are my favorite poster and I was worried. Whew.

Your observations about the wind and the quality of our opponent (lack thereof) have calmed me down. People who haven’t lived in Buffalo just can’t comprehend how brutal it is just to stand up. Sadly, the Patriots are used to bad weather, too, but maybe not the penetrating gales off Lake Erie. Will you be replicating that trip again on Saturday? If so, stay safe and cheer your heart out. We can do this, and Go Bills!

Well, I was planning on driving on Saturday and going to the game on Saturday night.   A friend just told me the high will be 10 degrees, maybe down to zero.   I'm guessing my wife will pass on that, and I have to wonder if I'm really ready for it myself.   And that's sitting in club seats with radiant heat.   

 

 

[Straight Hucklebuck]

The Bills need to bring back some of the 4-wide and 5-wide looks. 

 

I think they need to have faith in Bates and Brown, and be the team they wanted to be in Week One against Pittsburgh. 

 

Our offense sputters because it is a lot of Josh Allen running around, throwing toe tap routes to the sidelines, depending on miracle catches. 

 

So I would do the following:

1. Get Knox back involved in this offense. 

2. Bench Cole Beasley and start Isaiah McKenzie. 

3. Gabe Davis remains the starter over Sanders. 

4. Utilize 4 and 5 wide sets again. 

5. Zack Moss continues to only be a breather back for Singletary, no Red Zone carries. 

 

The Bills have largely made the right changes on the offensive line and running back as the year went on, but now they have to stop their rigid hierarchy at wide receiver. Admit that Beasley and Sanders have lost steps, and get our most dynamic lineup on the field. 

[Clark Rotary]

THANK YOU SHAW FOR ANOTHER SEASON OF THESE TERRIFIC WRITE-UPS. I LOOK FORWARD TO THEM EACH WEEK AND AM NEVER DISAPPOINTED. GO BILLS! 

[CincyBillsFan]

Your points about running the clock when going into the wind are spot on.  That's how the Bills did it back in the day.  I would say that two dumb O-line penalties in the 3r quarter probably kept he Bills from scoring another 3 or 7 points going into the wind.  The one by Bates was especially bad as it wiped out a McKenzie run that gave us a first down inside the Jet's 30 yard line and his low block had no impact on the actual play.

 

As an aide I was watching the game with some younger Bills fans and they thought I was nuts obsessing over the clock when the Bills were going into the wind.  I kept saying "run the clock don't throw the ball" and they just couldn't grasp the concept. 

[LABILLBACKER]

I'm ashamed to say I finally attended my first Bills game in 60 years and it was a "religious experience". My sons and I had to cram the Falls, Duffs and early tailgating before kickoff. Very emotional seeing Highmark from Lot 4. No doubt I'll be flying out every year from here on . Got a pic with Pinto Ron and saw fans that have the same passion as I for this team. It was an absolutely indescribable experience.  Definitely my biggest bucket list check off. Nothing about the city or game disappointed. It was absolute perfection although the game was nerve wracking. Seeing them celebrate the afce championship was exhilarating.  Shaw I truly applaud amazing fans like you and so many others that go so much further than me. It finally took me a trip to the stadium to realize this. All I could say to my sons was "Is this heaven"?.....no, its Buffalo.....

[Shaw66]

25 minutes ago, LABILLBACKER said:

I'm ashamed to say I finally attended my first Bills game in 60 years and it was a "religious experience". My sons and I had to cram the Falls, Duffs and early tailgating before kickoff. Very emotional seeing Highmark from Lot 4. No doubt I'll be flying out every year from here on . Got a pic with Pinto Ron and saw fans that have the same passion as I for this team. It was an absolutely indescribable experience.  Definitely my biggest bucket list check off. Nothing about the city or game disappointed. It was absolute perfection although the game was nerve wracking. Seeing them celebrate the afce championship was exhilarating.  Shaw I truly applaud amazing fans like you and so many others that go so much further than me. It finally took me a trip to the stadium to realize this. All I could say to my sons was "Is this heaven"?.....no, its Buffalo.....

I know a guy who has social anxiety - he is very uncomfortable in large crowds.  The first time he went to a Bills game, I ask him if the crowd made him uncomfortable.  He said no.  He said seeing all those fans in Bills jerseys made him feel like he's at home.  First thing he did was go buy a McGahee jersey, so he fit in.  

 

Being with all those Bills fans is the best. 

[LeGOATski]

Great write-up l, as always.

 

In regards to not running enough in the middle quarters, I think Josh has more control over this offense than we may realize. He's throwing because he wants to throw.

