AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME! Bills at Chiefs, Sunday 6:40 pm on CBS

[Success]

2 minutes ago, Solomon Grundy said:

He would've had that had the wind not taken the ball intended for a wide open Diggs 

 

Allen never misses that throw anymore.

 

When the wind is brought up, I've seen comments on twitter along the lines of "Allen should be able to deal w/ the wind if he plays in Buffalo."  But wind is still wind.  McD said the way it was gusting, it was extremely unpredictable - no matter how strong your arm is, you have to try to gauge it at the point of release, and with the time it's in the air on a long throw a sudden gust can change the whole trajectory.

 

[Pokebball]

4 minutes ago, Like A Mofo said:

 

 

I do agree with you on that front.

 

Also Bills need to sustain and convert TD"s on some of those long vintage drives we were accustomed to seeing. Keep Mahomes and co. Off the field and wear down that defense

Yeah, I think converting TDs in the red zone, or even inside the 30, is critical.

1 minute ago, Success said:

 

Allen never misses that throw anymore.

 

When the wind is brought up, I've seen comments on twitter along the lines of "Allen should be able to deal w/ the wind if he plays in Buffalo."  But wind is still wind.  McD said the way it was gusting, it was extremely unpredictable - no matter how strong your arm is, you have to try to gauge it at the point of release, and with the time it's in the air on a long throw a sudden gust can change the whole trajectory.

 

Throwing, or kicking, into a constant wind is very different than dealing with significantly changing gusts.

[Patrick Duffy]

38 minutes ago, ngbills said:

The Bills had 10 drives. One was the end of the half so make that 9 drives. They scored 1 TD and had one FG. They also had pretty good field position. This was not an example of the Bills not getting enough chances. Outside of the start of 2nd half drive the Bills O was mostly shut down. Thankfully, outside of the 1st drive of the game and the Johnson Int drive the Bills mostly shut down the Ravens. Difference in the game...the Int for a TD. 

And also the Davis sure TD drop. Points were definitely left on the field and obviously the wind was a factor for both teams. Ravens played pretty solid D also, but I would think the wind played a slightly bigger part with the way Allen likes to air it out and get chunk yards.

 

Not to go off topic, but I think the Bills D played the Ravens better than any team this whole season. I mean those guys played lights out. Was very proud.

Edited January 19, 2021 by Patrick_Duffy

[gobills404]

2 minutes ago, Pokebball said:

Yeah, I think converting TDs in the red zone, or even inside the 30, is critical.

Lucky for us KC has the worst redzone defense in the league.

[Solomon Grundy]

I mean Josh could've easily had 260+ yards and 3 TDs if not for the blustery winds and the dropped TD pass. 

[YoloinOhio]

2 hours ago, emaw1979 said:

 

They weren't healthy when they played you. They were missing, and are still missing, their starting LG, C, RG, RT. Their best CB is a rookie 4th rounder who's been a stud was out. He's back. CEH and Watkins have been injured for a few weeks but are likely going to play. CB Fenton, who may be the 2nd best CB on the team was out last week and may be back. He played the first game. Willie Gay, rookie 2nd rounder, didn't play much most of the season until the last few weeks is a stud but he was out last week. I hope he plays this week.

 

Obviously the most obvious and biggest impact will be Mahomes. If he plays this will be a good game and they will be about as healthy as they were during the first matchup. If he doesn't play then good luck in the SB because the Chiefs have no shot. I think he does play personally. 

[freddyjj]

38 minutes ago, syhuang said:

 

 

And in other news the 1990 LA Raiders want to wait until Bo Jackson is ready to face the Buffalo Bills in AFC Championship game!

[MJS]

2 hours ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

I'll even go further. 

 

When the Bills are The Josh Allen Show, as they were against the Colts with Special Teams ceding an average start at the 8 yd line and the defense being somewhat porous, the criticism is "the Bills can't win because it's all Josh Allen.  They have no run game, no special teams, no defense.  When was the last time they scored a defensive TD?" 

 

So, Ravens game.  Bills ST steps up with excellent field position on punts and kickoffs and a "push" with the other team on missed FGs.  Bills defense steps up with amazingly stout play, bottles up Lamar Jackson and the run game, and scores a defensive TD on a rare full-field Pick 6. 

 

The narrative OUGHT to be, "OK, so the Bills DO have a team around Allen, they just showed they can win on other phases, maybe they've got a shot".  Instead it's "Oh, Allen had a bad game, the Ravens shut him down, he needs to step up"

The more negative attention, the better. The Bills seem to take this stuff personally, especially the defense, and it helps keep them motivated.

 

So I hope people come down hard on Allen and dismiss the defensive effort against the Ravens. The players will notice and come out extra motivated.

 

Not that they need it. That kind of motivation should already be there. There is a large percentage of NFL fans and media who have been talking up the Chiefs all year and believe they cannot be beaten.

