Saffold said guys were "exhausted" this week and "out of gas"

[nedboy7]

35 minutes ago, Logic said:

This.

I get that emotions are raw right now and everyone is disappointed. Emotions are raw for me, too, and I am as disappointed as anyone. Hell, I made a thread yesterday saying that the front office, coaching staff, and players all deserved to share blame for the absolutely horrendous butt whooping yesterday. There are lots of valid FOOTBALL reasons -- from personnel, coaching, and execution standpoints -- for the loss.

That said...

It's pretty amazing how quickly fans went from "no matter what happens from this point forward, I understand. The players have been through so much this year" to "no excuses, suck it up Buttercup!".

People saying it's a bad reflection on McDermott and that it's a failure in coaching and blah blah blah...

There's a lot of valid reasons to be mad at the coaching from yesterday, but the players being emotionally exhausted is in no way a reflection on coaching, in my opinion.

Anyone discounting or minimizing the adversity this team went through this year is not being realistic. From the mass shooting to Kim Pegula to Knox to the multiple weather events to Damar Hamlin...this has NOT been a typical year. Just about no team in the history of the NFL has ever gone through a season like this. These are human beings. The amount of fortitude and dedication and focus it takes to win a championship in the league is off the charts. Can anyone REALLY blame these guys for not being able to summon the necessary "stuff" to get to the finish line?

Not every hardship automatically galvanizes a team to "win one for the Gipper". This isn't Hollywood. These are human beings. I'd like to see how some of YOU would do after having experienced what these guys experienced and then having to perform in an atmosphere like the NFL playoffs.

I'm disappointed, too. I really am. But there's a definite lack of compassion going on in this thread. These are human beings.

 

Thank you.  Team isn't soft.  It's the cupcakes on here whose emotions blow like leaves in the breeze.  Such dumb comments on this thread. 

Edited January 23, 2023 by nedboy7

[DrDawkinstein]

1 minute ago, LabattBlue said:

BBFS

 

Spoiled Winning Bills Fan syndrome.

[boyst]

18 minutes ago, RoyBatty is alive said:

Yeah, sure it is.

 

Then why mention it at all or is this some pathetic need for attention?

A reference to keep in perspective that there are things going on in the lives of this team and organization which impact people daily.  They're human   

[nedboy7]

1 hour ago, JakeFrommStateFarm said:

I understand.  I remember you talking about your military service.

 

It can be frustrating when people are shooting at you but a bunch of multi-millionaires can't even show up to play a kids game.

 

A kids game?  Nah it's a mans game.  Your take is a kid's take. 

[BRH]

And since I've seen a few people bring it up... I didn't think bringing Damar into the locker room before the game AND at halftime were the best moves.  Every player has a bit of PTSD from that night and every player's trigger is different.  Just because you think it's going to be a motivator for the players doesn't mean it'll work for everyone.  

 

The team should have had plenty of motivation to win yesterday regardless.  This seemed manufactured, especially since the team had already seen Damar around the facility.  I'd like to know who thought it was a good idea and ok'd it.  

[DrDawkinstein]

1 minute ago, boyst said:

A reference to keep in perspective that there are things going on in the lives of this team and organization which impact people daily.  They're human   

 

But they are paid lots of money so that should automatically make them not have feelings anymore. Or hobbies. Or any outside interests for that matter.

[D. L. Hot-Flamethrower]

Another narrative to throw shade on the fact McBeane and the staff haven't gotten it done! Add this to the Josh just needs to not turn the ball over and make better decisions. Until we accept the real problems we are stuck.

[BeastMaster]

21 minutes ago, Logic said:

This.

I get that emotions are raw right now and everyone is disappointed. Emotions are raw for me, too, and I am as disappointed as anyone. Hell, I made a thread yesterday saying that the front office, coaching staff, and players all deserved to share blame for the absolutely horrendous butt whooping yesterday. There are lots of valid FOOTBALL reasons -- from personnel, coaching, and execution standpoints -- for the loss.

That said...

It's pretty amazing how quickly fans went from "no matter what happens from this point forward, I understand. The players have been through so much this year" to "no excuses, suck it up Buttercup!".

People saying it's a bad reflection on McDermott and that it's a failure in coaching and blah blah blah...

There's a lot of valid reasons to be mad at the coaching from yesterday, but the players being emotionally exhausted is in no way a reflection on coaching, in my opinion.

Anyone discounting or minimizing the adversity this team went through this year is not being realistic. From the mass shooting to Kim Pegula to Knox to the multiple weather events to Damar Hamlin...this has NOT been a typical year. Just about no team in the history of the NFL has ever gone through a season like this. These are human beings. The amount of fortitude and dedication and focus it takes to win a championship in the league is off the charts. Can anyone REALLY blame these guys for not being able to summon the necessary "stuff" to get to the finish line?

