We're on to Cincinnati(Bengals coming to OP). Sunday 1/22 at 3pm. Opening Line Bills -5

[Big Turk]

Saw an interesting stat. Winning teams that have given up 30+ points on Wildcard weekend haven't won a divisional round game in over 30 years. They are 0-7 in that time. Bills need to buck this trend.

 

I take that with a grain of salt tho. I would suspect those teams had bad defenses. This was more a case of multiple turnovers giving them short fields, a long punt return giving them a short field and a defensive score giving them 7 points. Fins averaged under 3 yards a play and barely had 200 yards for the game. Hardly a case of bad defense by the Bills.

[dakrider]

This game could go a hundred different ways.   I would like to see a patient Josh out there, take those 8 yard pass plays and hit the big play when its there instead of trying to force it.  I would not expect Cinci to drop a bunch of balls like Miami did and I wouldn't expect Burrow to throw some easy interceptions.  This is the best offense the Bills have played against since probably Detroit.  So Josh and Co. have to be more patient and just can't turn the ball over.  Not saying the Bills should play conservative but every minute the offense is on the field is 1 less minute that Burrow is out there. If Bills play up to their ability they should take this game.  

[zow2]

5 minutes ago, strive_for_five_guy said:

The question I like to ask myself is if the score was different and say the Bills were down 14-0, would the officials have let the call on the field stand?  I think yes, because I do think there is an element of refereeing where when in doubt, the officials act to keep the game closer (at least subconsciously).

 

The announcers and ref in the booth give their opinions on these close plays and they can be very strong to one side... part of me wonders if the eye in the sky is listening to the broadcast and is influenced by their opinion so they don't get embroiled in some big controversial stuff.  

I'm not sure.. But i do know it was called a TD on the field and it took a very long time for them to break down the "catch" or non catch in super slo mo, frame by frame.  This was not a no-brainer.  The ball is allowed to contact the grass if the player exhibits control.  and i thought he did.  I did not think the grass was the reason he gained control if that makes sense.

 

 

[BillzFreak]

3 minutes ago, FrenchConnection said:

Yesterday was only the second time that the Bills defense has given up 30 points. 

And look what it took for Miami to get those 30 points. I am not neive and know we have to limit mistakes against the Bengals but people acting like we don't have any shot to beat Cincinnati are dead wrong. These are two great teams playing and it's going to be a battle. But the whole we in for a long day crowd acts like its already over. Why have no faith in a team who has won as much this year as we have is puzzling.

[Franco_92]

1 hour ago, BeavercreekBillsFan said:

This is what I said but I was called a joe burrow simp. Bengals are scoring 35 points, just move and accept that. What have our DBs and Frazier done to make you think we can stop them? Josh has to be perfect this time. There are advantages there to be had. Eli Apple can be worked for sure but josh doesn’t have the kind of weapons that burrow has and I’m worried he’s going to be running for his life again with how bad our o line is and how good Hendrickson is. 

Use your eyes and not just stats, they’re misleading. We don’t have a Marcus Peter’s or Marlon Humphrey or Kyle Hamilton. They match up way better with the bengals than we do plus they’re a division opponent. I’m glad you have confidence in frazier though. That’s a bold strategy. 

I do have confidence in Frazier, he was very good yesterday and his unit was prepared. Dolphins had 15 drives yesterday and only one went longer than like 35 yards. It took them like 70 plays to accumulate what, 230 yards? I've watched the Ravens defense ***** the bed all year I feel like. 

[Drew21PA]

I do love that we are at home

 

i think we win based on that alone

 

jungle?  Yeah not interested in that

[MILFHUNTER#518]

1 hour ago, Ethan in Cleveland said:

??? 

We have an improving Tre White who is better than all those guys. We have a rookie first round pick that played well yesterday. Hopefully McD stops being conservative and starts Elam over Jackson and Benford.

And Poyer is as good a safety as anyin the NFL. Though I must admit Poeyer has looked shaky dropping on coverage lately.

Hyde may be coming back as well.

[Ta111]

22 minutes ago, Bangarang said:

How do you not bet Cinci hard at +5?!?

