Another Buffalo Sports Fan's Gut Punch.....or is it?

[jethro_tull]

After the game I felt such a gut punch.  Another Buffalo sports legendary gut punch.  We all know the list. 

Losing a game and in all reality the season- by two absolutely dumb penalties - especially after they missed a chip shot field goal that could have given us the win.  

Season down the drain after 10 games.  

But in reality something on this team is severely broken- and the offense is the one that has the most pieces strewn about the floor.  In reality they didn't deserve to win that game and are not a legit post season contender in their current state of unbrokenness.  

However- change is underfoot.  A new OC in the works after a much deserved separation from the old one.  It gives me hope.  It was clear Dorsey and Josh were never on the same page and that our plays were completely unimaginitive, predictable and did not attack the weakness of the defense with enough focus.    

Can they win 5 more games?  Six?  

I think they are capable.  Let's see how it plays out.....

 

[May Day 10]

No gut punch.  It's a shame this franchise seems to have squandered a 3 year super bowl window, but it has been clear for some time (maybe the last 19 games?) This team doesn't have it.

 

I was not upset after the bengals playoff game.  The better team won.

 

Last night was the same bills as we have seen for months.  No surprise.  They had no business winning that game.  Even if they won, it just keeps hope alive for another week and they could lose to wilson again.    They are not beating the eagles, kc, chargers, cowboys, or miami.

 

I am not disappointed because I have known for awhile the Bills are paper tigers 

 

 

That blitz?  12 men? Bad ST play?  4 turnovers? The bills deserve that loss.  It's justice

 

 

Edited November 14, 2023 by May Day 10

[Artful Dodger]

As a 40-year Bills' fan, eventually I figured out that the best way to be a successful fan is to keep your emotional distance from the team.   Look for the best; expect the worst.  Celebrate when they do well, but don't let the team rip out your heart, because you know they will.  So if they're on a roll and something inexplicable happens, like the coaches play prevent defense to allow the other team to drive the ball 50 yards in 13 seconds, or a player dies on the field, or via a stupid penalty the Bills allow a redo on a missed field goal to lose a game, I go into chill mode immediately.   

[Straight Hucklebuck]

I'm in between on this and it is a real struggle for me to find the right balance. 

 

Like others have said, I've seen enough of these games to not get overly heated anymore, last night for instance when the 12 men on the field was called, I just thought its a better draft pick. 

 

And, in general, I like watching the sport, but the Bills just suck the fun out it most years. 

 

What I struggle with is I have no personnel connection with any other team, so while I follow the league closely, I don't care that much, and so I remain an invested Bills fan.

 

In other words, I watch All-22 breakdowns on other teams, listen to other sports radios, and keep tabs on most other teams in the league by listening to their Head Coach interviews, but it's really just a filler to participate in the sport. I've listened to Herbert and Staley, Arthur Smith, Matt LaFleur and so forth. 

 

If I could turn off the care for the Bills and just consume the sport as analyst, that would be the goal, but it's harder said than done. 

[harmonkillebrew]

I actually felt relieved, as in this loss might bring about desperately needed change.  And it did, Dorsey is gone. 

If we don't turn it around that should just be the start.  The Bills and Josh Allen will be a very attractive option for an up and coming offensive HC.

[Success]

We could have stolen that win - but then Dorsey would still be OC today.

 

Replacing him made that loss a LOT easier to handle.  At least there is some hope the O can turn it around now.  Maybe not enough to salvage this season, but if they can get back on track - and particularly Allen - it will give us all more hope for the years ahead.

 

[DuckyBoys]

Ditto winning a game on a missed fg doesnt inspire confidence It was a game we once again gave away which seems to be a trend for the Bills this season   I'd rather McDermott was gone but am willing to see what Josh looks like w Brady calling the shots  Still hope they change staff in off season but maybe new OC makes the team little bit more fun to watch

[SectionC3]

14 minutes ago, harmonkillebrew said:

I actually felt relieved, as in this loss might bring about desperately needed change.  And it did, Dorsey is gone. 

If we don't turn it around that should just be the start.  The Bills and Josh Allen will be a very attractive option for an up and coming offensive HC.

