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

[Johnnycage46]

For a game-week thread most of this reads like the game-day thread.  You'd think we had zero shot to win and WE are the ones with a 3rd string QB.

 

The weather, the "smash mouth" Steelers, their physicality...we might as well just skip the game and talk draft.

 

Holy jeebus

[CincyBillsFan]

I'm hearing a lot about how the bad weather will be the great equalizer. But that bit of conventional wisdom applies more to high school & college football where the discrepancy in talent between two teams can be enormous.  But in the NFL playoffs how big is the difference in talent between the eventual SB champ and the worst PLAYOFF team?

 

BOTH teams passing games will be impacted by the weather.  How do we know that considering all that Allen brings to the table compared to Rudolf that the bad weather might actually favor the Bills passing game?  Will the weathers impact on the Steeler's passing game allow McD to be much more aggressive with the run blitzes to shut the Pittsburgh rushing attack down?  These conditions might actually hurt the Steelers as much or more then the Bills.  Think about Pitt spending half the game setting up that play action strike to Pickens that in the past went 70 yards for a TD only to see the ball flutter into the ground before it reaches it's target.

 

When a loaded Ohio State plays a bad Northwestern team awful weather can be a great equalizer and turn a 40 point Buckeye win into a 10 point win.  But I just don't see it having a big impact in the NFL.  BOTH teams will be negatively affected.

 

 

[zow2]

3 minutes ago, buffaloboyinATL said:

I’ve heard a few QB’s like Tom Brady and Alex Smith say “when there’s  snow, you throw”. because the receiver knows where he’s going, but the defender does not. This makes is harder to cut and recover for the DB. 
 

 

Very true, except when you have snow PLUS sustained winds at 25-35mph gusts to 45.  That’s a death blow to a realistic passing game.  But let’s dig deeper. A big part of the Steelers resurgence has been Mason Rudolph throwing so well. and big plays by the WRs.  So in my opinion it hurts Pittsburgh as much as us.  But the Bills have the QB who can make plays with his legs and doesn’t even need the ball to leave his hand.

[ALG1130]

2 hours ago, Beck Water said:

 

I have no idea where in that PC you feel that "he and Josh aren't close" is coming from.  He specifically mentioned "your QB gets banged up" as an injury the Bills had sustained, so that reinforces that maybe Josh's shoulder has been worse than the team has let on, but he knows about it.  He was asked about his relationship with Josh evolving this year, he said not so much this year, he's been here 4 years, and when there's adversity that's when you get closer to people.  The obvious conclusion to be drawn from what he said is that he's gotten closer to some guys in the locker room (including Josh) during the adversity of injury this  season.

 

I always thought their "bro-mance" was more of a media creation than a real off-the-field friendship.  Not that they don't have real respect for each other and liking, and not that Diggs didn't have warm fuzzy feelings when he racked up a league-leading 127 receptions for 1535 yds back in 2020.   But without a pandemic shutting things down, I don't think Diggs is a big video gamer.  He's not a golfer either.  You never saw pics of Diggs going to Sabres games or baseball or what have you with Josh, that would be like Davis Webb and Josh and Dawson Knox and sometimes Gabe Davis.  Diggs thing is fashion and also "playing" with the ladies, and I think he keeps that "under cover" (pun intended) during the season.    I just don't think he and Josh have a lot of interests in common or ever have had.  Doesn't mean they're not "locker room family" and don't have a solid professional football relationship.  I just never thought they were really 'besties' off the field.

 

I also really liked what I heard from Diggs about the rest of the receiver corps and how he roots for their success and he expects big things from them.  He came across as a mature, steady teammate with a positive vibe is what I got from it, little trace of the Diva and the petulant-appearing guy we saw at the end of last season.

 

Sometimes it's what he says, or doesn't say, or what he skates around. I remember him liking shady posts about Josh right after our season ended, and it was a lot of cryptic stuff after that. They did not speak in the off season. It was noted by some pundits. Josh flat out admitted they had a falling out but that they patched it up during training camp. Whatever it is still lingers, and I am not going to sit here and pretend or even allow myself to pretend things are awesome between the two. Stefs brother downright shades Josh while the season is still ongoing, and Stefon allows it. He(his brother) is essentially his mouthpiece and says what he might feel he can't right now. FWIW Gabe Davis's mother has been doing the same exact thing. Again, I know this will be met with some eyerolls and whatever, and I do love Stef the player and often the person, but I don't completely trust him. I have a feeling that is where Josh is at with him. I am fairly certain of how he will react on Social Media if our season ends, especially if it ends this Sunday. It won't be pretty, and his true colors will come out even louder as he is barely containing them right now. Maybe they are "locker room family" which is fine, but at one point I do believe they were very close. I don't sense that anymore.

