Patriot Week - Would losing this week be the most disappointing since McDermott took over?

[Royale with Cheese]

3 minutes ago, High Football IQ said:

 

I'm not even sure what you mean....but anybody that expected this team to go 16-0 even after the first month is smoking some good stuff and setting themselves up for a major let down given the events of recent weeks.

 

And to be fair I expected this team to be exactly where they were right now at 5-2 when I analyzed the schedule and tried to forecast how things would play out. The issue though is how we have arrived here and the context of the totality of the season....and the data and trends are showing that this team simply peaked after the first four games or was a complete fraud to begin with similar to 2008/2011 (possibly more on the path of the 2002 season given Allen's Bledsoe like season and numbers so far).

 

At the end of the day though I certainly could be wrong, but if I'm not a lot of fans are going to be in for a major disappoint of what lies ahead in the coming weeks because the cold hard reality is there are no more 0-7 teams left for us to win thrilling 18-10 games against. Even the worse teams left (Den/SD) look like vastly superior teams irregardless of their current W/L records compared to Buffalo.

 

If the Bills had given up 28 to the Jets like the Broncos did, you would be criticizing the Bills but the Broncos are "vastly superior".

If the Bills had given up 29 to the Jags like the Chargers did, you would be criticizing the Bills but the Chargers are "vastly superior".

[ColoradoBills]

1 hour ago, jimmy10 said:

Why does everything need to be superlative all the time? “Most ever” “worst ever” “signature win” “best dressed”... Just let it happen, man. Not like anyone here has a lick of influence on the outcome anyway. 

 

I agree but most people are influenced a lot more than they think by the internet and all the "click bait" sites.  It's rewiring everyone's brains.

I have to "check" myself from the over reactions all the time.

 

As to Bills football, I'm trying to just enjoy the games for what they are.  I seem to enjoy them more this way.

FWIW.

[MJS]

15 minutes ago, High Football IQ said:

 

Because realistic fans who don't slobber over the Bills social media feeds and look beyond the lucky playoff circumstances the last 3 years realize this GM and HC simply aren't good enough to take this team even close to where they were in the 90's.

 

I want a wartime coach and GM that is thinking about playing and wining games into late January/early Feb, not just happen to squeak out 9 or 10 wins against mostly mediorce and terrible NFL teams week after week and playing the 'it's tough to win games in this league' card as justification why they can never comfortably win an NFL game against bottom feeding teams.

And yet McDermott and Beane are universally respected around the league. Imagine that.

[Captain Caveman]

I would say the most disappointing loss was the playoff game last year.  It didn't hurt that we blew a huge lead and I flew to Houston for it.

[MJS]

8 minutes ago, Nextmanup said:

That's because some folks are looking beyond the record at more critical indicators of team quality, looking at the schedule, comparing it to the very easy one we had to start the season, and realizing we have a very tough row to hoe.

 

 

No, actually some fans are just miserable wretches.

[Motorin']

1 hour ago, Gene1973 said:

I think an embarrassing loss to a weaker opponent here will damage many Bills fans' opinion of McDermott. Doubt might even creep into the minds of even his most ardent supporters.

 

I read that in Gollom's voice, as if hoping  everything about your team sucks is to Bills' fans with BBPD what 'my precious' is to Gollom... One could only hope doubt creeps into the minds of McD's most ardent supporters! Muhahahha!

[teef]

15 minutes ago, High Football IQ said:

 

I'm not even sure what you mean....but anybody that expected this team to go 16-0 even after the first month is smoking some good stuff and setting themselves up for a major let down given the events of recent weeks.

 

And to be fair I expected this team to be exactly where they were right now at 5-2 when I analyzed the schedule and tried to forecast how things would play out. The issue though is how we have arrived here and the context of the totality of the season....and the data and trends are showing that this team simply peaked after the first four games or was a complete fraud to begin with similar to 2008/2011 (possibly more on the path of the 2002 season given Allen's Bledsoe like season and numbers so far).

 

At the end of the day though I certainly could be wrong, but if I'm not a lot of fans are going to be in for a major disappoint of what lies ahead in the coming weeks because the cold hard reality is there are no more 0-7 teams left for us to win thrilling 18-10 games against. Even the worse teams left (Den/SD) look like vastly superior teams irregardless of their current W/L records compared to Buffalo.

oh stop it.  this is your thing.  the bills have a lull into the season, and you suddenly show up.  you predict failure and a collapse of the season.  when it doesn't happen, you disappear, never having to own up for your nonsense.

 

are the bills playing mediocre football now?  yes.  teams have highs and low during seasons.  it's a 16 game marathon.  the bills aren't elite, but they're a good football team.  if you feel this is the way the bills will be  for the rest of the season, so be it.   but by looking at the "data" from your posts, this is all part of the act.

[JohnNord]

1 hour ago, Billsfan1972 said:

Very simply, the Bills lose Sunday and I will annoint it as bad a loss as any since McD became coach.  Forget the blowouts & playoff losses, the Bills can not afford to lose to the Patriots this week.

 

I can't think of a game that will bother me more then if they get beaten by Belichek again.

 

So this isn’t too much of an exaggeration.  McDermott is 0-6 versus Belichick.  He’s come close to winning the past few times.  
 

Hollywood stuff here.  The champion is a shell of what they used to be. They are tired and on the ropes.  The Bills have the perfect chance to land the knockout punch.  Or will the champ use their cunning, intelligence, and whatever heart is left to get out of a situation where they are overmatched?  We’ll find out.

 

But this is the perfect chance for the Bills to finally beat NE.

