Bills vs Ravens Divisional Round

[Einstein]

 

[Comebackkid]

32 minutes ago, Ya Digg? said:

I know I need to get over it, but I still can’t get over how he lost the Vikings game a couple of years ago

that game was sadistic, especially at the end.    thats why bills fans have ptsd. 

just have to pray we have a clearer sense of awareness about what we are doing and how we are doin it

[Bills!Win!]

I’d love to go back to the 2020 thread and read the comments right after the pick six

[Straight Hucklebuck]

29 minutes ago, Einstein said:

 

Question to Bills fans or football fans in general - does anyone get anything useful out of ESPN football analysts besides Orlovsky or Cosell? 
 

Does Mina Kimes say anything about the Bills that fans don’t already know? 

[DapperCam]

40 minutes ago, Einstein said:

 

Bills play nickel defense like 90% of the time. I’m not sure you can just switch on a whim like that (although I’m reminded of Belichick doing things like that in the playoffs). It would be impressive if McDermott could install a totally different defense in one week.

[Governor]

16 minutes ago, Straight Hucklebuck said:

Question to Bills fans or football fans in general - does anyone get anything useful out of ESPN football analysts besides Orlovsky or Cosell? 
 

Does Mina Kimes say anything about the Bills that fans don’t already know? 

Just parrots the usual buzzwords we’ve heard all season.

[JGMcD2]

6 hours ago, Beck Water said:

"I Wish It Were Colder", Ravens edition

 

It's 33 degrees in Baltimore today

Too tough for them, just right for us? 

[BADOLBILZ]

1 hour ago, Success said:

 

I'd favor being better than bad fans.

 

We don't have to match toxicity we might see in other fanbases.  Buffalo fans can set their own bar, and set it high.

 

 

 

Yeah I agree.   

 

But I think their fans could be in for a rude awakening with this level of cold if it's as bad as they are suggesting(like versus NE WC game).   This isn't mid-Atlantic cold.  Might be some near-death experiences.   It's an old stadium, unless you are in the clubs the only places to warm up are the bathrooms or the infirmary.   And when that hypothermia sets in people often get past the shivering stage and just stare, which gives the false impression that they are alert.   It's weird.  They can still get up and walk out after the game even.......but if they aren't being active and are notably less responsive to speech during the game it could be a problem.    The new stadium should resolve this issue to a great extent but for now it's survival of the prepared.

[Richard Noggin]

24 minutes ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

 

Yeah I agree.   

 

But I think their fans could be in for a rude awakening with this level of cold if it's as bad as they are suggesting(like versus NE WC game).   This isn't mid-Atlantic cold.  Might be some near-death experiences.   It's an old stadium, unless you are in the clubs the only places to warm up are the bathrooms or the infirmary.   And when that hypothermia sets in people often get past the shivering stage and just stare, which gives the false impression that they are alert.   It's weird.  They can still get up and walk out after the game even.......but if they aren't being active and are notably less responsive to speech during the game it could be a problem.    The new stadium should resolve this issue to a great extent but for now it's survival of the prepared.

 

The kind of cold you're concerned about isn't really how this Sunday night will be, from what I'm seeing. Even that NE WC game wasn't all that cold inside the stadium. I'd think that recent Miami x KC playoff game is a better example of what you're suggesting (hypothermia risk). I went skiing last night in EC and it got down to 15ish degrees with some breeze, especially up on the lifts near the end of the night. Constant snow. It will be just a little bit colder than that Sunday night. Not super bad when you're in a bowl full of 70k standing/yelling/anxious people. 

[Returntoglory]

One of the best game match-up previews I have ever seen!

 

Thorough and all bases covered.

 

How is this man not coaching?

 

GO BILLS!

 

https://youtu.be/QXQk1uSCKok?si=b_p5LUaZPaZ5z9BB

 

 

 

 

[PromoTheRobot]

1 minute ago, Returntoglory said:

One of the best game match-up previews I have ever seen!

 

Thorough and all bases covered.

 

How is this man not coaching?

 

GO BILLS!

 

https://youtu.be/QXQk1uSCKok?si=b_p5LUaZPaZ5z9BB

 

 

 

 

Check out the Raiders

[Generic_Bills_Fan]

18 minutes ago, Richard Noggin said:

 

The kind of cold you're concerned about isn't really how this Sunday night will be, from what I'm seeing. Even that NE WC game wasn't all that cold inside the stadium. I'd think that recent Miami x KC playoff game is a better example of what you're suggesting (hypothermia risk). I went skiing last night in EC and it got down to 15ish degrees with some breeze, especially up on the lifts near the end of the night. Constant snow. It will be just a little bit colder than that Sunday night. Not super bad when you're in a bowl full of 70k standing/yelling/anxious people. 

