The Bills are not going all out

[MikePJ76]

1 minute ago, Big Blitz said:

 

 

BUT if they did credit NE let me know I missed the whole PC.  

Josh did.  He even said they are much better than their record.

[US Egg]

It was ***** freezing, scrap expecting to see the norm.

[Boatdrinks]

19 minutes ago, Sojourner said:

I don’t know which camp to put myself in as the #1 seed probably isn’t going to happen but, even if most of us deem it unlikely, KC can still drop their remaining 2 games. Pittsburgh will be playing balls to the wall on Christmas as they and Baltimore are standing at 10-5.
 

That sentiment and mindset might be better suited if they beat the Steelers as its then completely unobtainable. 
 

Do we drop the remaining 2 games and finished tied with Pittsburgh and lose the 2 seed or Baltimore and lose the slot we are in due to H2H? Who knows. What I do know is, from a team perspective, “what is there to play for?” mode shouldn’t be a thing unless KC beat Pittsburgh AND beat the Jets. 
 

We can still, even if the chances are slim, can drop out of the 2 seed. 
 

F that man. F that for all the fans who have already got tickets to see our boys in any or both of the playoff games. 
 

Sure, I’ll get my money back but it isn’t a consolation to miss out on a/multiple playoff home games because they “mailed it in” too early. 
 

 

Yeah , the Bills have to be careful to retain that 2 seed. It did look like today was pretty vanilla as far as game plan is concerned. Not surprising vs a 3-11 pats squad. I still think the Texans were the least likely of KC’s final 3 games to get a win. The game was in KC and they look like a one and done playoff team to me. I’d expect a much tougher game for KC vs the Steelers and Broncos. Unlikely that they drop both, but if the Steelers win on Wednesday then you have to go into week 18 with all hands on deck. 

[Comebackkid]

29 minutes ago, Ralonzo said:

 

Kincaid in particular, why go up and get a guy R1 and use him like in the passing game like Lee Smith on these 4 yard stick routes and lateral screens, while a LaPorta (next TE selected) is running roughshod all over the place.

I totally HATE  how they use kincaid.   drives me nuts

[Big Blitz]

8 minutes ago, MikePJ76 said:

Josh did.  He even said they are much better than their record.

 

Good

[Comebackkid]

8 minutes ago, US Egg said:

It was ***** freezing, scrap expecting to see the norm.

it was just as cold for the fans sitting in the stands...probably colder who paid to see professional players play like such.

[Sojourner]

2 minutes ago, Boatdrinks said:

Yeah , the Bills have to be careful to retain that 2 seed. It did look like today was pretty vanilla as far as game plan is concerned. Not surprising vs a 3-11 pats squad. I still think the Texans were the least likely of KC’s final 3 games to get a win. The game was in KC and they look like a one and done playoff team to me. I’d expect a much tougher game for KC vs the Steelers and Broncos. Unlikely that they drop both, but if the Steelers win on Wednesday then you have to go into week 18 with all hands on deck. 

Good point. Steelers are in a tough point and need to turn their season around ASAP before heading into the post season. 
 

The Philly game ended horribly for a pretty good defense, a 20+ play drive that lasted 11 minutes. Second half against Baltimore they played pretty well, the offense just killed any momentum with some absolutely brutal turnovers by Russ and on downs. 
 

KC has to be their bounce back game to stay in pole position for that division and keep some home field advantage. They’re 5-1 this year at home. Their only loss was to Dallas right at the end of the 4th. 
 

Like all teams they play some of, if not most of, their best football at home. Tomlin and his staff absolutey know this. 
 

All hands on deck is essential until after the Jets. 
 

 

[Goin Breakdown]

Maybe it's beer maybe it's what I really think idk. Buffalo was holding back. 

[Generic_Bills_Fan]

8 minutes ago, Goin Breakdown said:

Maybe it's beer maybe it's what I really think idk. Buffalo was holding back. 

I find it hard to believe teams go super vanilla on purpose but personnel wise we were definitely holding back at the very least. 
 

 

[djp14150]

2 hours ago, PoundingDog said:

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. 

 

 

 

they also didn’t want to show their full defense against 2 nfc teams they could face in the SB

[ExiledInIllinois]

2 hours ago, BillsFan130 said:

A little comforting for sure.

Cause they were downright awful today lol

They weren't that bad. They busted up a backwards pass and took it for a TD.

 

It was like the 5th colesterol home game too.

[JerseyBills]

52 minutes ago, NickelCity said:

 

Looked tired from the first snap. I thought he might be sick or just had a run of ***** sleep.

Yea same ! Man I said he looked off energy wise, either tiredness or mildly sick

[The Helmet of]

16 minutes ago, JerseyBills said:

Yea same ! Man I said he looked off energy wise, either tiredness or mildly sick

If he had a bad cold or flu or whatever nobody would ever know. He’s too competitive and obsessed with not missing time.

