The bears game doesn't really mean much

[HudsonValleyBillsFan]

The Bears are a great team.

The Bills are rebuilding.

A 40-7 loss was an obvious setback in the rebuilding process.

 

But I truly beleive this sunday's game will tell us more about the

Bills character. Particularly JP Losman who had his first deplorable

performance of the season. Will the bears game affect his confidence?

Will he pay attention to the media and the idiots on this board and let the critics

allow him to question himself? Or will he learn from last week's performance and

improve on the things that he did wrong?

 

 

And the defense.

Will they have a good scheme in place to hold down a suddenly explosive lions offense?

I can't beleive everyone on this board all the sudden thinks mcgee and clements forgot how

to play corner.

I have a question for the tape watchers.

I know it looked bad when mcgee got toasted for that 62-yard pass but

has anyone considered (forgive me if this has already been talked about)

that maybe those types of plays had more to do with our rookie safeties than it did with our cornerbacks? Tape-watchers can you tell me if maybe simpson or whitner were supposed to provide mcgee with deep coverage on that 62-yard play? I find that to be more likely than mcgee all of the sudden forgot how to cover a receiver.

 

In any event, I really want to see how the Bills respond to getting blown out. I think that is more of a test than hoping that our rebuilding team will march into the home of the nfl's best team and walk out with an upset win.

[stuckincincy]

The Bears are a great team.

The Bills are rebuilding.

A 40-7 loss was an obvious setback in the rebuilding process.

 

800598[/snapback]

 

Yep. Every team, even the best ones, suffer a blowout or two, or more, in the course of a season.

 

Out of the five games so far, they've had this one, and also remained in the game in the 4th quarter in the NYJ and NE losses. Not bad.

[Florida_BillsFan]

Good point about a "test" of our team - and it doesn't hurt that Detroit will likely be missing three offensive lineman due to injury - Go Bills !!!

[2020 Our Year For Sure]

In any event, I really want to see how the Bills respond to getting blown out. I think that is more of a test than hoping that our rebuilding team will march into the home of the nfl's best team and walk out with an upset win.

800598[/snapback]

I like that. Lets get our feet under us, regroup, put the past behind and go beat a team that we ultimately should beat. 3-3 looks a whole lot better than 2-4.

 

Go Bills!

[JCBoston]

I like that. Lets get our feet under us, regroup, put the past behind and go beat a team that we ultimately should beat. 3-3 looks a whole lot better than 2-4.

 

Go Bills!

800939[/snapback]

 

We ought to beat the Lions. The real test, however, is in two weeks, against the Patriots. That's a game that we _must_ win if we want to bestow any legitimacy to this rebuilding effort.

[TigerJ]

I know it's cliche, but I think every game is important. Even if you write the Bills off as a playoff competitor, each game brings a different kind of challenge. The Bears were a huge test because they are an elite team right now. The Bills flunked that test, not so much because they lost, but because they got intimidated; dropped passes, dumb penalties, missed tackles, errant passes that they normally would have made.

 

OK that game is history . Now the Bills have a different kind of test on Sunday. Can they put the humiliation behind them and come out with renewed focus and beat a team they are supposed to beat?

 

They are all worth a one in the win column. Every game can teach a team something about itself.

[DeLuca1967]

The Bears are a great team.

The Bills are rebuilding.

A 40-7 loss was an obvious setback in the rebuilding process.

 

But I truly beleive this sunday's game will tell us more about the

Bills character. Particularly JP Losman who had his first deplorable

performance of the season. Will the bears game affect his confidence?

Will he pay attention to the media and the idiots on this board and let the critics

allow him to question himself? Or will he learn from last week's performance and

improve on the things that he did wrong?

And the defense.

Will they have a good scheme in place to hold down a suddenly explosive lions offense?

I can't beleive everyone on this board all the sudden thinks mcgee and  clements forgot how

to play corner.

I have a question for the tape watchers.

I know it looked bad when mcgee got toasted for that 62-yard pass but

has anyone considered (forgive me if this has already been talked about)

that maybe those types of plays had more to do with our rookie safeties than it did with our cornerbacks? Tape-watchers can you tell me if maybe simpson or whitner were supposed to provide mcgee with deep coverage on that 62-yard play? I find that to be more likely than mcgee all of the sudden forgot how to cover a receiver.

