What I saw, and why I am actually optimistic after this Bucs game

[VW82]

I wish I shared OPer's confidence. What I saw was that we need Josh to put on the superhero cape in order to win, only every time he does that he gets dinged up. But if he doesn't, we have no running threat and teams tee off on us. 

 

Defensively there's a lot of Dane Jackson and Taron Johnson involved. We need a killer pass rush and that's been missing for more than a month. 

[NewEra]

3 hours ago, SlimShady'sSpaceForce said:

A missed PI for a go ahead TD. 
 

the Refs never fail

Never

[Patrick Duffy]

Just now, NewEra said:

Never

 

Yeah year after year it just doesn't seem to be not even the slightest tiny bit of improvement and that's for pretty much every team except for a couple that always seem to have it no where near as bad...

 

With that said, much of the struggling falls on Daboll imo. 

[MasterStrategist]

3 hours ago, Alphadawg7 said:

Im still confident we will get into the playoffs and can make a SB push still THIS YEAR.  The teams paced with us are not nearly as balanced as we are.  There are a couple of things I am taking away from this stunning comeback and heartbreaking loss...and I think the team will be better for it.

 

• McD inserted himself into the defensive adjustments over Frazier.  Late in the 2nd half, McD was in his face and giving him instructions, it was seen on camera and even Romo knew exactly what was going on and they even made it a point to go back and show it again after the defense was able to flip the switch to end the 1st half.  Those changes carried over into the 2nd half where we really shut down the Bucs the whole half until a broken play in OT lost us the game. 
  • Moving forward, I think McD will take more control on the defense, especially after the successful adjustments he helped insert in this game.  And he has done this before, and successfully.  Even taken play calling away from Frazier before, again successfully.  Too much is on the line now, every game is of critical importance here on out.  
• The OL looked SUBSTANTIALLY better (not great still, but substantially better than the atrocious first half) during our second half once we got the run game going with Allen and our backs.   
  • I just cant see any chance Daboll doesn't get absolutely reamed by McD if he falls back into a pass only offense again at any point this season moving forward.  McD wants to run the ball, but Daboll has an allergy to it until the game is getting out of hand.  I think the second half offense we saw is going to be more what we see the whole game.
• Emmanuel Sanders:  I am just going to say it...this offense is better without Sanders and it showed after he left the game.  That is NOT meant to be a knock on Sanders, its NOT his fault nor is he a bad player by any means.  However, our offense flows better when we had Cole as an additional focal point of the offense.  (see next bullet point)
  • Gabriel Davis needs to also be on the field more because he brings what Sanders does to the table, but also has more size and physicality too.  
• Cole Beasley:  We NEED Cole more involved and it showed in the 2nd half big time.  What he brings in terms of short and quick strikes, opens up the rest of the field, but MOST IMPORTANTLY, gives Josh a quick place to get rid of the ball and move the chains consistently when the pass protection is not there.  When Diggs and Sanders are out there together, they have been able to neutralize it by taking away the big play and using the 2 high safeties.  
  • We need to build LAYERS back into our passing game, and a combination of Diggs, Cole, Knox, and Davis gives us a lot more of that than Diggs and Sanders combo.  
  • Cole really helps neutralize the blitz as well, much harder to bring the house when you need to defend the quick strike to a guy who will almost certainly burn any one on one defender for an easy first down.  

 

So I know we have had sooooo many of these "wake up" call games already against Pitt, Tenn, Jax, Colts, and now Bucs.  But, I don't really know that we had one like this yet...a true wake up game where what we were doing was NOT working...and we figured it out big time during the game and still narrowly lost.  The Bucs game is more reminiscent of the Cardinals game last year.  Where we found our confidence and groove on the field, not in practice or film study...but on the field where they rallied to do what seemed enough to win the game and a bad break left them just short (the BS non PI call at end of regulation).

 

I think the way our team adjusted and rebounded against one of the top SB contenders during the game is something they can finally build on.  Previous "wake up" losses, we did NOT find our groove really in those games.  Even the Titans game...our defense was struggling the whole second half so much we went for 2 instead of OT.  But against the Bucs, our D shut down the Bucs in the 2nd half and our offense moved the ball at will once we got the run game involved and guys like Cole, Davis and Knox all over the field.  

