Thank you, 13 seconds

[HamptonBillsfan]

The "13 Seconds" tragedy can be judged as a positive only if the coaching staff can change their approach to end of game ideology. In addition, it exposed our defense as not good enough to win games in "must have a stop" scenarios. The Miller signing will help our entire defense because of his winning mentality as well as the influence on our pressure ability and "coach on the field" resume.  The turnover of the D-line should help improve the entire performance of that embattled group. The final aspect of using the "13 Seconds" as a positive is the motivational value it will have on the team and the fan base. As it worked with the "Harmon drop"that catapulted the Bills to league dominance for the next 4 years, the realization that with a few tweaks and prioritizing winning all the games they should win, this team will win SBs.

[Matt_In_NH]

If they held on for 13 seconds, we would have saw the best airport support display in the history of sports and had a home game in the AFC Championship, I cannot find a silver lining in that based on this years draft, dont see the connection at all.   

[extrahammer]

The belief we lost the game as a result of 13 seconds, and not the other 59 minutes in the game, proves why we're one of the most naive fan bases. 

[BringMetheHeadofLeonLett]

Please God, make this title go away

[RyanC883]

12 hours ago, billybrew1 said:

Unfortunately, we don’t really know how much better our DL will be this Year. I think you can say it will be better but just being better than last year’s DL is no Super Bowl guarantee. “ You win and lose on the lines,” someone pretty smart once said. I think if you combine that with, “whoever has the best QB wins,” and take them 50/50 you’re coming close to the truth. We need our three young ends to take big steps this year, imho… Beane also has to be right about our three new DTs. They have to be very good, imho… I like that all four of our defensive tackles can push the pocket and/or can penetrate. I think we went into FA looking for tackles that can effect the pass and succeeeded I just don’t know by how much. IHmo, we have to do a lot better job harassing good QBs. That’s everyone along the line. If it is just Von that’s talented at getting to the QB we’re completely screwed. If Ed can take big advantage or defenses paying attention to Von that’d be excellent. If Groot can win his one on one matchups a lot better than last year that would be awesome. It really is about the whole DL winning one on one matchups. If we can do that, I think we can win the Super Bowl.

On offense, it looks like we have a better front five than we have had in years. It is the depth that is the big question. I sure Kromer can develop this line and the backups as I was expecting an OG by the sixth rd. and we didn’t get it done. Clearly Beane likes our depth so I feel OK about it, but I will feel better seeing this team this summer (even though preseason is completely meaningless)) I would like to see our backup OL look coordinated and competitive.

pour Achilles Heals are the same as last year I think. Lose a starting outside corner, losing an outside WR (Davis or Diggs) or losing an OT would be pretty devastating to us…. I’d add Von Miller to the list and of course all bets are off without Josh… Is this different from any other team? Probably not, but some teams have depth on the outside at one outside position or another. The Bills really don’t unless it develops this summer. Maybe AJ or Boogie will explode this fall? Or Doyle takes a massive step? Who knows?  Maybe Stevenson tears it up this summer? I hope so!

 

Go Bills!

 

lots of ??? on both O and DL.  Not great, but we can't plug every hole.  Getting Von Miller can cover up a lot of issues on the DL, like Josh does for the OL.  We need better interior OL, and I think that will be the target next draft.  We fixed what we could, but losing is never good.  We want to win every year.  The 13 seconds are not some sort of motivational tool.  We should have won last year, and we should win this year.  We have top talent.  

26 minutes ago, extrahammer said:

The belief we lost the game as a result of 13 seconds, and not the other 59 minutes in the game, proves why we're one of the most naive fan bases. 

 

fair point that we lost because of our D giving everything up, but many playoff games come down to the wire.  We didn't close.  We did lose because of those 13 seconds and  how we played the rest of the game.  Two independent reasons of why we lost.  

[ddaryl]

12 hours ago, Iiiiiiiiive Got a Feeeelin said:

Doesn't right the wrong that was done in that (<) seconds. we woulda could of won that SB hands down.  Problem was coaching.

I agree coaching caused us some issues, but there is no way anyone knows for sure if we would of won the SB... Yes the odds go up and we had a team capable, but there is no way anyone could make such a statement with certainty.