 

The Bills ARE dominant. They've dominated a lot of the time this year. Top 5 offense and defense. Certain things weren't, like their red zone offense. But they figured it out in the 2nd half of the Tampa game and went on to dominate the rest of the season. I think they'll continue in the playoffs.

[LABILLBACKER]

10 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

I know a guy who has social anxiety - he is very uncomfortable in large crowds.  The first time he went to a Bills game, I ask him if the crowd made him uncomfortable.  He said no.  He said seeing all those fans in Bills jerseys made him feel like he's at home.  First thing he did was go buy a McGahee jersey, so he fit in.  

 

Being with all those Bills fans is the best. 

I've lived my entire life north of Los Angeles but when we parked and I got out of lot 4 looking at Highmark all I could say to my sons was "I'm home"..... one of the greatest (long overdue) days of my life. 

[Wyobills89]

I had that feeling when I went to my first pokes game in wyoming at 12. Being at the stadium is a euphoria you just can't replicate. Went to my first Bills game this year in Tampa and that was really amazing. Next on the list will be Highmark! And I just know being surrounded by that many bills fan will be something else! Already planning a buffalo game for next year.

[mead107]

Glad you got home ok 

 

great review as always 

 

[LABILLBACKER]

21 minutes ago, Wyobills89 said:

I had that feeling when I went to my first pokes game in wyoming at 12. Being at the stadium is a euphoria you just can't replicate. Went to my first Bills game this year in Tampa and that was really amazing. Next on the list will be Highmark! And I just know being surrounded by that many bills fan will be something else! Already planning a buffalo game for next year.

After last Sunday I'll be going every year. Why it took me this long is beyond stupid. Euphoria is the right word. 

[Aussie Joe]

Thanks Shaw as always…
 

I haven’t been impressed with the Bills Passing game these past 2 weeks…. Hope they have been playing a bit of cat and mouse against a couple of lesser teams and kept things vanila deliberately and have a few things up their sleeve now they are facing the big boys..

 

They have the team to win it  and it does seem a “soft” year looking at their competition… nothing overly scary compared to facing KC last year..even the fact that the Colts and Chargers missed the playoffs is a positive as it has allowed lesser teams in..

 

Their D should keep anybody close …. My concerns based on what I have seen this year are around dumb penalties…scoring TDs in the red zone and having consistency over 4 games playing quality teams…

[Generic_Bills_Fan]

10 hours ago, Evian said:

Good stuff, but I am not sure the path to the SB goes through Kansas City and Tennessee. I think the Bengals are going to be heading to Orchard Park for the AFC Title game. 

 

Wow I was only looking a game ahead and didn’t even consider this 

[CincyBillsFan]

28 minutes ago, Aussie Joe said:

Thanks Shaw as always…
 

I haven’t been impressed with the Bills Passing game these past 2 weeks…. Hope they have been playing a bit of cat and mouse against a couple of lesser teams and kept things vanila deliberately and have a few things up their sleeve now they are facing the big boys..

 

The wind, cold and snow were the primary reasons that the passing game looked choppy the last 2 games.  And when played in these conditions a passing game will almost always look out of sync and less then impressive.

 

 

[Aussie Joe]

4 minutes ago, CincyBillsFan said:

The wind, cold and snow were the primary reasons that the passing game looked choppy the last 2 games.  And when played in these conditions a passing game will almost always look out of sync and less then impressive.

 

 

Yet it was breezy in Foxboro too…

[CincyBillsFan]

46 minutes ago, Aussie Joe said:

Yet it was breezy in Foxboro too…

Breezy in Foxboro is nothing like WINDY at Rich Stadium.  Last Sunday the Jets and Bills combined to score 3 points going into the wind.  With the wind at their back they scored 34 points.

 

 

[HappyDays]

11 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

The bigger question about all of Allen’s second- and third-quarter misfires is this:  Why were the Bills passing?  It was obvious if not immediately, then by late in the second quarter, that going against the wind was a losing proposition, and the only objective against the wind was to get ought of the quarter as soon as possible.  So, why go three and out by throwing incomplete passes?   Run the ball.  You may still go three and out, but at least the clock keeps running.  And if on some series you actually get a first down, run some more.  The Bills needlessly extended both quarters, giving the Jets extra possessions, simply by passing instead of running. 

 

It's a little distressing that the coaching staff of the Buffalo Bills doesn't know how to form a game plan around inclement weather. That failure cost us the Pats game at home. They need to start treating wind like an extra defender and plan the game around it.

