THE ROCKPILE REVIEW - Two Weeks Later

[Shaw66]

This is either the last Rockpile Review for the 2023 season, or the first for 2024.  I’m not sure, and that’s as good a place to start as any. 

 

I’ve mentioned before that my attitude about the games and the seasons seems to have changed over the past year.  I love watching, I love the winning, and the losing doesn’t bother me all that much.  It’s an odd feeling, because I used to fret about the losses for days and remember details for weeks or more.  Not any more.  Now, when the Bills lose, I just move on to what’s next, both in my personal life and in my Bills fan life.

 

For the 2023 season, I didn’t feel compelled to write about every game, or to write about the end of the season.  The game was the game, everyone saw it, a lot of people had interesting comments, and it didn’t seem necessary to add anything.  We all saw the drop or the interception or the mismanaged clock or whatever, and we all saw Josh Allen.  I often felt that I had nothing to add.  (Except, of course, it always feels like there's one more thing to say about Josh.)

 

And then the Bills lost to the Chiefs.  I was there, I drove home the next day, and by then, I didn’t have much to say.  Sitting in the stands, it’s often easy to lose details in the flow of the game, details that somehow stand out better when I watch on TV.  Plus, I hadn’t seen why Allen’s throw to Shakir was short, so I had nothing to say about the most important play of the game.  And so, no Rockpile Review.

 

Then, the Conference Championship games and the Super Bowl, but all of that was just of casual importance to me.  The season was over, and I was ready to move on.  The only interest I had in the Super Bowl was that the Chiefs blow out the Niners, preserving for Bills fans the cheap thrill of claiming that the Bills were the second best team in the league.  Overtime or not, I still make the claim.

 

Then, two weeks went by, and it seems to me like it’s been a month or two.  A month or two since Mahomes did what he seemingly always does, unless someone like Bass does something like Bass did, in which case Mahomes doesn’t have to be Mahomes, he just takes a knee. 

 

From here, how and why the Bills didn’t do what we wanted, needed, them to do doesn’t matter to me all that much.  It’s time to move on.  New season, new roster, same hill to climb. 

 

I won’t speculate on free agents coming and going, and I certainly won’t speculate on the draft.  That’s for Beane and McDermott’  I’ll be curious to see the products of their work, and what it tells us about their approach to 2024.  I expect I’ll like the roster, and I expect the Bills to compete for the Lombardi.  The 2024 Bills will be better than the 2023 version.

 

In the meantime, there’s nothing for me to do in the dead silence that is the world of football at this time of year.   When does training camp open?

 

 

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

The Rockpile Review is written to share the passion we have for the Buffalo Bills. That passion was born in the Rockpile; its parents were everyday people of western New York who translated their dedication to a full day’s hard work and simple pleasures into love for a pro football team.

 

 

[Beast]

I believe next year is our time to shine and raise the Lombardi.

 

Nothing more to say than that.

[Blackbeard]

Great write up. Love it.  Comforting in a way. 
 

thanks!

[Another Fan]

I guess Shaw meant two weeks from the Super Bowl.

 

 

The season was dead to me January 21st which is now 4 weeks.

 

 

More to life than football for me: days are getting longer, sun is literally shining more,  and baseball starts soon.  I made my peace with the Bills this year.  

[amprov56]

1 hour ago, Shaw66 said:

This is either the last Rockpile Review for the 2023 season, or the first for 2024.  I’m not sure, and that’s as good a place to start as any. 

 

I’ve mentioned before that my attitude about the games and the seasons seems to have changed over the past year.  I love watching, I love the winning, and the losing doesn’t bother me all that much.  It’s an odd feeling, because I used to fret about the losses for days and remember details for weeks or more.  Not any more.  Now, when the Bills lose, I just move on to what’s next, both in my personal life and in my Bills fan life.

 

For the 2023 season, I didn’t feel compelled to write about every game, or to write about the end of the season.  The game was the game, everyone saw it, a lot of people had interesting comments, and it didn’t seem necessary to add anything.  We all saw the drop or the interception or the mismanaged clock or whatever, and we all saw Josh Allen.  I often felt that I had nothing to add.  (Except, of course, it always feels like there's one more thing to say about Josh.)

