Dan

The worst thing about a loss like this is gives everyone that is pessimistic and critical of every single thing the opportunity to stand up, pound their chest and shout for vindication.

This team is Allen. And they all know it. On Offense, most if the season, they lack creativity, lack focus, and became increasingly predictable because they didn’t have to change anything. Because... Allen would bail them out in the end. Similarly on defense, they never adjust, rarely feel the urgency to stop the other team. They’re coached to sit back, be cautious, don’t give up the big play. Its almost like the entire defense is built around backing up and waiting for the other team to drop a pass, or make an errant throw, make a mistake. And if they score, don’t worry because Allen will score and bail them out in the end. Add to it, McD must have gave one of heck of a classic anti hype speech pre game to calm everyone down. Ya know they’re all excited, but lets not get too emotional. Lets just calm down, take deep breaths and try not to make a mistake. Careful on 3... 1, 2, 3. Changes need to be made. We’ve become the perennial playoff team. How do we become more? Not by being cautious and standing still.

It has happened more times than not... no team specific game plans. The defense just doing what they did. In a lot of games.. they can over come it in most games Josh can score enough to for the other team out of their game plan. In the playoffs... its a recipe for getting bounced. 4 years in a row.

Plane and simple. Gabe, and everyone not named Diggs, has dropped entirely too many passes that hit them right on the hands or arms. Every time I watch other games... I see at least one or two catches that has me thinking...why can’t our WRs make catches like that? It’s beyond ridiculous the colossal lack of focus this team has as pivitol moments.

They have to try something... then current D has been exposed in every playoff game, save the NE game. we need a new defensive identity. Which means new DC. And get a fickin offensive line for Allen

3rd and 4.. the entire D on the line. Immediate pressure on Burrow!! But tre was 10yards off the LOS ...easy toss and 5 yard gain to chase. At that moment.. i knew we were losing. They ..do not.. know how to play physical defense.

They’re in a really dilemma this offseason. They need to put serious resources into the Offensive line and a WR. But they also have several big FAs on defense... and really need a new DC. Thats a tall order for one off season. They’ve squandered this window, with these players. So now the question is how quickly do they replace all the FA and retool the line and are they going to finally recognize this defensive scheme isn’t good enough when the playoffs roll around.

Pretty much it. This is the off season to self scout and make some really hard decisions about how to get over this hump. Keeping the same staff for yet another year, gives you the same results we’ve had for 4 years.

True.. but the offense didn’t do much either. And i never watched it again to know which side of the ball was worse.

The Bengals scores on 5 of 7 drives. All long field, methodical drives. The offense wasn’t good. But they were behind the gun all day.

Because this was a complete beat down and complete domination. I would also argue... our season has ended each year in the playoffs... because the defense plays soft and comes up small in these games... maybe not in KC in 2020... but in Houston, KC last year, today. The defense is completely out schemed, out played and exposed. You cant keep coming back to the same well and hope you finally get lucky. Do something and find a way to get over the hump.

Bengals...they’d be at home.

This is interesting. I’ve thought for several months that the Bills offense under Dorsey has gotten predictable, and only because Josh is able to perform feats of strength do they continue winning. I hope Dorsey is self scouting these tendencies and becomes less predictable. (Assuming this dude’s breakdown is legit)

I’d really like to win one more.. just because i don’t want the season to end. They’re so close... again. At some point, they need to get over the hump and get too the SuperBowl. They have too much talent to not make it. This needs to be the year. I want it to be the year!! Please let it be the year!

Where’s the option for McD? delete thread...try again.

I keep seeing this sentiment... the Bengals were not driving for a 2nd TD on us! They scored. We scored. They then took the kickoff and completed 2 pass plays.. then Damar got hurt. 2 plays. Thats not a drive. They weren’t in scoring position, unless they had a 50 yards play dialed up and on deck. There is zero reason to think they were about to score other than pessimistic posters assuming the worst.

I just rewatched the game as well. And, like you, I feel much better about the way the Bills played. A few observations: The first quarter was all Buffalo. They could do no wrong. It was all smiles and sunshine. I think that's when Josh and the boys start to get careless, lose focus and just wing it having fun. Then came the disastrous 2nd quarter. It started with the kick out of bounds. Then Johnson was out of position and allowed Hill to get wide open and convert a 3rd and 19. Milano misses a sure tackle and they convert another long 3rd down on a 2nd drive. Josh's 2 interceptions, IMO, were not on him. Smoke stopped on his route and gave up position to the DB. Beasely was mugged on his missed catch that bounced into the DBs hands. Add in a long punt return with the lucky bounces and the game was tied. I still think Diggs TD was a catch at the end of the half. He had a hand on the ball and pinned it to his stomach. The ball moved, but only because his body was moving. Oh well. Then the 3rd quarter fumble for a TD. This was on Josh and Singletary. Singletary missed the blitzer and Josh just needs to tuck it in and take a sack some times. This was that time. That defensive TD ignited the Dolphins and they played on fire. But after that… the Bills pretty much refocused, got to work and had a 10pt lead by the end of the 3rd quarter. With a 2 score lead late in the 3rd, Frazier did what he does. The D backed off and gave up a nice long, time consuming drive ending in a score. I hate that! A couple of back and forths in the 4th quarter with a great play by Elam and a monstrous 7 yard run to seal the win by Singletary. Game over. I agree. It was the definition of a sloppy game by a superior team that lets the underdog hang around and think they have a chance. It almost cost us the season. But i expect the team to be more focused next week. Fortunately, we'll see how they play.

Anyone think that maybe they wanted to intentionally throw deep, against a weaker team, to get it all on tape. So maybe they have the next team not sure what to expect.

Brady is so washed up. Man I hope he tries to play another year. Lol

So I see the facts you’re trying to put out there. But doesn’t it just feel like we lost a lot more than 5 games? I know you have data, but what about the eye test? When I’m drunk in the 3rd quarter, I see a team that loses to all the good teams and can’t do anything. If only we had a better coach, drafting, QB, LT, C, #4DB, dome, line backer, DT, weather, beer, cheerleaders, radio play by play guy; then maybe I could feel better about this team. But right now, it just feels like we should have lost the last 12 games. Maybe one day, this team can finally live up to the same standards of excellence I exhibit daily in my personal and professional life. Until then, I can’t enjoy life.

I think vegas is a bit of the problem. With the proliferation of gambling in recent years, all you hear about is point spreads and the odds. Its every where. And, I think, a lot of people equate...favored by 10pts... to we should win easily and blow this team out. When we don’t, obviously we’re bad. Its kinda how fantasy football made everyone just look at individual stats and declare players garbage, rather than look at their contribution to a winning team. Add to it a healthy dose of pessimism. The psychology of predicting doom so you don’t get your heart broken. Throw in a smidge of the grass is always greener over there. End result.. constant bashing of a 14 win team that had survived a season that would have doomed most teams and that for 4 consecutive years has been in the playoffs and 3 consecutive years making it to the 2nd round of the playoffs. I get it. I just wish they y enjoy how good this team is.

Every team but Buffalo?

Good point. This is a physical game

We played a 4 hour game that went down to the final series. I’d bet our guys ate tired too.