Week 9 thread - We’re on to Cincinnati

[dave mcbride]

1 minute ago, Big Turk said:

 

They still have multiple star players on offense.

Well, they did put up 460 yards vs the Bengals. They had a fluky INT inside the 10 on a pretty bizarre play; otherwise it might have gone down to the wire. It's not as if they're not moving the ball. 

[Big Turk]

2 minutes ago, dave mcbride said:

Well, they did put up 460 yards vs the Bengals. They had a fluky INT inside the 10 on a pretty bizarre play; otherwise it might have gone down to the wire. It's not as if they're not moving the ball. 

 

He should have had a 3rd INT on a roughing the passer penalty that was wiped out that was absolutely brutal...looked like he was throwing it to the Bengals player.

Edited October 31, 2023 by Big Turk

[Billsfan1972]

2 hours ago, Royale with Cheese said:

 

Why has SF offense struggled the last few weeks?

Because Purdy is regressing to the norm and not getting every break?  Yeah yeah no Deebo....

[90sBills]

1 hour ago, Success said:

The Bengals fans I've seen online seem remarkably unconcerned about Sunday's game.

 

Why wouldn’t they. In their pov them and the Chiefs are on a different level destined to meet in the AFCCG again. The Bills are just a mere speed bump on their way to their destination. It’s not like the Bills have done anything to make them feel otherwise. That’s why I think this game is more important for the Bills than the Bengals. Get beat again and it becomes psychological with the team. 

[Royale with Cheese]

8 minutes ago, Billsfan1972 said:

Because Purdy is regressing to the norm and not getting every break?  Yeah yeah no Deebo....

 

No Trent Williams either who is probably the best LT in football.  

 

So Purdy is missing his best offensive lineman and playmaker....is it possible that major injuries can have an effect on a team?  

 

 

 

[stuvian]

as important as this game is, my inner conspiracy theorist wants us to save our best stuff for the playoffs

[mjt328]

24 minutes ago, stuvian said:

as important as this game is, my inner conspiracy theorist wants us to save our best stuff for the playoffs

 

Playoffs aren't a guarantee at this point.  Not even close.

 

[Fan in Chicago]

1 hour ago, Royale with Cheese said:

 

No Trent Williams either who is probably the best LT in football.  

 

So Purdy is missing his best offensive lineman and playmaker....is it possible that major injuries can have an effect on a team?  

 

 

 

To the last point, why did genius OC Shanahan call 9 running plays to the left side knowing Trent Williams is not there?

 

[Mikie2times]

2 hours ago, SoCal Deek said:

It’s interesting you bring that up. I remember a few years back when he was at Iowa State. He was being hailed and the next big thing so I tuned in to watch one of their opening games of that season. In short, he was terrible. It was obvious the opponents had figured him out and his draft stock plummeted. Fast forward….is it possible the same thing is happening now? 

He was just fine at the end of his career at Iowa State. So now, I wouldn't say "they figured him out". He was never more than a facilitator in a great scheme. Which now is missing some pretty big pieces. 

[Franco_92]

1 hour ago, 90sBills said:

Why wouldn’t they. In their pov them and the Chiefs are on a different level destined to meet in the AFCCG again. The Bills are just a mere speed bump on their way to their destination. It’s not like the Bills have done anything to make them feel otherwise. That’s why I think this game is more important for the Bills than the Bengals. Get beat again and it becomes psychological with the team. 

The Bengals do not have an AFC win through 8 weeks of the NFL season. Their fans should be worried about EVERY AFC game.

[uninja]

11 minutes ago, Fan in Chicago said:

To the last point, why did genius OC Shanahan call 9 running plays to the left side knowing Trent Williams is not there?

 

 

You installed those plays during practice and you gotta keep the other team honest.

[appoo]

I haven't felt good about the Bills playing the Bengals for about 2 years now. Burrow is a zone killer. But this year's Bills D has been an ever changing defense in terms of what they do schematically. Still, they're undermanned.  Need to have a good Von Miller out there, along with their other DEs and Oliver bringing it. 

 

Offensively, I have no idea what to predict from the Buffalo offense. The opposition doesn't seem to have any correlation to how good the Bills O is week to week

[MikePJ76]

1 hour ago, stuvian said:

as important as this game is, my inner conspiracy theorist wants us to save our best stuff for the playoffs

A bills win this week can really put the Bengals in a bind.  They would have 4 conference losses having already lost to Cleveland and Baltimore in their division.

 

When the season winds down they play at pittsburgh, at kc and then home to the browns to end the season.   A Buffalo loss this week could lead to a tight playoff situation late in the year for Cincy.   I think you can say something similar about Buffalo with two terrible losses to the jets and pats.

