JDG Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 Its easy to dismiss this game as a meaningless win, but I think that completely overlooks what a legitimate big win this really. Folks, we just won a game at Mile High in Denver! How many tough road games has this team won this decade? Sure, the Broncos are a flawed team, but this was a team that knew that it could either win on Sunday and secure a division title, essentially a bye next week, and a home playoff game in the Wildcard Round - or they could have to go to San Diego next week in a de facto winner-take-all road playoff game against a Chargers team that had rightly nearly beat them in their own house earlier this season. This was a huge game for the Broncos. Moreover, this was a Broncos team that was getting healthier on defense with the return of Champ Bailey at LB and getting healthier at Linebacker. Plus, Trent finally won a game in cold weather. And we won a game without Jason Peters, and without Marshawn Lynch for the second half. Finally, I think we shouldn't overlook the fact that our defense *twice* managed to keep Jay Cutler and the Broncos out of the end zone at the end of the game, with Denver's season on the line. Those were big-time stops - and again, how many of those kind of stops has our defense made in the past decade? O.k. the Bills are out of the playoffs - but this kind of game should give us all hope that this team and its young QB are headed in the right direction. JDG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary M Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 And we won a game without Jason Peters, JDG Addition by subtraction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsVet Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 Bailey was clearly not 100% and the Broncos have very little pass-rush. Denver's defense has yielded 26 points per game this season, and being 8-8 in the AFC West isn't anything to write home about. It was a hollow victory against a team that outgained them nearly 2-1, did not have to punt, and was within inches of tying it up at the end. Buffalo's defense is clearly lacking a pass rush, and their run defense suffered as well. Things haven't improved much from the past two seasons, and the record will be the same or similar as it was in 06 and 07. On the flip side, it's a road win. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miyagi-Do Karate Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 Addition by subtraction. Seriously. I don't care if that dude is a 20-time pro bowler. I hope we trade him to the Lions for a sack of potatoes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloWings Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 I'll try to add to the positive vibe.... Yes, the Broncos defense isn't exactly the 2000 Ravens, but to come back from a lifeless 13-0 deficit tells me something. I still think the coaches need to jump these guys at the beginning of the game and not spot the other team a few points like that. I think this should also tell other teams (as if they didn't know already) that maybe someone should cover Josh Reed. I would have never thought of saying this 2-3 years ago, but Reed really has been the key to the offense. Perhaps everyone else thinks that Reed can't keep doing this, so Evans keeps drawing the double coverage...but eventually, someone will figure out that they can't let Reed keep burning them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jester43 Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 Its easy to dismiss this game as a meaningless win, but I think that completely overlooks what a legitimate big win this really. Folks, we just won a game at Mile High in Denver! How many tough road games has this team won this decade? Sure, the Broncos are a flawed team, but this was a team that knew that it could either win on Sunday and secure a division title, essentially a bye next week, and a home playoff game in the Wildcard Round - or they could have to go to San Diego next week in a de facto winner-take-all road playoff game against a Chargers team that had rightly nearly beat them in their own house earlier this season. This was a huge game for the Broncos. Moreover, this was a Broncos team that was getting healthier on defense with the return of Champ Bailey at LB and getting healthier at Linebacker. Plus, Trent finally won a game in cold weather. And we won a game without Jason Peters, and without Marshawn Lynch for the second half. Finally, I think we shouldn't overlook the fact that our defense *twice* managed to keep Jay Cutler and the Broncos out of the end zone at the end of the game, with Denver's season on the line. Those were big-time stops - and again, how many of those kind of stops has our defense made in the past decade? O.k. the Bills are out of the playoffs - but this kind of game should give us all hope that this team and its young QB are headed in the right direction. JDG that's all well and good. but history tells us that if this game actually had playoff ramifications for the bills, their rings would have tightened up so hard they wouldn't even be able to assume a 3-point stance. i am thrilled they won the game, but i don't think it changes the discussion at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PromoTheRobot Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 