Not every hardship automatically galvanizes a team to "win one for the Gipper". This isn't Hollywood. These are human beings. I'd like to see how some of YOU would do after having experienced what these guys experienced and then having to perform in an atmosphere like the NFL playoffs.

I'm disappointed, too. I really am. But there's a definite lack of compassion going on in this thread. These are human beings.

I get what your saying, and there is a degree of merit to it.

 

On the other hand, what is the reason for the game plan to be awful? The players seemed unprepared, and there also seemed to be no creativity when it came to scheming up their opponent. I saw one team coached to attack and be aggressive, while the other looked to be timid and on the defensive from the start.

 

You must also not dismiss this team's playoff failures under this regime. It must be factored in when having a discussion like this.

 

It's unfortunate because it's almost as if this team and coaching staff will get a pass due to this extraordinarily tough year, when there is enough data to conclude that changes need to be made. 

 

My stance is that despite the tragedy and craziness that a team does not ordinarily deal with, the coaching staff has proven over numerous playoff runs that they are not good enough, and may be regressing.

 

Don't let emotions override what we have concluded over multiple seasons and playoff appearances.

[Sharky7337]

4 minutes ago, DrDawkinstein said:

 

Spoiled Winning Bills Fan syndrome.

Haven't won't anything meaningful. So how is anyone spoiled? Hahahaha

 

Oh wait your still celebrating your pretend superbowl win before it happens I see let me know where that roll call thread is 

Edited January 23, 2023 by Sharky7337

[DrDawkinstein]

1 minute ago, BeastMaster said:

I get what your saying, and there is a degree of merit to it.

 

On the other hand, what is the reason for the game plan to be awful? The players seemed unprepared, and there also seemed to be no creativity when it came to scheming up their opponent. I saw one team coached to attack and be aggressive, while the other looked to be timid and on the defensive from the start.

 

You must also not dismiss this team's playoff failures under this regime. It must be factored in when having a discussion like this.

 

It's unfortunate because it's almost as if this team and coaching staff will get a pass due to this extraordinarily tough year, when there is enough data to conclude that changes need to be made. 

 

My stance is that despite the tragedy and craziness that a team does not ordinarily deal with, the coaching staff has proven over numerous playoff runs that they are not good enough, and may be regressing.

 

Don't let emotions override what we have concluded over multiple seasons and playoff appearances.

 

 

While I am sympathetic to everything the Bills went through this season, I can not excuse the putrid, weak, horrible, Offensive gameplan.

 

Dorsey did NOT put his guys in a position to succeed, and instead, set them up to fail. Even if they werent exhausted.

[KDIGGZ]

That's an excuse. They were getting worked by Cincinnati the first time too. Pretty obvious to see 

[Logic]

4 minutes ago, BeastMaster said:

I get what your saying, and there is a degree of merit to it.

 

On the other hand, what is the reason for the game plan to be awful? The players seemed unprepared, and there also seemed to be no creativity when it came to scheming up their opponent. I saw one team coached to attack and be aggressive, while the other looked to be timid and on the defensive from the start.

 

You must also not dismiss this team's playoff failures under this regime. It must be factored in when having a discussion like this.

 

It's unfortunate because it's almost as if this team and coaching staff will get a pass due to this extraordinarily tough year, when there is enough data to conclude that changes need to be made. 

 

My stance is that despite the tragedy and craziness that a team does not ordinarily deal with, the coaching staff has proven over numerous playoff runs that they are not good enough, and may be regressing.

 

Don't let emotions override what we have concluded over multiple seasons and playoff appearances.

I agree that any exhaustion the players may have been experiencing does not excuse the poor gameplans on both sides of the ball.

To me, they are separate issues.

I think that both things can be true: the players WERE exhausted from the craziness of the season, and the coaches DID draw up poor gameplans and fail to make adequate in-game adjustments.

To be fair, the coaches are human, too, and may also have been dealing with some mental exhaustion of your own. I am NOT saying that excuses their bad day yesterday. I agree that they have been out-coached for several playoffs in a row now, and it's starting to be quite concerning. I'm just saying that if we're going to concede that the players are human and thus subject to emotional and mental exhaustion, it only makes sense to conclude that it may have affected the coaches, too.

I'm not going to suggest that anything you said is wrong, though. I, too, am uncertain if the coaches have what it takes going forward to win a championship. I'm not 100% sure that they don't -- I'm not on the "fire everybody" train. On the other hand, they certainly don't have my full faith at this moment. The disparity in effectiveness between the regular season and postseason for this team is deeply concerning. 

[Franco_92]

16 minutes ago, LabattBlue said:

BBFS

Great post, maybe you should make this one a thread too!

[Repulsif]

26 minutes ago, Dan said:

This isn’t war... it’s entertainment.  Football players should not be compared to soldiers, IMO. 

