Yep - 36 games & counting not throwing for 300 yards.....

[ny33]

23 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

 

Yes. The only stat that matters.

Every team would take a 3-0 record with questionable performance over 0-3 or even 2-1 records but strong moral victories (refs screwing the Saints, rash of injuries and being competitive with backups etc.). But if you’re going to take such a narrow view, then the only stat that “matters” is a Super Bowl win. The wild card Giants were not a better team than the 16-0 Patriots, but they won the game that matters. Yet the Pats have won 3 Super Bowls since then and will be championship contenders as long as B&B can perform, despite the annual declarations of impending doom or decline. 

 

The Bills are 3-0. That’s awesome, and the team has shown rare drive & resilience, tremendous defensive play with few minor concerns and no major limitations, as well as an improved offense from the historically bad outfit of 2018. Most importantly, Allen is showing continuous improvement and some level of mitigation of his most concerning traits, which points to a potentially very bright future paired with his unique skill set. But the Bills have certainly not played at the same level as the Pats this year and have some major concerns (weakness to blitzes/2h adjustments, tendency to take the foot off the pedal instead of continuing to just execute with a lead, etc.). It’s just as small-minded to discount the 3-0 record vs. bad teams as it is to ignore the clear weaknesses just because we are undefeated early. The 2017 playoff team overachieved relative to the talent level, which is a credit to the team’s heart and coaching, but that team had a number of lucky turnover breaks etc. and poor decisions (benching Tyrod, game management), and the stars aligned for us week 17. We’re in a much better place now with regards to the quality of the roster/stability and experience of the management and coaching, but the team has a long way to go before we can be considered on par with the Pats this year and become a perennial contender. But we are closer than we have been in a long, long time and should enjoy the ride from game to game unlike the quintessentially mediocre teams of the past two decades. 

[mellaman101]

When I get excited, I poop before I post......

[Formerly Allan in MD]

2 hours ago, Billsfan1972 said:

3-0 vs. teams 1-8 and wins, but certainly nothing convincing.

 

Let those explain again that qb's & teams throwing for 300 means nothing and further explain how it is a meaningless stat.

 

This is embarrassing...... 

 

 

Right, being 3 - 0 is embarrassing.  Best not to go out in public.

[CSBill]

2 hours ago, Billsfan1972 said:

How is that possible, when the next nearest was 11 games I think?

 

3-0 vs. teams 1-8 and wins, but certainly nothing convincing.

 

Let those explain again that qb's & teams throwing for 300 means nothing and further explain how it is a meaningless stat.

 

Daniel Jones in his first game did it (as did Kyler Murray). 

 

This is embarrassing...... 

 

Can the Bills get the monkey off their back? 

 

Who cares, they won! Did you notice the Bills are 3-0 while you were busy looking up those stats?

[Blank Stare]

The real streak we should all be concerned with....the amount of time it’s been since Al Michaels called a Bills game. ? I think it’s been since 2007.

 

In all seriousness, I’d like to hear him call another Bills game before he retires. 

[78thealltimegreat]

Unless you’re a fantasy football guy who freaking cares? 250 as opposed to 300 is a couple screens and Beasley catching a couple in the slot 

[transient]

Without a 300 yd game the Bills are 8-5 in games Allen has started and finished, and 6-3 since he returned from injury. In that time he’s put together 4 fourth quarter game winning drives.

 

That said, he and the offense have to learn to maintain focus for the whole game. There were times today before the Bengals tied it up and pulled ahead where they looked sloppy and complacent like they’d been reading a few too many favorable press clippings, IMO; then they seemed to pull their collective head out of their *** and focus when the game was on the line.

 

They need to develop a killer instinct and play like that for 60 minutes to put teams away instead of 2 1/2 quarters per game and eking the W out at the end.  

 

Despite the inconsistency, though, I fully expected Allen to pull it out at the end, which is something I haven’t truly felt since the 90s. They have the feel of the late 80s teams that were on the cusp and still figuring out how to win with regularity to me.

