Just some thoughts before I log off for a while...

[Cray51]

35 minutes ago, Ethan in Cleveland said:

Making the playoffs with the best QB in football is meaningless. Green Bay did it for years. Marino did it. Rivers did it. Colts did it. They all wasted HOF QBs with innumerable playoff losses. At least Manning and Rodgers got one. At this point it's looking like Josh may be added to teh list of best QBs to not win a SuperBowl. 

Manning got one at thirty.  Maybe Allen doesn’t win, maybe he does.  But using Manning as a comparable is a joke given when he won it

[Success]

Good post.

 

I'm quitting. I'm a quitter. I literally cannot do this anymore.

 

[thenorthremembers]

Just kind of feels over to me.   They don't have enough talent on either side of the ball and not enough money or high enough draft picks to change it.

 

They will middle around for 3 or 4 more years and then probably switch coaches.  By that time Josh will be near the end of his career and despite a lot of good games the Bills will still not have a.championship.

[The Frankish Reich]

Our defense is, objectively, mediocre. Elite players: none. Excellent players: Rousseau. Better than average players: Oliver, Benford. Average: Bernard, Johnson. Below average: everyone else, particularly interior DL. Abysmal: all our safeties. Milano may still get healthy and move back up the scale, but that wasn't this year. McD and Babich should get credit for patching together a defense that was statistically quite good despite a dearth of talent.

[Zerovoltz]

9 minutes ago, Freddie's Dead said:

 

Thanks for posting ZV.  The 4th down review was automatic because it was a change of possession.  What about the most egregious call of a completed pass to Worthy which was clearly incomplete?  That and the phantom facemask on Elam arguably cost us 14 points.

 

Play to Worthy should have been ruled incomplete, but there was defensive holding on that play and it wasn't some phantom call...it was obvious....so would have been Chiefs 1st and 10 back at the 20 or so.  Still a big play and bad call, but not the huge game changer it might appear to be.

 

There was a facemask on Elam..that wasn't a phantom call.  

7 minutes ago, Success said:

Good post.

 

I'm quitting. I'm a quitter. I literally cannot do this anymore.

 

Don't give up.  You have a top 3 NFL QB.  Always a chance when you have that guy.  

[Success]

7 minutes ago, Zerovoltz said:

 

Play to Worthy should have been ruled incomplete, but there was defensive holding on that play and it wasn't some phantom call...it was obvious....so would have been Chiefs 1st and 10 back at the 20 or so.  Still a big play and bad call, but not the huge game changer it might appear to be.

 

There was a facemask on Elam..that wasn't a phantom call.  

Don't give up.  You have a top 3 NFL QB.  Always a chance when you have that guy.  

 

I appreciate it, man.  You're a good dude, and a good contributor here.

 

I'm talking to my son right now. I just don't think I can continue. This is TOTALLY unexpected - I've been through it all, since the 80's. But I thing the best think for my health is to step away from this sport.

 

Edited Monday at 04:55 AM by Success

[Freddie's Dead]

9 minutes ago, Zerovoltz said:

There was a facemask on Elam..that wasn't a phantom call.  

 

Elam briefly touched his visor, but here is the rulebook (Elam did not grasp and twist, pull, etc., therefore phantom call):

 

ARTICLE 15. TWISTING, PULLING, OR TURNING THE FACEMASK OR HELMET OPENING. No player shall grasp and
control, twist, turn, push, or pull the facemask or helmet opening of an opponent in any direction.
Note: If a player grasps an opponent’s facemask or helmet opening, he must immediately release it. If he does not
immediately release it and controls his opponent, it is a foul.
Penalty: For twisting, turning, pushing, pulling, or controlling the mask or helmet opening: Loss of 15 yards. The player
may be disqualified if the action is flagrant. If the foul is by the defense, it is also an automatic first down.

[quincy]

There are so many layers to break down but given it is 6am in my timezone, all I can say is that the scars that KC inflicts in January somehow need to be cured and healed and there must be the required medicine on hand should we meet next January.

