Dan

With the loss last week and the chiefs and steelers continuing to win, I'm seeing it the same way.

Really anxious to see how the team, mostly the defense, rebounds after last week. The defense embarrassed themselves. Do they have it in themselves to slow down one of the most potent offenses in the league?

Would be great to see a Chiefs loss, but today is the day we find out how good the Steelers are. For all the talk of Bills at Lions, the Steelers/Eagles game is pretty big too!

Lots of talk about changing things up, benching Hamlin, starting Bishop, etc.; just generally seeing what guys can do. I completely disagree. This is our last real game of the regular season. They need to play this like a playoff game and see how they stack up against the #1 team in the NFC (based on record). It’s the final real game! After this… we get 3 games to try things out, rest players, do whatever they want. The only true consideration after tomorrow is seeding. If we can win, and depending on what the Chiefs & Steelers do maybe we play things differently. But we’ll have 3 weeks with the only real concern being can they maintain the intensity they’ll need once the playoffs start. We still have a long way to go! Wrapping up the division like we did is just insane for how this team is able to end the season. But, for one more week, I’d play like it all matters; especially since they lost focus, drank too much of their own kool-aid, and ***** the bed last week.

I’m not sure you can say that. One of the greatest playoff games in history… Allen matched him score for score in the 4th quarter… scored the winning TD. Only to sit down and watch the defense lose the game in the final 13secomds and OT. Allen outplayed Mahomes in that game. Heck even last year.. Allen brought them to with a very marketable FG to tie and send it to OT. Only to sit down and watch the kicker miss. Josh has been clutch. The difference is, Josh has to build a 2 score lead to have the same chance of winning that Mahomes has with a 2 pt lead.

That’s not a bad wish list at all! What would make it better is if they can manage the roster and injuries, using the final week like a bye week. So that with steam is rested and injury free to start the playoffs! While still being the #2 seed.

On that play and the one at the end of the game in 4th and 5… the Bills Dlineman in this case Von… need to cross the line, make contact and force them to call the penalty.

The missed false start on the Rams 4th and 5 was a horrible miss. That backs them into a 4th and 10 and likely changes the outcome of the game. And a false start is an easy call! …unlike the pass interference which they seem to make up to suit their whims. I won’t even get into those calls.

Thinking about the game, while on my 2nd flight and watching the Chiefs just magically pull out another FG to win…. I was left with a few thoughts that will probably get lost in the fray of this thread. But: 1. I agree with you. Josh and the Offense is the silver lining here. The Bills offense was phenomenal. At the start of the 4th quarter, it seemed we were fated for a 2 score loss. But Josh refused to give up. Our offense can go toe to toe with anyone! And for those nitpicking a Josh throw or 2. Just stop. Stop. You cannot ask for him to do more than he did in this game. So stop. If the defense could have forced just one more FG or if they could just mount the dang ball… Josh pulls out an amazing win. So just stop nitpicking his play. 2. Going in to this game I was curious to see how the team would play. Last week was emotionally as high and as good as it can get in the regular season. Would they come out a little flat? Or would they come out like business as usual? Well… they came out a little flat. Granted… they’ve clinched the division and have a month of football still to play. So they have a little breathing room to lose focus. But, I was hoping the team would have played better from the get go. 3. I think what concerns me, and so many here, is that nearly every loss is squarely due to the defensive scheme. We just had zero answer to what the Rams were doing. And it’s in all our minds… Will the defense come out with a game like this and waste another amazing offensive performance..and our season? At some point McD has to figure out the soft zone crap just doesn’t work all game against the better QBs. Right? I want to believe. The playoffs are on the horizon and they just have to be better. 4. We don’t have to win next week, but man it sure would feel good to come out with a better game plan and execution than we just saw. I’m not ready to pull Milano, but you have to plan for him maybe not coming back to form this season. I would give Williams some reps each week to keep his head in the game. Because it may be needed.

