A Few Thoughts about the Panthers Game, in no particular order

[OldTimer1960]

" A win, and somehow all feels right in the world again.  A loss, and I think many will be questioning the fundamental makeup of this team.  Either way, should be an interesting game."

 

I don't agree with the above assessment.  This team is nowhere near as good as last year's team and that is a concern.  Given the problems in the OL, I don't see this team getting "hot" and going far.

[chris heff]

2 minutes ago, OldTimer1960 said:

" A win, and somehow all feels right in the world again.  A loss, and I think many will be questioning the fundamental makeup of this team.  Either way, should be an interesting game."

 

I don't agree with the above assessment.  This team is nowhere near as good as last year's team and that is a concern.  Given the problems in the OL, I don't see this team getting "hot" and going far.

I don’t agree with your assessment “nowhere near as good” is overstated. The difference between last year and this year is a hand full of plays. I’ve written this before. Last year Bills don’t have a punt blocked, they beat Steelers. Last year Dawkins doesn’t miss his block, Josh doesn’t slip, Bills beat Titans. Last year Bills pull out a win against bad Jaguars team. Last year Josh doesn’t step on the sideline, he scores that TD to beat the Bucs. Last year’s defense made me just as nervous as this years. They are only great when Bills have the lead. OL problems this year is the same as last year, there is no depth, they need everything to go right.

[PolishDave]

43 minutes ago, OldTimer1960 said:

" A win, and somehow all feels right in the world again.  A loss, and I think many will be questioning the fundamental makeup of this team.  Either way, should be an interesting game."

 

I don't agree with the above assessment.  This team is nowhere near as good as last year's team and that is a concern.  Given the problems in the OL, I don't see this team getting "hot" and going far.

 

If you mean that the offense is not executing as well as they were last year, then I agree with you.

 

I think the potential to dominate games is higher this year because the defense is substantially better this year than last (well, at least before Trey got hurt).    The offensive potential is there, we just haven't seen it consistently enough.

 

Seems to me that last year Allen was playing unleashed and was killing teams almost singlehandedly by ripping off huge scrambles and throwing deep passes on broken plays where he was forced to roll out and extend the play a few more seconds.    It appears he had been asked "not to do that" this year - until the Tampa Bay game happened.    When he became unleashed he started dominating.

 

Allen has the potential to go into his own form of god-mode like in a video game.   If he does that in any game, no matter who it is against, assuming he doesn't get hurt doing it, he is going to make the offense look magical and unstoppable.  - Even with this subpar offensive line.

 

Now, having the potential to be truly great, and actually executing greatness are two different things.    Bills have to tap into that magic for at least part of the game this weekend and then again repeatedly in the playoffs. 

[ganesh]

2 hours ago, OldTimer1960 said:

" A win, and somehow all feels right in the world again.  A loss, and I think many will be questioning the fundamental makeup of this team.  Either way, should be an interesting game."

The DNA of being a Bills fan!!! Go Bills!

2 hours ago, OldTimer1960 said:

 

I don't agree with the above assessment.  This team is nowhere near as good as last year's team and that is a concern.  Given the problems in the OL, I don't see this team getting "hot" and going far.

The Bills won close games last year...This year they are 0-5 in those games (with 3 games to be won with the ball in their hand)

[Captain_Quint]

#6 - On Gilmore, we also saw the 'Gilmore Glance' on the 2nd TD by Gabe. He looked back behind him as Davis strolled into the endzone. 

He was fooled because it was an awesome play, but it was his responsibility from what I could see. 

4 hours ago, strive_for_five_guy said:

Per #6, one of my favorite moments from the game was definitely Gilmore getting beat on the TD and then looking around for someone else to blame…Typical Gilmore!

That's the Gilmore Glance. 

 

[strive_for_five_guy]

4 hours ago, AlCowlingsTaxiService said:

Typical Gilmore was not too long ago considered the top CB in the league … but you have a narrative and you’re sticking to it, facts be damned. 

Lol what narrative are you talking about?  Am I known to you as being critical of Gilmore on a regular basis?

[AlCowlingsTaxiService]

19 minutes ago, strive_for_five_guy said:

Lol what narrative are you talking about?  Am I known to you as being critical of Gilmore on a regular basis?

“Gilmore getting beat on the touchdown and looking around for someone to blame - typical Gilmore” … I certainly don’t know your mindset, but this quote sounds critical to me. Maybe he was supposed to have safety help, who knows?  

[Big Turk]

Rushing attack needs to focus on edge runs not up the middle. No idea why the Bills seem obsessed with trying to control the line of scrimmage inside and run up the middle when they simply are not good at it...at all. Almost always at least one DL in the backfield on those plays the RB is dodging. Bills are far better suited to edge runs...they gashed TB twice on them and the nice run Singletary scored on was an edge run.

 

Just stop trying to be "physical" and show how "tough" you are and start actually doing what works.

[Mark Vader]

4 hours ago, AlCowlingsTaxiService said:

I get that, but I can’t judge a player by his demeanor or facial expressions … that’s been Gilmore since the day he was drafted.  Somewhat reminds me of the Jack Eichel saga - a supremely talented player that fans turned on based largely on attitude and demeanor. 

I was thrilled when we drafted Gilmore, he was the player I wanted the Bills to draft.

 

He was a very good player for us.

 

I lost all respect for him during his final year with us. Maybe he hated playing for Wrecks, or just did not want to be in Buffalo.

Whatever it was, he quit on the team that year. I remember numerous times seeing him simply stop after a play and not even attempting to make a tackle.  If he got knocked down on a play he would just stay down and not even attempt to get up and do something, which he could have done.

