The last 5 years of Bills football

[Buffalo Boy]

33 minutes ago, 90sBills said:

Maybe next year the Bills can find a way to avoid Mahomes AND Burrow in the playoffs. They can surely make it with that scenario right?

“You gotta have faith.”

[FireChans]

25 minutes ago, freddyjj said:

Curious what those numbers would look like if filtered vs teams that made playoffs each year. And then add Bills playoff games.   Not sure it would look too good.

That’s the point?

 

”Aw man, it really sucks being the 4th best playoff team, I’m so happy our team is 5-11 and talking about taking a left tackle with the 4th overall pick”

 

- said nobody, ever.

11 minutes ago, BarleyNY said:

 

It’s almost as if there’s something holding back an otherwise stellar team. 

The rat and his handler.

[Boatdrinks]

It’s simple : they didn’t beat the team in front of them that was required to make a AFCCG /Super Bowl. That’s it. You only have to be better than your opponent on that day, but you only get that single day to do it. Simple , but not easy. Sometimes it’s matchups, others it’s finding a way to make one or two more plays than the other guy. Your regular season earns you a chance, but you only get one. 

[Mikie2times]

1 hour ago, C.Biscuit97 said:

Happiness is a product of your expectations. I might have killed a person (a bad one) to have this season during the drought years.  Now it’s like a bit of a wasted season 

You see the Lions fans feeling exactly how we did in 2019/2020. They finally broke thru. They’re all excited about the possibilities and will be happy win or lose. But like you said, at this point, it’s a Super Bowl or nothing every year for a lot of our outlooks. Which sure, we should have met at least once. But we didn’t and it really leaves us sort of miserable as we go down this journey. This is the most enjoyable period outside maybe the early 90s and sometimes it doesn't feel like it. 

Edited January 27 by Mikie2times

[HappyDays]

Yards per play given up in each of our last 5 playoff losses (kneeldowns excluded):

 

Chiefs 2024 - 8.5

Bengals 2023 - 6.0

Chiefs 2022 - 7.6

Chiefs 2021 - 7.4

Texans 2020 - 5.6

 

As a point of reference, the worst defense in the league this gave up 6.0 yards per play. Our best effort on here, 5.6 yards per play, would have ranked 27th.

 

So there are two possibilities to finally break through in the playoffs. Either our defense stops giving up historically bad yards per play, or we build up our offensive supporting cast so that it can consistently produce historically great yards per play. It's very hard to win games when your yards per play differential is negative.

[JTown]

The answer to this is simple. 

 

McDermott.   

 

While I am not on a crusade to see his head a platter,  he can not manage a game period.

 

He has done some good things here but I have wanted him gone since 13 seconds. 

 

Unfortunately,  it has gotten worse and I fully expect it to trend in that direction. 

 

 

[Livinginthepast]

The first loss vs Houston in 2019 was on the team being young and inexperienced. The 2020 loss in KC was similar. But the last 3:

 

2021 13 seconds is completely on McD, Frazier and the STs coach

 

2022 Injuries and a drama filled season hurt us but the McD, Frazier and Dorsey complete failed in preparation, attitude and execution to prepare for the Bengals in the playoff game and to deal with the weather in our own house!!

 

2023 Injuries hurt us badly but in the end its the coaching and decision making in the last 2 minutes of the KC playoff game which sealed our fate.

 

Not getting to the SB at least once is unacceptable. McD is a good coach but has blown our chances 3/5 times.

Edited January 27 by Livinginthepast

[Since1981]

McD is not a top 15 HC. 

Look at what’s happening with HCs (Harbaugh, Billacheat). Put it this way, if McD were on his sofa, would he get a new HC gig? I don’t think so. Fine DC, Ops Mgr but bad O, OC, game Mgr. 
 

it will be tough to overcome the final 8 with McD

[njbuff]

Problem is…..

 

the toughest opponent for the Bills has been the BILLS.

 

If you can’t stop beating yourself, you ain’t beating any quality team in the playoffs. Hence the CONTINUOUS playoff disappointments, WTH no end in sight.

 

Josh being a one man gang won’t get it done.

[ChronicAndKnuckles]

2 hours ago, C.Biscuit97 said:

How did we not make a Super Bowl: 

https://www.statmuse.com/nfl/ask/most-total-nfl-wins-last-5-years
 

- second in wins

- 5th in points/ game

- 1st in points allowed/ game 

- 3rd in first downs 

- 2nd in 3rd down conversion %
 

honestly, I have absolutely loved this ride. To have an amazing qb where playoffs are a given every year is such an amazing feeling. But man, a team with that resume should have made more than one championship game. 😢 

just wanted to bum everyone out on a Saturday morning. 

Peyton Manning considered a top 3 QB of all time only won 2 himself, the last one being carried by an insanely good Bronco’s defense. Not to mention Elway, Favre, Brees are top 10 QBs and only have one a piece as well. People don’t understand how hard it is to win it all even with an elite QB. 

[st pete gogolak]

More fun facts: 24 regular season losses over the last five years.  Of those losses, only six have been by more than one score.  Five post-season losses.  Two by more than one score.  Zero and four OT record in regular season; 0 - 2 OT record in the playoffs.  
 