[colin]

our biggest issue is when cinci is on, you have to single cover 3 legit weapons, and they can power run on your nickle and dime d too.  just a bad match up for us.  the only way to win is to disguise and read them.  at some point, rapp is gonna pick up someone coming through the zone and we just have to pray for a bad throw and no flags.

 

i suspect we will have to score 4 TDs to have a shot.

[BuffBillsForLife]

7 minutes ago, MikePJ76 said:

A bills win this week can really put the Bengals in a bind.  They would have 4 conference losses having already lost to Cleveland and Baltimore in their division.

 

When the season winds down they play at pittsburgh, at kc and then home to the browns to end the season.   A Buffalo loss this week could lead to a tight playoff situation late in the year for Cincy.   I think you can say something similar about Buffalo with two terrible losses to the jets and pats.

A Bengals win this week would also really put the Bills in a bind.  They would have 4 conference losses having already lost to NYJ and NE in their division.

 

This game is huge for both teams.

[Alphadawg7]

1 minute ago, MikePJ76 said:

A bills win this week can really put the Bengals in a bind.  They would have 4 conference losses having already lost to Cleveland and Baltimore in their division.

 

When the season winds down they play at pittsburgh, at kc and then home to the browns to end the season.   A Buffalo loss this week could lead to a tight playoff situation late in the year for Cincy.   I think you can say something similar about Buffalo with two terrible losses to the jets and pats.

 

Make no mistake about it...this is as close to a "must-win" game as it gets in the NFL for the Bills this year. 

• There are currently 9 AFC teams with 4 to 6 wins, Bills are sitting at 5-3.  
• If Bills lose this game, they suddenly are a fringe playoff team with all 4 losses in the AFC
• A Bills loss gives them a record of 2-3 in their last 5 games (which were 1 play away in both wins from being 0-5) and having Chiefs, Eagles, Cowboys, Jets, Miami, Chargers, and Jets still on the schedule to play. 

The Bills can not afford to fall behind in the AFC wildcard race, and 4 losses in the AFC really puts them in a bad spot with a difficult remaining schedule.  The margin of error will be almost zero moving forward if they don't beat the Bengals.  

 

So...whether some people realize it or not, this weeks game is the most pivotal game of the season for the Bills on the likelihood of them making or missing the playoffs.

 

 

[TFBillsfan]

A Bills win could do multiple things this weekend. Move us to 6-3, one step closer to a playoff berth. Push Cinncy two games back of the Bills, tie breaker if needed, it also pushes them further down in a competitive AFC and with a MIA loss moves the Bills back into first place in the AFCE!

 

LETS GO BUFFALO!!!!!

Edited October 31, 2023 by TFBillsfan

[newcam2012]

1 hour ago, appoo said:

I haven't felt good about the Bills playing the Bengals for about 2 years now. Burrow is a zone killer. But this year's Bills D has been an ever changing defense in terms of what they do schematically. Still, they're undermanned.  Need to have a good Von Miller out there, along with their other DEs and Oliver bringing it. 

 

Offensively, I have no idea what to predict from the Buffalo offense. The opposition doesn't seem to have any correlation to how good the Bills O is week to week

I don't see a likely path where the Bills D is successful vs the Bengals.

 

The Bills offense better be excellent or it's going to be a long day. 

[Billsfan1972]

2 minutes ago, newcam2012 said:

I don't see a likely path where the Bills D is successful vs the Bengals.

 

The Bills offense better be excellent or it's going to be a long day. 

And why can't they be?  This is the argument I always have.  We have a supposed defensive guru as HC and DC, yet whenever the Bills play a good team fans then are happy to give up on the D or make excuses for them.

 

And of course I'm the bad guy here when I say anything saying McD should have them ready.

[newcam2012]

7 minutes ago, Billsfan1972 said:

And why can't they be?  This is the argument I always have.  We have a supposed defensive guru as HC and DC, yet whenever the Bills play a good team fans then are happy to give up on the D or make excuses for them.

 

And of course I'm the bad guy here when I say anything saying McD should have them ready.

Since when has a McD defense come through in a big game? 

 

Lately, the coach has had the team less ready then ready.

 

I don't see you as the bad guy. 

 

Lastly, I think the Bengals are a very tough match up for the Bills. Burrow shredded the Bills zone defense last year. They have an excellent WR core. The Bills pass rush is often negated by Burrow's quick passing. 

 

Lou A blew up the Bills pass protection last year. He called several blitzes that the Bills couldn't stop. This looks to be a long day for Spencer Brown. 

 

The home crowd will make things difficult for the Bills. Will the Bills suffer any kind of PTSD going back to Cinci? 

 

A lot has to go right for the Bills to win. It's possible but the path seems pretty narrow.