[Gunsgoodtime]

31 minutes ago, mellaman101 said:

When I get excited, I poop before I post......

This one was most likely done at the same time

[ctk232]

Not sure why people feel the need to rationalize this stat while we're 3-0 and playing within our offensive scheme. Just wait three weeks until we play Miami if you truly care that much....seriously

[TheyCallMeAndy]

By halftime Allen has been on pace to throw for 300+ in every game so far, we have just went into 3rd quarter snooze fests every game so far also. Kid had 180 at half time this week and was near 200 last week.

 

He's also has what, 8 consecutive 200+ yard passing plays? That may be a franchise record.

 

He's on pace for over 4000 yards this year, most since 2002. 

[Perry Turtle]

5 minutes ago, TheyCallMeAndy said:

By halftime Allen has been on pace to throw for 300+ in every game so far, we have just went into 3rd quarter snooze fests every game so far also. Kid had 180 at half time this week and was near 200 last week.

 

He's also has what, 8 consecutive 200+ yard passing plays? That may be a franchise record.

 

He's on pace for over 4000 yards this year, most since 2002. 

Fun fact, Jim Kelly never threw for 4000 yards in a season.  Over his  HOF career he averaged 221 yards per game.

 

Does anyone really believe that Allen couldn't throw for 300 yards if that was the gameplan?  This guy isn't Tyrod Taylor.

 

The offensive performance the first three games of the season is the floor for this team, not the ceiling.

Edited September 23, 2019 by Perry Turtle

[SJDK]

2 hours ago, billsbackto81 said:

Exactly.

Josh is on pace for a 4k season.

Jimbo's best year was 3844. He never had a 4k season and he's in Canton.

Yup, I don’t remember him throwing for 300+ much at all. I remember like 220 - 260 or so most of the time.

[SteveFreeman22]

3 hours ago, Billsfan1972 said:

How is that possible, when the next nearest was 11 games I think?

 

3-0 vs. teams 1-8 and wins, but certainly nothing convincing.

 

Let those explain again that qb's & teams throwing for 300 means nothing and further explain how it is a meaningless stat.

 

Daniel Jones in his first game did it (as did Kyler Murray). 

 

This is embarrassing...... 

 

Can the Bills get the monkey off their back? 

Take fantasy football and shove it up your ass.

[BuffaloBob]

2 hours ago, Just Joshin' said:

But are wins a stat?

No. Wins are THE stat. 

[Buffalo Barbarian]

Coming up this week.

 

 

[MJS]

What a foolish outlook. The Bills are 3-0. That's the answer. Really, what's the difference between a 250 yard passing game and a 300 yard passing game?

[BigDingus]

5 hours ago, Billsfan1972 said:

How is that possible, when the next nearest was 11 games I think?

 

3-0 vs. teams 1-8 and wins, but certainly nothing convincing.

 

Let those explain again that qb's & teams throwing for 300 means nothing and further explain how it is a meaningless stat.

 

Daniel Jones in his first game did it (as did Kyler Murray). 

 

This is embarrassing...... 

 

Can the Bills get the monkey off their back? 

 

If I remember correctly, the drought would've been even longer if not for Tyrod getting a few extra yards to push us over the line in OT against the Dolphins a few years ago.

13 minutes ago, MJS said:

What a foolish outlook. The Bills are 3-0. That's the answer. Really, what's the difference between a 250 yard passing game and a 300 yard passing game?

 

Observed in a vacuum, I'd agree. 

However, 36 straight games in an era where passing equals winning, and being able to pass the ball well is easier than ever with the rules set in place, yet we're still not able to do so is troubling.

We made the playoffs once. It was nice to get that monkey off our backs. But had it not been for a miracle play outside of our control, the drought would be nearing 2 decades, and being unable to pass the ball well is a HUGE part of that. Just because we made it over that hump once, doesn't mean we're any better off now than we were in those years.

