Merle

If the Bills make it to the Super Bowl, they are actually going to snap the ball on a 4th down at some point, get a huge play because the defense KNOWS they are just faking it, and win the game! They have been setting that play up all year long. 😄

Ha! You're right - I guess I've been convinced not to worry about #2 "Bad Josh" anymore. 😉 That was probably more of a "knee-jerk" reaction to watching Bills teams find a way to "grab defeat from the jaws of victory" over the years. So glad those days are over!

"Bad Josh" was the just the moniker folks used to describe Josh last year when he would make bad decisions (usually trying to make a play when it would have been better to either throw it away, or even just take a sack). He seemed to have "grown out of that" for the most part this year ... but it surfaced again on that one play today. I don't expect him to be perfect with his "execution" ... I just want him to make the right decision. Trying to make "something out of nothing", and in the process, giving up a possible FG attempt, and nearly losing the ball, was the absolute worst case possible. He really had pretty much stopped make decisions like that this year ... but it showed up again at the worst possible time.

Three things from this game worry me going forward in the playoffs: 1. Designed QB runs are back from some reason - way too many, and mostly not effective, and exposed Josh to unnecessary hits. Yes, the first one down near the goal line worked, but the second one was nearly a disaster ... that Josh turned into a "fluke" TD to Knox. 2. "Bad Josh" showed up on the play where he lost 20 yards on a sack and nearly fumbled it away when the Bills were within FG range near the end of the game. 3. Pass rush was pretty much non-existent. 4. Colts essentially left 7 points on the table (going for it on 4th down instead of FG, going for 2 instead of 1, doinked 33-yd FG) and lost by 3. On the other hand, this was exactly the type of game that the "old Bills" definitely would have lost somehow (either on that "hail Mary", or some other way). The fact that they won "in spite of themselves" against a Colts team that was much better than anyone thought is a positive. Go Bills!

He came off the field earlier in the 4th after making a tackle on 2nd down. I didn't notice that he had come back in. Just heard a "Zoom" interview with him after the game - he's fine, and no doubt about playing next week.

Just heard an interview with Darius Leonard from the locker room after the game. Says he's fine, no doubt that he will play next week.

Didn't really get to see him need to do much in pass protection today. Wonder what that part of his game is like at this point? He sure has "fresh legs", and was a determined runner today. Looked like the reincarnation of Marshawn!

I live in Indianapolis now, so have "had to" watch nearly all of their games this year. Rivers is definitely at or near the end of his career, and his arm won't scare anybody. BUT ... he is smart, knows where to go with the football, and their O-line does an excellent job protecting him. Of biggest concern is the Colts' running game, with Taylor and Hines. That sets up everything they do on offense. The Bills will need to "sell out" to stop the run, and take their chances with Rivers' passing. If they can jump out to a quick lead, and force Indy to rely on Phillips' arm, they should be fine. On the other side of the ball, their defense is stout against the run, but their secondary has been "shaky" at times, especially against teams with 2 or more good receivers. LB Darius Leonard, the "heart and soul" of their D, left the game today with some sort of injury. Haven't heard any sort of injury report on him yet.

From the replay, Beasley may have tweaked a hamstring .... ;-(

Here's another one I just happened to come across ... made by a guy from Clarence.

Thanks for clarifying for me. That's great news!

If Daboll does get a HC gig, the odds are he will take most of his staff with him, including Dorsey.

Thanks for posting this. I'd forgotten how good a receiver Tasker was when pressed into service that year at WR. This was a fun game to watch again!

We could definitely use a Darryl Talley type player on D!

Awful ..

At the very least, it was a pretty "ticky-tacky" call, and one you wouldn't normally expect to be made at that point in the game (at least, in the "old days") ... especially if it favored the Bills! It's hard not to think that at least part of that was a "make-up call" for the absolutely bogus INT earlier.

On at least 2 "Bills FB groups" I was monitoring, there was a bit of of confusion over whether the "injury to TRE" was referring to TreDavious White or Tremaine Edmunds, and that may be one way the "rumors" about TreDavious being injured got started.

Maybe because his birthday is opening day, so they expect a good game from him against the Jets? 😉

Oops, sorry about that - I didn't do a "search" first. Perhaps the mods can combine these threads?

Another shot from the same Hard Knocks episode shows he also has kept a bunch of information from his days with the NY Jets as well ..... I especially like the one titled "2012 Offensive Offseason Playbook"! 😉

That makes sense ... I guess I'm just surprised that they let coaches walk out with what would seemingly be "proprietary intel" when they are let go. The first thing players have to do when they are cut is turn in their play book ....

Check out Lynn's bookshelves in the background of this vid cap from this week's "Hard Knocks - Los Angeles" episode. And if you look closely, it appears that the red binders on the top-left of that same shelf may have the Bills logo as well ... ???

It's all about the Bass ......

Seems like it would have to come with a fairly complicated set of rules about what sort of crowd reaction is appropriate under what circumstances, and at what volume, etc, and that would be a nightmare to "officiate". You always hear about visiting teams wanting to "quiet the crowd", but if the home team gets to control what the fake crowd noise sounds like, that would never happen. Also, I'm sure there would have to be a rule against "boo'ing" controversial penalties and other calls (and non-calls).