Weak, soft or just overmatched?

[vincec]

1 hour ago, Gene1973 said:

Well, it's not just one game though. The D has played poorly in all 5 games so far...

This is the concern. It’s easy to give the offense a pass for one game but the defense looks worse every week.

[SCBills]

4 minutes ago, JohnnyBuffalo said:

I’m not sure how anyone can have any confidence in a team that gets smoked 42-16 in a game that is your first true test of the season.  I mean that’s almost a 4 touch down difference.     Losing a close one would be rough but to get embarrassed like that is, to use my teenage daughter’s favorite description of things these days, DISGUSTING.    
 

And it’s almost happened before this season.    I think most of us watched the Rams game.   While that ended in a victory it was very close to being an extremely embarrassing loss.    It certainly was embarrassing for the defense.     
 

If they aren’t ticked off after this loss and play well next week it will be a clear indication of what this team is all about.  
Sizzle with no steak.   That can result in a few games of fun for those fans that have never played the game in real life.    
 

Here’s to hoping they come back with a vengeance!

So the Titans, after two weeks off, on a week where the game was in question and we had to game plan for two teams while missing our CB1, CB2, LB and WR2 was our only “true test”?

 

Not the Rams or Raiders?... Just the Titans?  

[Nuncha]

14 minutes ago, H2o said:

Another thing that I believe is showing up is the loss of Lorax. He may not have been on the field for every single play, but the guy was in a way the heart and soul of this defense. You would see him talking to people on the field and on the sidelines explaining situations to them. A LOT of knowledge went out the door when he retired. 

This defense needs a leader...Lorax was it and now who is going to step up?  Hasn't happened yet.

[Greg S]

8 minutes ago, JohnnyBuffalo said:

I’m not sure how anyone can have any confidence in a team that gets smoked 42-16 in a game that is your first true test of the season.  I mean that’s almost a 4 touch down difference.     Losing a close one would be rough but to get embarrassed like that is, to use my teenage daughter’s favorite description of things these days, DISGUSTING.    
 

And it’s almost happened before this season.    I think most of us watched the Rams game.   While that ended in a victory it was very close to being an extremely embarrassing loss.    It certainly was embarrassing for the defense.     
 

If they aren’t ticked off after this loss and play well next week it will be a clear indication of what this team is all about.  
Sizzle with no steak.   That can result in a few games of fun for those fans that have never played the game in real life.    
 

Here’s to hoping they come back with a vengeance!

 

The Rams and Raiders (who knocked off the Chiefs at Arrowhead) weren't true tests? It was a bad game but nobody expected them to go 16-0. You are right the defense is a concern right now. Big test coming up on Monday.

[ProcessTruster]

14 minutes ago, Azucho98 said:

This defense needs a leader...Lorax was it and now who is going to step up?  Hasn't happened yet.

with Jordan Phillips, Lorax, Star and Gaines gone, they are looking a little lightweight in the front 7 for sure.   they need T White to be playing in order to bring Poyer into the box.  things will get better once he and a few others are back.  Lose White and Milano this year for a game and you have a problem for that game.  

[Sharky7337]

Everytime I see edmunds go up to the line of scrimmage I cringe. Almost everytime he is out of place or not getting pressure

Edited October 14, 2020 by Sharky7337

[Livinginthepast]

1 hour ago, Utah John said:

1.  Allen wasn't right all game.  His footwork this season has been fine, but not against the Titans.  He wasn't balanced, he was throwing flat footed a lot, he was throwing off his back foot, he sailed a couple of passes to open receivers.  He even threw an honest to God interception, his first of the year, when he failed to see the defender.  I don't have any idea what caused his problems this week, but I hope his coaching entourage can figure it out and straighten it out.

 

2.  I hope this game was this year's Philadelphia game.  The Bills put up a stinker against Philly last year, for no apparent reason.  Then they got it figured out.

 

3.  The Bills have been a tightly knit bunch all season, in love with each other.  In this game they played like they'd been jilted.  I know we won't ever hear the true story, but I suspect that White and maybe Brown just didn't want to play against the covid team, and so they bailed on their teammates.  We won't know whether that's true or not, but the other players do, and they looked a lot like guys who suddenly are questioning the family values that they've built up.

 

4.  Where again are the team leaders?  Who is it who steps in and gets his teammates fired up, or reads the the riot act when they're not producing?  Especially on D, there doesn't seem to be anyone.  Edmunds might be playing hurt, and credit to him if he's doing that, but he's also playing badly.  It seems like Hyde and Poyer are tight with each other but not the rest of the D.