 

Call me a homer...but as heart breaking as the loss was, I am able to come out of that game with the optimism that this team can still make a run THIS year if they can build on and carry over the 2nd half Bills team that was on the field.  And while people are all over here hating on McD, I think he is a substantially big part of the reason for our comeback and was a big reason for all the adjustments that were made to get us back in that game.  He isn't perfect on gameday, and I think his waning confidence in Daboll and Frazier at times is impacting that...but I think he is still the right coach for this team and one of the best leaders in the league.  

Agree, great post and the reason why I wasn't extremely upset after the game.  TB is one of the best NFC teams, possibly the best, and we barely lost.  I'd rather lose a game where we came back and showed that ability, than blowing a lead like we did against Pitt, etc. 

 

Few things I'll add to OP:

1. Dane Jackson performed very well, albeit the final play (not all his fault though, that pass rush needs to get home or impact that throw).   I've said before, I've seen him play HS and college ball...and had no doubt he'd be a gamer.  He's going to keep improving and be a solid player for us.

 

2. Defensive pressure: TBs oline is very good and Brady is a master of getting into the right play/not taking sacks.  I liked our pressure packages and thought we just missed a couple turnover opportunities.  We need to stay aggressive on 1st and 2nd, who cares we give up a few 10-15 yard plays.  Eventually get them into 3rd and long or force a turnover.  Felt like our philosophy took a 180 and hope we can continue it.

 

3.  Offense: the quick/3 step passing game worked well in 2nd half and neutralized some blitzes, along with some timely runs.  Agree we are better off with Davis in there, as opposed to Manny.  Also think we need to be running more fade routes.  I posted and many others did as well, commenting about the DPI calls or lack of in our favor.  We don't give ourselves many opportunities to just get cheap yards.  At some point, stop running those 5 yard curls and go over the top, when we see 1-1 with limited safety help

 

I'm optimistic we can put a winning streak together.  Feel like that 2nd half put us on the cusp of something great, just need that type of execution more consistently.

[Generic_Bills_Fan]

3 hours ago, Alphadawg7 said:

Im still confident we will get into the playoffs and can make a SB push still THIS YEAR.  The teams paced with us are not nearly as balanced as we are.  There are a couple of things I am taking away from this stunning comeback and heartbreaking loss...and I think the team will be better for it.

 

• McD inserted himself into the defensive adjustments over Frazier.  Late in the 2nd half, McD was in his face and giving him instructions, it was seen on camera and even Romo knew exactly what was going on and they even made it a point to go back and show it again after the defense was able to flip the switch to end the 1st half.  Those changes carried over into the 2nd half where we really shut down the Bucs the whole half until a broken play in OT lost us the game. 
  • Moving forward, I think McD will take more control on the defense, especially after the successful adjustments he helped insert in this game.  And he has done this before, and successfully.  Even taken play calling away from Frazier before, again successfully.  Too much is on the line now, every game is of critical importance here on out.  
• The OL looked SUBSTANTIALLY better (not great still, but substantially better than the atrocious first half) during our second half once we got the run game going with Allen and our backs.   
  • I just cant see any chance Daboll doesn't get absolutely reamed by McD if he falls back into a pass only offense again at any point this season moving forward.  McD wants to run the ball, but Daboll has an allergy to it until the game is getting out of hand.  I think the second half offense we saw is going to be more what we see the whole game.
• Emmanuel Sanders:  I am just going to say it...this offense is better without Sanders and it showed after he left the game.  That is NOT meant to be a knock on Sanders, its NOT his fault nor is he a bad player by any means.  However, our offense flows better when we had Cole as an additional focal point of the offense.  (see next bullet point)
  • Gabriel Davis needs to also be on the field more because he brings what Sanders does to the table, but also has more size and physicality too.  
• Cole Beasley:  We NEED Cole more involved and it showed in the 2nd half big time.  What he brings in terms of short and quick strikes, opens up the rest of the field, but MOST IMPORTANTLY, gives Josh a quick place to get rid of the ball and move the chains consistently when the pass protection is not there.  When Diggs and Sanders are out there together, they have been able to neutralize it by taking away the big play and using the 2 high safeties.  
  • We need to build LAYERS back into our passing game, and a combination of Diggs, Cole, Knox, and Davis gives us a lot more of that than Diggs and Sanders combo.  
  • Cole really helps neutralize the blitz as well, much harder to bring the house when you need to defend the quick strike to a guy who will almost certainly burn any one on one defender for an easy first down.  

