Adversity always will hit at some point. The response to it is what is important.

[Big Turk]

Every year will have adversity at some point in some way. Injuries to key players, losing streaks where teams don't play well, mistakes by the QB, etc.

 

This seems to be the time during the season it happens to teams, not only the Bills.

 

The last 3 SB winners all had similar adversity at this time of the year hit.

 

In 2019, KC lost 4 of 6 to go to 6-4 on the season. They didn't lose another game all year and won the SB.

 

In 2020, TB lost 3 of 4 including a 38-3 shellacking to NO and went to 7-5. They didn't lose another game and went on to win the SB.

 

In 2021, the Rams lost 3 straight including a 31-10 manhandling by SF to go to 7-4 and lost one more game(the final one of the year to SF again) and won the SB.

 

The point is, it isn't preventing adversity from hitting that is important. That's nearly impossible. What IS important is how the team responds once it does hit.

 

I still think this is the best team in the NFL. Yeah they have thrown 3 games away in inexcusable fashion(the Miami one I can at least understand). I'm not happy about it and I am sure they aren't either. But I expect them to respond in a way that will assert their dominance again.

 

I guess we will find out but if last year is any indication, that's when we see their best football.

 

Edited November 14, 2022 by Big Turk

[NewEra]

[Success]

Great post!  Adversity can be the best thing for a team, sometimes.  If we CAN pull it together now, I'll probably have more confidence going into the playoffs than I would have if the regular season was just the equivalent of a red carpet & we just rolled the whole time.

 

As you stated, a lot of SB champs have weathered adversity and come out the other side.  I also can't help but think of the '07 Giants, whose season was done 2-3 teams that year.  Fans wanted to bench Eli halfway through that season.

 

[teef]

the season is a marathon, and we're on heart break hill *****.  i'm patient enough to give it time.  so many soft people around here.

[Big Turk]

Just now, Gene1973 said:

It's better to have it now than right before the playoffs.

 

However, it should not come to this. This team should be beyond all the mistakes.

 

It shouldn't but it has. Now how do they respond? I expect them to manhandle Cleveland this week.

[Big Turk]

Just now, Gene1973 said:

Why do you expect this? I don't.

 

Because the teams they "lost" to were a combined 23-7.  Cleveland is a bad team. This is the type of team we smoke under McD and Allen.

[Billz4ever]

5 minutes ago, Big Turk said:

Every year will have adversity at some point in some way. Injuries to key players, losing streaks where teams don't play well, mistakes by the QB, etc.

 

This seems to be the time during the season it happens to teams, not only the Bills.

 

The last 3 SB winners all had similar adversity at this time of the year hit.

 

In 2019, KC lost 4 of 6 to go to 6-4 on the season. They didn't lose another game all year and won the SB.

 

In 2020, TB lost 3 of 4 including a 38-3 shellacking to NO and went to 7-5. They didn't lose another game and went on to win the SB.

 

In 2021, the Rams lost 3 straight including a 31-10 manhandling by SF to go to 7-4 and lost one more game(the final one of the year to SF again) and won the SB.

 

The point is, it isn't preventing adversity from hitting that is important. That's nearly impossible. What IS important is how the team responds once it does hit.

 

I still think this is the best team in the NFL. Yeah they have thrown 3 games away in inexcusable fashion(the Miami one I can at least understand). I'm not happy about it and I am sure they aren't either. But I expect them to respond in a way that will assert their dominance again.

 

I guess we will find out but if last year is any indication, that's when we see their best football.

 

I agree with everything you're saying there, but those other teams I think also had coaching staffs that were more willing to make the adjustments needed to iron out the kinks.

 

I've pretty much lost all faith in Frazier at this point.  He's stubbornly committed to only rushing 4 and allowing some fairly pedestrian QB's to sit back and pick us apart.

 

Offense needs to figure out what is happening to them in 2nd halfs of games and Josh needs to make better decisions and take what the defense is giving him.

 

While I think they most certainly CAN turn it around, whether that actually WILL or not is two different things.

 

 

 

[Ethan in Cleveland]

They have been hit with a ton of injuries which is out of their control. They have made a ton of mistakes in coaching and execution.  That can be corrected.  Only Hyde is lost for the year.  Get healthy and clean up the mistakes and they can still dominate.  

Good test for McD to see if he can guide them through this.  I suspect he can.  He's not my my choice for a HC but he seems to get the team to rally.  Sooner or later if they keep coming up short a change will need to be made.  If Allen is playing the injury excuse only buys him so much.  They have not been that banged up on Offense and the last few weeks have been middling at best. 

 

Allen needs to stop the hero ball and play under more control.  Every game is not like KC where they have to score every drive.  Punts and FGs are better than turnovers.  

[stevestojan]

I really wish we didn’t have to face absolute gut wrenching, “only happens to the Bills,” rage inducing adversity every single year. 
 

I mean come on! At the point of the fumbled snap, we HAD to have been at least a 500:1 to lose; probably higher odds than that. But those of us who have been watching long enough just had a pit in our stomachs - a bad feeling with the ball, 44 seconds left, and the “win!” 
 

That said I’m not quite ready to put any positive spin,  but I appreciate those who are. 
 

 

 

Edited November 14, 2022 by stevestojan

[Bob in STL]

Good point by @Big Turk

 

 

Edited November 14, 2022 by Bob in STL

[Ethan in Cleveland]

4 minutes ago, Big Turk said:

 

Because the teams they "lost" to were a combined 23-7.  Cleveland is a bad team. This is the type of team we smoke under McD and Allen.

