Buffalo Bills Week 15: Buffalo (10-3) at Detroit (12-1), 12/15, 4:25 PM, CBS

[zenthusiast]

The sneak?

Yeah, something like “I tried to play it as it was called” re shifting out of shotgun

 

[SabresFan26]

Ugly game. McVay exposed our defense and we continue to not stop teams who are super physical with our smaller defense. We also never got the lead so when we don’t, teams have their way with our defense because they are less predictable.

We did cover Jet sweeps better in the second half.

Tyler Bass was perfect on the day.

Reid Ferguson was bad and blown up on the block.

Offense played great overall, a few they want back but it’s hard to perfect.

Defense was awful. Truly awful, one punt all game. Rams put up 14 points more than they had in their previous best of the season at 30 vs the Vikings.

 

[Husko]

I'd like to say the silver lining would be a wakeup call to fatal flaws with the defense and that McDermott will hopefully finally be willing to try some different personnel. But McDermott's stubborn loyalty with his starters has always been part of who he is. Some moves I'd like to see:

-Bishop getting a start (or at least splitting snaps) over Hamlin to see if there's enough juice there to be worth growing pains down the stretch (this should've been done weeks ago). If he's actually unplayable, then Lewis.
-Solomon getting to play and getting significant pass rush snaps to see if he can provide a much need jolt there. Likewise they need to figure out a solution for Von/Epenesa
-Carter getting more reps for the same reason
-Elam active and available (a) as a backup; and (b) deployed as a man to man weapon when their zones are getting carved up

The current iteration of the defense is very good when their confusing zones and mess with young / less brainy QBs. But Stafford had them completely figured out and the lack of athleticism on the defense gave them no recourse to match up differently.

 

[K8fool]

love the hold on us td the uncalled false start but

we got a lesson even if team and league are close and have no honor the bills need to come out early and take chances as if they're behind

good lessons for milano

the team played well enough to win without field tipped in on its side

1st and thirty club

when the rules aren't the same for us they are just right for them and we still can't fook up the sneak


hey thought we played well and learned lessons how we must play to win in clown world


Stafford played really well the young d against us played well good to see we gassed them mcvay plays dirty like bellechick but we needed this punch in the mouth


Rams are a good team I still believe well we were the better team in the second half

 

[Der Jaeger]

I'd like to say the silver lining would be a wakeup call to fatal flaws with the defense and that McDermott will hopefully finally be willing to try some different personnel. But McDermott's stubborn loyalty with his starters has always been part of who he is. Some moves I'd like to see:

-Bishop getting a start (or at least splitting snaps) over Hamlin to see if there's enough juice there to be worth growing pains down the stretch (this should've been done weeks ago). If he's actually unplayable, then Lewis.
-Solomon getting to play and getting significant pass rush snaps to see if he can provide a much need jolt there. Likewise they need to figure out a solution for Von/Epenesa
-Carter getting more reps for the same reason
-Elam active and available (a) as a backup; and (b) deployed as a man to man weapon when their zones are getting carved up

The current iteration of the defense is very good when their confusing zones and mess with young / less brainy QBs. But Stafford had them completely figured out and the lack of athleticism on the defense gave them no recourse to match up differently.

All of this is why I’m so high on a defense first draft.

Allen went into MVP mode without Kincaid and Coleman

And to add, this is still a reloading/rebuilding year. There should be gaps on the roster and in the team.

 

[SharkInABoloTie]

What a way to cap off what was already a shit week for the Sabres. Oof I need a drink

 

[K8fool]

Ugly game. McVay exposed our defense and we continue to not stop teams who are super physical with our smaller defense. We also never got the lead so when we don’t, teams have their way with our defense because they are less predictable.

We did cover Jet sweeps better in the second half.

Tyler Bass was perfect on the day.

Reid Ferguson was bad and blown up on the block.

Offense played great overall, a few they want back but it’s hard to perfect.

Defense was awful. Truly awful, one punt all game. Rams put up 14 points more than they had in their previous best of the season at 30 vs the Vikings.

they held and picked us and milano took a half to learn and we win if they call obvious false start

I don't think you'll see this again


to their credit they were hungrier the first half

 

[misterchainsaw]

It would have been nice to break up a couple of those contested catches. It's tough when they're calling PI on every incomplete. Really neutralizes our physical corners

It's almost impossible to play defense against a talented offense when enforcement is that tight. Neither team could handle the other under those circumstances.

 

[zenthusiast]

ignoring all else:

Josh Allen is the quarterback and will be for a long time. There’s always a chance.

 

[misterchainsaw]

Difference was our defense couldn't make a stop if their life depended on it. Had the punt block not happened, we still lose because their offense marches right down the field on the next drive and score anyways.

Maybe, maybe not. They would have needed 7.

If that's what we're assuming who cares how they handled the end game because the Rams would have just thrown for the first down had the Bills still had the timeout.

And I still maintain by the time they got untangled after the sneak too much time would have ran off regardless and they would have had to onside kick anyway. You're looking at 20 seconds minimum

 

[Mike McDermott]

First player in NFL history to have 3 passing and 3 rushing TDs in a game

Thanks.

