Week 17: Bills at Bengals on MNF

[Big Turk]

4 minutes ago, oldmanfan said:

The best MNF ever is the 1974 season opener, Bills vs. Raiders.  Best game I ever saw at Rich Stadium.

 

Did they run the ball every play on first and second down? 

 

Hmm...mine would have to be the 51-3 beatdown of the Raiders in the first AFCCG.

Edited December 29, 2022 by Big Turk

[SCBills]

12 hours ago, WhitewalkerInPhilly said:

I'm kind of amazed at some of the national media I'm hearing. I'm hearing a lot of Bengals predictions. Pretty much every soundbite I hear as to why the Bills won't make the super Bowl applies to them: they've won ugly the past few weeks. They've beat up on bad teams with the NFC South looking like a dumpster fire.

 

Am I missing something? Because I get that Burrow throws a pretty ball and Jamar Chase is hell on wheels. Is there some facet of their team we haven't seen. I know their receivers are good but I don't know if they are better than Hill, Waddle and Gisecki. Burrow is great but he's not as mobile as Mahommes and can be sacked. Their D is ok to good but the Ravens, Jets and Patriots is better. 

 

What am I not getting? 

 

Feel the same way.  I'm not exactly in love with how we've been playing lately, but the Bengals and Chiefs are struggle-bussing their way to W's as well.  

 

Am I supposed to be blown away that Cinci got down big to a team that can barely score TD's in Tampa until Tampa literally just kept giving them the ball on the plus side of the field?   Or am I supposed to be amazing that they were a 1st and Goal fumble away from potentially losing to the Pats?  What am I missing?

 

Chiefs... same thing.  Went to OT against Houston and then Mahomes struggled all day against a bad Seattle Defense. 

[Sammy Watkins' Rib]

I think this is a breakout game for Beasley. It will be his third game since coming back. So he has about 3 full weeks of practice now. Should be in as good a shape as he is going to be from here on out. Bills have used him sparsely in the first two games. I think two targets and two catches? I'm predicting 5+ targets and catches for Beasely this week.

1 minute ago, SCBills said:

Chiefs... same thing.  Went to OT against Houston and then Mahomes struggled all day against a bad Seattle Defense. 

 

Yep. And even though Bills trailed at the half against the Bears, they ultimately went on to hand the Bears their worst loss of the season. Bears have been playing everyone close all season despite their record.

[SWATeam]

This matchup should be good for the Bills.  CIN's outside corners are a struggling rookie and Eli Apple.  Add to that the fact that both of the Bengals edge rushers are hurt and the pass game should really get going.

 

If Allen and Diggs don't dominate in this one something is wrong.

[nucci]

26 minutes ago, Big Turk said:

 

Did they run the ball every play on first and second down? 

 

Hmm...mine would have to be the 51-3 beatdown of the Raiders in the first AFCCG.

He said MNF

31 minutes ago, oldmanfan said:

The best MNF ever is the 1974 season opener, Bills vs. Raiders.  Best game I ever saw at Rich Stadium.

I was there ..13 yo kid. 1st night game. I was sitting in endzone seats for Rashad TD

[Boatdrinks]

27 minutes ago, SCBills said:

 

Feel the same way.  I'm not exactly in love with how we've been playing lately, but the Bengals and Chiefs are struggle-bussing their way to W's as well.  

 

Am I supposed to be blown away that Cinci got down big to a team that can barely score TD's in Tampa until Tampa literally just kept giving them the ball on the plus side of the field?   Or am I supposed to be amazing that they were a 1st and Goal fumble away from potentially losing to the Pats?  What am I missing?

 

Chiefs... same thing.  Went to OT against Houston and then Mahomes struggled all day against a bad Seattle Defense. 

I agree, but we’re told differently by media types. See, those teams are just “ taking it easy” and “ going through the motions” until the playoffs, or they’re bored with the level of competition. 

[John from Riverside]

What I am hoping is that we get primetime Josh and the reason for it is guys like Gabe Davis and Cole Beasley are making huge contributions

[Boatdrinks]

3 hours ago, LeGOATski said:

If the Bills lose and/or Josh has a terrible game, I'm not coming to TBD for the rest of the week.

There will be no reason to. Best to take a week or so off if the Bills end up in the wrong side of it. 

[The Wiz]

White on White uniforms.  I'm guessing bengals will be in all black then.

 

 

Edited December 29, 2022 by The Wiz

[SCBills]

Another thing I keep hearing is how the Bengals are the most well-rounded team of the contenders....

 

Except, of all the contenders, Buffalo has the best defense and best running game.