We could also say the piss poor early season OL play/Running Game cost us home field advantage and could of been even a greater reason why we did not make it to and win the SB. That blame can be put on a lot of places Coaches FO and players 

 

[Dopey]

11 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

6'8" wouldn't have been enough for me.   6'11", maybe.

 

I actually think it's a good point.   I think we could see how focused and motivated Beane was.  McDermott is at least as motivated.  And the players.  Their level of intensity is cranked up, for sure.  Just like Beane, everyone else wants to get better.  It will make a difference.

I hear ya. Just worried about the meltdown/letdown on this board if we don't win it. If I had to put money on it, I'm taking the field. 

[LeGOATski]

3 hours ago, HomeskillitMoorman said:

 

McD's like 50 and has been coaching for 20+ years...he had to learn to squib it there and that we didn't need to protect the sideline? 

 

That's what's scary to me...I don't think it was a learning thing, he just flat out choked in a big moment. He did it vs the Chiefs the year before too. If it's a learning thing and he didn't know any of that, I think that's pretty scary too. 

 

I still think people are actually way too easy on MCD. #17 left his blood and guts out there and our coach was unprepared and wasn't up to the task. He talks big about preparation and work ethic but I don't see that at a championship level from him. Hopefully we'll still be good enough and with JA magic we can still win it. 

We see all head coaches and their staff make these types of mistakes. Every year. Even long-time guys like Belichick. You really don't learn from it until you're the actual shot-caller in the moment.

[Greg S]

10 hours ago, Rock-A-Bye Beasley said:

People keep saying if we win the SB it will erase the pain of 13 seconds. But did it hurt saints fans any less when Diggs caught the Min miracle or the no-call PI because they already won one? Or the INT in the SEA V NE super bowl? 
 

Even if we win one I’m still gonna be pissed we don’t have two 

 

I disagree with you. We win a Super Bowl then Bills fans everywhere will be celebrating like crazy. The party in WNY would be legendary. Wide right, MCM, 13 seconds all go away with one Super Bowl win. Even if they would have beaten the Chiefs there was no guarantee the Bills win the Super Bowl. The Bengals offense would have scored on our defense. Josh would probably have to win a shootout over Joe. Bills probably win being at home but it wouldn't be easy. Just because the Bengals defense did a good a job against the Rams in Super Bowl until the last drive doesn't mean the Bills D would have. Buffalo's D was torched by good offenses/QB's all year long. We will never know how it would have played out.

[Scott7975]

I would have rather had won that game. Still could have had a good off season.

[HomeskillitMoorman]

31 minutes ago, Scott7975 said:

I would have rather had won that game. Still could have had a good off season.

 

Right. I don't think Beane would have had blinders on about what we still needed to address if we had won. The gameplan for the offseason should have been the same regardless. 

[BuffaloMatt]

And so it begins. . . . 

[msw2112]

I continue to be encouraged and impressed by the Bills' pesonnel department.  I think that Beane and his guys are great at what they do.  That said, we've "won the offseason" many times in the past.  We've "plugged all the holes" and "addressed all of the areas of need."  This is nothing new.  Let's just hope it translates on the field and the Bills get over the hump and win it all next season.  I certainly think they can and they have as good a shot as any team in the league.

[BillsFanNC]

There's simply no way to polish that turd.

 

The Bills had a golden opportunity to win a subsequent home game to make it to the Super Bowl. They blew that opportunity in 13 seconds.

 

They look like a great team on paper still but at the same time it's not at all unlikely that this core never gets that type of opportunity again.  There are a ton of landmines during a 17 game season that can turn everything to ***** in a hurry.

 

***** 13 seconds.

[FilthyBeast]

15 hours ago, Success said:

There is another universe where we held on in that game, and Beane took a different approach to the offseason because of it.

 

A loss like that can either ruin a team, or make it one of the best ever. Fortunately, we have a GM who treated it as a challenge.  Everything that hurt the Bills in that game and in general has been addressed.  Beane has made a guarantee with every offseason move:  that will not happen again.

 

The D-line is better, our pass rush is better, our secondary is better, our running game is better, our pass protection is better, our passing game is better.  And yes, our punting and special teams, too.

