Popular Post Virgil Posted January 10, 2021 Popular Post Posted January 10, 2021 There's a lot of boxes a team needs to check to be considered legitimate after 25 years of futility. The Bills checked every single box this season and had but one more to go. A box that held back many great QB's; the elusive first playoff win. This was the type of game that made me wonder why I enjoy watching the Bills play. I'll be completely honest, I couldn't sleep last night and felt sick after the final whistle. The amount of stress and anxiety built up inside of me led to consecutive naps after this game and I'm only now just coming back down to earth. With that being said... 1 - Respect - The highest form of respect one team can give an opposing team is to create a game plan that's completely tailored to slowing them down. Yes, teams do some form of this every week, but this game was different. The Bills will adjust their defense to the opposing offense based off of strengths, but still play their style of football. In this game, the Colts play an infuriating style of offense with only one goal in mind; to keep the Bills off the field. Never in my football watching history have I seen a team run the playclock down to 1 (arguably 0) on so many plays. Honestly, it really infuriated me at times and felt cowardly. I understand strategy, but this was a bit over the top. The Colts dragged out every single series to the best of their ability with both the clock and using all 3 downs. The other sign of respect was Frank going for it on 4th down within the 5 and attempting the 2 point conversion. All of these thing made one thing perfectly clear, the Colts believed the Bills could explode on offense at any moment, and there was nothing would be able to do to stop it. 2 - All Coming Together - You'll watch movies where the main character goes on a series of missions that each teach him a specific lesson. Then, once reaching the climax of the film, all of those lessons taught him enough to beat the final boss. This game felt like the final boss, where we were able to use all of our previous experiences to get the win. The Bills didn't collapse after the Allen fumble or the incorrect non-fumble call at the end. They survived a Hail Mary pass with authority. They didn't let multiple 3 and outs slow them down on offense. No matter what diversity was thrown at this team, the Bills stayed true to who they were. They never got discouraged or lost hope. They did what every elite team does, they stayed the course and pulled out the win. 3 - Trenches - One of the biggest game-deciding match-ups going into this game was both our offensive and defensive lines battling. In both areas, the Colts won big and the main reason why the Colts were able to execute their game plan. We got zero pressure on Rivers all game and they were able to pull off some solid runs. Their biggest runs came out of the shotgun off the left tackle as we got gashed for 20+ yards on multiple plays. On the flip side, the Colts were able to make Josh move in the pocket a few times as well as deliver some big hits. Most importantly, and to where I think Daboll is taking some unnecessary heat, was in our rushing attack. On multiple short yardage downs, the Bills couldn't get a first down rushing against 4-5 in the box. Most offensive coordinators and players expect to gain a few yards in that scenario, but the Colts shut the Bills down repeatedly and created multiple three and outs. My only gripe with the play call was rushing to the left side of our line, where the Colts are arguable the strongest on their defensive line. 4 - Maybe you like to give a kiss so sweet Only for one night you belong to me Maybe you go away and drive a car But the taste of wine is worse than none at all 5 - Bass - If it weren't the last few minutes of the game, did anyone else want to see Bass get a chance at the field goal from the 40? Seriously, how far has this kid come to where he's just splitting the uprights from over 50 in a playoff game. All 9 of Bass' points today were huge and had room to spare. He's an absolute weapon and the performance between kickers today was the difference makers 6 - Receivers - This had to be one of Diggs' quietest 100 yard games all season, but that deep touchdown was beautiful. Beasley came up big a few times, but looked to have re-aggravated his leg injury. Based off the way he was limping off the field, I wouldn't be surprised if he missed next weeks game. I'm a little disappointed that McKenzie wasn't on the field more, even if just to flash the option of the jet sweep, and Smoke was non-existent out there. The real receiving hero though, Davis! Gabe had multiple deep sideline