folz

All I know is that I hope the media keeps pumping the "Bills are soft" angle. Nothing motivates a group of men more (especially ultra-competitive football players) than to call them soft/not tough. Even in today's society, if you question someone's manhood at that level, you better be ready for a fight. McDermott and Beane have consistently brought in mentally-tough, driven, grinders...all football all the time guys. This team is not soft. They just haven't always played up to their potential this year (some games due to key injuries---not a big surprise to struggle against the run missing your nose tackle and middle linebacker for instance). I think the "soft" perception comes from four things: 1. Derrick Henry (best RB in the game having an All-Pro/HOF-type season at the time the Bills played them), 2. Jonathan Taylor (the best running back in the league after Henry went down, having a Pro Bowl season himself), 3. the Jacksonville Jaguars game (we played down to the competition in that one), and 4. our middling run game (minus Josh). But, we won't see another back like either of those two until maybe the playoffs. And even in the playoffs, the only other rushing attack that might scare me a bit besides Indy might be the Browns (Chubb and Hunt). But the Browns probably aren't even going to make the playoffs. Mixon is good, but he doesn't scare me. There really isn't another AFC team that I think could just run over us (especially if Star is playing). We have held 8 teams this year to under 79 yards total rushing. The only other team to rush for more than 100 (besides Indy and Tenn) was KC (which had 120 yards total, but 61 of that was by Mahomes. The KC backs combined for 59 yards). And hopefully, the team has learned their lesson and won't be taking anyone lightly, like it seems they did with the Jags. That just leaves our own run game. There has been a slight uptick running with Singletary and Breida, and hopefully the return of Feliciano and Brown will help there too. But, ultimately, we are a passing team. We will live and die by the pass. The rushing game just needs to be complimentary, not dominant, or even even with the passing game. I think the Bills will put the "soft" label to bed on Monday night.

At this point, it's all about winning. I'm taking a "get the Dubs and forget about the stats" approach this year! I love crunching stats, etc. And I understand threads like this, you're trying to get a clearer picture of how good/bad teams really are. But this has been the most topsy-turvy season I ever remember (even more so than last year). Injuries, COVID-list players, every good team has one or two terrible loses, 2-win teams upsetting league leaders. It seems like every week there have been 2-3 shocking outcomes. Who knows why, but the league is just less consistent and less predictable this year. Are the Bills as good as their stats/rankings show or have they just played a soft schedule? Same for the Pats? I don't know that we can get a clear picture this season based on stats. Besides, when the Patriots were winning all of those Super Bowls, did anyone say, well it's because they always have an easy schedule, living in a division with 3 doormat teams, they basically get spotted 6-wins/season? No. One game at a time. First is to flatten the Pats on Monday Night. Just win baby!

I think it will come down to coaching. Of course, we are not going to get anywhere near the same level of speed, experience, or coverage abilities from Dane as we did from Tre. But Dane IS a stud tackler (seriously, like Antoine Winfield, Sr. level of tackling). So, as long as the coaches don't ask Dane (or Levi) to do what Tre did and instead play to the strengths of the two guys now starting, I think we'll be ok. Kind of like last year with A.J. Klein. When they put him in to replicate what either Milano or Edmunds did, he failed. But when they played to his strengths (when he was in the game), he played well. Dane has strengths, they just aren't the same as Tre's. Play to his strengths, give him help in certain situations, etc. Maybe they won't be able to take as many chances on D, have to play it a bit safer, but they could still be very solid. Will Dane get targeted, picked on, and burned sometimes...sure, but I think it's still too early to label Dane's level of coverage ability. He is still very young (2nd-year player, 126 total snaps---or a 4.5 snaps/game average). Young guys get burned by vets, just the way it is. It takes time to learn any position in the league. How many rookie QBs throw tons of INTs their first year, but then go on to be very good QBs in the future. It's because they haven't seen enough looks or different style defenses yet. Once they've seen it a couple of times, they aren't fooled by it, and react better. Similar with CBs seeing different routes, moves, speeds of receivers, etc. Even if he doesn't become a star as the OP suggests, he will improve the more reps he gets. It's just a matter of how fast can he do that, what his true ceiling is, and how the coaches can cover for him a bit until he gets there. But, either way, I know three things, Dane is going to play physical, tackle like a beast, and give it his all (play his tail off)...and I'm good with that. Hopefully his coverage abilities will continue to improve and not turn out to be a liability. But I think that is up to the coaching staff to put him in situations where he can succeed.

When it rains, it pours.

Time for a Reich-like comeback against Reich. Let's start right here with a pick six. Come on boys, still time to turn this around!