 

This is where coaching comes into it, stick or twist? Harbaugh and Tomlin at least have got to and won the big game, not recently though. It is reminding me of the time where the players in Seattle tuned out of Pete Carroll giving the same message year on year. Stability in the regular season versus never making the Super Bowl this millenium.

 

We are truly stuck between a rock and a hard place. Today we had some actual exceptionally clutch plays yet it still wasn't enough because KC can match and exceed it.

 

[Zerovoltz]

4 minutes ago, Success said:

 

I appreciate it, man.  You're a good dude, and a good contributor here.

 

I'm talking to my son right now. I just don't think I can continue. This is TOTALLY unexpected - I've been through it all, since the 80's. But I thing the best think for my health is to step away from this sport.

 

I remember a time when I felt like this as a Chiefs fan.  After all the first round losses with Marty....and the high flying offenses with Vermiel that came along with a defense that could stop no one....and then the dark ages of Scot Pioli....a LB shooting himself in the head in the parking lot...I'd had enough.....was emotionaly invested and kept wondering why I cared so much?  ....but what I found when I stepped back some, was that I enjoyed the sport, the drama, even the complaining and questioning what was going on with my team.....I missed it...even the bad losing parts..because ....It was just a natural part of who I am and what I like.  I couldn't quit if I wanted to...no matter how bad it got.  .....I just had to adjust a little and realize that football was something I did for entertainment...win or lose....not base my whole outlook on winning or losing...just to enjoy it for what it is....a game that we analyze and follow and form opinions on and study....its a great game and it's fun to be a fan...even when things are at rock bottom.  I'd bet after you stepped back for a bit...you'd find you'd miss it...even if the Bills were 7-10....you'd miss the 2nd guessing and the FA signings and draft.....the tinge of hope every training camp....that maybe this is the year.  

 

I know...easy for me to say now...but I've been there.  

[The Frankish Reich]

2 minutes ago, quincy said:

Today we had some actual exceptionally clutch plays yet it still wasn't enough because KC can match and exceed it.

Mahomes barely runs at all in the regular season. When he does in the playoffs, it adds that extra dimension. Defenses don't gameplan for it because he doesn't do it in the regular season.

 

I hate to agree with JJ Watt, but I think he summed it up: some teams have the bad luck to peak during someone else's dynasty. Brady and the Pats, now Mahomes and the Chiefs. 

[PayDaBill$]

1 hour ago, Beast said:

Josh had a tough first drive.

 

End of story.

Bad play calling.  Give the ball to Cook.  He ended with only 13 carries but went for 85 yards.  We got too cute.  Entire 1st was awful, I didn’t like the play calls at all.

[mannc]

Brady has a lot to answer for tonight…continuing to run the QB sneak (without even the benefit of a push from behind) when KC was stuffing it consistently was inexcusable and probably cost us the game…

[corta765]

I’m out of juice with this team. Honestly the drought was easier because you were done by week 14 so whatever. Instead for years now teased of the big one with no result. Whether coaching or 17 they can’t do it and I’m over it at this point. Not renewing seasons and in general just stepping back as it feels like such a disappointing waste of time

that won’t ever give a payoff. 

[schoolhouserock]

25 minutes ago, Zerovoltz said:

 

Play to Worthy should have been ruled incomplete, but there was defensive holding on that play and it wasn't some phantom call...it was obvious....so would have been Chiefs 1st and 10 back at the 20 or so.  Still a big play and bad call, but not the huge game changer it might appear to be.

 

There was a facemask on Elam..that wasn't a phantom call.  

Don't give up.  You have a top 3 NFL QB.  Always a chance when you have that guy.  

If that holding was a call, then Coleman was definitely held on the 3rd and long prior by McDuffie. Another one sided call.

[The Frankish Reich]

41 minutes ago, Cray51 said:

Manning got one at thirty.  Maybe Allen doesn’t win, maybe he does.  But using Manning as a comparable is a joke given when he won it

Elway got two at (I think) age 36-37.

Steve Young got his at 33.

And of course Manning got his second one at 38.

[CincyBillsFan]

1 hour ago, Beast said:

Josh had a tough first drive.

 

End of story.