Well then go ahead and bet it. There’s a reason why the line is where it is. These guys who make the lines are no dummies.

[zow2]

Just now, Big Turk said:

Saw an interesting stat. Winning teams that have given up 30+ points on Wildcard weekend haven't won a divisional round game in over 30 years. They are 0-7 in that time. Bills need to buck this trend.

 

I take that with a grain of salt tho. I would suspect those teams had bad defenses. This was more a case of multiple turnovers giving them short fields, a long punt return giving them a short field and a defensive score giving them 7 points. Fins averaged under 3 yards a play and barely had 200 yards for the game. Hardly a case of bad defense by the Bills.

 

I enjoy when trends like that are brought up... I saw on the KC board, a few Chiefs fans are concerned that the NFL scheduled their game vs Jax on Saturday.  Saturday is the day Trevor Lawrence and Etienne have never lost.  Not in High School, College or the NFL.

 

Personally i don't believe in any of the trends.  There is no team of destiny, there are no pre-ordained results because one team is on a "magical" ride.  Let's face it.. this is one game, in a 3 hour block of time, and whoever plays better and makes fewer mistakes will win.

 

[billybob71]

4 minutes ago, Drew21PA said:

I do love that we are at home

 

i think we win based on that alone

 

jungle?  Yeah not interested in that

JA goes to the jungle for fun, hunts bengal tigers with poison dart footballs and then roasts their haunches over an open fire

[Dablitzkrieg]

2 minutes ago, MILFHUNTER#518 said:

Hyde may be coming back as well.

McD already ruled him out last week

[buffalobillswin]

Really hard to trust Allen right now. 

[zow2]

7 minutes ago, Drew21PA said:

I do love that we are at home

 

i think we win based on that alone

 

jungle?  Yeah not interested in that

 

I like being home over the Jungle that's for sure... but over the past few years I've listened to post game interviews with opposing players.  Playing in Buffalo really gets the opponents excited.  They enjoy the atmosphere.  Even Skylar Thompson said it was a dream since he was a little kid to play in the environment he was at yesterday.  A team like Cinci will be fired up to play in Orchard Park and shut the fans up.  Just hoping their O-line woes turn the tide towards Buffalo.

[nucci]

Just now, buffalobillswin said:

Really hard to trust Allen right now. 

No, it's not. Knox TD drop and Shakir 50 yd drop and Allen would have had 400 yds and 4 TDs.

[nedboy7]

21 minutes ago, TheProcess said:

Joe Burrow going to be the most misspelled name on the board all week.  

You mean Jo Borough 

[Warriorspikes51]

Just now, nucci said:

No, it's not. Knox TD drop and Shakir 50 yd drop and Allen would have had 400 yds and 4 TDs.

Also, neither INT was Allen's fault. 

[Coffeesforclosers]

Just now, nedboy7 said:

You mean Jo Borough 

 

Jo Boro

[buffalobillswin]

1 minute ago, Warriorspikes51 said:

Also, neither INT was Allen's fault. 

Yes never his fault. All 30 ints and fumbles this year were on the receivers and o-line. 
 

 

[The Red King]

14 minutes ago, zow2 said:

 

I enjoy when trends like that are brought up... I saw on the KC board, a few Chiefs fans are concerned that the NFL scheduled their game vs Jax on Saturday.  Saturday is the day Trevor Lawrence and Etienne have never lost.  Not in High School, College or the NFL.

 

Personally i don't believe in any of the trends.  There is no team of destiny, there are no pre-ordained results because one team is on a "magical" ride.  Let's face it.. this is one game, in a 3 hour block of time, and whoever plays better and makes fewer mistakes will win.

 

 

KC fans should be thrilled that JAX has one less day to rest, recover and game plan.

 

Bills never lost a home playoff game until they did (was at that one >.>)

Edited January 16, 2023 by The Red King

[Buffalo Boy]

7 minutes ago, buffalobillswin said:

Really hard to trust Allen right now. 

Was it the multiple TDs, the deep balls that were dropped, the TD to Diggs we got jobbed on…..????

A little more specificity please.

