Rocky Landing

It has already started.

I appreciate this thread, especially in contrast to several other threads that are advocating for the Pegula's to blow the whole thing up. It is in this light that I'm going to add to the list of outstanding performances the coaching staff that during a "soft-rebuild" year, that was flushing over $60M in dead cap, and started the season with the thinnest roster of the McDermott era (with the obvious exception of JA17), managed to bring us to within one score of the Super Bowl. Anyone who doesn't think this team far exceeded expectations is wearing some heavy blinders.

At the beginning of the season, a majority of media analysts didn't believe the Bills would win the AFCE. There's a 170 page thread (and multiple others) on this site debating how bad the WR room was, with the departure of Diggs, Davis, and every other WR other than Shakir. We lost multiple defensive players, and started the season with the thinnest defense of the McDermott era. With limited draft picks, and over $60M in dead cap (half of that from Diggs alone), Beane had very few resources to field a competitive team. And yet they made it to the AFCCG, and one score away from the Super Bowl. Sean McDermott, and Brandon Beane's jobs are safe.

It was a helluva fun season-- one that most people did not expect. What I don't expect many people to acknowledge is that just getting to this game in the first place far exceeded the expectations of the vast majority of analysts, and exceeded the expectations of most of the Bills fans who post on this forum. Beane and company have a lot to work with in the offseason, and it's reasonable to expect that the Bills will field a deeper, and more complete team (especially on defense) in the '25/26 season.

Rapp being injured is a problem. He is our best safety. I'll have to re-watch the game, and really key onto Bishop, but my initial impression was that he wasn't bad, but still pretty unpolished. Had at least one decent tackle, and was in on some others. It makes me wish they has given him more playing time during the regular season. The notion of Hamlin/Bishop as our starting safeties vs. KC is concerning.

If two point conversions were easy, teams would do it every time.

Babich 👏

Taylor's going to drop Travis like a bad habit as soon as he retires from football. Hailee can't talk right now...

It's infuriating to watch a game that is so profoundly affected by a couple bad calls by the refs. That being said, Stroud's receivers didn't do much for him when the play would break down. Several times I watched as Stroud would escape the pocket, and have nowhere to throw as his receivers had finished their routes, and were doing little to extend the play, and get themselves open. I know that they're missing their top receivers from the season, but every receiver on the Bills will play until the whistle, including rookie Coleman. The Texan's offense just didn't look like they wanted it as badly as their defense, who were stellar.

I’ve noticed you didn’t include Tyler Rapp? Perhaps I’m not remembering things accurately, but I seem to remember you being especially sour on him in the offseason/training camp? Certainly, you were critical of the safety position in as a whole. Personally, I’ve considered Rapp one of the most underrated players since last season, and I think he still is. I have to believe he’s exceeded your expectations, no?

IMO, this is indicative of how Mike McDaniel viewed Tua's (and their porous O-line's) weaknesses, and how he tried to cover them up. Quick, precision-timing routes. Get the ball out of Tua's hands as fast as possible. It was the basis of their passing offense, and why they needed fast receivers like Hill, Waddle, and Achane. It's also what the league figured out about them, and why they've been mediocre since '23-- bump them off their timing routes, and their offense collapses.

I think because it really wasn't close, and he wanted to keep the game interesting. If you weren't a Bills fan (and presumably, most people watching weren't), a blowout isn't very enjoyable to watch.

Don't get anyone hurt, Mitch...

Broncos are going to score. McD will play soft-- and he should. Don't let anyone else get hurt is paramount right now.

GO BILLS!!!

Curious that, given our situation at safety, we didn't see anything from him. Only activated for the last, meaningless game in which I don't think he had a single snap on defense. (I think he might have been out there on special teams). Seemed like someone with some potential when we signed him.

I would like to thank you for my new profile photo.

Seems like a pretty clear choice to me...

Apparently he’s pretty slow in the walk-throughs, also.

I'd be pretty shocked if McD/Beane didn't feel the same way.

... without a shred of irony...

The general tenor of that site at the moment: As much as they hate the Bills (which is a lot), they hate their own organization even more.

All while un-ironically whining that Mayo didn't throw the game himself. Should I feel ashamed for my schadenfreude?

Oh, are they ever... https://www.patsfans.com/new-england-patriots/messageboard/threads/sun-has-set-week-18-bills-pats-postgame-thread.1165155/

It's Topsy-Turvy World. Pats* fans want the Bills to win, and Bills fans want the Pats* to win. I'm happy either way.