Thoughts after watching the Colts, Chiefs, Ravens, Patriots, Lions, Eagles, Rams and 49ers

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

32 minutes ago, BFLO said:

The flaw is the going on a run part. I think we all agree the Bills can beat anyone on any given day. 

 

But can they actually win 4 in a row? Not with the way they've been playing

 

What about 4 in a row against playoff teams of escalating difficulty? Laughable

 

Wildcards can and do catch fire come January.  Brady's Bucs were 7-5, losers of 3 of 4, and got blown out 38-3 at home by New Orleans before going on their run.  Helped playing a 7-9 division winner with a backup QB in the first round, but that's the kind of thing that happens in the NFL.  A Nix/Jones/Maye injury and suddenly the favorites aren't so favorite. 

 

Just going through their playoff run and its so strange...

• Washington - Heinicke in the playoffs - played the best game of his life with no run game and got them pretty close.  TB was a 10 point favorite though and Washington kind of sucked
• New Orleans revenge game - 21 points off turnovers, and lived off some short fields.  
• Packers - The scotty miller TD comes to mind as the difference in a 5 point game.  Ball at midfield with :28 left in the half and somehow they get a 40 yard TD pass with 8 seconds left in the half.  Another short field turnover/TD to open the 3rd quarter and it was 28-10.  Brady threw 2 picks in the 4th quarter and GB made the strange decision to kick a FG down 8 from the 8 yard line.  They never touched the ball again.  
• Chiefs SB - Pretty terrible first half by KC but its still 14-6 with 1 minute in the half, and KC gets 50 yards of PI penalties on the drive to go into half down 21-6.  Which essentially screwed what was left of their gameplan.  

[boyst]

28 minutes ago, Simon said:

 

They've already won 4 in a row earlier in the year.

Going to be tougher now when missing too many bodies.

i think the only place we should feel confident about missing starters is the OL. Spencer Brown being out stinks but that's the only place I am not sweating over. Linebacker I do not sweat over anymore because one of them is always dinged up and out.

 

Missing corners and WR's is a real problem for us and will continue to be a problem.

[stlbills13]

The Rams are the only team that I feel is a tier above anyone else. And obviously we wouldn't see them until February. 

 

But man it just feels wide a$$ open this year and we continue to shoot ourselves in the foot. Horrible first half defense. No adjustments offensively within a game. And just it kind of feels like no heart. 

 

I really think this team has a run in them with the AFC being more open. It's just a matter of if we make some clear changes

[SCBills]

Can we get to a point where we enter the postseason only down Oliver and Hoecht of note?

 

Everyone else can/should come back this season.  Keeping anyone healthy seems impossible on this team, but getting guys back and ready for the playoffs, even at 80-90%, should be the goal.  Everyone who is playing is banged up this time of year.  It is what it is.   
 

I think it was last year or two years ago, Maxx Crosby was a terror down the stretch in meaningless games.   Day after the season ends, gets surgery. 
 

Biggest issue, aside from just getting there, is developing any continuity down the stretch when we have the most fragile team I’ve ever witnessed. 
 

I just want to see this team in the playoffs, for once, without massive injury excuses.   And if they can right the injury ship, only down Oliver and Hoecht, given all the other investments on defense, that is not an excuse in my book.  

Get your Pick #40 actual inside reps.  Rest Bosa if you have to, get him healthy.  Plant Bernard on the bench until he’s healed up.  Sit Spencer Brown until the playoffs to get that shoulder as healed up as possible.  See what Coleman can do in the slot over this mini-bye by giving him reps so we can rest Shakir some, who’s clearly hobbled. 
 

Theres no point in making the playoffs if you’re going to destroy your players to do so.  

Because OP is right, at least in the AFC… 10 very flawed teams are competing for playoff spots right now. 
 

Edited 2 hours ago by SCBills

[Mr. WEO]

1 hour ago, Ray Stonada said:

Well, our game on Thursday was pretty depressing. But it gave us the chance to watch some relatively stress-free games on Sunday and Monday night. 

 

And I have to say... I came away feeling a little better. There is NO dominant team in the NFL this year, no team that I feel we couldn't beat on our day.

 

Every contender who played showed major limitations or looked vulnerable, with one exception--the Rams. But if we play the Rams it means we made it to the Super Bowl.

 

If we get some guys back (Kincaid, Oliver, Brown) by January, we could go on a run.

 

I would love for the Pats to get the number one seed and then get knocked off immediately by us or the Chiefs. Watching them struggle against Flacco and the Bengals sure didn't scare me. And they're getting banged up, too.

 

Now, of course, the Bills would have to improve a lot to make a run this year, for sure... but if they can put it together there's no team that it looks impossible for them to beat.

 

"NO dominant team"?

 

The Rams are absolutely that. #1 Defense and have averaged 33 PPG on Offense past 5 weeks with the front runner for MVP behind Center.

[Johnnycage46]

I think the Bills can beat any team in the NFL this year. But I also think they can lose to any team in the NFL this year. If they come out with the right gameplan and they are clicking, they can contend. Their inconsistency this year has been the issue and gives me pause on thinking they can do much in the playoffs (assuming they hold serve and make it in).

