The Voice of Truth Posted November 10, 2014 Posted November 10, 2014 Anybody can overreact to the loss yesterday. The real story is we played extremely well. We dominated the game. A couple freakish plays screwed us. That's the truth. The coaches had a great game plan and made good decisions in terms of managing the game. Despite it not panning out, they did all the right things. The players were motivated and played well. Sometimes you just get screwed and that's what happened yesterday. For the first time in a long time we have a good team. Yesterday and this year has reminded me of the Wade Phillips era. We're a team that can move the ball and stop others from moving the ball. The loss yesterday was only devastating because of how much we dominated the game. It was abundantly clear we were the better team yesterday. The Chiefs are a physical playoff team and we manhandled them. Our defense is dominant. The front four wreaks havoc every week and seems to only be getting better. Our linebacking core has turned into a strength as well. Spikes has been better than advertised. Preston Brown (rookie) is coming into his own. Nigel Bradham is a beast. And we don't even have Kiko in there. Our secondary is solid at worst. The offense is productive enough to win. Kyle Orton has certainly been an upgrade. Is he Peyton or Brady? Of course not. Has he been solid, hitting NFL throws with a decent level of consitency? Yes. Our skill positions on offense are very good. They just need a QB who can get the ball in their hands with room to make plays. Orton can do this. At times he looks very good even. Of course he does have some misses. Any QB who is not super elite has these. He is solid. He's a calm leader. He has good demeanor and pretty good ability as a player. Watkins is clearly a beast. I do think injuries have hampered him a bit from fully blossoming. Woods is a very good player. Chandler is a huge target, decent run blocker. Hogan could be the solid route runner who is always in the right place that QBs depend on. Jackson and Spiller are a good duo, but I think Brown and Dixon can carry the load just fine too. So, we're deep at running back. And the biggest thing is I think our GM and Coach could be pretty good. Whaley made a high number of moves this offseason. Many of them have panned out. I'm pleased with the Watson move at this point.
YoloinOhio Posted November 10, 2014 Posted November 10, 2014 I agree and I think the Bills will be playing NE week 17 for the division title.
Deranged Rhino Posted November 10, 2014 Posted November 10, 2014 Good post and it's also fairly accurate in my view. This is a very talented team, with arguably the most talented roster the Bills have compiled in a decade. There's depth, real skill position players, a true difference maker on offense in Watkins and a bevy of difference makers on the defensive side of the ball. Schwartz has improved on the foundation that Pettine built and, even without Kiko, has elevated this defense to "special". In years past, the Bills lost close games they had no business winning in the first place. Games against superior opponents who came back to snatch victory at the last moments stung, but this one was different for the reasons you stated: the Bills were the better team on Sunday. In almost every area, the difference in talent was undeniable. I'm not as on board with St. Doug and Hackett as you, but I do think there's something to be gained from continuity and expect both Doug and Whaley to be back in '15. 3-1 was what was needed in this quarter of the season and it's still reachable, albeit much tougher with this loss. Thursday night gets us to 6-4, matching our win total from last year with 6 games to play. That's all I'm focused on right now because this league is week to week, what we think holds true today in terms of the AFC playoff picture most likely won't be true in three weeks time.
Virgil Posted November 10, 2014 Posted November 10, 2014 We've been good before, lost this game, and then fell apart. Good without the playoffs doesn't mean jack. We will not make the playoffs due to all the tie-breaker games we are giving away. And with the way the Browns win games like we just lost, We are lucky if we don't end up 8-8. Sorry, no more moral victories. Not with this defense
Deranged Rhino Posted November 10, 2014 Posted November 10, 2014 We've been good before, lost this game, and then fell apart. Good without the playoffs doesn't mean jack. We will not make the playoffs due to all the tie-breaker games we are giving away. And with the way the Browns win games like we just lost, We are lucky if we don't end up 8-8. Sorry, no more moral victories. Not with this defense In the past decade this just isn't true. This team has had talent, but it's been forced to use smoke and mirrors just to be competitive in some games. What happened yesterday was this team beating itself. What happened in the recent past was better teams winning games of attrition against lesser talented Bills teams.
mannc Posted November 10, 2014 Posted November 10, 2014 Anybody can overreact to the loss yesterday. The real story is we played extremely well. We dominated the game. A couple freakish plays screwed us. That's the truth. The coaches had a great game plan and made good decisions in terms of managing the game. Despite it not panning out, they did all the right things. The players were motivated and played well. Sometimes you just get screwed and that's what happened yesterday. For the first time in a long time we have a good team. Yesterday and this year has reminded me of the Wade Phillips era. We're a team that can move the ball and stop others from moving the ball. The loss yesterday was only devastating because of how much we dominated the game. It was abundantly clear we were the better team yesterday. The Chiefs are a physical playoff team and we manhandled them. Please explain how any of this is different from last year's KC game. In 2013, didn't we dominate KC in time of possession, yardage, etc. and still manage to lose? Couldn't you have said the exact same thing after last years game at RWS? And aren't we still in the same situation, on the outside of the playoffs looking in? How is this year any different?
YoloinOhio Posted November 10, 2014 Posted November 10, 2014 Please explain how any of this is different from last year's KC game. In 2013, didn't we dominate KC in time of possession, yardage, etc. and still manage to lose? Couldn't you have said the exact same thing after last years game at RWS? And aren't we still in the same situation, on the outside of the playoffs looking in? How is this year any different? we have a quarterback
Deranged Rhino Posted November 10, 2014 Posted November 10, 2014 Please explain how any of this is different from last year's KC game. In 2013, didn't we dominate KC in time of possession, yardage, etc. and still manage to lose? Couldn't you have said the exact same thing after last years game at RWS? And aren't we still in the same situation, on the outside of the playoffs looking in? How is this year any different? This year's team is better. Last year's team was playing a 3rd string, undrafted free agent rookie at QB, two injured RBs, a WR corps without a true #1 WR and a defense that couldn't stop a runny nose.
