The Thousand-yard stare

[harmonkillebrew]

I don't know how anyone can criticize Josh for that blitz.  It was disguised too well, all frigging game, and then when it occurred there were multiple other guys that failed to adjust.  Torrence should have realized his assignment was going left and gotten a mitt on the blitzing S. If Spencer Brown had blocked Karlaftis he wouldn't have put Josh on the ground and the pass to Kincaid would have been a little better (hopefully Kincaid would have actually caught it).  Ty Johnson also didn't break his route off when his guy blitzed, to give Josh a clear hot option.

 

So many failures across the board on that play. Can't hang it on Josh.

 

There are other plays that were left on the field by Josh, but after just rewatching it, he also had some amazing, gutsy plays on 4th and 3rd downs. 

 

I think the Bills need to have a few more go-to plays in crucial situations and go-to players, particularly at WR.  That 1st and 2nd and 10s right before the critical 4th down were shambles. Even the Cooper blitz, screen buster should have gone for more with a more dynamic player on the receiving end. 

 

Bills played all out, going for it on 4th down at least 5 times. The Chiefs are just slightly better in clutch moments at almost every position and coaching

[LABILLBACKER]

I'd have that same stare too if my players and coaches were constantly failing me in support.  He knows the Bills history.  He knows the weight of all Western NY is on his shoulders.  I guarantee you even his coaches expect him to " just go out and make a play" rather than scheming up better plays to support him.  Those failed tush pushes were a testament to how weak our coaching is.  Throw in his fellow players not stepping up ( besides Cook, Hollins) and that stare is more than justified.

[LABILLBACKER]

5 hours ago, Dablitzkrieg said:

If you know a blitz is coming, why would you not have your RB in to block?

I'm just shocked Brady didn't call another tush push on 4th & 5.  7th time is a charm. 

[LABILLBACKER]

5 hours ago, All_Pro_Bills said:

Basically the Bills lost because in the most critical point in the game, the Chiefs executed a defensive play or two that were variations out of a familiar defensive look. Our offense got fooled. Our defense did no better.

 

I'm thinking we lose these games to the Chiefs because their coaching staff prepares and game plans extremely well for the Bills and clearly understands the tendencies of the opposition, both its players and coaches. And our coaching staff never disappoints by giving them exactly the looks and plays they prepare for every time. There's no element of surprise or disguise going on here.

 

Maybe we should be marveling not about how the Bills manage to lose these game by the slimiest of margins every time but instead be amazed the players can keep it so close given the other team's players and coaches perform like they're in the Bills practice and game planning sessions all week before the game. 

Name me 1 new clever play Brady implemented for this game.  Nothing

[Old Coot]

As I said in another post, that play was hugely risky against that KC look.

 

They are showing an overload blitz to our weak(right) side and we have no RB in to block. Also, when chased, Josh is known to run to his right and that's what he did on this play.

 

Fitz says, it did not matter which way the OL shifted against that look.

 

This is THE crucial play of the game. If its not successful, we go home for the year.

 

You cannot take the risk that they will blitz from our right.

 

Josh should have audibled out of that play or called a TO to talk things over, if a suitable audible wasn't available.

 

Don't blame Brady for the play call. Remember, Brady calls down the play and any audibles to Josh. Brady is blocked from communicating with Josh when the play clock reaches 15 seconds. The D will wait to lineup until after that

 

So, it's the QB's job to evaluate the D formation and decide whether to go with the called play, the audible(s) or to call a TO.

 

This is constructive criticism.

 

I love Josh; he's an excellent QB but his game is not perfect. He can improve and to say so, isn't bashing Josh, or on this play, trying to excuse Kincaide's flub.

 

In the offseason, a coach would be remiss to just let this go without comment to Josh (privately).

 

Hopefully Josh learns from his mistakes, he'll be a better QB for it.

 

WE all learn more from our mistakes than from our successes.

 

On the positive side, I think Josh made great strides this season. He was more active pre-snap -- pointing at the D to set its strength, sliding protection, tc. plus post snap he seems less likely to lock onto one receiver. That shows growth.