 

I know the dome crowd is louder than ever right now, but the way our team is built we SHOULD have a massive home field advantage in inclement weather against just about any team in the league. We have a QB that can make throws in the wind that other QBs can barely make in sunshine. When all else fails he can run with the best of them. We have a kicker with a big leg. We have a defense that wants to make you one dimensional and the wind does it for them. Forget building a dome. Build and coach a team capable of using the wind to their advantage.

[Shaw66]

42 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

 

It's a little distressing that the coaching staff of the Buffalo Bills doesn't know how to form a game plan around inclement weather. That failure cost us the Pats game at home. They need to start treating wind like an extra defender and plan the game around it.

 

I know the dome crowd is louder than ever right now, but the way our team is built we SHOULD have a massive home field advantage in inclement weather against just about any team in the league. We have a QB that can make throws in the wind that other QBs can barely make in sunshine. When all else fails he can run with the best of them. We have a kicker with a big leg. We have a defense that wants to make you one dimensional and the wind does it for them. Forget building a dome. Build and coach a team capable of using the wind to their advantage.

Excellent.  I agree.  McD has the right temperament for that kind of team, and he has the right qb.

[HappyDays]

15 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

Excellent.  I agree.  McD has the right temperament for that kind of team, and he has the right qb.

 

In fact I take back what I said. Don't treat the wind as an extra defender. Treat it as the 13th man.

 

Edited January 12, 2022 by HappyDays

[AuntieEm]

3 hours ago, LABILLBACKER said:

After last Sunday I'll be going every year. Why it took me this long is beyond stupid. Euphoria is the right word. 

   Well think of it as you spared yourself the heartaches if you had been at some of the drought heartbreakers.... and there have been plenty.  You may have even thought you attending was a jinx (and convinced yourself to not attend any important games).

 

  Now that we have a good team that's really fun to watch you'll be at games that will be deciding playoff seedings for however long this current winning era continues.  Maybe they won this game because you made the trip.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 12, 2022 by AuntieEm

[maryland-bills-fan]

8 hours ago, HappyDays said:

 

It's a little distressing that the coaching staff of the Buffalo Bills doesn't know how to form a game plan around inclement weather. That failure cost us the Pats game at home. They need to start treating wind like an extra defender and plan the game around it.

 

I know the dome crowd is louder than ever right now, but the way our team is built we SHOULD have a massive home field advantage in inclement weather against just about any team in the league. We have a QB that can make throws in the wind that other QBs can barely make in sunshine. When all else fails he can run with the best of them. We have a kicker with a big leg. We have a defense that wants to make you one dimensional and the wind does it for them. Forget building a dome. Build and coach a team capable of using the wind to their advantage.

The Bills should swap home fields with one of the teams who have a strong running game.

[Stroke 17]

22 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

Well, I was planning on driving on Saturday and going to the game on Saturday night.   A friend just told me the high will be 10 degrees, maybe down to zero.   I'm guessing my wife will pass on that, and I have to wonder if I'm really ready for it myself.   And that's sitting in club seats with radiant heat.   

 

 

Shaw love your comments, I think we are one in the same, in our 60's long time fans loving the highs and tolerating the lows. The older we get the harder it is to put up with the weather. Also my wife is balking a bit at the forcast, I hate for her to miss thes good times but I get it.

 

While your drive is longer than mine I experience all the same stuff. I have been a season ticket holder 1974 but my addiction goes back to the 60's. So much has changed. One change is that after45 or so years of cooking and tailgating in the lot I no longer do all the packing and cooking for a tailgate but I still get there early for the festivities, I just am getting too old for the crazy stuff, Man I miss my old self but age will catch up eith all of us.

 

Finally my daughter and grandson are making the trip from Connecticut for the game, I was wondering what is the drive time in good weather? What will you do with your tickets if you decide against going? Do you have trouble selling them on Ticketmaster?

 

Go Bills!

 

 

[Shaw66]

43 minutes ago, Stroke 17 said:

Shaw love your comments, I think we are one in the same, in our 60's long time fans loving the highs and tolerating the lows. The older we get the harder it is to put up with the weather. Also my wife is balking a bit at the forcast, I hate for her to miss thes good times but I get it.

 

While your drive is longer than mine I experience all the same stuff. I have been a season ticket holder 1974 but my addiction goes back to the 60's. So much has changed. One change is that after45 or so years of cooking and tailgating in the lot I no longer do all the packing and cooking for a tailgate but I still get there early for the festivities, I just am getting too old for the crazy stuff, Man I miss my old self but age will catch up with all of us.

