If these playoffs have taught us anything, it's that these two stats are what really matter...

[eball]

...red zone offense/defense, and turnovers.  Period.

 

Yards don't mean diddly poo; in all four divisional games last weekend the team that out-gained their opponent lost.  Granted, if one team is dominating another the yardage will reflect that, but when the stakes are high and every team is a "good" team it all boils down to RZ and TO margin.

 

Josh Allen has taken a few years to add that knowledge to his repertoire but he now fully understands and embraces it, and that's why the Buffalo Bills will be traveling to New Orleans in two weeks.

 

[Slippery Rubber Mats]

I was going to say:

 

WIns

Losses

[FireChans]

I want it on record, I’m invoking “if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say it at all.”

[JP51]

11 minutes ago, eball said:

...red zone offense/defense, and turnovers.  Period.

 

Yards don't mean diddly poo; in all four divisional games last weekend the team that out-gained their opponent lost.  Granted, if one team is dominating another the yardage will reflect that, but when the stakes are high and every team is a "good" team it all boils down to RZ and TO margin.

 

Josh Allen has taken a few years to add that knowledge to his repertoire but he now fully understands and embraces it, and that's why the Buffalo Bills will be traveling to New Orleans in two weeks.

 

I couldnt agree more...  

[Sweats]

Turnovers aren't probably going to mean much against KC cause they rarely ever turn the ball over, however, we need to keep playing gritty and go toe to toe with them for a full 60 minutes.

[eball]

2 minutes ago, Sweats said:

Turnovers aren't probably going to mean much against KC cause they rarely ever turn the ball over, however, we need to keep playing gritty and go toe to toe with them for a full 60 minutes.

 

We turned Mahomes over twice in the first meeting (and Josh gave it up once), so it mattered then as well.  But I agree with you that both of these teams have it ingrained not to beat themselves with mistakes, so I think it's really going to come down to the red zone and who is able to cash in while preventing the other team from doing the same.

 

[JerseyBills]

Facts. 

TOP as well

[Sammy Watkins' Rib]

We should maybe add sacks to the OP's list. This is the first year I've really heard the mention of the combined negative plays stat of INT's, fumbles and sacks. Allen and the Bills have been elite in eliminating the negative plays. Chiefs still have a tendency to give up sacks even if they are not turning the ball over. 

 

Going back to the regular season game against the Chiefs, Bills were 3/4 in the red zone and Chiefs were 3/3. Both teams had one turnover each up until Pat's 2nd INT on their final possession already down two scores and under two minutes. That turnover didn't end a game that was basically already over. 

 

But Bills sacked Mahomes twice for 15 yards and the Chiefs punted after each sack. Allen was not sacked once. We all saw how the 8 sacks Stroud took last week. 

[Sammy Watkins' Rib]

13 minutes ago, eball said:

 

We turned Mahomes over twice in the first meeting (and Josh gave it up once), so it mattered then as well.  But I agree with you that both of these teams have it ingrained not to beat themselves with mistakes, so I think it's really going to come down to the red zone and who is able to cash in while preventing the other team from doing the same.

 

 

It was more about sacking Mahomes twice and keeping Allen clean. Chiefs had to punt immediately following each of the two sacks. It killed their drives. The second INT didn't really factor into the game. Bills win percentage before the last INT was 99.8%, after it was 99.9%

[LabattBlue]

5 hours ago, Slippery Rubber Mats said:

I was going to say:

 

WIns

Losses

Agree. 😂

[zow2]

I can't disagree,, but I've always said for the last 40 years or whatever of watching football that the two most important factors in winning an NFL game are:

 

1) Turnover margin

2) 3rd and 4th-down efficiency

 

You win those two stats you will win the game.  But if the teams split those two stats, turnover ratio will usually trump 3rd downs conversions.