Agreed… they may have still went for it… but I would have forced that decision on them at 4th and 7. If you’re lucky they feel that’s too much and go for the long FG. ..which I’m sure they would have gotten give the way the game was going! But I would take Allen needing 6 in that situation all day, given how he was playing. Conversely, you give them 2 plays to get a first down, by backing them up. We hadn’t stopped them all day. At the time I was thinking no way I give stafford and those guys 2 more tries! No way. I’m not second guessing McD… at the time in the game.. I was hoping he would decline it. Also… I’m not saying McD needs to be fired… BUT I will say they need to seriously think about this defensive game plan and do something different in the playoffs. That’s all. This game was all too reminiscent of the defense that has gotten us booted in the divisional round every year!

That and the fact that we could not stop there offense to the entire day! They forced the punt in the fourth quarter? Bills got within three with what seven minutes left? Still couldn’t get a stop and gave up a score.

For me, the most egregious call was accepting the penalty at the end of the game. I would’ve forced fourth and long sooner and either had them try it or kicked the long field goal and go up by six. Either way we have more time on the clock. Plus with the way those receivers were playing I had no confidence we would stop them.

Flying and don’t have time to read all this… just wanted to say.. this is the Defense that leads to an early playoff exit every year and wastes awesome play by Josh Allen. These soft zones suck. And Milano… hopefully gets back to game shape… but he’s not as good as Williams right now.

Do you think Pegula would condone all the cheating it would take for BB to win another SB?

I think the reverse is also true… a lot of of people have a negative opinion of Hamlin based on past play. And aren’t seeing the contributions he’s making to a playoff caliber team, currently. I stand by my original premise… Hamlin will not be benched in favor of Hyde. Cooper was totally different. We needed a WR to fill a specific need. He does that. And compliments our existing WR room very nicely. But it’s interesting Hollins is brought up… considering how many posters complained about him back in Sept.

I just don’t understand the hate for Hamlin. As some have said, this team is clicking right now. You don’t just screw with that chemistry. It’s risky enough just putting Milano in the game. And if anyone saw him play against SF you realize the liability and rust he brought to the game! I digress… Milano will get better; just needs snaps to get the rust out. I don’t think for one minute Hyde was signed to replace Hamlin. What this is, is good roster management! We need depth at safety. It’s a no brainer to bring Hyde back for that depth. And I love that they’re doing it now. He has a few weeks to get into shape. If all goes well, we have 2 or 3 largely meaningless games to close the season. That will be a great opportunity to manage the roster and playing time to ensure everyone is healthy and locked in when the playoffs start. Hyde being able to substitute in at safety should ensure that position groups stays healthy. This is an awesome roster add… but, yeah, anyone thinking Hamlin won’t be starting is gonna be disappointed.

Thank you! I think all too often people on this forum just need someone to complain about. Hamlin is that guy, currently. There’s really not a lot of sense to it. But there’s always gotta be at least one.

I think he was alluding to Kelce always wanting to lateral to someone and score a TD. And bam… Allen and Cooper just did it with out planning it! Also I think his .. no..no.. no.. reaction during the play… in my mind.. was a literal breakdown of announcing and for a moment he was just a fan of Allen and was in disbelief of the play.. just as we all were. That was a true shock reaction to a play that just no one could believe happened!

I used to watch the games from 90s cause I missed good football. 2 years ago? Maybe it was.. I stopped. Now if I wanna see the Bills playing good football… I just gotta watch last week’s game. It’s such a great feeling to see this team each week.

Took down all the fall decorations. Bought a Christmas tree and a few new Christmas decorations to put up next weekend.

Easily the best game/match up breakdown out there. Thank you.

The way I see it… Bills need to play hard for at least 3 weeks. After the Lions game (maybe the 1st Pats game)… see where the standings are. At that point either keep playing hard for the 1 seed. Or rest players as needed to be healthy for the playoffs. AND if they get to the last week and #1 is not possible ..treat it like a bye.

I been drinking too

Agreed. That call was pure arrogance. One more run and the game is likely over. At most it’s 4th and 1 and they could pick that up and end the game.

58yds