1/19/25 Division Round Playoff Post Game Thread Bills vs. Ravens

[stevewin]

50 minutes ago, Logic said:

- I just honestly never imagined a day where the Bills defense and running game would lead the way to victory in a playoff game, while Josh Allen mostly looked like Clark Kent. Does anyone honestly think the Bills would've won last night's game with the rushing offense of years past? No way. If anyone's looking for a reason why this Bills team is different than Bills teams past under Josh Allen, it's the run game. It's the ability to lean on something OTHER than Superman Josh.
 

This is a key thing that kind of gets lost in the McD conversation - he was adamant to build a team that could run and play in bad playoff weather and he has done it (and was criticized by many over the course of doing so bc they felt it was stupid to take the ball out of Josh's hands and not just have the greatest show on turf) 

[RunTheBall]

I’ve said it all year, I don’t care how it gets done, just get the W.

 

This was a BIG DUB!

 

We just won a Divisional playoff game against one of the best teams in football who was peaking at the right time and we didn’t need Josh to be Super Josh. That’s huge.

 

I don’t care about how we won. I don’t care about style points. It’s about time we had the ball bounce our way for once. We’ve been on the receiving end of games like this so many times.

 

The weather played a factor in our favor. The Ravens were not ready for the hard/slick ball and it played a role in our victory.

 

Who cares what the talking heads say. Let them all pick KC next week. We play better with a chip and as an underdog.

 

My big concern going into this game was that the teams were going to beat the hell out of each other in the cold and I’m worried about the injuries we suffered. I think Rapp is done for sure and wish we would have gotten Micah a little playing time at the end of the season.

 

Big win gentlemen. Enjoy it.

 

We are on to KC

 

 

[Rockpile233]

6 minutes ago, Beast said:

Can you imagine the narrative today if Allen had the turnovers Jackson had and the Bills lost?

 

Allen would be getting crucified….yet there are many still pumping Jackson’s tires post-game.

It would be so bad. Lamar’s first half put his team on the brink of getting blown out. Shame on us for not capitalizing and actually blowout them out, but to conveniently dismiss the first half because of his “winning plays” in the second half is interesting.

 

 

[Don Otreply]

2 minutes ago, stevewin said:

This is a key thing that kind of gets lost in the McD conversation - he was adamant to build a team that could run and play in bad playoff weather and he has done it (and was criticized by many over the course of doing so bc they felt it was stupid to take the ball out of Josh's hands and not just have the greatest show on turf) 

The greatest show on turf / mad bomber offense is so beloved by many here, but it make for a one dimensional offense that is easier to defend, ya gotta be able to run and pass the way defenses are schemed nowadays, is what it is. 

[Juice_32]

10 hours ago, Big Turk said:

LMAO!!

 

 

 

As a former shortstop...this is awesome, and true hahaha.

[oldmanfan]

Reading the comments here and in other threads leads me to ask a question:

 

Did we win the game last night?

 

I mean, I watched it and I'm pretty positive I saw us win, but if one were to base it off of what I'm reading this morning we need to cut about half the guys on each side of the ball and fire the OC.

[Low Positive]

I'm going to ask this one again. If the Ravens had 4th and goal from the 2, they would most likely run Derrick Henry up the middle. So why throw it there on a 2-point attempt?

[tigerthelion]

I had some negative thoughts during the game, but honestly, I think that was the most satisfying win as a fan since Allen was drafted.  The Bills were basically written off by the "pundits" and they played a hard nosed game.  The offensive line played well and are a nasty group. I was quite impressed with the defense overall, considering the team they played.   I think so called "ugly" wins may be even better than "pretty" wins.  Just get the job done.  Never apologize for a win.  Would love for the offensive game to open up, and I think you gotta coach agrgresively to win (especially in KC), but if the Bills win ugly in KC, that's awesome.  If Josh throws for 100 yards in the Super Bow and they win, even better! 

[Warcodered]

44 minutes ago, muppy said:

one observation after our dub last night is how much offense we fan base are allegedly taking from these TV NFL pundits dissing our team and our players.

 

I think it's all a bunch of baloney. They Must realize the narrative going into KC should be the Bills Will battle to win this game. a slugfest. Forget all this BS rhetoric.

 

Bring on the doubters and all their skepticism. It's a HUGE matchup.  Our team really needs no bulletin board piffle to fuel their hunger for a Championship

 

Let em talk Talk TALK. I really could care less what chiuijuajas opinions are of lions anyway

Yep love the disrespect just more fuel, though think the team already has plenty with how the Chiefs acted after their loss in the regular season. Kelce and that golf clap, no way they forgot how the Chiefs laughed it off.

[Gregg]

5 minutes ago, oldmanfan said:

Reading the comments here and in other threads leads me to ask a question:

 

Did we win the game last night?

 

I mean, I watched it and I'm pretty positive I saw us win, but if one were to base it off of what I'm reading this morning we need to cut about half the guys on each side of the ball and fire the OC.

 

Could be worse. Imagine being a Giants or Cowboys fan today.