 

What it comes down to, and we all have to admit, is that pundits/analysts aren't sold on our passing offense.  Mahomes will forever get a pass as long they have Reid/Kelce and can ride off waves of their Super Bowl trophy.   Burrow has the most elite WR room in the NFL, with Miami as a close second. 

 

The Bills have Allen and Diggs... then what?  Knox who (hopefully) is finding his groove in this offense.  Davis who is a big play WR3 that we are trying to turn into a WR2.  McKenzie/Beasley/Shakir in the slot.  There is talent.  Allen can take over games.  This could start to look like the Bills Offense of Playoffs last year if things click... but I don't necessarily blame people for taking shots at us based on how Allen has played since our bye week.  

 

Also, maybe Allen is just an up and down regular season QB that can take it to a level nobody else has in big games/playoffs.  Revisionist history aside, that's what he was last year.  His highs and lows are higher and lower, with more chaos, than Mahomes or Burrow...but Allen, when he's on, and he's usually on in big games, has a level no one can match.  (not even Mahomes... watch our most recent three games against them... Mahomes has not been on Allen's level.)

[eball]

7 minutes ago, The Wiz said:

White on White uniforms.  I'm guessing bengals will be in all black then.

 

 

 

Nope, Bungles are black over white.  Already announced.

[Franco_92]

6 minutes ago, The Wiz said:

White on White uniforms.  I'm guessing bengals will be in all black then.

 

 

They've already said they're black on white. It's definitely not a thing that teams always alternate pants.

 

At the chiefs this year and in playoffs both teams had white pants, as well as at Miami, I sure there are plenty other examples

[extrahammer]

9 minutes ago, The Wiz said:

White on White uniforms.  I'm guessing bengals will be in all black then.

 

 

 

Bengals are wearing orange hats, black tops, and white pants. 

[LABILLBACKER]

47 minutes ago, SWATeam said:

This matchup should be good for the Bills.  CIN's outside corners are a struggling rookie and Eli Apple.  Add to that the fact that both of the Bengals edge rushers are hurt and the pass game should really get going.

 

If Allen and Diggs don't dominate in this one something is wrong.

.....not to mention this will be one of the best weather games in weeks. No excuses here. Pass the ball....run the ball...

[Logic]

This might end up being the third "Game of the Year" that the Bills play in this season.

[Johnnycage46]

5 minutes ago, Logic said:

This might end up being the third "Game of the Year" that the Bills play in this season.

 

Probably.  But I really hope it is a complete snoozer...for everyone watching that isn't a Bills fan.

[Boatdrinks]

36 minutes ago, The Wiz said:

White on White uniforms.  I'm guessing bengals will be in all black then.

 

 

Always a fan of this road combo… classic

[Greg S]

1 minute ago, Boatdrinks said:

Always a fan of this road combo… classic

 

It is a great look. Although the all-white throwbacks are #1 IMHO. 

[Logic]

12 minutes ago, Greg S said:

 

It is a great look. Although the all-white throwbacks are #1 IMHO. 

Agreed.

Have we worn those yet this year? If not, maybe week 18 against the Pats? I can't remember a year in recent history where we didn't wear them at least once.

[newcam2012]

2 hours ago, FLFan said:

In general, there is way too much respect being paid to the Bengals.  They have managed to beat the weaker teams on their schedule, not always impressively, and other than their signature win against the Chiefs have lost to the better teams.  (They beat Miami without Tua) Their QB and WRs are elite, but Burrow can be gotten to, and their offense can be controlled.  It may be a tight game, but a double digit Bills win would not surprise me.  The Bills are the better team.  

Come on now. The Bengals have ripped off 7 wins in a row. Beat the Chiefs in that span and just went into Foxboro and won. Now they are at home. Don't sell short what they have accomplished. It's very impressive and to hear your take is pretty disingenuous. Make no mistake about it the Bengals are very very good. They are right there with Buffalo. It's debatable who is the better team. It's not like the Bills are dominating teams. They are winning close games. I don't see much separation between Buffalo, KC, and Cinci. A home field with refs giving the home team favorable calls could be the difference from winning and losing. Very unlikely this Bills team blows out the Bengals on Monday. Burrow shows up in big games. I expect Allen to do the same. 

[Greg S]

Just now, Logic said:

Agreed.

Have we worn those yet this year? If not, maybe week 18 against the Pats? I can't remember a year in recent history where we didn't wear them at least once.

 

No, they haven't worn the throwbacks this year. If you check out the uniform gridiron database website, the Pats already posted white jerseys at Buffalo with pants  "TBA". The Bills haven't posted anything yet but if NE is wearing white jerseys, then the Bills will either be wearing blue over white or all blues. I don't see them wearing all reds again but who knows. 