[Governor]

We need to get our HANDS UP when Pitt is dinking and dunking down the field with short throws. Tip a few of those passes and get the TO. 
 

Thats how you win a game like this in these conditions.

[ToGoGo]

7 minutes ago, Aimee75 said:

Sometimes it's what he says, or doesn't say, or what he skates around. I remember him liking shady posts about Josh right after our season ended, and it was a lot of cryptic stuff after that. They did not speak in the off season. It was noted by some pundits. Josh flat out admitted they had a falling out but that they patched it up during training camp. Whatever it is still lingers, and I am not going to sit here and pretend or even allow myself to pretend things are awesome between the two. Stefs brother downright shades Josh while the season is still ongoing, and Stefon allows it. He(his brother) is essentially his mouthpiece and says what he might feel he can't right now. FWIW Gabe Davis's mother has been doing the same exact thing. Again, I know this will be met with some eyerolls and whatever, and I do love Stef the player and often the person, but I don't completely trust him. I have a feeling that is where Josh is at with him. I am fairly certain of how he will react on Social Media if our season ends, especially if it ends this Sunday. It won't be pretty, and his true colors will come out even louder as he is barely containing them right now. Maybe they are "locker room family" which is fine, but at one point I do believe they were very close. I don't sense that anymore.

I think Diggs is a difficult personality no matter what team he’s on. Even in 2020 and 2021 there were little things that let you know that people are uncomfortable around Diggs. Maddy Glab didn’t say anything that wasn’t true. 
 

It’s also true that he is a big time competitor and the clock is ticking on his career, especially at an elite level. That’s why he freaked out during the Bengals game last year and training camp this year. You’ll notice there have been no outbursts since Dorsey was fired. 
 

There are still bad feelings underneath the surface and yes they will come out if we lose unexpectedly. But at the end of the day you take the good with the bad. 
 

Do we want an elite player with insatiable competitiveness to ALSO be an amazing person? We already have a one in million guy like that and we are lucky he’s our QB. We want two of them? Be real. 

[Figster]

14 minutes ago, zow2 said:

 

Very true, except when you have snow PLUS sustained winds at 25-35mph gusts to 45.  That’s a death blow to a realistic passing game.  But let’s dig deeper. A big part of the Steelers resurgence has been Mason Rudolph throwing so well. and big plays by the WRs.  So in my opinion it hurts Pittsburgh as much as us.  But the Bills have the QB who can make plays with his legs and doesn’t even need the ball to leave his hand.

 You can bet the Steelers have every intention of trying to run the football down our throats.

[julian]

36 minutes ago, dollars 2 donuts said:

 

I simply can’t find the posts (plural because I said it a few times), but I honestly said this team could finish 11-6 and be better than last year’s 13-3 team.  I also said I would take this year’s team.

 

That’s not a pat on my back.  It’s a pat on theirs.

 

Go Bills!

 

 

 

 

but a little pat on yours lol

[NeverOutNick]

4 minutes ago, Figster said:

 You can bet the Steelers have every intention of trying to run the football down our throats.

Good thing we have Joseph and Jones 🥳 

[wjag]

If the lake bands stay south, then the Steeler fans coming North may have a devil of a time getting there.  Hochul, close the thruway south of Eden. 🙂  you know for public safety. 😈

Edited January 12 by wjag

[Warcodered]

 

[dollars 2 donuts]

14 minutes ago, julian said:

but a little pat on yours lol

Julian, I also said how good this D would be once we got Von back!

 

😂

 

However, one that I will that I have written before and I hope will be true: I don’t think Tre White misses a day of training camp.  He will be back and ready to go…BUT subject to cap limitations.

 

 

[ALG1130]

10 minutes ago, ToGoGo said:

I think Diggs is a difficult personality no matter what team he’s on. Even in 2020 and 2021 there were little things that let you know that people are uncomfortable around Diggs. Maddy Glab didn’t say anything that wasn’t true. 
 

It’s also true that he is a big time competitor and the clock is ticking on his career, especially at an elite level. That’s why he freaked out during the Bengals game last year and training camp this year. You’ll notice there have been no outbursts since Dorsey was fired. 
 

There are still bad feelings underneath the surface and yes they will come out if we lose unexpectedly. But at the end of the day you take the good with the bad. 
 

