THE ROCKPILE REVIEW – A Football Day

[Don Otreply]

Thanks, fun read, 👍

[BritBill]

Brilliant thoughts and words @Shaw66 

 

For me you got across the essence and emotion of watching a big live sporting occasion which will always trump watching on television. Being in attendance to witness first hand a great sporting moment and the feelings it promotes can very rarely be beaten in my eyes.  

[JakeFrommStateFarm]

Great writeup @Shaw66

 

It read like a novel and I really liked hearing about your day.

 

Thanks for sharing. I felt like I was there too !

[Saxum]

13 hours ago, 27yankees said:

Great report, no stadium scene for me. Live in Nebraska and have to deal with all Chefs(not a mis-spell) fans!! Folks here like to eat, especially BBQ!!! Bills fan for more than 50 years and witnessed the 31-7 smack down from Lenny Dawson and the group. Blahhhhhhhh!!! So it's always great to see them lose. 

 

I think it would be a great new name for team if they got pressured to change name like WTF (Washington Team Football) did. 

 

Maybe they can find a company to pay for new team NAME and save their fans from having to pay PSLs for new stadium.

In the old days many football teams were named after companies.

[NC Lifelong Bills fan]

You really pulled me into your narrative and I relived last Sunday through your eyes. For me, I was calmer than I’ve been in the last 5 years watching a game, but at the end I was exhausted and hoarse. One question, since you were at the game: did the crowd stand for the whole game? On my tv, it looked like they were on their feet. Thanks to you, I  rewatched the game vicariously. I look for your write ups after every game, as I have for many years.
 

One aside, my parrot, Homer, loves sports in general, and he reacts to all crowd noise at any tv sports event, football, hockey, baseball, soccer. On Sunday when the game was on, there were an unusual amount of “woo-hoos.” He says “ I love Josh,” and “Go Bills,” and “first down,” and “touchdown!” When we score, he shouts “touchdown” and jumps up and down and ruffles his wings. Sometimes he says, “Oh sh*t” right after a score, a very bad habit from the last five years when touchdowns have been called back and field goals missed. Less swearing so far this year. Wonder where he learned how to swear???

 

Go Bills! from Winston-Salem, NC.

 

 

[Shaw66]

2 hours ago, NC Lifelong Bills fan said:

You really pulled me into your narrative and I relived last Sunday through your eyes. For me, I was calmer than I’ve been in the last 5 years watching a game, but at the end I was exhausted and hoarse. One question, since you were at the game: did the crowd stand for the whole game? On my tv, it looked like they were on their feet. Thanks to you, I  rewatched the game vicariously. I look for your write ups after every game, as I have for many years.
 

One aside, my parrot, Homer, loves sports in general, and he reacts to all crowd noise at any tv sports event, football, hockey, baseball, soccer. On Sunday when the game was on, there were an unusual amount of “woo-hoos.” He says “ I love Josh,” and “Go Bills,” and “first down,” and “touchdown!” When we score, he shouts “touchdown” and jumps up and down and ruffles his wings. Sometimes he says, “Oh sh*t” right after a score, a very bad habit from the last five years when touchdowns have been called back and field goals missed. Less swearing so far this year. Wonder where he learned how to swear???

 

Go Bills! from Winston-Salem, NC.

 

 

Love the parrot story, thanks!

 

Was the crowd standing.  Truth is, I don't know.  In the Club seats, people stand for opening kickoff, big third downs or other big plays. Most of the rest of the time, even when the Bills are on defense, they sit. That's fine with me. 

 

When I look at the lower bowl, it usually looks to me like everyone is standing. I didn't actually look on Sunday, but I went through the entire game assuming they were standing!

 

Bottom line - the crowd on Sunday was about as energized as I've seen. 

[oldmanfan]

Another Shaw gem.

[Shaw66]

I want to add something else about the game itself, not the experience. 

 

Tuesday night I watched the replay of the game on the NFL Network. Every few minutes, I'd have the same thought: The Bills are really good. 

 

The Bills now are the team that McDermott always envisioned: They play a total team game, and a team that plays like that is very tough to beat. 

 

Where it's easiest to see is on defense. The Bills' defense makes it hard to play, every down. Even on completed passes, one or two defenders are right there, making a play on the ball and then making the tackle. In the red zone, they make it really hard to score. Running the ball into the end zone from the two-yard line against the Bills seems almost impossible. Even when the Chiefs scored, it was just barely. 