 

In any event, I really want to see how the Bills respond to getting blown out. I think that is more of a test than hoping that our rebuilding team will march into the home of the nfl's best team and walk out with an upset win.

800598[/snapback]

 

17 points a game is "suddenly explosive".

 

You are right. A game against a 0-5 patsy is a far greater gauge of a teams character then say a game against a very good team.

 

Last Sunday was gut check time. Nothing the Bills do against the Lions can erase that fact. The Bears beat the Bills by 33 points while playing the second half like a preseason game.

[leh-nerd skin-erd]

17 points a game is "suddenly explosive". 

 

You are right. A game against a 0-5 patsy is a far greater gauge of a teams character then say a game against a very good team. 

 

Last Sunday was gut check time. Nothing the Bills do against the Lions can erase that fact. The Bears beat the Bills by 33 points while playing the second half like a preseason game. 

801233[/snapback]

 

 

check that, skippy. you have 16 games during a regular season, and there are gut checks throughout the year. the pats became famous for performing well during multiple gut checks over several years (and please don't hit me with the little devil or smiley face, i am not comparing the pats dynasty teams to this bills team, and or jp to terry bradshaw, or sammy baugh, mickey mantle or mickey rooney). if you're lucky enough to make it to the playoffs, there will likely be a few gut check times there as well, i think you'd agree.

 

the bills got handled, the bills failed the gut check last week, they have to step up and move on. there's not a choice there at all, you either step up or you don't.

 

the bills have stepped up at times, and other times they haven't. other than the undefeated team, you could apply the same argument to each team (feel free to hit me with the devil face here, i'm comparing the bills to other teams at this time). there's a sliding scale, and the better teams probably fail less at gut check time than the not so great teams, wouldn't you agree?

 

they have an opportunity to pass the test this week, and they should plan on it.

 

i went to church this weekend, and said a prayer for you bad rapping marv last week. go in peace, my extremist brother.

[ExiledInIllinois]

if you're lucky enough to make it to the playoffs, there will likely be a few gut check times there as well, i think you'd agree. 

801297[/snapback]

 

Exactly!

 

You NEED gut checks... Teams can not usually win nowadays with out them...

 

Adversity IS GOOD!

[DeLuca1967]

check that, skippy.  you have 16 games during a regular season, and there are gut checks throughout the year.  the pats became famous for performing well during multiple gut checks over several years (and please don't hit me with the little devil or smiley face, i am not comparing the pats dynasty teams to this bills team, and or jp to terry bradshaw, or sammy baugh, mickey mantle or mickey rooney).  if you're lucky enough to make it to the playoffs, there will likely be a few gut check times there as well, i think you'd agree. 

 

the bills got handled, the bills failed the gut check last week, they have to step up and move on.  there's not a choice there at all, you either step up or you don't. 

 

the bills have stepped up at times, and other times they haven't.  other than the undefeated team, you could apply the same argument to each team (feel free to hit me with the devil face here, i'm comparing the bills to other teams at this time).  there's a sliding scale, and the better teams probably fail less at gut check time than the not so great teams, wouldn't you agree? 

 

they have an opportunity to pass the test this week, and they should plan on it. 

 

i went to church this weekend, and said a prayer for you bad rapping marv last week.  go in peace, my extremist brother.

801297[/snapback]

 

There is nothing "gut check" about the 0-5 Lions. There is no "test". Beating a pathetic football team proves nothing.

 

I can tell you spend a lot of time in church. That must be where you learned how to use a lot of words that don't mean anything. It must also be why you are predisposed to being a lamb just following the herd.

[leh-nerd skin-erd]

There is nothing "gut check" about the 0-5 Lions. There is no "test". Beating a pathetic football team proves nothing.

 

I can tell you spend a lot of time in church. That must be where you learned how to use a lot of words that don't mean anything. It must also be why you are predisposed to being a lamb just following the herd.

801349[/snapback]

 

 

of course it's a gut check game. you know it and so do i. look at it like this...you go to a bar, let's say it's cassidy's in buffalo back in the day. you get into an argument with a guy, you get into a fight, and he kicks the stuffing out of you. next week, do you go back to the bar for freddies special? of course you do. the bills were badly beaten, so they go to detroit to show the fans it was a fluke. will they be successful? you say it's irrelevant, but you're wrong.

