Well, I think Dan Hanzus summed up the season pretty well for me

[HOUSE]

Found under Ranking Buffalo #5

 

 

The Bills gave everything they had. They weren't intimidated by the moment, and they received perhaps the best performance by a quarterback in franchise history. Somehow, it still wasn't enough. Sunday's 42-36 overtime loss to the Chiefs was the type of defeat that can stick to the ribs of an organization for years ... decades, even. This was the season when Buffalo was supposed to get over the hump and make its long-awaited return to the Super Bowl. Unfortunately, the rise of the Bills as an AFC superpower has coincided with a sustained run of greatness by a Chiefs team led by one of the best quarterbacks the game has ever seen. Will Sunday's heartbreaker at Arrowhead eventually be remembered as the last agonizing roadblock before finally reaching glory? Or was this the current group's last best chance? Allen will keep the Bills relevant for years to come, but championship windows are unpredictable and don't bend at the knee of logic. Next September, the Bills will once again be seen as a top contender -- but the journey back toward the summit will be a grind in ways both physical and mental.

 

https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-power-rankings-championship-sunday-2021-nfl-season

Edited January 28, 2022 by HOUSE

[The BLUES Brothers]

Well said.

[Nextmanup]

It felt like we got back to the playoffs fairly easily this year despite playing poorly along the way at times, and we'll do that again next year as well.

 

We are still on our way up the mountain, not down the other side.

 

 

[HOUSE]

Lets hope that Brandon Beane can see the urgency here and make a couple of bold moves making Buffalo the undeniable favorite in 2022 or this team may never recover mentally.

My advice would be to trade premium draft picks for top quality players OTHERWISE we will be waiting on Rookies to develop hence missing the opportunity again...

[Chaos]

14 minutes ago, Nextmanup said:

It felt like we got back to the playoffs fairly easily this year despite playing poorly along the way at times, and we'll do that again next year as well.

 

We are still on our way up the mountain, not down the other side.

 

 

We already regressed in terms of wins and losses and final position. We made the championship game last year and fell short this year.  Josh Allen is about my favorite player to ever play the game.  A strategy of

relying on record breaking play by one player in the playoffs each week combined with in game coaching blunders may never be the formula to go further. 

[HOUSE]

2 minutes ago, Chaos said:

We already regressed in terms of wins and losses and final position. We made the championship game last year and fell short this year.  Josh Allen is about my favorite player to ever play the game.  A strategy of

relying on record breaking play by one player in the playoffs each week combined with in game coaching blunders may never be the formula to go further. 

 

Lets hope the players are not losing confidence in the current coaching staff, this happens every year around the NFL. They lose easy games, under perform then squeak into the playoffs. I am very concerned about this because players rarely vent the problem in the media until it is to late....

[zow2]

It's two years in a row of having an excellent chance to make the SB.  This year was arguably better since they had the Chiefs beaten...until they didn't.  It's tough to just assume they'll be back this close again. Other teams get better,  we may lose some players/coaches, injuries, etc..  I'm hoping upon hope the Bills will be back and even better.

[RobbRiddick]

Just get home field advantage next year

[stinky finger]

57 minutes ago, Nextmanup said:

It felt like we got back to the playoffs fairly easily this year despite playing poorly along the way at times, and we'll do that again next year as well.

 

We are still on our way up the mountain, not down the other side.

 

 

I view it more a desert. Looking for that oasis. 

[Scott7975]

Somehow Josh's performance in that game was only "perhaps the best performance by a QB in our franchise history" but Mahomes is the best this leagues ever seen.

 

I'm sorry but Josh's performance in that game may have been the best I have ever seen period It at least ranks up there.  Not just in our own franchise.

 

Also, It is a grind for every team to get back there.  Not just our own.

[Greg S]

I take comfort in the fact that the AFCE consists of 4 teams....Bills, Moe, Larry, Curly.

[HOUSE]

Just now, Scott7975 said:

Somehow Josh's performance in that game was only "perhaps the best performance by a QB in our franchise history" but Mahomes is the best this leagues ever seen.

 

I'm sorry but Josh's performance in that game may have been the best I have ever seen period It at least ranks up there.  Not just in our own franchise.

 

Also, It is a grind for every team to get back there.  Not just our own.

 

I believe he is referring to a team returning AFTER a huge mental letdown.

