Steelers @ Bills. Monday, January 15th at 4:30pm.

[Logic]

  On 1/8/2024 at 7:00 PM, nucci said:

what do you mean they have nothing to lose? It's a playoff game they can lose

Expand  

My point is that the Steelers are going to have a "nothing to lose" mentality because they're a 7-seed with a 3rd string QB that barely made the playoffs, coming in as 7.5 point underdogs.

You can absolutely bet that Mike Tomlin is going to be in their ears saying "no one believes in us or expects anything from us. We're supposed to lose this week. Show 'em who we are".

Put simply, the pressure is on Buffalo, the 2-seed playing at home that has had demoralizing playoff exits two years in a row. The pressure is not on the 7-seed starting Mason Rudolph at QB, who no one thought would be there anyway.

[chongli]

  On 1/8/2024 at 7:43 PM, TheFunPolice said:

as crazy as it is, there is a somewhat likely road to the SB for the Bills that is almost the entire AFC North:

 

Steelers

Browns (if they and Miami win this week)

Ravens 

Expand  

 

Or Houston (the city was formerly in the AFC North's precursor: the AFC Central, although it was the current Tennessee Titans).

[Generic_Bills_Fan]

  On 1/8/2024 at 7:57 PM, Logic said:

My point is that the Steelers are going to have a "nothing to lose" mentality because they're a 7-seed with a 3rd string QB that barely made the playoffs, coming in as 7.5 point underdogs.

You can absolutely bet that Mike Tomlin is going to be in their ears saying "no one believes in us or expects anything from us. We're supposed to lose this week. Show 'em who we are".

Put simply, the pressure is on Buffalo, the 2-seed playing at home that has had demoralizing playoff exits two years in a row. The pressure is not on the 7-seed starting Mason Rudolph at QB, who no one thought would be there anyway.

Expand  

Our team seems to only play well when the pressure is at its absolute highest possible point these days lol this might have scared me more a few years ago.  Spread is up to -10 despite the over/under dropping to account for the weather for all those wind doomers out there 🤣

[TheWei44]

  On 1/8/2024 at 7:54 PM, Blackbeard said:

I think the run plays where they send Cook east/west up the line of scrimmage, and then up the sidelines aren't working.  

 

More passes to him in space.

Expand  

Agreed, he seems to do poorly at times going north/south or east/west - Seems better going more diagonally with quick cuts (and passing to him in space, of course, assuming he can hold on to the ball!).

[CaptnCoke11]

  On 1/8/2024 at 7:45 PM, SoonerBillsFan said:

Even if Watt plays, he will be 30-40% at best with that knee.  You can bet they will shoot and brace it.  Just count on him playing.

Expand  

He’s not going to play

[DrDawkinstein]

 

  On 1/8/2024 at 8:00 PM, Generic_Bills_Fan said:

Our team seems to only play well when the pressure is at its absolute highest possible point these days lol this might have scared me more a few years ago.  Spread is up to -10 despite the over/under dropping to account for the weather for all those wind doomers out there 🤣

Expand  

 

My biggest worry is that the Steelers arent good enough for the Bills to play UP to.

 

We seem to play down to bad teams, and especially make bad QBs look great.

[Generic_Bills_Fan]

  On 1/8/2024 at 8:02 PM, DrDawkinstein said:

 

 

My biggest worry is that the Steelers arent good enough for the Bills to play UP to.

 

We seem to play down to bad teams, and especially make bad QBs look great.

Expand  

I can’t argue with that logic…that’s a way to look at it that actually scares me 😂

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

This game will come down to two things: turnovers and special teams. 
 

we need to be happy with good field position, kicking field goals, and being conservative. Let the inferior team make the mistakes for once.

[RyanC883]

well, at least we haven't lost to any underwhelming QBs this year....

[Shortchaz]

  On 1/8/2024 at 6:01 PM, DrDawkinstein said:

 

17 against the Ravens, 30 against the Seahawks, 34 against the Bengals. Dont sleep on them just because they've swapped QBs around a bunch.

Expand  

It was more a comment on our defense, especially since the return of jones. I expect them to handle the new Steelers o. 

[Since1981]

The expected bad weather and wind favors the 3rd string QB and low powered offense. At least the Bill's D can focus on 0-7 yds. and the run. Weather + Steelers could keep scoring low and leave PIT lingering

Edited January 8, 2024 by Since1981

[Shortchaz]

  On 1/8/2024 at 8:06 PM, Miyagi-Do Karate said:

This game will come down to two things: turnovers and special teams. 
 

we need to be happy with good field position, kicking field goals, and being conservative. Let the inferior team make the mistakes for once.

Expand  

Agreed. The Bills will have to give the game away (which they have demonstrated a capacity for) if they are going to lose. I give the Steelers about a 4% chance to win this game. 

[Doc Brown]

  On 1/8/2024 at 8:06 PM, RyanC883 said:

well, at least we haven't lost to any underwhelming QBs this year....

Expand  

We've been very good at home this year against all QB's.  Tua's the only QB that put up more than 250 passing yards and a lot of that was in garbage time.  Not that concerned assuming Douglas can go.

[Since1981]

  On 1/8/2024 at 7:57 PM, Logic said:

Put simply, the pressure is on Buffalo, the 2-seed playing at home that has had demoralizing playoff exits two years in a row.

Expand  

Bill's have learned the lessons and are beating both good and bad teams.

YES, it might be ugly at times, but they've won all styles of games since the Bye plus the removal of Dorsey

[Andrew Son]

  On 1/8/2024 at 7:04 PM, BADOLBILZ said:

 

Pickens didn't have a pass thrown his way last game and yet they won.  

 

So that would be incorrect.    

Expand  

The game was played in a monsoon.

 

The two prior normal games- since being inserted- Rudolph had unlocked Pickens with 195 and 131 yards respectively while averaging nearly 30 a catch.  

 

Pickens isn't a separator, he's a contested ball specialist and Rudolph is giving him a chance lofting them up.  That's going to be tough in the expected conditions.

[Joe Marino]

Are the Steelers actually bothering to make the trip? 😆🤭

[LABILLBACKER]

  On 1/8/2024 at 7:54 PM, Blackbeard said:

I think the run plays where they send Cook east/west up the line of scrimmage, and then up the sidelines aren't working.  

 

More passes to him in space.

Expand  

....and hopefully no more drops?

[HurlyBurly51]

  On 1/8/2024 at 5:02 PM, oldmanfan said:

We’ll miss Davis.  Big part of the run game and weather is supposed to be rough.  I’m worried he may have an ACL.

Expand  

If it is his free agency may dry up and he could be back here on a cap friendly deal.

[BADOLBILZ]

  On 1/8/2024 at 8:16 PM, SWATeam said:

The game was played in a monsoon.

 

The two prior normal games- since being inserted- Rudolph had unlocked Pickens with 195 and 131 yards respectively while averaging nearly 30 a catch.  

 

Pickens isn't a separator, he's a contested ball specialist and Rudolph is giving him a chance lofting them up.  That's going to be tough in the expected conditions.

Expand  

 

20-25 mph winds is good for "lofting"?   

[Low Positive]

This board today just proves that Bills fans wouldn't be Bills fans unless they were miserable and worried sick.