 

 

is that you Marv ?

 

[BRH]

1 minute ago, DrDawkinstein said:

 

 

While I am sympathetic to everything the Bills went through this season, I can not excuse the putrid, weak, horrible, Offensive gameplan.

 

Dorsey did NOT put his guys in a position to succeed, and instead, set them up to fail. Even if they werent exhausted.

 

Yes, all of this.

 

This was a perfect storm.  Even if they had been in the proper frame of mind to play yesterday's game, I think they still lose because the game plan was such ***** on both sides of the ball.  A lesser-talented team would have lost by 40 yesterday.  Maybe more.

 

Part of me thinks the coaches were at least subconsciously banking on emotion/adrenaline and the home crowd (and Damar) to get through this game, and then they'd unveil some new stuff to get through KC and the Super Bowl.  Didn't work.  You play to win the game in front of you, and worry about the next games later.

[HappyDays]

3 hours ago, Process said:

Earlier in the year Josh was running guys over and getting up laughing in their face. We haven't seen that guy in a while. 

 

 

He did that yesterday on his TD run. Running out of gas is an excuse. The team was unprepared from the coaches down to the players. I can believe Saffold was out of gas, but he has been that way since week one.

[RyanC883]

3 hours ago, colin said:

diggs wasn't, he was fired up when guys had their heads down.

 

so, buffalo was a hot item this offseason, we saw on tape miller talk to his dad about joining in order to chase a ring on a 3rd team.  i think miller figured, ok this is my best shot at more glory.  once the going got tough, the team started to lose focus and energy, all the emotional crap w hamlin, the neutral site stuff, our team lost focus.

 

thats on the coaches as much as anyone else.  our team has a toughness problem.

 

Agreed. 

 

McD is WEAK and plays scared.  Another Dick Jauron.  But he built a "culture" some say.  Um, what?  What culture.  A culture of people who crumble under so-called adversity.  What adversity?  Hamlin miraculously recovering is adversity?!?!  Give me a break, it should be inspiring and provide positive energy.   When fight or flight happened, these guys chose flight all season.  That's the tone the D played with all year.  Leadership comes from the top, and the HC fails.  

[SectionC3]

3 hours ago, Einstein said:

Ouch.

 

“Guys were exhausted during the week and our coaches did the best they could try to modify the week . . . but there was just uncharacteristic things that were kind of happening . . . I have to kind of put that into effect and not as an excuse just this team has been fighting for so long and fighting through all of this adversity you almost run out of gas at some point,” Saffold said

 

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2023/01/23/rodger-saffold-on-bills-loss-you-almost-run-out-of-gas-at-some-point/

 

They’re human.  It was obvious in the stadium yesterday.  In fact, it was obvious the last three weeks in the stadium.  

 

I live in Orchard Park.  I’m gassed from dealing with the two snowstorms.  I don’t have to play professional football.  And I didn’t have a close friend/teammate nearly die on the field in front of me.  And I’m also not part of the the emotional crutch (the Bills) for this community, which has been through its own iterations of hell and back since last May.  And I also haven’t been part of a nutty season that has involved a disgusting rape allegation, the Tre White drama, ridiculous weather and travel, the Von Miller injury, and the near-tragedy in Cincinnati.  

 

These guys gave everything they had since May.  No doubt about that.  On the scoreboard, it wasn’t enough.  There are changes that have to be made (looking at you, Ken Dorsey, the WR room save for Diggs, and 60% of the offensive line).  But the reality is that the energy of this year evaporated with the Hamlin injury.  Nothing more, nothing less.  Let’s improve in the offseason, fix the offense, and keep on pounding away next year.  

[Process]

1 hour ago, HappyDays said:

 

He did that yesterday on his TD run. Running out of gas is an excuse. The team was unprepared from the coaches down to the players. I can believe Saffold was out of gas, but he has been that way since week one.

That was more angry, throw a fit Allen. Not cocky, having fun, I'm your daddy Allen.

Edited January 23, 2023 by Process

[RocCityRoller]

I'm sure this season was more mentally and physically taxing than others for so many reasons. I grant that, but it doesn't mask the issue that keeps showing up in the playoffs and against other physical teams in the regular season.

 

This team's season has ended in the playoffs by clearly losing in the trenches. Clark and Jones handed the Bills OL their butts in the AFC Championship game a few years back. The Bills DL had 'pressures' but couldn't get home against Mahomes. The Colts and Ravens also did very well in the trenches vs Buffalo in playoff games, but T Johnson, Gabe Davis and Josh Allen bailed those games out. Cincy and Miami wrecked our OL and DL this season.

 

As wide open and high flying as the game is, it is still won and lost in the trenches. if this was a one year anomaly I could give Saffold this reason.

 

It's not an anomaly, or a one game issue.

Edited January 23, 2023 by RocCityRoller