[nucci]

2 hours ago, FLFan said:

In general, there is way too much respect being paid to the Bengals.  They have managed to beat the weaker teams on their schedule, not always impressively, and other than their signature win against the Chiefs have lost to the better teams.  (They beat Miami without Tua) Their QB and WRs are elite, but Burrow can be gotten to, and their offense can be controlled.  It may be a tight game, but a double digit Bills win would not surprise me.  The Bills are the better team.  

Can't you say the same about the Bills? We've beaten weaker teams on our schedule but lost to Vikings at home and also to Jets and Dolphins. Bengals are a very good team. They made it to the Superbowl last season. Bills didn't.

[Logic]

6 minutes ago, Greg S said:

 

No, they haven't worn the throwbacks this year. If you check out the uniform gridiron database website, the Pats already posted white jerseys at Buffalo with pants  "TBA". The Bills haven't posted anything yet but if NE is wearing white jerseys, then the Bills will either be wearing blue over white or all blues. I don't see them wearing all reds again but who knows. 

I saw that. I wonder when the last year was that the Bills didn't wear throwbacks at all. Seems like a strange choice. Have to wonder if they're changing throwbacks to the 90s jerseys next year, as many fans are clamoring for. Even then, you'd expect them to wear the standing buffalo set one last time this year as a sendoff.

Strange.

[John from Riverside]

8 minutes ago, newcam2012 said:

Come on now. The Bengals have ripped off 7 wins in a row. Beat the Chiefs in that span and just went into Foxboro and won. Now they are at home. Don't sell short what they have accomplished. It's very impressive and to hear your take is pretty disingenuous. Make no mistake about it the Bengals are very very good. They are right there with Buffalo. It's debatable who is the better team. It's not like the Bills are dominating teams. They are winning close games. I don't see much separation between Buffalo, KC, and Cinci. A home field with refs giving the home team favorable calls could be the difference from winning and losing. Very unlikely this Bills team blows out the Bengals on Monday. Burrow shows up in big games. I expect Allen to do the same. 

Is beating New England supposed to be this great thing. All of a sudden they suck this year and they damn near lost it.

[Greg S]

1 minute ago, Logic said:

I saw that. I wonder when the last year was that the Bills didn't wear throwbacks at all. Seems like a strange choice. Have to wonder if they're changing throwbacks to the 90s jerseys next year, as many fans are clamoring for. Even then, you'd expect them to wear the standing buffalo set one last time this year as a sendoff.

Strange.

 

Maybe they are going back to the blue over white throwbacks. It's been a long time since they wore those. Or the 90's jerseys would be another choice. I know we play Dallas at home next year. For that game I hope the Bills wear white. Dallas doesn't like wearing their blue jerseys.

[Big Turk]

13 minutes ago, nucci said:

Can't you say the same about the Bills? We've beaten weaker teams on our schedule but lost to Vikings at home and also to Jets and Dolphins. Bengals are a very good team. They made it to the Superbowl last season. Bills didn't.

 

No...the Bills have the highest strength of victory for a team with a winning record in the AFC and are 2nd to Dallas in the NFL.  Cincy isn't far behind tho...Bills are .478, Bengals are .473.  

 

Bills have a massive net point differential lead on them tho as they are #1 in the NFL at 157 with the Bengals at 85

 

Edited December 29, 2022 by Big Turk

[John from Riverside]

10 minutes ago, nucci said:

Can't you say the same about the Bills? We've beaten weaker teams on our schedule but lost to Vikings at home and also to Jets and Dolphins. Bengals are a very good team. They made it to the Superbowl last season. Bills didn't.

The Bengals have only beaten four teams with the above 500 record

[Big Turk]

Bills now with a clean sweep at #1 of Football Outsider's DVOA, Pro Football Reference's SRS and ESPN's FPI...hard to make an argument against them being the best team.

 

https://www.espn.com/nfl/fpi

Edited December 29, 2022 by Big Turk

[nucci]

Bengals are a good team and this will be a tough game

[Low Positive]

The talking heads LOVE the Bengals because they are loaded with skill position guys that were absolute stars on Saturdays. Burrow and Chase were the key players on the greatest college offense of all time at LSU, Higgins played on that Clemson team that beat Alabama in the NCG and Mixon was a stud at Oklahoma with Baker Mayfield. Outside of James Cook, the Bills skill position guys played at low-profile programs like Wyoming, Maryland, USF and Florida Atlantic. The Bengals confirm conventional wisdom regarding draft projections while the Bills almost to a man defy it. The Bengals prove draftniks correct while Josh Allen himself proves most of them all wrong and that's why they breathlessly wait for him to fail. 