 

5.  Paging Ed Oliver.  Phone call for Mr. Oliver.  Has anyone seen Ed Oliver?

 

6.  Not that it mattered, but Tannehill was WAY past the the line of scrimmage when he threw that late TD pass.  Being a glutton for punishment, I rewound to the actual play, and it is as clear as day that Tannehill was well past.  I don't know why all the replays omitted the line on the field showing where the line of scrimmage was. 

 

 

 

1. Agree, Allen looked a little bit off. Im not sure though if this was in reaction to all the drops and that terrible Roberts INT that was not Josh's fault. The INT in the 3rd was one of the worst throws of Josh's career. Before it got out of hand Daboll needed to switch things up. The pressure is too much when Josh is asked to play Hero ball and the rest of the team is mailing it in.

 

2. I hope so too. It seems once or twice a year in the last few years, the Bills have come up against a team that has studied them superbly and that the Bills have taken lightly. Philly, New Orleans or last night are great examples. That is 100% on the coaches for not preparing the players on a game plan. Not using a sports psychology, not even getting them hyped up or calming them down appropriately. Just inexcusably bad preparation.

 

3. I was wondering the same question. Bills played like the Titans were slathered in Covid 19. Too many half hearted tackles and missed ones. I cant help but think it played a role in their tentative and wimpy mentality last night.

 

4/5 They are really missing a defensive leader. Hughes and Norman were angry at some of the calls last night  against them (some were iffy) but aside from that, nobody on the Bills defense seemed to be into this game. See the previous point. Oliver has been MIA.  Totally mystifying.

 

6. I reversed the DVR 2X to see where the line of scrimmage was on that Tannehill pass. His front foot was at least a yard beyond the line of scrimmage, when he cocked his arm to throw the ball it was past the line of scrimmage. The Bills defenders immediately knew that he was past and complained. But I guess the refs felt really sorry for the Titans with all the pain and anguish of all the Covid 19 this week so they gave them the dbag TD pass to rub it in. The Bills should have at least shown some pride and got angry at that petty humiliation but at that point they were too far gone to care!

 

[BananaB]

Despite all the reports about our guys be focused and ready to go, on Friday a few guys expressed their feelings about what they thought of this game. My guess is I they were not the only ones on the team just the only ones to speak out. In my opinion the Bills got the raw end of this deal. Game planning for two teams and missing a bunch of starters that would of made a difference. When things started to go bad the team looked depleted and the mistakes piled up. 

[dorquemada]

4 hours ago, Toledo Bill said:

At least once a year under this regime we play a game where there is a feeling of helplessness.. The other team runs or passes at will and we literally cannot adjust or stop them. Our offense is finessed based (can pass but cannot run). Continuous errors (mental and physical) are made. 
My first houghts were that they are a soft or weak team but in many ways, throughout the season they show heart. That makes me assume that they are overmatched and out coached. Why can’t we run the ball? Why are there games where we are run over or cannot generate any semblance of a pass rush? I am afraid the Bills are a good team but until some changes are made regarding the talent level of both lines “good” is the best we will see. I also question if the McBean combination is all we hope it is. They may also be “good” but not great.

 

porque no los tres?

[Call_Of_Ktulu]

It definitely feels like if the offense has a down week that we will lose. It’s amazing how this defense has just dropped off a cliff. The D-Line is just not getting it done, no pressure on opposing QB’s and poor run stuffing. Edmunds stands out as super soft looking, he is being tossed around and looks really bad. Edmunds is playing so bad that he should almost be benched.

[DallasBillsFan1]

Buffalo looked small out there last night.  Titans were sharp and well disciplined.  D Henry and Titan receivers are HUGE and Tannehill was spot on.  Tough to watch as a Bills fan.

 

[Casey D]

All this doom and gloom is depressing.  It was a bad game last night, but it does not wipe away the 4-0 start.  A few observations--

 

1.  On offense, the team found itself in a hole for the first time this year.  Titans were playing D that gave up underneath stuff, not readily allowing some big plays so the team could jump back in the game.  So needing sustained drives, too many mistakes-- drops penalties etc.  Josh overcame it sometimes, like on the first TD drive.  But then he started to force things to try and change the trajectory of the game, i.e., he tried too hard and that is when he makes mistakes.  Still did some good things like TD pass to Yeldon--amazing throw-- but Titans scheme and falling behind did them in.

 

2.  Mistakes.  Too many short fields for the Titans.  Got a lead and never had to get out of their comfort zone.  Made them seem better than they are.

