The Bills are not going all out

[PoundingDog]

Listening to Josh's post game presser, I get the feeling they are not going to show their full hand the rest of the regular season - unless in a game where if they win they get the 1st seed kind of thing. Josh said as much.

 

McDermott's presser had the same feel where he explained why Spector started ahead of Williams and one reason is that something like they didn't want to worn out either one. And he also mentioned developing young players, which sounded like Bishop, Elam might continue to play the next 2 games.

 

Just seems like they have a strategy in place and health is as important as the wins the next 2 weeks. If they are only going to run plays they have shown, even against Jets and Patriots, it might be tough sledding. 

 

 

 

[Success]

I like to think that, especially today.

 

As a fan - after KC won yesterday, I was kind of like "what is there to play for?"

 

Team probably feels the same.  

[wjag]

Me thinks Rapp, Hamlin and Douglas would have played had it really mattered.  Good chance to get some real reps for the B Squad.

 

Next week will be the same kind of game.

[BillsFan130]

A little comforting for sure.

Cause they were downright awful today lol

[Generic_Bills_Fan]

Haha I hate that I’m dunking on this guy on every post I’m sure he’s a great guy 😂. But if your team is starting Spector when they don’t have to they are absolutely not going all out 

[transient]

14 minutes ago, Generic_Bills_Fan said:

Haha I hate that I’m dunking on this guy on every post I’m sure he’s a great guy 😂. But if your team is starting Spector when they don’t have to they are absolutely not going all out 

No worries. You saw the game, I'm sure he's used to people dunking on him by now.

[CincyBillsFan]

Am I seeing this all wrong but isn't the #2 seed worth playing for? I guess with a 2 game lead with 3 to go going into this game the thought was they could get the wins to lock that one up. 

 

And not taking the Pats that seriously seems to have worked out as even after everything went their way in the first quarter they still sort of self destructed and the Bills went on a 24 - 0 run before a very late ref assisted Pat's TD at the end.

 

We're seeing load management in action and it almost bit them in the butt.  The operative word here is "almost".

 

 

 

 

[GolfandBills]

Still no excuse to go out in your home stadium and play like that 

[TFBillsfan]

I don’t know if I’m buying that. I think it had more to do with a horrible game plan, preparation and thinking they could just show up and get an easy win. They didn’t look mentally prepared and are fortunate to get the W. 
 

[T.E.]

Yeah, they are going to do just enough to lock up the #2 seed. Don't want to show too much of the playbook on either side.

Edited 7 hours ago by T.E.

[Man with No Name]

the problem with this is they are constantly putting Josh in harm's way when they are in dog fights with teams they should be handling. 

[CincyBillsFan]

1 minute ago, T.E. said:

Yeah, they are going to do just enough to kick up the #2 seed. Don't want to show too much of the playbook on either side.

Which is a very McD approach.  However, they better not screw it up.  Having to go to Baltimore or Pitt in the Divination Round is a big challenge.  The good news is that as ugly as today's win was it makes locking up the 2nd seed a lot easier. 

[Ralonzo]

1 minute ago, Man with No Name said:

the problem with this is they are constantly putting Josh in harm's way when they are in dog fights with teams they should be handling. 

 

Josh's decision making to push the ball down the field into coverage like it was October 2023 is what put Josh in harm's way.

[PoundingDog]

Well the Chiefs kind of did that last year. Treading waters until the playoffs. Then the defense showed up and Kelce woke up.

 

For the Bills, I have reason to believe Josh can play the role of Mahomes - just not get him injured please, even for the funny bone or whatever; continue to hit the funny bone to lose feeling on your throwing hand and it may not be funny after all. But the defense, I don't know anyone is asleep to be waken up. Are they waiting on Bishop and Elam to force management to play then in the playoffs?

[philholbroo]

What they are sayig is the game plan for the whole week was to get through it, remain healthy and see how it comes out. While it worked for the most part, I would like the message of going in just planning to win while going into the playoffs. Repeating this week, the next two, can be cause for stagnation going into playoffs.

[CincyBillsFan]

1 minute ago, Ralonzo said:

 

Josh's decision making to push the ball down the field into coverage like it was October 2023 is what put Josh in harm's way.

What?  The deep shot on 3rd and 16 that was intercepted in the end zone put the ball at the one yard line.  If that isn't the definition of a highly effective pass punt I don't know what else is.

