finn

What virtually every commentator on Allen misses is how bad his offensive line is. THAT element should be factored into any quarterback rating system. Has any line given up more pressures than the 2021 Bills line? Ford by himself was giving up nearly a dozen a game for awhile, which the best linemen give up across a whole season. Anyway, yes, the QB rating systems are foolish, at least the way they're interpreted, as the final judgment. They should be just one factor, or they should factor in pressures, drops and running back production. Remember Thurman kept being called "the best all-around back"? Allen is the best all-around QB.

I keep hearing and reading the Bills are a "top-ten defense" and "one of the better defenses." I still haven't heard they're the best period in both yards and points. When the Pats were the best in points alone, all you heard was that they were unconditionally the best defense in the league.

Uh, yeah. Because of COVID, Dawkins was awful for the first part of the season, leading directly to the losses to Pittsburgh and Titans. We also lost Feliciano for a long stretch to COVID, which gave us Cody Ford and his baker's dozen of pressures per game and the loss to the Jaguars. Ford continued his happy play when Spencer Brown was out with COVID and Williams had to kick out to tackle. All but one of the Bills losses was by a single score. So, yes, COVID is what stands between 11-7 and 16-1, or even 17-0. I'm surprised I have to make this case in a fan forum. Seems obvious to me. Are you in the camp that expects that Allen should regularly dodge two defenders on every pass play and make an incredible throw on the run while being chased by a linebacker? And call him "erratic" or "old Josh" when he doesn't succeed? The Bills lost those games because of awful line play, and the line play was awful because of COVID.

Someone send this comment to the real experts on TV who know far more about the quality of NFL teams that head coaches. Why, does Saleh check his Twitter feed before writing a column or getting his makeup done for his studio appearance? Probably not. I think after the Super Bowl, the football world--all of it--will realize that they didn't see the obvious all along: The Bills have always been the best team, by a healthy margin. The losses can be explained by COVID. End of story. Of course, the pundits will say they knew it all along.

Will this give us the lowest points against in the league?

People here would rip Daboll for calling a run if Singletary didn't make it in. Admit it.

Worst game from Allen I've seen, even going back to his rookie year. Has had maybe three excellent throw and five good ones. The rest have been awful.

We pissed off another defense.

Just once I'd like to see them dominate a team from start to finish.

Hey, vet minimum for a guy to hold the edge against Taylor and/or Henry? I'll take him. In return, Lawson gets a ring.

It's only 32nd because their opponents are always way ahead and running out the clock. They also top or near the top in run attempts against. If the Bills plan to run it early and expect to dominate that way, they may be in for a surprise. That's a pretty stout D-line.

It's been said before, but how often do commentators and "experts" put an asterisk next to stats of QBs playing in domes and warm-weather stadiums? Or next to those who, like Rogers and Allen, who regularly play in high winds and snow? Yet they're happy to compare stats down to the tiniest units and draw grand conclusions. Just got to win, I suppose.

I agree with this. A few bounces, and 538 is talking about how the Bills 15 or even 16 wins don't amount to much. A few bounces against them, and Tampa Bay wouldn't even be in the playoffs. To be sure, losses and wins shape a team' character and subsequent performance. But to think less of the Bills because, essentially, Dawkins blew the block in the Titans game AND Allen slipped on the turf AND the refs didn't give them the first down on the previous Allen scramble... well, that's just dumb. It's more plausible to expect the Bills to run the table and dominate along the way. Except for the White injury, all the pieces are coming together for them at the right time. I wouldn't want to face this team right now.

Right. The "If only" thinking is a big part of the experience following sports. I don't have to invoke "wide right" or "illegal lateral" to make my point. The funny thing is, fans on the other side of the if-onlys seldom think this way. Titans fans don't consider the Titans could have just as easily lost that game against the Bills. To them, the Titans are the better team, maybe by a mile. To be fair, if Allen doesn't slip, I would have though the Bills deserved to win hands down. I still do, in fact, but it's a lot harder to think that way. Anyway, I'm tired of the countless off seasons thinking about what could have been if only. I want the Bills to just fricking win.

Thank you for this. Might be a stupid question, but why haven't the Bills run this scheme more often--and why don't all teams run it constantly? Never mind--I should have read the full thread first. Thanks again. Please keep your informative posts coming!

His mistake was assuming his teammate was going to block the gunner instead of whiffing.

I highly doubt the league is rigged. But that doesn't mean some refs in some games aren't corrupt. In fact it's pretty naïve to think that's the case, given a) how easy it is for a ref to tip a close game without getting caught; and b) how much money is involved. So it's not a matter of seeing suspect calls and concluding widespread corruption OR not seeing it and concluding no widespread corruption. There's a scenario in between that's more likely that either--and I would say probable.

Agree. Stats only broadly capture performance. For example, his soon-to-be-famous 17 passer rating doesn't reflect his two rushing TDs or his 80+ yards, so that's stupid on its face. He was terrific today. We're just so used to it that we're spoiled.

Not sure it works that way. The Bills beat Tennessee, maybe they lose to the Pats twice, or maybe they win every game, or maybe Allen gets hurt, or Russia invades the Ukraine. Kinda silly to assume that everything else would be the same if only. More interesting to consider that a) they not seem built to win close games; or b) they're much better than their record and regression to the mean = they're bound to win more close ones from here on.

Things are fine. The ball has just been bouncing (or tipping) the wrong way. The Beasley miscommunication is the only real concern, not sure what that was all about. They just need to get some points on the board and go home.

Both he and Allen will be Hall of Famers.

Makes you wonder how this team would perform with another star receiver. They have higher priorities elsewhere, however.

They have a vet rest day. Maybe they need a rookie rest day, too. Seriously.

Did anyone notice the lineup after the Boettger injury? The announcers didn't seem to think it was important enough to tell us.

Did anyone notice the lineup after the Boettger injury?