[Franco_92]

Just now, buffalobillswin said:

Yes never his fault. All 30 ints and fumbles this year were on the receivers and o-line. 
 

 

*ball doinks off of a receiver's chest and into a DB's arms*

 

HOW DARE YOU JOSH ALLEN

 

Josh, why did you quit running john brown's route?

[BillzFreak]

2 minutes ago, zow2 said:

 

I like being home over the Jungle that's for sure... but over the past few years I've listened to post game interviews with opposing players.  Playing in Buffalo really gets the opponents excited.  They enjoy the atmosphere.  Even Skylar Thompson said it was a dream since he was a little kid to play in the environment he was at yesterday.  A team like Cinci will be fired up to play in Orchard Park and shut the fans up.  Just hoping their O-line woes turn the tide towards Buffalo.

So should we not be as loud as we can and throw them a curveball and be silent? I mean come on, playing in our stadium with our fans going absolutely crazy is tough. Doesn't matter where we play the Bengals just like the Bills will be fired up. To say it will fire the Bengals up more to play at high mark is a bad take imo.

[billybob71]

1 minute ago, buffalobillswin said:

Yes never his fault. All 30 ints and fumbles this year were on the receivers and o-line. 
 

 

we are in the divisional round with one of the best and most dynamic QBs in football, anything can happen next week, i for one am gonna enjoy this ride, especially after years of mediocre to bad QBs and no hope

[MAJBobby]

I really want to see how they manage the emotional aspect of this specific game this week. 

[nucci]

3 minutes ago, buffalobillswin said:

Yes never his fault. All 30 ints and fumbles this year were on the receivers and o-line. 
 

 

that's not what he said

[buffalobillswin]

1 minute ago, Buffalo Boy said:

Was it the multiple TDs, the deep balls that were dropped, the TD to Diggs we got jobbed on…..????

A little more specificity please.

In your opinion is Allen the only one who deals with dropped passes and wrong routes? I get it he’s our guy but he isn’t playing well right now. 
 

And the Diggs play was a clear incompletion. We didn’t get jobbed on anything that play. 

[Coffeesforclosers]

Just now, billybob71 said:

we are in the divisional round with one of the best and most dynamic QBs in football, anything can happen next week, i for one am gonna enjoy this ride, especially after years of mediocre to bad QBs and no hope

 

And it's not like Cincy won on a 99 yard fumble return off a backup Ravens QB. 

[MAJBobby]

5 minutes ago, buffalobillswin said:

Yes never his fault. All 30 ints and fumbles this year were on the receivers and o-line. 
 

 

With those 30 int and fumbles as you say. They are 14-3 and in the divisional round of the playoffs. 

[Warriorspikes51]

The Bengals are scary. However, their performance last night makes me fear them a bit less. 

[billybob71]

2 minutes ago, MAJBobby said:

With those 30 int and fumbles as you say. They are 14-3 and in the divisional round of the playoffs. 

exactly and a whole highlight reel of amazing plays

Edited January 16, 2023 by billybob71

[Low Positive]

1 minute ago, Warriorspikes51 said:

The Bengals are scary. However, their performance last night makes me fear them a bit less. 

The Bengals have scored over 30 points three times this year. It was against the Falcons, Steelers and Panthers. Looking at their roster, it seems like they should score 35 points at will, but for some reason they don’t.

[nucci]

3 minutes ago, FrenchConnection said:

The Bengals have scored over 30 points three times this year. It was against the Falcons, Steelers and Panthers. Looking at their roster, it seems like they should score 35 points at will, but for some reason they don’t.

Oline is bad and they don't run well

[Pokebball]

19 minutes ago, buffalobillswin said:

Really hard to trust Allen right now. 

I see it the exact opposite. There's no one I'd rather have with the ball in a tough spot.

[Logic]

There seem to be four equally loud and insistent camps of Bills fans right now, and none of them have it completely right.

Camp 1: Any and all offensive struggles are Ken Dorsey's fault. He stinks.

Camp 2: Any and all offensive struggles are Josh Allen's fault. He's too careless.

Camp 3: Any and all offensive struggles are the fault of the receivers and the offensive line.

