This Team Feels Different

[H2o]

In years past, we would be the team committing the costly penalties. Or we would have a crushing turnover. Opposing teams would make these backbreaking plays in the most crucial moments. The coaching staff was constantly fumbling the bag. It would just seem like nothing was going our way when it mattered most.

 

Since that early season loss to the Ravens, outside of the Rams game, things have been turned around. Josh, on the verge of a disastrous decision yesterday, thought better about attempting a lateral at the goal line. We have been protecting the ball. We have been winning with a middling WR group. There are no stars on this offense outside of Allen and Cook (emerging). McDermott has been doing better with clock management and has had a feel for what needs to be done. The defensive adjustments we have seen both game to game, and at halftime, have produced results. We've won the big games. Chiefs, Lions, a hot Denver team, the Ravens (regardless about how you feel because of the way it happened). This team is doing what previous Bills squads failed to do. 

 

The whole vibe around this team is different. Josh is playing free. Cook, Davis, and Johnson might be the best top to bottom RB stable in the NFL. Everyone is contributing. Everyone is doing their 1/11. This just may be our year. Let's beat the Chiefs in KC and finish the job in New Orleans. Go Bills!!!

[Ya Digg?]

So this probably won’t go over well, but every season when the Bills get close to/start the playoffs, these “this team feels different” threads get started. I definitely think they are going into KC and winning next week, I definitely think they are going to win the Super Bowl, and I definitely think there’s going to be an amazing parade in 2 feet of snow that I will gladly be at. I just think we have to be careful with these statements, because they get made every season 

[MikePJ76]

They are different.

 

they spent two years dedicated to building an offensive line, with bigger more physical wr and they have three good tight ends.

 

that is the recipe for winning playoff football. 
 

bullying the ravens, broncos and jets at the line of scrimmage in the final 3 games at home this year is a direct result of the effort put into to build a running game with a bigger more physical group on offense.

[Mikie2times]

13 minutes ago, Ya Digg? said:

So this probably won’t go over well, but every season when the Bills get close to/start the playoffs, these “this team feels different” threads get started. I definitely think they are going into KC and winning next week, I definitely think they are going to win the Super Bowl, and I definitely think there’s going to be an amazing parade in 2 feet of snow that I will gladly be at. I just think we have to be careful with these statements, because they get made every season 

Agree, this was actually nearly a carbon copy of the Houston game in 2019. A lot could have happened yesterday where this ends up being one of our all time losses. It didn’t. We pulled it out and I agree, we seem to shape up well with KC/going forward. I think the offense is pretty clearly better. We are pretty clearly better in the +\- area. Those are big things to be different in, but we just had the breaks go our way this time when in the past they didn’t. I would say that’s more some randomness with the football gods vs some clear black and white change. 

[ChronicAndKnuckles]

41 minutes ago, H2o said:

In years past, we would be the team committing the costly penalties. Or we would have a crushing turnover. Opposing teams would make these backbreaking plays in the most crucial moments. The coaching staff was constantly fumbling the bag. It would just seem like nothing was going our way when it mattered most.

 

Since that early season loss to the Ravens, outside of the Rams game, things have been turned around. Josh, on the verge of a disastrous decision yesterday, thought better about attempting a lateral at the goal line. We have been protecting the ball. We have been winning with a middling WR group. There are no stars on this offense outside of Allen and Cook (emerging). McDermott has been doing better with clock management and has had a feel for what needs to be done. The defensive adjustments we have seen both game to game, and at halftime, have produced results. We've won the big games. Chiefs, Lions, a hot Denver team, the Ravens (regardless about how you feel because of the way it happened). This team is doing what previous Bills squads failed to do. 

 

The whole vibe around this team is different. Josh is playing free. Cook, Davis, and Johnson might be the best top to bottom RB stable in the NFL. Everyone is contributing. Everyone is doing their 1/11. This just may be our year. Let's beat the Chiefs in KC and finish the job in New Orleans. Go Bills!!!

Dawkins, Brown, and McGovern are all stars in my eyes. They have transformed this offense from a finesse unit into a straight up bully. They are easily the most well rounded line in the NFL and the true engine of this offense. Much more credit needs to go to them. 