Only one regular season loss in the last three years by more than one score.  That’s a really remarkable stat.

[Rocky Landing]

Every season, there are 31 teams that are failures.

[st pete gogolak]

20 minutes ago, ChronicAndKnuckles said:

Peyton Manning considered a top 3 QB of all time only won 2 himself, the last one being carried by an insanely good Bronco’s defense. Not to mention Elway, Favre, Brees are top 10 QBs and only have one a piece as well. People don’t understand how hard it is to win it all even with an elite QB. 

Elway won two.

[Rocky Landing]

1 minute ago, st pete gogolak said:

More fun facts: 24 regular season losses over the last five years.  Of those losses, only six have been by more than one score.  Five post-season losses.  Two by more than one score.  Zero and four OT record in regular season; 0 - 2 OT record in the playoffs.  
 

Only one regular season loss in the last three years by more than one score.  That’s a really remarkable stat.

You mean, "couldn't win the close games."

[st pete gogolak]

1 hour ago, HappyDays said:

Yards per play given up in each of our last 5 playoff losses (kneeldowns excluded):

 

Chiefs 2024 - 8.5

Bengals 2023 - 6.0

Chiefs 2022 - 7.6

Chiefs 2021 - 7.4

Texans 2020 - 5.6

 

As a point of reference, the worst defense in the league this gave up 6.0 yards per play. Our best effort on here, 5.6 yards per play, would have ranked 27th.

 

So there are two possibilities to finally break through in the playoffs. Either our defense stops giving up historically bad yards per play, or we build up our offensive supporting cast so that it can consistently produce historically great yards per play. It's very hard to win games when your yards per play differential is negative.

Correcto Mundo!  Staggeringly bad numbers.

[ChronicAndKnuckles]

44 minutes ago, st pete gogolak said:

Elway won two.

Oops 

[Mister Defense]

3 hours ago, Process said:

One AFC championship appearance in that span is unacceptable. 

 

And I honestly don't think McDermott is anywhere close to being on the hot seat. 

 

 

Yup, thank God that the Pegulas and Bean have a brain in their heads and know when they have a superb head coach.

[Success]

1 hour ago, Since1981 said:

McD is not a top 15 HC. 

Look at what’s happening with HCs (Harbaugh, Billacheat). Put it this way, if McD were on his sofa, would he get a new HC gig? I don’t think so. Fine DC, Ops Mgr but bad O, OC, game Mgr. 
 

it will be tough to overcome the final 8 with McD

 

I've been vocal that we should hire someone else this offseason - but only because of the coaches who are available.  It's rare to have this many proven coaches out there.

 

But, I disagree that he is not top 15, and would even argue that he is top 10.  Coaching in the league is simply not very good.  Reid, Harbaugh & Demeco Ryans are excellent, imo.  After that, it drops off.  Sirianni was hot last year, but his team totally fizzled this year.  McDaniel was hyped, but I wouldn't want him.  I like Dan Campbell, but he still has to prove he can get to a SB also.  Pederson won a SB, but really squandered a talented Jags team this season.  

 

Like, who is that much better than McDermott out of maybe a top 5-7 guys?  He's a solid coach. And he would for sure be a hot candidate if he were available.

 

[st pete gogolak]

9 minutes ago, Success said:

 

I've been vocal that we should hire someone else this offseason - but only because of the coaches who are available.  It's rare to have this many proven coaches out there.

 

But, I disagree that he is not top 15, and would even argue that he is top 10.  Coaching in the league is simply not very good.  Reid, Harbaugh & Demeco Ryans are excellent, imo.  After that, it drops off.  Sirianni was hot last year, but his team totally fizzled this year.  McDaniel was hyped, but I wouldn't want him.  I like Dan Campbell, but he still has to prove he can get to a SB also.  Pederson won a SB, but really squandered a talented Jags team this season.  

 

Like, who is that much better than McDermott out of maybe a top 5-7 guys?  He's a solid coach. And he would for sure be a hot candidate if he were available.

 

I’d certainly add McVay to that list.  Peyton?  Tomlin is a McDermott clone with a SB ring.

[Bills fan since 87]

3 hours ago, Nephilim17 said:

You got it. We've been a very good team with a great QB that's very good in the regular season but not great in clutch playoff games.

 

Yes, it beats the drought years, but the funny thing with expectations is the higher you set them the more disappointing it is not to make them.

 

So, in a weird way losing in the playoffs hurts a lot more than not making them.

 

This is a good point.  Not only do expectations lend themselves to greater disappointment but the weekly wins are severely dulled.  During the drought a big win made my week.  I rode that wave of joy for days in the hopes of this being the year we would win enough of these that we make the playoffs.

 

Not any more, and especially now.  Off two straight divisional playoff losses AT HOME (!?) all I will think about is playoffs and if we finally break through.  With optimistic anticipation and dread in my gut the whole time as weeks 1-17 roll by.  The weekly joy is gone.  With all that said.  This clearly is still the better place to be.  But this is the reality I will live until we finally break through, or return to the doldrums and expectations are lowered.