Dr. K

I just watched the Denver/Minnesota game and Denver looks good in a lot of areas. Their defense is fast and hard hitting. They beat up on Dalvin Cook. I think this is two tough games for the Bills, and your're right, how they play will tell us much more whether they are for real.

Thanks. I'm known for my eloquence.

This

Yes. The harping against Daboll is one of the most annoying elements on TBD right now.

"Toe" the line, not "tow" the line.

I think that Cover 1 comment is reasonable. I think Daboll is trending toward what that commenter says, with some mistakes. But that moderate opinion is far from the calls to fire Daboll by so many in these discussions, and those who call him "Dumboll." Those guys seem to me to be arrogant and unwarranted.

To my mind this is the most sensible post in this thread. I get tired of the manic-depressive nature of the comments on the board, and the 20-20 hindsight.

You are misreading--granted he said it poorly. Albany means he had a better opinion of the Jets before the season than he has now.

I'll admit that, given the history Bills fans have had to suffer with over the last 20 years, I am a victim of BBFS. I'm happy about the 6-2 record but I remember those seasons where they started so well only to fall off a cliff in the second half of the season, losing three or four straight, getting blown away by good teams and losing miserably to average and poor ones. I want to believe that this team is different, but I can't say I have great confidence that it is not. Every game is therefore a test, an adventure, a source of anxiety. Enjoying the moment, expecting disappointment. That's what Bills fandom is about, isn't it?

I wasn't meaning to single you out. You may be right about everything you say. I thought it was funny, after the Eagles game, reading all the hysterical pronouncements: the Bills needed to run more, they needed to forget running and pass more, they needed to throw the long ball, they needed to get rid of Haushka, they needed to get AJ Green, they needed to get Trent Williams, they needed to fire Dabol, they don''t care about scoring points . . . etc.

The more I read Bills fans (and I include myself among them) giving their analysis of what's wrong, their evaluations of players and coaches, and in particular their prescriptions for what the team needs to do differently . . . . . . . the more glad I am that they have no control over what the team does. Fans are not rational, they ride hobby horses, they ignore complexity, they focus on some things and ignore others, they react emotionally, they live in a fantasy world. Whenever I read one of these breakdowns I find at least a couple of opinions that call into question the opininator's vision, reasoning ability, or sanity. If this is the level of reasoning ability of the average American, no wonder we have the government we have. And yes, as I said, that includes me, too.

It was hard to watch that 83-yard eight minute drive where the Eagles ran the ball down the Bills' throat. That was where I really began to feel this is just like all the other Bills teams that started hot and then folded. The next game will be interesting if only to see if the team can pick themselves off the ground and play a good game. It's on the coaches, mostly. It will tell us something about them and the team. If instead they crap the bed and lose, even in a close game, and go into a three-game slide, it will be deja vu all over again. Don't ever lay your heart out on the line with this team.

I think that was special teams, but it counts and I'll take it.

None this season, and if I recall correctly they scored none last season either. That's at least 22 games without a pick 6 or fumble recovery for TD. I know that these things are to some degree matters of luck, but considering the quality of the Bills' D, they are long overdue for a defensive score. It sure would be nice to see this happen this week.

B+ Although I question some of his individual calls, I do not have much problem with Daboll. It seems to me the issue is more penalties and inconsistency of execution, not the play calling or strategy. I actually like his imagination and unpredictability. He does not just trot out the same game plan no matter who the opponent is. I do worry about Allen being run too much, and occasional times where Daboll goes for the tricky play rather than the obvious one, but I worry more about penalties and dropped passes killing drives, and Allen's still not hitting on long passes. And even that stuff I expect to improve.

Point taken. But I can't imagine Rosen would have played the gutsy, risk-taking game Fitz did.

If Josh Rosen had played QB for the Dolphins instead of Fitz, the Bills would have rolled over the Fins.

"Bated" breath, short for "abated." I know it sounds dumb but that's where it comes from.

me too

The "Just give it to them" Bills-Pats game. Two egregious calls on the Pats last drive to give them the game. https://www.buffalorumblings.com/2011/6/16/2225057/buffalo-bills-walk-off-foxboro-patriots

I thought that Reid's call of a deep pass play from the 20-yard-line at the end of the first half, ahead by one point, with less than 30 seconds left, was beyond idiocy. Mahomes had a bad ankle, gets a big rush, fumbled, Texans recovered on the two yard line and scored to put them ahead. That touchdown was the difference in the game.

Where did you get the idea the Bills play run-first football? They most definitely do not, not this season. Saying such a clueless thing undermines anything you have to say.

So Chiefs get the ball back on their 20 after Texans have scored to bring them within one. Less than 30 seconds left in the half. Patrick Mahomes has a bad ankle. What does Andy Reid dial up? A deep-drop pass play. Mahomes gets crushed, fumbles, Texans get the ball on the Chiefs' three yard line, score to go ahead 23-17. Idiocy, thy name is Andy Reid.

It would take a while for fans to get used to it, but it's a good idea.

It happened in the Jets game--first touchdown of the game was a pick six off the hands of Cole Beasley.