Was Micah Hyde's injury the key to the Bills' season?

[Billz4ever]

I think Cincy laid bare the problems this team has on both sides of the ball.  It all comes out in the wash regardless because it would all come down to playing them or KC to win the Conference anyway.  Those teams were still going to be there standing in our way regardless.  I think that we need to come to the realization that we aren't the most talented team.  We are a very talented team, but not the most talented.  We just got thoroughly beaten by a more talented team and it showed.  If Miller and Hyde were on the field in that game, would they have been a factor?  Probably, but I think we still lose.  We were getting dominated at the LOS on both sides of the ball and I don't think Miller or Hyde changes that. 

 

I don't recall ever seeing the hype around this team going into the season essentially as unanimous SB favorites and frankly, I don't like it.  Yes, it gets them talked about relentlessly on the sports opinion shows, but I rather us get less mention, be low key, and just go on with taking care of business.  It's all just added pressure they don't need and just leads to a bigger letdown when it doesn't happen.  

 

We'll never know about what might have been, because that's how this game and life in general works.  All you can do is take what you have and do your best with that.  Unfortunately for the Bills, their best this year wasn't enough.  Now we are at the point where they try to figure out what went wrong and try to make the right improvements so they can hopefully take it to the next level next season.  We all have our opinions on how that should be done, but in the end, the organization needs to figure that out for themselves and do what they think is right and what that looks like, just like they do at the end of every season.

 

 

 

 

Edited January 24, 2023 by Billz4ever

[DapperCam]

1 hour ago, Southern_Bills said:

 

They knew Trey wouldn't be 100% this season just like Von won't be next year. 

 

And to the OP if 1 or 2 non QB injuries tank your season that's a huge problem. 

In general I agree, but when you lose 2 all pros on defense that’s gonna hurt. Bills still made the divisional, so our season wasn’t “tanked”. Just not as good as it could have been with a little more luck…

[Chris from Rochester]

Josh's elbow injury IMO changed the season. He is healthy he makes so many of those throws he missed during the season causing teams to play us different. Teams still feared him, just not the same way they did last year. He will heal up and I believe we are back better next year.

[BillsfaninSB]

All teams have injuries.   Some things could have helped the Bills too.  If Hall was there maybe Jets win the 2nd game.  If the Dolphins were healthier maybe they win the 2nd game and/or the payoff game.  If Gay did not get suspended maybe KC wins that game.  It all comes out in the wash. 

[BuffaloRebound]

2 minutes ago, BillsfaninSB said:

All teams have injuries.   Some things could have helped the Bills too.  If Hall was there maybe Jets win the 2nd game.  If the Dolphins were healthier maybe they win the 2nd game and/or the payoff game.  If Gay did not get suspended maybe KC wins that game.  It all comes out in the wash. 

Seriously.  Hyde is good but if his injury is why we fell apart on Sunday, we need to build a stronger team.   

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

1 hour ago, Ethan in Cleveland said:

Tre White injury ruined two seasons. If he doesn't get hurt they take OT or WR in round 1. Offense is probably better and deeper. Now we have an excess of CBs and issues on both lines.

 

I still wanted the OT in round 1.  Elam's athleticism will be key moving forward though.  

[TheWeatherMan]

1 hour ago, Giuseppe Tognarelli said:

On reflection, I've come to the theory that Micah Hyde's injury is why the Bills aren't moving on. There can be other reasons, of course, but I believe that if Hyde hadn't gotten hurt, that alone would have changed many things.

 

Had Hyde not been injured, he would have been there to knock down the pass to Justin Jefferson; Cam Lewis wouldn't have been playing. This alone makes Bills the #1 seed, with a bye, a win over Jacksonville, and waiting to play the winner of CIN-KC in the AFCCG.

 

Furthermore, if Hyde isn't hurt, Hamlin isn't playing and never gets hurt against Cincinnati. As a result, even if CIN beat KC in the theoretical matchup above, they wouldn't be coming in here with the motivation of the coin toss, ticket sales, etc. because none of that would've happened. Even more importantly, the Bills would be well rested, not having endured the emotional toll that caused them to run out of gas on Sunday.

 

The fact that Micah would have played next week had the Bills won on Sunday just makes it even more fascinating.

The key to this season was not firing your DC after the 2022 13 second debacle and not hiring a proven OC.  It’s like having the fastest car in NASCAR and hiring someone from the previous years pit crew to drive it.  

[SoCal Deek]

Am I in fantasyland? The Bills played all year to get home field advantage. They got it and LOST! What am I missing here? 

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

12 minutes ago, Billz4ever said:

I think Cincy laid bare the problems this team has on both sides of the ball.  It all comes out in the wash regardless because it would all come down to playing them or KC to win the Conference anyway.  Those teams were still going to be there standing in our way regardless.  I think that we need to come to the realization that we aren't the most talented team.  We are a very talented team, but not the most talented.  We just got thoroughly beaten by a more talented team and it showed.  If Miller and Hyde were on the field in that game, would they have been a factor?  Probably, but I think we still lose.  We were getting dominated at the LOS on both sides of the ball and I don't think Miller or Hyde changes that. 

