The Cincy game & its affect on how we view the team

[BillsPride12]

I think there were flaws that had been showing well before the Bengals game but they kept finding ways to squeak out wins so a lot of people ignored the warning signals but after the Cincy game even the most optimistic Bills fan had to look in the mirror and be willing to admit this team has some legitimate issues(as far as being a Super Bowl contender)

[Chaos]

13 minutes ago, FLFan said:

massive overreaction by fair weather fans

Many of the posters here who are overreacting have been fans for 30 or 40 or 50 or more years.  I disagree with a lot of people who post on this board.  But there are no fair weather fans who post on this board. If you are referrning to people here, you are just a pretentious holier-than-thou person, or don't understand what "fair weather fan" means. 

Edited March 19, 2023 by Chaos

[TheBrownBear]

The loss was demoralizing for sure, but part of me is still convinced we wore the wrong cleats and, combined with the wrong game plan for the weather, were essentially playing on skates all day.  I don't believe we are two touchdowns worse than the Bengals.

[SCBills]

I don’t feel like KC (or Cinci) are teams that are head and shoulders better than us. 
 

That CIN game, after 13 seconds, really makes me wonder if we can win it all with this coaching staff… but in terms of talent… I’m not freaking out.  
 

There was more at play than just getting whipped… we looked SO BAD… like, bizarro world bad.  
 

Id chalk it up to a culmination of a nightmare season, but given how the prior year ended, it’s tough to give out mulligans. 
 

I do think we’re more talented than both teams, defensively, but this is an offense-driven league and both teams have surrounded their QB’s with more talent than Allen has (currently). 
 

Still waiting to see if the philosophy changes… so far, inconclusive. 

[Dr. Who]

34 minutes ago, TheBrownBear said:

The loss was demoralizing for sure, but part of me is still convinced we wore the wrong cleats and, combined with the wrong game plan for the weather, were essentially playing on skates all day.  I don't believe we are two touchdowns worse than the Bengals.

If we don't know what cleats to wear in Buffalo weather, they sure as hell better decide to put a dome on the new stadium.

Seriously, someone needs to be fired if they were clueless about adapting to the snow.

[newcam2012]

4 hours ago, Success said:

If we talked about this team anytime in September or October, I think it would have been hard to find a poster here who didn't think we were either the best team in the league, or at least even with the best.  We went to the house of the eventual SB champ, and beat them, without any breaks or anything flukey.   We had some blowouts.  The offense was clicking on all cylinders, and the defense - at that time - was pretty smothering.

 

Our losses were all 1 score, 1 play.  Cincy in the playoffs was the 1st time that any team took it to us, and just beat us up and down the field, all game.  THAT is now how many here now view the team. Very flawed, and much weaker than we thought.

 

But ultimately, it was just one game.  Teams lay eggs, and given how emotional the last month of the season was, it's easy to see in hindsight how that affected the team (and the Bengals were kind of the opposite, playing w/ a real chip on their shoulder).  They also may just be a bad match-up for the Bills, which I'm hoping will change w/ the change in DC.  I think Frazier's defense was very effective against quite a few teams - but against Cincy & those receivers, you have to be aggressive, and challenge them more at the line.

 

I don't buy the whole "we were already behind the top teams and now we're falling further behind" narrative of FA.  When healthy, we're still right there w/ the best teams - and we're rolling everything back minus Edmunds, and with a new guard, a faster receiver than we've had in awhile, and the draft still ahead.

 

I don't see us taking a step back in '23.  We'll be right there w/ the top teams.

 

 

 

 

Not sure how you can justify that KC and Cinci aren't better teams than the Bills. 

 

I mean I get your points but those two teams are clearly a notch better than the Bills. Doesn't mean the Bills can't beat them. Injuries can always play a big role too. 

 

In short, the Bills will need luck, remain healthy, have several players step up, and have much better coaching. A tall order but not out of the question. However, the likelihood of all of the above seems more unlikely than likely.