[Success]

I watched the game again last night.  I feel like losing Moss hurt us more than I thought it would.  He was really starting to contribute a lot - especially as an outlet in the passing game.

 

Singletary did a nice job, but it's not enough in the playoffs to have one back - and he's not really a goal-line/3rd & short kind of RB.  It didn't seem like they were willing to use Yeldon at the same level or in the same kind of capacity as Moss, which is a real drop-off.

 

I wonder if Freeman will get a shot at any point....

 

[YoloinOhio]

Just now, Success said:

I watched the game again last night.  I feel like losing Moss hurt us more than I thought it would.  He was really starting to contribute a lot - especially as an outlet in the passing game.

 

Singletary did a nice job, but it's not enough in the playoffs to have one back - and he's not really a goal-line/3rd & short kind of RB.  It didn't seem like they were willing to use Yeldon at the same level or in the same kind of capacity as Moss, which is a real drop-off.

 

I wonder if Freeman will get a shot at any point....

 

They used Yeldon very little. It’s hard to say if it’s because of him or the game plan. It will be very interesting to see if they go with Freeman over Yeldon this week.

[Patrick Duffy]

5 minutes ago, MJS said:

The more negative attention, the better. The Bills seem to take this stuff personally, especially the defense, and it helps keep them motivated.

 

So I hope people come down hard on Allen and dismiss the defensive effort against the Ravens. The players will notice and come out extra motivated.

 

Not that they need it. That kind of motivation should already be there. There is a large percentage of NFL fans and media who have been talking up the Chiefs all year and believe they cannot be beaten.

Yup I agree 100% and posted up-thread a similar response. Even heard Diggs say it during the post game interview that so many ppl doubt him(Josh Allen) and he keeps proving them wrong over and over again.

 

I'm positive the rest of the team feels the same.

1 minute ago, YoloinOhio said:

They used Yeldon very little. It’s hard to say if it’s because of him or the game plan. It will be very interesting to see if they go with Freeman over Yeldon this week.

I was wondering this as well. At first I was thinking they may bring Williams up to play, but then I thought with this being a very important game that they likely go with the more experienced backs.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

2 hours ago, emaw1979 said:

They weren't healthy when they played you. They were missing, and are still missing, their starting LG, C, RG, RT.

 

If 4/5 of the OL was missing in Week 6 and are still missing in Week 14 while the team is now 15-2...by what criterion is this considered a gap? 

By what criterion are they considered the "starters"? 

 

Just curious.  We are missing 2/5 of the OL we started the season with (one to IR, one cut) but I wouldn't refer to us as "missing our starting LG and RG", because the replacements have been together since the Bye week, and the team is winning.  They are now the Starters until proven otherwise.

 

2 hours ago, emaw1979 said:

Obviously the most obvious and biggest impact will be Mahomes. If he plays this will be a good game and they will be about as healthy as they were during the first matchup. If he doesn't play then good luck in the SB because the Chiefs have no shot. I think he does play personally. 

 

I wish Mahomes the best. I note that neither McDermott or Daboll share your viewpoint; they regard Andy Reid as the coach of a very good system with very well designed plays that make use of the many skill players they have, and Henne (while not Mahomes) is obviously is willing to "put it all out there".

[buffaloboyinATL]

1 hour ago, syhuang said:

 

 

Yeah, I heard this and I was just shaking my head.  Could you imagine if they set this precedent?  Where do you draw the line.  Delay every playoff game until all the players are 100% healthy? Just QB's? Just "star" QB's? if someone gets hurt in the Championship game do you delay the Super Bowl?  Rubbish.

Edited January 19, 2021 by buffaloboyinATL

[Scott7975]

Bills preparing for Patrick Mahomes and Chad Henne in lead-up to AFC title game

Published: Jan 19, 2021 at 11:09 AM

Nick Shook

Around The NFL Writer

 

Patrick Mahomes' status remains at the center of the lead-up to Sunday's AFC Championship Game, and each team should be expected to prepare for multiple scenarios.

While the Chiefs will have Chad Henne ready to go in case Mahomes cannot, their opponent, the Buffalo Bills, is also acting as if either will start under center in the conference title game.

"We've got work to do to prepare. Certainly have a lot of respect for Patrick and how he plays the game and what he adds to their offense," Bills coach Sean McDermott said, via NewYorkUpstate.com. "They're so good with the weapons they have around Patrick. Andy does such a good job -- they're well-coached, that we got to prepare for the system. We've got to prepare for both quarterbacks and that's why we have a lot of work to do this week."

Henne went from the source of surprise that he was still even in the NFL to the hero Sunday against the Browns, overcoming an ugly interception that could have changed the landscape of a tight Divisional Round contest to help Kansas City seal the victory over Cleveland. Henne completed 6 of 8 passes for 66 yards and scrambled for 13 yards on third-and-14, setting up a pivotal fourth-down call in which the Chiefs trusted the veteran to get the job done.

