Bills vs MIA NFLN Dec replay

[TFBillsfan]

So ready for the 2024  season to kick off.  In  rewatching the game, forgot how Damar gave up two TDs and Cam had a horrible special teams 4th down penalty that led to MIA taking the lead late in the 3rd qtr. Josh missed Diggs deep which would have been a TD. Run defense was severely lacking.

 

Bills came out flat in the 3rd qtr giving up 13 points and scoring zero which was a bad trend all year. Josh is 9-2 overall vs MIA with the two losses being a TD drop by Charles Clay and Josh missing an easy TD on 4th down to Isiah McKenzie. 

 

The AFCE will be a dogfight this year.

 

Edited July 9, 2023 by TFBillsfan

[Einstein]

The snowball-at-the-face-of-every-Dolphins-player game.

 

‘Twas a beautiful sight.

[PromoTheRobot]

The team from the cold weather city has trouble with snow-slicked fields.

[Goin Breakdown]

4 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

The team from the cold weather city has trouble with snow-slicked fields.

That was the cinci game. Well.....and sort of this game to. Ok, I see your point. 

[Einstein]

Watching this game again, it is so clear to see that this team was toast well before the Bengals playoff game.

 

The defense looks like absolute crap.

 

Puts into perspective how lame the Hamlin, Pegula, etc excuses are.

[Big Blitz]

If Sherfield doesn’t drop that TD it’s a different game.  
 

Where is he again?  

[Einstein]

5 minutes ago, Big Blitz said:

If Sherfield doesn’t drop that TD it’s a different game.  
 

Where is he again?  

 

haha I just thought the same thing. That was a brutal drop. Doesn’t get much easier.

[Franco_92]

This game was a lot of fun. One of the few times Allen looked right post-injury. 

 

A lot of people worry about close games with the Dolphins. When I watch the 3 fins games I see a team that spent 3 years trying to solve allen and finally threw everything and the kitchen sink at it in 2022, and all they were able to get is one scraped out win in week 3 at home after the Bills were down to their last available linemen, with one playing on a torn ACL because no one was left. The fins blew their load and still didn't accomplish anything 

 

The Jets are up next 

Edited July 9, 2023 by arcane

[Steptide]

Defense struggled alot last year, and yet the bills still won 13 games. Really interested to see what McDermott does with the defense this season

[Franco_92]

The Dolphins played 18 games last year, and the only teams to allow fewer passing yards to them than any of the 3 Bills games are the Jets (who never faced Tua) and the Chargers 

 

The Dolphins managed to get a run game going once out of three times other than that, this was their second-best running game of the year. The other two times they played the Bills were their second-and-third-worst rushing games of the year

 

Everyone loves their narratives 

 

The Bills were objectively better at stopping the dolphins than the vast majority of teams who played them, all year long

 

The Bills outgained the Dolphins by like 300 yards per game despite this year being a culmination of going all-in to finally topple the Bills. They fell completely limp and gave up huge hauls for Jalen Ramsey and Bradley Chubb, who have never beaten or done anything against the Bills

If the situations were reversed the same fans who act scared and like Miami is about to pass Buffalo, would be so insufferably miserable about what we did to pass the Bills, not being able to pass the bills, and hitting the end of Tua's rookie deal with about 10 guys above age 30 with massive cap hits 

Edited July 9, 2023 by arcane

[jkeerie]

1 hour ago, PromoTheRobot said:

The team from the cold weather city has trouble with snow-slicked fields.

The snow didn't start until the 4th quarter.  The Bills scored 11 pts in the 4th for the win.

[VaMilBill]

1 hour ago, Einstein said:

Watching this game again, it is so clear to see that this team was toast well before the Bengals playoff game.

 

The defense looks like absolute crap.

 

Puts into perspective how lame the Hamlin, Pegula, etc excuses are.

Agree. It may sound cold, but those excuses were and are propagated by many, including the Bills. I would think once on the field, all that leaves your mind

[Bills!Win!]

