smuvtalker

I'm with you 100%. I don't want to sound like a negative Nancy, I'm just really really paranoid about today. I'm praying for a Bills victory, and God knows we need it bad....I have to say I'm really shocked at how competitive the AFC has been this year. No way I would've believed that by week 11 every team in our division would have a winning record. Hopefully with the Lions both starting guards out plus their number one CB, we can take advantage....If they're gonna double Stef, today would be an awesome day for Gabe to have a redemption game and get 135 + 2 TDs....and to see Cook continue to get more touches.... he's ready to break a big one any game now, I feel it. On a positive note, the last game I was this anxious/worried was the Pittsburgh game...

And on the flip side of the coin, when I'm watching and the Bills start stinkin up the joint, I feel like I am directly responsible, and immediately turn the TV off.

Gosh, I hate to be that guy.... overly critical when everyone else is being light-hearted and congratulatory but.... I'm gonna have to give it an 8.8. Your feet weren't correctly spaced apart on the initial jump, I'm gonna have to subtract .10 for failing to fully tuck, and another .10 for lack of crispness on your form upon entry into the snow. The jump was reckless, and lacked discipline. 😁 All jokes aside, great stuff man, way to represent!!! Let's go Buffalo!!!

Unbelievably well said. I can't for the life of me figure out why sometimes it just seems like Dorsey either refuses or just plumb forgets that he has three sub 4.3 - 4.4 chess pieces at his disposal. For all the maddening things McKenzie does, his speed is flat out undeniable. He, Cook AND Hines all have that extra gear that Dorsey should be able to utilize more. I know it's not as simple as I make it out to be, but there's got to be a way to dial up at least two to three plays a game for each of them....not only would it keep defenses honest to a certain degree but it would also take even more of the pressure off Josh. Detroit's D is bottom of the league in pretty much all categories, IMO this would be the game to unleash them....

Considering our RB's are currently playing as well as they have been all year, and are both trending upwards....Singletary is proving to be a model of consistency. He is rarely going down on first contact and is turning what should've been a 2 yard loss into a 4 yard gain. He got his first two TDs of the season last week and apparently likes the taste. Cook, after a less than impressive first couple games of the season, is an entirely different player altogether per coach McDermott. The kid is improving on a week to week, heck sometimes quarter to quarter basis. His decision-making has improved, he's hitting the holes with authority, and the hesitation and apprehension, nearly gone. One cut and GONE. And the speed we all got sightings of, ooh wee. The kid most certainly has an extra gear, the kind of gear we all salivate over, that home run button. Like I said in another topic, it's just a matter of time before the regular season that IMO Cook WILL be our starting RB. And I haven't even thrown Hines into the equation, who just so happens to be as fast as Cook, if not faster. We haven't really utilized him a ton catching passes out of the backfield or on screens JUST YET, but I have confidence Dorsey will find a way to get him the ball. And to add the cherry, I think we just may have finally found the long term answer to our PR/KR situation. After only a couple short weeks, Hines is 6th in the NFL in kick return average at 25.3 ypg, and 8th in the NFL at 11.2 ypg. In short, I say bring him in for a visit! Git r done Beane!

I liked much of your post, but the above statement, I respectfully disagree with. We have played damn near the entire season with a huge portion of the defense missing, and on more than one occasion the entire starting secondary out. I'm sorry but that is simply too much to ask of any team. The fact that we are 7-3 is IMO nothing short of a miracle. I do agree with you in that we've stopped getting pressure again with our front four which was a huge issue last season and the reason Beane added Settle, Jones, Lawson, and Phillips. But remember, Oliver, Settle, AND Phillips are all dealing with injuries sustained at some point this season and none of them are really at 100%....couple that with the fact Rousseau's absence has been grossly underestimated...the guy was playing monster football this year, both in pass rushing (2nd on the team in sacks) and he has proven to be a hell of a run defender.... IF we get all our starters back (minus Hyde), and that is a colossally huge IF, everything is going to change. Everything.

