Buffalo Bills Week 17: New York Jets (4-11) at Buffalo (12-3), 12/29, 1:00 PM, CBS

[misterchainsaw]

I'm a little concerned that our recievers are getting pigeon holed into roles and plays - good defenses are going to jump on those keys.

Like it feels like Samuel has become the gadget guy to the detriment of the rest of his game

 

[TehDoak]

That trick play really killed the game. Brady should wear this L

The trick play was dumb, sure.

I think everyone takes this L. We got our ass kicked in all 3 phases.

 

[Zman5778]

This was simply a bad matchup game IMHO. Missing our two best linebackers and nickel corner vs the best rushing team in the league. We've been bad vs the rush the entire season, the difference is we've been up multiple TDs so teams couldn't really put the spurs to us.

Our best hope was the offense could take advantage of a bad pass defense and make them one dimensional. It hasn't. The put us down multiple TDs and have been able to pin their ears back and blitz the shit out of us.

It's going to happen from time to time. A lot of times, its about WHEN you play a team as much as how you play them. The Ravens caught us at a perfect time. And they've had to listen

You can't overreact when you blow a team out, you can't lose your shit when you get punched in the mouth like we have been tonight.

Buffalo has to put on their big boy pants and get ready for Houston.

Perfectly said.

 

[1specter]

The trick play was dumb, sure.

I think everyone takes this L. We got our ass kicked in all 3 phases.

No disagreement there. Next week will really show if these guys are frauds or if tonight was just an off night.

 

[Deep Blue Metallic]

The banged-up defense overachieved until tonight. Same with the O-line.

Thought the offensive play-calling was way too conservative early in the game.

 

[Kupo]

Most of us would have been thrilled to start the season 3-1. Especially with 3 key injuries on D. Every Loss sucks, in their own unique way.

We got outcoached. Ravens were better Offensively, Defensively and on ST’s. Still annoyed by that trick play. It’s a 1 possession game if we score there with all the momentum.

On to next week. Go Bills.

 

[MayDayMayDay]

Yea shake this one off, it don't mean shit. Learn, adapt, grow, get better. Get pissed and go take it out on Houston. Go Bills.

 

[zenthusiast]

I think the path to the division is still pretty clear but the weaknesses were certainly on display

 

[Deep Blue Metallic]

I think the path to the division is still pretty clear but the weaknesses were certainly on display

Most of the weaknesses involve injured starters. Being healthy at key points during the season is essential.

13 games until the playoffs. Go Bills!

 

[HOOats]

Ravens are pretty high up there on my hated teams list. Gross. Go Bills.

 

[SabresFan26]

Tough night. Still optimistic about this team. Need to get healthy. The season is long and we will learn from this. Credit to the opponent. They wanted it more.

I will say it’s tough to beat the same team twice so hopefully we can play them again.

 

[Deep Blue Metallic]

Ravens are pretty high up there on my hated teams list. Gross. Go Bills.

You know what I hate most about the Ravens?

Those fanatical, loyal Browns fans in Cleveland deserved to enjoy all that success, instead of being stuck with the consistently dysfunctional franchise they were given as an expansion charity gift from the NFL.

 

[Taro Tsujimoto]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1840596441934258438

 

[sabremike]

Post-game reaction:

 

[Kupo]

Most of the weaknesses involve injured starters.

I think the frustrating thing about this loss in particular was the offense’s inability. Bad penalties early in the game. Some dropped passes. Not recognizing blitzes. Not even preparing for them. Baltimore had a few straight shots to Allen with nobody in protection. Even if the D is fully healthy, we got shut down on O.

The big thing for me is this is the first time all year where we lost the battle at the trenches. Our O and D line have been great — but both kinda sucked ass tonight. And tackling. Look at how many yards the Ravens were able to extend after contact. Granted, they’re a very difficult team to contain. I just expected more.

Meh. Long season. On to Houston. f*** you, Stef’Karen Diggs.

 

[kirby11]

I'm a little concerned that our recievers are getting pigeon holed into roles and plays - good defenses are going to jump on those keys.

Like it feels like Samuel has become the gadget guy to the detriment of the rest of his game

IMO he’s not as good as they thought he’d be as an outside WR

 

[Dubi Doo]

Most of us would have been thrilled to start the season 3-1. Especially with 3 key injuries on D. Every Loss sucks, in their own unique way.

We got outcoached. Ravens were better Offensively, Defensively and on ST’s. Still annoyed by that trick play. It’s a 1 possession game if we score there with all the momentum.

On to next week. Go Bills.

