12/15/24 Week 15 Bills @ Lions Game Post Game Thread

[Logic]

All that's really on my mind today is this offense and this quarterback. 

There were tons of things about the game that mattered. Those first.

- Getting off to a fast start was HUGE

- Ed Oliver (most pressures by a DT in a single game this season) and others collapsing the pocket in the first half

- Run defense came to PLAY! When was the last time you remember Gibbs/Montgomery being bottled up like that?!

- Johnson and Knox making fingertip catches on slightly overthrown balls in two HUGE moments. If one or both don't succeed, it's possible the Bills lose. Game of inches.

- Offensive line showed up. After our running game was completely stymied last week, this week, our guys were ripping off six yard runs with ease

- Three-headed running back stable is very good. Each offer something different

- Speaking of which, a special shoutout again to Ty Johnson. As Josh Allen said: "Best third down back in the league". Sounds crazy, but is it?

- Hats off to Kaiir Elam. Not a perfect game, but he was not a liability out there. Acquitted himself well

- Good thing the team got off to a fast start, because our MASH unit defense was just barely hanging on by the end

- Joe Brady was an another level. He used the QB run the most effectively I've seen it used all season, and the Lions D was on its heels all game

- Loved how aggressive McDermott/Brady/Allen were at the end of the game on offense. Elite coaching there

- You just knew early on that this was gonna be one of THOSE games for Josh. Historic stuff

 

But all of that said -- the defense being amazing and then having to hang by the skin of their teeth, the high degree of difficulty on the fingertip grabs, the play by both lines, the onsides kicks, etc, etc -- it still all comes back to this QB and this offense.

The Bills, with eight straight games of 30+ points have joined elite offensive company. The Greatest Show on Turf Rams, the Brady/Moss Pats, the Manning Broncos....and the 2024 Buffalo Bills. That's the list.

It is not hyperbole at this point to say this at least MAY BE the greatest offensive season in Bills history. Certainly Brady is playing a big part in that. Certainly our offensive line and Kromer are playing a big part in that. Certainly our unselfish group of skill players are doing their share.

But the main reason for it? We all know. It's #17. The greatest quarterback and, I would say, greatest overall football player on planet earth right now. He's on another level. He's the MVP. He's the catalyst for this absolute juggernaut of an offense.

With this QB playing this way, and with this offense scoring at the frenetic pace that it is...they can beat any team in the league. They have ALREADY beat the best team in the NFC and the "best" team in the AFC. They've just gotta stay reasonably healthy and keep it up. If they do? It is not unreasonable at all to suggest they have what it takes to hoist the Lombardi.

 

[TedWilliamsFrozenHead]

14 hours ago, The Helmet of said:

The time keeper is a Lions fan.

Home field advantage 😉

[drummernut74]

Most important thing McD said in the Post Game Locker Room Speech.  "We had a different kind of focus this week ... and this is what we need moving forward".  Has the lightbulb finally gone on as to how we really need to be to get over the hump??!!  

Edited December 16 by drummernut74

[Orlando Buffalo]

2 hours ago, BuffaloBaumer said:

I know this is sarcasm but he did set an all-time record. No quarterback in history had ever thrown for over 250 yards and run for two touchdowns in the first half.

It was sarcasm but seriously it is almost a guaranteed it will be weekly now.

[Motorin']

9 minutes ago, Logic said:

All that's really on my mind today is this offense and this quarterback. 

There were tons of things about the game that mattered. Those first.

- Getting off to a fast start was HUGE

- Ed Oliver (most pressures by a DT in a single game this season) and others collapsing the pocket in the first half

- Run defense came to PLAY! When was the last time you remember Gibbs/Montgomery being bottled up like that?!

- Johnson and Knox making fingertip catches on slightly overthrown balls in two HUGE moments. If one or both don't succeed, it's possible the Bills lose. Game of inches.

