Have we bridged the playoff gap?

[SCBills]

6 minutes ago, Einstein said:

 

This ignores the fact that the Bengals were down multiple O-linemen that day too.

I’m certainly not ignoring that. 
 

This goes to personnel and philosophy .. and imo that game was the last straw for Frazier. 
 

We couldn’t get home without Von & Daquan.  KC likely wouldn’t without Jones and Clark either. 
 

Frazier tried to have it both ways by sending pressure but playing off coverage.   He couldn’t bring himself to take full risks … which led to long, sustained drives from Cincy.  
 

The name of the game in the playoffs is big plays and occasional stops by your defense.   Bend, don’t break is impossible to execute unless you have an All-Star defense … and even then … See Philly second half Super Bowl.  
 

He didn’t trust White and Elam to hold up with Marlowe and 20% of Poyer.  Probably justifiably so … but you’ve got to go for it … you can’t just get demoralized by constant long drives that end in scores anyway. 
 

 

[Maine-iac]

2 minutes ago, SCBills said:

I’m certainly not ignoring that. 
 

This goes to personnel and philosophy .. and imo that game was the last straw for Frazier. 
 

We couldn’t get home without Von & Daquan.  KC likely wouldn’t without Jones and Clark either. 
 

Frazier tried to have it both ways by sending pressure but playing off coverage.   He couldn’t bring himself to take full risks … which led to long, sustained drives from Cincy.  
 

The name of the game in the playoffs is big plays and occasional stops by your defense.   Bend, don’t break is impossible to execute unless you have an All-Star defense … and even then … See Philly second half Super Bowl.  
 

He didn’t trust White and Elam to hold up with Marlowe and 20% of Poyer.  Probably justifiably so … but you’ve got to go for it … you can’t just get demoralized by constant long drives that end in scores anyway. 
 

 

At the same time they were gashing us with the run because Oliver is not a run stopper and Phillips was gutting it out with one arm.  Fazier annoys me as well but I'm not sure with the totality of our injuries McDermott would have done that much better.

[Eastport bills]

8 minutes ago, SCBills said:

When healthy (Von back), I’m expecting the defense to be a top 10 unit that gives up more big plays than we’re used to, but also makes more big plays (sacks, tfl’s, turnovers).   Some of that due to personnel & philosophy and some of it due to playing a lot of good QB’s. 
 

Im expecting the offense to be a juggernaut.  We’ve consistently been a top offense and this will be the best OL Allen has ever had, along with the most talented group of weapons.  
 

We have a very talented team, but there are some legitimate question marks.  
 

-OC

-RT

-WR2

-DL (for now.. think we add a DT & DE)

Nice assessment, I’m just anxious to see how this O-line coaching staff develops the run game with Harris, Cook and Hines. If they can run a little, can you imagine how great this passing attack can be?

[Maine-iac]

3 minutes ago, Eastport bills said:

Nice assessment, I’m just anxious to see how this O-line coaching staff develops the run game with Harris, Cook and Hines. If they can run a little, can you imagine how great this passing attack can be?

That was the maddening thing last year.  We didn't need to develop the run.  We could run ........... we just didn't.  Up 2 scores in some games and we are running called QB runs.

[Eastport bills]

19 minutes ago, Maine-iac said:

That was the maddening thing last year.  We didn't need to develop the run.  We could run ........... we just didn't.  Up 2 scores in some games and we are running called QB runs.

I think the priorities  of Sean and Brandon have  changed. You could sense that Josh’s designed runs will be reduced when they’re are all saying it must be done in the interests of longevity. Now the OC and that overrated O-line coach must integrate the run to keep defenses honest. With any success in the run game, and a  two TE formation with great pass catching TEs, good luck doubling Diggs. I getting excited already.

[Maine-iac]

1 minute ago, Eastport bills said:

I think the priorities  of Sean and Brandon have  changed. You could sense that Josh’s designed runs will be reduced when they’re are all saying it must be done in the interests of longevity. Now the OC and that overrated O-line coach must integrate the run to keep defenses honest. With any success in the run game, and a  two TE formation with great pass catching TEs, good luck doubling Diggs. I getting excited already.

I'm borrowing the name but if Kincaid is in fact Swole Beasley than it benefits the quick pass, keeping coverage honest on our wide outs, and the running game.

[Eastport bills]

4 minutes ago, Maine-iac said:

I'm borrowing the name but if Kincaid is in fact Swole Beasley than it benefits the quick pass, keeping coverage honest on our wide outs, and the running game.

If Dorsey has any expectations of getting an HC job, calling plays for this group should be his passport. Integrate the run, use the TEs to keep drives going and let Diggs, Davis and Hardy stretch the field. 

