What are your top TWO takeaways from the Bills-Steelers game?

[Unforgiven]

The new media darlings are Kenny Pickett and the steelers, everyone believes the bills have peaked.

Edited August 20, 2023 by Unforgiven

[Pokebball]

If we don't address this O line, we're going to have another season of Josh Allen playing backyard football. If he stays healthy, we'll make the playoffs.

 

And, we're going to have to score more pts than our D gives up; like 25+.

[balln]

6 minutes ago, Toyo321 said:

No our starters got there asses handed to them by a team with a superior coach that had them ready to play.  That is something that has eluded this Bills team for 7 seasons including the playoffs, a top tier coach having his team ready to play.  McD is a average coach and never will be elite.  Get over your worship of this guy he is 100% never going to get our team to a SB.  Period.

What’s alarming is our first D and O got a crack against pit 2s. And they still looked bad ….

 

that’s alarming 

[Awwufelloff]

Our offense is going to be top 5. Our defense is going to be in the bottom half of the league.

[TheWeatherMan]

1. The coaching and execution looked just like it did in the playoffs against the fish and bungles….crappy.

 

2. Kincaid is a BAMF 

 

Bonus: 

 

3. Josh is the only NFL quality QB on the team.

[noacls]

1.) Starters got manhandled on both sides of line of scrimmage. 

2.) Father times seems to have caught up with Hyde and especially Poyer. They look slow. 

 

Another thing Dawkins is eating himself out of the league. He played terrible. 

Edited August 20, 2023 by noacls

[SCBills]

3 minutes ago, Awwufelloff said:

Our offense is going to be top 5. Our defense is going to be in the bottom half of the league.

That would be wild given the talent on that side of the ball. 
 

Imagine what the top DC’s could do with this group .. There aren’t any excuses for McDermott to not field a top 10 caliber defense. 

[Albany,n.y.]

15 minutes ago, CincyBillsFan said:

In the regular season Allen likely runs for a 1st down on that play. It was clear he was instructed NOT to run and as he crossed the LOS he realized "Oh ####" and ran back behind the LOS.  It was actually funny to watch.  It also told you all you needed to know about the Bulls mindset for last nights game:

 

*  Don't get hurt

*  Don't give away anything about what we'll be doing week one.

*  work out the kinks and get ready for the season opener.

 

Unfortunately, the Bills came up against a motivated Pittsburgh which fielded one of the top 3 D lines last night and they got after Allen who was trying to operate a vanilla offense for a couple of series. 

 

What I saw was that Allen looked sharp when he wasn't running for his life.  He threw a fast and accurate ball for several of his completions.  The 35 yard pass to Davis that was called back for holding was jaw dropping.  In fact, on that 2nd Bills drive they were penalized 3 straight plays for 25 yards which also cancelled out 45 yards worth of pass completions.  If the Bills score that drive is anyone really bitching much this morning?

 

I suspect that in the end getting their a$$'s handed to them in the first half was a good thing.  Over the course of a season most teams need a wake up call.  So for the Bills to get their wake up call in the PRESEASON is ideal.

 

 

 

 

1) I had a very similar impression.  I think the starters took the don't get hurt seriously & it affected their play & effort.  I'm sure Josh's #1 instruction was not to put himself in any danger.  

2) Getting their asses kicked in Pittsburgh goes all the way back to the Jim Kelly era.  Back then it was Kelly going home, now it's McDermott intimidated by Tomlin.  You can't idolize the coach on the other side, that's McDermott's biggest problem coaching against Tomlin.  Tomlin has been his idol since their college days.  

[TheWeatherMan]

1 minute ago, Awwufelloff said:

Our offense is going to be top 5. Our defense is going to be in the bottom half of the league.

Our offense might be top 5 overall but they will also be top 5 in pressures and sacks allowed.  

[Roundybout]

I’m concerned Barkley might be done. He had no zip on his passes. 

[Giuseppe Tognarelli]

The Bills have bad tackle play, which reduces Josh Allen's ability to be the best version of Josh Allen, thusly killing our chances.

 

The Bills don't have an MLB.

[AuntieEm]

1 hour ago, Cheektowaga Chad said:

1. I hope they actually have a plan at MLB, other than aj Klein

 

2. I hope the play calling for the first team offense is more what we saw with Barkley and Kyle ie short quick rhythm passing and some runs when the QB is under center 

On point 2 how much I'd the playcalling is Dorsey and how much is Josh checking into plays he wants.  Perhaps he needs to stop improvising as much and let his weapons start making some plays as called and designed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Giuseppe Tognarelli]

2 hours ago, dickleyjones said:

1. The board will overreact.

 

2. This board never disappoints.

We still haven't won a Super Bowl. Most "overreactions" end up pointing to the actual truth -- we aren't good enough. People can scoff and mock, but that's been the reality and all indications are that it will remain the reality, so those who "overreact" are doing so reasonably.

[CincyBillsFan]

One more thing about last nights game.  In the preseason, coaches approach these games very differently. Buffalo is a legit SB contender that wants to get through the preseason healthy and fill out the bottom end of their roster.  In contrast the Steeler's are a mid level team that will win 8 - 10 games.  Tomlin wants them to be hungry street fighters and that starts in the preseason. 

 

Remember, the Ravens did not lose a preseason game from 2016 - 2022.  And during that 7 year span they went to the playoffs 4 times winning only 1 playoff game.

 

 

[newcam2012]

32 minutes ago, Dr. Who said:

You've got an agenda, so this is really a futile attempt: nonetheless, look two posts above for a plausible rationale. The two teams did not approach the game in the same way. That is reflected in how the game played out. I agree that McD has not shown himself to be an elite coach. I do think he is somewhat better than average, though he has the annual clunker and when he does, it looks bad. I don't think this game is indicative as it was not game planned. They were not trying to compete and win, that was not their aim and it is rational that they had other priorities.

 

Lots of overreaction. Concern about OT is the most significant genuine anxiety. MLB is not great, but I think they can scheme that deficiency to some degree.

The Jets D must be salivating. 

 

Delvin Cook will be looking to hit a hone run again. 

34 minutes ago, Unforgiven said:

The new media darlings are Kenny Pickett and the steelers, everyone believes the bills have peaked.

Is the window closing? Is it time for change? 

[Giuseppe Tognarelli]

44 minutes ago, Toyo321 said:

No our starters got there asses handed to them by a team with a superior coach that had them ready to play.  That is something that has eluded this Bills team for 7 seasons including the playoffs, a top tier coach having his team ready to play.  McD is a average coach and never will be elite.  Get over your worship of this guy he is 100% never going to get our team to a SB.  Period.

This is more likely than not to be true.

Edited August 20, 2023 by Giuseppe Tognarelli

[Awwufelloff]

27 minutes ago, SCBills said:

That would be wild given the talent on that side of the ball. 
 

Imagine what the top DC’s could do with this group .. There aren’t any excuses for McDermott to not field a top 10 caliber defense. 

They’re all old and injury riddled.. outside of a few anomalies football is a sport for people in their 20s. Age catches up with all of us eventually. Everyone looks so much slower 

[Teddy KGB]

2 hours ago, without a drought said:

1. The Bills were bad.

 

2. The fans are worse.

what the fans do ? 

[newcam2012]

35 minutes ago, balln said:

What’s alarming is our first D and O got a crack against pit 2s. And they still looked bad ….

 

that’s alarming 

Exactly! Yet, many are willing to ignore or give excuses. 

 

Who cares about the score. It's the above that raises eyebrows. 

[Lieutenant Aldo Raine]

1.  Kincaid and Torrence impressed

 

2.  Dawkins and Brown a concern