How much of this is mental fatigue?

[Success]

People talk about "windows" in sports for a few reasons.  The main one is retaining talent & maintaining a quality team.  But psychology is also a major factor, imo.

 

We certainly feel it as a fanbase.  There was even talk preseason about how some of us weren't as "up" for the regular season this year, because no matter what happened & how good we looked, literally nothing mattered if we were going to have an early playoff exit again. It was all about making the Super Bowl - and really, only about that.

 

And we've felt that all season. It's not fun.  WE are not having fun.  It's a slog.  Biding our time for an AFCCG which now looks unlikely.

 

The players have different outlooks. It's their job, and they get paid to show up every week.  But it's very obvious that they're not having fun either. There is frustration, impatience, weariness and a general malaise over this team.  Even if they "show up" for work - it's the mental edge and joy for the game that can make the difference in the NFL, where there isn't a lot that separates most teams anyway.

 

I hate how tired we look.  The only real break in that was the KC game - that reminded me of how we used to be.  But KC is such a nemesis, I think the team gets up for that one regardless.

 

 

[Sweats]

Imagine doing the same thing over and over and over and over........and you get the exact same results, but your narcissistic/sociopathic mind believes that you are actually doing things different AND for the better.

 

Now, imagine being surrounded by like-minded people in a position of power and influence who believe they are the smartest ones in the room and are the ones calling the shots that the results are different and gaslighting a whole industry.

 

I imagine it would get extremely mentally exhausting.

[SCBills]

Probably a lot to this. 
 

Sucks that it’s valid when they haven’t even made a Super Bowl, let alone won it.

 

These teams also play first place schedules every year and play deep into the season.  Buffalo and KC just look worn out half the time.  KC justifiably.  BUF probably justifiably too, but it’s pathetic to have to acknowledge that when they haven’t truly won anything. 

Titans and Giants vs Texans and Eagles could be the difference in who wins the Division.   
 

Bills, Chiefs and Ravens get everyone’s best shot in this conference.  Been this way for years now.  
 

As a positive, it makes you think they can turn it on when it matters, like KC.  But as a team who’s yet to win a road playoff game, what happens in the regular season likely means you’ll have to win 3 of them. 

 

[TBBills Fan]

1 minute ago, Sweats said:

Imagine doing the same thing over and over and over and over........and you get the exact same results, but your narcissistic/sociopathic mind believes that you are actually doing things different AND for the better.

 

Now, imagine being surrounded by like-minded people in a position of power and influence who believe they are the smartest ones in the room and are the ones calling the shots that the results are different and gaslighting a whole industry.

 

I imagine it would get extremely mentally exhausting.

This sounds like the current political climate in the US

[Fleezoid]

Yes. The expectations and pressure seem to be getting to this team as a whole. Allen is the perfect example. He seems to be trying too hard and it's causing mistakes. Other players too. Fumbling the ball multiple times after having just gotten the first down is egregious. This team used to play loose. Now they've lost their swagger.  And I don't think they know how to get it back. 

Edited 1 hour ago by Fleezoid

[Virgil]

I still believe our 3-13 season was one of my favorites.   Zero expectations, everything was a bonus.  
 

Having Super Bowl expectations these past few years has only resulted in crushing disappointment 

[ColoradoBills]

14 minutes ago, Fleezoid said:

Yes. The expectations and pressure seem to be getting to this team as a whole. Allen is the perfect example. He seems to be trying too hard and it's causing mistakes. Other players too. Fumbling the ball multiple times after having just getting the first down is egregious. This team used to play loose. Now they've lost their swagger.  And I don't think they know how to get it back. 

 

You bring in new blood.

 

Pegula is the only one to change out the 2 at top.  If that doesn't happen then it's up to Beane and McDermott to change things.

 

Fans might not want to hear that, but those are the facts.

[TheBrownBear]

5 minutes ago, ColoradoBills said:

 

You bring in new blood.

 

Pegula is the only one to change out the 2 at top.  If that doesn't happen then it's up to Beane and McDermott to change things.

 

Fans might not want to hear that, but those are the facts.

You saw how much juice Hoecht brought in his very limited time on the field. We need fresh attitudes (and bodies).

 

I agree with Success and posted the same in another thread.  You could tell these guys were mentally burned out by how they approached the offseason/preseason.  It was apparent with both Josh and McDermott - the two biggest leaders of the franchise.  These guys were trying to take pressure off themselves, because they no longer had the emotional reserve to push through their perennial failures.