 

3. Defense was bad.  They need to fix it.  They have had stretches like this every year. I recall one 3 or 4 game stretch in mid-season 2017 including the Chargers where they gave up like 130 points in three games.  Losing White in particular really hurt the schemes last night.  I think they can get this defense back to mediocre, which should be good enough to make a run with the potential the offense shows.

 

4.  It really was a piss poor game.  But as somebody wrote above, it is never as good or bad as it looks.  Need to see a better effort against KC, even if they lose.  Get the Jets after that so 5-2 playing the Pats will be fine.  That  game will show us if the train is on the tracks.  In the meantime, don't fret too much and enjoy the ride.  Hell it seems the world is falling apart some days, keep football in perspective. 

Edited October 14, 2020 by Casey D

[BigPappy]

3 hours ago, Gene1973 said:

Easy, at this point in a team rebuild, with supposedly the true franchise QB, the team should be taking that next step, you know, like other teams have done countless times, stepping up and winning important prime time games, playoff games, super bowls, etc. Instead, the D has gone from 2nd to high 20's ensuring this team stays where they have always been.

 

They just can't put it all together...

Who the hell are you and where the f*&k do you get off making such assessments on a franchise QB's status of progression? Did YOU play or coach in the NFL? I seriously doubt it. The last time i check JA is a human being and not a perfect one and just like anyone else, he is going to have off days or just bad days. Especially being in his third season. If you want to complain about the "state of our team" then GTFO the train and go watch some figure skating.

[Chuck Wagon]

12 minutes ago, DallasBillsFan1 said:

Buffalo looked small out there last night.  Titans were sharp and well disciplined.  D Henry and Titan receivers are HUGE and Tannehill was spot on.  Tough to watch as a Bills fan.

 

 

 

The Titans make every team in the league look small.  That's a grown man offense.

[Ga boy]

1 hour ago, JohnnyBuffalo said:

I’m not sure how anyone can have any confidence in a team that gets smoked 42-16 in a game that is your first true test of the season.  I mean that’s almost a 4 touch down difference.     Losing a close one would be rough but to get embarrassed like that is, to use my teenage daughter’s favorite description of things these days, DISGUSTING.    
 

And it’s almost happened before this season.    I think most of us watched the Rams game.   While that ended in a victory it was very close to being an extremely embarrassing loss.    It certainly was embarrassing for the defense.     
 

If they aren’t ticked off after this loss and play well next week it will be a clear indication of what this team is all about.  
Sizzle with no steak.   That can result in a few games of fun for those fans that have never played the game in real life.    
 

Here’s to hoping they come back with a vengeance!

Similar to those 90s teams, I’m afraid that teams with the beef can  bulldoze us and eat up clock.  We had pass rush then.  Tenny didn’t bulldoze us, but probably could’ve beat us that way too.  Tanny was our focus, but they were smarter.  Our offense needs to play big each week for us to win division.  Go Bills!! 

[dma0034]

Titans were out for blood after everyone was saying how they screwed up. It's not unsimilar to how the Patriots reacted after Spygate or when Brady got suspended... team is going to take a Us against the World approach. Bills just walked right into it

[zow2]

4 minutes ago, dma0034 said:

Titans were out for blood after everyone was saying how they screwed up. It's not unsimilar to how the Patriots reacted after Spygate or when Brady got suspended... team is going to take a Us against the World approach. Bills just walked right into it

 

Yup,  but it's a bad sign that the Bills looked physically weak compared to Tenn and the coaching staff was not prepared.  The Titans dictated everything and controlled the trenches.

[TheBrownBear]

We gave the Titans 21 points directly off turnovers.  Outside of his sideline catch, Andre Roberts was terrible and his dropperception really set the tone for the game.  Its easy to look at the score and say we were dominated, but we outgained the Titans and ended with the same yards per play number.  The penalties and turnovers were the difference in the game.  For whatever reason, we were especially sloppy last night against a very good team and they made us pay.  That was a very Patriotsesque performance from the Titans.

 

These types of games occasionally happen to even the best teams.    The defense is definitely a concern, but lets see how we do once we are healthy. 

[BuffaloRebound]

Given the circumstances surrounding that game, I’ll give them a pass but that was an embarrassing effort and not a good reflection on the coaching staff.  If they come out un-focused and disinterested again next Monday, then you gotta question if the coach has lost his team.  

[Billzgobowlin]

I personally see this as the Titans bye week with almost two weeks to prepare for Bills.  They are fresher and healthier.  This crap about haven't practiced for two weeks is dumb because they got the full schedule in.