catches where his footwork was masterful. For a rookie, this kid has been the play maker we didn't know we needed. Davis has made the most of his opportunities on this field and Josh keeps getting rewarded for putting his trust in him. 7 - Linebackers - Edmunds may have had his best game of the season today. He was quick to the hole, made some solid tackles, and broke to coverage quicker than I've seen him in a while. On the 4th and short run in the 4th quarter, he may have been able to shut that down better, but if so, that was his only blemish for the day. I'm glad to see him picking up his game at the right time. Milano had an up and down game, and his blown coverage led to a touchdown. To my untrained eye, it seems like he lost contain on a few of the big runs, but I could be wrong. As for Klein, I have no idea where he was today. In a game where we gave up a lot of 3rd and short plays, I was hoping for more. 8 - Taron - Levi Wallace should send TJ a thank you card for taking the mantle of whipping boy today. Johnson was picked on early and often in this game and gave up a touchdown after getting picked off by his own guy over the middle. It seemed like Johnson was on the wrong end of the very limited passes Rivers through to receivers and didn't get better as the game went on. Hopefully it was just a bad day for him, as we may be facing a deeper receiving team coming up soon. 9 - Allen - It would have been easy to get frustrated by the early drops by Diggs and Brown, or the runningbacks complete inability to make anything happen against a light box. And honestly, I got a little worried early when you could see it on Allen's face on the sideline. Josh though, reminded all of us of just how that ice flows through his veins. Allen was never over hyped and didn't let the offenses lack of rhythm hold him back. He took advantage of the 3 deep coverage and empty boxes to lead the team in rushing. He dropped an absolute dime to Diggs for the deep touchdown. His sideline throws on scrambles are almost automatic for him at this point. He broke the 300 mark again and ended with an impressive overall stat line. The question I have; was the Knox touchdown scripted or improvised? 10 - Stats - If you couldn't watch the game and I told you after that the Bills had consistently terrible starting field position, got dominated in time of possession, destroyed in 3rd down conversion percentage, and overall total yardage; what would you think was the outcome of the game? If there's one thing we've learned this year, is that stats are nice but they don't lead to wins. The Bills seemed to start every drive inside their own 10 yards line, couldn't get off the field on 3rd down, and punted more than they have since the first half against the Steelers. However, when it mattered, the offense, defense, and special teams all showed up. When they weren't going three and out, the offense showed just how potent they could be. The defense clamped down when it needed to, and honestly showed great energy on the final drive when it would have been completely justifiable if they were winded. The point is, this team was resilient all game and were ahead on the scoreboard at the end of every single quarter. The Bills found a new way to win, and that should terrify every other team in the league. Overall, the Bills pulled off their first playoff win in 25 years and had fans in the stands to enjoy it with them. For those worried about the blueprint to stop the Bills being put on display today, don't. The Colts presented a very unique challenge to the Bills that most teams won't be able to replicate. If anything, I'm impressed with how the Bills responded to adversity and still walked away with the win. Great job to Allen and Davis to keep the offense alive. Great job by the defense in buckling down when it mattered most. And thank you to McD for getting us here. Go Bills!!!! 29 17 20
scuba guy Posted January 10, 2021 Posted January 10, 2021 Great read as always See you had to put your kids to sleep before you posted Sorry by the way took my girlfriend to the game did not pm you She is better looking and paid for dinner and breakfast Priceless 1
PrimeTime101 Posted January 10, 2021 Posted January 10, 2021 1 minute ago, Solomon Grundy said: *8-Milano wasn’t very good either we must be watching different games I saw Milano making plays all over.. This defense has turned Vanilla.. 0 sacks.. Line struggled.. 6 minutes ago, Virgil said: The question I have; was the Knox touchdown scripted or improvised? scripted 1