 

Finally my daughter and grandson are making the trip from Connecticut for the game, I was wondering what is the drive time in good weather? What will you do with your tickets if you decide against going? Do you have trouble selling them on Ticketmaster?

 

Go Bills!

 

 

It's decided.  I'm going to the game, and I think I just sold my extra ticket to someone here. 

 

I am not going to miss home playoff games.  I went to the first Bills post-season game ever, the Eastern Division playoff game in 1963.   I went to the AFC Championship game against the Chargers the next year, and I went to the 1966 AFC championship game against the Chiefs.   I didn't have season tickets in the 90s, so I missed the playoffs then, except for XXV.  I went to the Ravens game last year.   I'm going Saturday.  

 

I've had mixed success selling tickets on Ticketmaster.   I didn't want to sell a playoff ticket that way, because it might go to a Pats fan.  (I actually invited a Pats season ticket holder to go with me, an old friend, but he said no.)

 

From Hartford, it's usually six and a half hours to a hotel at the airport, seven hours if you go directly to the stadium.  Get past Albany and it turns into pretty easy driving.  The terrain flattens out, and there isn't a lot of traffic.   I don't mind it. Except the weather was horrible last week. 

 

Anyway, I'll be there.  

[Stroke 17]

3 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

It's decided.  I'm going to the game, and I think I just sold my extra ticket to someone here. 

 

I am not going to miss home playoff games.  I went to the first Bills post-season game ever, the Eastern Division playoff game in 1963.   I went to the AFC Championship game against the Chargers the next year, and I went to the 1966 AFC championship game against the Chiefs.   I didn't have season tickets in the 90s, so I missed the playoffs then, except for XXV.  I went to the Ravens game last year.   I'm going Saturday.  

 

I've had mixed success selling tickets on Ticketmaster.   I didn't want to sell a playoff ticket that way, because it might go to a Pats fan.  (I actually invited a Pats season ticket holder to go with me, an old friend, but he said no.)

 

From Hartford, it's usually six and a half hours to a hotel at the airport, seven hours if you go directly to the stadium.  Get past Albany and it turns into pretty easy driving.  The terrain flattens out, and there isn't a lot of traffic.   I don't mind it. Except the weather was horrible last week. 

 

Anyway, I'll be there.  

 

[Stroke 17]

Thanks for the reply. My daughter and grandson are coming from Berlin. 

I hardly sell on ticketmaster because of the same reason but I have bought there for away games.

Guess not as old as you, could only watch those 60's game on TV.   

 

My wife is still on the fence about going and I was looking around to see if I could find her a ticket in the Van Miller section or Toyota or whatever it is called now.  I don't know where to look, can't find anything in the heated sections on my account manager, seat geek or stubhub.

Either way she may have to take one for the team and dress warmer.

 

Glad you are coming up for the Rising. Go Bills!

[Irv]

I was able to go down on the field after the game as I was in a box and they had some deal where we could go on the field.   I can't see how Allen completed one pass.  The wind on the field was awful and the cold was ridiculous.  Couldn't wait to get to the car.  If there is no wind he'll do better but the cold is still a factor.  Give him a lot of credit.  

[Shaw66]

4 minutes ago, Irv said:

I was able to go down on the field after the game as I was in a box and they had some deal where we could go on the field.   I can't see how Allen completed one pass.  The wind on the field was awful and the cold was ridiculous.  Couldn't wait to get to the car.  If there is no wind he'll do better but the cold is still a factor.  Give him a lot of credit.  

Thanks for this.   I wasn't there for the Patriots game, so I didn't really have a sense of the wind.  And on Sunday, I didn't see the wind moving the ball much.   However, the effect on punts and kickoffs was clear.  

 

Also, it was clear how much the wind was a factor simply by watching Allen throw.  Everything has high velocity - the faster the ball gets to the target, the less it will move in the wind.  He was ripping it all night, and if the receiver was a step late making the cut, the ball went whizzing by before he ever saw it.  

[Irv]

9 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

Thanks for this.   I wasn't there for the Patriots game, so I didn't really have a sense of the wind.  And on Sunday, I didn't see the wind moving the ball much.   However, the effect on punts and kickoffs was clear.  

 

Also, it was clear how much the wind was a factor simply by watching Allen throw.  Everything has high velocity - the faster the ball gets to the target, the less it will move in the wind.  He was ripping it all night, and if the receiver was a step late making the cut, the ball went whizzing by before he ever saw it.  

