PFT: Can the Bills thrive under the weight of high expectations?

[Sierra Foothills]

2 minutes ago, LeGOATski said:

They can't make a run until they get a different QB

 

Maybe you're right but I haven't watched enough of Tua to write off his career yet.

[SoMAn]

7 hours ago, billybrew1 said:

I think the rams are going to come out extremely hard and hit Buffalo with everything they have right from the kickoff. You know they have the latest line posted on their bulletin board about how where the favs. in their building in week one (no respect.)

I think the Bills have to hold on early and then they’ll be OK.

On the other hand, the Bills have been chomping at the bit quite a bit themselves. They are dying to play someone else and the rams have many questionable points on both sides of the ball…. The Rams OL has two new starters, both should be downgrades.

They’ll be playing a newer secondary just like us and they are missing last year’s NT and pass rusher Von Miller.

I suspect the loud and proud blue collar Bills mafia will show up in full force while the beautiful people of La-La Land will be on their cells, applying a new coat of make-up, rubbing elbows with movers and shakers, and not paying any attention.
Advantage-Bills. 

[Marvin]

This article acts as if luck doesn't matter.  I think the Bills' 1995 team was better than the 4 previous, but Andre Reed got hurt early, Marv went to the hospital, and then Bruce Smith caught the flu just before the Pittsburgh game.

 

On paper, if healthy, I think the Bills are the best team in the NFL.  But the AFC is stacked, so any little problem will be magnified and we might have to go on the road again in the playoffs.

[Sierra Foothills]

14 minutes ago, SoMAn said:

I suspect the loud and proud blue collar Bills mafia will show up in full force while the beautiful people of La-La Land will be on their cells, applying a new coat of make-up, rubbing elbows with movers and shakers, and not paying any attention.
Advantage-Bills. 

 

One possible major difference in the respective teams fan bases is that in CA, there are a lot of gangs... surprisingly even in more rural areas.

 

I don't know what the percentage might be but there's probably a lot of thugs that fly the LA Rams colors and cheer for them.

[SoMAn]

16 minutes ago, Sierra Foothills said:

 

One possible major difference in the respective teams fan bases is that in CA, there are a lot of gangs... surprisingly even in more rural areas.

 

I don't know what the percentage might be but there's probably a lot of thugs that fly the LA Rams colors and cheer for them.

Not sure what that has to do with fans in attendance Thursday night. Is SoFi going to have a scene straight out of Michael Jackson’s ‘Bad’ video? Will the Crips and Bloods be warring over which group gets to be home or visitor? 

[Forlorn hope]

Id be more concerned how teams keep up with us

[Success]

Josh Allen can.  He's unflappable - I think he has that rare quality of thriving on pressure. He wants the ball w/ 2 minutes to go, needing to drive 80 yards for the win (and there aren't many guys like that).

 

I'd say the team is up for the challenge, also. 

 

[BADOLBILZ]

They played a whole lot of "disinterested" looking football to fall to 7-6 against a garbage schedule last year.

 

Having home field advantage basically served to them on a platter didn't seem to work out too well.

 

Pressure........a tougher schedule.........if those things don't bring out the best in them then I guess they are damned if they do or don't.

[Sierra Foothills]

51 minutes ago, SoMAn said:

Not sure what that has to do with fans in attendance Thursday night. Is SoFi going to have a scene straight out of Michael Jackson’s ‘Bad’ video? Will the Crips and Bloods be warring over which group gets to be home or visitor? 

 

Honestly I shouldn't have brought this up because I thought it could be a can of worms.

 

I'm not an authority on the subject but I can tell you that in February at the NFC Championship game a 49er fan was assaulted pretty badly. There have been other incidents of violence in the history between the Rams-Niners and also the Dodgers-Giants and even at Raiders-Rams games.

 

I just wanted to lend some context to the idea that the Rams fans will be sitting on their hands.

[Jerome007]

"Circumstantially, Bills look like a 12-5 season By CHUCK POLLOCK - Olean Times Herald"

 

As I agree with him, the first 7 games of the season are brutally tough. So... it might lower the pressure in a way if they lose some, and if they somehow are 7-0 / 6-1 after these, then the hype will be crazy BUT they will have proven it to themselves how good they are too.

 

Anyway, as usual, injuries are a key factor. Let's all pray for #17 to have perfect health all year!

[FLFan]

The premise of the article is a valid question, but in typical Florio style, it lacks any real substance.  Another clickbait hit piece from the master of poor analysis.  

