THE ROCKPILE REVIEW – Bills in Control

[Shaw66]

We had a good trip to Buffalo. Hartford to Amherst on Saturday, the Broncos game on Sunday, drive home in some sloppy snow on Monday.

 

It’s probably just me, but I sensed apprehension in western New York. It seemed like no one wanted to get too excited about the possibilities of the coming weeks. No one wanted to get their hopes up. I read last week that tickets to the Broncos game in the secondary market weren’t selling at high premiums. In shops and restaurants, there was a nervous excitement, not typical regular season boisterousness.  It was almost as though many people were afraid the Bills would lose and didn’t want to be let down.

 

In the stadium, fans were loud for the Broncos’ first possession, were quieted by the quick TD, and then they watched with the same apprehension. The fans had doubts, and they didn’t seem to stand with the team on defense for the rest of the half. Slowly, as the Bills began to take over the game, the fans’ enthusiasm grew, but then it was the usual late-game party atmosphere for a blow-out win.

 

Compare the Lions fans: It's all new to them, and their unbridled enthusiasm was on full display when the Bills were there a month ago. Lions fans seem to think that their team can and will roll through the entire NFL. They think that their disappointment last season was the final bump in the road, that now winning is almost a foregone conclusion. Maybe, but Bills fans have learned that it's more difficult than just showing up. It isn’t new to Bills fans any longer, and it seems this season Bills fans are just sitting with their fingers crossed, hoping this may be the year but prepared for a letdown.

 

Thankfully, the Bills themselves had no doubts, no second thoughts, no fears. They just went about their business, being the team they intend to be – a team that can win by playing whatever style is necessary to win the game. They take the field knowing they’re prepared to play a style – running, passing, defending, that can be effective against the opponent.

 

When the Broncos scored their touchdown, the fans were stunned. The Bills weren’t. The Bills just went about their business, playing the game they planned to play, Play by play, drive by drive, the Bills took over the game. They did it the way they planned, and they won. As the game went on, moving the ball became increasingly difficult for the Broncos and became easier for the Bills. It could have a more lopsided score, but the Bills play to win, not to have a fireworks display.

 

In the NFL, there are some good teams, and then there are the best teams. Good teams make the playoffs, but they don’t match up well with the best teams.

On Sunday, the Broncos, a good team, ran into one of the best. The Broncos couldn’t compete.

 

The Bills put it all on display. The offense was relentless, and the defense was stout. After striking early for a touchdown, the Broncos; offense was stymied. The Bills’ defense is disciplined, fast, and strategic. They can play to stop the run, then can smother passing games, They disguise well, and they don’t make mistakes. For a rookie quarterback, it’s too much to handle. Bo Nix had a nice season, but his playoff education began against the Bills.

 

How good are the Bills? We’ll find out. To my eye, the Bills are very good.

 

I like the offense, a lot. There aren’t many teams running an offense as good as what the Bills are showing. The Bills have answers all over the field, in two senses. First, they have excellent players everywhere. The offensive line is stellar – they execute in every phase. They pass block. They create seams in the run game. They power block when Josh sneaks. They get downfield.

 

The receivers are a dynamic mix of skills; they get open and they catch the ball.

 

Cook runs with surprising power at the point of attack, great awareness in those seams the offensive line creates, quickness to change direction, and surprising acceleration and speed in open field.

 

Brady bewilders defenses with an astonishing array of formations and player combinations. The Bills rarely take two offensive snaps with same personnel on the field. The Bills present a different look and different threats all game long. Brady uses motion well; Curtis Samuel was this week’s example. And Allen understands everything that’s happening.

 

Allen runs, passes, executes, and leads as well as anyone in the league.

 

The result – the Bills run well, they pass well, and they score.

 

The defense is the same – solid players everywhere, and everyone executes. Milano and Miller, the two guys with demonstrated star potential, have begun contributing. They don’t make every play like we saw before their recent injuries, but they have begun to contribute in ways that slow offenses.

 

The Bills have filled their roster with able backups, guys who step in and make plays, both on offense and on defense. Lewis and Bishop and Ingram can play, and Williams. Every receiver can make plays, every running back. Everyone does his job.

