Bengals Best Decision This Year - After Drafting Chase - Was to Tank Last Game of Season

[All_Pro_Bills]

29 minutes ago, Paup 1995MVP said:

I think you are way overthinking things about Cincinnati.  What the Bengals have is a better defense then the Bills.  And an amazing young kicker.  Burrow is good.  But Josh Allen is at another level. The Bengals have a pass rush and LB's and DB's that can stick to receivers, make plays on the ball, and hit people.  The Chiefs receivers and Mahomes could get nothing going against Cinci in the second half.  The Bengals play physical defense as do the Rams and 49ers.  (Although Jimmy G is pretty bad.)  The Bills don't play that way on defense.  And I believe it cost us a Super Bowl championship this year.  No way Cincinnati was stopping Josh Allen yesterday at the Ralph.  And neither were the Rams or 49ers defenses.  

 

The loss by the Bills against Kansas City last week was an epic failure by the coaching staff.  Someone should have been fired for allowing Kansas City to drive down the field in 13 seconds to kick the game tying FG.  And then go thru us like a hot knife thru butter in OT.  I am still disgusted by the collapse of our defense.  Where is the accountability in the organization if noone's head is on the chopping block?  Do the Pegula's and McDermott really believe that what happened is OK?  

If you're a Bills fan that 13 second sequence totally pissed you off.  I'm over it and then I'm not.  I think we all feel anger and frustration even a week later but I'm not quite at the point of firing anyone just yet.  It hurts most because this team was so close to the end of the journey and the ultimate goal.  And the reality it was in their hands and just slipped away in some inconceivable fashion is close to impossible to accept.   

While us fans are never going to get a clear explanation here beyond McDermott's "execution" statement if I'm in charge of the team, ownership and general manager, I want just such an honest and truthful explanation from the coaches.  I would need to understand from the coaches what they expected to happen during the end of the game by aligning the defense and strategizing the last 13 seconds?  Because the approach employed doesn't have many supporter among football people either before, during, or after it failed.  The consensus is the scheme at the end of the game was a flawed approach that to a person none of them would ever employ under those circumstances.  But that's exactly what they did. 

And if I'm running the team I want to better understand your thought process and whether or not there's potential for you doing it again.  I need to be confident that some "limited" or "flawed" thinking  in the minds of the coaches is not going to show up again in a big spot.  And get in the way of achieving our ultimate goal of a championship when another critical in game decision or two determines if we succeed or fail.  And given how competitive it is in most of these games such decisions and situations are almost guaranteed to happen.  I expect these conversations inside the building have already taken place and I trust Beane will do the right thing in pursuit of a championship.  In the end all of his achievements will be judged on whether or not this version of the Bills reached that goal.  

 

As for KC yesterday, I could ask the same question of Reid and Mahomes and Bienemy as I've got for McDermott and Frazier.  They saw the adjustments the Bengals made at halftime and continued to try to force their original strategy.  They failed to adjust when it was required.  Why didn't they?

 

But also kudos to the Bengals for winning the strategy and adjustment chess match. 

[Logic]

Two things:

1. Cincinnati had absolutely no way of knowing which teams they'd play in either scenario, so it's doubtful to me that they planned accordingly.
2. I was on team "1 seed or bust" before this season, but the Bengals and Rams were both 4 seeds. So...yeah. Naturally, it's easier to make the Super Bowl by only having to beat two teams instead of three, but...it certainly doesn't seem to be the ironclad advantage that many think it is. Lord knows the Titans and Packers didn't look great after a week off.
 

[Niagara Dude]

2 hours ago, st pete gogolak said:

I thought it was odd when Bengals announced Burrow would sit out last game of season against Browns.  Third seed was on the line and chance for additional home game(s) down the road.  I guess they knew what the were doing.  Raiders, Titans and Chiefs after epic battle with Bills so much better than Pats and Chiefs.  Well played.

I said so and they got east road to AFC title game,  Raiders were easy and Titans are a joke #1. 

1 hour ago, zow2 said:

Winning at Tennessee was gutsy.  Bills did not win at KC and i'm not so sure they would have won a rematch at Tenn.  Our D against good teams was not lockdown quality.

I think we blow Titans out in rematch because Henry was not the same with plate in his foot.

[Stuartjohn]

3 hours ago, Paup 1995MVP said:

I think you are way overthinking things about Cincinnati.  What the Bengals have is a better defense then the Bills.  And an amazing young kicker.  Burrow is good.  But Josh Allen is at another level. The Bengals have a pass rush and LB's and DB's that can stick to receivers, make plays on the ball, and hit people.  The Chiefs receivers and Mahomes could get nothing going against Cinci in the second half.  The Bengals play physical defense as do the Rams and 49ers.  (Although Jimmy G is pretty bad.)  The Bills don't play that way on defense.  And I believe it cost us a Super Bowl championship this year.  No way Cincinnati was stopping Josh Allen yesterday at the Ralph.  And neither were the Rams or 49ers defenses.  