 

So I know we have had sooooo many of these "wake up" call games already against Pitt, Tenn, Jax, Colts, and now Bucs.  But, I don't really know that we had one like this yet...a true wake up game where what we were doing was NOT working...and we figured it out big time during the game and still narrowly lost.  The Bucs game is more reminiscent of the Cardinals game last year.  Where we found our confidence and groove on the field, not in practice or film study...but on the field where they rallied to do what seemed enough to win the game and a bad break left them just short (the BS non PI call at end of regulation).

 

I think the way our team adjusted and rebounded against one of the top SB contenders during the game is something they can finally build on.  Previous "wake up" losses, we did NOT find our groove really in those games.  Even the Titans game...our defense was struggling the whole second half so much we went for 2 instead of OT.  But against the Bucs, our D shut down the Bucs in the 2nd half and our offense moved the ball at will once we got the run game involved and guys like Cole, Davis and Knox all over the field.  

 

Call me a homer...but as heart breaking as the loss was, I am able to come out of that game with the optimism that this team can still make a run THIS year if they can build on and carry over the 2nd half Bills team that was on the field.  And while people are all over here hating on McD, I think he is a substantially big part of the reason for our comeback and was a big reason for all the adjustments that were made to get us back in that game.  He isn't perfect on gameday, and I think his waning confidence in Daboll and Frazier at times is impacting that...but I think he is still the right coach for this team and one of the best leaders in the league.  

That second half was the best half of football I’ve seen this team play against a good team so hopefully that gets them rolling 

[NewEra]

5 minutes ago, Sheneneh Jenkins said:

 

Yeah year after year it just doesn't seem to be not even the slightest tiny bit of improvement and that's for pretty much every team except for a couple that always seem to have it no where near as bad...

 

With that said, much of the struggling falls on Daboll imo. 

💯 

 

I loved the refs last year.  I thought that because we finally had and all pro QBs-WR combo that we’d be in position to get some calls on a regular basis.  That has not been the case.  Josh needs to learn how to throw lame duck passes not even close to the WR so they can create the contact and get the PI called.  This is the NFLs version of flopping and something has to be done about it 

[Generic_Bills_Fan]

24 minutes ago, VW82 said:

I wish I shared OPer's confidence. What I saw was that we need Josh to put on the superhero cape in order to win, only every time he does that he gets dinged up. But if he doesn't, we have no running threat and teams tee off on us. 

 

Defensively there's a lot of Dane Jackson and Taron Johnson involved. We need a killer pass rush and that's been missing for more than a month. 

It was a bit more of a team effort in that second half than when josh is out there and nobody else can do anything 

3 minutes ago, NewEra said:

💯

 

I loved the refs last year.  I thought that because we finally had and all pro QBs-WR combo that we’d be in position to get some calls on a regular basis.  That has not been the case.  Josh needs to learn how to throw lame duck passes not even close to the WR so they can create the contact and get the PI called.  This is the NFLs version of flopping and something has to be done about it 

If we’re not playing against Brady I think we probably get that call…league wants them in the superbowl badlyyyy and they have to run a gauntlet of great nfc teams if they don’t get the 1 seed so I’d expect anything remotely questionable to go TBs way the rest of the season. Heck a much softer call than that saved us against the rams last year 

Edited December 13, 2021 by Generic_Bills_Fan

[NewEra]

5 minutes ago, Generic_Bills_Fan said:

It was a bit more of a team effort in that second half than when josh is out there and nobody else can do anything 

If we’re not playing against Brady I think we probably get that call…league wants them in the superbowl badlyyyy and they have to run a gauntlet of great nfc teams if they don’t get the 1 seed so I’d expect anything remotely questionable to go TBs way the rest of the season. Heck a much softer call than that saved us against the rams last year 