C'mon. The Bills are all about meaningless wins. Dick Jauron is the patron saint of meaningless wins. For nine years that's all we have to look forward to: nice meaningless win after we are eliminated from the playoffs so we can all delude ourselves that next year will somehow be different. Buffalo Bills = The Forever 7 and 9's. PTR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDG Posted December 22, 2008 Author Share Posted December 22, 2008 that's all well and good. but history tells us that if this game actually had playoff ramifications for the bills, their rings would have tightened up so hard they wouldn't even be able to assume a 3-point stance. i am thrilled they won the game, but i don't think it changes the discussion at all. But what history is that? The Mike Mularkey, Drew Bledsoe and JP Losman history? We've seen this team win several games in the fourth quarter this year and win big games against San Diego at home and Denver on the road. We saw them go out to Kansas City and positively clobber the Chiefs. O.k. I'm not going to completely ignore the failures of this team this year - but if this team hadn't failed this year, we wouldn't be having this conversation. The point is that *given* that we didn't make the playoffs this year, there's actually a lot more reason for optimism with this team than we've had in a long time. We have serious needs for some pass rushers and probably a new center - but this team does look like it could take a step forward next year. JDG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebandit27 Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 Seriously. I don't care if that dude is a 20-time pro bowler. I hope we trade him to the Lions for a sack of potatoes. That's absolutely ridiculous. You may not like it, but he is the best lineman on the team. Look, he was voted to the Pro Bowl because his peers and the 32 NFL Head Coaches--who may know a thing or two more about the game than you and I--think he's one of the top 2 tackles in the AFC. Obviously the fans didn't pick him for name recognition, since he wasn't among the top 4 vote-getters in fan polling. Apparently, a few people in the league think he's pretty good. Now your comment may be more motivated by his holdout than it is his play, which has been far better the second half of the season than the first half. And if that's the case, you're entitled to your opinion. But if you're basing that comment off of his performance, then we may as well trade the entire roster for a sack of potatoes, because nobody's performed up to par this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fan in Chicago Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 C'mon. The Bills are all about meaningless wins. Dick Jauron is the patron saint of meaningless wins. For nine years that's all we have to look forward to: nice meaningless win after we are eliminated from the playoffs so we can all delude ourselves that next year will somehow be different. Buffalo Bills = The Forever 7 and 9's. PTR Completely, totally agree. Even if we beat the Pats*, I still would be un-happy with this season in particular and DJ in general. If we lose to them, we will have to suffer the ignominy of being swept by the AFCE, which by itself is quite quite disgusting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDG Posted December 22, 2008 Author Share Posted December 22, 2008 C'mon. The Bills are all about meaningless wins. Dick Jauron is the patron saint of meaningless wins. For nine years that's all we have to look forward to: nice meaningless win after we are eliminated from the playoffs so we can all delude ourselves that next year will somehow be different. Buffalo Bills = The Forever 7 and 9's. PTR This is damning by faint praise, I know - but where did this idea that Dick Jauron wins the meaningless games come from? Didn't we lose both of our meaningless games last year against the Giants and Eagles? And the year before that we lost our one meaningless game against the Ravens too.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fan in Chicago Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 That's absolutely ridiculous. You may not like it, but he is the best lineman on the team. Look, he was voted to the Pro Bowl because his peers and the 32 NFL Head Coaches--who may know a thing or two more about the game than you and I--think he's one of the top 2 tackles in the AFC. Obviously the fans didn't pick him for name recognition, since he wasn't among the top 4 vote-getters in fan polling. Apparently, a few people in the league think he's pretty good. Now your comment may be more motivated by his holdout than it is his play, which has been far better the second half of the season than the first half. And if that's the case, you're entitled to your opinion. But if you're basing that comment off of his performance, then we may as well trade the entire roster for a sack of potatoes, because nobody's performed up to par this year. Lets not get too carried away now. We did have success in the first few games and this last game so it is not entirely unreasonable to think that his replacements aren't too shabby or that he doesn't add too much to the line as a whole. Besides, this year he has allowed quite a few sacks and it is obvious last year was a far better year for him. While I