Chris Simms Unbuttoned on Colts-Bills: he's worried about us

[SydneyBillsFan]

It didn't help that we were starting drives on our own 5 yard line the entire first half....we were on the back foot from the word go. Field position was a crapfest.

[blitzboy54]

I’m worried too. 6 weeks of total domination and they turtled up hard. Looked like 2019 Bills.  It wasn’t good, between the coaches and defense we should have lost that game. Rivers hit a a wide open receiver and the kicker doesn’t miss a short FG and we are DEAD!

I hope it was nerves and they come out swinging but everyone had us winning the SB and we looked like the Browns 

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

Indy has a good passing game and a good running game. Bills McDermott defense has never been great at handling teams that do both well like these true elite defenses can. 
 

I guess the good part is having the QB figured out, building around him is the less monstrous task.  
 

but remember that Indy Just beat Green Bay. They are probably the most balanced o and d roster in the nfl. All the what ifs in the game Would’ve also changed what happened later.  The only part I really disliked is they had the ball at the end with a chance to win. 

Edited January 12, 2021 by Over 29 years of fanhood

[NewEra]

3 minutes ago, BearNorth said:

Brady has a Gronk.  Mahomes has a Kelce. Rodgers has Tonyan - 11 TD's. Yup Josh needs a great tight end.  Not sure Knox is the guy.

Oh I see....Robert Tonyan is in the same tier as  Kelce and Gronk?  Lol no.  Rodgers is the reason tonyan haD 11 TDs.  He’s Aaron Rodgers’ starting TE and only has one stud target for competition for targets.  Allen has 4 good WRs to throw to. If he only had 1 or 2 knox would have more targets and stats.  
 

Don’t get me wrong, Tonyan is a pretty good TE, but I think you’re overrating him. 

You’re also slighting Josh Allen in saying that he NEEDS a stud TE.  He needs a great TE to do what?  To be a HoFer? To win MVP?  Be great?  Win a super bowl?

 

wrong, wrong, wrong and wrong.

 

 

Allen is so good, he can make average players look great.  Like Rodgers made you think Tonyan is great

[Blank Stare]

I’m just as nervous about this Ravens game as anyone. Not because of the opponent but because of the stakes. With that said, we played some great teams this year and the defense was fine. 13 and 3 (shoulda been 14-2) fine. Colts are a balanced team and had a great game plan. It happens. I think people/media need to relax a tad. 

[CaptnCoke11]

He’s spot on.  Zero running game outside Allen runs.  Defense was dreadful.  Play like that Saturday night it’s over.  

[Scott7975]

This is why Josh deserves MVP.  Rodgers may carry some of that offense but Josh is carrying our defense too (actually not sure how GBs defense is.)  Greenbay actually has some rushing game to them too.

Edited January 12, 2021 by Scott7975

[Solomon Grundy]

1 hour ago, Miyagi-Do Karate said:

They were open because the DB’s were running into other defenders on those all games. It was bizarre. 

I noticed that as well. I remember Taron Johnson shouting at one of his teammates on one catch by Pascal.

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

2 minutes ago, Solomon Grundy said:

I noticed that as well. I remember Taron Johnson shouting at one of his teammates on one catch by Pascal.

Agree. I saw it twice on that same play on the same drive, including on the TD to Pascal.

 

Even when Taron was going in motion pre-snap to follow a receiver, he was having a hard time going around the LB’s.

 

On the “almost TD” to Pittman, same thing happened to Poyer. 

 

I wonder if the LB’s were playing up further to stop the run, and it threw off the spacing on those crossers?

[NoHuddleKelly12]

He’s right about our running scheme/line deficiencies—honestly I sometimes worry how that also could trickle down to our play action, in that if I’m not biting as a viewer because I already know the likelihood it’s going to be an actual run play is slim, how much less will a defender commit for that split second that Josh needs in order for the routes to develop a bit longer?

[Coffeesforclosers]

I never thought in a million years we'd miss Star this much.  Not that he's a world-beater, but we need size and power on the interior DL, not Ed Oliver wasting his athleticism playing out of position. 

 

As for the running game, Dante Scarnecchia's retired, but why not bring him in as a freelance consultant?

Edited January 12, 2021 by Coffeesforclosers

[Solomon Grundy]

3 minutes ago, Miyagi-Do Karate said:

Agree. I saw it twice on that same play on the same drive, including on the TD to Pascal.

 

Even when Taron was going in motion pre-snap to follow a receiver, he was having a hard time going around the LB’s.

 

On the “almost TD” to Pittman, same thing happened to Poyer. 

