Gray Beard

Their FG kicker was injured. He missed one, and the next time they went for a first down on a fourth down rather than kick. They failed and the ball went over to Dallas. With a decent FG kicker the score could have been 9-0 in the first half. The failed/unattempted FGs were both less than 40 yards so they shouldn't have been too hard for a pro kicker.

I thought Dallas had a superstition or tradition or something and they don't wear the dark blue jerseys if they can possibly avoid it. They could wear white with the Chargers wearing light blue. Especially at home.

Would NE let us beat them at home in week 17? They may be playing for home field advantage in the playoffs, or maybe by then they will have already clinched, which means they would be playing a lot of scrubs. By letting us win they would hurt our draft standing. Would they accept a home loss for that? I think we beat the Phins at home, and maybe the Colts. So 2 more wins, unless NE loses to us in a game where winning can only hurt us.

In the hunt... Are we the lion or the zebra? They are both "in the hunt" Ground up and in the freezer

Every recent Bills game has involved a weird record. And not in a good way. What will it be this time? Most combined yards and TDs by a rookie RB? Most TDs by a TE?

Do you think Rex would have turned the ship around if he was given two more years? Rex may be an anomaly. Just playing devil's advocate.

I am hoping that Tony points out some things that the rest of us have been tearing our hair out over. Like the Oline that doesn't block. Or the LBs that can't figure out if they are playing pass or run, so they do neither. Or telegraphing that it's going to be a run and the defense is waiting for it. Or wondering why there are so few play action plays. Or commenting on all the open receivers as Tyrod takes a sack. Maybe a little exposure/embarrassment on national TV will motivate "somebody" to do "something." Note: I don't know who "somebody" is, and I don't know what "something" is.

Every new coach says he will adjust his scheme to fit the players already on the roster. Then they don't. I think it's a travesty. Every new coach ends up dumping most of the players and getting THEIR guys for THEIR scheme. Trust the process. It will take three years just to find out if the new coach's scheme is any good. And then you realize it isn't, so you start over.

I still don't understand why Groy doesn't play. Last year he filled in pretty well. He has to be better than Vlad and/or Miller.

I'm not saying that Peterman should start again. I was willing to go along with the experiment, and hopefully that's all it was. I also don't think Tyrod playing the whole game would have made enough of a difference for the Bills to beat the Chargers. His starting debut reminded me of Brian Brohm, and he disappeared right after that fiasco. I'm just saying that he didn't foreshadow the meltdown in his limited experience in garbage time. I also said in several threads that I was concerned that a hard sack would rattle him to the point that he falls apart. That fear was real.

Are people forgetting the week prior? Against the Saints, Peterman moved the chains and points were scored. He was throwing with confidence. He had a quick, high release. Perhaps that is what earned him the start. Yes, it was in garbage time. But maybe the coach thought the spark was real. Tyrod has a tendency to hold the ball too long. I'm yelling "throw it" at the TV for just about every pass play with Tyrod. An experiment that failed. Now the coach has to figure out what to do. Admit his mistake, or double down. Which will it be?

Numb may not be the word of my choice. I'm disgusted, disappointed, upset, etc. But I don't let it get me down the way it used to. So in that respect I guess I'm a little numb. I think the expectations were low this year, and the wins at first were a surprise. Of course, those wins were largely the result of an unusual number of takeaways. But, alas, that method of winning was not sustainable.

3 and outs kill any chances that the defense might have. If the defense is the main culprit these days, and TT may get a few more first downs than Peterman, then playing TT to give the defense a little more rest may be important. Peterman seems like the big play kind of guy, and TT seems like a grind it out kind of guy. Going for big plays will often result in 3 and out. Grind it out will likely take more time off the clock and give the defense a rest. I would put in TT if I was trying to win. I would put in Peterman if I am experimenting to see if he can be a starter someday.

I don't understand why they got rid of Woods and Darby. I assume the Benjamin trade must have been a quick reaction based on inside info from Carolina and a perception that he could be enticed to stick around. The Dareus situation was a lose-lose, they had to do something sooner or later, and they chose sooner. All in all, I agree with the OP.

I believe that head coaches in the NFL are intelligent people. They must have a plan. But there are so many things I have never understood... EVERY coach says they are not married to a scheme, and will adapt to the players that are on the roster. Maybe Belichick does and maybe that's his secret. I know Brady is possibly the GOAT, but their defense always rises above expectations, they seem to plug in receivers and running backs without much drop off. But Rex didn't do it. McDermitt isn't doing it. I don't buy into the idea that you jettison players that are too big, too small, too slow, have slow eyes, or whatever the problem is. You are a smart person. You have coached on many levels. Scout your own team and figure out how to use them. It doesn't seem that hard. Start by adjusting responsibilities of DL, LB, CB and S until you get an effective unit. That really doesn't seem like a stretch.

Other than KW95, who are the D-linemen? Why are LBs covering receivers, and CBs are tackling runners? How can a run up the middle go for 5+ yards EVERY. SINGLE. TIME? How can a RB carry the pile for over 5+ yards? Etc.., Etc., Etc. So many things about this defense that I don't understand.

Peterman behind a banged up offensive line scares me. TT could run for his life and avoid the sack or big hit. I don't know how Peterman will handle it. If he has a bad experience early in the game it could rattle him. That is a story line I will be anxious about.

If terrible means he throws into tight windows and gets intercepted or leads his receivers into big hits, then it may be a learning experience. If terrible means too many check downs, running when receivers are open, or really awful touch/accuracy, it may be a sign of trouble.

That would trigger concussion protocol. His day would be done.

My biggest fear is that Peterman gets hit hard. Nobody knows how a QB will react until it happens. Will he get scared like Trent? Will he stay in the game and play like garbage like Fitz? What if he has to leave the game? Then TT comes back into the game with a huge cloud over him. I am a worst case scenario kind of guy. Can't help it.

I think the fact that TT only had one completion to KB may have factored into the decision. They went and got their shiny new toy, and TT didn't want to play with it. It's all fun and games until Peterman gets smacked around a few times. I wonder if he will be able to hold up if it gets rough. I think it makes sense to find out.

This article was written two games ago. Two important games ago.

This is the time of year that is all too familiar with all of us. I watch the game and hope the Bills win. I come to this forum and get the latest scoop. But in my heart I know it's probably over. After the Super Bowl years I used to get upset over losses. Now I just sigh and move on. Very little emotional commitment. If they sneak into the playoffs, I will be very happy. I might even say I never doubted them. Within a week or two we will know whether this season is really over. If that happens, I will try to get excited for next year but unless there is some meaningful signing, I will not get caught up in the manufactured hype.

Draft players and then four years later draft their replacements. That's a nice touch, and makes perfect sense in a seven year plan.

You mean the method of winning was not sustainable? (Sorry, I never get tired of that one) Earlier in the season, there were comments that the score should have been more lopsided given the number of turnovers the Bills were getting. Now, without the turnovers, there isn't enough scoring to get the win.