I'm guessing that you were sleeping during the game last Sunday too? I actually gave him a shout-out in the Game Balls thread, as he was very active against the Jets, and yes, made a number of plays.

I'm definitely not worried about Mac Jones right now (this season). He's playing very well, but he's a rookie. The Pats as a whole though, yeah, there is a little bit of nervousness about them (mostly based on Belichick and bad memories of their past dominance over us). But, there is no question that the Bills are the more talented team and not just a team with talent, but a tight-knit, well-coached team, all pulling in the same direction. Can the Pats beat the Bills? Sure, it's the NFL---a week-to-week league. But if we played the Pats 10 times, I think Buffalo wins 7 or 8 out of 10 at this point. I don't think Bills fans can use last year as any example that the tides have finally turned completely over though, as it was the first year without Brady, an old, beat-up QB, and lots of injuries and COVID opt outs for the Pats. What happened last year has nothing to do with this year. But I also don't think Pats fans can use schedule or who each team has beaten as any measure of being superior to the Bills. Neither team has been tested much yet and the majority of both teams' wins came against easy opponents (either because the teams were bad, rookie QBs, or reeling, missing key players when they played them). Too many factors to claim either the Bills or Pats have an edge in schedule. The AFC East just had an easy schedule overall, based on the other divisions we had to play. I do expect the Pats games to be tough though. They aren't going to roll over by any means. It's basically one game at a time at this point. But as a Bills fan, I really look to the next 3 weeks as giving us a clearer picture, and if the Bills take care of business, they should be sitting pretty. If we beat the Colts this weekend (which could be a tough game), then take care of business against Siemien and the Saints on Thanksgiving, we will enter the MNF game against the Pats at 8-3. The Pats have to play Tennessee next week. I think they will lose to the Titans. Which would put them at 7-5 entering MNF. We should be favored to win at home in Primetime. Our boys get up for PrimeTime games, it's at home with the fans, and on 10 days rest. So, I think we should take that one. Which would set the records at 9-3 Bills, 7-6 Pats. That would basically be a 3 game lead for the division (with the Bills having the tie-breaker at that point) and the Pats would only have 4 games left to make that up. So, even if the Pats won out (including the rematch with Buffalo) to be 11-6, that means the Bills would need to lose 4 of their last 5 games...or 3 of their last 5 if the Jets was one of the losses. So, that means we would need to lose to the Jets, NE, and either TB/Car/Atl. Or lose to NE, TB, Carolina, and Atlanta (all 4 of them). (We would still have the division record tie-breaker if both teams end up with 11 wins and split their two games---unless the Bills lose to the Jets on the last regular season game.) So, if the Bills just take care of business the next 3 weeks, the Pats shouldn't be a problem. But let's go get the Colts first! Go Bills!

Always hard to give out game balls in a total team effort when so many players played well. I mean 6 TDs and 5 TOs...everyone was involved... and I don't know that he deserves a game ball, but I would like to at least give a shout out to Harrison Phillips. Had a very good game filling in for Star, who was a late scratch. And Efe Obada deserves a shoutout too (very active on the D-line).