Yeah….that’s one of the only games I can remember where we won a game because of a questionable call.  I thought it was a penalty….but a weak one.  None of the holds on Diggs were weak.  All penalties 💯 while the Bucs get the game handed to them by some bs PI call on a pass meant to draw a penalty.  Just unbelievable 

[Generic_Bills_Fan]

6 minutes ago, NewEra said:

Yeah….that’s one of the only games I can remember where we won a game because of a questionable call.  I thought it was a penalty….but a weak one.  None of the holds on Diggs were weak.  All penalties 💯 while the Bucs get the game handed to them by some bs PI call on a pass meant to draw a penalty.  Just unbelievable 

It was surreal hearing romo call out how obvious the penalties were lol normally those guys blindly defend the refs. Romo was literally laughing at the calls 😂 yea I’m pretty shocked about that late call on Wallace…if I’m the refs I let that go and people would probably treat it as a makeup call even though it was definitely not a penalty anyway…bad pi calls/no calls could’ve literally swung this game 20 points…that early rip of diggs’ jersey cost us at least 3 in the first half…bucs got a few real iffy ones in their favor leading to tds too although they may have scored anyway. That late no call on diggs cost us 4 and the win…Wallace’s I think was on 1st or second down so they could’ve scored anyway but that got us for 6

Edited December 13, 2021 by Generic_Bills_Fan

[NewEra]

2 minutes ago, Generic_Bills_Fan said:

It was surreal hearing romo call out how obvious the penalties were lol normally those guys blindly defend the refs. Romo was literally laughing at the calls 😂 yea I’m pretty shocked about that late call on Wallace…if I’m the refs I let that go and people would probably treat it as a makeup call even though it was definitely not a penalty anyway…bad pi calls/no calls could’ve literally swung this game 20 points…that early rip of diggs’ jersey cost us at least 3 in the first half…bucs got a few real iffy ones in their favor leading to tds too although they may have scored anyway. That late no call on diggs cost us 4 and the win 

Stop complaining.  The refs have nothing to do with the loss. Didn’t you know that the game is 💯 determined by players and coaching and the officials never have any impact on who wins and loses?  Refs are people, they make mistakes.  Leave them alone.  And the billion dollar company they work for that’s too cheap to fix what is clearly broken.
 

I learned that here.  

[Generic_Bills_Fan]

6 minutes ago, NewEra said:

Stop complaining.  The refs have nothing to do with the loss. Didn’t you know that the game is 💯 determined by players and coaching and the officials never have any impact on who wins and loses?  Refs are people, they make mistakes.  Leave them alone.  And the billion dollar company they work for that’s too cheap to fix what is clearly broken.
 

I learned that here.  

Yea I may agree with those people if we didn’t get shafted in the first half too 😂 this wasn’t like one questionable PI not getting called late in a game. Some of the reason we were down big in the first half is our receivers getting held it’s not like you can only pick ‘the team didn’t show up in the first half’ or ‘the refs screwed us in the end’ lol I’ve watched Brady led teams get the benefit of the doubt on just about every crucial play for years whether in Tampa or NE and I for one am tired of it.  If that happened against another team I might not have minded as much…these kind of calls are supposed to even out over a big sample size and they just don’t in Brady’s case. It’s not like I blame him either it’s not his fault the nfl has promoted him to mythic status and his team gets all the tossup calls.  It was pretty funny watching some bad calls go our way against the pats this season…I am not used to that yet 😂

Edited December 13, 2021 by Generic_Bills_Fan

[Shaw66]

4 hours ago, Alphadawg7 said:

Im still confident we will get into the playoffs and can make a SB push still THIS YEAR.  The teams paced with us are not nearly as balanced as we are.  There are a couple of things I am taking away from this stunning comeback and heartbreaking loss...and I think the team will be better for it.

