Bills at Chargers, Game Week Thread Sat. 8 pm on Peacock (7 pm for us Flyover Folks)

[RiotAct]

6 minutes ago, YoloinOhio said:

I still have ptsd from when we went out there with Nate peterman, yes I realize this was a very long time ago 

Only 6 years ago, but feels like an eternity.

[Saxum]

11 hours ago, jletha said:

We usually play well in December when it matters most. Also McD tends to do very well against inexperienced QBs. I really cant remember a rookie or first-year-starting QB that beat us except Mac Jones in The Wind Game.

 

He uses too many disguised coverages and blitzes, Easton Stick will have his work cut out for him.

 

Since 2020 in December:

2020: 4-0

2021: 2-2

2022: 4-0

2023: 2-?

[Since1981]

There’s no way BUF loses this game to a hockey stick. The team is in beast playoff mode now. Just hope they can then be “up” for future games. Get a 3 score lead and rest guys (praying to football gods)

[fergie's ire]

13 hours ago, AKC said:

 

He has been a career long liability against the run, not for lack of enthusiasm but due to his high center of gravity. Reminds me of John McCargo- sort of a Weebles Wobble body type. When he's healthy he has good feet and it allows him at his size to be effective as a pass rusher. He's an asset as a #3DT and he gives some flexibility against some offenses but he just can't make up for that playing high/tackling high in the run game. His emotional side has some yin and yeng to it too- he sometimes is so fast to celebrate that he misses the end of plays.

Or sometimes he dives at a quarterback who is five yards away and running away from him and belly flops his way onto IR.

[taglientep]

8 hours ago, RiotAct said:

Only 6 years ago, but feels like an eternity.

Was at that game ….. pain

[CSBill]

22 minutes ago, taglientep said:

Was at that game ….. pain

 

I'm sorry. Are you still seeing a Counselor?

[Scott7975]

18 hours ago, Beck Water said:

 

Actually I'll take this a step further.  Phillips NOT making huge plays in the backfield has been a sign of improved play *within the Bills scheme*.

 

Phillips weakness as a DT has always been "chasing stats" at the expense of maintaining gap integrity and run defense.  When you see a guy like Tre Edmunds giving Phillips an earful on the field after giving up a big run play, you KNOW he ain't doing it right (which I saw at least twice last season).

 

This season, to my admittedly inexpert eye, Phillips has done a much better job at "minding the store" and playing within the scheme.

 

 

I don't think Miami is a fraud.  You'd have to state your case for that to persuade me.

 

But I do agree with the others who say that if the Bills can't beat the Herbert and Keenan Allen and Bosa-less Chargers, even going on the road on a short week while the Chargers have extra rest, we don't deserve playoffs.

 

I don't think Miami is a fraud.  You don't get to that record without being a good team.  I don't care who they played.  I also don't think they are a contender just yet. My personal belief is that Tua is a good QB, but he is also a system QB that relies on the speed and offensive design to excel.  He chucks balls to holes in a zone and relies on his receivers to run and get it.  Especially when that is downfield.  While that's ok when it works, it breaks down when they face a defense that knows how to limit the system. 

 

They are bound to run into that in the playoffs eventually.  Tua is not very good off structure or when his first read or two is not there.  He makes many mistakes and is turnover prone.  Tua should have like twice the turnovers he actually has because the defense drops a lot of sure INTs. He also makes up for a weak oline because he gets rid of the ball so quick.  Thats why it's so important to take that first read or two away because he isn't good under pressure and that pressure will get there. Then I look at their D.  Its good but it isn't great.

 

I agree with you on the Phillips stuff too.

Edited December 22, 2023 by Scott7975

[Scott7975]

17 hours ago, HappyDays said:

Easton Stick throwing to a cast of nobodies.

 

It's good for us, but not necessarily bad for him.  Dude was a backup so most of his reps were probably taken with the lower chart receivers.  He probably has better chemistry with them.

16 hours ago, Process said:

Jones and AJ both being questionable is a huge W. Looks like they'll both be back by NE and than hopefully close to full go for Miami or playoffs.

 

 

 

Getting Jones back even by Miami is huge!

16 hours ago, Warcodered said:

If they just did that then he practices what 1 day? Yeah he's not playing, and I guess it doesn't matter when they do it at this point there's less than 21 days left before there last game.

 

Agree. This is just a move for them to give him a chance to play again this season.  Has no downside as their season will end by the window.

[Scott7975]

15 hours ago, WhitewalkerInPhilly said:

I hadn't heard anything about Phillips being on IR?

 

EDIT: Apparently he is. That means he's out for the rest of the regular season. Back for playoffs?

 

4 game minimum so yes, out for rest of regular season at least.

[taglientep]

35 minutes ago, CSBill said:

 

I'm sorry. Are you still seeing a Counselor?

A few.  But that tailgate before was incredible.  Was such a great time. All

my wife’s family is in CA and was my b day week so it was a great trip except the game.   Plus being in a 20k seat stadium was an experience of its own. My friends could hear me on TV they said, super cool to hear.  
 

craziest part was a couple from Germany sat next to my wife and I where this was their first ever football game, so I got to teach them the game as much as I could while attempting to drink the stadium out of Pacifico on draft.  

