This was bound to happen

[Homey D. Clown]

The team has been playing solid football lately, and beginning to come together on many levels. In more ways, they have been performing in most phases of the game higher than some of the top teams in the league, so much so, that the team was able to compete, and compensate for the worst rushing attack in the league. They even played quite well at times yesterday, but you could clearly see this game coming. They are a team very hungry to win games, and after the colossal let-down against the Steelers at home, seemed like a team pressing too hard at times. They are a prideful team that wants to win, and in time I firmly believe they will.

 

When you take into account a recent rash of injuries to starters on both lines, an area where the team has only begun to perform decently, but has very shallow depth from a talent perspective, then add in three recent week overtime losses to solid NFL top tier teams, and this tends to happen. Guys getting out of position, fumbling on plays, breakdowns on assignments, this was more a result of a team with a strong desire to win pushing too hard, and I do see it as a good thing, and a sign of good things to come.

 

They are learning to win, and with some depth at a few positions, and a few more players obtained at key positions, and it's not a far stretch to believe they are on the right track, but this loss was inevitable, and I hope the team does not hang their heads.

[Dirtbag]

i'm still unsure as to why sunday's evisceration was fated to happen.

 

prior to the contest, i actually thought we were bound to win.

[Homey D. Clown]

i'm still unsure as to why sunday's evisceration was fated to happen.

 

prior to the contest, i actually thought we were bound to win.

 

 

After so many close calls, I had a feeling a letdown was on it's way. What happens next will be interesting.

[Buftex]

I had a bad feeling about the game, yesterday, going in, as well. I didn't necessarily expect the Bills to get blown out, but, I have a feeling, the Vikings are going to be playing up to their abilities, particularly on defense, the rest of the season. They like Lezlie Fazier, and want to win for him. That had to be Jared Allen's best game all season. Firing a coach, in the middle of the season, despite the cliches, soemtimes wakes a team up...see the Cowboys, and now, the Vikings.

 

That being said, I was disappointed with the game yesterday, but that doesn't take away any of the positive feelings I have been having the last 4 weeks. This team is improving...at the begining of the game, it looked to me, like the defense was primed to have a great game...McKelvin's blunders, IMO, kind of took the air out of their tires...and then it snowballed...call me crazy, but had Favre stayed in, I still think the Bills would have hung tough. After shaking off some rust, Tavares Jackson added a whole new wrinkle to the Vikes offense, and I just don't think this Bills team (particualarly on defense) can handle that much adversity in one game. The turnovers...the Vikes played with a short field early in the game...it broke the Bills back...

 

I suspect, we see the return of the lovable loser Bills this coming week...and they will win!

[1billsfan]

The team has been playing solid football lately, and beginning to come together on many levels. In more ways, they have been performing in most phases of the game higher than some of the top teams in the league, so much so, that the team was able to compete, and compensate for the worst rushing attack in the league. They even played quite well at times yesterday, but you could clearly see this game coming. They are a team very hungry to win games, and after the colossal let-down against the Steelers at home, seemed like a team pressing too hard at times. They are a prideful team that wants to win, and in time I firmly believe they will.

 

When you take into account a recent rash of injuries to starters on both lines, an area where the team has only begun to perform decently, but has very shallow depth from a talent perspective, then add in three recent week overtime losses to solid NFL top tier teams, and this tends to happen. Guys getting out of position, fumbling on plays, breakdowns on assignments, this was more a result of a team with a strong desire to win pushing too hard, and I do see it as a good thing, and a sign of good things to come.

 

They are learning to win, and with some depth at a few positions, and a few more players obtained at key positions, and it's not a far stretch to believe they are on the right track, but this loss was inevitable, and I hope the team does not hang their heads.

 

 

I agree. I think the Steeler loss sucked a little bit of the life out of them. They're human and it happens to the best of teams. Then came the injuries to the line, the ridiculous favoritism of the refs' calls, and the total meltdown of McKelvin which then made this an easy one for me to file away under "just one of those days". Too many people here panicking over one bad game with plenty of extenuating circumstances. Though we still need at least four really good players to become playoff worthy, we've still got a good core group. I'm not even remotely concerned about yesterday.