 

There is no team in the league that plays team offense and team defense as well as the Bills, and that’s what makes them a great team.

 

The Bills have now had their one game in the playoffs against a good team. If they want to win the Super Bowl, they have to star defeating the other great teams: the Ravens, the Chiefs, and some great team out of the NFC. Those teams are great in their own ways. The Ravens will come at the Bills with a tough, tough defense and two generational star players – Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry. The Chiefs have their generational quarterback, offensive coaching that has been superb for several years, and a stud defensive lineman in Chris Jones. The Lions and the Eagles are just as tough and feature multiple star players.

 

Those matchups pose the intriguing question: Does coaching and elite teamwork beat coaching and elite talent?

 

Starting Sunday, against the Ravens, the real tests begin. Starting Sunday, we will see how great the Bills are. These are the games that the McDermott Bills haven’t been able to win consistently. These are the games that are the next step that we’ve been waiting for the Bills to take.  

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

The Rockpile Review is written to share the passion we have for the Buffalo Bills. That passion was born in the Rockpile; its parents were every-day people of western New York who translated their dedication to a full day’s hard work and simple pleasures into love for a pro football team.

[Don Otreply]

Love reading your posts, thanks, 

 

GO BILLS!!!

[wjag]

Rock on. 

[Cash]

Great writeup! I had a tinge of nerves entering last week, and the quick TD didn’t help that. But even so, I wouldn’t say I was ever worried during the game. Going in, it was pretty clear that the Bills were the better team, and that was proven in how the game played out. The better team doesn’t win every game, but as Shaw points out - it’s pretty rare for good teams to beat great teams in the playoffs.
 

This week, it isn’t clear going in who the better team is. We have the better record, beat both 1 seeds, and are at home. The Ravens whipped us head to head, excelled against a bunch of playoff teams in a tough regular season, and on paper, have the better talent (see All-Pro and Pro Bowl teams). 
 

Before the season, I said we were the best team in the division, and that we’d have a puncher’s chance in the playoffs. I still mostly agree with that. I won’t count us out in any game where Josh Allen is healthy, but this game (and any others, should we advance) is a fundamentally different challenge than the Broncos. 

[Shaw66]

3 minutes ago, Cash said:

 

Before the season, I said we were the best team in the division, and that we’d have a puncher’s chance in the playoffs. I still mostly agree with that. I won’t count us out in any game where Josh Allen is healthy, but this game (and any others, should we advance) is a fundamentally different challenge than the Broncos. 

Exactly. These games are a different challenge. That's the challenge of going deep in the playoffs. 

 

The challenge starts Sunday. 

[Sweats]

This Bills team doesn't panic like years past. They look like they really don't care about trying to go toe to toe with whomever they're playing.......they just seem content to stay within their gameplan, put in the work for a full 60 minutes, shore up the trenches and continue to build off of one play to the next.

 

It's a formula that seems to be working for them, so there's not a lot of criticism i could ever say, however, the true test of the whole season lies this Sunday and everything they've been working towards will be showcased against a very tough Ravens team.

 

Win, and advance.......lose, and go home.

Simple as that.

[ddaryl]

@Shaw66

Fantastic read. I don't usually read long rants but that one was spot on IMO, from fan emotions, to the view of the team in general. 

[SoCal Deek]

As Mike Tyson famously said “everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face”. What I saw from the Bills on Sunday was they had a plan even AFTER they got punched in the face. I’ve gotta believe that bodes well for them going forward. 

[Dillenger4]

But, we are the better team than the Ravens. Simple as that. Our D has to play hard again, contain lamar and it's over early.

[HOUSE]

The thing to remember Buffalo is largely a 2nd half team. They tend to be conservative in the 1st half. Most opposing team fans miss this EVERY WEEK. A 10 point deficit means nothing IMO. 

[Shaw66]

1 minute ago, HOUSE said:

The thing to remember Buffalo is largely a 2nd half team. They tend to be conservative in the 1st half. Most opposing team fans miss this EVERY WEEK. A 10 point deficit means nothing IMO. 