 

I also thought he looked tired, which means he was probably under the weather.

[Sierra Foothills]

3 hours ago, PoundingDog said:

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. 

 

 

 

 

As for the topic of sandbagging, I've assumed the Bills would be holding back these last 3 weeks. The playing of young players is an indicator of that. Some of the guys that are sitting out could play but the Bills are taking calculated risks here. There's a cost benefit to every personnel decision they make, every look they show, every play they call. They'll slow play as much as they think they can get away with.

 

It's a delicate balancing act because you're worshipping more than one religion. Balancing out these different motivations could cause them to fall but it's a game all teams with championship aspirations play. It's not specific to the Bills. 

 

3 hours ago, Success said:

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.  

 

The top seed is unlikely but still possible. Bottom line is that the Bills won today. Their performance today didn't disqualify them from anything. That happened when they lost to the Rams. The Bills are still positioned to leapfrog KC if they stumble and still in the driver's seat for the number 2 seed. It's all good.

 

2 hours 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. 

 

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

 

I will grant that they dug themselves a hole and that the game wasn't in hand until the recovered onside kick but I really don't think the Bills came very close to losing today.

 

1 hour ago, JerseyBills said:

I didn't get that vibe in that interview.  Think Josh was just grumpy, tired honestly 

 

He didn't have the glow he usually has after wins.

 

But wouldn't be surprised if they are stashing plays 

 

1 hour ago, NickelCity said:

Looked tired from the first snap. I thought he might be sick or just had a run of ***** sleep.

 

Of course Josh is tired. He carries the burden of the team, the community and his celebrity into every waking moment. It's the winter solstice in Buffalo.

 

The team has just come off a gauntlet of 4 straight nationally televised games against marquee opponents. These guys are athletes, not machines.

 

They're all tired and it showed. And they won.

 

I expected them to be flat and they were. I expected them to win and they did.

 

1 hour ago, Billsfanatic8989 said:

It looked like there was a letdown after the Detroit game. And they overlooked New England tbh.

 

It happens. Lesson learned. 

 

It needs to be full throttle against the Jets. 

 

A) Get back momentum 

B) Get Allen the MVP

 

I don't think there was any lesson learned.

 

The Bills knew that they could dial it back today and still win.

 

Now they have the great fortune of being able to watch Pittsburgh, KC, Baltimore and Houston play this Wednesday and watch the Chargers and the Broncos play on Saturday. Much of the Bills' possible fates will be determined before they kickoff on Sunday at home against the Jets. The Bills are in the catbird seat.

 

The most dangerous game IMO is the season finale at Foxboro. It'll be very tough beating a divisional opponent twice in a short period of time. New England is gonna treat it as their Super Bowl and they'll be at home, armed with the lessons learned from today's loss.

 

But the Bills might already know by kickoff if they have anything to play for or not.

 

People here should be happy. It's odd seeing all the apprehension and fear and glass half-empty sentiments.

 

Edited yesterday at 05:51 AM by Sierra Foothills

[billsfan89]

1 hour ago, US Egg said:

It was ***** freezing, scrap expecting to see the norm.

 

It's a division game, elements were freezing, and after the team came out flat they mostly took control of the game. The Bills tied the game with 11 minutes left in the 3rd quarter and took a lead with about 7 minutes left in the 3rd quarters, and finally the Bills took a two possession lead with 10+ minutes left in the game. The Pats scored with 80ish seconds left on the clock and the Bills grinded out the game with a first down and even if they hadn't gotten the first down the Pats would have had like 9 seconds left no timeouts. 

 

Sometimes a team comes out flat but overcomes that because they are more talented. Credit the Pats their defense also played hard and well. The Bills defense deserves credit for making big plays too including scoring a TD!

[GoBills808]

Yeah no kidding

[mannc]

2 hours ago, CincyBillsFan said:

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. 

If KC beats Pittsburgh on Wednesday that puts no. 1 seed out of reach and should all but lock up the 2 seed.  At that point, I think we rest a lot of guys, up to and including Josh Allen, who seems to be banged up.

[Danger Mouse]

It makes sense.

 

We didn't trade for Cooper not to use him. We are surely just keeping our powder dry on him. Nobody will have any tape on him by playoff time and he'll have had endless practice with us. Some weapon to have up your sleeve.

 

And a credit to the team that we've not NEEDED to show our hand, really.

Edited yesterday at 09:27 AM by Danger Mouse

[GunnerBill]

6 hours 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. 

 

I am not sure they are so much as they are putting him in a position where he puts himself in harms way. That last run from him was utter stupidity.

 

[BananaB]

If ok to not show everything, but looking sloppy shouldn’t be in the cards