Serious question - did you really think THIS was the team that would win a championship?

[JaCrispy]

No…too injured on defense and not enough talent on offense 

[ShakAttack]

2 minutes ago, Buffalo03 said:

Why couldn't they win it all? You do realize all it takes is to get to the playoffs and have some luck, right? I understand this wasn't our best team. But they absolutely should have won that game last night and absolutely could have beaten the Ravens and either one of the 49ers or Lions. We were good enough to do it. I think you're looking too deep into this. There have been many teams that have won Super Bowls that probably weren't as good as other teams that should have

And that is exactly why I am so amazed that KC constantly has luck on their side in the biggest moments.

 

I.e. the Chiefs were “lucky” that we did not throw the wide open underneath short pass to Diggs who had at least a first down on 2nd and 9 from the 25.  Who knows what happens from there?

[hikerprof2]

I believed they could go all the way this season, but not that they would.  We saw several versions of the Bills this year, with no consistency. The Bills that hammered Dallas and Miami in the first game could beat any team in the NFL.  There was also the Bills that lost to the jets and the pats, so they could lose to the worst teams in the NFL.  We had KC in a good position this year, as the game was at home and their receivers were not spectacular.  Sure, we had a banged up defense. The one miracle play in the game, Poyer's forced fumble, went our way.  35 years a Bills fan and all I want is for them to win one SB before I die.

[BBFL]

From where we were to claiming the #2 seed, finally getting KC @ Buffalo… yeah, I thought this was the year. 

Really believed they were going to overcome anything that went against them. 

[Buffalo03]

Just now, BobBelcher said:

And that is exactly why I am so amazed that KC constantly has luck on their side in the biggest moments.

 

I.e. the Chiefs were “lucky” that we did not throw the wide open underneath short pass to Diggs who had at least a first down on 2nd and 9 from the 25.  Who knows what happens from there?

Yes, the Chiefs were lucky that we didn't keep doing what worked all night long on offense. Which was taking what they gave us and going down the field. If Allen hits Diggs underneath, keeps running clock, and we get into the endzone with little time left, odds are we win the game. The Chiefs were also lucky we were missing Bernard and Benford which would have made a little bit of a difference. Bottom line, yes. This team should have won last night and could have beaten Baltimore as well as either the 49ers or Lions. You're telling me they couldn't?

[Ramza86]

Yes but not because of our roster but because of the rest of the leagues rosters. 

Every one of the teams that entered the playoffs were very beatable with our roster.

[vanislebills44]

at about 8 phone calls today from buds concerned for my sanity n well being, n about 10more from others snickering...gettin sick of it 

[MainEvent]

Yes! Any of the last 4 teams had the talent to win it all. There’s other factors.

[97bills]

1 hour ago, Lost said:

I thought going into this year that it was a slight setback season mostly because how difficult our schedule looked and not so much because of lack of talent.   I guess in the end the team performed above expectations or about as expected.  Had we not sustained so many injuries down the stretch I think the team would have overperformed my expectations for the season.    Looking at individual players, some have overperformed and a bunch more have underperformed this year.   The good news is the players that have played above expectations are all the young guys.  So we have a good foundation to build off of. 

 

Overperformers

Dalton Kincaid

O'cyrus Torrence

Kalil Shakir

Terrel Bernard

James Cook

Josh Allen

 

Underperformers

Gabe Davis

Dawson Knox

Deonte Harty

Stefon Diggs

Von Miller

Greg Rousseau

Tyler Bass

 

 

I really hope Greg Rousseau takes a big step, next year.. we need someone the defense can count on, every year in big playoff games our Dline gets pushed around. 

[Radar]

No. I said pretty much from early on this wasn't a Super Bowl team and that was before the injuries hit. A good to very good team not a championship team.

[TheBrownBear]

I liked our chances until the most recent spate of injuries.  I thought we had a puncher's chance if we could sneak by the Chiefs and get guys healthy before the Ravens.