 

• McD inserted himself into the defensive adjustments over Frazier.  Late in the 2nd half, McD was in his face and giving him instructions, it was seen on camera and even Romo knew exactly what was going on and they even made it a point to go back and show it again after the defense was able to flip the switch to end the 1st half.  Those changes carried over into the 2nd half where we really shut down the Bucs the whole half until a broken play in OT lost us the game. 
  • Moving forward, I think McD will take more control on the defense, especially after the successful adjustments he helped insert in this game.  And he has done this before, and successfully.  Even taken play calling away from Frazier before, again successfully.  Too much is on the line now, every game is of critical importance here on out.  
• The OL looked SUBSTANTIALLY better (not great still, but substantially better than the atrocious first half) during our second half once we got the run game going with Allen and our backs.   
  • I just cant see any chance Daboll doesn't get absolutely reamed by McD if he falls back into a pass only offense again at any point this season moving forward.  McD wants to run the ball, but Daboll has an allergy to it until the game is getting out of hand.  I think the second half offense we saw is going to be more what we see the whole game.
• Emmanuel Sanders:  I am just going to say it...this offense is better without Sanders and it showed after he left the game.  That is NOT meant to be a knock on Sanders, its NOT his fault nor is he a bad player by any means.  However, our offense flows better when we had Cole as an additional focal point of the offense.  (see next bullet point)
  • Gabriel Davis needs to also be on the field more because he brings what Sanders does to the table, but also has more size and physicality too.  
• Cole Beasley:  We NEED Cole more involved and it showed in the 2nd half big time.  What he brings in terms of short and quick strikes, opens up the rest of the field, but MOST IMPORTANTLY, gives Josh a quick place to get rid of the ball and move the chains consistently when the pass protection is not there.  When Diggs and Sanders are out there together, they have been able to neutralize it by taking away the big play and using the 2 high safeties.  
  • We need to build LAYERS back into our passing game, and a combination of Diggs, Cole, Knox, and Davis gives us a lot more of that than Diggs and Sanders combo.  
  • Cole really helps neutralize the blitz as well, much harder to bring the house when you need to defend the quick strike to a guy who will almost certainly burn any one on one defender for an easy first down.  

 

So I know we have had sooooo many of these "wake up" call games already against Pitt, Tenn, Jax, Colts, and now Bucs.  But, I don't really know that we had one like this yet...a true wake up game where what we were doing was NOT working...and we figured it out big time during the game and still narrowly lost.  The Bucs game is more reminiscent of the Cardinals game last year.  Where we found our confidence and groove on the field, not in practice or film study...but on the field where they rallied to do what seemed enough to win the game and a bad break left them just short (the BS non PI call at end of regulation).

 

I think the way our team adjusted and rebounded against one of the top SB contenders during the game is something they can finally build on.  Previous "wake up" losses, we did NOT find our groove really in those games.  Even the Titans game...our defense was struggling the whole second half so much we went for 2 instead of OT.  But against the Bucs, our D shut down the Bucs in the 2nd half and our offense moved the ball at will once we got the run game involved and guys like Cole, Davis and Knox all over the field.  

 

Call me a homer...but as heart breaking as the loss was, I am able to come out of that game with the optimism that this team can still make a run THIS year if they can build on and carry over the 2nd half Bills team that was on the field.  And while people are all over here hating on McD, I think he is a substantially big part of the reason for our comeback and was a big reason for all the adjustments that were made to get us back in that game.  He isn't perfect on gameday, and I think his waning confidence in Daboll and Frazier at times is impacting that...but I think he is still the right coach for this team and one of the best leaders in the league.  

This is good stuff.  Either Josh is just comfortable with Cole, or Cole just has a knack.  Whatever it is, the offense clearly is more diverse and better when he's on the field. 

 

And McKenzie, too.   I'm not a McKenzie fan, but those plays they run for him also diversify the offense, and that's what's been missing.   I don't know why they can't run plays like that for Diggs and Sanders, but they don't.   Somehow, they need that part of the offense.   

 

And another thing that you didn't mention:  With the offense opened up with Beasley and McKenzie, Singletary looked like the back they need in the game.  He showed yesterday that he can be effective when he has room to work.  The line can't create the room on their own, but the field opens up for Singletary when the offense is more varied.   Breida is not the guy and dare I say it, with the offense going better, it may be time to bring Moss back.   Moss can handle the pass blocking assignments, and he can run effectively. 