Solomon Grundy Posted January 10, 2021 Posted January 10, 2021 4 minutes ago, PrimeTime101 said: we must be watching different games I saw Milano making plays all over.. This defense has turned Vanilla.. 0 sacks.. Line struggled.. scripted Did you miss the TD to Doyle wide open? Milano passed him off to nobody 1 1
BillsFan619 Posted January 10, 2021 Posted January 10, 2021 (edited) 46 minutes ago, Virgil said: There's a lot of boxes a team needs to check to be considered legitimate after 25 years of futility. The Bills checked every single box this season and had but one more to go. A box that held back many great QB's; the elusive first playoff win. This was the type of game that made me wonder why I enjoy watching the Bills play. I'll be completely honest, I couldn't sleep last night and felt sick after the final whistle. The amount of stress and anxiety built up inside of me led to consecutive naps after this game and I'm only now just coming back down to earth. With that being said... 1 - Respect - The highest form of respect one team can give an opposing team is to create a game plan that's completely tailored to slowing them down. Yes, teams do some form of this every week, but this game was different. The Bills will adjust their defense to the opposing offense based off of strengths, but still play their style of football. In this game, the Colts play an infuriating style of offense with only one goal in mind; to keep the Bills off the field. Never in my football watching history have I seen a team run the playclock down to 1 (arguably 0) on so many plays. Honestly, it really infuriated me at times and felt cowardly. I understand strategy, but this was a bit over the top. The Colts dragged out every single series to the best of their ability with both the clock and using all 3 downs. The other sign of respect was Frank going for it on 4th down within the 5 and attempting the 2 point conversion. All of these thing made one thing perfectly clear, the Colts believed the Bills could explode on offense at any moment, and there was nothing would be able to do to stop it. 2 - All Coming Together - You'll watch movies where the main character goes on a series of missions that each teach him a specific lesson. Then, once reaching the climax of the film, all of those lessons taught him enough to beat the final boss. This game felt like the final boss, where we were able to use all of our previous experiences to get the win. The Bills didn't collapse after the Allen fumble or the incorrect non-fumble call at the end. They survived a Hail Mary pass with authority. They didn't let multiple 3 and outs slow them down on offense. No matter what diversity was thrown at this team, the Bills stayed true to who they were. They never got discouraged or lost hope. They did what every elite team does, they stayed the course and pulled out the win. 3 - Trenches - One of the biggest game-deciding match-ups going into this game was both our offensive and defensive lines battling. In both areas, the Colts won big and the main reason why the Colts were able to execute their game plan. We got zero pressure on Rivers all game and they were able to pull off some solid runs. Their biggest runs came out of the shotgun off the left tackle as we got gashed for 20+ yards on multiple plays. On the flip side, the Colts were able to make Josh move in the pocket a few times as well as deliver some big hits. Most importantly, and to where I think Daboll is taking some unnecessary heat, was in our rushing attack. On multiple short yardage downs, the Bills couldn't get a first down rushing against 4-5 in the box. Most offensive coordinators and players expect to gain a few yards in that scenario, but the Colts shut the Bills down repeatedly and created multiple three and outs. My only gripe with the play call was rushing to the left side of our line, where the Colts are arguable the strongest on their defensive line. 4 - Maybe you like to give a kiss so sweet Only for one night you belong to me Maybe you go away and drive a car But the taste of wine is worse than none at all 5 - Bass - If it weren't the last few minutes of the game, did anyone else want to see Bass get a chance at the field goal from the 40? Seriously, how far has this kid come to where he's just splitting the uprights from over 50 in a playoff game. All 9 of Bass' points today were huge and had room to spare. He's an absolute weapon and the performance between kickers today was the difference makers 6 - Receivers - This had to be one of Diggs' quietest 100 yard games all season, but that deep touchdown was beautiful. Beasley came up big a few times, but looked to have re-aggravated his leg injury. Based off the way he was limping off the field, I wouldn't be surprised if he missed next weeks game. I'm a little disappointed that McKenzie wasn't