[San Jose Bills Fan]

I was pretty sure the Bills would lose because:

 

Talent. The Vikings had 8 Pro Bowlers last year, Brett Favre (DNP), Adrian Peterson, Sidney Rice, Steve Hutchinson, Bryant McKinnie (DNP), Jared Allen, Heath Farwell (special teams), and Kevin Williams (DNP). In addition, they have Antoine Winfield and Matt Birk who are former Pro Bowlers playing at a high level, and other talented players (some of whom ended up not playing) such as Visanthe Shiancoe, Percy Harvin, Ray Edwards, Jim Kleinsasser, and Bernard Berrian. Without going too deeply, this is a team MUCH more talented than the Bills are and a team which had been underperforming all season long…after coming within one play of going to the Super Bowl last year.

 

Coaching change. The players disliked Childress and were quite happy with the change to Leslie Frazier. To a man they respect him. They played hard in the win at Washington and I figured that would continue their strong play in their first home game with Frazier at the helm. In addition, Frazier DID interview with the Bills and implied in his conference call last week that he didn't sense the Bills had a real interest in hiring him (Rooney Rule interview?). Because of this I knew the Viking players would go hard for him. A similar dynamic exists with the Dallas Cowboys right now due to their change from Wade Phillips to Jason Garrett. Two teams no one wants to play right now are the Vikings and the Cowboys.

 

Home/Dome Field Advantage: This was the first game this year that the Bills played in an opponent's domed stadium. I anticipated that there would be problems with crowd noise which would tip the scales further in favor of the Vikings. When the Bills O-linemen started dropping like flies, it only caused a cascading of catastrophes. Our ability to protect Fitz was slim at the outset and with the crowd noise and the O-line injuries, this ability evaporated. Kudos to Fitz for only getting sacked once and completing 60% of his passes.

 

Once the game started, the injuries plus the probable benefit of Favre getting injured plus the slew of questionable officiating calls sealed the Bills fate.

 

In a train-wreck loss like this, the coaches and players will ALWAYS say things such as "we weren't ready to play," "we didn't bring our best game," "it wasn't our best effort," etc.

 

They say this because there's nothing else they can say. They would never say "we just aren't talented enough to compete with a team like that," because it indicts the front office and the players. If a player says "we aren't talented enough" what teammates is he indicting? This excuse also fosters hopelessness and further excuse making. To say we aren't talented enough is the ultimate loser's lament. It cannot be said. Nor are coaches/players allowed to use bad officiating as an excuse nor are they allowed to use injuries as an excuse. That's why you'll almost never see bad officiating, injuries, or lack of talent, used as an excuse by a losing team. It is viewed as excuse making and on an accountable team, excuse making is not acceptable.

 

By code, the only thing a losing team can say is that they were outplayed. "We didn't match their intensity." "They wanted it more than us." "We didn't play our best football."

 

What I saw yesterday was an untalented team which played hard till to final gun but was buried under an avalanche of better talent, a hostile environment, bad officiating, and injuries.

 

Fans tend to overreact due to emotions. Many fans that were drinking the Kool Aid two weeks ago are standing on the ledge today.

 

The truth is the Bills aren't as good a team as they've shown since the bye week. They've overachieved due to good coaching and inspired play.

 

And they're not as bad a team as they showed yesterday.

Edited December 6, 2010 by San Jose Bills Fan

[CodeMonkey]

The team has been playing solid football lately, and beginning to come together on many levels. In more ways, they have been performing in most phases of the game higher than some of the top teams in the league, so much so, that the team was able to compete, and compensate for the worst rushing attack in the league. They even played quite well at times yesterday, but you could clearly see this game coming. They are a team very hungry to win games, and after the colossal let-down against the Steelers at home, seemed like a team pressing too hard at times. They are a prideful team that wants to win, and in time I firmly believe they will.

 

When you take into account a recent rash of injuries to starters on both lines, an area where the team has only begun to perform decently, but has very shallow depth from a talent perspective, then add in three recent week overtime losses to solid NFL top tier teams, and this tends to happen. Guys getting out of position, fumbling on plays, breakdowns on assignments, this was more a result of a team with a strong desire to win pushing too hard, and I do see it as a good thing, and a sign of good things to come.

