A Few Thoughts about the Steelers Game, in no particular order

[Virgil]

My apologies for the lateness of this, but work and a late night game really has taken it out of me lately.  However, it's been good to sit back and listen to the post games and media reactions.  The questions about what type of team we are seem to be answered and the optimism is contagious.  Welcome aboard the Bills bandwagon

 

1 - Pele - Playing soccer in high school, I had a coach who idolized the soccer great Pele.  He told me about people would go to a game and be incredibly disappointed with how he played up until halftime, but then he would absolutely take over and dominate the second half.  My coaches point was, Pele used the first half to keep the game close and study the opponents tendencies.  Once he figured them out, he would absolutely dismantle them.  I thought about this after the Steelers game a lot in addition to all of the naysayers about the Bills inability to make half time adjustments.  If ever there were a game where we did just that, it was this one.  The Bills offense was night and day different coming out of the tunnel and completely imposed their will against one of the top rated defenses in the league.  The pressure, the coverage, the gaps were all exposed and Daboll deserves a ton of credit.

 

2 - Momentum - The shifting of a games momentum is something you typically gradually feel.  For this game, if you weren't lulled asleep by the punt-fest yet as the thoughts of depression creeped in about another poor Prime Time showing, you could see the entire game turn on the pick six by Taron Johnson.  Of all the plays fans have been clamoring for, this was it.  The Steelers had established their offense all season on their short passing attack.  Our offense couldn't score.  Our defense had yet to score a defensive touchdown all season.  Johnson's anticipation, cut on the ball, and break away speed from JuJu was the most perfect moment that could happen for this game and defense.  Within a few moments, all of your doubts and questions about this game and contender talk went away.  There was no looking back.

 

3 - 7:11 - If there were one sticking point fans had beyond prime time games and defensive turnovers, it was the Bills inability to fully put teams away.  The Bills controlled the clock for over the last seven minutes of the game and did it mainly rushing the ball.  The Steelers knew what was coming and they still couldn't stop our rushing attack.  A top tier defense couldn't stop the Bills rushing game down the stretch.  Let that really sink in for a moment.  Moss showed great cuts and acceleration again.  Motor broke multiple arm tackles and Josh needs to learn to delay that slide another yard 🙂.  Of all the impressive things that occurred in this game, this might stand out as the biggest win to me.  Our ability to control the clock and open up the passing game with the run is something that will go a long way in our playoff run.

 

4 - Crazy cat peekin' through a lace bandanna,

Like a one-eyed Cheshire, like a diamond-eye jack.

A leaf of all colors plays a golden-string fiddle,

To a double-E waterfall over my back.

 

5 - Disrespect - Mentioned in the post game, was the Bills being aware of Juju making a video of him dancing on our logo before the game.  There were images of Ralph's statue with Steelers gear on him.  The broadcast even showed highlights of the Patriots blowing us out on Sunday night a few years back.  These are all things that Bills fans might previously look for small victories within the game for, but know there wasn't much we could do about it.  Then, it was shown as Josh brought the team out of the tunnel, that he even mentioned how the Steelers could do the talking, but we'd be doing the dancing.  And dance we did.  There's just something to the fact that we can take the hits and back it up.  I love that the team is tracking on all of these things and save their responses for the field and after the game.  This team gets it, has a lot of pride, and is showing the world one game at a time. 

 

6 - Records - While not earth shattering, the fact that Diggs was the first to 100 catches and Allen broke the single season total touchdown record in this game, while we still have 3 left to play is outstanding to me.  Normally, I would give both of these guys their own spot, but they've been talked about so much at this point, that any doubters are comical at this point.  Diggs and Allen are arguably the top 3 at their positions and it was on full display for this game.  Diggs ability to get open and draw defensive attention while Allen calmly maneuvers within the pocket and not letting turnovers and pressure slow him down, is making for an epic combination.  It may have been taboo to mention Kelly and Reed compared to Diggs and Allen, but not anymore.