- Offensive line showed up. After our running game was completely stymied last week, this week, our guys were ripping off six yard runs with ease

- Three-headed running back stable is very good. Each offer something different

- Speaking of which, a special shoutout again to Ty Johnson. As Josh Allen said: "Best third down back in the league". Sounds crazy, but is it?

- Hats off to Kaiir Elam. Not a perfect game, but he was not a liability out there. Acquitted himself well

- Good thing the team got off to a fast start, because our MASH unit defense was just barely hanging on by the end

- Joe Brady was an another level. He used the QB run the most effectively I've seen it used all season, and the Lions D was on its heels all game

- Loved how aggressive McDermott/Brady/Allen were at the end of the game on offense. Elite coaching there

- You just knew early on that this was gonna be one of THOSE games for Josh. Historic stuff

 

But all of that said -- the defense being amazing and then having to hang by the skin of their teeth, the high degree of difficulty on the fingertip grabs, the play by both lines, the onsides kicks, etc, etc -- it still all comes back to this QB and this offense.

The Bills, with eight straight games of 30+ points have joined elite offensive company. The Greatest Show on Turf Rams, the Brady/Moss Pats, the Manning Broncos....and the 2024 Buffalo Bills. That's the list.

It is not hyperbole at this point to say this at least MAY BE the greatest offensive season in Bills history. Certainly Brady is playing a big part in that. Certainly our offensive line and Kromer are playing a big part in that. Certainly our unselfish group of skill players are doing their share.

But the main reason for it? We all know. It's #17. The greatest quarterback and, I would say, greatest overall football player on planet earth right now. He's on another level. He's the MVP. He's the catalyst for this absolute juggernaut of an offense.

With this QB playing this way, and with this offense scoring at the frenetic pace that it is...they can beat any team in the league. They have ALREADY beat the best team in the NFC and the "best" team in the AFC. They've just gotta stay reasonably healthy and keep it up. If they do? It is not unreasonable at all to suggest they have what it takes to hoist the Lombardi.

 

 

Yeah, scoring on the first 2 drives while stopping the Lions on their first 2 drives was the difference in what ending up being a 6 point game. 

[DrDawkinstein]

4 minutes ago, drummernut74 said:

Most important thing McD said in the Post Game Locker Room Speech.  "We had a different kind of focus this week ... and this is what we need moving forward".  Has the lightbulb finally gone on as to how we really need to be to get over the hump??!!  

 

Just need to dial it in for 7 more games. This team is absolutely capable of going on an 8 game streak. Hopefully starting now.

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

1 hour ago, wjag said:

This is probably an unlikely take.

 

I was glad they didn't throw the hail mary at the end of the half.  It was likely to be intercepted and I didn't want that to mar Josh's MVP season.  

I too was glad. But I was glad because it would have resulted in a Billsy 108 yard return for a pick-6.

[drummernut74]

3 minutes ago, DrDawkinstein said:

 

Just need to dial it in for 7 more games. This team is absolutely capable of going on an 8 game streak. Hopefully starting now.

The hidden value of this game and last week can't be underestimated

[Sestak4ever]

Great game! I thought both Elam and Cam Lewis were a big liability, especially their tackling. Too many times the Lions broke off for first downs or to get out of bounds. I also think our offensive line is underrated. They are slowly gaining recognition, but they have been outstanding! Go Bills!! 🏈

[Logic]

As I saw on Twitter last night:

The Bills scored 48 points and didn't target Amari Cooper a single time.

Simply amazing.

As one of the most outspokenly irritated and flummoxed people on this forum all offseason with regard to the receiver room: Holy *****. What else can I say about this offensive production? Just....holy *****.

[Coffeesforclosers]

7 minutes ago, Logic said:

As I saw on Twitter last night:

The Bills scored 48 points and didn't target Amari Cooper a single time.

Simply amazing.

As one of the most outspokenly irritated and flummoxed people on this forum all offseason with regard to the receiver room: Holy *****. What else can I say about this offensive production? Just....holy *****.

 

Brady has the same offensive production so far as the '00 Rams and the '07 Patriots.