Being in person at that game you could tell how much we missed Von Miller and Micah Hyde. Damar Hamlin is a hard hitting safety but is terrible in coverage 

[JohnBonhamRocks]

Just won a 31-28 Madden game vs Miami

[ToGoGo]

1 hour ago, arcane said:

The Dolphins played 18 games last year, and the only teams to allow fewer passing yards to them than any of the 3 Bills games are the Jets (who never faced Tua) and the Chargers 

 

The Dolphins managed to get a run game going once out of three times other than that, this was their second-best running game of the year. The other two times they played the Bills were their second-and-third-worst rushing games of the year

 

Everyone loves their narratives 

 

The Bills were objectively better at stopping the dolphins than the vast majority of teams who played them, all year long

 

The Bills outgained the Dolphins by like 300 yards per game despite this year being a culmination of going all-in to finally topple the Bills. They fell completely limp and gave up huge hauls for Jalen Ramsey and Bradley Chubb, who have never beaten or done anything against the Bills

If the situations were reversed the same fans who act scared and like Miami is about to pass Buffalo, would be so insufferably miserable about what we did to pass the Bills, not being able to pass the bills, and hitting the end of Tua's rookie deal with about 10 guys above age 30 with massive cap hits 

exactly right. The SAME fans would be saying this. Always consider the source. 

[NewEra]

53 minutes ago, VaMilBill said:

Agree. It may sound cold, but those excuses were and are propagated by many, including the Bills. I would think once on the field, all that leaves your mind

When’s the last time you were on the field? 

[Paul Costa]

Everyone forgets how emotional the previous 3 weeks were before this. I actually said to my friends I’m cool with them forfeiting the season. I was emotionally spent after the Damar Hamlin ordeal. The team did their best they had nothing left. Anyone that doesn’t understand the mental & emotional toll that had in the team and the ending is totally clueless about human emotion 

[Billl]

2 hours ago, arcane said:

This game was a lot of fun. One of the few times Allen looked right post-injury. 

 

A lot of people worry about close games with the Dolphins. When I watch the 3 fins games I see a team that spent 3 years trying to solve allen and finally threw everything and the kitchen sink at it in 2022, and all they were able to get is one scraped out win in week 3 at home after the Bills were down to their last available linemen, with one playing on a torn ACL because no one was left. The fins blew their load and still didn't accomplish anything 

 

The Jets are up next 

So you think the Dolphins had a one year window, and that’s it?  Tua’s still on his rookie contract.  So is Waddle.  Tyreek will be on the second year of his contract, and they just signed Jalen Ramsey.  

[Paul Costa]

7 minutes ago, Billl said:

So you think the Dolphins had a one year window, and that’s it?  Tua’s still on his rookie contract.  So is Waddle.  Tyreek will be on the second year of his contract, and they just signed Jalen Ramsey.  

No they’re good but they aren’t the Bills at full strength. It’s not who you’re playing but when you play them. Dolphins beat the Bills with 7 starters out last year 19-17 great job . This year is a new year. Bills still have JA17 & the Dolphins still have Tua. Good luck with that 

[Billl]

2 minutes ago, Paul Costa said:

No they’re good but they aren’t the Bills at full strength. It’s not who you’re playing but when you play them. Dolphins beat the Bills with 7 starters out last year 19-17 great job . This year is a new year. Bills still have JA17 & the Dolphins still have Tua. Good luck with that 

The Dolphins have a solid roster, and Tua can play when he’s healthy.  That team is no joke.

[Franco_92]

36 minutes ago, Billl said:

So you think the Dolphins had a one year window, and that’s it?  Tua’s still on his rookie contract.  So is Waddle.  Tyreek will be on the second year of his contract, and they just signed Jalen Ramsey.  