Do we want an elite player with insatiable competitiveness to ALSO be an amazing person? We already have a one in million guy like that and we are lucky he’s our QB. We want two of them? Be real. 

I love his competitiveness and how passionate he is. Those are things I appreciate about him, but I do agree that may be difficult, and I say this as someone who defended him left and right when he came here, especially to the Vikings fans who were like "just you wait". Well, last off season was pretty damn eye opening, and I never thought he would semi turn on Josh. The Maddy Glabb thing was also eye opening, but she got the brunt of it, and what made that whole situation even more eye opening was that it was caught on tape. It wasn't like it was something she just said for the world to hear, it was something(though reckless) she said in what she thought was private. So, I realize and semi accept that there is some good and some bad with him, but I hate what happens when things don't go his way. I don't think he and Josh survive another bout like that, and them not getting along on a personal level will continue to hinder their play together. People can get mad or annoyed all they want with me over these comments, but I am seeing the patterns with him and I don't want to be in denial about all of this. 

[Paul Costa]

I haven’t seen it mentioned but in a wind game you’re going against the wind for 2 quarters & with the wind for 2 quarters. I’ve seen countless Bills games played with wind 💨 as a factor. In that Patriots game a few years ago JA17 threw the ball well in the second half when they let him. 

[buffaloboyinATL]

39 minutes ago, BCAS Baritone said:

Yes about the snow.  But wind is different - it pushes the ball some place that the QB doesn't want it to go.

 

Allen’s ball cuts through the wind, better than most. 

[zow2]

It’s funny, in other NFL cities people hear the weather forecast in OP and think wow, the Buffalo Bills are going to crush the Steelers in that tundra.  But here a lot of people are thinking the opposite and that we are doomed.  

[Figster]

1 minute ago, zow2 said:

It’s funny, in other NFL cities people hear the weather forecast in OP and think wow, the Buffalo Bills are going to crush the Steelers in that tundra.  But here a lot of people are thinking the opposite and that we are doomed.  

Weather helps the Steeler run game IMO. Hopefully we can counter with some down hill running of our own from Fornette. 

[buffblue]

1 minute ago, zow2 said:

It’s funny, in other NFL cities people hear the weather forecast in OP and think wow, the Buffalo Bills are going to crush the Steelers in that tundra.  But here a lot of people are thinking the opposite and that we are doomed.  

Agreed, but it's almost exclusively due to the opponent and both team's perceived strengths and weaknesses. If we had the same weather forecast and were playing Miami or Houston everyone would be feeling pretty good I'm guessing. The weather in Buffalo can be a blessing or curse

[Warcodered]

43 minutes ago, Aimee75 said:

Sometimes it's what he says, or doesn't say, or what he skates around. I remember him liking shady posts about Josh right after our season ended, and it was a lot of cryptic stuff after that. They did not speak in the off season. It was noted by some pundits. Josh flat out admitted they had a falling out but that they patched it up during training camp. Whatever it is still lingers, and I am not going to sit here and pretend or even allow myself to pretend things are awesome between the two. Stefs brother downright shades Josh while the season is still ongoing, and Stefon allows it. He(his brother) is essentially his mouthpiece and says what he might feel he can't right now. FWIW Gabe Davis's mother has been doing the same exact thing. Again, I know this will be met with some eyerolls and whatever, and I do love Stef the player and often the person, but I don't completely trust him. I have a feeling that is where Josh is at with him. I am fairly certain of how he will react on Social Media if our season ends, especially if it ends this Sunday. It won't be pretty, and his true colors will come out even louder as he is barely containing them right now. Maybe they are "locker room family" which is fine, but at one point I do believe they were very close. I don't sense that anymore.

Yeah these two don't get along at all. 🙄

[ALG1130]

6 minutes ago, Warcodered said:

Yeah these two don't get along at all. 🙄

Yeah, like I haven't seen this! Or any of the other clips of them "getting along". I already stated their "work relationship" is doing better these days than their "personal friendship", but winning cures all and losing brings out other things. Again, if we lose, this week? Next week? Don't make it to the big dance? You will see. For me personally, I have seen enough to know how it will go. 

 

Roll your eyes all you want, but after Stefon had to sit there and answer questions to the media about his brothers comments, his brother proceeded to do it again a few weeks later. They are close, super close, no doubt if Stefon disapproved of him saying those things, he would continue to do that. It speaks volumes. I am not sticking my head in the sand over this 🙄

Edited January 12 by Aimee75