24 minutes ago, Ya Digg? said:

So this probably won’t go over well, but every season when the Bills get close to/start the playoffs, these “this team feels different” threads get started. I definitely think they are going into KC and winning next week, I definitely think they are going to win the Super Bowl, and I definitely think there’s going to be an amazing parade in 2 feet of snow that I will gladly be at. I just think we have to be careful with these statements, because they get made every season 

But they do feel different. When has a Bills team ever been able to have success running the ball against a team like the Ravens D? Not since the 90s. I for sure thought this was a game where Josh was going to have to put the cape on at some point. He had like 150 total yards and 2 very short rush TDs. His presence alone opens things up for sure, but this was a team win. It's like a game of Chess and we haven’t even used our queen yet. 

[HOUSE]

I know this is crazy but it's  a possibility Sean McDermott is a good coach ?

 

[Mikie2times]

8 minutes ago, ChronicAndKnuckles said:

Dawkins, Brown, and McGovern are all stars in my eyes. They have transformed this offense from a finesse unit into a straight up bully. They are easily the most well rounded line in the NFL and the true engine of this offense. Much more credit needs to go to them. 

But they do feel different. When has a Bills team ever been able to have success running the ball against a team like the Ravens D? Not since the 90s. I for sure thought this was a game where Josh was going to have to put the cape on at some point. He had like 150 total yards and 2 very short rush TDs. His presence alone opens things up for sure, but this was a team win. It's like a game of Chess and we haven’t even used our queen yet. 

The offense makes us different for sure. As you said, the run game like this is just not something we have handsome those Bills teams in the 90s. If you throw out the Ken Dorsey offense the last few years we don’t win this game. It’s that simple. 

[peterpan]

8 minutes ago, Mikie2times said:

The offense makes us different for sure. As you said, the run game like this is just not something we have handsome those Bills teams in the 90s. If you throw out the Ken Dorsey offense the last few years we don’t win this game. It’s that simple. 

I thought the O in the second half went into a total shell.  A few short drives and quick punts to open up, when we could have gone down and scored to be up by 18.  Then the strange call at the goal line with Shakir lined up at FB.  
 

the only reason this game was close is because our O in the second half wasn’t good, and lost their first half success.  And without our D causing those turnovers, we lose.

[Sweats]

17 minutes ago, HOUSE said:

I know this is crazy but it's  a possibility Sean McDermott is a good coach ?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Boooooooo.........boo this man.

 

Haven't you heard?!?........McD is on the hot seat, can't win the big one, has piss poor game management, doesn't know how a clock is used, etc.

Yeah, color me confused.

[HOUSE]

Just now, Sweats said:

 

 

 

 

 

Boooooooo.........boo this man.

 

Haven't you heard?!?........McD is on the hot seat, can't win the big one, has piss poor game management, doesn't know how a clock is used, etc.

Yeah, color me confused.

I told you it was crazy 🤪 

[zow2]

I’m telling ya, to me it appears the Bills have made a conscious effort to mimic the KC Chiefs style, which as we know is winning Super Bowls. Denver was a blowout but a similar game plan.  It’s all about dominant Oline, running, short passes, moving the chains, no turnovers, get takeaways, play D, limit penalties and make your FGs.  Let the other team blow the game.  

 

It’s a more boring conservative style but a safer style. I wouldn’t be surprised if our leading receivers vs KC are Shakir, Ty and Cook.  My only issue with it is that KC has a better defense than us. 

[MikePJ76]

35 minutes ago, HOUSE said:

I know this is crazy but it's  a possibility Sean McDermott is a good coach ?

 

He has beat The almighty Mike Tomlin, Sean Payton and John Harbaugh in the playoffs in the last two years.

 

the big one to put him on the map and get recognition is next week.  He secured his job here for years wit yesterdays win.   A win next week puts him in the national conversation with the greats.  
 

a Super Bowl win would make him a hall of fame coach.  

[NewEra]

Lots of luck involved in potentially winning a Super Bowl.  We saw that in spades yesterday.  