[Pete]

2 minutes ago, Gregg said:

 

Could be worse. Imagine being a Giants or Cowboys fan today.

Or Jets? 🤣🤣🤣

[Beast]

19 minutes ago, Rockpile233 said:

It would be so bad. Lamar’s first half put his team on the brink of getting blown out. Shame on us for not capitalizing and actually blowout them out, but to conveniently dismiss the first half because of his “winning plays” in the second half is interesting.

 

 

Agreed.

 

And the funny thing? Allen has been widely regarded as being the better playoff QB with Jackson leaving a lot to be desired.

 

Yet, here we are. The Jackson is great narrative is getting old. He is outstanding….in the regular season.

[Gregg]

1 minute ago, Pete said:

Or Jets? 🤣🤣🤣

 

True but in this case, I was referring to the upcoming NFC Championship game.

[Pete]

Just now, Gregg said:

 

True but in this case, I was referring to the upcoming NFC Championship game.

Oh I just cant resist Jets comedy! 

[stevewin]

13 minutes ago, Juice_32 said:

 

As a former shortstop...this is awesome, and true hahaha.

When he made that comment all I could think about was yeah, but it's a football and the bounce wouldn't necessarily be true - made me think of using these practice balls when my son played

[mannc]

1 hour ago, Logic said:

Amidst the jubilation of the victory, the celebration beers, and all the smack talking I was doing to Ravens fans on Twitter, I didn't post here last night. My thoughts:

- Peter Schrager said it best this morning: For once, the catastrophic failure in a key moment happened to the OTHER team. For once, a "name game" happened to the OTHER team. The Mark Andrews Game. For once, it was the OTHER team that had untimely drops, turnovers, and errors that ultimately cost them the game. That, more than almost anything else, feels like the lasting takeaway to me. I haven't seen it often. Maybe never. Hell of a time for a first.

- The Broncos and Ravens both boasted elite rushing defenses heading into their matchups with Buffalo. The Bills gave BOTH of these run defenses their worst performance of their season, and did it in the PLAYOFFS. 

- I just honestly never imagined a day where the Bills defense and running game would lead the way to victory in a playoff game, while Josh Allen mostly looked like Clark Kent. Does anyone honestly think the Bills would've won last night's game with the rushing offense of years past? No way. If anyone's looking for a reason why this Bills team is different than Bills teams past under Josh Allen, it's the run game. It's the ability to lean on something OTHER than Superman Josh.

- I think the Bills defense needed every single one of the players it had at its disposal last night. If any of Milano, Bernard, Johnson, Benford, whomever...wasn't out there on that field last night, I'm not sure they win. Defensive health, along with the run game, are the big, glaring differences this year.

 

- Josh did what he needed to do, when he needed to do it. Not one of his best games ever statistically, but it doesn't matter. He played well. His clean game with no turnovers -- while Lamar committed two -- is a big reason for the Bills victory.

 

- Speaking of Lamar: I must be taking crazy pills this morning, seeing so many people (particularly on social media) say that the loss isn't on Lamar, that he played well, etc. Newsflash: You commit two turnovers in a playoff game, and you're losing much more often than you're winning. One of his two turnovers led to 7 Bills points, in a game the Bills won by 2. So miss me with the "it's not on Lamar" stuff. It's not ALL on Lamar, but he ABSOLUTELY shoulders some blame. Anyone wanna guess how the media would be treating Josh Allen this morning if HE had committed two turnovers and lost? Exactly.

- I know we all had the same feeling as that 4th quarter was winding down: The opposing team needed 8 points to tie it up, and all that stood between them and doing so was a Sean McDermott defense in the playoffs. We've all seen this movie before, and it doesn't end well. And if it had gotten to overtime? Well, that movie usually doesn't end will for the McDermott Bills, either. But to reiterate my first point: For once, the fates smiled upon the BILLS rather than the other team. The rarest of the rare. 

 

Call it what you want. Call it the Bills "escaping" with a win --  they did. Call it the Bills doing ENOUGH to win -- they did. Call it the fickle football gods, just for once, casting good fortune upon the Bills -- they did. Whatever you choose to call it, the outcome is the same: The Buffalo Bills are headed to the AFC Championship Game.

GO BILLS!!!

Can we all agree that playing that game in Orchard Park was HUGE, and that it was a big deal to win 14 games in the regular season (yeah, I know)?  With all the talk of how great the Ravens were…they lost six games this season, twice as many as the Bills. They were a flawed team and deserve to be going to Cancun right now.

[Chandler#81]

 

[Aireskoi]

I enjoyed the Lamar Jackson post game interview, he kept it fun with some cursing and a cool costume.

 

[Dr Krentist]

30 minutes ago, Low Positive said:

I'm going to ask this one again. If the Ravens had 4th and goal from the 2, they would most likely run Derrick Henry up the middle. So why throw it there on a 2-point attempt?

My guess is that the Ravens thought the Bills would think Henry would get the ball, so they tried to outsmart them. Sometimes, OCs just need to do the obvious and what works rather than get cute.

[Big Turk]