[Scott7975]

2 minutes ago, HOUSE said:

 

I believe he is referring to a team returning AFTER a huge mental letdown.

 

Yeah because they didn't have a huge mental let down last year.  These are competitive men.  They will be fine in the mental department next year.

Edited January 28, 2022 by Scott7975

[ToGoGo]

15 minutes ago, Scott7975 said:

Somehow Josh's performance in that game was only "perhaps the best performance by a QB in our franchise history" but Mahomes is the best this leagues ever seen.

 

I'm sorry but Josh's performance in that game may have been the best I have ever seen period It at least ranks up there.  Not just in our own franchise.

 

Also, It is a grind for every team to get back there.  Not just our own.

 

I think people are just nervous to put a Bills player in an all-time pantheon. 

 

After Palmer called Allen "perhaps the greatest talent at the QB position ever" Schopp jumped in and said it was an "interesting claim" in his classic condescending tone. It's almost like they don't want it to be true, so they can lay in their misery undisturbed. 

[78thealltimegreat]

Health is the biggest factor

The Bills lost arguably the best CB in football on Thanksgiving and didn’t skip a beat till it caught up to them against KC

 

One thing Allen did was give a lot of these teams with mediocre QB play believe their team  just needs the right people around them and that just isn’t the case.

 

Cap Space is wonderful but it means the players you have are terrible and you need to replace them with vets who may get their payday and decide to coast 

Simple fact Bills will be fine but just have to stay healthy and keep adding  

[billsfan1959]

1 hour ago, HOUSE said:

Found under Ranking Buffalo #5

 

 

The Bills gave everything they had. They weren't intimidated by the moment, and they received perhaps the best performance by a quarterback in franchise history. Somehow, it still wasn't enough. Sunday's 42-36 overtime loss to the Chiefs was the type of defeat that can stick to the ribs of an organization for years ... decades, even. This was the season when Buffalo was supposed to get over the hump and make its long-awaited return to the Super Bowl. Unfortunately, the rise of the Bills as an AFC superpower has coincided with a sustained run of greatness by a Chiefs team led by one of the best quarterbacks the game has ever seen. Will Sunday's heartbreaker at Arrowhead eventually be remembered as the last agonizing roadblock before finally reaching glory? Or was this the current group's last best chance? Allen will keep the Bills relevant for years to come, but championship windows are unpredictable and don't bend at the knee of logic. Next September, the Bills will once again be seen as a top contender -- but the journey back toward the summit will be a grind in ways both physical and mental.

 

https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-power-rankings-championship-sunday-2021-nfl-season

 

Allen is a 25 year old, elite QB, still on the rise. This was his second year with a team around him capable of getting to the Super Bowl - if they played to their potential. There are no sure things in the NFL; however, I'm not sure why anyone would think this would be the last best chance to get to / win a Super Bowl for any team with Josh Allen on it.

 

As long as they continue to add talent at the offensive skill positions around Allen and the Oline in front of him, he will have a chance to win every time he steps on the field...

[78thealltimegreat]

11 minutes ago, ToGoGo said:

 

I think people are just nervous to put a Bills player in an all-time pantheon. 

 

After Palmer called Allen "perhaps the greatest talent at the QB position ever" Schopp jumped in and said it was an "interesting claim" in his classic condescending tone. It's almost like they don't want it to be true, so they can lay in their misery undisturbed. 

Mike Schoop just doesn’t like Allen he actually had a list of 10 QBS awhile back he’d take over Josh and the list was laughable.
A couple years ago he literally had to be told by WGR management hey it’s ok to be critical but you’re getting ridiculous and literally attacking fans who disagree with you cut it out or your out.

Dude wakes up everyday hating the team he covers so take him with a grain of salt.  

Edited January 28, 2022 by 78thealltimegreat

[HOUSE]

1 minute ago, 78thealltimegreat said:

Mike Schoop just doesn’t like Allen he actually had a list of 10 QBS awhile back he’d take over Josh and the list was laughable.
A couple years ago he literally had to be told by WGR management hey it’s ok to be critical or you’re out.

Dude wakes up everyday hating the team he covers so take him with a grain of salt.  

That show is designed for negative Bills fans, Schoop is the leader of that clan. I gave up on him long ago because his comments are to predictable.