 

When we stop moaning about the loss, we can start to see how the Bills are rounding into shape.  

 

 

[Charles Romes]

I agree. We also played our best half of football of the year on the road against the Super Bowl champs and we certainly will need to win 3 straight on the road to get to LA.  Going on the road can be a positive as it avoids a crazy wind game like we have seen which neutralizes our significant advantage at QB. 

[Logic]

Thanks, Alpha. Good post.

I have to say: that was the most encouraging loss I can remember in a long time.

Don't get me wrong -- it hurt like hell. Losing that game -- particularly against Brady, particularly against the reigning champs, particularly because the refs blatantly affected the outcome -- was gut wrenching. But as heartbroken for our guys (and angry at the refs) as I am this morning, I'm still very encouraged. Why? A few reasons.

1.) The Bills were getting punched in the mouth the same way they were against the Colts, only this time they finally seem to have reached a point where they said "enough is enough" and started punching back. That fight, that will, that resolve, is what I've been looking for from this Bills team. It's not ideal that it took them this long to find their fight, but they seem to have found it. That second half Bills team can play with anyone in this league and can win a championship.

2.) Josh checked the last remaining box other than "win a Super Bowl": He brought them team all the way back from a big deficit. There was ZERO margin for error, and rather than compound the problems or turn the ball over carelessly as we've seen him do in the past, he played basically perfect ball down the stretch, put the team on his back, and carried them to (near) victory. Yes, I realize he didn't finish the job. But, well...even though I'm not usually a "blame the refs" guy, I am ABSOLUTELY blaming the refs in this instance. I was already convinced Allen was a legitimate franchise QB. Now I'm convinced he's destined to be a Super Bowl MVP one day.

I went into halftime of the game questioning everything about this Bills team. I came out of the 4th quarter thinking they can beat any team in the league. The problem, as we have seen, is that they can also LOSE to any team in the league. But boy oh boy, if they can continue to look like that second half Bills team...they can go all the way. Then again, they could lay an egg against the Falcons or Jets and that wouldn't surprise me, either. What a weird season in Bills football.


 

Edited December 13, 2021 by Logic

[Sharky7337]

4 hours ago, Alphadawg7 said:

Im still confident we will get into the playoffs and can make a SB push still THIS YEAR.  The teams paced with us are not nearly as balanced as we are.  There are a couple of things I am taking away from this stunning comeback and heartbreaking loss...and I think the team will be better for it.

 

• McD inserted himself into the defensive adjustments over Frazier.  Late in the 2nd half, McD was in his face and giving him instructions, it was seen on camera and even Romo knew exactly what was going on and they even made it a point to go back and show it again after the defense was able to flip the switch to end the 1st half.  Those changes carried over into the 2nd half where we really shut down the Bucs the whole half until a broken play in OT lost us the game. 
  • Moving forward, I think McD will take more control on the defense, especially after the successful adjustments he helped insert in this game.  And he has done this before, and successfully.  Even taken play calling away from Frazier before, again successfully.  Too much is on the line now, every game is of critical importance here on out.  
• The OL looked SUBSTANTIALLY better (not great still, but substantially better than the atrocious first half) during our second half once we got the run game going with Allen and our backs.   
  • I just cant see any chance Daboll doesn't get absolutely reamed by McD if he falls back into a pass only offense again at any point this season moving forward.  McD wants to run the ball, but Daboll has an allergy to it until the game is getting out of hand.  I think the second half offense we saw is going to be more what we see the whole game.
• Emmanuel Sanders:  I am just going to say it...this offense is better without Sanders and it showed after he left the game.  That is NOT meant to be a knock on Sanders, its NOT his fault nor is he a bad player by any means.  However, our offense flows better when we had Cole as an additional focal point of the offense.  (see next bullet point)
  • Gabriel Davis needs to also be on the field more because he brings what Sanders does to the table, but also has more size and physicality too.  
• Cole Beasley:  We NEED Cole more involved and it showed in the 2nd half big time.  What he brings in terms of short and quick strikes, opens up the rest of the field, but MOST IMPORTANTLY, gives Josh a quick place to get rid of the ball and move the chains consistently when the pass protection is not there.  When Diggs and Sanders are out there together, they have been able to neutralize it by taking away the big play and using the 2 high safeties.  
  • We need to build LAYERS back into our passing game, and a combination of Diggs, Cole, Knox, and Davis gives us a lot more of that than Diggs and Sanders combo.  
  • Cole really helps neutralize the blitz as well, much harder to bring the house when you need to defend the quick strike to a guy who will almost certainly burn any one on one defender for an easy first down.  

