Seems like a bit too much panic right now

[starrymessenger]

As a league wide thing (not just the Bills), much pain and much unreasonable optimism (just ask a Ravens fan). The way things are shaking out now is hardly abnormal. I think many of us understood that the Pats game could be difficult. It was a real risk of loss even if not likely. What's important is that a team, that is any big team credibly in the running for a  championship, make the playoffs and, crucially, have its machine in gear by then. The big team that best does that will probably win.
Even now I would consider the Ravens a "big team" (assuming Lamar is soon back) and also the Chiefs. These organizations, like the Bills', are comparatively very good. I expect these teams, including the Bills, to get better as the season progresses (assuming no catastrophic injuries). Bengals chances have faded because of Burrow. I think that's unfortunate. The game is elevated by the play of its greatest players. I want to see all of them play (and beat the ones we need to beat).

Edited 7 hours ago by starrymessenger

[starrymessenger]

On 10/8/2025 at 9:25 PM, Low Positive said:

There is some truth to that, but we all also suffer from BBFS. And part of that is undervaluing our own players and overvaluing other teams players. Take a player like Ed Oliver. If the Bills had never drafted him and he was a Raven, half this board would get a warning from @simon in a non-Bills game thread for asking "why can't the Bills have a player like that?" every time he made a play. But put a Bills helmet on him, and everyone thinks he is average at best. All of those feelings used to be valid because for almost 20 years, this franchise felt like a joke. We hired guys like Buddy Nix, and we go fed "cash to the cap," and had guys retire at halftime. We had a coach quit! Not retire, but outright quit!. That never happens. Guys like Drew Bledsoe, Marshawn Lynch, and Stephon Gilmore couldn't wait to get out of this backwater on the fringes of the league.  Now, this is a well-run NFL franchise that players want to play for. But that perception of ineptness is set in stone for most of us. It's hard to get past. Sorry for all the philosophizing, but I have been thinking about this lately when I realize that my non-Bills fan friends have a much better opinion of Beane and McDermott than I do. 

 

BTW, the Bengals fans I know would trade their all-world WRs for our OL in a second. Sometimes we lose sight of the fact that the team is pretty good in the trenches, and that goes a long way in determining games. 

Depending upon the offensive philosophy and scheme I might trade our stellar offensive line for the Bengals' line and their #1 and #2 receivers. With those guys, Shakir, Kincaid, Cook and a good bottom of the order to fill out their receiving room (which I think the Bills have) we might score a thousand TD's. 

I would however never consider a trade like that unless my QB was at the level and had the attributes of Josh Allen or Pat Mahomes. It was a bad bet by Bengals management to take the route they did with Burrow. He goes down and the whole structure collapses. It's just that protecting him is a higher priority than it is in the case of the other two. All QBs need to be protected, but some a lot more than others.

 

 

[Turf Toejam 34]

Talking to Ravens and Chiefs fans, they believe that this would be the year for the Bills to go "all in".   I don't know what they need to do to address the identified needs (WR, CB, DT) but this would be the year to spend some future resources to have all weapons available for Josh.   The panic is real, but there a few pieces that could just get to a place where there is no regerts.   

Edited 7 hours ago by Turf Toejam 34

[Mr. WEO]

On 10/9/2025 at 6:38 PM, Success said:

 

The Pats do.

 

And I know the Ravens are collapsing - but believe strongly they will right the ship.

 

It's the NFL.  Anyone can lose to anyone.

 

well now they do.

 

Ravens are in deep deep trouble

[DeltaDigital]

3 hours ago, DeepPass said:

We are sadly lacking in defensive TALENT.  You can have great schemes but without enough talent how can they work?

its both. the scheme feasts on bum qbs. coupled with year after year of draft whiffs, this is what we're gonna get when up against a superiorly coached team, EVEN if the talent is sub-par on the opposing team. Preparation and coaching are paramount in a league with such close talent levels across rosters. 

[Shaw66]

I haven't read much of this thread, but it relates to something I've been thinking about. 

 

I agree there's too much panic. Of course, we'd like the Bills to be dominating every game instead of looking so suspect, but that isn't reasonable. Teams rarely do that. 

 

I agree with starry, that it's all about making the playoffs and playing well then. Ideally, you win the home field throughout, but homefield isn't as important as playing well when you get to the playoffs. 

 

I wrote last week about how the preseason is coming to an end.  Many people got on my case, saying that's ridiculous, but this past week has me even more convinced.  Who are the favorites to get to the Super Bowl?  Bills and Eagles, and that was AFTER both teams lost on Sunday.  Nobody thinks the Bills and Eagles are playing like big winners - they both are struggling.  But the question is who's most likely to put it together, and based on the bones of each team, the experience, the QB, most everyone still thinks those are the two leaders. 

 

I was watching the Eagles struggle against the Giants last night and could help but think two things:  Right now, the two teams looked similar, bumbling around the field, too many penalties, certainly not firing on all cylinders, leaky defense. Very similar.

 

The other thing I thought is that the Bills played a tough team on Sunday, a team that looked like it was coming together, got smacked around a bit, and lost by a field goal on the last play. The Eagles completely fell apa, rt against a team that had shown very little except a wish about their rookie QB. Eagles took a much worse beating. 

 

If the Eagles still are the team to beat in the NFC, then the Bills are struggling less. The offense clearly hasn't come together yet, but all the pieces are there. The passing game will be fine, especially when the oline tightens up the pass pro. Cook is doing fine. The defense hasn't found itself, but I think it's by design. I think, for example, that when we get to December we'll see the Bills' zone tighten, and they'll be tough against that underneath stuff that's killing them now. And the d line will get reinforcements and will be battle tested. 

 

Can I prove that we saw last week will fade as the team gets sharp in December?  No, but it looks to me as though the Bills are doing this consciously.  They will be cranking things up beginning after the bye, being 4-1 at this point will have been certainly good enough. 

[SoTier]

5 hours ago, Mr. WEO said:

well now they do.

 

Ravens are in deep deep trouble

 

Playing the Rams without Lamar makes the Ravens suffering a fifth loss this weekend seem likely if not inevitable.   They would then be 1-5 at their bye.  Even before their plague of injuries, they didn't play like a team that could 9-2 over their last 11 games.

Edited 1 hour ago by SoTier

[Richard Noggin]

Seems like each year under McDermott, with one or two exceptions, the team's weaknesses get exposed over a multiple-game stretch, inviting criticism internally and externally. Luckily, the Bills have also shown a tendency to then rally and redefine themselves down the stretch. 

 

I hate the nagging sense that the Bills aren't at the cutting edge of opponent-specific gameplans or in-game play-calling. Margins are super fine in this league, and getting outcoached or doing less to actively attack and disrupt each specific opponent puts too much pressure on players to win in less-than-advantageous circumstances. My favorite coaches do specific things each week to give specific players advantages. I don't see that from the Bills (with success) as often as I'd like. Coaching staffs don't count against the cap and therefore should be mercilessly critiqued and improved upon as needed. 

 

Every roster has weaknesses. Which coaches do the best job of maximizing their personnel with what they're given?