I'm still not sold on the running game issues being a personnel-only issue. I don't think inserting Breida alone, for instance, will help. Sure, a stud running back or better O-linemen could definitely help, but first of all, that is not going to happen (at least not right now) and secondly, I think the players we have can get it done (especially when Brown and Feliciano are back)...at least well enough to keep defenses honest, which they aren't doing right now. I think it is more so a focus, attitude, and rhythm issue (which really all kind of roll into one). Focus, meaning both how many running plays Daboll/Josh call and how much they practice it. As has been pointed out by Cover1 and others, a lot of running plays have broken down due to missed assignments, etc. If they aren't repping the plays enough in practice (because they won't be running as many in the game), then not only do you leave the window open for mistakes, but you also don't develop a real feel and confidence in the running game. And that accumulates over the year. Let's say you rep your most common running play either twice or five times for a game. Well at the end of the year (come playoff time), that is a difference between repping the play 34 times or 85 times across the season. Which team will be better ready if they have to run it in a playoff game? Attitude: When pass blocking, you are on your heels, retreating or just trying to hold your ground. Run blocking, you have to either fire off the ball and attack, or you are pulling and looking for a man to plaster. It is a completely different attitude you must have. And again, not only does it need to be practiced, but more importantly, it needs to be established in a game. If the majority of the time you are pass blocking and then 4 times a quarter you call a run play (and not even on consecutive plays), it is hard to just pull that attitude out of nowhere when needed. It has to be like second nature. Rhythm: Both O-linemen and running backs are better when they can get in a rhythm with the run game and to do that, you have to keep at it. Again, if there are 4 carries per quarter (which is about what the Bills are averaging, as far as RB touches) and Moss and Singletary are splitting time, that means each back gets two carries/quarter, 8 or 9 carries in a game. And there have been many games over the last two years where a RB doesn't even touch the ball until the late-first or 2nd quarter. No RB or O-line can get a feel for a game and get in a rhythm like that. The Bills' running backs (not counting Josh's carries here) currently have 145 carries over 8 games. As a for instance, Derrick Henry alone had 219 carries over 8 games. The Cleveland backs have 235 carries over 9 games (averaged out to 8 games = 209 carries). Green Bay has 202 RB carries in 9 games (averaged out to 8 games = 180). Just supposin' here: I wonder if Daboll's time in New England affects how he feels and the attention he gives to the running game. He spent 10 of Brady's 19 years in NE coaching for the Pats. In those 19 years, they only had 5 RBs go over 1,000 yards for a season. Eight of those 19 years, they were a below league-average rushing team. And another 5 years, they were only 5-6 yards per game above the league average. Over those 19 years, the Pats averaged 1,852 rushing yards/season. For 2020 and 2021 (pro-rated), the Bills RBs are averaging 1,819 rushing yards/season. [Maybe just a coincidence.] Don't get me wrong, I'm not down on Daboll, I think he's an excellent OC, I'm just wondering if he needs to rethink things a bit. As we know, the Pats won for years without a stud RB or top-tier running game. So, maybe that is partly in Daboll's mindset. With one difference being, Josh and Tom are different QBs. Tom got the ball out super fast. Josh likes to hold for the big plays and can get impatient taking what the defense gives him (he's done it well before, but we have seem him not do it on a number of occasions too). Now, I'm not putting that on Josh's shoulders or blaming him for it. I don't want Josh to try and change who he is too much. I am just thinking that since he is different from Tom, we need to establish more of a running game than the Pats ever needed to. Tom could keep defenses honest with short, quick-hitting passes to the slot and RBs, which would eventually open up the deeper throws. But that is not Josh's game, he's uncomfortable doing that for too long, so we need to develop the run game instead to open it up when we are seeing these types of defenses, when teams have the DBs and D-line personnel to pull it off. Of course, I'm just speculating here (like everyone else). I have no idea what happens or what they focus on in Bills' meetings and practices. But I just wonder if getting stubborn and determined with the run game, both in practice and the games, could make a big difference. Make it a pride issue. Maybe that is what McDermott is stepping in to do. I just think back to the New England game last year. They went into that game planning to run it down their throats, and they did. I think they can do it, they just need to focus on it more and figure out how to make it complement the passing game, rather than just being more of a decoy. I'm not saying they will all of a sudden become a top 10 running team or anything, but I think these players can definitely turn it around enough to open up the offense again. Why didn't McDermott step in sooner? Maybe because, for the most part, last year it was working (until the Championship game). Then this year we have the Steelers game. Well, week 1, crazy stuff happens. Then the Tennessee game comes. Very good team, still had a chance to win. Ok. Miami, first half looked bad, but we pulled it together in the second half. Ok, maybe the team learned their lesson and we are headed back in the right direction. Jaguars game. Ok, that's it. Something has to change. But yes, whatever the current offensive woes are, I believe it to be more of a coaching issue than a personnel issue. JMO

Not Beane/McDermott material/DNA. Not a position we need help at. Not good for team chemistry. Has missed 42 of his last 80 games due to injury. Has only scored 16 TDs over the last 5 seasons. And although a good portion of this is due to being injured, over the last 5 season, he is averaging 40 yards/gm and 644 yards and 3.5 TDs per season. Do you really want to pay top dollar for that production? [To be fair, I will include his averages for only the games he played---which is less than half of the games---over the past 5 years. So, for the games he played, he is averaging 65 yards and 0.35 TDs/game. Or prorated to a 16-game season, that would be 1,040 yards and 5.6 TDs. Not bad, but how much do you want to pay for that production knowing the problem child he is and that he can't stay healthy---you may only get half of that production per year). Plus, there was the Giants/Bills game a few years back where twice in the game, he threw a sucker punch at a Bills player (didn't get flagged for either of them of course) and then ran and hid behind his offensive linemen when the Bills players looked to retaliate. Punk. And you can't compare OBJ with Diggs. Diggs made one little stink when he wanted to get traded, but then bucked up and played hard anyway. Everyone in Minnesota liked Diggs (except maybe Cousins), they all said he was a great teammate, worked hard, etc. There were never any incidents before that. OBJ has been a mess from the day he walked in the league. Multiple issues every season of his career. It is non-stop diva stuff with OBJ. Diggs never played Diva, he just wanted out of Minnesota. I want nothing to do with OBJ. And I don't think the Bills would seriously entertain the idea.