[SoCal Deek]

My two cents: If the Bills don’t get home field advantage next year it’s going to be a real struggle for the team not to enter the playoffs with a ‘here we go again’ attitude…which is no way to approach a super bowl run. 

[HOUSE]

Just now, SoCal Deek said:

My two cents: If the Bills don’t get home field advantage next year it’s going to be a real struggle for the team not to enter the playoffs with a ‘here we go again’ attitude…which is no way to approach a super bowl run. 

Excellent Point...

[SoCal Deek]

Just now, HOUSE said:

Excellent Point...

It’s actually one of the things I don’t like about the extra regular season game. The season is really long and the guys are mentally pooped. If they reach the playoffs with a road trip hill yet to climb it’s going to be a mental challenge. McD has to get over the late game strategic missteps if these guys are going to have confidence.

[Saint Doug]

17 minutes ago, billsfan1959 said:

 

Allen is a 25 year old, elite QB, still on the rise. This was his second year with a team around him capable of getting to the Super Bowl - if they played to their potential. There are no sure things in the NFL; however, I'm not sure why anyone would think this would be the last best chance to get to / win a Super Bowl for any team with Josh Allen on it.

 

As long as they continue to add talent at the offensive skill positions around Allen and the Oline in front of him, he will have a chance to win every time he steps on the field...

We could’ve added Randy Moss in his prime to our team and we still wouldn’t have beat the Chiefs. We need sound defensive players and probably just at least one elite one. Our #1 defense was basically a facade built by facing back-up level QBs throughout the season. 

[HOUSE]

7 minutes ago, SoCal Deek said:

It’s actually one of the things I don’t like about the extra regular season game. The season is really long and the guys are mentally pooped. If they reach the playoffs with a road trip hill yet to climb it’s going to be a mental challenge. McD has to get over the late game strategic missteps if these guys are going to have confidence.

 

You are on a roll here today...

[Greg S]

4 minutes ago, Saint Doug said:

We could’ve added Randy Moss in his prime to our team and we still wouldn’t have beat the Chiefs. We need sound defensive players and probably just at least one elite one. Our #1 defense was basically a facade built by facing back-up level QBs throughout the season. 

 

If its Chiefs vs Rams in the Super Bowl then I would give LA an excellent chance to win. They have the defense that can cause problems for Mahomes. They also have an offense that can match scores with Chiefs.

[JMF2006]

2 hours ago, HOUSE said:

Found under Ranking Buffalo #5

 

 

The Bills gave everything they had. They weren't intimidated by the moment, and they received perhaps the best performance by a quarterback in franchise history. Somehow, it still wasn't enough. Sunday's 42-36 overtime loss to the Chiefs was the type of defeat that can stick to the ribs of an organization for years ... decades, even. This was the season when Buffalo was supposed to get over the hump and make its long-awaited return to the Super Bowl. Unfortunately, the rise of the Bills as an AFC superpower has coincided with a sustained run of greatness by a Chiefs team led by one of the best quarterbacks the game has ever seen. Will Sunday's heartbreaker at Arrowhead eventually be remembered as the last agonizing roadblock before finally reaching glory? Or was this the current group's last best chance? Allen will keep the Bills relevant for years to come, but championship windows are unpredictable and don't bend at the knee of logic. Next September, the Bills will once again be seen as a top contender -- but the journey back toward the summit will be a grind in ways both physical and mental.

 

https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-power-rankings-championship-sunday-2021-nfl-season

 

He actually ranked the Bills #2 but the path to the Lombardi ended and that automatically removed them from the top 4.

[SoCal Deek]

4 minutes ago, HOUSE said:

 

You are on a roll here today...

And the sun isn’t even up in So Cal. Just wait until the coffee kicks in. 😉

[billsfan1959]

6 minutes ago, Saint Doug said:

We could’ve added Randy Moss in his prime to our team and we still wouldn’t have beat the Chiefs. We need sound defensive players and probably just at least one elite one. Our #1 defense was basically a facade built by facing back-up level QBs throughout the season. 

 

You are not getting past the Chiefs on a consistent basis unless you can play with them offensively. You always want to try to improve the defense. But today's NFL is different - particularly with an elite QB. In today's NFL, if a team has an elite, even possibly a generational talent at QB, that is where their success is going to run through on a consistent basis. Kansas City is in it's 4th straight AFCCG. They have added pieces defensively, but the reason they win consistently is because of Mahomes and the talent around him.