 

the bills go to detroit to begin the road to recovery. the game matters to everyone except those fools who have written off the season after 5 games and a 2-3 record. beating the lions proves the bills are 3-3, not 2-4.

 

i'll try and back off on the word count for you, but can't promise anything. it wasn't church--- i actually spent a lot of time in school, that's where i learned the words. most of the words used here i learned before 8th grade.

 

you know, you make the occasional point that makes sense, wrapped around all the contrarian b-s you toss out there for effect. you have to be able to do better than the old "following the herd argument". try using more words.

[I 90]

There is nothing "gut check" about the 0-5 Lions. There is no "test". Beating a pathetic football team proves nothing.

801349[/snapback]

 

 

 

the bills go to detroit to begin the road to recovery.  the game matters to everyone except those fools who have written off the season after 5 games and a 2-3 record.  beating the lions proves the bills are 3-3, not 2-4. 

801455[/snapback]

 

Both of you -- cut it out with the voodoo.

 

Of course it's a gut check. Are the Lions going to go winless ? If not, who are they likely to beat if not a recently thumped Bills team at home ?

 

And road to recovery ? The Lions are not a rehab facility they are a professional football team. This is going to be a VERY BIG WIN in what is likely to be a very difficult game.

 

.

[DeLuca1967]

The Bears game was the test. You measure yourself against the best. You don't measure teams against also rans.

 

If this Sunday was against the Pats? Then yes, you could say the Bills had a chacne to prove something. On the road against a team that should be named "Bye Week"? There is nothing to prove. You don't have to play well to beat the Lions. Just wait it out and the Lions will beat themselves.

 

Again the standards are so low that games against an 0-5 team mean more then a game against an 4-0 team. I can not express how sad that that is.

[leh-nerd skin-erd]

The Bears game was the test. You measure yourself against the best. You don't measure teams against also rans.

 

If this Sunday was against the Pats? Then yes, you could say the Bills had a chacne to prove something. On the road against a team that should be named "Bye Week"? There is nothing to prove. You don't have to play well to beat the Lions. Just wait it out and the Lions will beat themselves.

 

Again the standards are so low that games against an 0-5 team mean more then a game against an 4-0 team. I can not express how sad that that is.

801577[/snapback]

 

we disagree this is a gut check game. we agree there might be other gut check games later in the year.

 

 

this statement is patently false:

Again the standards are so low that games against an 0-5 team mean more then a game against an 4-0 team.

 

who said that, other than you?

[Dr. Trooth]

Do I understand you correctly? The Bears game doesn't really mean much, but this week's game will tell us something more about the Bills character? Bills played a 4-0 team last week and got thumped. The Bills play on 0-5 team this week. If they thump the Lions, it means they have character, if they have a hard time but win thye might have character, and if they lose, they have no charater at all?

 

Could you please do us all a favor and jot down which games mean something and which ones won't for the rest of the season? That way, when I get pissed off after a Bills loss I can look at that list and say... no big deal.

[DeLuca1967]

Do I understand you correctly? The Bears game doesn't really mean much, but this week's game will tell us something more about the Bills character?  Bills played a 4-0 team last week and got thumped.  The Bills play on 0-5 team this week.  If they thump the Lions, it means they have character, if they have a hard time but win thye might have character, and if they lose, they have no charater at all?

 

Could you please do us all a favor and jot down which games mean something and which ones won't for the rest of the season?  That way, when I get pissed off after a Bills loss I can look at that list and say... no big deal.

802190[/snapback]

 

No you don't. Just the opposite.

 

The point of the original post and others I have seen is that the Bills can make up for the Bears beatdown with a strong game against the Lions.

 

My point is that when you are measuring your team you do so against the better teams. The Bills lost to the Bears by 33 points. If the Bears would have kept the foot on the throttle it could have been 63 points.

 

It's not that the Bills should have won the game. I never said anything close to that. The fact that they couldn't even make it a game is cause for concern. And don't tell me about the Seahawks. They were without Alexander. Take McGahee out of last weeks game and the Bills lose by 83.

