Nearly three days after that instant classic I have further thoughts…

[DrDawkinstein]

Just now, Gregg said:

 

Even if Lamar was cramping you still have Henry who was having an outstanding game. If I were Harbaugh I would have gone for it. Last thing I would want to do is give the ball back to Allen who was on fire in the 4th quarter. Lucky for us Harbaugh punted and the rest is history.

 

Agreed, and even if they dont make it, the Bills are so close to scoring you might as well let them score quick and get the ball back with 1:30 and all your timeouts.

 

What a crazy game with soooo many little decisions, bounces, and outcomes that if any one of them changed, the entire night goes way differently.

[JP51]

Funny how things work out... I believe that we were legit fortunate not to make those 2 pointers... including the one to tie the game.. As well as Coleman getting tripped up before he scored... I felt our best chance was to be in down in a 1 score game and hope the Ravens played conservative offense so the D could actually get a stop and give the ball to Josh with the ability to run out the clock...  Reminicent of the Patriots game where we took a Freddie Jackson go ahead TD off the board so we could run the clock kick the FG and not give Brady the ball back.... 

[SoCal Deek]

I watched part of the replay last night and I’m still not convinced that any part of the Ravens’ gunner actually touched the goal line when downing their punt. The camera angles didn’t show it well enough for Harbaugh to challenge and I’m sure he was thinking ‘we’ve got this game in the bag’ at the time…but it would’ve put the Bills backed up against their own end zone. 

[NoHuddleKelly12]

3 hours ago, bearstobills said:

My thought on the Coleman tipped td,  it seems that Knox purposely tipped it backward.  He knew he couldn't catch it, so he guided it toward the back of the endzone.  That being said, I bet you're right.....he was probably throwing to Shakir.

 

 

😂

[Robert Paulson]

3 hours ago, Chandler#81 said:

The AFCW is the best Division in the Conference now with Denver & SD really stepping up. Our path to a Division title is getting there too.. imo.

We need the bye so KC and Baltimore   can beat themselves up to get to us

[Einstein]

4 hours ago, eball said:

Joshua Palmer absolutely upgraded the WR room.  He ran precise routes, was sure-handed, and seems to love being here.

Agreed and i'v always liked him. 

That being said, his effort on that near INT was abysmal. 

[pennstate10]

2 hours ago, Gregg said:

I would say the Eagles will present the same type of challenge. Overall solid team. Barkley will probably run for 1,000 yards in this game alone. Good QB and receivers. The Bills will need at least 30 and probably more to come away with the win.

I’m a huge Barkley fan, but I think our D matches up well with his running style. 

54 minutes ago, SoCal Deek said:

I watched part of the replay last night and I’m still not convinced that any part of the Ravens’ gunner actually touched the goal line when downing their punt. The camera angles didn’t show it well enough for Harbaugh to challenge and I’m sure he was thinking ‘we’ve got this game in the bag’ at the time…but it would’ve put the Bills backed up against their own end zone. 

I don’t think the ball touched the white line, but I think players hand did. 
 

On replay you can see the official is in perfect position to make the call, straddling the goal line. 

[stlbills13]

9 minutes ago, Einstein said:

Agreed and i'v always liked him. 

That being said, his effort on that near INT was abysmal. 

 

That play was when I turned off the big TV and moved to watching from my phone in bed. 

[Einstein]

1 minute ago, stlbills13 said:

 

That play was when I turned off the big TV and moved to watching from my phone in bed. 

I don't blame you. He literally didn't move an inch. HE just watched the defender try to intercept the ball without any interreference from him. He might as well have been in Tucson.

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

4 hours ago, eball said:

 

• What a fantastic way for our young players to get a taste of “big boy” NFL football, playing against a co-Super Bowl favorite.  Is there any game remaining on the schedule that will present as much of a challenge?  I love the thought of those young D-linemen watching the film and seeing how Ed Oliver played.
• Joshua Palmer absolutely upgraded the WR room.  He ran precise routes, was sure-handed, and seems to love being here.
• How about those TEs?  7 catches, 98 yards, and a tuddy (shoulda been two).
• I hate to complain about anything related to that offense, but the 2-point conversion attempts were ass.
• For everything that went right to enable that comeback, how about the horrible call that almost cost them the chance (ref spot on Josh’s slide that didn’t give him the 1st down, which was followed by a penalty and sack)?
• There’s no way to prove it, but I believe that Oliver’s crushing hit on Lamar on 3rd down impacted Harbaugh’s decision to punt.
• On the tipped TD to Coleman I’m pretty sure Josh was throwing to Shakir, not Knox, and if Knox doesn’t tip it we might have scored anyway.  A Raven DB got to Shakir late.
• Cook running through Roquan Smith’s tackle attempt after catching that swing pass was fun to watch.  Incredible hustle play by Wiggins to prevent the TD.
• If the rest of the season plays out like we hope, it’s hard to envision not seeing these guys again in January.