Probably depends a lot on how well prepared fans are.  People definitely underestimate what standing mostly in one place on frozen concrete for hours is gonna do to them the first time lol  

[CaseyatBat]

20 minutes ago, Richard Noggin said:

 

The kind of cold you're concerned about isn't really how this Sunday night will be, from what I'm seeing. Even that NE WC game wasn't all that cold inside the stadium. I'd think that recent Miami x KC playoff game is a better example of what you're suggesting (hypothermia risk). I went skiing last night in EC and it got down to 15ish degrees with some breeze, especially up on the lifts near the end of the night. Constant snow. It will be just a little bit colder than that Sunday night. Not super bad when you're in a bowl full of 70k standing/yelling/anxious people. 

6 or 8 beers helps

[Brand J]

1 hour ago, DapperCam said:

Bills play nickel defense like 90% of the time. I’m not sure you can just switch on a whim like that (although I’m reminded of Belichick doing things like that in the playoffs). It would be impressive if McDermott could install a totally different defense in one week.

Yeah, I would match personnel with personnnel. Meaning I wouldn’t run nickel if the Ravens put 2 (or less) WRs on the field. The run package they love is Ricard at FB, Henry, a TE (either Likely or Andrews) and 2 WR. Or they’ll go 2 TEs, 2 WRs with Henry as the sole back and Lamar on the read option. All of these formations I’d run Milano, Bernard, and Williams out there. 

[Richard Noggin]

12 minutes ago, Generic_Bills_Fan said:

Probably depends a lot on how well prepared fans are.  People definitely underestimate what standing mostly in one place on frozen concrete for hours is gonna do to them the first time lol  

 

Hopefully that's mostly just Ravens fans, innit

[Dan]

4 hours ago, Dr. K said:

Having spent entirely too much time in the last couple of days reading and listening to what the commentators are saying about the Ravens and Bills, the consensus seems to be that Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson are unstoppable, the Ravens are the greatest team since the Monsters of the Midway, and the Bills should just curl up into the fetal position and beg for mercy.

 

What the point of even playing the game, let alone watching it? 

 

/s

 

 

This is pretty much how I felt last week at this time.   It’s up to the boys in Blue to keep shutting them up.

[DapperCam]

Rewatching the highlights of our first matchup. A few thoughts, with an eye on how we might play differently this time. Warning, this is sort of stream of consciousness.

- Kincaid killed us with a drop on our first drive. We were moving the ball pretty well before that.
- I think in a playoff game, now that we know how dangerous the Ravens offense is, we probably go for it at 4th and 2 at the 50 yard line.
- Douglas majorly wussed out on the big Henry TD. He was in perfect position to get in the way and he 100% made a business decision there.
- Hamlin also should have been in pretty good position to slow Henry down on the TD run, but he took his sweet time getting over there and by then Henry had the angle.
- Two holding penalties on the same set of downs killed the Bills second possession. You can't recover from that. Didn't see a replay to see if they were bogus or not.
- Bills 3rd possession was stalled out on a 3rd and 1. We probably tush push now.
- A recurring theme this game is Spector and Cam Lewis getting picked on. Majority of plays seem to be targeting them.
- They sent an extra blocker to take out Ed Oliver's knees most running plays. They were obviously trying to eliminate him. Not sure how he can counter that, or if other guys just need to step up.
- Morrow wasn't on the field much, but he was noticeably slow and bad. Milano or Bernard in those same spots make stops.
- I'm noticing Casey Toohill getting burned some as well. He isn't even on the roster anymore.
- I just saw a defensive lineup against a big screen play that got a first down where they attacked the side of the field that had Toohill, Cam Lewis, and Spector. Just goes to show how different it will be.
- Ravens 2nd TD targeted Morrow and it looked like was running in sand.
- First drive of the second half the Bills stall out on 3rd and 1. We probably tush push now.
- First big play of the second half for the Ravens, guess who it's targeting? Our buddy Spector.
- Ravens convert a big 3rd and 11. The ball is placed between Cam Lewis and Spector.
- 3rd and 14 and the Ravens convert on a screen pass, wtf. Not exactly sure what happened here. I think a LBer needs to get off their block to prevent this, or Von Miller needs to be a hair less aggressive.
- Ravens 3rd TD targeting Williams in coverage on a wheel route. Decent chance Milano or Bernard can make the play there instead of being 3 steps behind.
- Poor recognition by Allen, or maybe poor play design in 3rd and long on the next Bills drive. Ravens bring the house and there is no hot route, everything is down the field and all the WRs still have their backs turned. Allen has to eat it.
- Bills get a fumble, huge! But on the next drive they are passing on 3rd and 2 and it's broken up. But Harbaugh is an idiot and gifts us a first down by called back-to-back timeouts.
- On the next 3rd and long the Ravens only bring 4 rushers, but steamroll the Bills offensive line. Really bad blocking here.