A positive aspect of possibly having some big or blowout wins against some of the weaker teams is that it may give our depth players some more playing time/action, which could actually help at the end of the season if we sustain any injuries or those players are called on at some point in a critical moment. Our depth may have more confidence and be more battle tested come playoff time. And I'm not too worried about the starters being battle-tested. Most of the team is the same as last year and they went through a lot of battles together last year, plus the Pitt, KC, and Tenn games this year were battles. Even if KC isn't what they were, that was a huge mental hurdle for this team. The two losses will keep the team humble and hungry (not buying into their own hype, not being over confident), while the big wins over weaker opponents will give them their swagger. Plus, the Tampa game will be a big pre-postseason test/measuring stick. They'll know who they are and what they need to do heading into the playoffs. So, no, I'm not really worried about it...especially with the coaching staff that we have (McD will keep them on track).

Ralph obviously blamed DeHaven, but did the players? And DeHaven has passed away, so Marcellus wouldn't be currently worried about his mental health.

Maybe he was in the Flutie camp and so is referring to Rob Johnson (but if memory serves, Rob played fairly well in the game and we had a chance to win---though I thought and wanted Flutie to start that game too). Otherwise, I doubt he would be singling out, say, one special teamer...saying it was their fault (on that particular play). It seemed the whole ST blew that play...but I guess there could have been one ST player who was meant to play (final) contain and left his post. Other options: He could put that game on the refs for not calling it a forward pass...but the mental health part of that question wouldn't really make sense then. The refs in that game were worried about their physical health (not their mental health) if they had disallowed the TD in a hostile Tenn atmosphere.

Yeah, definitely put this L on the defense, but let's not forget... The Titans have one of the best RBs ever. He's about to lead the league in rushing for the third straight season. That has only been done by 4 backs in history: Steve Van Burren, Jim Brown, Earl Campbell, and Emmitt Smith---all of whom are in the Hall of Fame. His three year stretch is better than Terrell Davis' 3-year stretch that got him into the Hall. This guy is a shoo-in HOFer. They also have Julio...first ballot HOFer; A.J. Brown who is a bonafide stud receiver (2,126 yds and 20 TDs in his first two years in the league); and an above average QB. That is a very talented team we just played, in their building, looking for a statement win with their two returning stud receivers going up against "the best team in the AFC" as we were being called. They were highly motivated. I thought the Bills would pull it out, but it's not like we were playing against scrubs by any means. So I'm not going to be too hard on the defense. It was a great game and we came up inches short. I was 60/40 on kicking the field goal at the end, but don't fault McD at all for going for the win. A couple years ago, people were saying they wish McDermott would have more of a killer instinct and not play it safe. Well he was aggressive and we lost. Honestly, no shame in this loss. Very disappointing, but in the long run, probably not that big a deal (unless home field comes down to us and Tenn at the end of the year). Once again, this loss will keep the team humble and hungry throughout the bye week and not buy into their own hype. Go rest, retool, and come out guns blazing the rest of the season. Just wish we could have gotten the win to rub the stupid "Homerun throwback" attempt in Vrable's face. What an arrogant Fn call. Go Bills!

Yeah, that one threw me for a loop too. I rewound the dvr like three times to try and figure it out. The best I can make of it is they assessed the penalty from the end of the run, since the hold was out in front of the play (rather than a hold behind that sprang the runner). And since the runner made it 5 yards past the first down marker, they moved back 10 yards from there (so 5 yards behind the marker). And then I guess, is a hold an automatic first down? So they take away the first down the runner got with the assessed penalty, but give them the automatic first down from the new spot...and then the first down marker is now only 5 yards away. That's what I think they did, but I'm still not so sure they were correct in that. Feels like either the whole play should come back and then be first and 20. Or if they were correct in assessing the penalty from the end of the run, then their spot was correct, but the automatic first down, should have made it a first and 10 from there. It should be a reset. You don't keep the old first down marker where it was do you? Diggs and McDermott were both fuming on the sideline after that play, so I assume that the refs screwed up. I'm surprised I haven't seen the play mentioned before you did goldenboy81. I would also love to hear the explanation for it.