 

You can't remove doubt, but you can minimize it.  

 

13 seconds won't be wide right, or the MCM. Those were exclusively pain.  13 seconds will be remembered fondly as when it really began.

 

 

 

 

I agree with the theory that had the Bills won the Chiefs game they may not have added Miller or had a busy offseason and tried the 'run it back' stuff again for a 2nd straight year.

 

But I don't necessarily agree that the way last season ended is going to propel this team to new heights for a number of reasons:

 

1) McDermott is still the head coach and will be facing tremendous pressure to produce and lead this team to another AFCE division title and top seed in the AFC overall with the talent on hand. No matter your opinion on McDermott (and yes he's the best coach since Levy), he failed when it matter most last year  and has a bad history when it comes to facing the better teams/HC's in this league. So until that changes it's not unreasonable to expect more of the same failures.

 

2) Aside from coaching, injuries can derail a championship contender's hopes and dreams real quick (See BAL last year and SF in 2020).

 

3) Division and AFC are going to be vastly improved this year. While I don't see a scenario that the Bills miss the playoffs altogether this year (barring injuries mentioned above), there's just no guarantees they are going to get any further than last year and there's always teams that do much better than expected (see CIN last year) and others that fail to live up to the hype and expectations.

 

In the end we are at a true crossroads with this organization in 2022 that it's really championship or bust. And if this team doesn't get to a SB or win it this year the current window may start to erode slowly (or very quickly) like what is expected to happen in KC this year given their roster turnover and strength of division around them.

[Bookie Man]

This is like a wife thanking her husband for beating her, I feel like. 

[Saxum]

6 hours ago, HomeskillitMoorman said:

 

McD's like 50 and has been coaching for 20+ years...he had to learn to squib it there and that we didn't need to protect the sideline? 

 

That's what's scary to me...I don't think it was a learning thing, he just flat out choked in a big moment. He did it vs the Chiefs the year before too. If it's a learning thing and he didn't know any of that, I think that's pretty scary too. 

 

I still think people are actually way too easy on MCD. #17 left his blood and guts out there and our coach was unprepared and wasn't up to the task. He talks big about preparation and work ethic but I don't see that at a championship level from him. Hopefully we'll still be good enough and with JA magic we can still win it. 

 

Yes.  Too easy on him.  People want him lined up and shot and you are complaining bullets and blindfold are too merciful.

[TheBrownBear]

15 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

Hey, I gotta say that this is a great observation.   We just watched Beane for the past three or four days, and he showed how the organization is reacting to the 13 seconds.   Beane killed it - he worked his butt off, and was creative, to get guys who should make a difference.  If Beane reacted to the 13 seconds, how do you think McDermott is doing?   He's been working for a couple of months already, demanding of himself that the team will get better.   Coaching changes designed to get better.  This organization is being driven forward by a desire to succeed that got a jolt when they let that game go.  If Beane was cranked up the way he was, you can be sure that McDermott is that way and more.   And the coaches and the players all are motivated that way.  

 

This team could end up being scary good.  

I agree, Shaw.  If I know anything about the guys he's assembled, it's that they are hard workers who will come into 2022 hungrier than ever to win a championship.  Add in these new pieces and the confidence Josh had to have gained from going God-mode against the Pats and Chiefs, and I really like our chances of having a special season.

[Shaw66]

1 minute ago, TheBrownBear said:

I agree, Shaw.  If I know anything about the guys he's assembled, it's that they are hard workers who will come into 2022 hungrier than ever to win a championship.  Add in these new pieces and the confidence Josh had to have gained from going God-mode against the Pats and Chiefs, and I really like our chances of having a special season.

The whole thing is like a dream playing out in slow motion over five years.  

[TheBrownBear]

3 hours ago, extrahammer said:

The belief we lost the game as a result of 13 seconds, and not the other 59 minutes in the game, proves why we're one of the most naive fan bases. 

True.  Our inability to get home against Mahomes and/or cover for the majority of the game were the real reasons for the loss.  "13 Seconds" was just a continuation of everything that came before it.  Thankfully, we went out and addressed those weaknesses.  (Think about White/Elam in that game vs. Wallace/Jackson).  Now it's prove it time.