finn

I'm looking forward the referee report on Buffalo Rumbings. He does a good job breaking down not just the number and type of call but also the timing and "harm" inflicted. Of course the refs are putting their thumbs on the scale. Do people really believe that when billions of dollars depends on the outcome and it's so, so easy to influence the final score, that everything is kosher, nothing to see here? If so, no wonder the world is going to hell. Wake up, people. At least don't carry the league's water by pointing out how our team played badly and didn't deserve to win. How can any team overcome a dozen penalties, flags thrown not when there is a foul but when the refs think it's a good time to throw one? Holding is an especially effective penalty, a real drive killer. You kill enough drives, and that alone will tip the balance, as happened last night. And think of how easy it is to get away with. It all depends on the refs' subjective judgment. Plausible deniability is all the league needs. But they go further, crushing anyone in the NFL community--players, coaches, GMs, broadcasters, anyone--who dares to object or criticize the refs' performance. Did you see the replay of Shakier being mauled before he could catch a pass? You didn't last night because it wasn't shown, naturally. Did you hear Collingsworth pointing out how bogus the calls were against McGovern, or how the DB dragged down Coleman before ball arrived? No, because he can't do that without risking his job. What I find unsurprising but still sickening is even the fans of the defeated team do their part, shouting down anyone who points out the obvious and lamenting the "sloppiness" of players committing phantom penalties. I'm not claiming every game or even most games are fixed, just the ones the league thinks need to be manipulated. For whatever reason--and it always has to do with money--the league decided it didn't behoove them to allow the Bills to be 5-0. They were not going to win last night, or at least the refs were going to tip the scale enough so that the odds of winning were very long indeed. The same will happen in the playoffs if they choose a winner ahead of time. It's such as shame, because it's a great game, in part because the balance is just right. But that close balance is absurdly easy to tip. With that temptation on one side and bottomless greed on the other, what do you think will happen? Flame away. Let me see how eagerly you do your assigned part to enable the corruption.

Seems like the Patriots are the first team to figure out that if you stop Cook, you stop the Bills. How many times did we see Allen waiting, waiting, waiting for someone to get open? Coleman, Palmer, Shavers, and Samuels are all #3 receivers at best; only Shakir and Kincaid are threats, and that's not enough without a running game. They don't need a superstar at WR, just someone you can't cover with a single DB.

I'm not sure they played any worse than they have in any other game, all of which showed multiple problems almost across the board. The difference this week was the referees, who were killing Bills drives left and right and ignoring all but the most flagrant Patriots fouls. Apply this same 1-5 imbalance to all of the other games, and the Bills could easily be 2-4 instead of 4-2, and instead of being widely considered an elite team, they would be (perhaps accurately) viewed as a critically flawed team, with a below-average defense and an offense too dependent on Allen and Cook. And it would be the same team. My point isn't to bemoan a corrupt league (although I think it is corrupt) but rather to point out that the Bills are not as good as we think their record indicates. Cornerback, safety, pass rush, run defense, wide receivers... they're really quite poor at all these positions. Fortunately, they're very strong or elite at QB, O-line, running back, and tight end. Can the strengths overcome the weaknesses? I'd say no, not unless the defensive reinforcements shore up the defense quite a bit (I think they will) AND the Bills acquire a downfield threat at WR.

You and thousands of others. What a con by the marketing department.

Dorian Strong getting injured was the worst thing that could have happened to the defense.

I missed the play. Did Milano blow it somehow?

The refs are telling Vrabel that he has to help them out. Even they can't ignore flagrant personal fouls on national TV. How can they throw the game when the Pats don't cooperate?

Watch for the critical penalty.

Look, it's not the fault of anyone on the Bills, coach or player. The refs are controlling the game. We're playing right into their scheme by criticizing everyone but them. From the start, the Bills literally could win this game no matter what. Now investigate who in the league's front office or their allies put big money on the Pats.

But I don't think it was necessarily a penalty. The announcers will always fall into line (except Troy Aikman) and back up the refs every time. But notice there was no replay, and if there were, it would show the kind of minor transgression you could find on every play. No, it's plain as day: the refs will not allow the Bills to win. They literally will not allow it. And all of us will point fingers at anyone but them.

The refs must have been reined in. Maybe the league reminded them it doesn't matter if they have big money on the Pats.

Can you imagine if a Bills lineman held like that? There would be ten flags on the ground.

Everyone keeps saying the Bills are playing sloppy, but that is just what the league wants you to believe. All but one of those calls were ticky tacky, and they're not being ticky tacky with the Patriots. No team can overcome hair-trigger refs, no matter what quality the opponent. The Bills will not win this game because they literally will not be allowed to win.

How can anyone who has watched football contend that the refs aren't biased? Now a lingering hand on the chest is a hold? A pat on the chest is a hold? Meanwhile, the Patriots isn't making similar phantom holds? The league clearly decided that a 5-0 Bills team is not a money maker.

Terrible starting field position all game hasn't helped. Throw in hair-trigger refs and the play of Keon Coleman, and you score 3 points in the first half against a team like the Patriots.

Yep. Waiting for a mistake, aka playing not to lose.

They have arguably the best pair of corners in the league and a terrific defensive line. Where are they weak again?

I don't get nervous with him like I always do with whathisname.

He's not just giving no positive value, he's hurting the team. Two missed catches, a fumble, and a pass interference penalty. Why is he still in the game?

So now the defense finally has its act together the offense decides to take the game off? What the hell.

It's hard to get down the field if the refs throw the flag on you every third play. The calls are BS, too, like the "hold" on McGovern and Kincaid, who only patted the guy's chest. Meanwhile, they miss the CB dragging down Coleman by his jersey. Even if it's not corruption, it's still blatant bias. For whatever reason, they're putting the Bills and the Bills alone under the microscope.

The Patriots seem perfectly content to lose this game, but the Bills aren't cooperating yet. The flagfest isn't happening. Have all the calls been against the Bills so far?

Yeah, they think they are the big draw. National TV!

Both those throws to Coleman were good throws. He played them like my niece would have. Bench the guy, or at least figure out what is in his head.

If Keon Coleman can't do Keon Coleman things, what can he do?