[NeverOutNick]

These questions like “did you really think THIS was the team that would win a championship?” would be laughed out of the forum if we had Andy Reid as our HC. That team has nothing at WR but because their HC isn’t coasting through excuses year after year his fans don’t have to ask moronic questions like this because even if the team is less then, they still have a great coach and franchise quarterback. Fire McD already and let’s right the ship so we don’t have to worry about ludicrous questions like this when we have a once in a lifetime QB leading our team

[frostbitmic]

To be honest, I didn't think they'd win the Lombardi from the moment I saw the schedule. When I saw that the Bills got screwed out of a home game, to play a team in London that had been there a week and a half, I had bad feelings.

 

When I saw that, I turned to my google box to see how many teams that played in London went on to win the Super Bowl in the same season, and that number was 1 ... In the very first year they played in London, 2007, the Giants went on to beat the patriots. Hasn't happened since.

 

Last night the Bills lost to one of the top 2 teams in the AFC. I'd rank the Bills #4  behind the two remaining teams and a Bengals team they can't seem to beat.

 

I want to thank Tre', Dr. Poyer and Mr. Hyde for all they've done for this team, sadly I think their time here has come to an end.

[TheBrownBear]

22 minutes ago, BobBelcher said:

And that is exactly why I am so amazed that KC constantly has luck on their side in the biggest moments.

 

I.e. the Chiefs were “lucky” that we did not throw the wide open underneath short pass to Diggs who had at least a first down on 2nd and 9 from the 25.  Who knows what happens from there?

That's not luck.  That's execution.  More than anytime I can remember, luck was on our side last night.  All the fumbles went our way.  The Chiefs made more plays than us, as they have in all of our playoff losses.

[BillMafia716ix]

We were playing on borrowed time. I knew the injury bug would come back to bite us eventually . The fan in me was expecting us to overcome it but the realist in me is not surprised we lost. 
 

How the hell are we going to beat Andy Reid and Mahomes with 3rd and 4th string players on defense? Pipe dream. 

[Goin Breakdown]

I think this loss was going to happen given the injuries, drops and special team blunders that have been happening all year. I just didn't want it to be this game. Ok or any game. 

[Georgia Bill]

1 hour ago, Clyde Smith said:

Yes, it's not going to get easier next season.

The schedule sure looks easier.  But too early to tell what's going to go on in the offseason for us and our competition.

Edited January 23 by Georgia Bill
typo

[LABILLBACKER]

27 minutes ago, 97bills said:

I really hope Greg Rousseau takes a big step, next year.. we need someone the defense can count on, every year in big playoff games our Dline gets pushed around. 

I've given up ever expecting our DL to rise up in the playoffs against teams like KC or Cincy.  

[Best Williams Available]

1 hour ago, Steptide said:

Imo McDermott has taken alot more criticism than deserved. If anything, I think they failed with the sherfield and Harty signings. They litterally got nothing out of them. I'll say too that maybe McD held onto Dorsey longer than he should've. A full off season with Brady might change this offense alot. Who knows though 

Well he deserved a lot for blowing 3 winnable games for sure. This last one was not that, though.

 

The DL yesterday was abysmal and that is damning as it’s what McD/Beane have spent so much on while neglecting the WR room. Apart from Allen and the OL there isn’t another dominating group (maybe a full healthy LB core is another).

 

Personally I don’t want Brady back unless he wins a legit and thorough/extensive search. Dorsey making it through a lame search got them in the 6-6 position in the first place.

[DapperCam]

I think expectations any given year for a great team should be making the Divisional round. Football has too much luck, which combined with single elimination sends great teams home.

 

I would say the Bills actually accomplished pretty much exactly what their preseason expectations were. However, the fact that there are no great teams this year does make it feel like a missed opportunity. The Chiefs and Bengals from last year were better than any team in the AFC this year.