They traded for Ramsey

 

Allen alone has 9 touchdowns in his last 2 games against Ramsey

 

Their cap situation is as ugly as ours coming up, and a lot of the ugly contracts are with old guys. Waddle is great. We've already played him and Hill 3 times, and only one team all year can say they did the same and held Tua to fewer passing yards than any of our 3 games against them, pick any one. 

 

The Dolphins are good. They COULD pass us. We are still the alpha 

Edited July 9, 2023 by arcane

[chongli]

38 minutes ago, Billl said:

The Dolphins have a solid roster, and Tua can play when he’s healthy.  That team is no joke.

 

Reminds of a recent tweet by a member, supposedly a Bills fan, who used to post here, but seemed to love the Dolphins more:

 

[I've deleted his name so as not to give him publicity]

 

"F***** B****

@F************

·

Jun 8

Dolphins are already serious AFC superbowl contenders and favorites to win the AFC East IMO. They add Dalvin Cook and it makes an already loaded roster possibly the best in the NFL."

[Chandler#81]

7 hours ago, TFBillsfan said:

So ready for the 2024  season to kick off.  In  rewatching the game, forgot how Damar gave up two TDs and Cam had a horrible special teams 4th down penalty that led to MIA taking the lead late in the 3rd qtr. Josh missed Diggs deep which would have been a TD. Run defense was severely lacking.

 

Bills came out flat in the 3rd qtr giving up 13 points and scoring zero which was a bad trend all year. Josh is 9-2 overall vs MIA with the two losses being a TD drop by Charles Clay and Josh missing an easy TD on 4th down to Isiah McKenzie. 

 

The AFCE will be a dogfight this year.

 

Not me. The 2023 season is the season most of us are ready to see kick off. At least that’s what MY calendar say..

🤷‍♂️

[newcam2012]

7 hours ago, Steptide said:

Defense struggled alot last year, and yet the bills still won 13 games. Really interested to see what McDermott does with the defense this season

It really won't be much different than the previous years. I suspect a little more aggressive but the schemes will all be the same or similar. Make no mistake about it the defenses were always McD defenses. Fraizer was just a fall guy to secure McD coaching position. 

 

This idea that McD taking over the defense is going to be great or a difference maker is pure optimism. The team still looks to have issues with a consistent pass rush and a much weaker LB core with Edmunds gone. 

 

Don't get me wrong, the Bills D will be decent to good. Probably somewhere near the top 8 to 12 defenses in the league. 

 

As for me, I'm not really relying on the defense to win games come playoff time. Just need to be able to make a few key stops and maybe a turnover or two. 

 

The offense and Allen will lead the way to the SB. I'm still a bit concerned with their oline, WRs besides Diggs, and Dorsey. 

[newcam2012]

5 hours ago, Paul Costa said:

Everyone forgets how emotional the previous 3 weeks were before this. I actually said to my friends I’m cool with them forfeiting the season. I was emotionally spent after the Damar Hamlin ordeal. The team did their best they had nothing left. Anyone that doesn’t understand the mental & emotional toll that had in the team and the ending is totally clueless about human emotion 

You have no idea how much it affected the players good or bad. This narrative that keeps playing is unfounded and created after the fact. Please stop as if its written in stone. 

 

Let's look into the situation a little more. Prior to the Cinci game it became more clear that Hamlin was going to recover. He was alive, thankful, and had a seemingly positive attitude. The general consensus was win one for Damar! This is fate to win the SB! Fans welcomed Damar to the stadium. Signs everywhere! The Bills were the little darlings of the media. It was likely additional fuel for the players. Relief had arrived and now it was time to concentrate on football. I can specifically remember this theme throughout the days building up to the game. That's just a fact and undeniable. 

 

Go back and look at what the posters here were saying about the Cinci game prior to the game. I can't recall one poster talking about the so called narrative you referred to. Not one! It was all about how the Bills were going to win and mostly win big. 

 

After the Cinci ass whipping the narrative began. Some like you continue to bang that drum as if it's a fact. The fact of the matter is we will never really know the remafications. It's entirely possible that the Bills were the inferior team, get out coached, and suffered very little set backs due to the season's events. Isn't that possible?