[T.E.]

14 minutes ago, Bleeding Bills Blue said:

 

Wildcards can and do catch fire come January.  Brady's Bucs were 7-5, losers of 3 of 4, and got blown out 38-3 at home by New Orleans before going on their run.  Helped playing a 7-9 division winner with a backup QB in the first round, but that's the kind of thing that happens in the NFL.  A Nix/Jones/Maye injury and suddenly the favorites aren't so favorite. 

 

Just going through their playoff run and its so strange...

• Washington - Heinicke in the playoffs - played the best game of his life with no run game and got them pretty close.  TB was a 10 point favorite though and Washington kind of sucked
• New Orleans revenge game - 21 points off turnovers, and lived off some short fields.  
• Packers - The scotty miller TD comes to mind as the difference in a 5 point game.  Ball at midfield with :28 left in the half and somehow they get a 40 yard TD pass with 8 seconds left in the half.  Another short field turnover/TD to open the 3rd quarter and it was 28-10.  Brady threw 2 picks in the 4th quarter and GB made the strange decision to kick a FG down 8 from the 8 yard line.  They never touched the ball again.  
• Chiefs SB - Pretty terrible first half by KC but its still 14-6 with 1 minute in the half, and KC gets 50 yards of PI penalties on the drive to go into half down 21-6.  Which essentially screwed what was left of their gameplan.  

Every team in the NFL other than the Bills, Browns, and Lions eventually gets incredibly lucky and catches lightning in a bottle one season. It's almost comical when you realize how relatively unfortunate this franchise has been.

[skibum]

It's crazy that in a season where the Chiefs, Bengals, and Ravens are all struggling mightily, the Bills are looking less likely to ascend to the throne than they have in years. It just goes to show you how evenly matched the NFL is this year, and how important injuries can be to determining the success of a team. The Lombardi trophy is truly up for grabs right now. 

Edited 2 hours ago by skibum

[The Jokeman]

4 minutes ago, skibum said:

It's crazy that in a season where the Chiefs, Bengals, and Ravens are all struggling mightily, the Bills are looking less likely to ascend to the throne than they have in years. It just goes to show you how evenly matched the NFL is this year, and how important injuries can be to determining the success of a team. The Lombardi trophy is truly up for grabs right now. 

It's the parity of the league all the top end teams have taken a step or more back and middling teams taking steps or two up. Yet you know what inspire all our steps back we still have the best record or KC, Baltimore and Cincy and even beaten 2 of the 3 of those team. Some will claim it's only because of Josh Allen some will claim the other team just not good and some will clamor is due to coaching. Truth is we might be better then all this year. Question is what version of Bills will we see on any given Sunday. 

[dorquemada]

1 hour ago, Simon said:

 

It almost seems like just another reflection of our over-entitled culture.

It's gotten really bad and I have no idea how to address it. 

You could try probating people

 

not me of course, I'm #1 Mr Positive

[L Ron Burgundy]

3 minutes ago, dorquemada said:

You could try probating people

 

not me of course, I'm #1 Mr Positive

If he starts probing people they will become even more depressed!  Well, not all of them. 

[Big Turk]

1 hour ago, BFLO said:

The flaw is the going on a run part. I think we all agree the Bills can beat anyone on any given day. 

 

But can they actually win 4 in a row? Not with the way they've been playing

 

What about 4 in a row against playoff teams of escalating difficulty? Laughable

 

But it's not always escalating difficulty. The Eagles almost got eliminated by the Rams, and probably SHOULD have, last year in a very close game that came down to the last seconds.

 

They then Mollywhopped the Commanders and the Chiefs to win the Super Bowl.

Edited 1 hour ago by Big Turk

[BuffaloBillyG]

1 hour ago, Simon said:

 

It almost seems like just another reflection of our over-entitled culture.

It's gotten really bad and I have no idea how to address it. 

I don't see it as over entitled. I see it as legitimate frustration. Of all years for the Bills to have a step back in talent...it happens in a year where the Chiefs struggle, the Ravens had issues and the Patriots surge. There would be a legitimate chance Buffalo would have the #1 seed locked down in a few weeks in a typical Bills season 

 

I think the frustration is stemmed in the fact that some of the issues that have plagued the Bills this year should have been easy for a GM to see to see coming. The lack of talent at WR. The lack of depth at key positions. These were all addressed right here by many and shrugged off. 

 

The injuries that have been mounting since day 1 of TC. And while you can't predict injuries, it does take a toll on the team and the mentality of the fan base.

 

The regression to the means of several things. Sacks up, takeaways down, giveaways up. All things that were amazing last year yet many know are unsustainable. All things that I believe Beane just expected to continue.

 

Finally, it's the lack of improvement over the course of the season in key things. Run defense. Play calling. Presnap penalties. Lack of consistency week to week. It's just been an all around frustrating year watching this team. 