 

I wonder if the LB’s were playing up further to stop the run, and it threw off the spacing on those crossers?

You might be onto something!!

[qwksilver]

15 minutes ago, ScottLaw said:

Said the same thing about Rivers watching the game.... He just kept drifting back in the pocket on that 4th down early when there was absolutely no pressure. Basically Rivers career. Guy never wins a big playoff game..... he does just enough to not win it. And thankfully he did it again Saturday.

 

And Sims is 100% right. Bills won’t beat the Ravens if the defense is that trash again unless Allen continues to carry the team on his back. I mean, where would this team be without Allen? Probably not even a .500 ball club. 
 

 

Chris Simms is a great watch and tells it like he and everyone else see's it. My only issue with your above is Baltimore is so much more 1 dimensional where the Colts were balanced. Let Lamar Sit in the pocket and throw dimes like Rivers. I could live with that loss. Colts starting RB had less than 80 yards. This stat  hasn't been discussed enough.

[HappyDays]

Simms is absolutely right. The more I think about the game I more I think the better team lost. Not that the Colts are outright better than the Bills but they were better on Saturday. Several dropped passes that would have gone for big gains. The decision to go for it on 4th down and the dropped TD pass on that play. The dropped interception in the end zone. The missed field goal compared to Bass nailing two difficult field goals. The almost fumble recovery at the end. The Offside on the 4th and short hard count. Any one of those plays goes differently and it's either going to overtime or the Bills lose in regulation. We were inches away from a miserable offseason multiple times and happened to end up on the right side of them all. Allen and Diggs and Davis and Bass each making spectacular plays were the only reason we stayed in the game and managed to steal it.

Edited January 12, 2021 by HappyDays

[bobobonators]

I think the biggest issue this team has is that it was arguably the hottest team in the NFL over the last few weeks and the dismantling of a playoff-bound Miami team to the tune of 26-56 completely jaded people’s expectations. 
 

We’re winning the super bowl fellas, but we cant blow everyone out.  😎

[MarkMiller]

36 minutes ago, ScottLaw said:

I mean, where would this team be without Allen? Probably not even a .500 ball club. 
 

 

What a weird take. You could say this about nearly every team in the playoffs. 

[hemma]

 

Can't say he's wrong.  I felt like we'd have gotten blown out if not for JA along with a few bad plays/decisions by the Colts.

Let's see how much heavy lifting these two can handle.

3 more wins, 3 more wins!

[Hapless Bills Fan]

58 minutes ago, blitzboy54 said:

I’m worried too. 6 weeks of total domination and they turtled up hard. Looked like 2019 Bills.  It wasn’t good, between the coaches and defense we should have lost that game. Rivers hit a a wide open receiver and the kicker doesn’t miss a short FG and we are DEAD!

I hope it was nerves and they come out swinging but everyone had us winning the SB and we looked like the Browns 

 

Well, the Browns put up 48 points on Sunday and won, so if we look like the Browns that would be good with me.

 

I never like the "if only for this play" and "if only for that play" game, because the fact is, when one play changes the whole game changes.

 

We, too, had our "if only for this play" chances to alter the course of the game - if a potential interception doesn't go right through Hyde's hands.  If the officials don't miss a blatant face-mask on Andre' Roberts but call a hold so we start on the 6 yd line (or even better, if Roberts decides to let it be a touchback so we start on the 25 yd line).  If the fumble our D forced is actually ruled a fumble.  Etc etc etc. 

[batmanfreek]

Look. What everyone is saying about the excuses for bad defense and line play and everything...is right.  Josh was drafted for this reason.  You saw when everything is clicking we are unstoppable. But when the defense or lines or special teams has a bad day...Josh is the guy to bail them out.  That’s a good thing to have. Are there things that need work on? Of course. But I don’t see this being a regular occurrence.  It was a bad game. 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

41 minutes ago, Coffeesforclosers said:

I never thought in a million years we'd miss Star this much.  Not that he's a world-beater, but we need size and power on the interior DL, not Ed Oliver wasting his athleticism playing out of position. 

 

As for the running game, Dante Scarnecchia's retired, but why not bring him in as a freelance consultant?

 

Coach Scar is retired.  If he won't come back for NE where he earned a chest full of gold and diamond jewelry, he won't come back.

 

I don't know what the issue is with the running game - when we focus on it, we seem able to get it right.  It may be we need an OL upgrade for better run blocking.

 

I don't think Ed Oliver is playing out of position.  They mostly seem to have Butler playing 1TDT beside him.  The problem, as others have said, is that Butler is inconsistent.