Tim Graham for The Athletic: Remember when the Buffalo Bills used to have fun?

[billieve420]

Pressure of reaching a Super Bowl definitely looks to have gotten to this team. A team that I always had questions about how mentally tough they were going to be back forever not just related to the current team/regime.

Edited November 10, 2023 by billieve420

[Royale with Cheese]

1 hour ago, dorquemada said:

 

Miami was our Super Bowl, like KC was last year

 

A team of discipline and integrity

We won 8 of 9 after beating the Chiefs last year.  This year, we are losing and squeaking by below average teams.

[Malazan]

3 hours ago, papazoid said:

it's only fun when your winning !

 

They won 13 games last year and sure didn't seem to be having much fun

[Jimmy Harris 69]

Our coach is so square he probably lives next to Homer Simpson. Hey how you doodily doo Josh?

[Gugny]

1 hour ago, Fan in Chicago said:

The on field demeanour, performance and record is reminiscent of the drought era Bills with Allen being the sole difference. Imagine this team without Allen at QB. 

The problem is that Allen isn’t part of the difference; he’s part of the problem. 
 

I can’t think of a player who looks more disengaged than Josh when the chips are down. 
 

As a supposed leader, the rest of the team feeds off of that. 

[Rubes]

1 minute ago, Gugny said:

The problem is that Allen isn’t part of the difference; he’s part of the problem. 
 

I can’t think of a player who looks more disengaged than Josh when the chips are down. 
 

As a supposed leader, the rest of the team feeds off of that. 

 

He was totally engaged in the 13 second game, trying to fire everybody up, especially on defense. Fat lot of good that did.

 

[Gugny]

14 minutes ago, Rubes said:

 

He was totally engaged in the 13 second game, trying to fire everybody up, especially on defense. Fat lot of good that did.

 

That game was the beginning of the end, IMO. 

 

I’m more specifically referring to the last half of last season and all of this season so far. 

[reddogblitz]

I don't care if they have fun or not as long as they win.

[SoCal Deek]

The Bills haven’t been having fun since Hamlin went down and I will always blame the coach for that. He really needs to get his head out of his arse! Football is supposed to be fun. It’s obviously not, right now, at OBD. 

[CircleTheWagons99]

Dorsey was the wrong choice. I hoped  not, but his Offense is predictable. 

[Low Positive]

Belichicks had zero fun and won 6 Super Bowls. 

[BRH]

3 hours ago, EasternOHBillsFan said:

 

I know, right??? He is uptight and throws a tantrum and leaves TBD in a huff and now he's writing an article about how the Bills aren't having fun anymore?

 

I didn't even get halfway down the first page of replies when I read the instant defense of Tim Graham... just weird.

 

He also completely ripped off the premise of his article from a tweeted video this week that showed literally every play he listed.  I can't find the link nor remember the name of the video's creator, but it was damn near plagiarism.

 

WGR's guys do the same thing with posts on this board.

 

 

[AlfaBill]

5 hours ago, MJS said:

They have fun when they are scoring TD's and winning games. It is not some big secret. Struggling sucks. Losing sucks.

 

There isn't some deeper meaning behind it all. It is a simple thing.

Disagree. There is something more. For example how great was the 13 seconds game to watch(minus the last 13 secs). Point is even in a loss they were fun

[JoPoy88]

5 hours ago, QCity said:

Graham: Remember when the Buffalo Bills used to have fun?

 

 

Once among the NFL’s most entertaining clubs, the Bills have become a primetime bore. Last year, they averaged 31 points while going undefeated in five night games. The Bills enter Monday night’s matchup against the Denver Broncos with a 2-2 primetime record and averaging 18 points.

You can’t fake fun, and Buffalo’s just not having it.

Remember those F-you plays? Showing up the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense right after their “Renegade” hype song? Throwing a touchdown pass to rookie backup tackle Tommy Doyle while already beating the New England Patriots by 30 in the fourth quarter? John Brown and Cole Beasley chucking touchdowns, Josh Allen catching them? Defensive tackle Kyle Williams getting touches? Isaiah McKenzie capering about?

Buffalo used to exude confidence. It was cocksure, defiant, downright giddy in their dominance.

All that’s gone lately.

 

-------

 

“A lack of big plays has taken some of the energy out of it,” Davis admitted. 

Chunk plays are fun. So, too, are trick plays.

The Bills don’t do those anymore either.

In the 27 games Ken Dorsey has been offensive coordinator, no one other than a quarterback has attempted a pass, and no one other than a running back, receiver or tight end has caught.

Under Daboll, non-quarterbacks completed six of eight passes for 104 yards and four touchdowns — not counting special teams chicanery. Brown threw two touchdowns, Beasley and McKenzie one apiece.