[ToGoGo]

1 hour ago, Sierra Foothills said:

 

Honestly I shouldn't have brought this up because I thought it could be a can of worms.

 

I'm not an authority on the subject but I can tell you that in February at the NFC Championship game a 49er fan was assaulted pretty badly. There have been other incidents of violence in the history between the Rams-Niners and also the Dodgers-Giants and even at Raiders-Rams games.

 

I just wanted to lend some context to the idea that the Rams fans will be sitting on their hands.

 

There was a serious incident where a SF Giants fan was put on life support after a beatdown at a game back in 2011 or so. 

 

I know what you're talking about. Cali does have that issue in some areas. 

[billsfan89]

12 hours ago, YoloinOhio said:

All I know is that at this time 6 days from now, this board will either be in "17-0 we going all the way" mode or "9-8 we suck arse” mode. There is no middle ground. 

 

This is so true it hurts.

[TheyCallMeAndy]

I actually feel more confident with a rookie OC and his learning curve than I would be with DaBoll.

 

It’s truly up to the team, their mental makeup. 

[BillsPride12]

13 hours ago, YoloinOhio said:

All I know is that at this time 6 days from now, this board will either be in "17-0 we going all the way" mode or "9-8 we suck arse” mode. There is no middle ground. 

 

It's an emotional game baby! 

[BillsPride12]

7 hours ago, ToGoGo said:

My biggest concern is the media. As teams reach this type of level of attention, the attention-seekers and power-hungry come out of the woodwork. 

 

That's when you get Jay Skurskis trying to get the front office fired even after they did the right thing. Now imagine ESPN and SI carrying that torch over some soundbite a random player or coach said. 

 

Allen is sort of a household name right now, but once he reaches Mahomes/Manning/Brady levels of fame, he enters into weirdo world. TMZ everywhere, celebrities hanging around, off the field distractions to the max. When Nike starts paying you as much as the Bills do, strange conflicts of interest start to appear. 

I think Allen has already reached that status after the KC game.  So far he seems to be handling it well. 

[ToGoGo]

39 minutes ago, BillsPride12 said:

I think Allen has already reached that status after the KC game.  So far he seems to be handling it well. 

 

I think he's definitely reached a higher level, but we're kidding ourselves that he's on that State Farm commercial level. 

 

I'm not sure he's more famous to the casual fan right now than Baker Mayfield. Definitely is perceived as the better player, but in terms of NFL or Big 4 Sports fame, he's still a light heavyweight. Diggs in a weird way is more famous than Allen, due to the Minneapolis Miracle and all his endorsements. 

 

He's definitely handling it well, but we'll really see after a SB appearance where he's in the entire country's living room. 

[RyanC883]

7 hours ago, SoMAn said:

I suspect the loud and proud blue collar Bills mafia will show up in full force while the beautiful people of La-La Land will be on their cells, applying a new coat of make-up, rubbing elbows with movers and shakers, and not paying any attention.
Advantage-Bills. 

 

LA is just not an NFL city.  But it has nothing to do with “blue collar” Bills fans carrying their lunch pails, etc to LA to cheer on the team.  

[Dopey]

15 hours ago, Coach Tuesday said:

I actually think the real pressure will come NEXT season if the Bills don’t make it to the SB this year and fans start to realize the true lost opportunity of “13 seconds” - hopefully we never get there.

Cincy says slow your roll. Why do people assume the bills would have beat cincy? Another reason to let it go. Just let it go 

[Ethan in Cleveland]

11 hours ago, Sierra Foothills said:

 

Maybe but Florio also makes the point that if you disagree, consider last year's Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals were 4-11-1 in 2020. They were in the Super Bowl the next year.

 

 

Rightly or wrongly, 13 seconds will become a part of a narrative... either that it was the continuation of a pattern of deep playoff failure or that it was a turning point, a necessary setback which the team turned into a springboard for Super Bowl appearances. That narrative pivots on this season.

 

 

I agree with the first sentence but disagree with the second one.

 

The 13 seconds debacle is definitely on the shoulders of McDermott (and to a LESSER degree, Frazier and Farwell).

 

However McDermott is very safe IMO. I don't see the Pegulas ditching a coach who has brought the team so much success. It would take a few more flameouts for him to be on the hot seat IMO.

 

 

100% agree.  The coaching staff cost us a SB win.  We know that, the players know it, and so does Beane. McDermott is safe this year no matter what occurs.  He has accomplished too much to part ways with him this year.   

No Superbowl this year or next and McDermott then has to go.