 

7 - Defensive Backs - Short passing game, weak armed Ben or not; our defensive backs played an amazing game tonight.  Yes, Wallace got turned around on his touchdown, but he made up for it on the last interception (I don't think anyone was more surprised by this pick than Levi.  He didn't know what to do after).  On multiple replays, you could see Tre and the other defenders eyes looking back to Ben while in coverage.  They were locked in on the Steelers offense and dominated the passing attack most of the game.  They also adjusted to playing more press after the first few series, which really paid off.  The only real big plays came on offensive pick plays were our guys ran into each other.  While it helps that Ben doesn't have the arm he used to, the confidence and swagger this gives our guys is immeasurable and you could see it on the sidelines.

 

8 - Pass Rush - The Steelers and Bills send pressure in very different ways.  The Steelers adjust their defensive lineman to bunch on a certain side, and then send half-second delayed blitzes from the box.  This makes it really hard for Josh to see where the pressure is coming from and where the coverage will be.  It was very well executed and I have to tip my cap to them.  The Bills typically put everyone in the box and either sent them all, or pulled some back.  While both quarterbacks were under duress, once the game was said and done, the Bills hit home more than the Steelers.  As said before, the Bills seemed to figure out that pressure at half time and Josh made them pay.  My favorite blitz of the night was when Milano came in and physically pushed the Steelers halfback off his feet and into Bed.  It wasn't a sack, but my god.

 

 

Sorry for the shortened thoughts this week, but a lot of this has already been said over the past few days.  It's great to be 10-3 and know this team has fully and finally arrived.  We should expect to win every game going forward and a deep run through the playoffs shouldn't shock anyone.  It's great to feel respected by the league and know that no game or time slot is above our head.  Great game and good luck to everyone.

Go Bills!!!

[RochesterLifer]

Thank you for the thoughtful and enjoyable write-up. Regarding:

#1. I had the thrill of seeing Pele play as a Cosmo against the Rochester Lancers back in the NASL days - a treat I'll never forget.

#3. That 7:11, 13 play drive, to me, is THE statement of the season by our beloved Bills, establishing themselves as a championship caliber team. Let's see what the future holds! 

[Seasons1992]

I worried for your safety............constantly clicking Refresh to find a missed post. Glad you're well!

 

The end-of-game drive to run clock, as well as the halftime adjustments, were the stuff of GREAT teams.

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

10 minutes ago, RochesterLifer said:

Thank you for the thoughtful and enjoyable write-up. Regarding:

#1. I had the thrill of seeing Pele play as a Cosmo against the Rochester Lancers back in the NASL days - a treat I'll never forget.

#3. That 7:11, 13 play drive, to me, is THE statement of the season by our beloved Bills, establishing themselves as a championship caliber team. Let's see what the future holds! 

 

On 3rd and 11, house is coming - past bills teams totally run there just to keep the clock moving.  Buffalo just had the trickiest little release route that worked to perfection. 

[machine gun kelly]

It’s about time Virg.  Bean waiting.  Shaw told me he’s older than you and he sucked it up.  😂.  Just kidding and thanks as always for the review.  I even did a search as I thought I missed it yesterday.

 

Now that the busting chops is over, take a look at where the Bills and Steelers are at now.

 

Offense. Yards/Pts.

Bills 10th/9th

Steelers 12th/23rd

 

Defense. Yards/Pts.

Bills. 20th/15th
Steelers. 3rd/1st

 

We dismantled the #1 defense in the league in pts. Allowed.  We proved we are the far superior offense, and can beat them whenever we play them.  If we get the #2 seed which is possible, they have to come to us considering we win round 1 and KC will get the lesser seed.  JuJu, please dance again the rematch.  Steelers fans, please put you’re gear on Ralph again, even though the Bills have never done that to the Rooney statue.  It’s crass, but whatever.  Anything to give more fuel to McD and company.  If we get them in round two, I hope for no other reason than bulletin board fuel, put pictures of Steelers Ralph everywhere in the locker room, and have JuJu video on a loop all day, especially on the defense.  I honestly worry a healthy Milano, Poyer, and Edmunds will decapitate Ben if that is the case.

