Anyone else have Drought-Era Bills flashbacks while watching Sundays Game??

[ScotSHO]

I think the coaching staff intentionally put them in bad positions & plays to 1) see how the players respond and fight thru it or 2) skew their taped performances to increase the team's odds of retaining the practice squad players they want.

 

If they were trying to honestly compete & win the down, there we are truly DOOMED I tell you!

[JerseyBills]

My main concern is that in the McD era we were never dominated like this , well last year a worse Bears team whooped us 33-6

If any of these guys see the field they'll be surrounded by much better talent , I'm not over reacting,  I'd much rather have watched the joint practices,  the fact McD had no starters, well maybe 1 at S , tells me he liked what he saw in those practices 

[CLTbills]

3 hours ago, Bills!Win! said:

I remember getting hyped up for so many bills patriots games only to lose 48–10

I still have scar tissue from 56-10 on Sunday Night Football.

[Mat68]

39 minutes ago, ScotSHO said:

I think the coaching staff intentionally put them in bad positions & plays to 1) see how the players respond and fight thru it or 2) skew their taped performances to increase the team's odds of retaining the practice squad players they want.

 

If they were trying to honestly compete & win the down, there we are truly DOOMED I tell you!

Purposely put in bad positions? No.  They did not put them in optimal ones.  Basic coverages and basic responsibilities.  Like the TD Bishop is getting crushed on.  Played it like he had help inside but his help wasn't there.  

[zow2]

31 minutes ago, JerseyBills said:

My main concern is that in the McD era we were never dominated like this , well last year a worse Bears team whooped us 33-6

If any of these guys see the field they'll be surrounded by much better talent , I'm not over reacting,  I'd much rather have watched the joint practices,  the fact McD had no starters, well maybe 1 at S , tells me he liked what he saw in those practices 

 

Every year at some point you get the feeling the Bills read their press clippings.  They are the darlings of Las Vegas again, very high on the SB odds list.  5 time AFC East Champs going for 6 without breaking a sweat.  The training camp, St. John Fisher... it's all good times, bonding, goofing around, scooters, Hard Knocks, etc.  Hey we're the Buffalo Bills and gonna dominate everyone when the regular season starts.  I'm sure they work hard when they need to,  but sometimes for a team on top it takes a good slap in the face to wake everyone up that it's not all fun times and goofing around.  People have careers on the line and they mailed that one in Sunday night.  I'm sure McD ripped the participants a new one in the team meeting yesterday or today.  And for the guys that didn't play, he put them on notice.

[Special K]

6 hours ago, reddogblitz said:

No.  The drought era Bills rarely got blown out.  The only one I can remember is one year we were 4-3 or something and thought we might have a chance to be decent. Then we played the Cheats on MNF and got totally trounced.

 

6 hours ago, Mike in Horseheads said:

For most of the drought Bills were never as bad as Sunday night. We had a lot of 7-9 teams that kept us in QB purgatory

 

I don't know, I remember many a game where the Offense didn't even get across  the 50 yard line until midway through the 3rd quarter, and the Defense played what I called the "End Zone Defense"....... the only thing stopping the other teams Offense was the End Zone!!

[oldmanfan]

No

[Fan boy '92]

25 minutes ago, Mat68 said:

Purposely put in bad positions? No.  They did not put them in optimal ones.  Basic coverages and basic responsibilities.  Like the TD Bishop is getting crushed on.  Played it like he had help inside but his help wasn't there.  

So you don't think McD is capable of the brilliant 4d chess that Scoty is suggesting...

[Mat68]

Just now, Fan boy '92 said:

So you don't think McD is capable of the brilliant 4d chess that Scoty is suggesting...

It’s not some sleeper thing.  Guys on field where put in make or break spots.  More guys broke.  The bottom 45 played.  All but a handful are gone in a week.  I think this is the first year in a while where I dont want too many current Bills on practice squad.  Pro personnel dept will earn its money next week imo.    

[Ga boy]

39 minutes ago, Special K said:

 

 

I don't know, I remember many a game where the Offense didn't even get across  the 50 yard line until midway through the 3rd quarter, and the Defense played what I called the "End Zone Defense"....... the only thing stopping the other teams Offense was the End Zone!!

Exactly.  It was the drought era because we had less than 5 players who would start on any other team, just like Sunday night.

[Matt_In_NH]

I had flashbacks from when this version plays the Bengals or Lions or Rams.

[djp14150]

I think as the regular players on off and Def being about q7 on each side who would regularly play

 

Besides the starting 11 you have

Other 6 on Off- 2 RB, TE, 3  WR, OL

Other 6 on Def- 4 DL/ edge, LB, DB 

 

Others might play a few snaps in situations that doesn't involve ST, injuries, garbage time 

 

How many of thisece4 actually played beyond  5 plays/ first series

[PromoTheRobot]

12 hours ago, Special K said:

Thankfully, the Bills had to play 2nd and 3rd stringers to look that bad.....in the drought-era that would be how the 1st stringers would've looked!!

 

After the 6+ years of success the Bills have enjoyed, I had almost forgot what a bad Bills team looked like. That game was a not so subtle reminder of how good we Bills fans have it right now!!

 

It reminded me to enjoy the ride, and not ever take for granted how good it is to have a top-tier team to root for!!

 

Go Bills!!!!!

 

Actually what I felt was "This is the least interested I've ever felt watching a Bills game."

Edited August 19 by PromoTheRobot

[Mike in Horseheads]

9 hours ago, Pete said:

Than there was the 14 year drought in the 70s.  Lots of 2-14 seasons

They didn't play 16 games in the 70's

[Pete]

2 minutes ago, Mike in Horseheads said:

They didn't play 16 games in the 70's

1978 they went to 16 game schedule.

 

3-10-1 1970

1-13 1971

2-12 1976

1-12-1 1977

seasons during the 14 game playoff draught

 

1984 and 1985 were 2-14 years

[Dan]

Can you imagine this place if we lose week 1 like they did week 4 last year?

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

On 8/19/2025 at 12:54 AM, Special K said:

Thankfully, the Bills had to play 2nd and 3rd stringers to look that bad.....in the drought-era that would be how the 1st stringers would've looked!!

 

After the 6+ years of success the Bills have enjoyed, I had almost forgot what a bad Bills team looked like. That game was a not so subtle reminder of how good we Bills fans have it right now!!

 

It reminded me to enjoy the ride, and not ever take for granted how good it is to have a top-tier team to root for!!

 

Go Bills!!!!!

 

Actually it reminded me more of the Super Bowl era teams where they went 0-5 in preseason, got blown out too, Levy even made a public apology for the team, then regular season started and went back the the SB again!

 

 

21 hours ago, Mike in Horseheads said:

They didn't play 16 games in the 70's

 

Don't let facts get in the way of a good rant!

Edited August 20 by Ed_Formerly_of_Roch