 

Nothing that happens this Sunday makes a difference to what happened last week. Beating the Lions doesn't take away from the Bills measuring themselves against one of the better teams and falling way short of being respectable. Not winning. Just being respectable.

[DCBongo]

I am not trying to compair the 91 Bills to this team, but even during those years, we managed to gte our asses kicked. For example KANSAS CITY 33, BUFFALO 6

"Monday Night Football and a trip to Kansas City greeted Buffalo in week 6. The Bills were crushed under the weight of their own mistakes. Five Buffalo fumbles and six sacks of Jim Kelly were more than enough to give the Chiefs a resounding 30-6 win."

Even good teams get beat bad, it just so happens this team is a work in progress and if they are able to refocus, they should be able to go to Detroit and lay wood down on an injured and not good, Lions team.

[Dr. Trooth]

The fact that they couldn't even make it a game is cause for concern.

 

I would say so.

 

And don't tell me about the Seahawks. They were without Alexander.

 

I won't... it's irrelevant for this discussion.

 

Take McGahee out of last weeks game and the Bills lose by 83.

 

Ridiculous. Wouldn't have changed anything. A-train and Willis have virtually identical per carry averages. They're interchangeable. Neither has speed or threat to take it the distance. and A train's a better inside runner and blocker. Only advantage I've seen that Willi has is that he can get to the edge and get a few more yards on the outside. Moorman, the CBs, the defensive line lost this game. Because of the defense being shredded, the Bills were forced to do things offensively that took them out of their comfort zone. Bills are a team that can't be down by more than 10. If they are in that situation, 9 out of 10 times they're going to lose.

 

 

Not winning. Just being respectable. 

 

So, Titans lose by 1 point on the road to the Colts. Respectable? Titans are 0-5 and Colts are 5-0. Have the Titans turned the corner? Should they and their fans feel good about last Sunday's game? Nope... Titans, Raiders, Lions... it's a toss up who stenches the most.

 

Bottom line is the Bears game was a "benchmark" game for the Bills and the Bills flunked. All the hype leading up to the game was based on them giving the Pats a tough time, beating the Dolphins (who were the media darlings based on their late season run last year and the Culpepper myth), and a common opponent (Vikings) that both teams beat. The Bills are in rebuild... players and coaches. The Bears were a playoff team and it was a missmatch from the get go. The Bills offense was overwhelmed by the Bears speed on D and the Bills D got gashed up the middle with the run, which opened up the pass on the outside and their CBs couldn't deal with it. Things just snowballed. One team looked scary awsome... the other in awe of them, like a deer in headlights. Youth and inexperience exposed.

So, where are the Bills after this benchmark game? About the same as I figured... a team that will be flirting with .500 all season. And, who knows, when the season's over, they've got a real shot at hitting the 8-8 plateau. It will be close, but me thinks more like 7-9 with some luck and without any major injuries.

[leh-nerd skin-erd]

I would say so.

I won't... it's irrelevant for this discussion.

Ridiculous.  Wouldn't have changed anything.  A-train and  Willis have virtually identical per carry averages.  They're interchangeable.  Neither has speed or threat to take it the distance. and A train's a better inside runner and blocker.  Only advantage I've seen that Willi has is that he can get to the edge and get a few more yards on the outside.  Moorman, the CBs, the defensive line lost this game.  Because of the defense being shredded, the Bills were forced to do things offensively that took them out of their comfort zone.  Bills are a team that can't be down by more than 10.  If they are in that situation, 9 out of 10 times they're going to lose.

So, Titans lose by 1 point on the road to the Colts.  Respectable?  Titans are 0-5 and Colts are 5-0.  Have the Titans turned the corner?  Should they and their fans feel good about last Sunday's game?  Nope... Titans, Raiders, Lions... it's a toss up who stenches the most.

 

Bottom line is the Bears game was a "benchmark" game for the Bills and the Bills flunked.  All the hype leading up to the game was based on them giving the Pats a tough time, beating the Dolphins (who were the media darlings based on their late season run last year and the Culpepper myth), and a common opponent (Vikings) that both teams beat.  The Bills are in rebuild... players and coaches.  The Bears were a playoff team and it was a missmatch from the get go. The Bills offense was overwhelmed by the Bears speed on D and the Bills D got gashed up the middle with the run, which opened up the pass on the outside and their CBs couldn't deal with it.  Things just snowballed.  One team looked scary awsome... the other in awe of them, like a deer in headlights.  Youth and inexperience exposed.