 

 

 

2 minutes ago, Seasons1992 said:

I worried for your safety............constantly clicking Refresh to find a missed post. Glad you're well!

 

The end-of-game drive to run clock, as well as the halftime adjustments, were the stuff of GREAT teams.

I thought the same.

[Kwai San]

Thanks for the recap @Virgil my week is now complete.

 

The awesomness of JA to SD!  The rise of the D!  The smack down on JuJu!!  My gawd we gots ourself a playoff team here right now.......go and run that table Bills.

 

Go BILLS!

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

7 minutes ago, RochesterLifer said:

Thank you for the thoughtful and enjoyable write-up. Regarding:

#1. I had the thrill of seeing Pele play as a Cosmo against the Rochester Lancers back in the NASL days - a treat I'll never forget.

#3. That 7:11, 13 play drive, to me, is THE statement of the season by our beloved Bills, establishing themselves as a championship caliber team. Let's see what the future holds! 

 

Think I also was at that game, played on a Sunday afternoon?  Lancers lost.  If the War Memorial was the Rock Pile, Hollender Stadium in Rochester should have been called the Concrete Patch!

 

Twice now this year a kick by Bass was extremely close that hard to know for certain from TV angle whether kick was in or out.  But will trust the official looking straight up did have the best and only truly accurate view.

 

Davis is looking very impressive for a 4th round pick, thought I heard he leads the team in TD's.  Can't see them bringing Brown back next year without a good size paycut.

 

Last drive was impressive, think Allen looked shocked/pissed when not given the 1st down on the slide, but he did begin the slide short.

 

First time this year they outplayed by far the opponent in the 3rd quarter

 

Allen's best game against a top defense.

[TheCockSportif]

Awesome, @Virgil!  No week is complete without this or without @Shaw66's long standing Rockpile Review!

 

I was thinking about adjustments a lot this week, in particular because I had opined 6 weeks ago or so that with missing personnel / missing pieces that coaching would be the deciding factor for how far the team could go this season.  And then I realized that it was both coaching and personnel as to why this team seemed to never to be able to adjust in the past.  When you want to adjust and Zay Jones is the player (as an example) who you need to adjust, you can't get the job done -- because Zay Jones, generally, was a player who couldn't get the job done.  But in spite of parts that I'd like to see being replaced on this team (*cough* Knox *cough cough*), there are plenty of guys who are both competitive and adaptable, and I think that's why adjustments work.

 

Between coaching and personnel and this amazing game on Sunday night, I need to keep my BBFS in check.  That ***** was awesome!

Edited December 15, 2020 by Groin

[TroutDog]

I was literally going to post this morning asking where this was? 😃 

 

I saw Pele play at Holleder Stadium in the ROC when I was a kid. The only thing I recall from it was the scissor kick in the second half. What you shared about him was interesting. 
 

Most importantly: Josh did get the first on that slide!!!!

[Seasons1992]

4 minutes ago, Kwai San said:

go and RUIN that table Bills.

 

[Kwai San]

1 minute ago, Seasons1992 said:

 

 

Awesome after watching that go down a few times live I miss that!!!!  

 

Go BILLS!!!!

[machine gun kelly]

Seasons, you should’ve photoshopped a terrible towel on that table (not that I even know how to do that one)

[The Poojer]

I wore out my Ctrl-F5 key combo....now i can read other POV on the game.  Excellent recap

[Virgil]

45 minutes ago, Ed_Formerly_of_Roch said:

 

Think I also was at that game, played on a Sunday afternoon?  Lancers lost.  If the War Memorial was the Rock Pile, Hollender Stadium in Rochester should have been called the Concrete Patch!

 

Twice now this year a kick by Bass was extremely close that hard to know for certain from TV angle whether kick was in or out.  But will trust the official looking straight up did have the best and only truly accurate view.

 

Davis is looking very impressive for a 4th round pick, thought I heard he leads the team in TD's.  Can't see them bringing Brown back next year without a good size paycut.

