Game week thread - Bills at Falcons MNF

[Ga boy]

8 minutes ago, DrDawkinstein said:

 

Yes, we've won after losing. No duh.

 

The point is, bad games arent used as "wake up calls" where we show up the next week fired up and dominate, or at least execute at an extremely high level. Or go on some tear where coaches and/or players are talking about "That week 4 game left a bad taste in our mouths and we wanted to come back out and prove who we are". Its always the same "steady, consistent" trudge.

 

We lose a game, we come out the next week with the same low level of intensity, plug along and squeak out another win against an inferior opponent.

 

And yes, there is something to be said for steady, consistent leadership that never gets too high or too low. But football is an emotional game as well, and sometimes it would be nice to see a team that is pissed off, locked in, and ready to stomp an inferior opponent.

 

And sure, we've blown some teams out. But it wasnt from any wake up call off a bad performance.

We can’t trudge this one.  We need 30.

[MasterStrategist]

32 minutes ago, DrDawkinstein said:

 

 

 

I've heard this so many times week over week going back to at least 2022. Never happens. We have never come off a bad performance and showed out the next week.

 

Expect the same 1st half sleep walking, and then everyone (coaches included) hoping Josh pulls off a miracle to get us a win.

 

Agree.  Take a look at last season to prove your point --- Bmore then Houston.

 

I dont mind the balanced approach on offense.  But we need more chunk plays - Bradys pass route concepts are just meh IMO.  

 

Defense will be better when Ed is back--- but we need to be more aggressive in tackling and forcing turnovers.  Doesn't help that we are slow at too many spots (Tre, Rapp, even Taron) - seems we are thinking too much on defense right now- instead of playing fast/aggressive.

[K-9]

Hate to say it and hope like hell I’m wrong, but the matchups that the Falcons have against us have me thinking they might eat our lunch on Monday night. 

[DrDawkinstein]

3 minutes ago, MasterStrategist said:

Agree.  Take a look at last season to prove your point --- Bmore then Houston.

 

I dont mind the balanced approach on offense.  But we need more chunk plays - Bradys pass route concepts are just meh IMO.  

 

Defense will be better when Ed is back--- but we need to be more aggressive in tackling and forcing turnovers.  Doesn't help that we are slow at too many spots (Tre, Rapp, even Taron) - seems we are thinking too much on defense right now- instead of playing fast/aggressive.

 

Agreed in general, but to deep dive one item (aka nit pick haha), I feel like we are OVER-aggressive in tackling instead of using good technique to breakdown, keep feet moving, and keep the runner in front of you, and make the tackle. Way too often our guys are running full speed at the ball carrier and just run right by them and/or are easily juked. Detroit ran a perfect spy on Lamar who never got too aggressive or fast, and stayed home and stayed in good position for Lamar to come to them, and made tackle after tackle. We make this harder on ourselves than it needs to be. Babich needs to get control of it and get it corrected. Pro players shouldnt be forgetting how to open-field tackle.

[HereComesTheReignAgain]

1 hour ago, Dillenger4 said:

Bills need to come out with discipline. Buttoned up. Ready to play - HARD. On both sides of the ball.

We need this win. We "should" win. Things get tough after the Carolina game.

Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha...You said "Hard on".

[boyst]

23 hours ago, zow2 said:

I feel bad for the Falcons...having to play the Bills coming off a tough loss.  This will be the very scrappy, buttoned up version of the Bills.  McDermott is good at these type of games coming off a sloppy bitter defeat.  I'll bet certain members of the Atlanta organization were rooting for the Bills to beat NE so they could ambush em on MNF.  

they are the best defense in the league. i don't think they'll feel obligated to let us get our frustrations out.

[DrDawkinstein]

23 hours ago, zow2 said:

I feel bad for the Falcons...having to play the Bills coming off a tough loss.  This will be the very scrappy, buttoned up version of the Bills.  McDermott is good at these type of games coming off a sloppy bitter defeat.  I'll bet certain members of the Atlanta organization were rooting for the Bills to beat NE so they could ambush em on MNF.  

 

Examples?

[PaattMaann]

18 minutes ago, boyst said:

they are the best defense in the league. i don't think they'll feel obligated to let us get our frustrations out.

 

best defense in the league according to....?

 

Stats can lie...Falcons have the number 1 pass defense if we go by yards allowed per game, guess who is number 2? The Bills LOL

 

Some better indicators are points per game, and red zone defense...PPG falcons are middle of the back (1 point better than us), Red zone, they are bottom 7 in the league. They are average at best in all rushing against categories. I haven't had time to dive into EPA, or HAVOC yet, but I will post those when I see them. 