[Freddie's Dead]

Not there yet.  Team needs to be battle tested.  They need a running game for bad weather games in the playoffs.  We're still a work in progress.

[Nextmanup]

Not sure yet; too early to say.  I hope we do more before the season starts.

 

It doesn't feel like enough right now.

 

 

[NewEra]

4 hours ago, GoBills808 said:

Since Allen has been QB the offense has averaged 26.75 points/game in the playoffs. For reference that would be good for 6th best in the league last regular season in PPG, and borderline top5 in any given year

 

In that same timeframe the defense has averaged 25.5 points against.  That would rank 30th

You can frame stats however you’d like to frame them my man

 

Nfl scoring defense

2022- 2nd 

2021- 1st

2020- 16th

2019- 2nd 

Since allen has been to QB- the bills have had a top 2 scoring defense 3 out of 4 seasons.

 

3 of the last 4 years, he’s had a top 2 defense

 

3 of the last 4 years, he’s had a top 2 defense

 

3 of the last 4 years, he’s had a top 2 defense

 

what?

 

[VW82]

The offense got better. Josh getting to play in the postseason without a sprained UCL will automatically make us better. 

 

I don't think we've solved anything wrt stopping teams who can both pass and run. If we're beating the Bengals, it's because we're just outscoring them like we tried to with KC two years ago. 

[GoBills808]

10 minutes ago, NewEra said:

You can frame stats however you’d like to frame them my man

 

Nfl scoring defense

2022- 2nd 

2021- 1st

2020- 16th

2019- 2nd 

Since allen has been to QB- the bills have had a top 2 scoring defense 3 out of 4 seasons.

 

3 of the last 4 years, he’s had a top 2 defense

 

3 of the last 4 years, he’s had a top 2 defense

 

3 of the last 4 years, he’s had a top 2 defense

 

what?

 

I mean we were talking about playoffs specifically I thought

 

If not, yes both offense and defense have been excellent during the regular season. But only the offense had been able to sustain their level in the postseason.

[NewEra]

3 hours ago, Billl said:

You don’t believe that there’s a gap between the Bills who just got dog walked in the Divisional round and the team who has been in 3 of the last 4 Superbowls with 2 championships.  I disagree.  The last 4 years, the Chiefs have either beaten the Bills in the playoffs or beaten the team that did the following week.

 

Kansas City was decimated by injuries in the Super Bowl against Tampa.  They responded by replacing all 5 starters in the offseason.  Buffalo has had issues with injuries to Tre White, Von Miller, Micah Hyde, and Jordan Poyer.  They’re all back, and three of the four are well into their thirties.  Kansas City was a very healthy team last year.  They also had 12 major contributors who were 22 years old or under.  Buffalo had the oldest roster in the league.  There’s a pretty strong correlation between age and injury.  I don’t think Beane has done a very good job of replacing aging veterans with younger players who can pick up where they left off.

No.  I don’t believe there a gap between the  bills and the team that we would’ve had beaten 3 times in a row in their own home stadium if if weren’t for us NOT kicking the ball short of the end zone with 13 seconds left in a playoff game where we had the lead.  One play….. and we beat your boys 3 times in a row….. in your home stadium.  
 

you got lucky that our coaching staff epically effed up one moment in time.  
 

injuries matter.  Wait til you have to play a playoff game without Chris Jones.  Actually, I don’t really have to wait.  I saw how your team performed in the Super Bowl after you lost Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz.  The unit that you thought was good enough to win a Super Bowl…. Wasn’t good enough.  It wasn’t good enough to even make it a game.  The chiefs got OBLITERATED by the Bucs.  Mahomes threw O TDs and 2 ints.  The chiefs didn’t score a TD.  
 

or you can be an ignorant f*** and pretend like injuries don’t matter.  
 

you can pretend that the chiefs are in a different tier, above  the Bills.  Reality says that you’ve had luck on your side.  It won’t last forever.  We’ll get ours.  17

 

[GoBills808]

1 minute ago, NewEra said:

No.  I don’t believe there a gap between the  bills and the team that we would’ve had beaten 3 times in a row in their own home stadium if if weren’t for us NOT kicking the ball short of the end zone with 13 seconds left in a playoff game where we had the lead.  One play….. and we beat your boys 3 times in a row….. in your home stadium.  
 

you got lucky that our coaching staff epically effed up one moment in time.  
 