This is where I’m at.  We all know it isn’t working.  We all think the atmosphere in and around the team is no good.  So why not rip the band aid off in this lost year and see where we’re at.  Losing, as dramatically and as ridiculously as we did, might actually be a good thing in the long run. 

 

I’ll add this.  After Hail Murray, my take was that the team was defiant and angry.  After last night, they seemed broken and defeated.  The rest of this year might be painful, but maybe it leads us to making some of the bigger changes we need.  And, I hope that it tells us that we need someone (like Daboll) who is going to coach Allen hard, unlike what I think we’ve seen from Dorsey.  No more buddies club here.  Time to get real and win some games.  

[billsfan_34]

2 hours ago, jethro_tull said:

After the game I felt such a gut punch.  Another Buffalo sports legendary gut punch.  We all know the list. 

Losing a game and in all reality the season- by two absolutely dumb penalties - especially after they missed a chip shot field goal that could have given us the win.  

Season down the drain after 10 games.  

But in reality something on this team is severely broken- and the offense is the one that has the most pieces strewn about the floor.  In reality they didn't deserve to win that game and are not a legit post season contender in their current state of unbrokenness.  

However- change is underfoot.  A new OC in the works after a much deserved separation from the old one.  It gives me hope.  It was clear Dorsey and Josh were never on the same page and that our plays were completely unimaginitive, predictable and did not attack the weakness of the defense with enough focus.    

Can they win 5 more games?  Six?  

I think they are capable.  Let's see how it plays out.....

 

Not me….numb to it.

[Gregg]

3 minutes ago, SectionC3 said:

This is where I’m at.  We all know it isn’t working.  We all think the atmosphere in and around the team is no good.  So why not rip the band aid off in this lost year and see where we’re at.  Losing, as dramatically and as ridiculously as we did, might actually be a good thing in the long run. 

 

I’ll add this.  After Hail Murray, my take was that the team was defiant and angry.  After last night, they seemed broken and defeated.  The rest of this year might be painful, but maybe it leads us to making some of the bigger changes we need.  And, I hope that it tells us that we need someone (like Daboll) who is going to coach Allen hard, unlike what I think we’ve seen from Dorsey.  No more buddies club here.  Time to get real and win some games.  

 

Going to be an interesting offseason that is for sure. Even if they don't move on from McDermott, they won't be able to run it back with the same team. There will be a retooling of the roster. Changes are coming.

[BillsFanSD]

This game wasn't a gut punch at all.  The season essentially ended several weeks ago in London -- it's just that people were reluctant to admit it.  And if you go back further, I am very firmly convinced that something happened with this team during the second half of the season last year that caused the locker room to drift away.  This team has been very clearly underperforming for about a full calendar year now.  

 

I'm coming around to the idea that we need to make a change at HC.  This team needs a new attitude. 

[Rigotz]

You almost hit the nail on the head. Almost!

 

The Broncos loss hurts, but it's the reality check we all needed as fans and as an organization.

 

If this team limped into the playoffs and won a game or two, we might see another year of Dorsey and McDermott.

 

Mercifully, one of them sealed their fate last night and we have to hope the other one did as well.

 

We all want a Super Bowl and the silver lining from last night is we're finally going to get out of our own way.

[Another Fan]

After the Dallas 07 debacle I was upset the whole week.  After the winning FG by the Broncos I went right to sleep just like yeah whatever.

 

A combination of me getting older and all the aforementioned with the Bills.  Maybe it will stir things up now 

[What a Tuel]

With a 2-5 conference record that can only improve to 7-5 at best with winning out AFC games, I think we need to rely on the dolphins for their annual collapse. 

 

Raiders - W

Jets - L

Commanders - W

Titans - W

Jets - W

Cowboys - L

Ravens - L

Bills - L

 

That'll put them at 10-7. Which means we need to win 5 of next 7:

 

Jets - W

Eagles - W/L

Chiefs - W/L

Cowboys - W

Chargers - W

Patriots - W

Dolphins - W

 

Not much room for error.

[Aussie Joe]

I’ll continue to hope for the best …. But keep the expectations real …

[LABILLBACKER]

3 hours ago, jethro_tull said:

After the game I felt such a gut punch.  Another Buffalo sports legendary gut punch.  We all know the list. 