[Wayne Cubed]

6 minutes ago, billsfan1959 said:

 

You are not getting past the Chiefs on a consistent basis unless you can play with them offensively. You always want to try to improve the defense. But today's NFL is different - particularly with an elite QB. In today's NFL, if a team has an elite, even possibly a generational talent at QB, that is where their success is going to run through on a consistent basis. Kansas City is in it's 4th straight AFCCG. They have added pieces defensively, but the reason they win consistently is because of Mahomes and the talent around him.

 

Exactly.

 

We need a defense that is just good enough. Elite defesnes don't exist anymore. We can't just keep adding pieces to the defense while not giving Josh more help. And you can't do both nowadays.

[Niagara Dude]

3 hours ago, HOUSE said:

 

Lets hope the players are not losing confidence in the current coaching staff, this happens every year around the NFL. They lose easy games, under perform then squeak into the playoffs. I am very concerned about this because players rarely vent the problem in the media until it is to late....

I have lost all trust in Frazier,  some fans forgot the meltdown late against the Cardinals last season. Same Script,  Allen makes amazing TD throw to Diggs with 34 secs left and it gets lost because Frazier and his defence decide to play prevent and we had White that day. How many of these type of killer losses when your QB puts you ahead late do we need to lose before we start looking at our DC cordinator?  

 

So tired of listening to fans say.... but he is doing what Sean wants.  Then that is a problem to, we need a stronger voice at DC and someone who will come up with actual game plans that include times where you get aggressive and attack. Those stats are fake piled up against average QB'S and same bend but don't break.  They let an old Big Ben dominant them in the 4th quarter to lose the first game of the season

 

I don't see anything changing much until they make a change at the DC position and fans thinking that the formula to beat the Chiefs is our offence scoring on every single possession are not being realistic and that is too much to ask for even for an elite QB like Josh. Our QB handed Frazier a lead twice after the 2 min warning and both times he whimped out and played not lose and we lost. Just praying the Pegulas are receiving consulting from the outside because I don't trust either Beane or Sean to do the right thing and get rid of this guy for the good of this franchise and to help Josh 

Edited January 28, 2022 by Niagara Dude

[billsfan1959]

17 minutes ago, Wayne Cubed said:

 

Exactly.

 

We need a defense that is just good enough. Elite defesnes don't exist anymore. We can't just keep adding pieces to the defense while not giving Josh more help. And you can't do both nowadays.

 

Right.

 

In 2017, KC had pro bowl offensive linemen, Kareem Hunt rushed for over a thousand yards, both Hill and Kelce had over 1000 yards receiving, and they had a defense in the bottom 3rd of the league. With Alex Smith at QB, they put up some good numbers, but they had to win their last four games to finish 10-6 and win a sh**ty division - and then got bounced in their 1st playoff game. They were a good team but not elite.

 

They became an elite team In 2018. Mahomes took essentially the same team (with more offensive talent added), and with a worse defense to the AFCCG where they lost to NE exactly the same way the beat the Bills Sunday night - By a coin toss in overtime.

 

When you have a Mahomes or an Allen at QB, your success goes primarily goes through them.

 

Edited January 28, 2022 by billsfan1959

[ganesh]

2 hours ago, zow2 said:

It's two years in a row of having an excellent chance to make the SB.  This year was arguably better since they had the Chiefs beaten...until they didn't.  It's tough to just assume they'll be back this close again. Other teams get better,  we may lose some players/coaches, injuries, etc..  I'm hoping upon hope the Bills will be back and even better.

this!

[SirAndrew]

1 hour ago, SoCal Deek said:

It’s actually one of the things I don’t like about the extra regular season game. The season is really long and the guys are mentally pooped. If they reach the playoffs with a road trip hill yet to climb it’s going to be a mental challenge. McD has to get over the late game strategic missteps if these guys are going to have confidence.