[Motorin']

1 hour ago, The Frankish Reich said:

Because that's how spectator sports have us wired. Why would anyone post anything on this board if we weren't interested in all those superlatives and perceived rankings? We'd just watch the game and have threads about magnificent young athletes doing remarkable things. Oh, there's a few of those ... maybe 2 percent of all threads?

I mean, you'd almost think the board was here to talk about football. About the strategy and execution, about how to beat the upcoming team on the schedule. But alas, it's Buffalo, so the board is a giant group therapy session for grown men who don't know how to handle their own emotions. 

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

7 minutes ago, High Football IQ said:

 

I'm not even sure what you mean....but anybody that expected this team to go 16-0 even after the first month is smoking some good stuff and setting themselves up for a major let down given the events of recent weeks.

 

And to be fair I expected this team to be exactly where they were right now at 5-2 when I analyzed the schedule and tried to forecast how things would play out. The issue though is how we have arrived here and the context of the totality of the season....and the data and trends are showing that this team simply peaked after the first four games or was a complete fraud to begin with similar to 2008/2011 (possibly more on the path of the 2002 season given Allen's Bledsoe like season and numbers so far).

 

At the end of the day though I certainly could be wrong, but if I'm not a lot of fans are going to be in for a major disappoint of what lies ahead in the coming weeks because the cold hard reality is there are no more 0-7 teams left for us to win thrilling 18-10 games against. Even the worse teams left (Den/SD) look like vastly superior teams irregardless of their current W/L records compared to Buffalo.

 

Vastly superior?  

[Virgil]

A regular season loss, when we play them twice?  No.

 

How can any regular season loss be more disappointing than playoff losses?  Unless the regular season loss eliminates you from the playoffs

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

Just now, JohnNord said:

So this isn’t too much of an exaggeration.  McDermott is 0-6 versus Belichick.  He’s come close to winning the past few times.  
 

Hollywood stuff here.  The champion is a shell of what they used to be. They are tired and on the ropes.  The Bills have the perfect chance to land the knockout punch.  Or will the champ use their cunning, intelligence, and whatever heart is left to get out of a situation where they are overmatched?  We’ll find out.

 

But this is the perfect chance for the Bills to finally beat NE.

 

Gotta play a 3 phase game.  

 

Special teams cost us the first meeting last year - that and allen getting hurt.  Make the kicks, and execute the punts.  

 

Defense, they're going to run early and often.  Gotta step up here.  Stops are going to be about winning the LOS on early downs, and containing cam on 3rds.  

 

Offense, i think they'll go back to blitz heavy on 3rd downs so we have to have solutions for that.  They'll look at what KC did and try and emulate some of that.  Buffalo needs to be able to run the ball. They're a man heavy team, so if they start getting more zone heavy - look for a mistake or big play.  I'd love to see smoke out there too.

[eball]

59 minutes ago, jimmy10 said:

Why does everything need to be superlative all the time? “Most ever” “worst ever” “signature win” “best dressed”... Just let it happen, man. Not like anyone here has a lick of influence on the outcome anyway. 

 

I hear ya, James, and I'm typically on board with that sentiment.  That said, not taking advantage of the opportunity this week presents would, for multiple reasons, be extremely disappointing and remove much (if not most) of the optimism surrounding McD/Beane and what we thought the Bills were becoming.  Yes, it's only one game, but it's an awful big one for the Bills' fan base.

[DaBillsFanSince1973]

1 hour ago, Billsfan1972 said:

Very simply, the Bills lose Sunday and I will annoint it as bad a loss as any since McD became coach.  Forget the blowouts & playoff losses, the Bills can not afford to lose to the Patriots this week.

 

I can't think of a game that will bother me more then if they get beaten by Belichek again.

but will you still root for the team?

 

oh wait, you don't root for the team, never mind.

[WideNine]

Not really.

 

Belichick is a better coach than McD and I like McDermott. He is a good young coach, but is not at the goat's level yet.

 

Ol Bill is coming off a slide that is unprecedented for NE and this is a division game against a familiar opponent whose OC is also very familiar.

 

We are the walking wounded and I suspect we have a good chance of losing this game.

 

I would be disappointed, but not crushed. I have never counted our NE games as wins and I wont till this team can actually prove they can beat them on the field and not just look better on paper.

 

I am hopeful, but skeptical.

 

 

 

[BillsFan692]

This may be the most billsy thread I've ever seen.

[Freddie's Dead]

I said it in another thread, and I'll say it again.  This game is WWII for the Bills.  A loss is simply unacceptable.  It's time for the Bills to slay the Cheats Dragon once and for all.

[ImpactCorey]

Umm, no.  The Wildcard game against the Texans last year is the most disappointing and its not even close.  They were up 13-0 at half time.  You could throw the Jags Wildcard loss above it as well.  Heck a loss this weekend probably wouldn't even be top 5.

[Billsfan1972]

16 minutes ago, Virgil said:

A regular season loss, when we play them twice?  No.

 

How can any regular season loss be more disappointing than playoff losses?  Unless the regular season loss eliminates you from the playoffs

Because the playoff result was not unexpected.  Even up 13-0 (16-0), the Bills refused to put the Texans away as was McD's coaching style.  And then come OT they aloowed an underneath pass to convert a 3rd & 18 (So Bills).  

 

This is NE that has looked terrible the past 3 weeks and have toyed with the Bills for years.  It would be a terrible loss imo.

[BuffaloMatt]

Question posed to all- Do the Chiefs (7th), Broncos (11th) and Niners (6th) have a better defense than the Bills (15th)? Answer - yes.  I think BB sees our run D deficiencies and will attempt to win they way he beat the Rams in the SB. Power run to left, middle and to the right. I hope we get our shi! together.