 

I'm not saying they are a BAD defense, I am just far from saying they are good, let alone "best defense in the league". 

 

EDIT: EPA says defenses better than Atlanta so far; Minnesota, Houston, LAC, Denver, Jacksonville, LAR, Lions, Indy. Eagles and Browns are about even.

Edited 3 hours ago by PaattMaann

[Southern McButterpants]

My son and I are going - see y'all there.

 

[mjpbills]

Our D is number one in the nfl in missed tackles. Is there a list that shows the individuals numbers?

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

Atlanta pro sports teams are so forgettable. I am so unexcited for this game. 

[boyst]

1 hour ago, mjpbills said:

Our D is number one in the nfl in missed tackles. Is there a list that shows the individuals numbers?

yeah, for our roster based on performance the best list i can find...

0 through 100

[Psautcsk]

1 hour ago, Miyagi-Do Karate said:

Atlanta pro sports teams are so forgettable. I am so unexcited for this game. 

Remember the Flames?

[DapperCam]

5 minutes ago, Psautcsk said:

Remember the Flames?

Sherman didn’t during his march to the sea.

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

5 minutes ago, Psautcsk said:

Remember the Flames?

ha! Hockey and Atlanta do not mix.

 

I had a buddy who moved there for a few years when the Thrashers were there and he said you could get tickets for like $15 and it was all visiting fans.

[colin]

if we run and gun out of jumbo sets we walk on small and fast atlanta.

 

our d will have its struggles, but vs NE they cleaned up the tackling some, much better on 3rd down, decent against the run, and just so so awful in the back end, shallow lbs and deep safeties and putrid corner play.  they just have to not get toasted in the turnover battle to do enough IMO.

 

we will be getting back the rook corner, rook DT, roid DL, and ed oliver in short order, and our LBs will get more healthy too.  i think our d will look good soon enough, we need to control the ball and score long drives, which we are the best in the nfl at doing.

[Augie]

1 hour ago, Miyagi-Do Karate said:

Atlanta pro sports teams are so forgettable. I am so unexcited for this game. 

 

They are equally forgettable even if you live in Atlanta. Maybe once or twice a month I’ll see a Falcons hat, shirt or bumper sticker. (Just try to imagine no Bills gear in WNY.) I can’t even get out of my neighborhood without driving past UGA flags flying. 

 

The Braves get a little attention when they are good, but college football rules here, PERIOD. I even see more Atlanta United FC MLS stuff than Falcons. Odd, I know.  🤷‍♂️

[Special K]

Here's to hoping Atlanta's QB doesn't bring the "Big Penix Energy" on Monday Night.

 

This has got to be a "Get Right" Game for the Bills.....with all the poor officiating and self-inflicted wounds, the Bills only lost on a last second FG....they should've won that game by 10+ points if they just didn't shoot themselves in the foot.

 

I feel bad for Atlanta if the Bills come into the game an efficient, mistake-free, focused group.

 

Go Bills!!

[harryS]

3 hours ago, K-9 said:

Hate to say it and hope like hell I’m wrong, but the matchups that the Falcons have against us have me thinking they might eat our lunch on Monday night. 

 

The Falcons have a light front 7 that hopefully the Bills can roadgrade a bit.  Penix is also a tier or two down from Maye and will hopefully help us with a few misses here and there on key downs.

 

The matchup isn't that bad imo.

[DrDawkinstein]

54 minutes ago, Miyagi-Do Karate said:

ha! Hockey and Atlanta do not mix.

 

I had a buddy who moved there for a few years when the Thrashers were there and he said you could get tickets for like $15 and it was all visiting fans.

 

Those were great days in Atlanta. Not only could we get cheap tickets, we often got FREE tickets by going up to the ticket window at game time and saying "I was emailed a code for free tickets, I forget what it was but it was a player's name", and they'd just print us out free 300 level tickets.

 

And for the record the Thrashers had a lot of die hard fans. Hockey was and still is big down here. But there are so many transplants, that games were often 50/50.

 

For what it's worth, the Thrashers consistently averaged attendance around 14,000-15,000 in an arena that holds almost 17,000. The "new" Winnipeg Jets arena that they moved to holds a max of 15,000.

 

Atlanta losing the Thrashers wasnt due to lack of fans. It was the ownership group that didnt know what to do with them.