 

Last drive was impressive, think Allen looked shocked/pissed when not given the 1st down on the slide, but he did begin the slide short.

 

First time this year they outplayed by far the opponent in the 3rd quarter

 

Allen's best game against a top defense.

 

I really thought that XP was good. 

[Seasons1992]

45 minutes ago, machine gun kelly said:

Seasons, you should’ve photoshopped a terrible towel on that table (not that I even know how to do that one)

 

Look...........I can barely get through a weekday without a Bills game, LET ALONE know how to use Photoshop.

 

 

#BBFS

[Richard Noggin]

1 hour ago, Virgil said:

 

 

5 - Disrespect - Mentioned in the post game, was the Bills being aware of Juju making a video of him dancing on our logo before the game.  There were images of Ralph's statue with Steelers gear on him.  The broadcast even showed highlights of the Patriots blowing us out on Sunday night a few years back.  These are all things that Bills fans might previously look for small victories within the game for, but know there wasn't much we could do about it.  Then, it was shown as Josh brought the team out of the tunnel, that he even mentioned how the Steelers could do the talking, but we'd be doing the dancing.  And dance we did.  There's just something to the fact that we can take the hits and back it up.  I love that the team is tracking on all of these things and save their responses for the field and after the game.  This team gets it, has a lot of pride, and is showing the world one game at a time. 

 

 

 

Actually, Josh said they could do the talking AND the dancing, and we do the ***** work.

 

For the sake of accuracy and Allen being a badass leader of men.

[section122]

Let me join the ranks of glad all is well @Virgil

 

When this game was over I realized I was never really worried about the outcome once it started.  The Bills d was matching the Steelers d drive after drive.  Once the pick 6 happened I was fully confident the Bills would win.  It is a weird feeling to fully trust the Bills. 

 

The Hail Murray didn't bother me as much as it would have in years past because I knew that the Bills were legit and one loss like that wasn't the end of the world.  I believe in Josh in a way I only have Jim Kelly in my life.  3rd and whatever and I think he'll get it.  4th quarter, game on the line?  He will do it.  

 

The Bills came out firing in the 3rd quarter.  Diggs was uncoverable.  They were doing so well I had to double check it was indeed the 3rd quarter!

 

That 7:11 drive to end the game was a thing of beauty.  That was the best defense in the NFL and the Bills just rammed it down their throat.  Now I fully respect they are suffering from injuries and their depth is weak but you play the team in front of you.  Josh got that 3rd down that was just some ref bs to see if they could help the Steelers out a bit.  Didn't matter one bit.  Lined up and hit them again for the first.  Years past and that would have been the mental mistake to somehow cost the game.

 

I watch a lot of football and feel this team can play with anyone in the NFL. Chiefs, Packers, I don't care what team it is.  What a feeling!

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

It started out a slugfest 

Some might say a boring defensive game. 

 

A dink and dunk offense by the Steelers with some good defensive plays.  
 

The Bills were a little slow to start on offense but strong on defense the first half. 
 

Then the switch flipped ON with the INT at the end of the half and the Bills stole all the momentum going into the half.   
 

2 offensive scores in the 3rd (say what) kept the train rolling.   
 

the one Steelers TD drive was inevitable.  It had nothing to do with a prevent defense. 
I find that this typically happens with as good a team the Steelers are.
Just can’t stop everything.  
 

Josh went from a poor start to at one point 11 for 11 on passing and Collinsworth was astonished 😯.  Another convert from the ranks of doubters.  
 

it would have been nice to ruin the undefeated streak but hey we can’t have everything.

 

 

 

[Saxum]

2 hours ago, Virgil said:

My favorite blitz of the night was when Milano came in and physically pushed the Steelers halfback off his feet and into Bed.  It wasn't a sack, but my god.

 

Both Milano and Poyer have done this and you can see the expressions on players' faces "WTF?!"  Both are very physical players.

[Haslett_Stomp]

Thanks for the great wrap-up, as always.  I share the same sentiment as others in that my post-game routine is now complete.  I even contemplated starting a "Where's Virgil" thread!