injuries matter.  Wait til you have to play a playoff game without Chris Jones.  Actually, I don’t really have to wait.  I saw how your team performed in the Super Bowl after you lost Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz.  The unit that you thought was good enough to win a Super Bowl…. Wasn’t good enough.  It wasn’t good enough to even make it a game.  The chiefs got OBLITERATED by the Bucs.  Mahomes threw O TDs and 2 ints.  The chiefs didn’t score a TD.  
 

or you can be an ignorant f*** and pretend like injuries don’t matter.  
 

you can pretend that the chiefs are in a different tier, above  the Bills.  Reality says that you’ve had luck on your side.  It won’t last forever.  We’ll get ours.  17

 

That guy is just a troll

 

This is all correct👍

[NewEra]

1 minute ago, GoBills808 said:

I mean we were talking about playoffs specifically I thought

 

If not, yes both offense and defense have been excellent during the regular season. But only the offense had been able to sustain their level in the postseason.

We’ve been SB contender 3 years in a row.  

The first season:  the offense and the defense both failed miserably.  The injuries didn’t have much of an impact.

 

The second season-  the offense was great and the defense failed miserably.  The injuries didn’t play much of an impact on O but we were missing our best defensive player in Tre’Davious

 

The third season -  the offense failed miserably. The defense failed miserably.  The defense was wrecked by injuries. The offense had no injuries.  
 

let’s not pretend that the offense didn’t let us down 2 of 3 years in the playoffs. The offense was terrible vs the chiefs in 2020 and terrible vs the chiefs in 2022.  You’d be making a fool of yourself if you’re trying to play the card that it’s all on the D.  The offense did its job 1 of 3 potential championship seasons.  

7 minutes ago, GoBills808 said:

That guy is just a troll

 

This is all correct👍

I know he’s a troll.  He should be banned from this site. 

[90sBills]

7 hours ago, Einstein said:

The Bills have been regular-season-good for many seasons now. But we haven’t been able to break through in the playoffs.

 

We got blown out by the Bengals in the playoffs by 17 points. Some argue that we were simply out of mental steam due to the Hamlin situation. However, we also did not look good in the limited action we saw of the first Bengals matchup (pre-Hamlin injury). The Bengals walked down the field and scored a TD, and they were walking down the field again when the injury occurred. 

 

I think we can all admit that despite our record, the second half of last season wasn’t very comfortable. We lost to the Zach Wilson led Jets. We lost to the Vikings. We barely squeaked by the Dolphins at home. We needed a heroic last second throw and catch by Allen and Diggs to beat the Lions.

 

So here is my question - Is what we’ve done this off-season been enough to bridge the gap between the Bills and Bengals/Playoff Chiefs (playoff Chiefs are different than regular season Chiefs)?

 

Added:

 

Dalton Kincaid (love this)

O’Cyrus Torrence (love this)

Connor McGovern

Taylor Rapp

Deonte Harty

Trent Sherfield

Damien Harris

Micah Hyde comes back

 

Lost:

 

Tremaine Edmunds

Isaiaah McKenzie

Roger Saffold (addition by subtraction)

Jake Kumerow 

Cole Beasley

Jamison Crowder

Devin Singletary

 

I think we did get better. Kincaid brings something to this offense we have literally never had before. Ever. 

 

We re-tooled 40% of our o-line with McGovern and Torrence, and removing Saffold is addition by subtraction by itself. I don’t have much faith in Harty and Sherfield, but I refuse to believe they’ll give us any less than Crowder and McKenzie did last season.

What’s your thoughts? 

Unpopular opinion here but I agree with you that there is a gap between Bills compared to Cincy and especially KC. Regardless of reasons those teams have made it to superbowls. Bills have not. Be it offense, defense, coaching, injuries whatever. Bills have came up short and that’s the gap.

 

I’m very optimistic about this draft and all the offseason moves so I do believe the gap has narrowed. 

6 hours ago, Einstein said:

 

Chiefs lost Frank Clark, Thornhill and Wylie this off-season. Chris Jones is also headed into the final season of his contract, so they’ll either have to re-sign him to a gigantic deal next year or franchise him.

 

Cinci may be the new team to beat going forward, but having Mahomes always gives the Chiefs a chance.

Disagree with you here. Chiefs are the top team. 

[Malazan]

7 hours ago, SCBills said:

4) Bills needed an answer other than Diggs and “chuck it down the field”.  They drafted the most dominant middle of the field option in the draft .. and the only guy in recent memory to get the Kelce comp.  

 

I suspect Saffold not being less effective than just not having anyone there will help the passing game out a lot. 