Yep and after that he was quite good leading the O to 4 TD's and a FG.  Pulling off key TD drives, one at the end of the 1st half and one in the 4th quarter when the Chiefs took a 29 - 22 lead, to keep the Bills in the game.  And even on the 4th & 5 in the face of a Spags mega blitz Allen made an incredible throw that should have been caught for a first down at the KC 25 giving us a great chance to win the game.

 

The nitpicking of Allen I'm seeing here makes no sense and ignores the real reasons the Bills cant get over the hump.  The fact is that if Allen is no longer out there due to injury or he moves on to another team the Bills are a 7 or 8 win team that isn't in the playoffs at best. 
 

The real issue and overriding concern is why can't the Bills organization put a better team around Allen.  My goodness just a little bit better and we would be going to and winning multiple Super Bowls. 

 

 

[The Frankish Reich]

Just now, CincyBillsFan said:

Yep and after that he was quite good leading the O to 4 TD's and a FG.  Pulling off key TD drives, one at the end of the 1st half and one in the 4th quarter when the Chiefs took a 29 - 22 lead, to keep the Bills in the game.  And even on the 4th & 5 in the face of a Spags mega blitz Allen made an incredible throw that should have been caught for a first down at the KC 25 giving us a great chance to win the game.

 

The nitpicking of Allen I'm seeing here makes no sense and ignores the real reasons the Bills cant get over the hump.  The fact is that if Allen is no longer out there due to injury or he moves on to another team the Bills are a 7 or 8 win team that isn't in the playoffs at best. 
 

The real issue and overriding concern is why can't the Bills organization put a better team around Allen.  My goodness just a little bit better and we would be going to and winning multiple Super Bowls. 

 

 

At this point, it's really just a question of getting past KC. Baltimore is a similar really good team with a similar future HOF QB. And no Super Bowl appearances. 

In a world without Michael Jordan, Clyde Drexler and Karl Malone are sporting multiple championship rings.

[LABILLBACKER]

Fantastic synopsis @Virgil....exactly the way I feel.  I'm personally exhausted following this team for nearly 60 years.  Josh did pick a bad day to come out jittery. Very surprising and unusual considering how poised & controlled he was most of this season.  Sean & Joe failed tonight.  We had 3 first round players tonight ( Groot, Elam, Kincaid) that were absolutely awful.  And 2nd round picks Bishop / AJE / Coleman were just as useless. Can we please never trade with KC EVER again. If Andy wants to trade with you, it means he's about to undress you.  As good as Josh is, Sean will NEVER build an elite Defense around him. They will always be small, slow & soft. And as others have accurately said, Sean is unfireable. He has a lifetime contract from Terry.

[LABILLBACKER]

1 hour ago, Johnnycage46 said:

This is the new drought. 

So true....everyone talks about how cool it is to be out of the drought.....are we really out?

[Norcalbillsfan]

55 minutes ago, The Frankish Reich said:

Our defense is, objectively, mediocre. Elite players: none. Excellent players: Rousseau. Better than average players: Oliver, Benford. Average: Bernard, Johnson. Below average: everyone else, particularly interior DL. Abysmal: all our safeties. Milano may still get healthy and move back up the scale, but that wasn't this year. McD and Babich should get credit for patching together a defense that was statistically quite good despite a dearth of talent.

I think giving Rousseau an excellent is a little generous. I can see arguing either way, maybe it's just recency bias but another playoff game from our #1 pick edge rusher where he didn't make an impact. Mahomes had 2 massive first down runs on him. I can't really think of a game this year or last year for that matter off the top of my head where I thought "groot took over this game" 

 

I'd probably put benfords first 3/4s of the season in the excellent column but Rousseau is a tough one for me, him and Oliver just have way too many disappearing games to be labeled excellent. 

But that's me splitting hairs.

31 minutes ago, mannc said:

Brady has a lot to answer for tonight…continuing to run the QB sneak (without even the benefit of a push from behind) when KC was stuffing it consistently was inexcusable and probably cost us the game…

Letting Chris Jones jump the snap 5 times before hard counting was inexcusable 

Edited Monday at 05:42 AM by Norcalbillsfan