Hopefully it's a learning lesson for Brady. Trick plays work sometimes, and bring a big reward, but theyre risky. That wasn't the time to be risky. Cook was starting to get some nice runs and Allen was making some big plays. Momentum was shifting. Just ride the tide.

But...this is one of those punch in the mouth games. It's happened to the Bills in the past when they're riding high. It's happened to other really good teams, too. We need to heal up on defense, and make a quality addition to the defense mid-season to up our chances of winning in the playoffs. With the way the division is going, it appears we'd have to severly under achieve to not win it.

 

[DapperCam]

That trick play was killer. It felt inevitable that the game was about to be within one score (maybe even 3 points). Dawkins ran into Kincaid switching after the snap and allowed a free rusher that blew it up. Too risky for that scenario IMO.

I think issues on offense are fixable, but our defense is going to give up a lot of points this year.

Rapp, Hamlin, D. Williams, Spector, Cam Lewis, Morrow, maybe even Cole Bishop
^^^ Those are not starter caliber players they are half the defense

Even a player like Epenesa probably isn’t getting a ton of snaps on better defenses and he gets the majority for us. We lack talent, plain and simple. Offense has to make up for it.

 

[Matt Ress]

They were way too susceptible on the flanks. Backups were exposed with poor tackling and slow recognition in the flats. Brady was out coached throughout the game with an apex at the dumb trick play. The Oline was unprepared and they had a poor game plan that forced them to abandon the run early.

 

[Djp]

Football is a weird sport that I'd driven by emotion and momentum


On the 3rd ravens drive buffalo had a fee opportunities to stop them and didnt.

Beforehalf is over thrh could have gotten points after thsg turnover

Then ths gadget tplay tjey shouldnt have ran. You change those things it can easily be s tied game or very Close and a different ending.

 

[tmlms13]

Rasheed Rice, reported ACL btw if anyone missed it

Hate laughing at someone getting hurt but considering it was Maholms who threw the hit it is one of the funniest injuries of all time

 

[Der Jaeger]

It’s already been said, but the gadget play was a bad call. Bills were turning the game and it could’ve been 21-17 after that drive. Completely different game at that point.

 

[Jim Bob]

No sure why but this just shows a bunch of German and no embedded video.

Dion Dawkins Sit Down Interview | 2 Goalies 1 Mic | Built In Buffalo​

That is what I was linking to and it works for me....

Weird.

Hopefully that link works.

 

[Jim Bob]

It’s already been said, but the gadget play was a bad call. Bills were turning the game and it could’ve been 21-17 after that drive. Completely different game at that point.

Hopefully this slows the "Joe Brady will be a head coach somewhere else in 2025" hype train.



Seriously though, this was Brady's worst game since becoming OC by a mile. I am sure plenty of Bills content creators will break it down, but it seemed like Brady dialed up a lot less pre-snap shifts and motion when compared to weeks 1-3.

Both the OL & DL got their lunches taken by the Ravens lines.

When the playcalling leaves a lot to be desired and your big boys up front are losing the trench battle, it's going to be an ugly night.

On to the Stefon Diggs Bowl...

 

[kirby11]

My thoughts from this mess of a game:

-Backups at the second level and nickel corner were exposed. Safeties are also a problem.

-Still have no idea what Brady was thinking with the trick play. From Allen trying to throw the ball, I assumed it worked on the back end and someone was wide open. Nope. The full view of the play showed that Hollins had a step on a safety, but it wasn't a total coverage bust. Just idiotic decision-making when they were already moving the ball more effectively.

-Adjacent to that question: what is Curtis Samuel supposed to bring to this offense besides catching bubble screens? Feels like the coaching staff has pigeon-holed him in the McKenzie/Harty gadget WR role, but he's also not that good as a traditional WR. Unimpressed with his play thus far.

-My biggest pet peeve with Brady is how he almost *never* dials up shot plays on 2nd and short. It's usually running the ball to get the first down, which puts them right back in trying to stay ahead of the sticks vs. being in an optimal position to try for an explosive. If an intermediate or deep pass is incomplete, you're still at 3rd and 2 or less.

-McD's decisions to punt in the first half are exactly why I struggle to trust him come playoff time. It seems like, against good teams, he defaults to assuming the worst for the offense while also having total faith in the defense to get a stop. In this game, in particular, I don't understand why he'd think that, especially on the 4th and 2 from the 39 while down 14-3. Your defense has gotten shredded on both drives and is down multiple starters. You can't afford to freely give the ball back to Baltimore there...but he did.

-I don't think they have a choice about this: they need to bring in actual competition for Bass. Can't go into every game feeling like you have to get the ball to the 25 or closer to have even a modicum of confidence in your kicker.