 

And then the Bills lost to the Chiefs.  I was there, I drove home the next day, and by then, I didn’t have much to say.  Sitting in the stands, it’s often easy to lose details in the flow of the game, details that somehow stand out better when I watch on TV.  Plus, I hadn’t seen why Allen’s throw to Shakir was short, so I had nothing to say about the most important play of the game.  And so, no Rockpile Review.

 

Then, the Conference Championship games and the Super Bowl, but all of that was just of casual importance to me.  The season was over, and I was ready to move on.  The only interest I had in the Super Bowl was that the Chiefs blow out the Niners, preserving for Bills fans the cheap thrill of claiming that the Bills were the second best team in the league.  Overtime or not, I still make the claim.

 

Then, two weeks went by, and it seems to me like it’s been a month or two.  A month or two since Mahomes did what he seemingly always does, unless someone like Bass does something like Bass did, in which case Mahomes doesn’t have to be Mahomes, he just takes a knee. 

 

From here, how and why the Bills didn’t do what we wanted, needed, them to do doesn’t matter to me all that much.  It’s time to move on.  New season, new roster, same hill to climb. 

 

I won’t speculate on free agents coming and going, and I certainly won’t speculate on the draft.  That’s for Beane and McDermott’  I’ll be curious to see the products of their work, and what it tells us about their approach to 2024.  I expect I’ll like the roster, and I expect the Bills to compete for the Lombardi.  The 2024 Bills will be better than the 2023 version.

 

In the meantime, there’s nothing for me to do in the dead silence that is the world of football at this time of year.   When does training camp open?

 

 

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

The Rockpile Review is written to share the passion we have for the Buffalo Bills. That passion was born in the Rockpile; its parents were everyday people of western New York who translated their dedication to a full day’s hard work and simple pleasures into love for a pro football team.

 

 

As always, great post. For those who have not been around since the beginning, these are good times and we will get there!

[Success]

My entire life as a fan has been "next season - that's the one!"

 

The biggest difference now is that it really could be, and can be for at least another decade or so.  I mean, I was saying the same when we picked up Orton, and were having debates about Losman vs. Edwards.

 

At least now, we know we'll be in the mix.  It's not some vain, crazy hope.

 

[BillsPride12]

1 hour ago, Another Fan said:

I guess Shaw meant two weeks from the Super Bowl.

 

 

The season was dead to me January 21st which is now 4 weeks.

 

 

More to life than football for me: days are getting longer, sun is literally shining more,  and baseball starts soon.  I made my peace with the Bills this year.  

I still watched the Conference games and the Super Bowl but I completely agree.  Football season is great but I don't miss it until it comes back.  It's been great having more time over the weekends to get stuff done, exercise more, eat healthier, relax etc.  I'm not too into baseball but the NHL playoffs are great and for me this time of the year is about counting down to golf season.  I totally get Bills fandom but I feel sad for those that are feeling lost when football season is over.  There's a big world out there with plenty of interesting hobbies, passions, and other things to get invested into. 

[Shaw66]

16 minutes ago, Success said:

My entire life as a fan has been "next season - that's the one!"

 

The biggest difference now is that it really could be, and can be for at least another decade or so.  I mean, I was saying the same when we picked up Orton, and were having debates about Losman vs. Edwards.

 

At least now, we know we'll be in the mix.  It's not some vain, crazy hope.

 

Exactly.  It's really different now.  

 

Losman vs. Edwards.  My, my.

[mushypeaches]

18 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

Exactly.  It's really different now.  

 

Losman vs. Edwards.  My, my.

Let’s hope we never have to make an awful no-win choice like that again

[sfbillsfan]

28 weeks from tonight we'll be reading Shaw's 1st Rockpile Review of the season, but who's counting.

[LeGOATski]

Same feelings from me. It's the most wonderful time to be a Bills fan.

[mrags]

Yeah. There’s always next year. It’s our year. Always the story with these guys. At least we’re relevant now vs when we were fighting for the 15th pick overall every single year. Enjoy the games and watching a future HOF QB. But hopes aren’t high that it ever gets done. They are saying all the right things heading into the draft this season, they finally acknowledge they need explosive plays on offense. So watch them take a CB or DE with the first few picks and “splurge” on a 3rd or 4th rd WR. Just like always. Really hope I’m wrong. Please Beane, prove me wrong. 