[Ballhawk]

1 hour ago, RochesterLifer said:

That hyperbolic negativism has pushed me away from TBD. It was once an everyday part of my morning reading. Now, just a couple of times a week until I hit frustration overload.

 

We have six weeks left with a track record of season-ending excellence. This Bills chapter has not yet been written.

I think the early soft schedule made a lot of fans think we were better than we were and the high prevalence of injuries is now making us think we are worse than we are. 

My concern, is if you look at recent teams that make the SuperBowl, injury luck seems to be a part of the equation. McDermott can't acknowledge this because he has to deal with the reality and move forward (and we've seen this in his replies to reporters), but at some point the "next man up mantra" falls apart.  We are seeing this live this season. I think we'll be better in the next six weeks, just not sure that the design of this team has the margin for error of the volume of injuries we are suffering.

I expect a 2nd round playoff loss (but hope I'm wrong). 

Edited 1 hour ago by Ballhawk

[dorquemada]

36 minutes ago, L Ron Burgundy said:

If he starts probing people they will become even more depressed!  Well, not all of them. 

Sometimes a timeout is just what the doctor ordered!

[nuklz2594]

2 hours ago, Ray Stonada said:

Well, our game on Thursday was pretty depressing. But it gave us the chance to watch some relatively stress-free games on Sunday and Monday night. 

 

And I have to say... I came away feeling a little better. There is NO dominant team in the NFL this year, no team that I feel we couldn't beat on our day.

 

Every contender who played showed major limitations or looked vulnerable, with one exception--the Rams. But if we play the Rams it means we made it to the Super Bowl.

 

If we get some guys back (Kincaid, Oliver, Brown) by January, we could go on a run.

 

I would love for the Pats to get the number one seed and then get knocked off immediately by us or the Chiefs. Watching them struggle against Flacco and the Bengals sure didn't scare me. And they're getting banged up, too.

 

Now, of course, the Bills would have to improve a lot to make a run this year, for sure... but if they can put it together there's no team that it looks impossible for them to beat.

bills have limitations on their limitations

[Livinginthepast]

The takeaway I had was this:

 

The Bills can beat any team in the league!!

 

Sadly it appears:

 

Any team in the league can beat the Bills!!

[Kirby Jackson]

53 minutes ago, BuffaloBillyG said:

I don't see it as over entitled. I see it as legitimate frustration. Of all years for the Bills to have a step back in talent...it happens in a year where the Chiefs struggle, the Ravens had issues and the Patriots surge. There would be a legitimate chance Buffalo would have the #1 seed locked down in a few weeks in a typical Bills season 

 

I think the frustration is stemmed in the fact that some of the issues that have plagued the Bills this year should have been easy for a GM to see to see coming. The lack of talent at WR. The lack of depth at key positions. These were all addressed right here by many and shrugged off. 

 

The injuries that have been mounting since day 1 of TC. And while you can't predict injuries, it does take a toll on the team and the mentality of the fan base.

 

The regression to the means of several things. Sacks up, takeaways down, giveaways up. All things that were amazing last year yet many know are unsustainable. All things that I believe Beane just expected to continue.

 

Finally, it's the lack of improvement over the course of the season in key things. Run defense. Play calling. Presnap penalties. Lack of consistency week to week. It's just been an all around frustrating year watching this team. 

Fantastic post 🍻🍻

[Alphadawg7]

Here is where I am at:  Consider me "Blake" (Alec Baldwin) in the movie Glengarry Glen Ross - every one is fired in my mind as of now and they have one shot to win their jobs back and that is find a way to win the Super Bowl this year.  (Link Below to one of the best openings in movie history and one of the best on screen speeches in movie history if you are not familiar with it).  

 

Rams won the SB when they were not really the best team in the NFL.  Any team can get hot in the post season, have some things go their way, and get the job done.  

McD and Beane have done some great things for this franchise, and I still think McD is a good football coach and Beane is still a good GM.  But at some point a change is needed, you can't keep doing the same things and expecting different results.  My bigger concern is watching Josh Allen regress this year.  Is it a sign that some of his super hero traits are slowing down after such a physical career?  Or is it more a function of the team/coaching around him this year?  We don't really know, he could have 1-2 years of elite play left or 6-8...but what I do know is now is that I am not willing to gamble whatever elite years he has left on a system and regime that hasn't been able to get over the hump yet with maybe the most gifted QB to ever play. 

As Alec Baldwin says here - "The good news is you are all fired.  The bad news is you all have 1 week to earn your jobs back starting with tonights sit."  This is where I am at right now - mentally they are all fired with one chance to win their jobs back and that is win the SB this season.  Scene link below - highly recommend watching it whether you have seen it not just because its really just an all time great movie scene.  

 

 

Edited 14 minutes ago by Alphadawg7

[Success]

We can make a run this year.  As the OP states - getting Oliver, Brown & Kincaid back, and staying relatively healthy the rest of the way, will be key.

 

Even as a WC, I'd be excited about the playoffs this year.  We've been wildly inconsistent, but we're a scary match-up for any team out there.  When we're good, we're as good/better than anyone.