Dr. K

Keep telling yourself: I did nothing to cause the Bills to lose. Nothing I or any other fan does has any effect on the team. I know it's just a joke. But the joke reflects a belief in a connection between the team's fortunes and your life that just leads to misery.

The Bills are not as bad as they looked in the Jags game and not as good as they looked in the Dolphins game. I prefer to look at the Jags game as a perfect storm of bad circumstances coming together--jet lag, the terrible field turf, bad luck injuries both leading up to and during the game, over-officiating, immaturity of the backups. The coaches are not the issue; they weren't geniuses last week or morons this week. I'm mostly worried about the huge number of injuries. A lot of backup players are going to have to mature rapidly. I hope, and choose, to see this game as one we'll look back on as a tough loss in the road to the Super Bowl the Bills are going to win in February.

Too soon to give up on the team. There are 12 more games. McDermott will find a way to get the DBs playing better. They still have enough good players to win a lot of games. Some of these subs and young players--Damian Williams, Kincaid, Torrance--are going to get better. Maybe even Elam, though it's hard to have faith in him after today.

Despite all the injuries and penalties, the defense played well enough. The loss is mostly on the offense. It's a game where they had to hold the ball to help the defense out, and score on most of their drives to keep up.

Plus . . . penalties! The zebras were out of control.

Elam eaten alive

You nailed it in this post back on 9/21, and the successive two games have proven you absolutely right. I'm sincerely impressed.

The Jags have a history of beating the Bills in all sorts of odd situations. I really dislike them. We’ll see how it goes but it could be tougher than it ought to be.

Absolutely great write up. That’s the team I saw, too. Whatever happens in the rest of the season, they are that team. They could still be brought low by injuries or bad luck, but this is the most mature team I have seen from the Bills in three decades.

It's still early. Some teams that are playing badly now will get hot and be imposing in November and December.

Moderators: Thanks for merging my silly thread into this one. I should not have let my annoyance at people's sloppiness cause me to start a new thread about it.

You'll have to judge for yourself.

I know you hate him. But when you spell his name wrong EVERY TIME, you look like a fool.

I like Brown as a reporter, but I can’t stand his screeching whenever a Bill makes a good play. Fingernails on a blackboard would be a relief after him.

My wife and I were at the game. My god, the Bills mafia took over the stadium. At times it sounded like a home game.

We’re in section 401.

My wife and I will be there. Right now it’s a freakin’ monsoon. The stadium may wash away before kickoff.

Look at Tommy Tuberville if you want to see one single US senator blocking action by the entire government and the military.

Yes. Next up, Shakespeare's "As You Like It."

That's because he fell into the treacle well.

Who cares? Just win.

You're too dang smart for me.

Got any?

The Chargers are a stupid team.

I'm with you on this, Shaw66. Of course none of us know really what's going on in the locker room or in the minds and hearts of the players and coaches. Injuries or terrible luck can change the outcome of games and seasons. But I think there are enough committed and experienced men on this team for them to play with the kind of no-talk-just-play "assassin's mindset" you describe. My feeling about this is based on small evidence and nuances. I think they've heard enough talk over the last three years about them as a team and as individuals, and about other teams and players. In the course of those seasons at various times they've been overpraised or underrated. I think--I hope--that in their minds they are done with talking or listening to the talk. They know what it's going to take no matter what anybody says or thinks. We will of course see if we are deluded about this. It should be an interesting season.