Dan

This. I've never played professional football, so I just assume its my ignorance of the way things are. I also don't watch/keep up with many other NFL teams, because the NFL makes it difficult to get invested in teams when they always seem to favor 2-3 teams with officiating. So… maybe its not just a Bills thing. But, yes, I would think… I'm an owner with billions of $$s and want my franchise to hoist the Lombardi because that’s good in so many ways. I would have teams of scouts that do nothing but track all the opponents, all season to develop trends, tendencies, weaknesses and strengths. Then develop game plans off that, based on a team of scouts that continually self scouts the Bills all season. And, they give the game plan to the coaches on monday morning. BUT… if that doesn’t hold true because another team has had ..say a bye week to prepare… you have to be flexible enough to switch plans mid-game. And, for the love of all that is holy, the HC has to demand that certain key playmakers are on the field in certain key situations. Bills had the ball, down by 7, roughly 7 mins to go in the game. THAT is the drive you have to be your best, have your best players on the field, call the best plays you've run repeatedly in practice since TC. AND you need to know what your opponent is most likely going to do to try and stop you, based on afore said scouting. It seems too often.. they just throw a dart at the play board and hope for the best. I know they normally give the players the bye week off. But I would have practices every day, just a different kind of practice. Have them all just go line up correctly in pads, and stand there for 5 mins at a time. Force them to be mindful of their assignments, where the LOS is (are they offside), think. Just think. Why are you 15 yards off the LOS when they only need 4yds? Why are you going to lose contain and let the RB easily get around you to the sideline? What do you do when the guy covering you, blitzes? Why are you running down field like you're lost when you're supposed to break to the outside? Just think about all this. Stand there, repeatedly, in different looks and stand there. Think. No talking, no walking, no nothing.. just thinking. Then, every day after practice, everyone meets in the meeting room and sits patiently while Brady writes on the white board… “I will not forget James Cook is on the team.” 1,000 times. Then have Babbich stand up and write… “I will not suck. I will simplify the defensive communication and I will stop checking the equity reports on my house in anticipation of moving this winter and focus on the Panthers.” 1,000 times. (I'd probably make them do it in cursive writing, just to mess with them.. but i can be dic at times) but.. like i said.. i've never played professional football. So, these are probably bad ideas.

This issue has been discussed before… it’s always better to defer and “double dip” if possible. The only reason this is still an issue here is because our defense, seemingly, always gives up an opening drive score! So I ask, would it be better to take the ball and score first. Then let the other team score. And be 7-7. Or is it better the let them score first, then we score. And be 7-7. ..but in the second scenario, we’re assured to get the ball to start the 3rd quarter. You just have to accept the fact that our opponents will score on their opening drive. It’s just part of the game plan. I’m not sure why? But it sure seems to be.

Does this include Defensive Coordinator position!?

That would be… ieatcrayonz if my memory serves correct. Perhaps the best troll artist ever. === About the game and team, overall…. Yes, we’ve been 4-2 pretty much every year recently. But this year it does feel different. Offensively it seems to me like they’re just getting too cute, to use a phrase everyone seems to be using. It’s almost as though they’re trying to stay a step ahead of everyone and just failing. They started the season with six offensive lineman or three tight ends. They were power, they were running over teams. In the past on third and short, Josh would do the run up the middle and 1st down. And now they’ve decided to abandon all that even though no one was really the stopping it. Why? I also think the lack of a true outside receiver is once again hurting the team. Defenses just don’t respect our wide receivers and they’re putting everything they have into stopping the run and getting to Josh. Last year we got Amari Cooper that helped, even though he wasn’t horribly productive, but he made defenses be honest. What are they gonna do this year? And I’ve seen other people mention this with Coleman… but seriously, he has to be able to run more routes than just sideline back shoulder jump ball type throws. The defenders know this; they play him super tight and more often than not. It’s a highly contested catch. He just doesn’t make anything look easy. Defensively, the safeties are easily our biggest weakness. I was not high on Cole Bishop to start the season, even though everybody thought he was gonna be amazing. But not only is he slow to react I think it’s totally throwing off the communication. Everybody seems out of place cornerbacks, linebackers, and the safeties. The biggest issue I see on defense is lack of communication and people just unknowing what to do. So if they’re gonna keep Bishop and Rapp trying to direct this defense like Hyde and Poyer, they need to simplify it dramatically. I don’t know if Babich is the guy to do that. One thing I’m fairly certain of just getting one or two players back that don’t know the system isn’t going to help they’re gonna be just as confused and lost as the guys that are out there currently. I would seriously consider benching Bishop and/or Rapp and play Poyer and anyone. And that’s why I’m not as confident as I was when the Texans beat us last year. I think in the bye week, they need to seriously self scout and get back to what they do best on offense. And defensively simplify the hell out of it. A trade or two for an actual wide receiver, or safety wouldn’t hurt as well.