 

[NotABadPeriod]

In the grand scheme of things, dropping a non-conference game doesn't bother me too much. Would really like them to win next week to keep the 1 seed hope alive. Also, as much as the Steelers should drop a couple down the stretch, nothing about them makes sense to me so I'd like to not rely on that.

 

[SabresFan26]

All of this is why I’m so high on a defense first draft.

Allen went into MVP mode without Kincaid and Coleman

And to add, this is still a reloading/rebuilding year. There should be gaps on the roster and in the team.

Agree with this

 

[yahhockey]

A couple other fun facts to join the one on the previous page





If these two teams played ten games against each other the Bills win six or more. The WRs were lights out. Stafford couldn't miss. Negligible pressure from the d-line. The way the season has gone it's more likely the offence could repeat this performance than the defence would get shredded again. It is what it is. Big game next week but the important games are in January and February. Figure your shit out by then and go win when it matters.

 

[misterchainsaw]

I mean…1 seed is a guaranteed bye to the divisional round and you don’t have to worry about your players getting banged up in the WC game

Also Pittsburgh could potentially catch us now

I would rather go to Pittsburgh in round 2 than host Baltimore, honestly. If Pittsburgh wins out so be it. I believe they still have to play KC in addition to Baltimore again though.

I suppose there is a danger of Bmore dropping to 6 in this scenario for the nightmare round 1 matchup though.

 

[SabresFan26]

What a way to cap off what was already a shit week for the Sabres. Oof I need a drink

Right? The Bills keep us sane! Awesome photo btw.

 

[SabresFan26]

I hate that if we critique McDermott we get accused as haters.

I am a fan of McDermott, overall he has done a phenomenal job of turning around this organization.

However, he consistently has had similar issues losing over and over again when games are on the line with questionable clock management and soft defense.

My fear is although he is a good coach and Josh makes him look way better, is he a great coach where you see most of these SB winning HCs are offensive play callers? (Reid, McVay) The teams who make it to SBs over the last three years have all been offensive playcalling HCs (the former two I mentioned and Taylor, Shanahan, Sirianni)

 

[misterchainsaw]

Pittsburgh's next three games: at PHI, at BAL, vs. kc.

If they get out of that with only 3 or 4 losses on the season, more power to them.

 

[zenthusiast]

Pittsburgh's next three games: at PHI, at BAL, vs. kc.

If they get out of that with only 3 or 4 losses on the season, more power to them.

Yeah, I think they’re frauds. I guess you never know

 

[Mike McDermott]

 

[kirby11]

I hate that if we critique McDermott we get accused as haters.

I am a fan of McDermott, overall he has done a phenomenal job of turning around this organization.

However, he consistently has had similar issues losing over and over again when games are on the line with questionable clock management and soft defense.

My fear is although he is a good coach and Josh makes him look way better, is he a great coach where you see most of these SB winning HCs are offensive play callers? (Reid, McVay) The teams who make it to SBs over the last three years have all been offensive playcalling HCs (the former two I mentioned and Taylor, Shanahan, Sirianni)

I don’t mind the defensive HC part

My bigger concern is just how often he makes poor management decisions in close games

Like, with accepting the penalty: why play soft to give them the yardage back, plus a couple more yards? That gamble only works if you trust your defense and there were no almost no signs that they could do anything to slow down the Rams offense

 

[Krieger Bot]

It was a desperation game for the Rams. Lose and their season was basically over. And they played like it. It happens. On to the next one.

 

[misterchainsaw]

I don’t mind the defensive HC part

My bigger concern is just how often he makes poor management decisions in close games

Like, with accepting the penalty: why play soft to give them the yardage back, plus a couple more yards? That gamble only works if you trust your defense and there were no almost no signs that they could do anything to slow down the Rams offense

I actually agree with you here and said a similar thing to my friend I was watching the game with, but again, this is a beef with Babich's play call in that scenario. Babich played it like the Rams were going to try to get all 17 back on the 3rd down play which was obviously not the Rams intent, and it cost him. Ultimately both our play callers are inexperienced and there's going to be some hiccups and growing pains.

Although it might not have if they actually called the false start correctly.

 

[missingmika]

ignoring all else:

Josh Allen is the quarterback and will be for a long time. There’s always a chance.

Eh I don’t know. Where the last time Mitch lost?

 

[kirby11]

I actually agree with you here and said a similar thing to my friend I was watching the game with, but again, this is a beef with Babich's play call in that scenario. Babich played it like the Rams were going to try to get all 17 back on the 3rd down play which was obviously not the Rams intent, and it cost him. Ultimately both our play callers are inexperienced and there's going to be some hiccups and growing pains.

Although it might not have if they actually called the false start correctly.

Yeah. It’s like the org. flow chart of decision making in those spots sometimes gets disjointed or framed in what seems like a suboptimal way. Like there’s not a collective “if they do x in this situation then we do y”. Obviously easier said than done