Non-skill players under Daboll caught six of eight targets for 46 yards and five touchdowns. Left tackle Dion Dawkins has two career TD receptions.

The universe smiles upon fat guy touchdowns.

 

-------

 

 

“Of course, there’s the fun factor of it,” Mitchell Schwartz, the Chiefs’ former All-Pro right tackle, once told The Athletic for a story about the power of unusual plays, “but mentally knowing your coach is going to listen to you, find ways to let you do things you normally don’t get to, not succumb to monotony and make sure guys are having fun and engaged, that mentality goes beyond just a single play here or there.

“It really bleeds down into the overall work environment, and everyone feels more engaged.”

 

 

 

 

A pretty interesting read for The Athletic subscribers basically summarizing what most of us see - that the offense exudes all the swagger and fun of someone who is about to get audited by the IRS. 

 

 

He’s not wrong.

[BRH]

11 minutes ago, BRH said:

 

He also completely ripped off the premise of his article from a tweeted video this week that showed literally every play he listed.  I can't find the link nor remember the name of the video's creator, but it was damn near plagiarism.

 

WGR's guys do the same thing with posts on this board.

 

 

 

And to add:  I don't have a problem with Timmy writing an article like that as long as he acknowledges the inspiration.  Something like "@soandso tweeted a video the other day and it got me thinking..."  Some of these guys seem to see it as a sign of weakness to give credit to non-journalists for story ideas or phrasings.

[LABILLBACKER]

1 hour ago, Gugny said:

The problem is that Allen isn’t part of the difference; he’s part of the problem. 
 

I can’t think of a player who looks more disengaged than Josh when the chips are down. 
 

As a supposed leader, the rest of the team feeds off of that. 

Well Gug, you'd be disengaged too if your coaches told you to run 3 different offensive styles at the same time.  "We need you to be safe and checkdown more".  "We need you to open things up and run more".  "And we need you to find a happy medium on top of all this".....

 

There's no offensive leadership from either Dorsey or McDermott.  It's like they're winging it every week.  We have no identity as we run this predictable 1 dimensional O.  Daboll wouldn't have pulled this stunt.

[Gugny]

6 minutes ago, LABILLBACKER said:

Well Gug, you'd be disengaged too if your coaches told you to run 3 different offensive styles at the same time.  "We need you to be safe and checkdown more".  "We need you to open things up and run more".  "And we need you to find a happy medium on top of all this".....

 

There's no offensive leadership from either Dorsey or McDermott.  It's like they're winging it every week.  We have no identity as we run this predictable 1 dimensional O.  Daboll wouldn't have pulled this stunt.

I agree that it is a coaching problem - as well as a GM problem, because he keeps drafting and acquiring players who seem to have nothing to offer to the coaches. 
 

But Allen should be hyping his teammates up despite the clear coaching issues. 
 

He’s not. He’s pouting, sulking and sucking. 
 

And for anyone who wants to throw cute stats in my face, I would counter with one word: “WHEN?”

 

It ain’t when it matters. 

[Phils n Bills]

It’s just the jet lag. They’ll be back to our fun loving bunch as soon as they rest up 

[reddogblitz]

55 minutes ago, LABILLBACKER said:

Well Gug, you'd be disengaged too if your coaches told you to run 3 different offensive styles at the same time.  "We need you to be safe and checkdown more".  "We need you to open things up and run more".  "And we need you to find a happy medium on top of all this".....

 

This is not unique to this team.  The early 90s Buffalo team with Jim Kelly, Andre Reed, Don Beebee etc. did the same thing. They had the hurry up passing thing. But when they got ahead by a coupla TDs in the 4th quarter they'd go into slomo mode. Running time off the clock between plays and pounding it in with Thurman.

 

Wonder Boy should be able to execute with a smile whatever the coaches call.

[PBF81]

6 hours ago, papazoid said:

it's only fun when your winning !

 

I wouldn't say that I don't mind being beaten, but it's easier to take when you get beaten after playing your absolute best, or at least knowing that your team showed up fully prepared and looked the part.  

 

We've seen everything but that.  

 

Our team has shown up looking as if they don't even know who they are, as if the first half is practice before the "real game" begins in the 2nd half, play-calling not matching situations, despite the mindless blathering that "we're playing situational football" when we're obviously not, running plays that make no sense in key situations, on both sides, etc.  

 

Imagine what Pegula would think if we those going to games paid $7 up front and said that they'd leave the rest in a bucket once they got in under the honor system.  

 

Most of it points to coaching, and the entire teay is disarrayed and dysfunctional, and it's obvious.  That's no fun, and even if we win like that because Allen has a huge game, sure, it's a win, but it's still leaves dissatisfying elements in it.  

 

Just my two cents.