 

 

 

Edited July 9, 2023 by newcam2012

[SoMAn]

16 minutes ago, newcam2012 said:

 

 

This idea that McD taking over the defense is going to be great or a difference maker is pure optimism. The team still looks to have issues with a consistent pass rush and a much weaker LB core with

Edmunds gone. 

 

I believe the LB core will be improved with a replacement for Edmunds. He had a couple decent games, but more often he was out of position, pushed around unable to shed blocks, chasing the ball carrier up field, and at the end of the play frequently standing nearby the defender who actually made the tackle.
Don’t believe he’ll be missed. 

Prediction: The Bears and their fans will soon realize what poor value they got for that big contract, and when it makes fiscal sense with the cap hit, they’ll cut him loose. 
 

[newcam2012]

2 hours ago, SoMAn said:

I believe the LB core will be improved with a replacement for Edmunds. He had a couple decent games, but more often he was out of position, pushed around unable to shed blocks, chasing the ball carrier up field, and at the end of the play frequently standing nearby the defender who actually made the tackle.
Don’t believe he’ll be missed. 

Prediction: The Bears and their fans will soon realize what poor value they got for that big contract, and when it makes fiscal sense with the cap hit, they’ll cut him loose. 
 

No Edmunds fan here. I agree with your take for the most part. Definitely not worth that kind of money. 

 

However, if you take a look at his replacement as of now it's pretty alarming. None of those guys look to be NFL starting LBs. 

 

In short, it's not so much about Edmunds as it is who they are replacing him with. 

 

Additionally, Edmunds was the play caller on defense and by all accounts he was good at it. 

 

So I think it's far to say the Bills appear to be weaker at that position going into this season. We will see how it plays out. 

[SoMAn]

12 minutes ago, newcam2012 said:

No Edmunds fan here. I agree with your take for the most part. Definitely not worth that kind of money. 

 

However, if you take a look at his replacement as of now it's pretty alarming. None of those guys look to be NFL starting LBs. 

 

In short, it's not so much about Edmunds as it is who they are replacing him with. 

 

Additionally, Edmunds was the play caller on defense and by all accounts he was good at it. 

 

So I think it's far to say the Bills appear to be weaker at that position going into this season. We will see how it plays out. 

He got the green dot and radio helmet because of his positional proximity and ability to be heard in the middle of the defense. I don’t know that he’s any kind of defensive genius. More likely just the messenger. 
Though we don’t know who it will be, I have to believe whoever inherits the role will be a more aggressive tackler and less of a liability against the run. 
Yes, we will see. 

[newcam2012]

1 hour ago, SoMAn said:

He got the green dot and radio helmet because of his positional proximity and ability to be heard in the middle of the defense. I don’t know that he’s any kind of defensive genius. More likely just the messenger. 
Though we don’t know who it will be, I have to believe whoever inherits the role will be a more aggressive tackler and less of a liability against the run. 
Yes, we will see. 

Do you know his possible replacements? It's Bernard, Dodson, Spector, and perhaps rookie Williams. 

 

Come on man this screams weakness galore here. Edmunds is moons better than any of these guys. 

[Nextmanup]

13 hours ago, TFBillsfan said:

So ready for the 2024  season to kick off.  In  rewatching the game, forgot how Damar gave up two TDs and Cam had a horrible special teams 4th down penalty that led to MIA taking the lead late in the 3rd qtr. Josh missed Diggs deep which would have been a TD. Run defense was severely lacking.

 

Bills came out flat in the 3rd qtr giving up 13 points and scoring zero which was a bad trend all year. Josh is 9-2 overall vs MIA with the two losses being a TD drop by Charles Clay and Josh missing an easy TD on 4th down to Isiah McKenzie. 

 

The AFCE will be a dogfight this year.