Josh is most definitely not Josh. I was happy to see him play a turnover free game, but it's pretty obvious he's dealing with something. I'm hoping it's his elbow, and that he's able to work through it. It was so weird reading in one of today's articles, someone referred to his performance as "a proficient game-manager". While true, it was just weird to see him referred to that way.

IMO 10 points is a lot. Would love to see it happen and not saying it can't, but I think Vegas is underestimating the Lions. Winners of 3 in a row, and they were quality opponents (Giants, Packers and Bears). And they only lost to the Dolphins by 4. Add to that the fact they've lost the last 5 Thanksgiving day matchups, I'm assuming we're gonna get their very best effort. That win yesterday was crucial for us in so many ways. Cleaned up our run D, Allen played a much smarter, safer game and got some confidence back, our RB's both looked good, but to me the biggest stat yesterday, and maybe the most underrated, ZERO TURNOVERS. Too many games this year we've had too many self-inflicted wounds. If we can get a few more players back in the lineup (Edmunds, Elam, Groot maybe), I see no reason we can't come away with a W. I'd love to see us dominate for a full four quarters, which is really something we haven't been able to do all year, not counting the games that were blowouts and over by the 4th...

I know this sounds pretty obvious, but 7-3 just looks so much better than 6-4!! Seriously, if we would've lost today, I might've called in sick tomorrow. My boss is tiny little elf of a Jets fan, and I don't think I would've been able to bear hearing his mouth for 8 or 9 hours.... Getting healthy......I honestly have forgotten what that looks like. I was saying in another thread, I can't recall a season, ever, in our team's history that we've had to deal with this many injuries. I mean the fact that we are 7-3 to me is nothing short of a miracle. I feel like hoping our team gets healthy, or close to 100%, is more like a pipe dream at this point. And to hear that Morse AND Epenesa were both in walking boots after the game only frustrates me even more. Fingers crossed it's just for protective measures, but luck hasnt been on our side when it comes to injuries this season.

Couldn't agree more. Been saying this since the Baltimore game. Bottom line is dude is a difference maker in the secondary, and we are far worse without him. I know one person doesn't singlehandedly win or lose you games, but what is it now, 6-0 when he plays??

Well #$&#

Nope, I don't think you're overreacting at all. I agree with you wholeheartedly. I don't mean to simplify this, but in my opinion, it really has got to be one thing moreso than anything else.... injuries. No other area on the team has been ravaged by injuries as much as our secondary has, and that's just a fact. For the entire season, we've started two rookies at the CB positions, and BOTH rookies have missed time due to injuries, so on top of standard rookie growing pains, neither is playing at 100% right now. One of our safeties is out for the year, the other has missed half the season...and the dropoff in talent is SIGNIFICANT. Let's face it, Hamlin has performed admirably, and done everything we've asked of him, but he's no Hyde, and Johnson has been brutal at times. You give me a healthy Tre White starting opposite Dane Jackson, Taron in the slot, with the rookies coming off the bench, with a healthy Poyer and Hyde, and I can promise you we don't see the same struggles on 3rd and infinity. Dare I even say, this team could very well be 9-1 or even 10-0.

I agree. I'm not a big hockey fan, but I do root for the Sabres, and did notice them doing well early on this season. I get the push notifications on my phone so I see the final score every night they play....and I couldn't help but think to myself, "damn, how many in a row have they lost??". So thanks for filling me in.... It may not have been the prettiest win today, and yes, left alot to be desired, but for everything this team has had to go through this past week, and particularly the past 48 hours, I'm damn proud of them. And this victory is as satisfying as any other this year...at least to me.

