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Posted
4 minutes ago, buffaloboyinATL said:

So I've been watching ESPN and NFLN all week and I'm curious; does anyone know who the Patriots* are playing on Monday?  All of the coverage is about how awesome the Pats* are and how whoever they are playing is going to struggle on both sides of the ball, but they haven't really said anything about their opponent.  Whoever it is, I feel bad for them because the Patriots* are clearly the best team in the NFL...

 

It's like we suddenly took a time machine back to 2007.

Posted
13 minutes ago, buffaloboyinATL said:

So I've been watching ESPN and NFLN all week and I'm curious; does anyone know who the Patriots* are playing on Monday?  All of the coverage is about how awesome the Pats* are and how whoever they are playing is going to struggle on both sides of the ball, but they haven't really said anything about their opponent.  Whoever it is, I feel bad for them because the Patriots* are clearly the best team in the NFL...

 

Once in awhile I see Pats fans say how "entitled" or "arrogant" Bills fans felt about the division after 1 year, and how annoying all of the media hype for the Bills was.

 

I spit out my coffee every time I see that.  I mean, even when we're doing well, it's a Patriots world out there.

 

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Posted
4 minutes ago, CincyBillsFan said:

I remember that.  It was like dude get over it Allen had a bad game it happens. 

 

The Allen hate by some of these guys is really amazing.  I just don't get it. Allen is personable, talented and not a Richard on the field so what's their beef? It's odd because by his actions and attitude I just don't see what's so polarizing about Allen.

 

I think it's the "confirmation bias" thing.  Analytics guys were very down on Allen coming into the draft because of his low completion percentage and perceived inaccuracy, and his background coming from a small school where he played a low level of competition (but also, surrounded by a low level of talent.  his BEST WR and TE are PS/fringe NFL players)

There are a number of guys who played at a low level and then had 1 good year, then got "solved" and regressed, so I guess it's not too weird that people who had the "confirmation bias" that Allen was no good to start with, are continually trying to fit him into that model.

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Posted (edited)

Before kvetching and hyperventilating about ESPN and NFL Network pre-game coverage, it helps to remember two key points:

1.) The NFL is a television show. The coaches and players are the stars. The fortunes and misfortunes of the teams are the plot. Put simply: Greatest coach of all time Bill Belichick winning six straight games and taking the AFC East lead behind a quarterback that reminds people of the HOF guy he used to have under center (who just won a Super Bowl elsewhere last year) is a juicy plot line featuring a star character. A small market team like Buffalo, with one recent year of major success and an up-and-down roller coaster of a season this year, is not nearly as captivating a storyline for the majority of NFL viewers.

2.) All the talking heads on all the sports networks are fed talking points and, in some cases, scripts or at least outlines of what they should say. 99% of all NFL talking head shows don't feature any real analysis, intelligent breakdowns, or unbiased explication of matchups. The talking heads, too, are characters on the TV show, many with their own outrageous schtick. They'll jump on whatever bandwagon represents the juiciest storyline, the flavor of the week, the soup de jour. It's nothing personal.

Instead of getting sucked into the TV show, I prefer coverage that actually breaks down the game, talks about strengths and weaknesses, and educates the listener/viewer. Things like Greg Cosell, the Cover 1 guys, articles on The Athletic, some of the NFL Radio coverage like Movin the Chains. If you want to watch the mainstream media coverage of football, just remember: they're only going to say a bunch of nice things about your team if said team has been playing in a way that makes them a juicy storyline for the national viewer. The Bills haven't been doing that lately. The Pats have. It's just a TV show.



 

Edited by Logic
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Posted
28 minutes ago, buffaloboyinATL said:

So I've been watching ESPN and NFLN all week and I'm curious; does anyone know who the Patriots* are playing on Monday?  All of the coverage is about how awesome the Pats* are and how whoever they are playing is going to struggle on both sides of the ball, but they haven't really said anything about their opponent.  Whoever it is, I feel bad for them because the Patriots* are clearly the best team in the NFL...

 

Whoever they are, I believe their players are soaking it all in.  Their head coach said in the press conference (when asked if he was pointing out the Pats standing and recent record), something to the effect of "thanks to you guys and to social media I think they're informed on these points"  heh heh

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Posted
3 minutes ago, Logic said:

Before kvetching and hyperventilating about ESPN and NFL Network pre-game coverage, it helps to remember two key points:

1.) The NFL is a television show. The coaches and players are the stars. The fortunes and misfortunes of the teams are the plot. Put simply: Greatest coach of all time Bill Belichick winning six straight games and taking the AFC East lead behind a quarterback that reminds people of the HOF guy he used to have under center (who just won a Super Bowl elsewhere last year) is a juicy plot line featuring a star character. A small market team like Buffalo, with one recent year of major success and an up-and-down roller coaster of a season this year, is not nearly as captivating a storyline for the majority of NFL viewers.