 

 

I will say on the spot, when the play first happened and watching it live, my first thought was he started the slide to early and don't think he made the first down.  Seeing the replay, yes was a poor spot and he made it. 

 

But the refs don't have the benefit of replay.  Maybe they should, but then the games would be 4 hours long and we'd be staying up till 1:00 till the end of the game.

[Einstein]

6 minutes ago, Ed_Formerly_of_Roch said:

 

I will say on the spot, when the play first happened and watching it live, my first thought was he started the slide to early and don't think he made the first down.  Seeing the replay, yes was a poor spot and he made it. 

 

But the refs don't have the benefit of replay.  Maybe they should, but then the games would be 4 hours long and we'd be staying up till 1:00 till the end of the game.

The odd part is that we have an NFL ref on payroll to spot these things and tell McD to challenge...

[strive_for_five_guy]

4 hours ago, bearstobills said:

My thought on the Coleman tipped td,  it seems that Knox purposely tipped it backward.  He knew he couldn't catch it, so he guided it toward the back of the endzone.  That being said, I bet you're right.....he was probably throwing to Shakir.

I thought the same with Prater’s field goal at the end.  He saw Hamilton bearing down on his kick, so purposely ricocheted it off of his hand and through the uprights.  Great vision and creativity on Prater’s part. 

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

16 minutes ago, Einstein said:

The odd part is that we have an NFL ref on payroll to spot these things and tell McD to challenge...

 

True, but probably one of those things where was it now 2nd down or 3rd.  Figure can easily gain the 1/2 yard, not worth challenging???   How many times too do they show the replay, the announcers say, ah, this will be over turned, only to hear the ruling on the field stands.

[Mikie2times]

1. How close was Hamilton to blocking that kick? That would have been all time Billsy. He touched it if you look at the replay.

2. How much of the 4th quarter output was the Ravens going prevent? It didn't look like we could separate for 3 quarters, then boom. 

3. Did the Bills missing that 2 point conversion actually help? Instead of pushing they went conservative and we were able to get the 3 and out. 

4. Ed Oliver was a mad man. Without Ed we don't win that game. That's how big his individual contribution was. 

5. Why are we so stubborn on traditional 1 tech DT's. Jones was showing signs of being washed last year. Out of all our DT spots we can't afford one DT whose primary focus is defending the run for games like this?

6. Josh had Brady vibes to him. Like it was inevitable. Just get the ball back. 

7. Harbaugh might be a good coach, but it's not hard to see why they struggle late. Awful play calling on both sides of the ball late in the game. 

8. I respect McD, but the dude just needs to hire a proven DC who can run his own system. McD as a CEO coach is A+. McD as a heavily involved defensive coach that will only bring in people to run his scheme provides no talent, no ownership, and no results

9. We could be undefeated for the Chiefs game, the schedule is favorable, any losses will be true upsets

10. That was probably the best win we have had in 20+ years for a regular season game. We don't win those games, it was like the reverse Dallas MNF game. 

 

 

  

Edited September 11 by Mikie2times

[Saint Doug]

The Josh getting a poor spot after his run was reminiscent of the bogus call during the Chiefs game last year’s playoffs. 

[DrDawkinstein]

49 minutes ago, Ed_Formerly_of_Roch said:

 

I will say on the spot, when the play first happened and watching it live, my first thought was he started the slide to early and don't think he made the first down.  Seeing the replay, yes was a poor spot and he made it. 

 

But the refs don't have the benefit of replay.  Maybe they should, but then the games would be 4 hours long and we'd be staying up till 1:00 till the end of the game.

 

Agreed, I said it at the moment of the slide that he started too early. Wasnt surprised with the spot at all.

 

42 minutes ago, Einstein said:

The odd part is that we have an NFL ref on payroll to spot these things and tell McD to challenge...

 

Spot challenges are so difficult to overturn, I dont mind McD holding onto that time out to use later. 

[Einstein]

4 minutes ago, DrDawkinstein said:

Spot challenges are so difficult to overturn, I dont mind McD holding onto that time out to use later. 

That was clear and obvious and would have been quickly overturned. 

Thankfully Ed Oliver saved us, but it could have cost us the game because of McD not challenging that.