I was looking at the ribbons on the goal posts when I was watching the game and they didn't look like they were whipping around too bad, so I concluded the wind was not bad on the field.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  When I got down on the field, I'm guessing 30MPH swirling, sustained on the field with gusts to 40MPH.  Bad.  I was at MNF NE game.  It had to be worse.  Forgive Haack for cussing him out during the Jets game.

 

  

 

Edited January 12, 2022 by Irv

[Shaw66]

45 minutes ago, Irv said:

I was looking at the ribbons on the goal posts when I was watching the game and they didn't look like they were whipping around too bad, so I concluded the wind was not bad on the field.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  When I got down on the field, I'm guessing 30MPH swirling, sustained on the field with gusts to 40MPH.  Bad.  I was at MNF NE game.  It had to be worse.  Forgive Haack for cussing him out during the Jets game.

 

  

 

Haack needed to be better, but to be fair, he was trying to figure out how to deal with the wind.   I think he was trying to to drive the ball low and on a line, but he was missing it.  

 

I haven't seen any explanations about his struggles, but we've all seen the plays where the punter mishits the ball because the wind moved the ball after the drop.  That is, from the time the ball is dropped to the time the foot strikes it, the wind blows it off course.   That could easily have happened to Haack.   It's still his job to get it right, but punters have just as much trouble punting as passers have throwing in that wind. 

[Shaw66]

9 hours ago, Stroke 17 said:

Shaw love your comments, I think we are one in the same, in our 60's long time fans loving the highs and tolerating the lows. The older we get the harder it is to put up with the weather. Also my wife is balking a bit at the forcast, I hate for her to miss thes good times but I get it.

 

While your drive is longer than mine I experience all the same stuff. I have been a season ticket holder 1974 but my addiction goes back to the 60's. So much has changed. One change is that after45 or so years of cooking and tailgating in the lot I no longer do all the packing and cooking for a tailgate but I still get there early for the festivities, I just am getting too old for the crazy stuff, Man I miss my old self but age will catch up eith all of us.

 

Finally my daughter and grandson are making the trip from Connecticut for the game, I was wondering what is the drive time in good weather? What will you do with your tickets if you decide against going? Do you have trouble selling them on Ticketmaster?

 

Go Bills!

 

 

Hey Stroke.  Did you see my PM?

[Stroke 17]

1 hour ago, Shaw66 said:

Hey Stroke.  Did you see my PM?

Got it sent reply.

 

[LABILLBACKER]

On 1/11/2022 at 8:05 PM, AuntieEm said:

   Well think of it as you spared yourself the heartaches if you had been at some of the drought heartbreakers.... and there have been plenty.  You may have even thought you attending was a jinx (and convinced yourself to not attend any important games).

 

  Now that we have a good team that's really fun to watch you'll be at games that will be deciding playoff seedings for however long this current winning era continues.  Maybe they won this game because you made the trip.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's not just about whether the team was good or not. I missed out on a fan experience like nothing I have ever seen in my life. Being there last Sunday and seeing the intense passion and joy in the faces of thousands of celebrating fans exiting the lower concourse was like some epiphany.  And it's no fault but my own that I choose this long to finally experience it.  I honestly can't imagine they're are better or more passionate fans in the world then Bills fans. God willing if I can live another 15-20 more years I'll definitely be in Western NY annually. 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

We were traveling and tonight I finally had the chance to watch the entire game.

 

This seems like a reasonable thread to toss in my $0.02:

0) We won.  We won.  We Won!

1) The Bills D was more porous than I expected, overall.  They were chasing Wilson around the backfield like a headless chicken most of the game, but there were some throws to be made if Wilson had been able to make them (he also got a few circus catches from his receivers)

2) The Bills WR corps was worse than I was expecting.  From the announcers, who I’d listened to, I expected a horrible performance from Allen.  Instead, something seems “off” with our WR corps - like they’re distracted and not as sharp as they should be.  Particularly disappointed with Davis.  It’s not like he was being asked to do easy things, but in other games he’s managed to get his feet down, or haul in that ball tossed to him in the backfield, or turn on the afterburners and haul in that deep ball.  I think we definitely need help at WR this off-season

3) ST sucked, and when I say ST, I mostly mean Haack.  OMG all the stuff people were  saying about Haack, and the reality was worse.  Also if the question is “who is our KR/PR going forward?” When the going gets tough and Hyde gets going, it’s pretty clear McKenzie is not the answer.

4) We won.  Onward!