26CornerBlitz Posted November 10, 2014 Posted November 10, 2014 5-4 with a 2-4 AFC record says mediocre not good. Want to be good? Win important games like yesterday instead of gifting them away like we've in so many other instances.
BillsFan-4-Ever Posted November 10, 2014 Posted November 10, 2014 Ask this again in 5 weeks and I'll tell you IF the Bills are worthy or not.
Prickly Pete Posted November 10, 2014 Posted November 10, 2014 They are now "competitive". They are a mediocre team, right in the 12th to 22nd ranking. Not really much to get very excited about, but better than the basement.
The Voice of Truth Posted November 10, 2014 Author Posted November 10, 2014 Good post and it's also fairly accurate in my view. This is a very talented team, with arguably the most talented roster the Bills have compiled in a decade. There's depth, real skill position players, a true difference maker on offense in Watkins and a bevy of difference makers on the defensive side of the ball. Schwartz has improved on the foundation that Pettine built and, even without Kiko, has elevated this defense to "special". In years past, the Bills lost close games they had no business winning in the first place. Games against superior opponents who came back to snatch victory at the last moments stung, but this one was different for the reasons you stated: the Bills were the better team on Sunday. In almost every area, the difference in talent was undeniable. I'm not as on board with St. Doug and Hackett as you, but I do think there's something to be gained from continuity and expect both Doug and Whaley to be back in '15. 3-1 was what was needed in this quarter of the season and it's still reachable, albeit much tougher with this loss. Thursday night gets us to 6-4, matching our win total from last year with 6 games to play. That's all I'm focused on right now because this league is week to week, what we think holds true today in terms of the AFC playoff picture most likely won't be true in three weeks time. Glad to see others are making the same observations. We do have a good team and I'm glad there are fans out there that can see beyond the loss. In terms of Hackett and Marrone, I am not yet fully on board. I am leaning towards endorsing Marrone at this point. I am also leaning pretty strongly towards endorsing Whaley. He had a very good offseason in my view. Back to Marrone though; I think he can handle a head coaching position in this league. He does not seem in over his head. I like that he delegates duties and is not a control freak. There is enough decision making on the head coach during a game. You don't need to add play calling duties to that. From what I have seen, he has demonstrated consistently that he has common sense. Oddly enough, I think a decent number of head coaches do not have this. They cannot see the forest for the trees they are so wrapped up in details. Marrone does have common sense. He makes changes that are obviously needed. Al that being said, I have witnessed some very poor clock management situations with Marrone. This is what holds me back from a full endorsment. Overall though, I am just pleased our team is good again finally.
mannc Posted November 10, 2014 Posted November 10, 2014 (edited) This year's team is better. Last year's team was playing a 3rd string, undrafted free agent rookie at QB, two injured RBs, a WR corps without a true #1 WR and a defense that couldn't stop a runny nose. Sorry, I'm not buying it. This team has lost three of four games at home, including two blowouts, and appears to be headed for 7-9. Although we lament games like yesterday that were there for the taking, this team could just as easily be 3-6. I can't help comparing this team to Cleveland, which after hiring a quality head coach, appears to be headed for the playoffs and is about to add the best WR in football to its roster. Oh, and they have two number 1 picks next spring. Edited November 10, 2014 by mannc
Big C Posted November 10, 2014 Posted November 10, 2014 Some major growing pains on the offense, but we are one of the best defenses in the NFL. I think with Kiko back, this is unquestionably the best front 7 in the NFL. The secondary is improving, too. I agree with the above that says we are now a competitive team. Maybe not "good," just yet. A good team would have won yesterday and won by a wide margin. But we still have time. A good team will take this awful loss and use it as fuel to absolutely destroy Miami and go on a tear down the stretch.
The Voice of Truth Posted November 10, 2014 Author Posted November 10, 2014 A good team will take this awful loss and use it as fuel to absolutely destroy Miami and go on a tear down the stretch. Hope this happens!
RuntheDamnBall Posted November 10, 2014 Posted November 10, 2014 do they have a Moral Victory Bowl this year?
Miyagi-Do Karate Posted November 10, 2014 Posted November 10, 2014 We are good, but remain an unlucky team. We need some good luck. And that starts with you jokers on here stopping jinxing them constantly, plus some kind of voodoo ritual involving Doug Flutie.
26CornerBlitz Posted November 10, 2014 Posted November 10, 2014 We are good, but remain an unlucky team. We need some good luck. And that starts with you jokers on here stopping jinxing them constantly, plus some kind of voodoo ritual involving Doug Flutie. They had their "luck" in DET with three missed FGs and at home vs. MIN with the 4th and 20 completion to Chandler.
jjmac Posted November 10, 2014 Posted November 10, 2014 I agree and I think the Bills will be playing NE week 17 for the division title. Even after losing to Green Bay and Denver?
boyst Posted November 10, 2014 Posted November 10, 2014 'Cause for the first time in forever, There'll be music, there'll be light! For the first time in forever, I'll be dancing through the night... Don't know if I'm elated or gassy, But I'm somewhere in that zone! 'Cause for the first time in forever... I won't be alone. I agree and I think the Bills will be playing NE week 17 for the division title. I don't know if New England struggles that much coming up. They don't have much of a challenging road between here and January.
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