A few points I wanted to chime in on. Big C was spot on with his review IMO. Even though early on Allen still struggled with accuracy, I loved that he made smart decisions with the football, took what the defense gave him, even threw it away a time or two, and most importantly, ZERO TURNOVERS. I have to agree with several posters, he just looks uncomfortable out there at times. Even on the sidelines, his facial expressions, his body language, just isn't the Josh we all know and love. I'm hoping maybe it's just his elbow, and as it gets better, we see the old Josh. Regardless, still very proud of the way he played today. The PI call on Hamlin, I hated it. Not saying that it was completely absurd OR that it didn't happen, but Hamlin IMO made an outstanding play! He got his head completely around, timed it perfectly...yes, he had his hand on the WR's waist, but it was incidental at best...the ref should've let that one slide... C'mon Gabe. Guy makes the freak of nature circus catches look routine, but drops the ones that hit him right in the damn hands...Josh put that pass on a dime for him and he simply botched it, again. It's like rolling the dice with him. Again, just my humble opinion, but Cook, by the end of the regular season, WILL be our RB1. I have little to no doubt he breaks a big one within the next three weeks. Congrats Bass on tying Steve Christie today(and yourself) with six FG's. And not only did you nail six FG's, every doggone one of them was picture perfect. And someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but that 56 yarder, would've been good from 66.... Was it a pretty win? By no means. Did we make Jacoby Brissett look like the love child of Tom Brady and Mike Vick? Perhaps. We've always had this knack for every once in a while making very average QB's play the game of their life against us. And yes, our secondary looked pretty bad today. But for everything this team had to go through this week, from essentially having no real practice, enduring a historic snowstorm and needing neighbors and fans to help get them to the airport, and having to lose a home game and scramble at the last minute.... I'm filled with nothing but pride for my team, and my city, and this win honestly is one of the most gratifying for me.

I know illness is different, but for the life of me I cannot recall a season, ever, with so many injuries. It's ironic that at the beginning of the season, we(and pretty much the majority of the national media as well) boasted having one of the, if not THE deepest rosters in the league. Our depth was outstanding. It has truly, truly been put to the test. I'm really at a loss for words regarding all of the injuries we've had to endure this season. I kept telling myself, "boy, once we get back to full strength, watch out". At this point I've just kinda become numb. I know that every other team is dealing with injuries of their own, and noone is going to award us any pity points, but Jesus H. Christ, something's gotta give here....

This, 100%. I wholeheartedly agree with you. I don't possess the football IQ that many of you on here are blessed with, so please take my comments with a grain of salt, and know this is simply my humble opinion. I feel like Frazier's biggest problem is his lack of adjustments, and what seems like his downright refusal to abandon the nickel D, even when teams are running the ball straight down our throat. I believe you even mentioned at one point the Jets ran the ball eight straight times! Now I get the Packers game, because even with us up by double digits in the 4th quarter the Packers continued to run the football, essentially giving us the game. But other than that, I don't understand. And this is not an issue that started this season. This issue has reared it's ugly head in previous seasons.

Dude I remember that! I was at a sportsbar in Charlotte, North Carolina at the time, and had looked up a Bills Backers bar to go watch the game at. I didn't know a soul in the building, and by the time he kicked that FG, we were all hugging and hi-fiving like we were lifelong buddies!! Good times man, good times....

