Success

It seems like it's been 50 hours since this day started. I don't think I have ever been so ready for Buffalo Bills football.

The night game is fun - but the way the day is going, I'm concerned about my sobriety at that time....

I mean - is there a better city for an away game, during a holiday that's all about eating? Sounds awesome. I always wanted to try crawfish stuffing.

I think Beane is a genius, and among the best GM's in the NFL. But he miscalculated this offseason, and it was a big miss. I think he saw the O-line and RB situation as "good enough." No doubt that he didn't think those units were world beaters, but that they'd be able to do the job of keeping the offense at least minimally balanced and protect Allen. If we don't win a SB this season, those 2 units are the reason why (I know this isn't a newsflash). I get that we had to address things like pass rush as well, and that on paper, the O-line didn't look as bad as they've been playing - but the run game is a tough one. Looking around the league, other teams were able to upgrade fairly easily. The Bills just didn't make much of an effort.

Great write-up. The only word I disagree w/ is "arguably." Love the Rivera analogy & it's definitely appropriate. The penalties are probably the #1 problem right now. McD needs his own version of Levy's "don't be dumb, don't be dirty." Fixing that alone puts us back in contention. 100% agree on the last part. I think this team bought the hype, and we've kind of seen that not just in the play, but in some of the body language (and the Jags defender noticed that also). In some games, it seems like they were thinking more about who they might face in the AFCCG than in the task at hand. If the last month doesn't wake them up from that dream, not much will - but I tend to think they'll come around. I just don't know if that's enough to get them to the SB w/ the current construction of the team. Anything is possible this season, with no clear fave.

I was just about to post PB & Mayo - it was one of my Dad's favorites. I could never bring myself to try it (and have never heard anyone else mention it until this thread! Must be something to it....)

Others have said it, but it is ironic: Beane focused the offseason on getting past KC, which I think most of Bills fandom thought was logical. And we beat KC. But now we have a hard time with every other good team. It all seems so glaring when I watch other teams - the good ones can ALL run, and most can stop the run. The Bills aren't really built to do either right now.

Is Feliciano really done for the season? I hadn't seen that, and nothing came up when I googled except that he's on IR. I feel like the line could be just good enough for a playoff run - ONLY if they're completely healthy, with Brown and Feliciano. Not what you want, but at least there would be a chance if both guys return.

Many have said Allen isn't playing as well and is reverting to "hero ball" sporadically, which is all true. But there are reasons FOR that, that are obvious, imo. He has no time in the pocket, or running game. When the game starts to get away from the Bills, he feels like he has to take it on himself. And he's not necessarily wrong.

I keep waiting for the story on the "players only" meeting. Maybe I missed it. But I agree - they need some kind of spark. They look lost right now.

For me, one of the real losses of the "Brady/BB" era was the diminishing and eventual disappearance of all other rivalries. I feel that most acutely w/ the Phins & Jets, who I can barely muster dislike for anymore. But I used to hate the G-men, and now I love them, for keeping the evil empire from 2 more rings.

If I was a Saints fan, this would not be exciting news for me.

Man, if Ford could pull it together & play w/ some consistency, it would really solve some problems. Here's hoping that he's turning a corner. Outstanding, detailed analysis. Thank you, OP.

Appreciate the response, and I still feel okay about the season. Not as good as I did - but like you said, there are enough games on the schedule that we should be favored in, and if we can just split w/ the Pats, or beat TB, or both - we could be right back in one of the top positions heading into the playoffs. I just feel like the team needs to find its way again. They look disinterested at times, and the penalties/undisciplined play is really costing us. I believe there is such a thing as a "championship winning mentality." We don't have it now - the Colts did yesterday. We can get it back, but I don't think that happens magically. They have to work at it, at all levels.

I smiled at the reference. And I kind of know what you're saying. I thought of another movie yesterday after the game, "Bull Durham." I love the scene where Crash tells the coach to "scare 'em," and he throws all of the bats into the shower and does the whole "lollygag" speech. That's what the team needed yesterday, and I just don't know if McD is that kind of coach. I mean, I get that this analysis is really narrowing what a coach needs to be, but sometimes you have to make it clear to a team that certain play can't be tolerated. We know BB does that, to a micromanaging fault.

I respect that, and it does seem like the short game should be easier. It's kind of like we have it now as a fallback, instead of being designed that way - maybe if we go into a game and that's the gameplan, like the Pats do w/ Jones. But I see the hero ball & lack of help as being intertwined. I think Allen has gone back to more hero ball out of desperation - basically, because there isn't much help out there for him. You can only take so many sacks & have so many 3rd & longs before you start forcing the issue.

I have always said that I only want to go back to the SB if we had the kind of team that could win it (obviously, any team that makes it there can win - but I wouldn't want to be out-matched, and have to rely on luck or a few breaks). Right now, I don't think this is that team. Of course I'd still want to make it if they got on a run, but that week will be much more nerve-wracking. It feels like we will need luck the whole way if we want to be that team that's still there at the end.

Ultimately, the Bills don't have the personnel on the 2021 team that they need to make the adjustments that they really need to make. They need better O-linemen, and they need a better starting RB. Every RB we have is a #2 or #3. They need more creativity to overcome those 2 glaring flaws if they want to contend THIS season. We use McKenzie like this sometimes, but the wideouts need to get involved in the running game more. Throw in more reverses & misdirections. It's gimmicky, but they even need more trick plays. This is chess. Teams have 'figured the Bills out' and play the same cover 2 that they do against TB and KC now. The Bills have to adjust to that and figure out how to make teams pay for that. They have the personnel to find that answer. They have to put it together w/ duct tape & glue until the cavalry can arrive in the form of offseason acquisitions.

Great post! Same here. I love being a Bills fan, despite the ups & downs. It's a big part of who I am, which sounds weird sometimes to non-sports people. I'm all in, and always will be. Hopefully, we all get that ultimate pay-off at some point w/ a SB win, but if it doesn't happen, I'll have no regrets.

To me, 99% of Allen's regression is factors he can't control. Bad protection & run game. Similar issues to last year when he did well - but clearly, defenses have adjusted to who the Bills are. When a D doesn't respect the run game, it gets much harder for a QB.

I'll probably get laughed at, but isn't Antonio Williams still on our practice squad? I felt like he played well when given the chance, and he's a different style of back.

Seems like the make or break of the season. How quickly things turn in the NFL. I have faith that they can do it, and turn this thing around. But I'm ready for anything. Saints are desperate also.

So, cherrypick the bad moves, and leave out the many good ones? No GM bats 1,000, or even close to it.

I was trying to remember the last time I watched a Bills game and thought, "wow - they're not even trying." It felt that way in the 4th yesterday - particularly the defense. There was one drive, I think it was after Allen's 2nd INT: The Colts had a 2nd and 10 from the 11, and Taylor kind of danced through our D to get to the 1. There was a guy who had a chance to tackle him right away, and then every other yard or so. Just half-hearted arm tackles the whole run. They were mailing it in at that point. There is no way they were putting forth even close to full effort. The body language was bad the whole 2nd half. It looks like guys were either sulking or not taking the game seriously - which reflected the comments of one of the Jags defenders after we lost to that team. It's a bad sign when a team quits on a coach, and combined w/ how undisciplined they are w/ all of the penalties, I feel like many of our problems start w/ the coaching staff right now. I'm a huge McD supporter and I'm happy he coaches the Bills - but these are issues that they need to find a way to correct.

So, your mindset is "we're winning the Super Bowl!" ? Got it. Good to know where you're at. This thread is for realistic takes.