[<bills4life>]

15 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

This is either the last Rockpile Review for the 2023 season, or the first for 2024.  I’m not sure, and that’s as good a place to start as any. 

 

I’ve mentioned before that my attitude about the games and the seasons seems to have changed over the past year.  I love watching, I love the winning, and the losing doesn’t bother me all that much.  It’s an odd feeling, because I used to fret about the losses for days and remember details for weeks or more.  Not any more.  Now, when the Bills lose, I just move on to what’s next, both in my personal life and in my Bills fan life.

 

For the 2023 season, I didn’t feel compelled to write about every game, or to write about the end of the season.  The game was the game, everyone saw it, a lot of people had interesting comments, and it didn’t seem necessary to add anything.  We all saw the drop or the interception or the mismanaged clock or whatever, and we all saw Josh Allen.  I often felt that I had nothing to add.  (Except, of course, it always feels like there's one more thing to say about Josh.)

 

And then the Bills lost to the Chiefs.  I was there, I drove home the next day, and by then, I didn’t have much to say.  Sitting in the stands, it’s often easy to lose details in the flow of the game, details that somehow stand out better when I watch on TV.  Plus, I hadn’t seen why Allen’s throw to Shakir was short, so I had nothing to say about the most important play of the game.  And so, no Rockpile Review.

 

Then, the Conference Championship games and the Super Bowl, but all of that was just of casual importance to me.  The season was over, and I was ready to move on.  The only interest I had in the Super Bowl was that the Chiefs blow out the Niners, preserving for Bills fans the cheap thrill of claiming that the Bills were the second best team in the league.  Overtime or not, I still make the claim.

 

Then, two weeks went by, and it seems to me like it’s been a month or two.  A month or two since Mahomes did what he seemingly always does, unless someone like Bass does something like Bass did, in which case Mahomes doesn’t have to be Mahomes, he just takes a knee. 

 

From here, how and why the Bills didn’t do what we wanted, needed, them to do doesn’t matter to me all that much.  It’s time to move on.  New season, new roster, same hill to climb. 

 

I won’t speculate on free agents coming and going, and I certainly won’t speculate on the draft.  That’s for Beane and McDermott’  I’ll be curious to see the products of their work, and what it tells us about their approach to 2024.  I expect I’ll like the roster, and I expect the Bills to compete for the Lombardi.  The 2024 Bills will be better than the 2023 version.

 

In the meantime, there’s nothing for me to do in the dead silence that is the world of football at this time of year.   When does training camp open?

 

 

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

The Rockpile Review is written to share the passion we have for the Buffalo Bills. That passion was born in the Rockpile; its parents were everyday people of western New York who translated their dedication to a full day’s hard work and simple pleasures into love for a pro football team.

 

 

You have way more faith than I do.  A lot can change between now and opening day.  But one common denominator remains and that’s McDermott. His playoff game day coaching is enough to get us eliminated each and every year.  Divisional playoff loss here we come.  0-6 vs teams who have won their division in playoffs. Not good.

[Ray Stonada]

I have had the same experience, the games come and go and I don't obsess about the losses as much anymore. I think 13 seconds, and then the Bengals letdown kind of broke my optimism.

 

I was also at the Chiefs playoff game and it was such a strange feeling, filing out with so many thousands of fans. Like it just ended so quickly, and we didn't have much to say. Everyone was mostly just quiet.

 

I really feel like we can get a deep threat with great hands and we can take home the trophy next year. GO BILLS.

 

 

[gjv]

Based on the current cap situation and unrestricted free agents on the roster, I think Beane and McDermott earn beyond their contacts to make the 2024 Bills team better than the 2023 team.

[stuvian]

We host the Chiefs and 49ers in 2024. Good measuring sticks.

 

If we think the Chiefs are smug now, wait until they start talking three peat. They will make the 16 - 0 Pats look humble by compare.

 

I'd like nothing more than to see Clappy dedicate the season to wiping that smile off their face. We can't rule out a post season reunion with Burrow and the Bengals with whom we have some unfinished business.

 

https://www.buffalobills.com/schedule/future-opponents