I share your sentiments completely. I too have been a Bills fan for over four decades, and have (emotionally) lived and died with this team. I was in high school at the beginning of their four super bowl runs, and in college the year of homerun throwback. I remember getting so upset at my roommate because he laughed as Tennessee ran the ball in for the TD that I literally didn't speak to him for a week. I used to get so excited after a win, and when we'd lose, I would avoid watching ANY sports shows or reading any articles the entire week. As I've gotten older, got married, had children, my priorities changed, and the Bills went on their 17 year drought, I began to care less and less, the pain and emotional stress I endured seemed to just numb with time. Then we hired Sean McDermott and Brandon Beane. Then we drafted one Josh Allen. I'll be the first to admit, I was as upset with the pick as anyone on this message board. How wrong I was. This franchise did a complete 180, and we went from laughing stock to NFL elite, culminating in prior to this current season, a great majority of the country picking the Bills to win it all this year. As this team has grown, developed improved, and blossomed, so has my passion for our beloved Bills. Wins are satisfying once again. I actually ENJOY watching sportscenter, and reading all the articles. Not only are the Bills winning, they are DOMINATING. We've quickly become so spoiled that even when win, if it isn't in what's become customary blowout fashion, we come on here and vent and discuss what needs to happen or where we need to be better. Last week, even with the double digit victory, we found plenty to find fault with, including JA17, who I'll admit, in my biased eyes, can do no wrong. But yesterday.....I don't really have the words to accurately describe what I felt. It wasn't anger. It wasn't disbelief. It certainly wasn't denial. I may not post often, but if you look at my posts, you'll see I'm an eternal optimist. A sunshine, lolipops and rainbows type of guy. I still remain optimistic, I'm still confident we WILL make the playoffs, and will be contending for that number one seed come January. But yesterday's loss did something to me. It filled me with an all-too-familiar feeling, one that I hadn't felt in decades. I haven't turned the TV back on since the game ended. I can honestly say, I DO NOT like this feeling. I don't know what needs to happen. I have my opinions just like the rest of us. We can say Allen needs to be better, our run D has to stiffen up, we need a legitimate WR2, we need to finally establish a consistent run game, we need more reliable slot play, we need guys to get healthier and fast, etc....But what I DO know, and it's the only thing I can say for certain, is that I need Sunday to get here, like right now. Like yesterday as a matter of fact. I need something to wash this nasty, nasty a$$ taste out of my mouth and out of my head. I've heard people say winning cures everything. I really hope they're right. Please forgive the lengthy post, but I really needed to get that off my chest, and I pray it was okay to share amongst my fellow Bills fans. Let's go Buffalo!

I still remain highly confident in our team. Am I hurting right now? More than I have been in years, and I'm not really fully sure why, but this one effing stings. HOWEVER, I take solace in the fact that we played our absolute worst game of the season, and the Jets played a darn near PERFECT game to come away with a 3 point victory. Both of our losses have come by a combined total of 5 measly points. Everyone has the right to be angry, and the right to vent, I'm not trying to take that from anyone, but make no mistake, this is STILL an elite football team, and come January, I have faith we'll still be in the hunt for not just the playoffs, but the number one seed.

Guys, I know we are pissed off right now, and you all have the right to be, and also have the right to vent....but let me just say this.... Yes, we lost today. IMO, we lost the battle on both lines of scrimmage. Allen looked pretty bad yet again, AND threw an uncharacteristic red zone int for the second week in a row. I know you don't want to hear this right now, but make no mistake, this is STILL an elite football team. Hell no we didn't play like one today, but facts are facts. We are 6-2. Both losses, although yes they were division losses, were away games. Both the Jets and the Dolphins have to return to Orchard Park. As someone pointed out, we played our worst game of the season, by far, and the Jets played a darn near PERFECT game, freakin flawless football, to come away with a 3 point victory. Both of our losses have been by a combined total of 5 measly points. I have faith that this loss will light a fire underneath this whole team, players and coaches included, and they WILL rebound from this. Noone today, and I mean noone, is above criticism. I'm never happy about a loss, but maybe, just maybe they needed this to happen. Better it happen now than towards the end of the regular season. I fully expect to see a completely different team next Sunday when we face the Vikings.

Well crap. Hopefully this loss wakes them the eff up. Maybe it can be like last year after the Arizona game where they go on a tear and put together another solid win streak. Better to have this kind of loss happen now then towards the end of the regular season...

Offense - James Cook Defense - Groot

Get well soon brother

Damn dude can't stay healthy to save his life. What, like three or four games in three years??? He is immensely talented, but wondering if it might be time for him to think about hanging em up? Just a thought

Lol my bad. Perhaps my homerism has blinded me to the fact that maybe he does flop or plead for a call every now and again. But in 100% honesty, I really cannot think of a time when I saw him do this. Again I actually felt the opposite in that he takes quite a few hits that could've easily or even should've drawn a flag.