[Beck Water]

18 minutes ago, FrenchConnection said:

The talking heads LOVE the Bengals because they are loaded with skill position guys that were absolute stars on Saturdays. Burrow and Chase were the key players on the greatest college offense of all time at LSU, Higgins played on that Clemson team that beat Alabama in the NCG and Mixon was a stud at Oklahoma with Baker Mayfield. Outside of James Cook, the Bills skill position guys played at low-profile programs like Wyoming, Maryland, USF and Florida Atlantic. The Bengals confirm conventional wisdom regarding draft projections while the Bills almost to a man defy it. The Bengals prove draftniks correct while Josh Allen himself proves most of them all wrong and that's why they breathlessly wait for him to fail. 

 

Some truth to this take, I believe.  I dunno about "breathlessly wait for him to fail", but people do hate to be wrong.  Also the Bills have succeeded by being a "whole greater than the sum of their parts" "do your 1/11th type of team.  Consider last year when we had the #1 defense in yards and points and what, no defensive players in the pro bowl and only Poyer as all-pro? 

 

Kind of similar this season where we have #2 offense on yds and #4 on points, but to hear the pundits talk you wonder how we manage that when we only have one "very good" WR and we can't run.

 

 

Benford designated to return to practice from IR (not yet off IR)

 

Edited December 29, 2022 by Beck Water

[nucci]

14 minutes ago, FrenchConnection said:

The talking heads LOVE the Bengals because they are loaded with skill position guys that were absolute stars on Saturdays. Burrow and Chase were the key players on the greatest college offense of all time at LSU, Higgins played on that Clemson team that beat Alabama in the NCG and Mixon was a stud at Oklahoma with Baker Mayfield. Outside of James Cook, the Bills skill position guys played at low-profile programs like Wyoming, Maryland, USF and Florida Atlantic. The Bengals confirm conventional wisdom regarding draft projections while the Bills almost to a man defy it. The Bengals prove draftniks correct while Josh Allen himself proves most of them all wrong and that's why they breathlessly wait for him to fail. 

That's a ridiculous statement. 

[Beck Water]

Per McDermott presser:

 

Basham (calf), Taiwan Jones (hammy), Jordan Poyer (knee), and Stefon Diggs (illness) won't practice today

 

Mitch Morse cleared from concussion protocol

[Process]

Diggs cooks for himself one time and gets food poisoning 

[Beck Water]

 

[Process]

Bills 100% healthy on offense. 

 

McDermott didn't mention Phillips not practicing. Hopefully that means he's good and if so 100% healthy on defense other than the guys on IR. 

[Beck Water]

8 minutes ago, Process said:

Bills 100% healthy on offense. 

 

McDermott didn't mention Phillips not practicing. Hopefully that means he's good and if so 100% healthy on defense other than the guys on IR. 

 

? Po (knee) and Basham (calf) not practicing on Defense.

 

18 minutes ago, Process said:

Diggs cooks for himself one time and gets food poisoning 

 

For the love of the Bills someone take this guy some good Chicken Soup!

Edited December 29, 2022 by Beck Water

[Wayne Arnold]

Looking forward to this one. Massive game. 

 

I understand the Bills can win the Super Bowl without a first-round bye and home field advantage. But we need all the help we can get to bring the Lombardi Trophy to Western New York for the first time. Losing this game would be a massive hit to those chances.

[Low Positive]

18 minutes ago, nucci said:

That's a ridiculous statement. 

It probably was a message board overstatement, but people like Skip Bayless and Mina Kimes are almost giddy the morning after Josh has a bad game. Bayless was saying that he would take Baker Mayfield over Josh Allen until earlier THIS SEASON. Mike Tannenbaum still says that he would take Justin Herbert over Josh. The reason for all this is because they want to have their draft night takes proven right. 

Just now, Wayne Arnold said:

Looking forward to this one. Massive game. 

 

I understand the Bills can win the Super Bowl without a first-round bye and home field advantage. But we need all the help we can get to bring the Lombardi Trophy to Western New York for the first time. Losing this game would be a massive hit to those chances.

I just wanna make Mahomes play a road playoff game for once.

[Process]

5 minutes ago, Beck Water said:

 

? Po (knee) and Basham (calf) not practicing on Defense.

 

 

For the love of the Bills someone take this guy some good Chicken Soup!

Poyer's been on the report for weeks I'm assuming he's fine to play. 

 

Basham sucks there is probably zero drop off to Kingsley.

Edited December 29, 2022 by Process