 

I don't care how bad a player wants out, but you do not quit on your team! You go out there and give all you got!

Gilmore chose not to do that.

[strive_for_five_guy]

21 minutes ago, AlCowlingsTaxiService said:

“Gilmore getting beat on the touchdown and looking around for someone to blame - typical Gilmore” … I certainly don’t know your mindset, but this quote sounds critical to me. Maybe he was supposed to have safety help, who knows?  

Alright, well I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy the moment like I did.

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

5 hours ago, AlCowlingsTaxiService said:

I get that, but I can’t judge a player by his demeanor or facial expressions … that’s been Gilmore since the day he was drafted.  Somewhat reminds me of the Jack Eichel saga - a supremely talented player that fans turned on based largely on attitude and demeanor. 

Why can’t those things still matter? Doesn’t need to mean anything about ability 

[RoyBatty is alive]

4 hours ago, PolishDave said:

 

In my mind the Bills have already dethroned New England.   The Bills swept them last year.   The Patriots reign of dominance is over.

 

I feel like the majority of people who have watched both New England and the Bills play this year are of the opinion that the Bills are the better team, and by quite a bit.    I think New England knows it too - specifically Belichick.     I think the reason he was all smiles late in the game in Buffalo was because he couldn't believe his inferior team was actually beating a superior Bills team playing a rudimentary version of high school football.   That is truly laughable.     Belichick and everyone in New England knew the Bills were one play from winning that game, almost the whole game.   The Bills just could not execute that one difference making play.

 

Beating the Bills is an uphill battle for the Patriots and they know it.    They were lucky to win the first one.   They would have to be very lucky to win the second one.

 

Assuming we don't lose any more guys to Covid, and don't turn the ball over more than once, my gut tells me the Bills do make that difference making play this week.  I think they make several of those difference plays and win this game convincingly.     I predict the Bills will show this week that both their offense and defense is superior to the Patriots offense and defense.

1) It is reasserted IF the Bills lose on Sunday, them taking the AFC East and sweeping the Bills, cold hard fact.

 

2) To the second bold, I agree, he was thrilled to win that game and the reasons is we were badly outcoached, we had the superior QB and didnt use him enough early enough to proved he could throw in the wind.  I put that on McD and Dabol afraid of the wind.  Even if you have superior talent, if you are outcoached and lose, you are not the "better team". As the saying goes, you are what your record says you are.

[Big Turk]

4 hours ago, OldTimer1960 said:

" A win, and somehow all feels right in the world again.  A loss, and I think many will be questioning the fundamental makeup of this team.  Either way, should be an interesting game."

 

I don't agree with the above assessment.  This team is nowhere near as good as last year's team and that is a concern.  Given the problems in the OL, I don't see this team getting "hot" and going far.

 

You only think that because they failed to make a play in each of the close games they lost. 3 of those games they are inside the 10 yard line with a chance to win at the end.  The advanced metrics say this is likely a better team than last year and they also lead the NFL in net point differential with +151

[corta765]

54 minutes ago, Mark Vader said:

I was thrilled when we drafted Gilmore, he was the player I wanted the Bills to draft.

 

He was a very good player for us.

 

I lost all respect for him during his final year with us. Maybe he hated playing for Wrecks, or just did not want to be in Buffalo.

Whatever it was, he quit on the team that year. I remember numerous times seeing him simply stop after a play and not even attempting to make a tackle.  If he got knocked down on a play he would just stay down and not even attempt to get up and do something, which he could have done.

 

I don't care how bad a player wants out, but you do not quit on your team! You go out there and give all you got!

Gilmore chose not to do that.

 

I tend to agree with this. I can't say I blame him his last year in some capacity as Rex really messed the place up, but he 100% made business decisions on plays which was frustrating. I know people got upset about his comments when he left, but he truthfully was dead on and I didn't disagree with him.

[PolishDave]

5 hours ago, RoyBatty is alive said:

1) It is reasserted IF the Bills lose on Sunday, them taking the AFC East and sweeping the Bills, cold hard fact.

 

2) To the second bold, I agree, he was thrilled to win that game and the reasons is we were badly outcoached, we had the superior QB and didnt use him enough early enough to proved he could throw in the wind.  I put that on McD and Dabol afraid of the wind.  Even if you have superior talent, if you are outcoached and lose, you are not the "better team". As the saying goes, you are what your record says you are.

 

Even if the Patriots manage to win this Sunday, they still will not hold the same "aura" of being unstoppable as they did during the Brady years.

 

Nobody is afraid to play them anymore.    Even if the Bills lose to them this Sunday, they still won't be afraid of the Patriots the next time they play.

 

The era of Patriot dominance is over.  

 

Now, if they sweep the Bills a couple years in a row, well then things change.

 

At least that is how I see it.

[ganesh]

6 hours ago, RoyBatty is alive said:

1) It is reasserted IF the Bills lose on Sunday, them taking the AFC East and sweeping the Bills, cold hard fact.

 

2) To the second bold, I agree, he was thrilled to win that game and the reasons is we were badly outcoached, we had the superior QB and didnt use him enough early enough to proved he could throw in the wind.  I put that on McD and Dabol afraid of the wind.  Even if you have superior talent, if you are outcoached and lose, you are not the "better team". As the saying goes, you are what your record says you are.

The Patriots have a very good secondary and the pressure on Josh was very high.   The miss was actually in not running the ball better. Their DT had his way the whole game; ours did not.