 

 

[julian]

4 hours ago, Sojourner said:

Yeah, I might have misunderstood that. There wasn’t much clarity so apologies on my end. 
 

With you on Oliver. He was about the only guy I can give credit to for putting in a shift the whole game. Groot, let down. AJ, let down. Von, let down. A guy that can disrupt the middle will be a remedy to help anyone we have going into next year on that line which in turn should help the secondary. Sadly, it could end up being another season too late. 

No worries, everyone is just trying to figure out what needs to be done and sometimes points get lost in translation in written format.

 

 I’m not very hopeful they’ll get it right, but I desperately want to be wrong.

[muppy]

10 hours ago, billsgpr88 said:

Whether or not Bills fans agree with its implications, we’re all familiar with the image: Josh Allen on the sidlines, eyes glazed, staring into the distance. I recall seeing it in the horrendous Jaguars game a few years back (in Jacksonville iirc, not the one in England), in his first playoff game against the Texans, and now in back to back playoff games against the Chiefs. It doesn’t happen often, but it always seems to foreshadow a Bills loss. 
 

I love watching Josh Allen play; having watched nearly every game during the drought, I could never say enough about how he has uplifted the organization and the community. I’d argue he means as much or more to Buffalo than any athlete does to their respective team in American sports. He’s the most important individual in the building, and it’s not even close. The issue is, he knows it. He knows about the superbowl losses and the drought, and how desperately Buffalo wants one, just one, Super Bowl victory. And I believe this is what weighs on his shoulders every time I see that absent-minded stare from the sideline. 

I’ll always root for Josh; he’s almost beyond criticism, knowing how much he does to win, what he’s already accomplished in his career, and especially for being a genuinely great person and leader. But, when I see that stare, I immediately get the sense that the game is over. We can point to specific plays, bad calls by the refs, poor coaching, or simply talent, but Josh is the unquestioned leader of the team, even more than McDermott, and I think when his teammates see that from Josh, they feel it, and their confidence is drained from it. And the worst part is that it keeps happening against the chiefs in the playoffs, and with each year the pressure is amplified. Although he played pretty well overall against the chiefs, he didn’t display that heroic, game-dominating mentality that was on display against the chiefs in the regular season game. As much as I hate to admit, I felt the Bills would lose last Sunday as early as the first quarter, though I didn’t initially realize why. Now looking back, I am convinced it is the thousand-yard stare that reveals how overwhelming the pressure is to be the savior of the Buffalo Bills.

this is SO DRAMATIC.  And the OP is speaking from what he really thinks. It's a different take than what we read here

 

I'm not mad. It's a free chatroom.  the 1000 yard stare is the harbinger of bad things aka Losses  Overall OP likes Josh Allen. Thinks he is not perfect. 

 

well I will take an imperfect #17 over ANY QB in the NFL.   And IF ONLY HE WERE SUPERMAN and PERFECT we would ALL be  so happy eh?

 

lol 

 

 

Edited 29 minutes ago by muppy

[ControllerOfPlanetX]

The  Chiefs did this..

 

[CincyBillsFan]

7 hours ago, Dablitzkrieg said:

My point is he deserves some criticism. 

Why?  He played a very good game and was not the reason the Bills lost.  In fact Allen's play likely kept the Bills in the game and in position for a walk off win.  Any other QB and the Bills probably lose that game by 2 scores.

 

The need for some posters to criticize Allen whenever he doesn't play a perfect game is insane and I'm suspicious of their motivation.  The Bills Super Bowl window is open only as long as Allen continues to play at the level he's playing.  If over the next 5 years Allen doesn't get any better he will not be the reason the Bills don't win a Super Bowl.

 

The NFL is not the NBA where an elite generational talent can will his team to a championship. Football is the ultimate team game involving dozens of players.  If only one of those players is consistently great in the playoffs, and I would argue that only Allen has met this criteria, the Bills will not a win a championship.  The fact that the Bill's have gotten as far as they have is amazing and probably the limit of where a single player can take them.