Camp 3: Everything is fine. I love the Bills. If you criticize any aspect of their play or gameplan after a win, you're just being a Negative Nancy.

Each of the camps is somewhat right, but it's not as simple as any of the three camps are saying.

Some of the offensive struggles ARE due to occasionally unimaginative or disjointed play calling or play design by Ken Dorsey. Some of the offensive struggles ARE due to Josh Allen's wrecklessness or disregard for situational football. Some of the offensive struggles ARE due to dropped passes and blown protections.

Some combination of adapting to a first year play caller's offense, Josh's impatience and fearlessness, and miscues by skill players and linemen are leading to stretches of ineffective offensive football. We can all see it. At times, it keeps inferior teams in games, when the Bills should realistically be blowing them out.

Despite this, the Bills still ARE winning games. They've won eight straight. They're in the divisional round of the playoffs with a 14-3 record and the #2 offense and #2 defense in football.

Dorsey and Allen and the skill players and linemen all deserve some share of the blame when things go poorly. Dorsey and Allen and the skill players and linemen all deserve some share of the credit when things go well. It IS okay to critique different aspects of the team AND still be happy they won and concede that they are, overall, very good at playing football. 

I am very happy that the Bills are so good and that they won a playoff game yesterday. I also think they'll need better performances by all of the above mentioned entities in order to win a Lombardi, and that in a game as complex as football, rarely are things as simple as many fans want to make it seem by picking their favorite scapegoat and assigning all blame to them.

Enjoy the ride, celebrate the wins, critique what deserves to be critiqued. On to Cincinnati.

 

Edited January 16, 2023 by Logic

[BillzFreak]

1 minute ago, Pokebball said:

I see it the exact opposite. There's no one I'd rather have with the ball in a tough spot.

Exactly, good or bad the guy leaves it all on the field and does pretty much anything you can ask for to win. Are the mistakes maddening at times, yes they are but I have faith when we need a play in the most dire of times 17 will make it.

[Dr. Who]

2 hours ago, peterpan said:

I can’t see us winning this game.  Bills have been playing poorly for the final 2/3 of the season.  They are a good team so they win even tho they play poorly.  And that Miami game - wow.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen the Bills play a worse game and still win.  Maybe a few losses this year would have woken this team up and they could have refocused?
 

we will have to see an entirely different team take the field this week, or I think we lose big.  Miami was dreadful and we were lucky to win.  I was embarrassed to be wearing bills gear at a bar watching that Miami debacle.   We play even a little like that v the bengals and it’ll be 50-13

You should have wore your Peter Pan gear. It was an odd game and Miami played like a team with nothing to lose. Bills heavily invested in the Dline. Even without Von, have to find a way to pressure Burrow behind a beat up Bengals oline. If Josh dials it back a bit and doesn't just try for kill shots and Dorsey remembers we can gain yards on the ground, it's certainly a game that can be won. 

[loyal2dagame]

 

[Billz4ever]

1 hour ago, MILFHUNTER#518 said:

Hyde may be coming back as well.

Hyde at least has already been ruled out for this game from what I've seen.

1 hour ago, nedboy7 said:

You mean Jo Borough 

I thought it was Jeaux Bureaux 😄

Edited January 16, 2023 by Billz4ever

[Johnnycage46]

Interested to see how the Bengals O-line injuries turn out (specifically their right tackle who left the game last night).  If the Bills can get a little pressure with the front 4 and get a little creative with selective blitzing, that could be a big key to the game.  I think if the Bills stop (or at least significantly reduce) hurting themselves, this game should be there for the taking right down to the end.  It's going to be stressful for sure.

[Eastport bills]

Just the way it should be. If you want go all the way, beat the best. We earned home field and this is the time for the 12th man to show up. The crowd must put their imprint on this game. This will be our line in the sand game. Big game Gabe flipped the switch on Sunday and Beasley is back in the slot. Who knows maybe Micah might even show up. Let’s overwhelm that revamped Bengal O-line and place Joe Cool on his derrière.it’s as simple as this, if we play a clean game, without giveaways, no one beats us.