Agree. One "conspiracy" angle could be that they aren't scripting games, but they do want them to be close. For instance, this was the marquise matchup of the week. I'm sure marketing-wise, they would have loved a close, back-and-forth shootout that everyone was talking about Monday morning (like the Chargers/Browns game). But then the Bills came in on fire. Well, you could make a couple of calls for the Chiefs at opportune moments to at least keep the game interesting/closer, but then when it looks like the bad calls could actually change what seemed to be an obvious outcome (a Bills win), you compensate back the other way. [Though, by the rule, I also think the roughing the passer call against Josh was legit.] That way, the game is more interesting, but hopefully, the team that should win still does. I don't think the NFL does this for all games, but for the big games, I could definitely see that as a possibility. There are, however, times when I think there is or has been team-bias from refs (especially with the Brady-led Pats), but I definitely don't think that's what was going on last night.

I had Sanders in a keeper fantasy football league for 4 years when he was in Denver. So, I used to watch him quite a bit and I used to tell people all of the time (when they overlooked or down-played him) that Emmanuel Sanders is a stud/dog. He never came out of my lineup (except when injured). He had two monster seasons with Peyton throwing him the ball, but he also had a big year and made the pro bowl after Peyton left, with his QBs being Trevor Siemian and Paxton Lynch. (And we all know that even Peyton's last season, was not vintage Peyton.) Then he dealt with a few injuries (and poor QB play/declining team) and he seemed to fall off most people's radars. (Despite having an almost 75% catch rate, 726 yds, and 5 TDs with NO last year in 14 games with only 5 starts.) So glad it's working out for him here in Buffalo. (He may be that last piece that puts this offense over the top, the way Lofton did when he came to the 90s team.) As far as who shines on offense each week, I think it will be a week-to-week thing depending on opponent and how they are trying to slow us down. Early this season, teams have been trying to shut down Diggs and Cole (because they were the guys last year). So, Sanders and Knox show up, and since they're killing it, teams might not be able to double Diggs or the slot anymore and then things will open up for those two. We now have legit 6 or 7 skill guys that could go off in any one game. So, they'll all get their opportunities and have their big games as the year goes on, especially with how Josh likes to spread the ball around. But yes, welcome officially to Buffalo/BillsMafia Mr. Sanders. So glad to have you. And I hope you get what you came here to be a part of...a championship team!

Honestly, it sounded like the only players he knew on the Bills were the ones they got to talk to in their pre-production meetings. Micah was pretty much the only Bill he acknowledged. Maybe Rosseau...and begrudgingly, Josh.

Was it just me? I thought Kelce saw the ball was going to be uncatchable (so there shouldn't have been a call anyhow) and then as he lunged backwards, making it look like he is trying to make a catch, he actually pulled Tre down on top of him. If anything I thought it should have been offensive pass interference.

He actually said it was a good thing when a KC defender was purposefully trying to twist Josh's ankle on a tackle (obviously trying to hurt him). Granted he also said the same on (I believe) Poyer's hit on Mahomes, but at least what Poyer did was legal (within the sportsman-like bounds of the game).

Lost all respect for Reid, Mahomes, and KC during that AFC Championship game last year (with how they acted/carried themselves). Looks like their PR dept. is much the same. So happy for our boys to avenge the loss with class. The looks on the Chiefs players at the end of the game was priceless.

Just when you didn't think you could like Josh anymore than you already do...mic'd up. Love this team and the culture/family/fun aspect it has, and that is first and foremost due to Coach McDermott and what he has built; a close second is having a down-to-earth, non-diva, fun leader in Josh; and finally to Beane, for sharing in McDermott's vision and then bringing in the right guys, not just good football players, but high-character grinders who love the game and are down with the process.

I'm not sure why so many posters are down on Boogie's performance today. As I posted in the Game Balls thread, yes, Boogie had the Offside penalty, but he also led the team with 5 tackles (4 solo), had two tackles for a loss (showed up in the run game, not just as a pass rusher), had 2 QB hits, a sack, and a blocked extra point. Sure, much of his playing time came later, against lesser competition...but I certainly wouldn't call that a bad day for a rookie in only his second game.

Nice. And yeah, Boogie had the Offside penalty, but he also had 5 tackles (4 solo), two tackles for a loss, a sack, two QB hits, and the blocked XP. Not too shabby. Glad to see him show up against the run too...not just as a pass rusher.

Agree with everyone on your list OP. Lots of guys played well today, so I'll add: Gabe Davis: looks as good as he did last year. Catches everything. Tyler Dodson: Great special teams tackle, and was very active on defense with a number of stops, including a thigh tackle to prevent a first down. Reggie Gilliam: 2 TDs, a 12-yard run, a couple of first downs. Nice blocking. Lance Lenoir flashed again with a great toe-line grab Nick McCloud flashed a bit at the end of the game for me. Damar Hamlin looked good too...4 tackles and a QB hit Who blocked that extra point? Bam? It was ninety-something. Couldn't see the 2nd number.