on the field more, even if just to flash the option of the jet sweep, and Smoke was non-existent out there. The real receiving hero though, Davis! Gabe had multiple deep sideline catches where his footwork was masterful. For a rookie, this kid has been the play maker we didn't know we needed. Davis has made the most of his opportunities on this field and Josh keeps getting rewarded for putting his trust in him. 7 - Linebackers - Edmunds may have had his best game of the season today. He was quick to the hole, made some solid tackles, and broke to coverage quicker than I've seen him in a while. On the 4th and short run in the 4th quarter, he may have been able to shut that down better, but if so, that was his only blemish for the day. I'm glad to see him picking up his game at the right time. Milano had an up and down game, and his blown coverage led to a touchdown. To my untrained eye, it seems like he lost contain on a few of the big runs, but I could be wrong. As for Klein, I have no idea where he was today. In a game where we gave up a lot of 3rd and short plays, I was hoping for more. 8 - Taron - Levi Wallace should send TJ a thank you card for taking the mantle of whipping boy today. Johnson was picked on early and often in this game and gave up a touchdown after getting picked off by his own guy over the middle. It seemed like Johnson was on the wrong end of the very limited passes Rivers through to receivers and didn't get better as the game went on. Hopefully it was just a bad day for him, as we may be facing a deeper receiving team coming up soon. 9 - Allen - It would have been easy to get frustrated by the early drops by Diggs and Brown, or the runningbacks complete inability to make anything happen against a light box. And honestly, I got a little worried early when you could see it on Allen's face on the sideline. Josh though, reminded all of us of just how that ice flows through his veins. Allen was never over hyped and didn't let the offenses lack of rhythm hold him back. He took advantage of the 3 deep coverage and empty boxes to lead the team in rushing. He dropped an absolute dime to Diggs for the deep touchdown. His sideline throws on scrambles are almost automatic for him at this point. He broke the 300 mark again and ended with an impressive overall stat line. The question I have; was the Knox touchdown scripted or improvised? 10 - Stats - If you couldn't watch the game and I told you after that the Bills had consistently terrible starting field position, got dominated in time of possession, destroyed in 3rd down conversion percentage, and overall total yardage; what would you think was the outcome of the game? If there's one thing we've learned this year, is that stats are nice but they don't lead to wins. The Bills seemed to start every drive inside their own 10 yards line, couldn't get off the field on 3rd down, and punted more than they have since the first half against the Steelers. However, when it mattered, the offense, defense, and special teams all showed up. When they weren't going three and out, the offense showed just how potent they could be. The defense clamped down when it needed to, and honestly showed great energy on the final drive when it would have been completely justifiable if they were winded. The point is, this team was resilient all game and were ahead on the scoreboard at the end of every single quarter. The Bills found a new way to win, and that should terrify every other team in the league. Overall, the Bills pulled off their first playoff win in 25 years and had fans in the stands to enjoy it with them. For those worried about the blueprint to stop the Bills being put on display today, don't. The Colts presented a very unique challenge to the Bills that most teams won't be able to replicate. If anything, I'm impressed with how the Bills responded to adversity and still walked away with the win. Great job to Allen and Davis to keep the offense alive. Great job by the defense in buckling down when it mattered most. And thank you to McD for getting us here. Go Bills!!!! Great playoff thoughts, Virg! Appreciate your efforts. I felt tired after the game as well. 🤣 Keep ‘em coming and go Bills! Edited January 10, 2021 by BillsFan619 1
PrimeTime101 Posted January 10, 2021 Posted January 10, 2021 Just now, Solomon Grundy said: Did you miss the TD to Doyle wide open? Milano passed him off to nobody That was a Busted play the CB was supposed to have him on the back end. Milano even turned to him and said something... any other plays? 1
LeviF Posted January 10, 2021 Posted January 10, 2021 1 minute ago, Solomon Grundy said: Did you miss the TD to Doyle wide open? Milano passed him off to nobody This. And a ridiculous offside, got blown off the ball noticeably a few times in the run game. 2