Henne proved Andy Reid's staff wise in going for it, firing a dart to Tyreek Hill on a quick out to pick up the first down and ice the game. Henne's composure and ability to rise to the occasion was not lost on McDermott's team, which isn't taking him lightly if he does end up playing Sunday.

The Bills have good reason to spend every possible moment preparing for this one. Buffalo fell to Kansas City in the regular season by a final score of 26-17, with the Chiefs racking up 466 total yards thanks to a banner day on the ground. Rookie Clyde Edwards-Helaire rushed 26 times for 161 yards to power a Chiefs offense that combined for 245 rushing yards.

Such a performance would all but guarantee the Chiefs a return trip to the Super Bowl. Buffalo knows it must be better if it wants to reach the sport's biggest stage for the first time since the 1993 season.

"We'll see. We've got to look at that and put a good, complementary plan together for how we want to play the game, and try and win this game," McDermott said of Buffalo's last meeting with Kansas City. "They're a really good opponent. They're balanced in all three phases and that's why they're the defending world champs. We have to have a good week of preparation."

Cleveland encountered similar struggles in its loss to Kansas City, allowing the Chiefs to tally 438 yards of offense in the 22-17 finish. If we've learned anything from the two aforementioned games, it's this: In order to beat the Chiefs, their opponent is going to need more than 17 points.

We'll see if the Bills can do what the Browns couldn't on Sunday.

[YattaOkasan]

34 minutes ago, Success said:

 

Allen never misses that throw anymore.

 

When the wind is brought up, I've seen comments on twitter along the lines of "Allen should be able to deal w/ the wind if he plays in Buffalo."  But wind is still wind.  McD said the way it was gusting, it was extremely unpredictable - no matter how strong your arm is, you have to try to gauge it at the point of release, and with the time it's in the air on a long throw a sudden gust can change the whole trajectory.

 

Pretty much anyone who put the ball in the air on Saturday struggled including a HoF kicker.  I agree that it was just very difficult to work in.  I think Bass will shake it off cause you can point to what tucker did.  I think josh will shake it off cause hes that type of competitor.

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

Anyone see any good write-ups re KC’s defensive schemes and tendencies? I know spags likes to mix it up— but curious to see what coverages he favors. 

[Billsatlastin2018]

29 minutes ago, Pokebball said:

Not all TOs are the same.  Going for it on 4th down in a good place on the field isn't a bad TO.  I agree with you regarding a "bad" TO.

Generally, we are agreed.

 

However, the 4th Down specific you have mentioned, is moot. Bills HC used to do this ‘should we and how or shouldn’t we’ TO debate ALL the time, during this Millennium! Even, if it was on 4th. & 1, where teams run by say, Billy B, used to laugh at them.

 

Nooooo... Even when you’re 43 years old, like the GOAT, you rush to the line and convert! As he did on Sunday for about the 110th. time at a 95% success rate.

 

CALLING the TO, allows the D to change personnel and get set. It is stupid! I used to say that Brady and Bellicheat decided that play after Brady’s first year- simply NON debatable!

 

Josh Allen is even bigger- 6-5 & 240! It’s a no brainer.

[Juice_32]

20 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

If 4/5 of the OL was missing in Week 6 and are still missing in Week 14 while the team is now 15-2...by what criterion is this considered a gap? 

By what criterion are they considered the "starters"? 

 

Just curious.  We are missing 2/5 of the OL we started the season with (one to IR, one cut) but I wouldn't refer to us as "missing our starting LG and RG", because the replacements have been together since the Bye week, and the team is winning.  They are now the Starters until proven otherwise.

 

 

I wish Mahomes the best. I note that neither McDermott or Daboll share your viewpoint; they regard Andy Reid as the coach of a very good system with very well designed plays that make use of the many skill players they have, and Henne (while not Mahomes) is obviously is willing to "put it all out there".

 

Bingo Hapless, I was too lazy to respond back but you took the words right out of my mouth.

[Success]

I'm sure it's been talked about on this thread already, but Reid's 4th down call at the end really was genius.

 

I've been waiting for a team to do that.  I can't remember a year where more QB's went to the line clearly trying to draw the D Offside, with absolutely no intent of running a play.

 

The body language was exactly that, and given the situation, there is no doubt that the D wasn't ready for that snap.  Brilliant; I only wish the Bills had done it first. Now everyone will be on guard for that.

 

[D. L. Hot-Flamethrower]

 

 

Is this clearly the 2 best teams playing this weekend? I think so, Bills are 7-2 against teams with winning record, Chiefs are 6-0.

 

(first 2 columns overall wins/losses, middle columns record against teams over .500, final columns record vs under .500)