12/7/25 GAMEDAY Bills vs Bengals 1:00 pm Post Game Thread

[BillsVet]

Per ESPN, Bills are first team since the merger to win (EDIT: 2 games) when down 2 scores with less than 10 minutes in 4th quarter.

 

Not going to keep winning like this or expecting to turn it over (as we've seen this year) 8 times in 1,300 offensive snaps like last year.  

Edited 1 hour ago by BillsVet

[SoonerBillsFan]

35 minutes ago, Nitro said:

Bills broke a team record for futility.   They lost the last 25 games when they give up 21 first half points.  Today they broke that awful streak. 

I saw that stat, and was thrilled we finally broke that.

[Nihilarian]

Just now, Low Positive said:

Living in Cincinnati, I watch the Bengals a lot. They do this all the time. The offense scores points, seemingly at will. Guys make unbelievable plays. Highlight reel stuff. But then they lose in ways that just crush their fans. Today was pretty typical of the way they have played all season, with both Burrow and Flacco. In fact, the most remarkable thing about the game today was the fact that the Bills somehow kept Ja'Marr Chase in check. 

Benford on him like a blanket! 

 

It also helped Buffalo that the Bengals are 32nd overall on defense in the NFL, and they didn't have their star pass rusher. You know, the one-star defensive player they chose to pay.

[atlbillsfan1975]

59 minutes ago, stlbills13 said:

Pros:

Josh

Tight ends

Benford

2nd half coaching

 

Cons:

Cook's fumbles 

Van Demark

Tre White

1st half coaching

If Brown can’t go next week they have to think about Grables at RT. Van Demark is so much better at LT. 

[Shaw66]

1 hour ago, BuffaloRebound said:

mind boggling with the best player in the League as QB that we don’t play a more aggressive brand of defense all the time. Instead Mcdermott tries to shorten games by playing conservative D and trying to milk the clock on offense.  Free Josh!

Well, I get McDermott's philosophy, and we can talk about it some other place and time. 

 

But I agree with you that when you have a talent like Josh, playing with your philosophy is probably a better approach. McDermott's approach to defense allows teams, like the Bengals today, to run the clock, which keeps the ball out of Josh's hands.  Josh with the ball is the Bills' best strategy, which suggests to me that aggressive defense is right way to play "complementary football."  Aggressive defense will force three and outs and will create takeaways. It also will give up some big plays and some quick scores, but quick scores just mean the Josh has more time with the ball, which is the objective. 

1 hour ago, Dan said:

It’s a crazy season..  we’ve beaten the Ravens, KC and Bengals.   We’re 9-4.   And yet,  fighting for a wild card spot because the Pats and Broncos just keep pulling wins out of their assets.    
 

 

The reason they're fighting for a wildcard is because they lost to the Falcons and the Dolphins. 

[BigAl2526]

3 hours ago, gobills404 said:

 

That's called "flipping the script."

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

19 minutes ago, atlbillsfan1975 said:

If Brown can’t go next week they have to think about Grables at RT. Van Demark is so much better at LT. 

 

Whoever is at RT, they need to help him in pass pro. 

[Dan Darragh]

Call of the game:

"Oh my goodness!  Christian Benford! Touchdown! What just happened?!

[DapperCam]

Can anyone explain the logic of not going for an onside kick at the end for the Bengals? I see two scenarios:

 

1. You kick it away and if the Bills get a first down the game is over.
2. You kick an onside kick, and if the Bills recover they need a first down to end the game.

Seems like both scenarios are the same, with scenario 2 having the benefit of maybe recovering the onside (especially considering the snowy slippery weather).

[newcam2012]

48 minutes ago, zow2 said:

The Bills Defense was on roller skates today. Just could not cover these dudes. But two monster takeaways saved the day. 

 

Im really hoping the good mojo from this stadium transfers over to the new Highmark. I don’t think it’s automatic that it will. 

I think today's game is kind of what we are going to see from the Bills defense. They aren't elite and they will be exposed by good offenses. However, if they can make some big plays and some keys stops the team should be ok with Allen on offense. 

[BRH]

1 hour ago, stlbills13 said:

Also it ended up not mattering but burning a timeout on the XP after the pick 6 was perhaps the dumbest thing I've seen all season. 

 

I said in the GDT that it was a smart move if the play clock was winding down.  We did a LOT of celebrating so it probably was.  And we NEEDED that extra point to make it a 4-point game.  The snow was pretty bad at that point if I recall and the last thing we needed was a missed XP there because of the extra five yards.  Maybe McD was playing it too safe there but since we were ahead and still had two TOs left, it was the right call.

[tigerthelion]

14 minutes ago, DapperCam said:

Can anyone explain the logic of not going for an onside kick at the end for the Bengals? I see two scenarios:

 

1. You kick it away and if the Bills get a first down the game is over.
2. You kick an onside kick, and if the Bills recover they need a first down to end the game.

Seems like both scenarios are the same, with scenario 2 having the benefit of maybe recovering the onside (especially considering the snowy slippery weather).

Seems about right to me.  Especially with the conditions today, an onside recovery  maybe would have a slightly higher chance , just with the ball slipping through hands and/or taking a weird bounce in the snow.

Edited 17 minutes ago by tigerthelion

[BuffaloBillyG]

15 minutes ago, DapperCam said:

Can anyone explain the logic of not going for an onside kick at the end for the Bengals? I see two scenarios:

 

1. You kick it away and if the Bills get a first down the game is over.
2. You kick an onside kick, and if the Bills recover they need a first down to end the game.

Seems like both scenarios are the same, with scenario 2 having the benefit of maybe recovering the onside (especially considering the snowy slippery weather).

The only thing I can think of is recovery of an onside kick is super low. So, kick it deep and hope you can hold to a 3 and out...and you would in theory get the ball with much better field position for a short TD drive.

 

Not saying that's what I would do, but I can see that train of thought as well.

Edited 16 minutes ago by BuffaloBillyG

[Tulsabillsfanz]

After savoring this win, watching highlights & reading comments, there’s one main thing I take away from this game: Josh Allen just hates to lose!    
 

The number of very big plays Josh made, with most coming in the 4th quarter, were amazing, even for Josh. 

-He threw 2 different 4th down TD passes. He had to extend both plays and make the passes outside the pocket.

 -He avoided a 6 man blitz & ran 40 yds for a TD.

-He scrambled for 17 yds. on 3rd & 15 to shut the door on Burrow and the Bengals. 
 

Josh was determined to do whatever it took to win this game.  It really was a classic Josh Allen game!  I’m so glad he was rewarded with a victory!  

[eSJayDee]

27 minutes ago, DapperCam said:

Can anyone explain the logic of not going for an onside kick at the end for the Bengals? I see two scenarios:

 

1. You kick it away and if the Bills get a first down the game is over.
2. You kick an onside kick, and if the Bills recover they need a first down to end the game.

Seems like both scenarios are the same, with scenario 2 having the benefit of maybe recovering the onside (especially considering the snowy slippery weather).

I think the rationale is that IF you hold them w/ a onside kick, you get the ball near your goal line.  If you kickoff normal & hold them, you get the ball expected around the 30.

Not saying I agree w/ the math, but that 20 yards or so is worth several seconds so it's worth sacrificing the small chance of a recovery.