Nothing to see here. These are not the penalties you’re looking for. It is quite clear the league favors certain teams. Pegula needs to donate healthily to the competition committee.

Agreed…. But they just beat the Eagles. Then flew across the pond (something that leads to piss poor play by a lot of teams) and held on to win. They’re 4-2 with a stout defense. If people are talking the colts and jags as surprising playoff caliber teams in mid October …you have to out Denver in that group

I think you have to throw the Broncos into that mix.

How does a player get injured bad enough to go to IR during a practice?

I’m pretty sure you’re not panicking enough.

It’s hard to fault the success of our offense since Brady took over. But I do agree, I feel like they could/should have a little more variety at times. Or be able to mix the tempo and/or style up from time to time to keep teams guessing.

Because about half this board has been saying …since the last preseason game… that he’s going to come back, and a week later be the starter that saves our defense.

I’m sorry but Al needs to retire. I honestly don’t understand why people with no financial reason hold on for so long.

F me. Why does every player that has a decent game come up injured after and miss the next game(s). wtf is it with these guys

I've said this for a while now, the best thing Pegula can do for this team is get on the Competition Committee and buddy up to Roger and the head of referees dude. Take them all to nice dinners and offer to hold committee meetings on your yacht in the Mediterranean. Its been obvious for decades that the Bills get zero breaks from the refs, especially when playing certain teams such as the Patriots.

Gotta say… of all the takes I've read this week… this one seems the most accurate to my eyes. The Bills looked like the Bills. On defense, they gave up plays, but made enough plays to keep them to 6 points in the first half. The offense was moving the ball around well… until they weren’t. Just too many penalities and the turnovers, obviously. Granted, I contend a lot of the penalties were extremely ticky tack calls, while they let the Pats get by with much more. Yes, Palmer may have been more than a yard off the line, but he was maybe 1.25 yards off the line. It was not blatantly bad, and in most all instances that alignment isn't called. That all being said, the Pats just had a solidly good game plan. And they came in fired up and wanting that win more. Diggs played his best game in like 4? years! The Bills did what they've been doing… and didn't match the intensity of the game. My concern after this game is that they, as a team, are becoming too predictable. Allen likes to roll out to his right when the drive/game is on the line; so they overloaded the right side, and forced him into the teeth of their line. That, along with sound run defense, made for a tough game and Brady had little plan or ability to counter it. Even still, if the Bills don't turn the ball over or get a couple penalties on every drive (or the refs call PI when Shakir gets tackled), they probably win the game. The defense.. well its just always going to be what it is.. bend and pray they don't break. Which may be fine, but they need to have a Plan B for stopping an offense that only needs a FG with 2 mins or less in a game! In that situation, bending means you will break when kickers can easily make 50+ yarders now. Speaking of WRs getting tackled, is it just me or does Coleman seem to get mugged on almost every catch he makes? I get it, he's slow. He doesn't get separation. But it seems every time I see him going up after a ball a defender is draped all over him.

Same. Attended the game… with my whole family. Every time that many of us are in one place, watching the game we lose. 😕 but it was my first and only game at Rich Stadium. I hoped Josh would be strong enough to overcome our jinx. But, alas, even Josh has his limitations. We’re all flying home to our respective states today. So next week should be better.