do not advocate we getting rid of him, I don't really think the high accolades deserve merit due to his play this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fan in Chicago Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 This is damning by faint praise, I know - but where did this idea that Dick Jauron wins the meaningless games come from? Didn't we lose both of our meaningless games last year against the Giants and Eagles? And the year before that we lost our one meaningless game against the Ravens too.... Do you realize you just made your argument in favor of DJ a lot weaker ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloBill Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 O.k. the Bills are out of the playoffs - but this kind of game should give us all hope that this team and its young QB are headed in the right direction. JDG Appreciate the thought but keep the win in perspective This was no bigger than the Bolts game earlier in the year. Look what happened after that. I'll be optimistic when we prove we can consistently win in the division (we have not even been competitive) and we can beat a 3-4 defense (we've lost against every one we've played this year). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jester43 Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 But what history is that? The Mike Mularkey, Drew Bledsoe and JP Losman history? We've seen this team win several games in the fourth quarter this year and win big games against San Diego at home and Denver on the road. We saw them go out to Kansas City and positively clobber the Chiefs. O.k. I'm not going to completely ignore the failures of this team this year - but if this team hadn't failed this year, we wouldn't be having this conversation. The point is that *given* that we didn't make the playoffs this year, there's actually a lot more reason for optimism with this team than we've had in a long time. We have serious needs for some pass rushers and probably a new center - but this team does look like it could take a step forward next year. JDG i'll believe it when i see it. i've been fooled one time too many. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwampD Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 I agree that this was not a meaningless win. It ensures that we will end up 7-9 for the third year in a row. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wooderson Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 First win against a team with a winning record this year! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricojes Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 First win against a team with a winning record this year! And the Bills actually beat a playoff team this year.... Looking towards next year, I really like our secondary. I think they may have to find another safety to play with Whitner, although I do like Scott's physical play. But Leodis, Corner, Greer, and McGee are fairly solid. If the Bills can acquire a desperately needed quality defensive end and actually generate a pass rush, it will make the secondary even better. I really think Perry Fewell's hands are tied because of the lack of a pass rush.... On the offensive side, a trade of Jason Peter's is not far fetched. I do not think the Bills are going to pay him what he wants and he'll probably hold out of training camp again next year. I am not saying I would rather see him go, but I just have the feeling the Bills are not going to renegotiate for what he wants. And if that's the case, get rid of him for a high draft pick or something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDG Posted December 22, 2008 Author Share Posted December 22, 2008 And the Bills actually beat a playoff team this year.... We just don't know which one..... Just imagine if the Bills were in the AFC West (or even the NFC West) this year - and had won the division. Would our opinion of the Team/Coaching/Front Office change? On the offensive side, a trade of Jason Peter's is not far fetched. I do not think the Bills are going to pay him what he wants and he'll probably hold out of training camp again next year. I am not saying I would rather see him go, but I just have the feeling the Bills are not going to renegotiate for what he wants. And if that's the case, get rid of him for a high draft pick or something. Well, I know the Bills like Demetrius Bell - but I don't know if they like him *that* much. At this point, having him be our third "swing" tackle next year would probably be the best we could hope for. And trading a two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle who is so young to have probably not even hit his prime? I think the Bills would have to get *two* first-round draft picks to even consider it, even with the holdout and all.... That would be the only fair value to even consider.... JDG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EC-Bills Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 Plus, Trent finally won a game in cold weather. When he plays a good game with the winds swirling and snow coming down at the Ralph, I'll rethink whether or not he can play in cold weather. Until then I'll remain skeptical about him and his noodle arm in cold weather. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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