 

The loss by the Bills against Kansas City last week was an epic failure by the coaching staff.  Someone should have been fired for allowing Kansas City to drive down the field in 13 seconds to kick the game tying FG.  And then go thru us like a hot knife thru butter in OT.  I am still disgusted by the collapse of our defense.  Where is the accountability in the organization if noone's head is on the chopping block?  Do the Pegula's and McDermott really believe that what happened is OK?  

I agree 100% with your remarks! It was total coaching incompetence which cost us Possibly our best chance at the Lombardi in 30 years! Inexcusable hopefully Pegulas  force McD to make needed change or hold who ever responsible accountable.

[Paup 1995MVP]

4 hours ago, All_Pro_Bills said:

If you're a Bills fan that 13 second sequence totally pissed you off.  I'm over it and then I'm not.  I think we all feel anger and frustration even a week later but I'm not quite at the point of firing anyone just yet.  It hurts most because this team was so close to the end of the journey and the ultimate goal.  And the reality it was in their hands and just slipped away in some inconceivable fashion is close to impossible to accept.   

While us fans are never going to get a clear explanation here beyond McDermott's "execution" statement if I'm in charge of the team, ownership and general manager, I want just such an honest and truthful explanation from the coaches.  I would need to understand from the coaches what they expected to happen during the end of the game by aligning the defense and strategizing the last 13 seconds?  Because the approach employed doesn't have many supporter among football people either before, during, or after it failed.  The consensus is the scheme at the end of the game was a flawed approach that to a person none of them would ever employ under those circumstances.  But that's exactly what they did. 

And if I'm running the team I want to better understand your thought process and whether or not there's potential for you doing it again.  I need to be confident that some "limited" or "flawed" thinking  in the minds of the coaches is not going to show up again in a big spot.  And get in the way of achieving our ultimate goal of a championship when another critical in game decision or two determines if we succeed or fail.  And given how competitive it is in most of these games such decisions and situations are almost guaranteed to happen.  I expect these conversations inside the building have already taken place and I trust Beane will do the right thing in pursuit of a championship.  In the end all of his achievements will be judged on whether or not this version of the Bills reached that goal.  

 

As for KC yesterday, I could ask the same question of Reid and Mahomes and Bienemy as I've got for McDermott and Frazier.  They saw the adjustments the Bengals made at halftime and continued to try to force their original strategy.  They failed to adjust when it was required.  Why didn't they?

 

But also kudos to the Bengals for winning the strategy and adjustment chess match. 

That's a great response.  I would not fire McDermott.  But I am not a fan of Leslie Frazier's style of defense.  And his demeanor is a little too low key on the sidelines (at least for my tastes) in running a defense.  I want some emotion and fire coming from the leader of my defense.  I think that can translate to the emotion passion and fire of the defense on the field.  And I too trust that Brandon Beane will make the moves needed (especially on defense) to compliment our tremendously talented and passionate QB Josh Allen in giving us the best opportunity to win the trophy, hopefully next season.  

 

And yes the Bengals coaching staff (especially on defense) did a great job in their game plan and making adjustments against Tennessee and Kansas City.  The Bills did not win one close game all year.  Every win was a blowout.  That says lots of talent to dominate lesser teams, but not good scheming and adjusting in game to win the tight ones against tougher opponents.  When I think about the Jacksonville and Indianapolis losses, I get really ill.

[Paup 1995MVP]

5 hours ago, Success said:

 

It's pretty rash to fire staff for one sequence.

 

Should KC be firing people after blowing 21-3?  San Fran blew their lead to.  And last week, every losing team made a big mistake.

 

KC went to the last two Super Bowls winning one of them.  So Andy Reid and Eric (sleeping with) Bienemy have a little more rope.  Although I thought they looked completely lost in the last two minutes when they had every chance to win the game.  (A lot goes on Mahomes for looking like a dancing ballerina running in circles at the end instead of firing darts to the end zone)  San Fran has Jimmy G, who is nowhere near as talented as Josh Allen, and no corner who could stay with Cooper Kupp.  Our situation was a little more dramatic.  We blew the kickoff.  And then just let KC catch two passes for 44 yards without providing any resistance whatsoever.  I think the DC should be canned for having no plan to defend the Chiefs when the game was on the line.  And don't forget OT either.  We were just raising the white flag at that point.  Listen you need the horses on D which we are certainly lacking.  But the DC is the leader of the D.  He failed in a most crucial situation.