Losing a game and in all reality the season- by two absolutely dumb penalties - especially after they missed a chip shot field goal that could have given us the win.  

Season down the drain after 10 games.  

But in reality something on this team is severely broken- and the offense is the one that has the most pieces strewn about the floor.  In reality they didn't deserve to win that game and are not a legit post season contender in their current state of unbrokenness.  

However- change is underfoot.  A new OC in the works after a much deserved separation from the old one.  It gives me hope.  It was clear Dorsey and Josh were never on the same page and that our plays were completely unimaginitive, predictable and did not attack the weakness of the defense with enough focus.    

Can they win 5 more games?  Six?  

I think they are capable.  Let's see how it plays out.....

 

Honestly we easily shouldn't lost to the Giants.  And if Godwin turns around,  we're 3-7.  Diggs last season showed us a glimpse of what was wrong.  We chose to ignore it as just media hype.  The "post Daboll" offense was a mess.  Dorsey was way over his skis.  And McDermott didn’t have the tools to deal with it.  So now a 4th scapegoat falls. McD survives again.  How much longer does this foolishness go?

[Nextmanup]

3 hours ago, jethro_tull said:

After the game I felt such a gut punch.  Another Buffalo sports legendary gut punch.  We all know the list. 

Losing a game and in all reality the season- by two absolutely dumb penalties - especially after they missed a chip shot field goal that could have given us the win.  

Season down the drain after 10 games.  

But in reality something on this team is severely broken- and the offense is the one that has the most pieces strewn about the floor.  In reality they didn't deserve to win that game and are not a legit post season contender in their current state of unbrokenness.  

However- change is underfoot.  A new OC in the works after a much deserved separation from the old one.  It gives me hope.  It was clear Dorsey and Josh were never on the same page and that our plays were completely unimaginitive, predictable and did not attack the weakness of the defense with enough focus.    

Can they win 5 more games?  Six?  

I think they are capable.  Let's see how it plays out.....

 

The new guy will not be more successful than the old guy; this is a delaying tactic by McDermott to keep his job a bit longer.

 

If he doesn't go as well, this means nothing.

 

 

[TheCockSportif]

Not a gut punch.  Expected.  The team moved forward, like incremental steps each year, until last year (I know, I know, 13 seconds, but that was one of the best football games that I've ever seen -- and felt that it could be built on).  Like most Bills' fans I was hoping the best for this year, but at the same time I had my reservations.  My gut reaction was that the team felt that between 13 seconds and disdain for McD overall -- that they were gonna be off.  You watch a lot of Bills' football (and football in general) for 45 years and you get to the point when you just know that it's just not gonna be smooth sailing. 

 

Could the Bills make the playoffs this year?  Of course.  Do I think that they will?  No.  Yesterday, sadly, was a confirmation that this team, regardless of its ending record this year, seems DOA in 2023.

 

[Gregg]

1 minute ago, LABILLBACKER said:

Honestly we easily shouldn't lost to the Giants.  And if Godwin turns around,  we're 3-7.  Diggs last season showed us a glimpse of what was wrong.  We chose to ignore it as just media hype.  The "post Daboll" offense was a mess.  Dorsey was way over his skis.  And McDermott didn’t have the tools to deal with it.  So now a 4th scapegoat falls. McD survives again.  How much longer does this foolishness go?

 

If McDermott gets canned it will be after the season. 

[mjt328]

Not sure how much Joe Brady can fix in such a short amount of time.

 

There is literally zero room for error.  And even if the offense finally steps up, this defense won't have much chance against teams like the Chiefs, Eagles, Cowboys, Chargers, Dolphins, etc..  I truly believe teams aren't pressing against us, because they know the offense can't score and they just need to wait for turnovers to put them in scoring position.  If the offense starts clicking, the defense will be exposed.

 

I try to be a realist, who tries not to react too strongly to individual games.  After the way 2022 ended, I was not terribly optimistic coming into the season.  The Dolphins game was first time I felt some legitimately good feelings about this team.  That ended pretty quickly in London, not because of the loss, but because of the players we lost.