Solomon Grundy Posted January 10, 2021 Posted January 10, 2021 1 minute ago, PrimeTime101 said: That was a Busted play the CB was supposed to have him on the back end. Milano even turned to him and said something... any other plays? He was wide open!! No one around him
Jerry Jabber Posted January 10, 2021 Posted January 10, 2021 With Frank Reich being a former Bills player, I’m sure he follows the Bills closely. Frank admitted he’s a Bills fan when the Colts aren’t playing the Bills. With that being said, he coached a great game against the Bills. The Colts have a great O-line that kept Rivers clean. Rivers does a good job like Roethlisberger as he got rid of the ball quick. It was a tough game, but the Bills won. In a way, I’m kind of glad that they struggled against the Colts, that way they get things cleaned up for the next game. Even though it sucked losing on a Hail Mary against the Cardinals, the Bills learned from it and Hyde played the Hail Mary from Rivers perfectly as he high pointed the ball and knocked it down. Go Bills!! 3
LeviF Posted January 10, 2021 Posted January 10, 2021 1 minute ago, Solomon Grundy said: He was wide open!! No one around him lol the invisible CB on the back end aka the middle of Milano’s zone
PrimeTime101 Posted January 10, 2021 Posted January 10, 2021 Just now, Solomon Grundy said: He was wide open!! No one around him I recorded the game.. The CB had a decision to follow or turn inside. He made the wrong decision.. Ive replayed it 10 times with same result.. That was on our CB not Milano he expected deep help and it wasnt there 3 1
Ethan in Cleveland Posted January 10, 2021 Posted January 10, 2021 12 minutes ago, Solomon Grundy said: *8-Milano wasn’t very good either Milano was one of the few defenders to consistently make plays. Edmunds was awful again. The Bills are soft in the front 7 and it has been evident most of the season. Their best hope is to simply score early and often to force the opponent into abandoning the run game. 3
TFBillsfan Posted January 10, 2021 Posted January 10, 2021 5 minutes ago, Solomon Grundy said: Did you miss the TD to Doyle wide open? Milano passed him off to nobody Looked like that was on Tre White. 6 2
Dr. K Posted January 10, 2021 Posted January 10, 2021 The correct Smokey Robinson lyric is: Maybe you'd like to give me kisses sweet But only for one night with no repeat. Maybe you'd go away and never call And a taste of honey's worse than none at all. Otherwise good report. 4
Call_Of_Ktulu Posted January 10, 2021 Posted January 10, 2021 We absolutely need someone to step up and pressure the QB. I was hoping Oliver would have a huge game but he was invisible. The Colts O-line is the best we have seen all season and probably will see the rest of the way, they really kicked the ***** out of our D-line. I thought Milano played a good game, not his best game but good. I just get the feeling that now that we got this 1st playoff win out of the way that this team is going to Seek and Destroy the rest of the way. 3
Chuck Schick Posted January 10, 2021 Posted January 10, 2021 5 minutes ago, Ethan in Portland said: Milano was one of the few defenders to consistently make plays. Edmunds was awful again. The Bills are soft in the front 7 and it has been evident most of the season. Their best hope is to simply score early and often to force the opponent into abandoning the run game. Edmunds played very well. Milano wasn’t terrible but was a bit out of synch on some key plays 2
Simon Posted January 10, 2021 Posted January 10, 2021 5 minutes ago, TFBillsfan said: Looked like that was on Tre White. Yeah I thought he got sucked over the post too quick and bailed on his zone. He did not have a great day. 2
wjag Posted January 10, 2021 Posted January 10, 2021 #8.. Yep. The size differential between Johnson and the Colts TEs was obvious. 1
Green Lightning Posted January 10, 2021 Posted January 10, 2021 Just now, Call_Of_Ktulu said: We absolutely need someone to step up and pressure the QB. I was hoping Oliver would have a huge game but he was invisible. The Colts O-line is the best we have seen all season and probably will see the rest of the way, they really kicked the ***** out of our D-line. I thought Milano played a good game, not his best game but good. I just get the feeling that now that we got this 1st playoff win out of the way that this team is going to Seek and Destroy the rest of the way. Milano, Tremaine, Tre, don't matter, we have nobody on this team that can cover a decent TE. The Colts' TEs feasted today.
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