2.) All the talking heads on all the sports networks are fed talking points and, in some cases, scripts or at least outlines of what they should say. 99% of all NFL talking head shows don't feature any real analysis, intelligent breakdowns, or unbiased explication of matchups. The talking heads, too, are characters on the TV show, many with their own outrageous schtick. They'll jump on whatever bandwagon represents the juiciest storyline, the flavor of the week, the soup de jour. It's nothing personal.

Instead of getting sucked into the TV show, I prefer coverage that actually breaks down the game, talks about strengths and weaknesses, and educates the listener/viewer. Things like Greg Cosell, the Cover 1 guys, articles on The Athletic, some of the NFL Radio coverage like Movin the Chains. If you want to watch the mainstream media coverage of football, just remember: they're only going to say a bunch of nice things about your team if said team has been playing in a way that makes them a juicy storyline for the national viewer. The Bills haven't been doing that lately. The Pats have. It's just a TV show.



 

 

This is all rational & logical. But I like feeling angry about stuff.

 

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Posted
4 minutes ago, Logic said:

Before kvetching and hyperventilating about ESPN and NFL Network pre-game coverage, it helps to remember two key points:

1.) The NFL is a television show. The coaches and players are the stars. The fortunes and misfortunes of the teams are the plot. Put simply: Greatest coach of all time Bill Belichick winning six straight games and taking the AFC East lead behind a quarterback that reminds people of the HOF guy he used to have under center (who just won a Super Bowl elsewhere last year) is a juicy plot line featuring a star character. A small market team like Buffalo, with one recent year of major success and an up-and-down roller coaster of a season this year, is not nearly as captivating a storyline for the majority of NFL viewers.

2.) All the talking heads on all the sports networks are fed talking points and, in some cases, scripts or at least outlines of what they should say. 99% of all NFL talking head shows don't feature any real analysis, intelligent breakdowns, or unbiased explication of matchups. The talking heads, too, are characters on the TV show, many with their own outrageous schtick. They'll jump on whatever bandwagon represents the juiciest storyline, the flavor of the week, the soup de jour. It's nothing personal.

Instead of getting sucked into the TV show, I prefer coverage that actually breaks down the game, talks about strengths and weaknesses, and educates the listener/viewer. Things like Greg Cosell, the Cover 1 guys, articles on The Athletic, some of the NFL Radio coverage like Movin the Chains. If you want to watch the mainstream media coverage of football, just remember: they're only going to say a bunch of nice things about your team if said team has been playing in a way that makes them a juicy storyline for the national viewer. The Bills haven't been doing that lately. The Pats have. It's just a TV show.

 

Your assessment is....Logical 😇

 

The thing is, even some guys who are normally pretty good at game breakdown and strengths and weaknesses (like Chris Simms) are heavily biased pro Pats.  I don't *think* he has a script, but I do think he doesn't necessarily look under the hood too far. 

 

For example, even when they couldn't run the ball (or weren't) last season, Daboll trotted out a run-heavy game plan against the Pats on a windy day with a worse weather forecast, in Orchard Park last year (first game).  We ran for 190 yds that game and only 23 of them were Allens.  We had 38 rush attempts to 18 pass attempts.  Previous game 27 rush, 43 pass attempts.  Next game 19 rush, 38 pass attempts. 

 

And, we just had 32 rush attempts to 28 pass attempts against N'Orleans.  While you couldn't call it a splendidly successful run game, we generated 3.5 ypa, which moves the chains.  Allen was the 2nd leading rusher, however the long rush was 15 yds for Motor - so it was a consistent run game, it wasn't just 1-2 big gains.  New Orleans was ranked as a good defense before the last 2 games and is still 1st against the rush.

 

 

 

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Posted
1 hour ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

Bradshaw is historically a real Richard Head about Allen and the Bills.  Last year after the Titans game, where Allen admittedly played badly, Bradshaw threw out the previous 4 games, disregarded the injury report and the linebacker brace on the kids arm, and sneered "a 50% passer, that's all he'll ever be".  When he was forced to praise Allen towards the end of the season, he acted as though the words burnt his throat.