 

[DrDawkinstein]

11 minutes ago, Einstein said:

That was clear and obvious and would have been quickly overturned. 
 

 

Way too much faith in the refs overturning their call. McD has been burnt on obvious spot challenges before, multiple times. It's probably the worst use of the challenge flag. No matter how obvious.

[GunnerBill]

20 minutes ago, Mikie2times said:

1. How close was Hamilton to blocking that kick? That would have been all time Billsy. He touched it if you look at the replay.

 

Close, but I'm not sure he did actually touch it. If he did it was a very faint brush. I think given how close the kick was would have needed to be a full hand to stop it having the legs to go through. 

 

20 minutes ago, Mikie2times said:

2. How much of the 4th quarter output was the Ravens going prevent? It didn't look like we could separate for 3 quarters, then boom. 

 

A lot. They didn't go full prevent but they definitely backed their secondary off some and Keon in particular feasted with more room to manouvre. 

 

20 minutes ago, Mikie2times said:

3. Did the Ravens missing that 2 point conversion actually help? Instead of pushing they went conservative and we were able to get the 3 and out. 

 

You mean the Bills missed two point conversion? If they tie the game up possibly Baltimore is more aggressive on its last possession, for sure. 

 

20 minutes ago, Mikie2times said:

4. Ed Oliver was a mad man. Without Ed we don't win that game. That's how big his individual contribution was. 

 

He was sensational.

 

20 minutes ago, Mikie2times said:

5. Why are we so stubborn on traditional 1 tech DT's. Jones was showing signs of being washed last year. Out of all our DT spots we can't afford one DT whose primary focus is defending the run for games like this?

 

Jones is definitely washed. I don't know that the Bills totally don't value traditional 1Ts... they have paid DQ twice and they paid Star. Just think they believe it is a vet position so they don't really draft them. I didn't like the 2-year deal for DQ. I always feared exactly what happened. By the second year he is done but you keep him around because he costs to cut. 

 

20 minutes ago, Mikie2times said:

6. Josh had Brady vibes to him. Like it was inevitable. Just get the ball back. 

 

Yep.

 

20 minutes ago, Mikie2times said:

7. Harbaugh might be a good coach, but it's not hard to see why they struggle late. Awful play calling on both sides of the ball late in the game. 

 

Don't think they managed the ending well, but up two scores with 7 minutes to play every single coach in football is gonna go softer on defense and try and prevent the quick shot over the top. They lost a game that 99/100 they win. 

 

20 minutes ago, Mikie2times said:

8. I respect McD, but the dude just needs to hire a proven DC who can run his own system. McD as a CEO coach is A+. McD as a heavily involved defensive coach that will only bring in people to run his scheme provides no talent, no ownership, and no results

 

Yea I am close to our on Babich. It just feels a bit too big for him. That said, I think it was fundamentals and execution rather than scheme that was the biggest problem on defense. The Bills gap discipline, contain, pursuit angles and tackling were all sub standard. 

 

20 minutes ago, Mikie2times said:

9. We could be undefeated for the Chiefs game, the schedule is favorable, any losses will be true upsets

 

Agree.

 

20 minutes ago, Mikie2times said:

10. That was probably the best win we have had in 20+ years for a regular season game. We don't win those games, it was like the reverse Dallas MNF game. 

 

Not sure on best win in 20 years, but agree we rarely win those wild ones. We normally come out as the unlucky loser.

Just now, DrDawkinstein said:

 

Way too much faith in the refs overturning their call. McD has been burnt on obvious spot challenges before, multiple times. It's probably the worst use of the challenge flag. No matter how obvious.

 

I agree with this. I am actually with Einstein that I think this time it WOULD have been overturned. But if they have got an extremely high bar now for throwing the flag on spot calls that is a good thing. 

[Shaw66]

4 hours ago, GaryPinC said:

The fact is Josh needed to.put more air under that ball so Coleman could high point it.  It’s the new NFL PI calls.  If the DB has good position, sees and is making a play for the ball they let a lot of handfighting go.  Equal opportunity,  and I like it even though it worked against us in this case.

I agree with all of this.  They are letting them play, and there's a lot of contact, grabbing, etc., but it's just two athletes fighting for the ball.  They have it about right. 

 

And yes, Allen missed that throw by at least three feet. Surprised Collinsworth didn't comment on it. You could see that Coleman was ready to elevate and then didn't.  Put that ball three feet higher, Coleman gets his hands above his head, and he catches it.  If the play was designed for the ball to go where Allen put it, it's a pretty low probability play.