 

I don't recall ever seeing the hype around this team going into the season essentially as unanimous SB favorites and frankly, I don't like it.  Yes, it gets them talked about relentlessly on the sports opinion shows, but I rather us get less mention, be low key, and just go on with taking care of business.  It's all just added pressure they don't need and just leads to a bigger letdown when it doesn't happen.  

 

We'll never know about what might have been, because that's how this game and life in general works.  All you can do is take what you have and do your best with that.  Unfortunately for the Bills, their best this year wasn't enough.  Now we are at the point where they try to figure out what went wrong and try to make the right improvements so they can hopefully take it to the next level next season.  We all have our opinions on how that should be done, but in the end, the organization needs to figure that out for themselves and do what they think is right and what that looks like, just like they do at the end of every season.

 

 

 

 

 

We have seen KC at least once a year for a few years now - and i think that familiarity helps.  The bengals are a tough matchup against us - they're big on the defensive line, and we pass a lot.  Both just... terrible for a bad weather game.  Our linemen are backpedaling and slipping, their offensive line is pushing our small defensive line back.  

 

It's a lesson that the coaches learned the hard way.  You may be able to just execute your offense against anyone, but weather IS a factor late in the season - and you can't have a soft team come playoff time.  

 

Poyer, Lawson, Phillips, Edmunds (maybe?), Bease, Brown, Motor -> not all symptoms of the soft problem, but its the end of that era of the bills and the time to get a bit nastier.  You don't need to win 15 and get a bye to win the super bowl, don't put that pressure and expectation on yourself.  Get a ticket to the dance, and get ready to kick some ass. 

[SCBills]

Defensive Head Coach, yet he apparently needs above average talent everywhere, plus depth, and still an injury or two leads to the annual patented destruction at the hands of a good Offense in the Playoffs.

 

All at the detriment of our Offense that left the image of Allen, beat up, on the ground as he took hit after hit in a game we had no shot in. 

 

It wasn't about Hyde.  It wasn't about Von.  It wasn't about Daquan Jones.  

 

If McDermott can't field a good defense, that steps up with less talent than he has had, then next year can kindly be his last year here. 

 

 

Edited January 24, 2023 by SCBills

[JoshAllin]

Cam Lewis had the worst play of the tear and costed them that win. Hyde and Poyer in the same secondary is just on another level. Marlowe a backup of a backup to take on cinci was asking for too much

[Gunsgoodtime]

1 hour ago, dorquemada said:

I mean, it's not like homefield made any difference.  They can get whooped at KC or Cincy or Jax just as well as in OP

 

The team was flat, I believe the term du jour is gassed.  There's some valid reasons for it, but fact is Sunday's game looked like a classic run for the bus situation.  I can't call out a single player that played well.

I blame it on coaches.  While I have no way of knowing this, I would put a nice wager saying the Bills lose that game with Von and Micah playing.  I mean it won't even close, ever!

[Boatdrinks]

22 minutes ago, Billz4ever said:

I think Cincy laid bare the problems this team has on both sides of the ball.  It all comes out in the wash regardless because it would all come down to playing them or KC to win the Conference anyway.  Those teams were still going to be there standing in our way regardless.  I think that we need to come to the realization that we aren't the most talented team.  We are a very talented team, but not the most talented.  We just got thoroughly beaten by a more talented team and it showed.  If Miller and Hyde were on the field in that game, would they have been a factor?  Probably, but I think we still lose.  We were getting dominated at the LOS on both sides of the ball and I don't think Miller or Hyde changes that. 

 

I don't recall ever seeing the hype around this team going into the season essentially as unanimous SB favorites and frankly, I don't like it.  Yes, it gets them talked about relentlessly on the sports opinion shows, but I rather us get less mention, be low key, and just go on with taking care of business.  It's all just added pressure they don't need and just leads to a bigger letdown when it doesn't happen.  

 

We'll never know about what might have been, because that's how this game and life in general works.  All you can do is take what you have and do your best with that.  Unfortunately for the Bills, their best this year wasn't enough.  Now we are at the point where they try to figure out what went wrong and try to make the right improvements so they can hopefully take it to the next level next season.  We all have our opinions on how that should be done, but in the end, the organization needs to figure that out for themselves and do what they think is right and what that looks like, just like they do at the end of every season.

 

 

 

 

Disagree that the Bengals team the Bills saw Sunday was more talented but that’s just my opinion. The Bills were soundly out coached though , and that removed any chance they had of winning the game. The Bengals did nothing fancy and played small ball. The Bills seemed as though they’d never seen anything like it. Just a huge fail by the Bills staff. 

[hondo in seattle]

There's a lot of things contributing to our disappointments this year but, yeah, Hyde was part of it.