 

One thing in our favor with Miami is the fact that Tua can't last.  Then again, that playoff game we almost lost was with their 3rd stringer, so who knows.

 

I'm concerned about the Jets; they are a total wild card right now.  We have to see how dialed in Rodgers is.  They can easily take the division if we are not sharp and Rodgers is focused.

[PrimeTime101]

1 hour ago, newcam2012 said:

Do you know his possible replacements? It's Bernard, Dodson, Spector, and perhaps rookie Williams. 

 

Come on man this screams weakness galore here. Edmunds is moons better than any of these guys. 

you missed Klien

[Doc]

I missed the Dols picking-up Tua's 5th year option.  Dumb.

[Paul Costa]

7 hours ago, newcam2012 said:

You have no idea how much it affected the players good or bad. This narrative that keeps playing is unfounded and created after the fact. Please stop as if its written in stone. 

 

Let's look into the situation a little more. Prior to the Cinci game it became more clear that Hamlin was going to recover. He was alive, thankful, and had a seemingly positive attitude. The general consensus was win one for Damar! This is fate to win the SB! Fans welcomed Damar to the stadium. Signs everywhere! The Bills were the little darlings of the media. It was likely additional fuel for the players. Relief had arrived and now it was time to concentrate on football. I can specifically remember this theme throughout the days building up to the game. That's just a fact and undeniable. 

 

Go back and look at what the posters here were saying about the Cinci game prior to the game. I can't recall one poster talking about the so called narrative you referred to. Not one! It was all about how the Bills were going to win and mostly win big. 

 

After the Cinci ass whipping the narrative began. Some like you continue to bang that drum as if it's a fact. The fact of the matter is we will never really know the remafications. It's entirely possible that the Bills were the inferior team, get out coached, and suffered very little set backs due to the season's events. Isn't that possible?

 

 

 

If you watched every snap of the season as I did and didn’t see the total change in the team’s overall performance I can’t help you. They barely beat two average at best teams and got smacked by a good team. A team that had lost 3 games by a total of 8 points before that.

Edited July 9, 2023 by Paul Costa

[boyst]

Download Pluto TV. Their NFL channel replays games 16-20 hours. Day going all the way back to the 70's but primarily the last decade. You can watch a random Vikings vs Rams 2009 game. Or a Bucs vs Jets 2017.

 

You can catch some really good stuff. And it's free

[newcam2012]

2 hours ago, Paul Costa said:

If you watched every snap of the season as I did and didn’t see the total change in the team’s overall performance I can’t help you. They barely beat two average at best teams and got smacked by a good team. A team that had lost 3 games by a total of 8 points before that.

Weak response! I did watch every game. The Bills rarely seemed to play a complete game during the end of the season winning streak. They often looked like a different team from half to half. The team was very resilient in winning but it was far from being dominant.

 

The game vs Cinci where Damar got hurt showed a glimpse of the Bills team. It certainly appeared as though the Bills were well on their way to losing that game. Fast forward to the playoff off game and it was a continuation of that game. 

 

Come playoff time, there was no talk whatsoever about the season's occurrences taking its toll on the Bills players.  Zero, zilch, nada, etc...Even after the Miami win there was no chatter of it. Zero, zilch, nada, etc...

 

In fact, these was an opposite narrative taking place! It was the win it for Damar narrative. It was the Bills fate narrative to win the SB. It was a now let's play football because Damar is going to be fine! This is undeniable! No theme whatsoever about how the players were gased, unfocused, unprepared, etc...

 

This narrative was 100% created after the Cinci ass whipping. The same kind of whipping they were getting weeks before. It was a sneak preview. The Miami playoff win wasn't all that different than the previous meetings. Tight games coming down to the end. 

 

There is plenty of evidence that suggest the Bills team wasn't good enough. They were weak on both sides of the line, the WRs besides Diggs were pretty weak, and the Bills coaching staff with Dorsey and Fraizer were anything but elite and up to the task.

