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

[Success]

4 minutes ago, FilthyBeast said:

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.

 

Surprising take from you.  

 

[Logic]

5 minutes ago, FilthyBeast said:

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.

This post is thoroughly on brand for you.

On what basis would you suggest the Bills are going to get "blown off the field" against the Patriots, considering that didn't happen in any of the past three games against them?

Nevermind, I'm  not really interested in hearing your answer.

[Patrick Duffy]

31 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.  

 

I'm not or ever have been a "moral victory" guy and when I say this I most certainly don't take it or imply it as such, but even with the ***** officiating (which most times is very difficult to overcome in itself), Bills had 2 chances to win the game and were the best chances you could ask for with one inside the redzone.

 

I blame a large majority on Daboll for offense failing to take advantage of it,

[FilthyBeast]

Just now, Logic said:

This post is thoroughly on brand for you.

On what basis would you suggest the Bills are going to get "blown off the field" against the Patriots, considering that didn't happen in any of the past three games against them?

Nevermind, I'm  not really interested in hearing your answer.

 

Because Belichik is going to remember McDermott's comments from after the MNF game and rub it in his face for starters (i.e. run up the score and send a message).

 

And the Pats won't run the ball down our throat in this game, they'll do something completely different to exploit this teams weaknesses on both sides of the ball.

[Logic]

1 minute ago, FilthyBeast said:

 

Because Belichik is going to remember McDermott's comments from after the MNF game and rub it in his face for starters (i.e. run up the score and send a message).

 

And the Pats won't run the ball down our throat in this game, they'll do something completely different to exploit this teams weaknesses on both sides of the ball.

Do you ALWAYS predict the worst possible outcome of events in life, or is it just for Bills games?

Follow up question: Do you root for the team to do poorly in order to validate your constant pessimism? 
 

[FilthyBeast]

5 minutes ago, Logic said:

Do you ALWAYS predict the worst possible outcome of events in life, or is it just for Bills games?

Follow up question: Do you root for the team to do poorly in order to validate your constant pessimism? 
 

 

To be honest I'm generally more optimistic in life ever since I had children.

 

But when it comes to the Bills...unfortunately they are always going to be the Bills until proven otherwise. I just see this team having zero chance to beat a quality team given their current 1-5 record in such games and even the one win seems to be asterisk and SB type of game for the Bills in hindsight.

 

I also see no evidence the Bills are even going to win the games they should the rest of the way and probably will blow it against the Falcons or Jets with a WC birth on the line because that's just what this team does historically.

 

 

[reddogblitz]

5 hours ago, Alphadawg7 said:

 

Its so true actually...like for real.  Colts game was more like a few plays, but outside of that, all the other losses could be flipped over 1 play.  

 

1. Pitt...there are a number of plays you can point to as a single play that cost us the game be it a bad break, penalty, etc.  But the most obvious choice...the blocked punt.  
2. Tenn - Josh I think had converted every QB sneak successfully, including two where the snap was fumbled, outside of one or two in his 3 year career.  Daboll for the FIRST time decides to sneak Josh by starting him in shotgun and walking up to the line.  Big mistake, he doesn't do his normal routine of setting his feet to get the push he needs and his back foot slips.  But I can also point to multiple dumb penalties that either took points off our board or gave titans extended drives and points.  Otherwise, it wouldn't have even come down to that play.
3. Jax - Geezus, so many times we took points away from ourselves.  Pick one and there is your one play.
4. Colts - While this game got out of hand early...there are 3 self inflicted plays in the first half that caused it to spiral.   
   1. 3rd and 2, Josh is on his way to a big gain on a run and poof, play blow dead, false start.  Next play holding...suddenly we are out of FG range on a drive we were moving the ball at will to open the game for our offense and its 3rd and 18.  
   2. Next drive, we hold them on 3rd down. to get off the field...poof penalties give them life and they score.  
   3. On the ensuing KO, McKenzie gives them a free TD on his own without being touched.
5. NE - See Jax game notes.  Drops were a biggie too and Diggs not tracking the TD pass as well, albeit tough in those conditions.
6. Bucs - The PI at end of regulation that wasn't called.  The PI in overtime that wasn't called.  Those 2 ref impacted plays took the comeback away from us.

 

This is all true.  But that's football.  Good teams win those games like we did last year.  Teams that aren't as good lose them.

 

Its really the story of the drought.  We were always close.

 

The real question is WHY is this happening?  Coaching? Players? Smoking too many press clippings and tweets in the off season? Not sure.

 

I share in your optimism however. Hopefully we can change this the rest of the way.

[Success]

11 minutes ago, FilthyBeast said:

 

Because Belichik is going to remember McDermott's comments from after the MNF game and rub it in his face for starters (i.e. run up the score and send a message).

 

And the Pats won't run the ball down our throat in this game, they'll do something completely different to exploit this teams weaknesses on both sides of the ball.

 

Belichick is the best who ever coached in the league - but sometimes the mythology is too much.

 

Are we really to believe that he'll prepare more intensely for a game that likely decides the division because McD made a comment?  That he was going to take it a little lightly, but with that comment, he'll now go all out?

 

[billsbackto81]

Better without Sanders, agree. This offense seems to click better when Cole and Davis are utilized.

 

OL getting better, disagree. Josh was under duress the entire game and only his supreme escapability made this a ball game.