 

Essentially what they do on defense is have eleven guys spread around the field with assignments that allow the team, collectively, to cover every place on the field. Each guy knows his assignment and executes.

 

And they tackle! Hunt broke through for a 15-yard run or so, and Rapp made a textbook tackle. Cam Lewis flashed. The reason Bills fans, including me, were underwhelmed by Rousseau for the past few seasons is that he doesn't make the highlight-reel play very often. What he does do, however, is execute his assignment flawlessly, with speed, size, and strength. He's rushing the passer, he's stopping the run, he's controlling the edge. 

 

Bernard is the ringmaster, completely in charge. 

 

It's a phenomenal team defense. 

 

And the offense has the same characteristics. Everyone blocks. The pass protection is excellent. Even when it isn't working, they keep running the ball, because the constant threat of the run challenges the defense in ways that create openings to throw the ball. The Bills always seem ready to attack where the defense is weak. 

 

Allen seems to be becoming what we'd always hoped and expected. He's a field general who sees and reads defenses. The offense works its way down the field relentlessly, because Allen always knows where to go with the ball. And then, on the four or five or six plays when the Bills really need it, he takes off the horned-rim glasses and the Clark Kent business suit and becomes Superman. There is only one other Superman in the league, Lamar Jackson the Ravens offense is good but not so persistently effective as the Bills offense. 

 

The NFL is so competitive that teams (other than the Lions) can't dominate play after play after play, and the Bills can't either. But the Bills are IN every play. If they don't make the play, they come close. It's really impressive. And they're about to bring Kincaid, Coleman, and Milano back to the lineup, and to get Cooper fully integrated and at full-speed, all playing the same kind of team game but with the ability to make the special play from time to time. 

 

I think we're looking forward to a couple of exciting months.  

[JP51]

Kinda felt like I was there with you LOL... nicely done

[Olliemets]

Beautiful prose !!! Thank you for for making me feel like I was there!

[Ayjent]

The Bills are a fun team to watch and I’m not sure that any team matches up with KC better than the Bills.  I would have loved to be at the game, because I’m guessing that was a pumped up crowd.  The last time I went to a game that big may have been when the Bills beat the Dolphins for the AFC East title in 1990.  I know it wasn’t tear the goal posts down type of game but all bets are off for the goalposts staying up if that’s the same outcome in AFC CG. 

[Shaw66]

On 11/21/2024 at 5:09 PM, Ayjent said:

The Bills are a fun team to watch and I’m not sure that any team matches up with KC better than the Bills.  I would have loved to be at the game, because I’m guessing that was a pumped up crowd.  The last time I went to a game that big may have been when the Bills beat the Dolphins for the AFC East title in 1990.  I know it wasn’t tear the goal posts down type of game but all bets are off for the goalposts staying up if that’s the same outcome in AFC CG. 

Man, I would hope Buffalo is cool enough not to tear down goalposts. Act like you've been there, and all that.  Still, I hear you.

[AmishRifle]

@Shaw66 well written and absolutely spot on.  I was at the game as well. Was surprised by the light traffic upon arrival the same as you, everyone was already there!  Our tailgating experience was grabbing a couple free Labatts lights from Canadians who had to get rid of the Zubaz striped 12 packs they were carrying around before entering the gate.  Amazing time!

[Dr. Who]

On 11/21/2024 at 10:26 AM, Shaw66 said:

The NFL is so competitive that teams (other than the Lions) can't dominate play after play after play, and the Bills can't either. But the Bills are IN every play. If they don't make the play, they come close. It's really impressive. And they're about to bring Kincaid, Coleman, and Milano back to the lineup, and to get Cooper fully integrated and at full-speed, all playing the same kind of team game but with the ability to make the special play from time to time. 

 

I think we're looking forward to a couple of exciting months.  

Carter, too. I don't want to say too much, because I'm superstitious and afraid of jinxes. Let's just say, sneaky hope is getting stronger.

[Sweats]

The game reminded me of back in the Kelly era when me and my buddies would all head over to Taps (our causal watering hole) at noon every Sunday, order wings and beer and watch the game. We were laid back, relaxed and yet, excited for the 1pm games, which eventually led to us hanging around for the 4pm games.

Taps had multiple tv screens on every wall (probably around 100 tv's in all) mounted everywhere and playing every sport imaginable, but the NFL was the highlight for Sundays and we capitalized on it every weekend.

 

The KC game this past weekend just felt different. It felt like the Bills expected they would win and they had an absolutely brilliant game plan on every phase.

[stuvian]

a wonderful account of a very significant win