 

The thing about Hyde and Poyer is that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. These two guys weren't stars before they came to Buffalo but became stars here because they played so well together.  They communicate well.  And they're interchangeable.  Either can play deep, or cover a TE, or move up for run support.  They used their interchangeability to help disguise the coverage.  Opposing QBs often didn't know whether we were zone or man or 2 high or 1.  

 

We lost all that synergy when we lost Hyde.  

[Billz4ever]

6 minutes ago, Bleeding Bills Blue said:

 

We have seen KC at least once a year for a few years now - and i think that familiarity helps.  The bengals are a tough matchup against us - they're big on the defensive line, and we pass a lot.  Both just... terrible for a bad weather game.  Our linemen are backpedaling and slipping, their offensive line is pushing our small defensive line back.  

 

It's a lesson that the coaches learned the hard way.  You may be able to just execute your offense against anyone, but weather IS a factor late in the season - and you can't have a soft team come playoff time.  

 

Poyer, Lawson, Phillips, Edmunds (maybe?), Bease, Brown, Motor -> not all symptoms of the soft problem, but its the end of that era of the bills and the time to get a bit nastier.  You don't need to win 15 and get a bye to win the super bowl, don't put that pressure and expectation on yourself.  Get a ticket to the dance, and get ready to kick some ass. 

Good post.  

 

Use the regular season for what it's for...to punch your ticket to the post season.  Play your best and get the highest seed possible because the higher the seed, the better the perks, but never confuse regular season success with any guarantee of anything in the postseason.  The 16-0 Patriots didn't win a championship.

 

If they fall short of their expectations in the postseason, try and determine why they did, factor in (like they have to with Cincy) what weaknesses were exposed and try to correct those things to the best of their ability. 

 

Cincy and KC aren't going away, and we've got other teams not far behind who are looking to knock us off the top of the division.

[dorquemada]

13 minutes ago, Gunsgoodtime said:

I blame it on coaches.  While I have no way of knowing this, I would put a nice wager saying the Bills lose that game with Von and Micah playing.  I mean it won't even close, ever!

 

Agreed 100%.  I'm pretty sure Bruce, Andre, Thurmon, Darryl, and Jim in their prime wouldnt have helped this team

[TheBrownBear]

We are all grasping at straws at the moment and the OP's thesis is no worse than the others.  I think it's pretty clear things would have gone differently if Hyde and Von hadn't been injured.  They were both great performers as well as probably the two biggest leaders of our defense.  We all pretty much knew we had to be carried by our offense once Von went down, especially considering the hobbled states of guys like Poyer and Tre White.

[Billz4ever]

8 minutes ago, Boatdrinks said:

Disagree that the Bengals team the Bills saw Sunday was more talented but that’s just my opinion. The Bills were soundly out coached though, and that removed any chance they had of winning the game. The Bengals did nothing fancy and played small ball. The Bills seemed as though they’d never seen anything like it. Just a huge fail by the Bills staff. 

Is coaching talent not just as much a part of the game as physical talent and is a factor included in the evaluation of a team's overall talent level?

 

Do you think the Bills would've been basically unanimous favorites coming into this season if those people making those calls though our coaching staff were a bunch of idiots?  It's all factored into that grade.  

 

The Bills were also dominated at the LOS on both sides of the ball.  When the Cincy defenders were getting pressure with just a 4 or even a 3-man rush, that's more than just getting out coached.  There's physical talent involved there.

 

When our defensive line is getting blown off the ball and we can't stop the run even when we know they're running it, that's not just being out coached. There's a physical talent factor there. Ditto with not being able to get pressure on the opposing QB.  As McD said, this game starts with the trenches and when you are losing that battle badly on both sides of the ball, it's not just coaching.

[Southern_Bills]

36 minutes ago, DapperCam said:

In general I agree, but when you lose 2 all pros on defense that’s gonna hurt. Bills still made the divisional, so our season wasn’t “tanked”. Just not as good as it could have been with a little more luck…

 

I could almost agree, but the loss is 100% on the coaches.

 

If we lost 30-27 because we didn't have Von to get to Burrow on the last drive, that would make sense.

 

Fact is the Bills looked like a JV team, the gameplan was non existent. Absolutely no way you let that slide, if you don't make coaching changes you are letting them know this effort is acceptable. 

[dorquemada]

3 minutes ago, Southern_Bills said:

 

I could almost agree, but the loss is 100% on the coaches.

 

If we lost 30-27 because we didn't have Von to get to Burrow on the last drive, that would make sense.

 

Fact is the Bills looked like a JV team, the gameplan was non existent. Absolutely no way you let that slide, if you don't make coaching changes you are letting them know this effort is acceptable. 

 

Gameplan against the 2022/3 Bengals with Joe Burrow and 4 guys who can catch the ball:  Play 15 yards off LoS, give up a first down every play.  Eventually, WRs get tired, THEN WE STRIKE!!!