We NEED to be able to pass the ball well, and throwing for 300+ yards is something every successful team in this league has been able to do on a relatively consistent basis.

[WideNine]

3 hours ago, transient said:

Without a 300 yd game the Bills are 8-5 in games Allen has started and finished, and 6-3 since he returned from injury. In that time he’s put together 4 fourth quarter game winning drives.

 

That said, he and the offense have to learn to maintain focus for the whole game. There were times today before the Bengals tied it up and pulled ahead where they looked sloppy and complacent like they’d been reading a few too many favorable press clippings, IMO; then they seemed to pull their collective head out of their *** and focus when the game was on the line.

 

They need to develop a killer instinct and play like that for 60 minutes to put teams away instead of 2 1/2 quarters per game and eking the W out at the end.  

 

Despite the inconsistency, though, I fully expected Allen to pull it out at the end, which is something I haven’t truly felt since the 90s. They have the feel of the late 80s teams that were on the cusp and still figuring out how to win with regularity to me.

 

 

The Bengals made some good adjustments at the half that I don't think we countered well. I had to go back and watch again...

 

In the first half they were often only rushing three and dropping everyone else back and both our running game and Allen's ability to extend plays allowed us to move the ball. We even had some success hitting plays on the edge. In the second half they brought 5 sometimes 6 guys and disrupted plays and forced Allen into some poor decisions.

 

Protection was not the best today as there was times Cincinnati was able to create pressure just bringing 3. I think the Bills need to continue to work those screens and slants with how aggressive teams are going after Allen - especially when they are loading up and rushing 5.

 

Zay had some clutch grabs, and some where he kept on his feet and had some YAC and moved the sticks. All I have ever wanted from him and will credit the good game he had.

 

Yeldon's unforced fumble in the red zone helped breath life into the Bengals; we score there and I think we would have iced the game.

[MJS]

6 minutes ago, BigDingus said:

Oserved in a vacuum, I'd agree. 

However, 36 straight games in an era where passing equals winning, and being able to pass the ball well is easier than ever with the rules set in place, yet we're still not able to do so is troubling.

We made the playoffs once. It was nice to get that monkey off our backs. But had it not been for a miracle play outside of our control, the drought would be nearing 2 decades, and being unable to pass the ball well is a HUGE part of that. Just because we made it over that hump once, doesn't mean we're any better off now than we were in those years.

We NEED to be able to pass the ball well, and throwing for 300+ yards is something every successful team in this league has been able to do on a relatively consistent basis.

 

The team sucked. 36 games ago the team was completely different. Heck, 4 games ago the offense was almost completely different. Doesn't matter. Go out and win games. If we happen to throw for 300 yards, I hope it's in a win. It would suck if it was in a loss.

[BigDingus]

3 hours ago, CSBill said:

 

Who cares, they won! Did you notice the Bills are 3-0 while you were busy looking up those stats?

 

We should all care.

The Bills started off 5-1 in 2008, then went 2-8 down the stretch. 

They also started off 3-0 in 2011, including a win over Tom Brady & the Patriots, going 5-2 to start the year. Then we proceeded to lose every single game except for a meaningless weak 16 blowout over the Broncos.

 

And in 2017, we started off 5-2, then went 4-5 down the stretch, but by good fortune sneaked into the playoffs.

Point being, we can (and have) started off strong in the W/L column before, only to falter later on. Even as we were riding high, nonbiased observers could see signs we weren't as good as our record implied. Right now, we've shown we're able to win against low tier competition in non-convincing fashion. That's it.

Allen playing one strong game from start to finish would go a long way in proving we're different than those teams, and to do so against the Patriots would mean even more. Even if we lose, I'll consider it an accomplishment and a point of pride if Allen can play well start to finish, and we don't get blown out. A win would be better, but a loss that signaled actual growth means a lot too.
 

Edited September 23, 2019 by BigDingus