Yeah, maybe it’s an exaggeration, but the extra game seems to change the complexion of the regular season. I got an NHL, NBA vibe from the better teams. It looked like teams are occasionally laid back during the regular season. The postseason has always been a level of intensity above the regular season, but teams seem more focused on the postseason than ever before. The regular season is becoming a formality. Teams with elite QB’s are always getting to the playoffs, and they know this, causing some games to lack intensity. Our regular season had this issue as well. The Steelers, Jags, and Colts were essentially bye weeks. I never like questioning effort, but did pick up an NBA vibe a few times this year. Players have the need to preserve themselves to an extent. What better time to dial it back then versus inferior opponents? I think we’ll see more of that going forward. More games hurt the product. 

Edited January 28, 2022 by SirAndrew

[McBean]

Only gonna get harder.

 

With QB’s like Burrow, Herbert, and potentially Rodgers headed to Denver the AFC is downright tough.

 

McClappy blew it. He blew it and the fact it isn’t being talked about 24/7 is mind blowing. We are going to waste a generational talent (Allen) because we refuse to get rid of our Doug Collins.

Edited January 28, 2022 by McBean

[Punching Bag]

1 hour ago, SoCal Deek said:

It’s actually one of the things I don’t like about the extra regular season game. The season is really long and the guys are mentally pooped. If they reach the playoffs with a road trip hill yet to climb it’s going to be a mental challenge. McD has to get over the late game strategic missteps if these guys are going to have confidence.

 

Except it was shown that both teams with a bye can lose.

[NastyNateSoldiers]

2 hours ago, HOUSE said:

Lets hope that Brandon Beane can see the urgency here and make a couple of bold moves making Buffalo the undeniable favorite in 2022 or this team may never recover mentally.

My advice would be to trade premium draft picks for top quality players OTHERWISE we will be waiting on Rookies to develop hence missing the opportunity again...

Absolutely agree, We got to go full Rams Les Snead style but we won’t because the Bills lead by McBeane are conservative by nature . 
 

 

[ProcessTruster]

This junction for the pre SB Bills teams of the 90's is where the FA signings of nasties and bangers like Leonard Smith and Kenneth Davis started showing up big time.  Hopefully Beane goes and gets a Chandler Jones, etc.  This is the time too bring some FA nasties into the mix.  Maybe Obada is one of them, but that kind of overwhelming individual athletic force that augments all the "Process" type draft picks and mid level rotational FAs .  

 

I think McBeanes know what needs to be done.   Need home field to get to the SB in most years.   Every team does.  Need a little more juice for the bend don't break defense scheme, IMO.   Not a ton, just a FA or two.  

[Blainorama5]

The playoff and big game experience Josh (and the team as a whole) has gotten over the last couple years is simply invaluable.  That will serve them well in coming years for sure!  While playoff windows open and close, and trying to get over certain roadblocks is always painful - the experience the Bills are amassing can't be overlooked.  I'm still hurting about last weekend, but I do feel confident with Josh at the helm getting the Bills to the promised land.  Just gonna take some more time....

[Saint Doug]

54 minutes ago, Wayne Cubed said:

 

Exactly.

 

We need a defense that is just good enough. Elite defesnes don't exist anymore. We can't just keep adding pieces to the defense while not giving Josh more help. And you can't do both nowadays.

We got into a shootout with Mahomes and we lost. That’s a very dangerous situation to be in as we have seen. So, was our defense “just good enough”? No, it wasn’t. And we we’re supposedly the best defense in the NFL. Still not good enough though and it wasn’t just the final 13 seconds. We need to get better. 

[corta765]

1 hour ago, SoCal Deek said:

My two cents: If the Bills don’t get home field advantage next year it’s going to be a real struggle for the team not to enter the playoffs with a ‘here we go again’ attitude…which is no way to approach a super bowl run. 

 

I would say 1 or 2 seed so at least they have the first two rounds at home. Otherwise I def agree the mentality could hurt there

[Wayne Cubed]

13 minutes ago, Saint Doug said:

We got into a shootout with Mahomes and we lost. That’s a very dangerous situation to be in as we have seen. So, was our defense “just good enough”? No, it wasn’t. And we we’re supposedly the best defense in the NFL. Still not good enough though and it wasn’t just the final 13 seconds. We need to get better. 

 

We got into a shootout with Mahomes, that much is correct, and the Bills were winning with 13 seconds left. I'm sorry but do you think it was the players that lost the game in those 13 seconds? So yea, the defense was good enough and that was with our 2 All-Pro safeties, our 2 LBs and most of the DL playing piss poor.

 

You should be blaming the coaching for the 13 seconds that lost the game.