 

Yet, you and so many others continue to cling to such an unfounded and unknown narrative. Demeaning people along the way who don't buy into it. 

Edited July 9, 2023 by newcam2012

[PrimeTime101]

1 hour ago, boyst said:

Download Pluto TV. Their NFL channel replays games 16-20 hours. Day going all the way back to the 70's but primarily the last decade. You can watch a random Vikings vs Rams 2009 game. Or a Bucs vs Jets 2017.

 

You can catch some really good stuff. And it's free

Roku same thing.

[newcam2012]

2 hours ago, Paul Costa said:

If you watched every snap of the season as I did and didn’t see the total change in the team’s overall performance I can’t help you. They barely beat two average at best teams and got smacked by a good team. A team that had lost 3 games by a total of 8 points before that.

This is a creation made up in your mind. 

[PrimeTime101]

10 minutes ago, newcam2012 said:

Weak response! I did watch every game. The Bills rarely seemed to play a complete game during the end of the season winning streak. They often looked like a different team from half to half. The team was very resilient in winning but it was far from being dominant.

 

The game vs Cinci where Damar got hurt showed a glimpse of the Bills team. It certainly appeared as though the Bills were well on their way to losing that game. Fast forward to the playoff off game and it was a continuation of that game. 

 

Come playoff time, there was no talk whatsoever about the season's occurrences taking its toll on the Bills players.  Zero, zilch, nada, etc...Even after the Miami win there was no chatter of it. Zero, zilch, nada, etc...

 

In fact, these was an opposite narrative taking place! It was the win it for Damar narrative. It was the Bills fate narrative to win the SB. It was a now let's play football because Damar is going to be fine! This is undeniable! No theme whatsoever about how the players were gased, unfocused, unprepared, etc...

 

This narrative was 100% created after the Cinci ass whipping. The same kind of whipping they were getting weeks before. It was a sneak preview. The Miami playoff win wasn't all that different than the previous meetings. Tight games coming down to the end. 

 

There is plenty of evidence that suggest the Bills team wasn't good enough. They were weak on both sides of the line, the WRs besides Diggs were pretty weak, and the Bills coaching staff with Dorsey and Fraizer were anything but elite and up to the task

Yet, you and so many others continue to cling to such an unfounded and unknown narrative. Demeaning people along the way who don't buy into it. 

Ok.. lol. Look... Damar recovering or not has nothing to do with watching your best friend die then be revived on the field. I have watched a close friend die in front of me and then get revived, and it took WEEKS for my brain to clear. Just because they are pro athletes does not mean they can handle stuff like this. They are not built for war or combat. Police see death quite often but when it is one of their own it takes weeks to have your head totally cleared. taking 2-3 weeks to clear a head is not a narrative. it is a fact.  

 

For me.. this is only partially why we were in the situation we were in. Until this year, we were built to have good WR to get rid of the ball fast because of the talent we were lacking on the line. The mistake last year was not doing anywhere near enough to help the line. But there was more against us then that. "The Von Effect" not being on the field, having a CB nowhere near healthy enough. 2 young CB's. Hyde out the season. Both Lines beat up not to mention Josh Allen's Injury. 

 

We held Cinci to 27. and yes, i used the word held very loosely... That being said we averaged 27 ourselves last year. Players said they felt like "they had nothing left" at the end of the game. This again is not a narrative this is fact. 

 

Bottom line, we were not built proper last year. With that Line being how bad it was, we needed another good WR. It is different this year. Better Line, we have a better target and hope to be more healthy. That is my 2 cents. 

[newcam2012]

1 hour ago, PrimeTime101 said:

Ok.. lol. Look... Damar recovering or not has nothing to do with watching your best friend die then be revived on the field. I have watched a close friend die in front of me and then get revived, and it took WEEKS for my brain to clear. Just because they are pro athletes does not mean they can handle stuff like this. They are not built for war or combat. Police see death quite often but when it is one of their own it takes weeks to have your head totally cleared. taking 2-3 weeks to clear a head is not a narrative. it is a fact.  