 

So I know we have had sooooo many of these "wake up" call games already against Pitt, Tenn, Jax, Colts, and now Bucs.  But, I don't really know that we had one like this yet...a true wake up game where what we were doing was NOT working...and we figured it out big time during the game and still narrowly lost.  The Bucs game is more reminiscent of the Cardinals game last year.  Where we found our confidence and groove on the field, not in practice or film study...but on the field where they rallied to do what seemed enough to win the game and a bad break left them just short (the BS non PI call at end of regulation).

 

I think the way our team adjusted and rebounded against one of the top SB contenders during the game is something they can finally build on.  Previous "wake up" losses, we did NOT find our groove really in those games.  Even the Titans game...our defense was struggling the whole second half so much we went for 2 instead of OT.  But against the Bucs, our D shut down the Bucs in the 2nd half and our offense moved the ball at will once we got the run game involved and guys like Cole, Davis and Knox all over the field.  

 

Call me a homer...but as heart breaking as the loss was, I am able to come out of that game with the optimism that this team can still make a run THIS year if they can build on and carry over the 2nd half Bills team that was on the field.  And while people are all over here hating on McD, I think he is a substantially big part of the reason for our comeback and was a big reason for all the adjustments that were made to get us back in that game.  He isn't perfect on gameday, and I think his waning confidence in Daboll and Frazier at times is impacting that...but I think he is still the right coach for this team and one of the best leaders in the league.  

I mentioned earlier this year and of course got blasted that Emmanuel sanders was subtraction by addition.

 

But honestly besides that, only losers are happy because they found a moral victory in a loss. 

 

Now we're handing out participation trophies and playing for pride when we were supposed to be contenders.

 

How is this not a failure of epic proportions?

Edited December 13, 2021 by Sharky7337

[Logic]

4 minutes ago, Sharky7337 said:

I mentioned earlier this year and of course got blasted that Emmanuel sanders was subtraction by addition.

 

But honestly besides that, only losers are happy because they found a moral victory in a loss. 

Calling half the message board losers because they're finding reasons to be encouraged about erasing a 21 point deficit on the shoulders of a courageous performance from their injured warrior quarterback is a pretty weird flex, but you do you.

[Sharky7337]

2 minutes ago, Logic said:

Calling half the message board losers because they're finding reasons to be encouraged about erasing a 21 point deficit on the shoulders of a courageous performance from their injured warrior quarterback is a pretty weird flex, but you do you.

Ya forgive me for bringing some reality to the discussion.

 

Players are played to win. If the coach and the players are saying how proud they are after a loss, thats a loser mentality.

 

If you can't see that's directed at the team and the press conferences then I'm sorry.

 

But it is true.

[RoyBatty is alive]

4 hours ago, Freddie's Dead said:

Earlier in the season, Sanders was better for this offense than John Brown.  Now I'm not so sure.  I was actually thinking after the game that the Bills should take a flyer on Brown for the playoff run.  I know it'll never happen, but a guy can dream.....

No, no john brown, not even close.

 

What does it tell you when Brown cant hook up with another team.

[Freddie's Dead]

1 minute ago, RoyBatty is alive said:

No, no john brown, not even close.

 

What does it tell you when Brown cant hook up with another team.

 

Ageism.  The guy was still making plays here last year.  He may have lost his fastball, but he can still run routes.  He just didn't want to hang on the PS.

[FilthyBeast]

Yesterday's failed comeback was just fools gold.

 

Sure this team will probably come out and beat the Panthers next week but then go into Foxboro and likely get blown off the field.

 

Either way if it took 12 and a half games for this team to find their heart and magically start looking like the 2020 squad again that should tell you everything you need to know about them.