So, where are the Bills after this benchmark game?  About the same as I figured... a team that will be flirting with .500 all season.  And, who knows, when the season's over, they've got a real shot at hitting the 8-8 plateau.  It will be close, but me thinks more like 7-9 with some luck and without any major injuries.

802348[/snapback]

 

 

dr. trooth has a phd in reason. i think the ongoing point of discussion here depends on whether you see things in black adn white, or perhaps you see the shades of gray in everything. deluca is the former. i'm the latter.

 

the bills are rebuilding...check.

the bills played the bears and got thumped...checked.

it would have been nice and agreeable to our senses if they had been competitive, they weren't, they failed that litmus test...check.

 

having said that, it doesn't mean the rest of the season is a wash, and makes the lions game no less important this weekend. if they beat the lions, it doesn't make the bears loss any less of an issue, and it deosn't offset tehri performance last week.

 

the discussion point of what would have happened had willis not been in is irrelevant--he played and who knows what happens if he doesn't. really, who cares? as for alexander, if i'm a seahawks fan, i wonder what might have happened if he had played, but it's still a non issue for now. maybe later in the season we find out.

 

finally, i think most reasonable fans didn't drift to far away from the mindset that this team is in rebuild mode, or put a harsher way probably not good enough to compete at a higher level and win consistently. still, when you take a long term view, you want your team to display some character whether they win or lose. when they lose, or get blown out, you'd like to see them rebound with a good performance regardless of the next opponent.

[DeLuca1967]

I would say so.

I won't... it's irrelevant for this discussion.

Ridiculous.  Wouldn't have changed anything.  A-train and  Willis have virtually identical per carry averages.  They're interchangeable.  Neither has speed or threat to take it the distance. and A train's a better inside runner and blocker.  Only advantage I've seen that Willi has is that he can get to the edge and get a few more yards on the outside.  Moorman, the CBs, the defensive line lost this game.  Because of the defense being shredded, the Bills were forced to do things offensively that took them out of their comfort zone.  Bills are a team that can't be down by more than 10.  If they are in that situation, 9 out of 10 times they're going to lose.

So, Titans lose by 1 point on the road to the Colts.  Respectable?  Titans are 0-5 and Colts are 5-0.  Have the Titans turned the corner?  Should they and their fans feel good about last Sunday's game?  Nope... Titans, Raiders, Lions... it's a toss up who stenches the most.

 

Bottom line is the Bears game was a "benchmark" game for the Bills and the Bills flunked.  All the hype leading up to the game was based on them giving the Pats a tough time, beating the Dolphins (who were the media darlings based on their late season run last year and the Culpepper myth), and a common opponent (Vikings) that both teams beat.  The Bills are in rebuild... players and coaches.  The Bears were a playoff team and it was a missmatch from the get go. The Bills offense was overwhelmed by the Bears speed on D and the Bills D got gashed up the middle with the run, which opened up the pass on the outside and their CBs couldn't deal with it.  Things just snowballed.  One team looked scary awsome... the other in awe of them, like a deer in headlights.  Youth and inexperience exposed.

So, where are the Bills after this benchmark game?  About the same as I figured... a team that will be flirting with .500 all season.  And, who knows, when the season's over, they've got a real shot at hitting the 8-8 plateau.  It will be close, but me thinks more like 7-9 with some luck and without any major injuries.

802348[/snapback]

 

Wouldn't 8-8, considering the schedule, bring about false hope? If they beat the Lions , the record for the opponents they beat would be 4-11. The Teams that they lost to are 11-4.

 

We've all seen it before. A team goes 8-8 on a soft schedule then all offseason people are posting about the playoffs. Then they play a tough shedule? Hello 5-11.

 

But hey. If it helps some to get through the season. Whatever. The Bills need to beat a good team. It would be even better if they did so on the road. They have games against New England, Indy (road) , Jacksonville, San Diego and Baltimore (road). Those are the games I will measure the Bills with.