Cleveland is poorly coached with a very good OL dealing with some injuries, a top RB, a good but overrated WR, and a star DE.  Their defense has had catastrophic mental errors but hey have talent.  And of course a QB that is a career backup.  

[Big Turk]

1 minute ago, Billz4ever said:

I agree with everything you're saying there, but those other teams I think also had coaching staffs that were more willing to make the adjustments needed to iron out the kinks.

 

I've pretty much lost all faith in Frazier at this point.  He's stubbornly committed to only rushing 4 and allowing some fairly pedestrian QB's to sit back and pick us apart.

 

Offense needs to figure out what is happening to them in 2nd halfs of games and Josh needs to make better decisions and take what the defense is giving him.

 

While I think they most certainly CAN turn it around, whether that actually WILL or not is two different things.

 

 

 

 

Ehh...the only thing to really "figure out" to turn it around is to stop turning the ball over at an NFL high rate.

 

Frazier is limited in what he can do when he has the entire starting secondary out and missing a LB as well.  Not sure what you want him to do. Personnel dictates much of that.

 

Offensively is the head scratcher tho...how has a player that set an NFL record for most snaps inside the RZ without an INT to start a career suddenly an INT machine there?  He keeps trying to force the ball to the endzone when there are better options that will move the chains or get them closer. That Steelers game might have been the worst thing for him this year...he has been trying to attack downfield ever since and forgot the lessons he learned in the Rams/Titans games.

[2020 Our Year For Sure]

It's interesting to me the Bills remain the betting favorite to win the chip and are considered way more likely than Minnesota and Miami.

 

BUF +400

KC +500

PHI +500

DAL +1000

SF +1000

BAL +1400

MIN +1400

TB +1800

MIA +1800

CIN +2800

 

If the Bills don't make major changes but Josh pulls himself together that alone will make the Bills a danger again. Poyer and maybe Tre'Davious will help the defense. Joshua Patrick willing, there's no reason the team couldn't get hot at the right time.

[AuntieEm]

 

    It is because thats the way our universe works.  For every action there is a reaction. At times the reactions to your action doesn't impact you till it bounces around a bit.  Can they turn this season around certainly they can, but it's is very doubtful they WILL.  

[Big Turk]

2 minutes ago, Gene1973 said:

Or lose to like the Jags last season. Bills can't stop the run. Browns have Chub. I don't see a good outcome here based on what the team has shown as of late.

 

Neither could the Dolphins but they held Chubb in check yesterday minus a 33 yarder.

Just now, AuntieEm said:

 

    It is because thats the way our universe works.  For every action there is a reaction. At times the reactions to your action doesn't impact you till it bounces around a bit.  Can they turn this season around certainly they can, but it's is very doubtful they WILL.  

 

Based on exactly what?  

[Jauronimo]

11 minutes ago, Big Turk said:

 

It shouldn't but it has. Now how do they respond? I expect them to manhandle Cleveland this week.

Adversity doesn't need to be as self inflicted as it has been.  I expect us to dominate Cleveland...in the first half, and then flirt with ways to make this a more competitive affair than it has any right to be all second half.

[Bruffalo]

I don't trust the team,the coaching staff, and maybe the QB to show up in the big moments anymore. I hate that watching football as a Bills fan is existential dread at what bonehead "shoot yourself in the foot" move they can do next. Allen was "king of the 4th", I want that guy back.  

 

I hope they respond well and act like the team we all thought they were, but I certainly don't expect it anymore.  

[Success]

There shouldn't be much debate about the Cleveland game. If the Bills lose that, our problems are MUCH deeper than we think.  They won't.

 

But the question that nags me:  are the Bills a soft team?  We're always great when we're running up scores.  I think we would have been the same yesterday without that big run from Cook to pull MN within 10. We're good frontrunners.

 

It's pretty clear that we're not the best when the games get close.  I felt like I could see it yesterday, too - it just seems like it's in their heads now.  That "uh oh, here we go again" feeling. It's normal for us as fans to feel that way, but the team shouldn't.

 

[Billz4ever]

8 minutes ago, Big Turk said:

 

 

 

Frazier is limited in what he can do when he has the entire starting secondary out and missing a LB as well.  Not sure what you want him to do. Personnel dictates much of that.

 

Offensively is the head scratcher tho...how has a player that set an NFL record for most snaps inside the RZ without an INT to start a career suddenly an INT machine there?  He keeps trying to force the ball to the endzone when there are better options that will move the chains or get them closer. That Steelers game might have been the worst thing for him this year...he has been trying to attack downfield ever since and forgot the lessons he learned in the Rams/Titans games.

I expect him to send more heat.  If you aren't getting pressure with 4 and the other team keeps moving the ball and converting 3rd downs, what logic says to just keep doing what you're doing?

 

If you get burned with the blitz, so be it, but at least you did something to try and stop them instead of what you were doing that wasn't working.

 

What's going on with Josh is completely bizarre though.  It all started after the bye.  Clearly looking like the young, undisciplined Josh.  

Edited November 14, 2022 by Billz4ever

[Big Turk]

8 minutes ago, Billz4ever said:

I expect him to send more heat.  If you aren't getting pressure with 4 and the other team keeps moving the ball and converting 3rd downs, what logic says to just keep doing what you're doing?

 

If you get burned with the blitz, so be it, but at least you did something to try and stop them instead of what you were doing that wasn't working.

 

What's going on with Josh is completely bizarre though.  It all started after the bye.  Clearly looking like the young, undisciplined Josh.  

 

Just knock the ball down.  That's all they had to do. Ballgame.