This is an interesting point. I recall after the Ravens game someone stating that the Ravens took advantage of the crowd noise when they were on offense, and snapped the ball quickly. Thus, they effectively nullified the Bills’ defensive communication presnap. And it worked on a few plays, at least. The Saints are known to run a very fast, up tempo offense (at least that’s what I read in the pregame write ups). I wonder how much the crowd noise and speed of the NO offense contributed to Bills’ players not properly communicating and being slightly out of position on numerous plays? The result was alot of missed tackles and generally sloppy looking play. It could be something to watch for. Also, if there’s even a modicum of a possibility of this being true; I really hope the coaches are smart enough to develop a counter system of quicker calls/communication schemes. Because I can’t see the Bills fans being quieter, especially in the playoffs.

Got 2 points to make: 1. People need to stop thinking the odds actually relate to how a game will go. They’re trying to get you to bet. Stop using it as a barometer for judging how easy a game will be. 2.People need to stop thinking ANY game is going to be a blow out, easy win and therefore we should rest all our starters and get practice squad players playing time. This notion that we can just roll over a team, so let’s get the practice squad guys some live reps is just ridiculous. ..and jinxes the team!! this felt like an ugly game, but a wonderful win!! Take it all day and move on! 4-0 Go Bills!

That’s what I think too… We get the PED Boys back, eventually Hairston will be activated again as well. So who get cut when that happens? I maybe give Jackson a real game tryout. But that’s risky as hell. The Defense is already seeing mistakes from young guys like Bishop and Sanders. At some point, that’s going to get us in trouble. I agree 100%. Just makes me nervous. LOL

It typical BBFS, I fully expect the Bills will end up as the 1 seed. And still get the Ravens in the Divisional round, and the Chiefs in the AFCCG. Q we Epenesa is apparently the new TBD whipping boy? The notion that Landon Jackson, who by all accounts looked bad during camp and preseason and hasn’t dressed for any of the first 3 games, can step in and be better than Epenesa is ridiculous. I think too many people place hope and misguided expectations above reality. It’s a bit like folks thinking Hairston, who hasn’t even taken a practice snap since late July, can come off IR and immediately be better than Tre (or even Strong). It just isn’t going to happen, folks. He may be better one day, but frankly I’d be shocked if it’s this season. Similar, again, to the talk back in July of Davis being as good as Cook. Hence, we can trade our best offensive weapon not named Allen. It’s just hope and misguided expectations of players being plug and play pieces. And completely ignores the reality of the world, the team, and the sport they’re playing. I hope Jackson and Hairston are all pro, long term Bills. But it should not be the expectation that they’re going to beat out current starters any time soon. and BTW… WTF with Oliver! 3 games because someone stepped on his foot.

We’re flying in for this game as well. It’ll be my first game in Buffalo. I’ve seen them in quite a few other stadiums over the many years, but never had the opportunity with my job to make the trip to Buffalo in the fall. All my sisters and parents are flying in as well, so it’ll be a family affair! They planned it all, bought the tickets and everything. I’m just showing up. LOL. The wife and I will get up early and go see the Falls (she’s never been). We’ll head back down to Buffalo on Saturday and meet up with the family and eat and drink all the things from there! Absolutely looking forward to my pilgrimage to the holy land!

F thay mentality! This whole notion that we would have to beat KC and every other top team to validate our team is just ridiculous. If we made the SB, would it only matter if we face Philly? We don’t have to banish any demons to legitimize anything. Just win! I’m not sure who I want to lose… but no way I can cheer for KC. Go Bills!

To be fair… Henry is about the only current running back in the league that can do this. AND that’s only after he gets pst the line and builds up some speed. So, I think that’s a bit asking for a RB that’s a once in a generation find. Cook hits the line and pushes the pocket when needed. He’s also patient and sets up his blocks at a top tier level. And then he can instantly shift gears and out run DBs. I’m just so glad they worked a deal to keep him in the team. Go Bills!

Thank you.