 

For me.. this is only partially why we were in the situation we were in. Until this year, we were built to have good WR to get rid of the ball fast because of the talent we were lacking on the line. The mistake last year was not doing anywhere near enough to help the line. But there was more against us then that. "The Von Effect" not being on the field, having a CB nowhere near healthy enough. 2 young CB's. Hyde out the season. Both Lines beat up not to mention Josh Allen's Injury. 

 

We held Cinci to 27. and yes, i used the word held very loosely... That being said we averaged 27 ourselves last year. Players said they felt like "they had nothing left" at the end of the game. This again is not a narrative this is fact. 

 

Bottom line, we were not built proper last year. With that Line being how bad it was, we needed another good WR. It is different this year. Better Line, we have a better target and hope to be more healthy. That is my 2 cents. 

That's fair. At least you are willing to point out several of the Bills defiencies. I agree with those points. I feel those are the major reasons why the Bills didn't advance. Too many people seem to dismiss them and instead gravitate to the Damar excuse. 

[newcam2012]

1 hour ago, PrimeTime101 said:

Ok.. lol. Look... Damar recovering or not has nothing to do with watching your best friend die then be revived on the field. I have watched a close friend die in front of me and then get revived, and it took WEEKS for my brain to clear. Just because they are pro athletes does not mean they can handle stuff like this. They are not built for war or combat. Police see death quite often but when it is one of their own it takes weeks to have your head totally cleared. taking 2-3 weeks to clear a head is not a narrative. it is a fact.  

 

For me.. this is only partially why we were in the situation we were in. Until this year, we were built to have good WR to get rid of the ball fast because of the talent we were lacking on the line. The mistake last year was not doing anywhere near enough to help the line. But there was more against us then that. "The Von Effect" not being on the field, having a CB nowhere near healthy enough. 2 young CB's. Hyde out the season. Both Lines beat up not to mention Josh Allen's Injury. 

 

We held Cinci to 27. and yes, i used the word held very loosely... That being said we averaged 27 ourselves last year. Players said they felt like "they had nothing left" at the end of the game. This again is not a narrative this is fact. 

 

Bottom line, we were not built proper last year. With that Line being how bad it was, we needed another good WR. It is different this year. Better Line, we have a better target and hope to be more healthy. That is my 2 cents. 

Here's the issue I have with the Damar situation. Truthfully, we fans have no idea what kind of effect it had on the team. More specifically, we have no idea how it affected their play. I'm sure it had some effects that could be seen as negative and positive. We don't know how it was processed by each player and if it had any effects on the outcome of the game. 

 

I absolutely think it negatively affected the team when Damar's status was in limbo.

 

However, come playoff time it was clear Damar was going to be ok. It seemed as though the fans and players were all relieved. The vibe I got was it's time to play football. Win it all for Damar. Signs everyone in the stadium. The vibe was electric and positive. After the gritty win vs Miami there was talk about fate. A special team. There was no talk about how the season's toll had negative consequences. Truthfully, I don't recall one person anywhere citing such a narrative. The theme was quite the contrary. The Damar situation wad being used as motivational and inspiring. 

 

That narrative changed to the negative after the Cinci loss. As I watched that game, I never once thought the team was losing because of the Damar negative effect. I remember saying what is the game plan? Didn't they learn anything from the dress rehearsal they had weeks before? I remember saying where is the pass rush? Where is Diggs? Fraizar, Dorsey, and McD are getting out classed and out coached. Burrow is elite. The Bills aren't in The same league as Cinci. Not once did I say oh man the team has nothing left. Too much trauma and distraction to overcome. Did you say that? 

 

I'd argue with much validity the Bills lost that game due to key injuries, lack of talent, poor coaching, and Cinci was the superior team. I truly believe the prior events had little negative effect on the outcome of the game. Of course, players and coaches are going to sing that narrative because it gives them an out.