 

Too early to call but I don't see this team getting over the hump. Hope I'm wrong. 

[Boatdrinks]

6 minutes ago, Dr. Who said:

If we don't know what cleats to wear in Buffalo weather, they sure as hell better decide to put a dome on the new stadium.

Seriously, someone needs to be fired if they were clueless about adapting to the snow.

They looked like they had no idea what type of game plan would work in the snowy conditions. As for a dome, that ship sailed a long time ago. Ultimately,  this team’s coaching may be its Achilles heel. 

[CoudyBills]

4 hours ago, Success said:

 

That's a really fair perspective.  For sure, we haven't proven a thing until we prove it in the playoffs.  That's the test for this team.

 

And we were overhyped last year, mainly because the 13 seconds game was so stunning, as you said.  I think the media wanted the next Brady/Manning, or something like that.  I was never comfortable w/ the hype - and that was before Romo started calling our big games.

 

 

I thought about the Miami game, and you're right to call that out.  But I'd add to that that KC barely made it past the Jags that weekend, and if Huntley doesn't fumble at the goal-line, Cincy's journey would have ended right there.

 

We were up 17-0 on Miami, and statistically dominated them most of the game.  Our turnovers kept them close - those are part of the game, but they were also a little flukey.

 

I wouldn't call any Bills turnover down the stretch flukes.  They were routine.

[Adam727]

Maybe I'm looking at this the wrong way.  

 

When Beane got here we weren't a great team.  Then we were a fringe playoff team that I did not expect would have a chance against teams like KC.  The last two years I think Beane closed the talent gap and the Bills are as good (or almost as good) as any team in the AFC.

 

Everyone remembers two years ago for 13 seconds.. the single thing I'll remember it for above all else is we lost to a coin toss.

 

Last year, despite major injuries at important positions all across the roster, the Bills held their own destiny to the #1 spot and lost it due to no fault of anyone's when their teammate almost died on the field.

 

I think maybe the first round of the playoffs you can get a bye or get lucky and play a team like NE that didn't deserve to be there.  But after that I view the last two playoff games and superbowl as almost coin tosses no matter how good you are.  At that point you're playing against equally good teams and anyone can beat anyone on any given day.  

 

Maybe I'm being too much of a homer but I think the Bills already have the talent to win it all and Beane's focus should shift a little to making sure  he keeps that window open for as long as possible because some of it comes down to luck and the best way to defend against that is to give the team as many opportunities as possible.  

Edited March 19, 2023 by Adam727

[Jim]

2 hours ago, Solomon Grundy said:

It's not just the Cincy game for me. It's also the Miami game with Skylar Thompson. The Jets game with Zach Wilson. 

I think the incredible thing to me about last season was how these kinda ***** QBs would have the best game of their life against us. Wilson scored how many points on the Pats altogether in two games? Three? Ten? But he plays against Buffalo between those games if I remember correctly and he plays the best game of his NFL career. Now mind you, it wasn’t great, but it was efficient. How could this vaunted defense not stop this joker? Same thing with Skyler Thompson. He scored nine against the Jets the week before we got them, and he puts up over 20 against us. Not mentioning the drops by Waddle and Hill that surely coulda changed the complexion of the game as much as Josh’s turnovers and Shakir’s drop did.

Edited March 19, 2023 by Jim

[Shanahan's Horseshoe]

Beane’s horrible draft record building an OL and DL were completely exposed against the Bengals. When we needed  AJ, Basham, Greg and Oliver to step up they were non existent.  This was literally Beane’s focus the last 3 years of the draft. 
Same with the OL.  Brown is the only starter he drafted and one of the worst OTs in the league. There wasn’t a single draft pick of his in the 2 deep besides Brown.  Completely unacceptable.