[NewEra]

1 hour ago, Sheneneh Jenkins said:

 

I'm not or ever have been a "moral victory" guy and when I say this I most certainly don't take it or imply it as such, but even with the ***** officiating (which most times is very difficult to overcome in itself), Bills had 2 chances to win the game and were the best chances you could ask for with one inside the redzone.

 

I blame a large majority on Daboll for offense failing to take advantage of it,

I partially blame Daboll.  I partially blame Beane for going into this season with this offensive line.  I partially blame the refs.  I partially blame tom Brady.  
 

I wholeheartedly thank Josh Allen for being such a beast. 

[Patrick Duffy]

12 minutes ago, NewEra said:

I partially blame Daboll.  I partially blame Beane for going into this season with this offensive line.  I partially blame the refs.  I partially blame tom Brady.  
 

I wholeheartedly thank Josh Allen for being such a beast. 

Yeah many to blame for sure, but as for yesterday with some of those opportunities to score after getting down the field then all of sudden plays are called that makes you say.."why the ***** was that play called".... That among other things just makes Daboll's decisions come into question.

[Generic_Bills_Fan]

3 hours 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 

Yea that play was upsetting because Levi did such a great job avoiding the penalty in a very difficult situation 

2 hours ago, Success said:

 

Surprising take from you.  

 

Lol he could be right you never know…I have absolutely no clue what’s gonna happen down the stretch. I’m still not very sure it the wind really hurt us a lot more than the pats…guess we’ll find out…unless it’s windy again 🤣

Edited December 13, 2021 by Generic_Bills_Fan

[RichRiderBills]

7 hours ago, Billsatlastin2018 said:

It was an ‘L’ - PERIOD!

 

Like 5 others.

No getting around it. They’re not very good. 
 

10-3 is good.

Not 7-6. 
 

One tiny example. Our key superstar made multiple critical runs, including one where he slightly stepped out, going for the game winner! 
 

Please tell us all, please ask Dumball, where the hades was that play on a mini Tornado night last Monday night?

 

Not once.

 

The HC has turtled into a conservative- accepting 4th Down Punts & FGs, rather than TDs.

The OC is a Red Zone clown- designing Losses instead of Wins.

 

That’s Stockholm Syndrome thinking bedevilling you.

 

Not the play your talking about, but I said it a million times. We run that QB power sweep w JA in the NE game a few times in the red zone we win. 

[Evian]

The Bills are 0-5 in close games. They had chances in  the last minute to beat the Titans, Patriots, and Bucs. They failed EVERYTIME.

 

This is a physically and mentally weak team. They can't run the ball. They can't stop the run. And they can't close. Three strikes.

 

I love the Bills and always overhype them, but facts are facts. This team is not championship caliber.

 

Edited December 13, 2021 by Evian

[RyanC883]

so sick of “moral victories.”.  We lost because yet again we were unprepared out of the gate.  Almost wins are still losses and until this team demonstrates 60 minute consistency they are a pretender.  

Edited December 13, 2021 by RyanC883

[njbuff]

If the Bills can't pull themselves off the mat and win these last 4 games, then they don't deserve to make the playoffs. 

[Patrick Duffy]

16 minutes ago, Evian said:

The Bills are 0-5 in close games. They had chances in  the last minute to beat the Titans, Patriots, and Bucs. They failed EVERYTIME.

 

This is a physically and mentally weak team. They can't run the ball. They can't stop the run. And they can't close. Three strikes.

 

I love the Bills and always overhype them, but facts are facts. This team is not championship caliber.

 

I know many say Bills can't run the ball, they had a few decent runs yesterday from the RB and also a couple other games they had some good runs. Sometimes I think Bills can have a solid or better running game if given more chances.

 

I mean a running play is very rarely called for the RBs. So I just wonder if they had more than 5 or so chances a game could make a difference because once in a while the RB has a decent run out of the very few opportunities they get. 

 

So I guess I kinda wonder how much lack of opportunities may play a role in the "Bills can't run the ball" talk. I'm not saying they haven't struggled, I'm just saying it may not be as bad as it seems. A RB that gets less than 10 carries a game usually doesn't get many yards.

[Big Blitz]

I feel good to.

 

I feel like the oline was significantly better in the 2nd half - that's why I'm very optimistic.

 

Hopefully Josh's foot heals quick.  

[BillsFan130]

I come out of this game better for sure.

 

Positives:

 

-This team showed fight when down. Something they really haven't shown all year

-They figured out their offence in the 2nd half and took advantage of Josh's legs 

-Dane can play. He's not tre of course, but I think he can somewhat hold his own.

 

Now the negatives.

 

-MCD continues with his conservative calls. Whenever the chips are down, MCD seems to go conservative. Hated the decision to kick the field goal at the 2. Hated the fake punt. (Just leave the offence on). And hated the 4th and 3 punt in the late 3rd quarter 

 

-They lost another close game. 0-5 in one score games now. They just can't seem to make a play when they need it the most.

 

All in all I'm more optimistic than before.

 

But they still have a few major red flags to fix IMO before I call them a SB contender 

[Evian]

I am not optimistic because the team is not constructed to win a championship and with the Bills that is all that matters.

 

Unless the coach and quarterback develop a killer instinct this team will never win anything. Sometimes a season like this is what brings about the killer instinct. I think when they look back on this season they will realize finesse football doesn't win championships.

 

I rather win a Super Bowl in Arizona in 2023 anyway. I hate LA.