Okay, I'm not even going to do the second half. It's too upsetting to watch the Bills start to scratch and claw their way back into this game just to throw it all away on a trick play.

TLDR;

- Other than the first big Henry run, almost every big play for the Ravens was targeting a player that isn't even on the roster anymore, or isn't going to see the field much.
- Bills seemed to stall out on 3rd and short a very unusually high percentage. I think they were trying to avoid the middle of the defense. Hopefully they have something figured out here...
- DBs were making business decisions here. Hopefully that won't be true during a playoff game.
- There was very little passing the ball down the field. Everything was around the LOS. Curious to see if that changes in the rematch (I think it will).
- Cam Lewis, Williams, Morrow and Spector occupying the middle of the field basically ensured we had no chance of winning this game.

[Richard Noggin]

10 minutes ago, DapperCam said:

- Douglas majorly wussed out on the big Henry TD. He was in perfect position to get in the way and he 100% made a business decision there.

 

- Hamlin also should have been in pretty good position to slow Henry down on the TD run, but he took his sweet time getting over there and by then Henry had the angle.

- DBs were making business decisions here. Hopefully that won't be true during a playoff game.

 

 

Looked like the Steelers D had its share of guys making similar business decisions last week, and not even just later in the game. I thought Patrick Queen was downright avoiding contact on at least 2-3 impactful plays. Hamlin, and whoever is at DE opposite Rousseau, need to step up and fill their damned gaps/set their edge Sunday night. 

 

Hoping for a defensive gameplan similar to what the Bills did against the 49ers back in 2020, with some 5 DL/2 LB alignments. Those 2 LBs, Milano and Bernard, would be the lynchpins on those snaps. Have to correctly and quickly diagnose and get to depth (on passes and especially play-action) or get downhill (on runs). Maybe Smoot and Rousseau would rotate through DE and that 3rd DT spot, with Miller and Epenesa also aligning on the other edges.  

 

[GunnerBill]

20 minutes ago, DapperCam said:

- Cam Lewis, Williams, Morrow and Spector occupying the middle of the field basically ensured we had no chance of winning this game.

 

Yep to a lot of this. And I haven't quoted all the lines I agree with for space but you are spot on about the Ravens targetting it. Todd Monken had an exceptional gameplan. He knew the 2nd level of the Bills D was hurting and he just called play after play after play that made those guys the critical point of failure. Whether it was the trap runs that neutralised the dline and forced a linebacker to make the critical tackle or the running backs in the passing game that isolated Lewis (when we were in nickel) or Morrow (when we tried to run base) in coverage. It was ruthless. I give him so much credit because at no point did he go "let me show how clever I am" and call for splash plays. He just stayed on our weakness the whole game and said I'm gonna go at them until they stop me. And they never did.

[Beck Water]

2 hours ago, DapperCam said:

Bills play nickel defense like 90% of the time. I’m not sure you can just switch on a whim like that (although I’m reminded of Belichick doing things like that in the playoffs). It would be impressive if McDermott could install a totally different defense in one week.

 

So no, the Bills aren't going to install a totally different defense in one week.  But they do use wrinkles.

 

I was looking back a couple years - in 2021, the Bills played the Patriots twice 3 weeks apart. 

The first time, Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson just ran all over us for 222 yds and won (it was a weather game)

The second time, we still gave up some rush yards but we contained it enough to win handily.

In the first game, we played about 53% base D with Tyrel Dodson as the 3rd LB.

In the second game we played about 30% base D with AJ Klein (still had some juice in '21) as the 3rd LB.  But, we also took out one of our CBs, Dane Jackson, about 20% of the time and replaced him with Siran Neal who was more of a "Thumper" in the run game.  I wish I could remember if we were playing base AND replacing Jackson with Neal, but I don't remember.

 

They've also done some wrinkles - did it a little bit against Denver I believe - where we play 3 DE and 1 DT, or even 3 DE and 2 DT

Edited 17 hours ago by Beck Water