Game week thread - Bengals at Bills (flexed to 1pm ET)

[Rockinon]

If you can run, that's the best way to win with this offense. Run and then run some more. Make that last place defense give up. Control time of possession. Keep the Cincy offense off the field. We can still throw a few bones to the TEs. We can still throw to the RBs. We can still throw a few passes to WRs. But there is absolutely no reason not to make this a run heavy game. Cincy is weak at both LB and Safety. Running it is how you dominate this game. 

[BigAl2526]

The Bills have put themselves in a position where every remaining game will be crucial.

[Desert Bills Fan]

26 minutes ago, Miyagi-Do Karate said:

Steelers/ravens is always a good game. Both teams are going to be up for that one.

Several years ago, I spent some time in Maryland for work. It was during football season. Up until then, I didn’t realize the hated rivalry between those teams. 👿😠….It will be a hard fought game. 

[Ray Stonada]

2 seed hosts 7 seed, 3 hosts 6, and 4 hosts 5 in the Wildcard Round. Divisional round, 1 hosts the lowest remaining seed, and the second highest seed hosts the third. AFC Championship higher seed hosts lower.

 

Let's say the Bills are the 6 seed. Wildcard round: 2 beats 7, the Bills (6) beats 3, and 4 beats 5.

 

Now the Bills will travel to the 1 seed in the divisional round. If they win they will travel to the winner of the 2 seed versus 4 seed.

 

Given that Buffalo will probably not win the division, it's very unlikely we will host a Playoff game.

 

[BearNorth]

My biggest worry this week is can we contain the quartet of Burrow, Chase, Higgins, and Gesicki all of whom have tormented the Bills defense in past contests.  Their defense is suspect against both the run and the pass, but our offense has managed to underperform against the likes of the middle of the pack Falcons and Dolphins defenses.

[newcam2012]

2 hours ago, 2003Contenders said:

While I primarily agree with you, I will say (playing devil's advocate for just a moment), that drive you spoke of:

 

1.  Ate up more than 1/2 of the 2nd quarter. The Steelers' offense sat on the sideline for over 30 minutes (real time) and did not get back on the field until less than a minute to go (with no timeouts) in the first half, effectively denying their ability to score points at the end of the half. Losses against both the Patriots and Texans can be traced back to the defense giving up cheap points at the end of the first half in each of those games.

 

2. The physical beat-down on that drive played a role in wearing down the Steelers' defense and invigorating the Bills' confidence on offense. While the drive only netted 3 points, it was the start of a 26-0 run.

 

3. The drive may have ended with a TD, except that on 4th and goal from the 2, there was a false start penalty that led McD to reconsider his decision to go for it and settle for a FG. 

 

4. The Bills were playing without both of their starting OTs (and with interior linemen also banged up) -- so the coaches were mindful of not asking Josh to stand in the pocket and hold the ball for more than a couple of seconds. We saw what happened against Houston when the ball didn't come out of his hand quickly. In fact, the sort of smash-mouth scheme that they ran against Pittsburgh is probably what they should have done against Houston too. That said, I'm not sure that is the best course of action to take a against the Burrow-led Bengals whose offense is superior to that of Houston/Pittsburgh. 

 

I think the key (which we probably agree on) is that the Bills need to show that they can be versatile on offense. When the game-flow permits, it is perfectly OK to impose their will against an opposing defense and grind the ball on the ground, while judiciously mixing in passes here and there. However, there will come a time (possibly this week against Cinci), where they will need be able to compete in a shootout. With the lack of viable downfield threats, that is not really the way they are built, but they HAVE shown (this year against the Ravens and Bucs, for example) that with a stud QB like Josh that they CAN do it.

I think teams will dare the Bills to pass early. If I were an opposing defense I'd stack the box immediately. I'd make Allen and the Bills WRs beat me. I'm not so sure the Bills would be very successful. Do you think the Bills pass can can set up the run game? Being diverse and unpredictable doesn't seem to be the strength of Brady or the Bills' offense. That's a problem going forward into the playoffs. Allen can negate a lot of short comings and has mostly played great in the playoffs. We will see how it plays out. 

[SoCal Deek]

33 minutes ago, Ray Stonada said:

2 seed hosts 7 seed, 3 hosts 6, and 4 hosts 5 in the Wildcard Round. Divisional round, 1 hosts the lowest remaining seed, and the second highest seed hosts the third. AFC Championship higher seed hosts lower.

 

Let's say the Bills are the 6 seed. Wildcard round: 2 beats 7, the Bills (6) beats 3, and 4 beats 5.

 

Now the Bills will travel to the 1 seed in the divisional round. If they win they will travel to the winner of the 2 seed versus 4 seed.

 

Given that Buffalo will probably not win the division, it's very unlikely we will host a Playoff game.

 

Isn’t it simpler than that? If the Bills are the seventh seed then they cannot host a playoff game. And, if they’re the sixth seed they’d only host against the highly unlikely seventh seed team. 

[Scott7975]

 

[newcam2012]

2 hours ago, iwishitwerecolder said:

McDermott has to call the defense this week. The difference between Houston and last week against Pittsburgh is massive. Babich needs to take a back seat this week, let alone the rest of the year. If we want a shot at the Super Bowl it’s with McDermott calling the defense whether you like the guy or not.

Also a win this week likely punches a bills postseason ticket. The bills would have to go 2-2 over their next 4, which is extremely do-able. 11-6 gets us in 100%, without tiebreakers over tons of teams, and with a lot of the teams in the mix having to play each other down the stretch. I mean heck, I think 10-7 gets us in too

I'm not a huge fan of McD but I agree he has to continue making the play calls on defense. He puts the players in the better position to make plays. 

 

I've noticed Tre is playing much better, Bishop is really solid and a asset now, LB Shaq is a steady force, there was a Milano sighting, Bosa has been a great addition, and hopefully Max Hariston comes into his own. Still concerned about the lack of a consistent pass rush. 

 

Go Bills. 

40 minutes ago, Ray Stonada said:

2 seed hosts 7 seed, 3 hosts 6, and 4 hosts 5 in the Wildcard Round. Divisional round, 1 hosts the lowest remaining seed, and the second highest seed hosts the third. AFC Championship higher seed hosts lower.

 

Let's say the Bills are the 6 seed. Wildcard round: 2 beats 7, the Bills (6) beats 3, and 4 beats 5.

 

Now the Bills will travel to the 1 seed in the divisional round. If they win they will travel to the winner of the 2 seed versus 4 seed.

 

Given that Buffalo will probably not win the division, it's very unlikely we will host a Playoff game.

 

Good analysis but it's way too early for for my "pea brain" with so many games needing to be played. 

[RiotAct]

1 hour ago, BigAl2526 said:

The Bills have put themselves in a position where every remaining game will be crucial.

we can afford to drop at least one more, maybe two.  Would rather not though, obviously!