[Scott7975]

 

Full text: "Joe Brady’s ability to get James Cook (& RBs in general) involved in the passing game as primary options/natural parts of the progression is one of his calling cards. But his ability to create & take advantage of leverage & angles with the use of shifts, motion, & alignment, has arguably stood out the most in his short tenure as #Bills OC. Offensive football is often like geometry, & Brady has been adept at manipulating spatial relationships thus far in both the pass & run game"

[Simon]

20 hours ago, Gman10 said:

Off topic but @Simon Im curious, when can I make a thread? Ive been here for 3 months, 50+ posts etc!? 
 

go Bills!

 

Sorry man, I don't know the precise answer to that; I'm just the janitor. 

fwiw, I'm thinking  the answer is somewhere between 50-100 posts.

[jletha]

9 hours ago, Limeaid said:

 

Since 2020 in December:

2020: 4-0

2021: 2-2

2022: 4-0

2023: 2-?

12-2, pretty good!

 

And to further clarify, what I really mean is December into January (regular season): from 2020-2022 we closed on a 4 game win streak each year. And are 2-0 thus far.

[Sammy Watkins' Rib]

1 hour ago, Scott7975 said:

 

I don't think Miami is a fraud.  You don't get to that record without being a good team.  I don't care who they played.  I also don't think they are a contender just yet.

 

That's exactly why they are a fraud though. With the record they have they should be seen as a contender. But most people don't view them as legit contenders. Can anyone see them going on the road and winning at Baltimore or at KC in the playoffs? Or, without the bye, can they win three straight games against playoff teams? They have a chance to prove they can do that starting now as they finish vs. Dallas, @ Baltimore and vs. Bills. If they win all three they will be a team to be feared. Odds are they go 1-2. 

 

Heck, we are hearing from the media now that the Bills are right there with Baltimore as the best team in the conference now and our record is only 8-6.

[Rich Stadium Original]

Chargers may come out very spirited after last debacle, and its very important to get on them early. Keep the mistakes and turnovers to a minimum, and the difference in the game will be the Bills talent...certainly don't want a very close game going into the 4th quarter.

[eball]

10 minutes ago, Sammy Watkins' Rib said:

 

That's exactly why they are a fraud though. With the record they have they should be seen as a contender. But most people don't view them as legit contenders. Can anyone see them going on the road and winning at Baltimore or at KC in the playoffs? Or, without the bye, can they win three straight games against playoff teams? They have a chance to prove they can do that starting now as they finish vs. Dallas, @ Baltimore and vs. Bills. If they win all three they will be a team to be feared. Odds are they go 1-2. 

 

Heck, we are hearing from the media now that the Bills are right there with Baltimore as the best team in the conference now and our record is only 8-6.

 

I don’t know why @ScottLaw disagreed with this, but it is exactly right.  Miami is consistently in the top 5 in the various “power rankings” floating around the intarwebs, but they have approximately 0.0% chance to actually win the Super Bowl as they currently exist.  Fans and media ooh and aah over the bombs to Hill and Waddle, and Mostert has had a great year, but when they face good teams they struggle.

 

The Fish have an opportunity to prove everyone wrong starting this Sunday.  I don’t think they’ll do it.  I think Dallas beats them in a shootout, Baltimore bludgeons them, and the Bills finish them off.

 

 

[Scott7975]

17 minutes ago, Sammy Watkins' Rib said:

 

That's exactly why they are a fraud though. With the record they have they should be seen as a contender. But most people don't view them as legit contenders. Can anyone see them going on the road and winning at Baltimore or at KC in the playoffs? Or, without the bye, can they win three straight games against playoff teams? They have a chance to prove they can do that starting now as they finish vs. Dallas, @ Baltimore and vs. Bills. If they win all three they will be a team to be feared. Odds are they go 1-2. 

 

Heck, we are hearing from the media now that the Bills are right there with Baltimore as the best team in the conference now and our record is only 8-6.

 

I mean I guess some peoples idea of "fraud" is different then mine.  You can still be a good team without being a superbowl contender.  Besides, anything can happen in the playoffs.  They could get a run of bad teams and just have to beat one good one.  It's possible to happen.  It just takes some luck.  The ball bounces the wrong way or refs are stupid or a missed field goal or some fluke catch.  Like anything can happen any game.

 

To me, a fraud team is like the Giants last year.  Their record was ok but not so great.  Then they won a playoff game.  That team wasn't good but they managed to get in the playoffs AND win a game.  Miami actually is good.  Just because they haven't beaten a team above .500 doesn't mean they can't.  It just means they haven't.

[fergie's ire]

7 minutes ago, eball said:

 

I don’t know why @ScottLaw disagreed with this, but it is exactly right.  Miami is consistently in the top 5 in the various “power rankings” floating around the intarwebs, but they have approximately 0.0% chance to actually win the Super Bowl as they currently exist.  Fans and media ooh and aah over the bombs to Hill and Waddle, and Mostert has had a great year, but when they face good teams they struggle.

 

The Fish have an opportunity to prove everyone wrong starting this Sunday.  I don’t think they’ll do it.  I think Dallas beats them in a shootout, Baltimore bludgeons them, and the Bills finish them off.

 

 

I hope you're right, but I have a bad feeling they'll crush the Cowboys.  I agree they are a fraud in the sense that they are good or even very good...but not as good as their record suggests.  That said, I just feel like the Cowboys weaknesses are run defense and an inability to adjust when schemed against.  Dolphins have a really good run offense and a coach known for his schemes.  Seems like a bad matchup for the Cowboys.

[Scott7975]

 

[Beck Water]

20 hours ago, eball said:

Not a "fraud" per se, but they haven't beaten a good team yet.

 

*looks at Miami schedule*

point taken