[90sBills]

6 hours ago, Boatdrinks said:

Defense was still very good in almost every category last year as well. They slipped a bit in yardage but most metrics stayed remarkably consistent. The pass rush disappeared after Millers injury, though. The offense was still good, but not nearly as reliable down the stretch. Josh’s injury, Dorsey’s rookie struggles and OL were all concerns too. Just seemed too reliant on Josh being Superman regularly to make things happen. Have to admit I get a bit jealous watching Mahomes toss the ball to wide open WRs most of the time ,with some of his patented plays thrown in here and there. That’s probably influenced my opinion on the Bills WR corps, though a lot of it is likely just superior play design by Andy Reid. 

Chiefs WRs actually don’t get a lot of separation. What you see on TV is partly Reid’s schemes and partly Mahomes running around extending plays causing defenders to leave their assignments. Especially when he scrambles toward the los. That long TD McKinnon had at Denver is a prime example of this. Something I hope to see more from Allen and the Bills. 

[Dopey]

7 hours ago, Einstein said:

The Bills have been regular-season-good for many seasons now. But we haven’t been able to break through in the playoffs.

 

We got blown out by the Bengals in the playoffs by 17 points. Some argue that we were simply out of mental steam due to the Hamlin situation. However, we also did not look good in the limited action we saw of the first Bengals matchup (pre-Hamlin injury). The Bengals walked down the field and scored a TD, and they were walking down the field again when the injury occurred. 

 

I think we can all admit that despite our record, the second half of last season wasn’t very comfortable. We lost to the Zach Wilson led Jets. We lost to the Vikings. We barely squeaked by the Dolphins at home. We needed a heroic last second throw and catch by Allen and Diggs to beat the Lions.

 

So here is my question - Is what we’ve done this off-season been enough to bridge the gap between the Bills and Bengals/Playoff Chiefs (playoff Chiefs are different than regular season Chiefs)?

 

Added:

 

Dalton Kincaid (love this)

O’Cyrus Torrence (love this)

Connor McGovern

Taylor Rapp

Deonte Harty

Trent Sherfield

Damien Harris

Micah Hyde comes back

 

Lost:

 

Tremaine Edmunds

Isaiaah McKenzie

Roger Saffold (addition by subtraction)

Jake Kumerow 

Cole Beasley

Jamison Crowder

Devin Singletary

 

I think we did get better. Kincaid brings something to this offense we have literally never had before. Ever. 

 

We re-tooled 40% of our o-line with McGovern and Torrence, and removing Saffold is addition by subtraction by itself. I don’t have much faith in Harty and Sherfield, but I refuse to believe they’ll give us any less than Crowder and McKenzie did last season.

What’s your thoughts? 

I don’t think there’s some huge gap between the teams you mentioned. In our last playoff game vs KC, we win the coin toss, we win that game. Before you question whether or not that would have been the case, remember that you are claiming Cincy was on their way to a blowout win in our first game. We also beat them in our regular season matchup. You can diminish regular season wins if you want. Not sure what someone gets out of doing that. Cincy beat us, but 1 game doesn’t really show much. Again, you can say they were on the way to a blowout win, but you don’t know that. I’ve read your reasoning on a Cincy blowout that game, so save it. Under McBeane, we’re 4-4 in the playoffs, with 2 games being blowout losses. 2 blowouts in 8 playoff games doesn’t show some huge gap. Easily 5-3 if we win the coin toss vs KC. In the last 3 games vs KC we’re a coin toss away from being 3-0, including playoffs. As for Cincy, they haven’t won a SB under this regime either. They barely beat a ravens team without Lamar in the playoffs, barely beat Tenn. in the playoffs. Heck they barely beat the Raiders in the playoffs the prior season. Cincy is where we are in this race, no huge gap. 
As for the paragraph regarding the 2nd half of the season being uncomfortable, what? We lost that Jets game cuz Josh was injured. We lost to Minnesota in OT, the very first game after Josh’s injury. We then go on an 8 game winning streak before the loss to Cincy. Sucks that some people can’t enjoy a win, much less a win streak that long. 
In summary,we have as good of a chance as any team to win it all. Just like last year. No huge gap to close. 

GO BILLS!!
 

 

[Chaos]

42 minutes ago, 90sBills said:

Unpopular opinion here but I agree with you that there is a gap between Bills compared to Cincy and especially KC. Regardless of reasons those teams have made it to superbowls. Bills have not. Be it offense, defense, coaching, injuries whatever. Bills have came up short and that’s the gap.

 

I’m very optimistic about this draft and all the offseason moves so I do believe the gap has narrowed. 

Disagree with you here. Chiefs are the top team. 

This is going to upset people, but here are the correct preseason AFC rankings

1. Chiefs

2. Bengals

3. Bills, Ravens