[RichRiderBills]

This team feels different for valid reasons...it is different. 

 

We are run first and can really run on anyone. Plus we don't turn the ball over. We don't make dumb mistakes. 

 

That's a change. 

[SageAgainstTheMachine]

11 minutes ago, MikePJ76 said:

He has beat The almighty Mike Tomlin, Sean Payton and John Harbaugh in the playoffs in the last two years.

 

the big one to put him on the map and get recognition is next week.  He secured his job here for years wit yesterdays win.   A win next week puts him in the national conversation with the greats.  
 

a Super Bowl win would make him a hall of fame coach.  

Personally I think his job was secure anyway.  If you’re the Pegulas who also own a team in the midst of an embarrassing playoff drought, are you ever considering firing the HCwho’s delivered the playoffs 7 out of 8 years?

[JerseyBills]

Agreed 

 

I said this back in TC and got laughed at 

[MikePJ76]

7 minutes ago, SageAgainstTheMachine said:

Personally I think his job was secure anyway.  If you’re the Pegulas who also own a team in the midst of an embarrassing playoff drought, are you ever considering firing the HCwho’s delivered the playoffs 7 out of 8 years?

I meant the public perception and the fans perception.  
 

if they beat Reid and the chiefs that all ends.  If they win a championship he becomes one of those guys.

 

national media guys will start referencing him in building culture and learning how to win.  Currently Dan Campbell gets more respect in this regard then Sean does.

[H2o]

1 hour ago, ChronicAndKnuckles said:

Dawkins, Brown, and McGovern are all stars in my eyes. They have transformed this offense from a finesse unit into a straight up bully. They are easily the most well rounded line in the NFL and the true engine of this offense. Much more credit needs to go to them. 

 

But they do feel different. When has a Bills team ever been able to have success running the ball against a team like the Ravens D? Not since the 90s. I for sure thought this was a game where Josh was going to have to put the cape on at some point. He had like 150 total yards and 2 very short rush TDs. His presence alone opens things up for sure, but this was a team win. It's like a game of Chess and we haven’t even used our queen yet. 

Those guys on the OL have been solid for sure. Dawkins is one of the top LT's in the league. Spencer Brown has turned into a beast in the run game this year. McGovern has done way better than I anticipated he would. I wouldn't call them stars per say, but Dion is close. What they are is perfect for this team, in this moment. Kromer has these guys ready to go every week and Brady's game plans have played to our strengths.  

 

The Ravens had both the #1 rushing offense and the #1 rushing defense. The Broncos had the #3 rushing defense. We ran the ball consistently against both. Then, we kept Henry at that 84 yd threshold. That is when the Ravens lost all 5 other times this year. Baltimore put up 300 yds rushing against that Steelers defense last week, and Henry dominated. The defense came through. 

 

All these things combined with the bounces seeming to go our way makes this team feel magical, like a team of destiny. Yeah, I know we've said this before. But this time you have been seeing the results. Now it's time to go slay the dragon. Bury the Chiefs, the Hunt's, the Swifties, the Clarkies, the Kelce's, and the Mahomes'. 

 

 

Edited 25 minutes ago by H2o

[Strethor]

Oh you mean actually having a run game? and actually having a passing attack that doesn't go through one player. Health.. no trick plays! This is a much better shot then in years past

[Don Otreply]

41 minutes ago, peterpan said:

I thought the O in the second half went into a total shell.  A few short drives and quick punts to open up, when we could have gone down and scored to be up by 18.  Then the strange call at the goal line with Shakir lined up at FB.  
 

the only reason this game was close is because our O in the second half wasn’t good, and lost their first half success.  And without our D causing those turnovers, we lose.

Odd perspective, it takes the whole team to win against a team as good as the Ravens, and that’s what happened, one of the biggest priorities in the 2nd half and the entire game for that matter was to burn clock and keep Lamar & Co off the field, iirc the ravens had something like four possessions in the second half, that portion of the game plan played out great, and we scored enough to never relinquish the lead, I’ll call that a success and not get lost in the weeds over minutiae,