After QB, the DL and OL are the most important units in football and the Bengals game exposed his ineptitude in the draft. Chiefs are 2-0 against us in the playoffs and the Bengals are 1-0.  Anyone saying we’re in par with those teams is simply being a homer. 
Now the guy who’s botched 4 straight drafts is in charge of the reset.  I’m not super optimistic 

[JohnNord]

3 hours ago, Mr. WEO said:

Biggest game of the year and they came out flat, with no energy and poorly prepared. 
 

 

Since you didn’t answer my question, I’ll ask it again…Which part of coaching involved Tremaine Edmunds and EdOliver getting physically bullied by Cincinnati’s makeshift OL?

 

 

[Southern_Bills]

3 minutes ago, JohnNord said:

Since you didn’t answer my question, I’ll ask it again…Which part of coaching involved Tremaine Edmunds and EdOliver getting physically bullied by Cincinnati’s makeshift OL?

 

 

 

I'll answer lol. Simply put it didn't.

 

Players underperformed and coaches did as well.

 

As a team that didn't blitz alot we were bringing 6 against Cincinnati which gave the wideouts every easy short route known to man.

 

That game was a bust for anyone affiliated with the Bills organization, fans included.

 

Absolutely nothing to defend in that game.

[Mango]

For most of the year this team made everything look difficult on both sides of the ball.

 

Once we lost to Minnesota I sort of operated under the assumption that we were stat sheet warriors. Our only shot was to get hot at the right time. But if we did, anything was possible.

 

Also, post Damar I started to lean into hockey a bit more. I rooted for and got frustrated on Sundays. But what was important when it came to this team shifted. I am noticing that that night has changed how I’ve watched sports. As much as I’ve leaned into hockey this year I find myself less excited and invested. As F1 gets going, I’m noticing the same.

It’s been a complicated year for sports for you buddy Mango. 

[Dr. Who]

32 minutes ago, Boatdrinks said:

They looked like they had no idea what type of game plan would work in the snowy conditions. As for a dome, that ship sailed a long time ago. Ultimately,  this team’s coaching may be its Achilles heel. 

Yes, the dome part was just a joke.

[Ramza86]

It was a rough year emotionally for the team......I hate to use it as an excuse....

 

 

so I wont....these guys almost lost to Skylar effing Thompson in the playoffs. If their WRs didnt drop huge passes that game we woulda been one and done.

[GreggTX]

We could conceivably be the 3rd to 7th best team in the AFC in 2023 depending on how well Beane drafts. His draft weekend misses are starting to catch up with him. This draft is crucial.

[JohnNord]

17 minutes ago, Southern_Bills said:

 

I'll answer lol. Simply put it didn't.

 

Players underperformed and coaches did as well.

 

As a team that didn't blitz alot we were bringing 6 against Cincinnati which gave the wideouts every easy short route known to man.

 

That game was a bust for anyone affiliated with the Bills organization, fans included.

 

Absolutely nothing to defend in that game.

This I agree with.  It was an organizational failure across the board but to say “100% on coaching” is pure scapegoating.
 

I think the bland offensive and defensive game plans definitely were a big part of the problem but so were players who just got beat and dominated physically - namely Edmunds, Oliver, and probably out entire defensive and offensive line.  
 

That part is less about scheme and more about getting your ass kicked.  But some fans don’t want to recognize this.  

1 minute ago, GreggTX said:

We could conceivably be the 3rd to 7th best team in the AFC in 2023 depending on how well Beane drafts. His draft weekend misses are starting to catch up with him. This draft is crucial.

Uh huh…. The Bills might actually be the first team to go 13-3 to 0-17.  It could happen

[chongli]

5 hours ago, Success said:

If we talked about this team anytime in September or October, I think it would have been hard to find a poster here who didn't think we were either the best team in the league, or at least even with the best.

 

Well, there was one Bills "fan", who will remain nameless, who said:

 

"There's a good chance this team is sitting around .500 after the first half of the season given the schedule and how many good QB/offenses we face."

[benderbender]

Saffold isn't here for the "mental exhaustion" to be so freaking contagious this year. This song goes out to him.