It goes way back before Allen. I recall an incident during a season early in the Bills' Super Bowl runs when Bradshaw was in Henrietta, NY at Dick's (the old location) doing a commercial spot for the company. While the crew was adjusting the lighting, he stood around tossing a football up in the air and catching it. Someone in the crowd yelled out "Hey Terry, what do you think of the Bills?" He shook his head, made a face and said "Bills suck."

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Posted
3 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

Your assessment is....Logical 😇

 

The thing is, even some guys who are normally pretty good at game breakdown and strengths and weaknesses (like Chris Simms) are heavily biased pro Pats.  I don't *think* he has a script, but I do think he doesn't necessarily look under the hood too far. 

 

We thought about starting a drinking game w/ Romo for awhile.  It's rare that he doesn't at least find time to praise Belichick or Brady in games he's covering (not Pats or Bucs games, mind you - any game).

 

Posted (edited)
9 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

Your assessment is....Logical 😇

 

The thing is, even some guys who are normally pretty good at game breakdown and strengths and weaknesses (like Chris Simms) are heavily biased pro Pats.  I don't *think* he has a script, but I do think he doesn't necessarily look under the hood too far. 


Fair. And don't get me wrong, what little I HAVE seen this week has seemed dramatically pro Pats and anti Bills, but...

If I'm an unbiased fan or media person looking at this game -- if I don't know either team intimately and I'm just going on gut feel based on what each team has shown this season -- I'd lean Pats, too. They've won six straight, have looked mostly lights out on defense, take the ball away a lot, and prior to last year, they owned the Bills for two decades.

Meanwhile, the Bills are 3-3 in their last six with losses to the lowly Jags and a SLAUGHTER at the hands of the Colts, are turning the ball over a bunch, and just lost their best defensive player for the year.

I happen to think there's a good chance the Bills win this game, and there are a lot more variables under the surface than the cliff's notes I just provided above, but...taking a quick glance at this game, I sort of get why everyone is picking the Pats.

I think what's really behind a lot of the angst from Bills fans is that we expected the Pats to be bad for a few years. We expected to own the division for a while. Instead, the Pats appear to be right back to their winning ways, have a quarterback who is legitimately playing well, and it has all of us collectively shaking our heads in astonishment and asking what we have done to anger the football gods.

Edited by Logic
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Posted

I know things like the Jags game happen to good teams - but I hope it provides a lesson for these Bills players in the years to come.  I mean, that's a loss that is just looming so large right now; it's impact seems to grow as the season goes on.

 

It's been discussed ad nauseum, but they bought the hype.  That's something good young teams need to learn, imo.  This is still the NFL, and you're not given anything.

 

Posted

I am oddly confident in this game, I know losing Tre is a big loss but I don't think the Pats* are the team with the right talent to exploit that. I think our defense is better and our offense has Josh. I don't expect an easy game by any stretch but I think getting Star and Brown back are huge. BTW the Colts game I saw coming when Star and Edmunds we're out so I am not completely wrong all the time 

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Posted
41 minutes ago, dollars 2 donuts said:

I am hurt that you don't like me back, Ridge, but I can accept that.

 

😄  ✌️  

Like Herb Tarlek, you're a hard worker, loyal husband, and all around fine person.  I am unsure as to how and why I have been dragged into this.

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Posted
13 minutes ago, SlimShady'sSpaceForce said:


 

 

Sheesh…The very first sentence in Chris Brown’s article is incorrect.

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Posted
43 minutes ago, Logic said:

I think what's really behind a lot of the angst from Bills fans is that we expected the Pats to be bad for a few years. We expected to own the division for a while. Instead, the Pats appear to be right back to their winning ways, have a quarterback who is legitimately playing well, and it has all of us collectively shaking our heads in astonishment and asking what we have done to anger the football gods.

 

First of all, anyone who "expected" the Pats*** to be bad while BB was still coaching is a fool.  But this is a loser attitude.  The Bills have built a deep and talented roster, have a great FO in place, and should be contending for division, conference, and league titles for the foreseeable future.  What in the world do Bills fans have to complain about?  The Pats*** are now trying to keep up with us.

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Posted
2 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

True. The Bills thrive on disrespect. We can't deal with everyone blowing smoke about us, but we know how to respond to disrespect.

They thrive as underdogs. The Bills are about to open up a can of whoopass.

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Posted

I don't pay much attention to the hype, although I will admit, when I'm walking I usually have my Sirius NFL radio on for an hour. I have of course, seen perhaps 20 minutes total of ESPN and GMFB. And, I have to say that I doubt, I have heard as much pushing of a Pats narrative before. Don't get me wrong it's always there, but something is different this week. And, I don't think this hurts the Bills one bit, as a matter of fact, it helps!😇

 

 

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