 

...but the only HOF caliber player on the offense is JA.

[Dillenger4]

8 minutes ago, Logic said:

As I saw on Twitter last night:

The Bills scored 48 points and didn't target Amari Cooper a single time.

Simply amazing.

As one of the most outspokenly irritated and flummoxed people on this forum all offseason with regard to the receiver room: Holy *****. What else can I say about this offensive production? Just....holy *****.

Ty Johnson baby!

[Rochesterfan]

26 minutes ago, Coach Tuesday said:

 

Spector was horrendous yesterday.  He almost single-handedly let the Lions back into the game.  They just went after his area with abandon.

 

You mean exactly what we did against the Lions - found the weak LB that is a back-up and attack him.  This is an issue, but it is across the board - Spector is a 3rd LB and not even a primary weakside back-up behind Milano and Williams - he is more designed to be behind Bernard.

 

Little you can do mid game and you are on back-up #3 for a position.

[BillnutinHouston]

2 hours ago, Chaos said:

Teams break down video of the games whether they win or lose for a reason. The retrospective is important.  
 

 

I made a birdie once golfing after skipping the ball off a pond on to the green.  The caddie told me “we are writing down numbers not drawing pictures”. 
 

Yesterday’s game probably had too many unforced errors mixed in among some excellent offensive play.  But the Bills will writing down 1 in the W column and moving on to the Patriots.  A W was not a given before the game. 

 

I think the news here is, you played golf with a CADDIE?

 

[MikePJ76]

just heard a caller on WGR say Josh is built like an outhouse.

 

umm.  Sir, I do not think that is the expression.

[wjag]

Rewatching the first onside kick, it was this close to going for a TD the other way.  If Hollins doesn't get it, Detroit was going to get it on the run.

[Nineforty]

2 hours ago, DrDawkinstein said:

 

 

Coke Bishop is his Chipp Strip nickname

 

 

 

No, because they actively shift out of what is working on Defense in order to play "safe" (read: soft) and let the other team back into the game.

 

Kudos for having a great game plan to stop Detroit. Criticism for getting away from it whenever we got up and let them hang around. Whenever we shifted to "protect the lead" the Lions would go right down and score a TD in like 5 plays. Just keep doing what works.

 

It's classic McD, and it WILL bite us in the ass in the playoffs if he keeps it up.

It seems like you are neglecting the catalyst for why this hapens so often in sports. 

 

The team that is down is usually altering their gameplan in real time. 

 

The defense knows this or anticipates this. 

[finn]

19 minutes ago, Sestak4ever said:

Great game! I thought both Elam and Cam Lewis were a big liability, especially their tackling. Too many times the Lions broke off for first downs or to get out of bounds. I also think our offensive line is underrated. They are slowly gaining recognition, but they have been outstanding! Go Bills!! 🏈

I noticed Elam, Lewis, Phillips, Spector, and Milano missing tackles. Elam looked athletic but wrong-footed, Lewis looked tiny, Phillips fat and sluggish, Spector over his head, and Milano... well, at least he recovered the fumble. But Rousseau and Oliver played great, especially Oliver, and Benford was his usual excellent self. Bernard seemed to have a decent game. Was it him who almost intercepted that last TD pass? 

[Straight Hucklebuck]

The Bills have the two best wins of the entire regular season across the NFL. 

 

1) Ended the Chiefs undefeated season

 

2) At Detroit against a Lions team that had won 11 in a row and had extra rest 

 

 

 

Edited December 16 by Straight Hucklebuck

[MikePJ76]

4 minutes ago, wjag said:

Rewatching the first onside kick, it was this close to going for a TD the other way.  If Hollins doesn't get it, Detroit was going to get it on the run.

well for what its worth, both Sean McDermott and Dan Campbell were in Dallas in 2003 when Dallas returned a surprise onside to start the game and Dallas caught it and returned it for a TD.  So both coaches are aware of it happening and have seen it up close.