[SoonerBillsFan]

28 minutes ago, Sweats said:

Imagine doing the same thing over and over and over and over........and you get the exact same results, but your narcissistic/sociopathic mind believes that you are actually doing things different AND for the better.

 

Now, imagine being surrounded by like-minded people in a position of power and influence who believe they are the smartest ones in the room and are the ones calling the shots that the results are different and gaslighting a whole industry.

 

I imagine it would get extremely mentally exhausting.

Like I have said,Allen looks mentally shot.   We haven't ever seen him come to the sideline say what the hell are we doing.

 

I dont care how much you love something or how much you get paid,if you finally think there is no way in hell you are going to achieve your goals with the way things are, you are gonna have enough.

[ColoradoBills]

3 minutes ago, TheBrownBear said:

You saw how much juice Hoecht brought in his very limited time on the field. We need fresh attitudes (and bodies).

 

I agree with Success and posted the same in another thread.  You could tell these guys were mentally burned out by how they approached the offseason/preseason.  It was apparent with both Josh and McDermott - the two biggest leaders of the franchise.  These guys were trying to take pressure off themselves, because they no longer had the emotional reserve to push through their perennial failures.

 

Exactly.  Beane job (if he wants to keep it) is to find more.

[Disgusted ills fan]

What our O-line looked like last night.

 

 

[Sharky7337]

I'm sorry but no excuses these guys are paid fortunes

[Success]

Just now, Sharky7337 said:

I'm sorry but no excuses these guys are paid fortunes

 

For sure.  But human psychology is what it is.  Money doesn't change that.

 

[transplantbillsfan]

56 minutes ago, Success said:

People talk about "windows" in sports for a few reasons.  The main one is retaining talent & maintaining a quality team.  But psychology is also a major factor, imo.

 

We certainly feel it as a fanbase.  There was even talk preseason about how some of us weren't as "up" for the regular season this year, because no matter what happened & how good we looked, literally nothing mattered if we were going to have an early playoff exit again. It was all about making the Super Bowl - and really, only about that.

 

And we've felt that all season. It's not fun.  WE are not having fun.  It's a slog.  Biding our time for an AFCCG which now looks unlikely.

 

The players have different outlooks. It's their job, and they get paid to show up every week.  But it's very obvious that they're not having fun either. There is frustration, impatience, weariness and a general malaise over this team.  Even if they "show up" for work - it's the mental edge and joy for the game that can make the difference in the NFL, where there isn't a lot that separates most teams anyway.

 

I hate how tired we look.  The only real break in that was the KC game - that reminded me of how we used to be.  But KC is such a nemesis, I think the team gets up for that one regardless.

 

 

 

Oh I absolutely think mental fatigue plays a role here.

 

A good chunk of this team has made the playoffs multiple years in a row and almost every year outside of 2020 and 2022 they've lose games they could have and arguably should have won.

 

There has to be a certain element of feeling like "man just get me back there so I can do it right this time!!!"  I know for me I've really approached this season with a "wake me up in January" approach.  I watch all the games and have fun watching them (yes, I'm one of the fans still having fun... and it might be because of this approach), but I don't really care all that much about these games because it's just the regular season. 

 

I know others will disagree, but I still really don't have a doubt that the Bills get into the playoffs.  And once they're in, all of these regular season games are meaningless.  Yes, I realize they matter for where the games are played, but Allen is a gamer and I still very much believe that this team's extensive experience in the playoffs is really going to help them.

 

Now... the problem is that my approach to the season is just fine because I'm just a fan.  Bills players need to find ways to not fall into that same mentality.  However, they're human beings.  And truthfully, they're the ones who were actually up close and personal to those losses in the playoffs over the years.  So I could absolutely see them just looking ahead.

 

I think we should prepare ourselves for this roller coaster to continue.  I think we'll lose 1 or 2 of our remaining games and end up in the playoffs as a wildcard team on the road.

 

And I'm fine with that.  Maybe sending this team on the road in the playoffs will actually weirdly take a little pressure off their shoulders.

[BillsPride12]

51 minutes ago, Sweats said:

Imagine doing the same thing over and over and over and over........and you get the exact same results, but your narcissistic/sociopathic mind believes that you are actually doing things different AND for the better.

 

Now, imagine being surrounded by like-minded people in a position of power and influence who believe they are the smartest ones in the room and are the ones calling the shots that the results are different and gaslighting a whole industry.

 

I imagine it would get extremely mentally exhausting.

Exactly why Beane and McDermott need to go. This organization desperately needs a shake up 

[MJS]

People with very high expectations have very low resilience. Stop expecting so much and sports become much more enjoyable.