 

They are learning to win, and with some depth at a few positions, and a few more players obtained at key positions, and it's not a far stretch to believe they are on the right track, but this loss was inevitable, and I hope the team does not hang their heads.

I kept reading and reading waiting for the punch line that never came.

[Bflojohn]

Number one, Matt Birk has moved on to the Baltimore Ravens, so his participation Sunday in Minnesota is suspect! However, your point is well taken.

[akm0404]

they have been performing in most phases of the game higher than some of the top teams in the league

 

Um, what?

[Mr_Blizzard]

I was pretty sure the Bills would lose because:

 

Talent. The Vikings had 8 Pro Bowlers last year, Brett Favre (DNP), Adrian Peterson, Sidney Rice, Steve Hutchinson, Bryant McKinnie (DNP), Jared Allen, Heath Farwell (special teams), and Kevin Williams (DNP). In addition, they have Antoine Winfield and Matt Birk who are former Pro Bowlers playing at a high level, and other talented players (some of whom ended up not playing) such as Visanthe Shiancoe, Percy Harvin, Ray Edwards, Jim Kleinsasser, and Bernard Berrian. Without going too deeply, this is a team MUCH more talented than the Bills are and a team which had been underperforming all season long…after coming within one play of going to the Super Bowl last year.

 

Coaching change. The players disliked Childress and were quite happy with the change to Leslie Frazier. To a man they respect him. They played hard in the win at Washington and I figured that would continue their strong play in their first home game with Frazier at the helm. In addition, Frazier DID interview with the Bills and implied in his conference call last week that he didn't sense the Bills had a real interest in hiring him (Rooney Rule interview?). Because of this I knew the Viking players would go hard for him. A similar dynamic exists with the Dallas Cowboys right now due to their change from Wade Phillips to Jason Garrett. Two teams no one wants to play right now are the Vikings and the Cowboys.

 

Home/Dome Field Advantage: This was the first game this year that the Bills played in an opponent's domed stadium. I anticipated that there would be problems with crowd noise which would tip the scales further in favor of the Vikings. When the Bills O-linemen started dropping like flies, it only caused a cascading of catastrophes. Our ability to protect Fitz was slim at the outset and with the crowd noise and the O-line injuries, this ability evaporated. Kudos to Fitz for only getting sacked once and completing 60% of his passes.

 

Once the game started, the injuries plus the probable benefit of Favre getting injured plus the slew of questionable officiating calls sealed the Bills fate.

 

In a train-wreck loss like this, the coaches and players will ALWAYS say things such as "we weren't ready to play," "we didn't bring our best game," "it wasn't our best effort," etc.

 

They say this because there's nothing else they can say. They would never say "we just aren't talented enough to compete with a team like that," because it indicts the front office and the players. If a player says "we aren't talented enough" what teammates is he indicting? This excuse also fosters hopelessness and further excuse making. To say we aren't talented enough is the ultimate loser's lament. It cannot be said. Nor are coaches/players allowed to use bad officiating as an excuse nor are they allowed to use injuries as an excuse. That's why you'll almost never see bad officiating, injuries, or lack of talent, used as an excuse by a losing team. It is viewed as excuse making and on an accountable team, excuse making is not acceptable.

 

By code, the only thing a losing team can say is that they were outplayed. "We didn't match their intensity." "They wanted it more than us." "We didn't play our best football."

 

What I saw yesterday was an untalented team which played hard till to final gun but was buried under an avalanche of better talent, a hostile environment, bad officiating, and injuries.

 

Fans tend to overreact due to emotions. Many fans that were drinking the Kool Aid two weeks ago are standing on the ledge today.

 

The truth is the Bills aren't as good a team as they've shown since the bye week. They've overachieved due to good coaching and inspired play.

 

And they're not as bad a team as they showed yesterday.

 

Nice Write-up San Jose

 

I agree - we just don't have the horses to run with the better teams in the league.

[PromoTheRobot]

i'm still unsure as to why sunday's evisceration was fated to happen.

 

prior to the contest, i actually thought we were bound to win.

To recap...injuries, letdown, good D, more injuries.

 

PTR

[Mr_Blizzard]

To recap...injuries, letdown, good D, more injuries.

 

PTR

+1.