 

At the end of the 1st half Shakir should have caught that deep shot from Allen.  That would have led to 3 and maybe even 7 points right before the half.  In the 2nd half the long pass to Shakir in the end zone should have been a TD.  This is the NFL and Shakir should have caught both balls.  He had an off day, I get it, but Allen's decisions to make those throws was sound and should have led to 7 - 10 more points.

 

 

3 minutes ago, PoundingDog said:

Well the Chiefs kind of did that last year. Treading waters until the playoffs. Then the defense showed up and Kelce woke up.

 

For the Bills, I have reason to believe Josh can play the role of Mahomes - just not get him injured please, even for the funny bone or whatever; continue to hit the funny bone to lose feeling on your throwing hand and it may not be funny after all. But the defense, I don't know anyone is asleep to be waken up. Are they waiting on Bishop and Elam to force management to play then in the playoffs?

Agree.  The Bills have always tried copying the Chiefs and they do pay attention to what KC is doing to win all those Super Bowl games. This season and last season the Chiefs are doing just enough to win during the regular season.

 

As an aside I thought Bishop played well and I bet he's the starter next season.  As for Elam, I'm not sure what to think but I do know that a different ref crew would not have thrown a couple of those PI flags and we would be thinking very differently about him.

 

 

 

 

[Big Turk]

37 minutes ago, wjag said:

Me thinks Rapp, Hamlin and Douglas would have played had it really mattered.  Good chance to get some real reps for the B Squad.

 

Next week will be the same kind of game.

 

IMO they are going to get torn up by Adams and Wilson if they can't handle the Patriot's trash WRs

[Generic_Bills_Fan]

26 minutes ago, CincyBillsFan said:

Am I seeing this all wrong but isn't the #2 seed worth playing for? I guess with a 2 game lead with 3 to go going into this game the thought was they could get the wins to lock that one up. 

 

And not taking the Pats that seriously seems to have worked out as even after everything went their way in the first quarter they still sort of self destructed and the Bills went on a 24 - 0 run before a very late ref assisted Pat's TD at the end.

 

We're seeing load management in action and it almost bit them in the butt.  The operative word here is "almost".

 

 

 

 

If we lose both Milano/Williams for the playoffs we are toast at any seed seems to be how we’re looking at it and it definitely isn’t wrong lol 

12 minutes ago, CincyBillsFan said:

What?  The deep shot on 3rd and 16 that was intercepted in the end zone put the ball at the one yard line.  If that isn't the definition of a highly effective pass punt I don't know what else is.

 

At the end of the 1st half Shakir should have caught that deep shot from Allen.  That would have led to 3 and maybe even 7 points right before the half.  In the 2nd half the long pass to Shakir in the end zone should have been a TD.  This is the NFL and Shakir should have caught both balls.  He had an off day, I get it, but Allen's decisions to make those throws was sound and should have led to 7 - 10 more points.

 

 

Agree.  The Bills have always tried copying the Chiefs and they do pay attention to what KC is doing to win all those Super Bowl games. This season and last season the Chiefs are doing just enough to win during the regular season.

 

As an aside I thought Bishop played well and I bet he's the starter next season.  As for Elam, I'm not sure what to think but I do know that a different ref crew would not have thrown a couple of those PI flags and we would be thinking very differently about him.

 

 

 

 

I wonder if the chiefs were especially careful with injured players down the stretch last year…they were outrageously healthy for the playoffs which made all the difference.  You see ‘every team has injuries’ get repeated a lot but they had hardly any lol 

Edited 6 hours ago by Generic_Bills_Fan

[PoundingDog]

8 minutes ago, Big Turk said:

 

IMO they are going to get torn up by Adams and Wilson if they can't handle the Patriot's trash WRs

Well then I advise you watch Christmas NFL games carefully. If the Texans beat Ravens and the Chiefs beat Steelers, both are farely realistic, then you may just see Elam, Bishop, Lewis, Ingram against Adams and Wilson. The Bills would have nothing to play for in that scenario and I'd predict they sit most of their starters, including Allen. And the starters will come back to play half a game in the season finale.

Edited 6 hours ago by PoundingDog

[CincyBillsFan]

1 minute ago, Generic_Bills_Fan said:

If we lose both Milano/Williams for the playoffs we are toast at any seed seems to be how we’re looking at it and it definitely isn’t wrong lol 

It's definitely a damned if you do and damned if you don't situation.  That's why winning today under the circumstances that we did was so important.