It's well to remember all the things McDermott has said over the years.  Either he says them, or players say he said them.  One of them is winning the second half. They want to be the toughest guys in the second half. 

 

Another is that it's a long game, and you're going to have a stretch when things don't go your way. You have to recover and start making plays again.  It's that mentality that keeps them focused when something like an explosive first-possession TD happens. No big deal. 

[HOUSE]

2 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

It's well to remember all the things McDermott has said over the years.  Either he says them, or players say he said them.  One of them is winning the second half. They want to be the toughest guys in the second half. 

 

Another is that it's a long game, and you're going to have a stretch when things don't go your way. You have to recover and start making plays again.  It's that mentality that keeps them focused when something like an explosive first-possession TD happens. No big deal. 

Josh rarely runs in the 1st half. The 2nd half is like an unleashing 

[Scott7975]

5 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

In the stadium, fans were loud for the Broncos’ first possession, were quieted by the quick TD, and then they watched with the same apprehension. The fans had doubts, and they didn’t seem to stand with the team on defense for the rest of the half. Slowly, as the Bills began to take over the game, the fans’ enthusiasm grew, but then it was the usual late-game party atmosphere for a blow-out win

 

Great write-up as always. I wanted to comment on this part because you were at the game and I listened to the TV broadcast... I could tell the fans were not loud. I even commented in the GDT about it. I was shocked. I said that we shouldn't be able to hear their QB make calls at the line. He should have to be using the silent count. I can't believe everyone was so worried about Denver. I said all week they were a middling team and they had no chance unless we turned the ball over a lot, which we haven't done this year.

[Shaw66]

2 minutes ago, Scott7975 said:

 

Great write-up as always. I wanted to comment on this part because you were at the game and I listened to the TV broadcast... I could tell the fans were not loud. I even commented in the GDT about it. I was shocked. I said that we shouldn't be able to hear their QB make calls at the line. He should have to be using the silent count. I can't believe everyone was so worried about Denver. I said all week they were a middling team and they had no chance unless we turned the ball over a lot, which we haven't done this year.

Frankly, I wondered if I was missing something. It's good to hear that your TV impression was the same. There was less support for the team than I heard at any of the home games I attended this season (five).  

 

People need to show up this Sunday. 

[oldmanfan]

Well stated as always Shaw

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

12 minutes ago, Scott7975 said:

I could tell the fans were not loud.

 

7 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

Frankly, I wondered if I was missing something. It's good to hear that your TV impression was the same. There was less support for the team than I heard at any of the home games I attended this season (five).  

 

People need to show up this Sunday. 

It was those guddam towels. 🤨

[1st&ten]

Many of my friends have a lot of  apprehension about the Raven's game. I'm having good vibes about this game. I won't get into all the reasons why I think the Bills will win but I think they will win by 8-12 points.

[Figster]

2 hours ago, ddaryl said:

@Shaw66

Fantastic read. I don't usually read long rants but that one was spot on IMO, from fan emotions, to the view of the team in general. 

Been one of my favorite reads for years.

 

The Bronco's have a very talented HC/ Offensive guru in Sean Payton. Won a championship. Knows how its done. Denver D that led the league in sacks. Franchise rookie albeit signal caller in Bo Nix. The kind of team you know just enough of to scare the dickens out of you . The Bronco's scared me. 10 to 7 at the half increased my anxiety. So I'm feeling you Bills fans live at the stadium. The Buffalo Bills on the other hand. Business as usual.   Joe Brady comes back to school his once upon a time HC and boss. McD's D sends Payton and the Bronco's packing with only 7 points to show for itself. MERCY!!!!

 

Thanks OP, much appreciated.

 

Go Bills!!!!

[CSBill]

27 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

Frankly, I wondered if I was missing something. It's good to hear that your TV impression was the same. There was less support for the team than I heard at any of the home games I attended this season (five).  

 

People need to show up this Sunday. 

I’m confident that will not be an issue this week. The stadium will be swaying. 

[ProcessTruster]

TLDR, geez.  

 

Brady/Josh will light them up.   

 

So much negativity in this fan base.   So bruised and battered.