Balls and Goats

[Novacane]

Balls

JA............no turnovers. Smart play with a couple great plays mixed in.

Cook............solid runs

OL...............great running game and kept Josh up for the most part


Shakir............what a run


Fans and everyone who got the stadium ready to play!



Goats

Refs...........how can they look at that replay and uphold the play on the field. ****ing idiots.


Injuries.........WTF! Bernard is a killer. The DL has to pick up their play the rest of the way.

Von Miller..................Invisible all year and again tonight then has an easy sack and wiffs. Don't dress him again.

Bass................WTH dude! This game is over at halftime if not for your garbage low kicking then you shank a gimme? I pray we don't need him for a clutch kick.

[Ingtar33]

Balls - Everyone not named Bass
-seriously, even the mash unit at LB did a good job, and while Elam was a little sketchy at times, he still came up big, and didn't hurt us much.

Goats - Bass, I hate giving goats to anyone in a playoff win, but Bass is going to cost us dearly playing like this.

[TacklingDummy]

Balls

League MVP Allen
Kincaid
Shakir

Elam
Klein
McDermott

[Mad Max]

Balls

Josh. Big ones. Controlled violence.
Cook. Keep cooking.
Kingcaid. You keep doing you kid.
Shakir. Sick play. Sick.
Elam. You went from goat to hero in a heartbeat

Goats:

bASS
Injury bug

[Forward_Lateral]

I’m going to save my goats for tomorrow

Balls

Klein— dude was on the couch 4 days ago. He played a hell of a game.

Dane— he’s gone from being picked on to being being very reliable at worst

Elam— stepped up after getting absolutely trucked by Friermuth

Obvious ones: JA17, Cook, Shakir, Kincaid, Diggs

[Buffalogic]

McDermott has been incredible this year. I’ve never seen as many defensive injuries in all my years as a bills fan and somehow they are a top 5 unit. Regardless of what happens next week, it’s a triumph for him.

[Woodman]

Shakir, Cook, Allen, Kincaid, Knox and the OL.

many more .... so many replacements.

Elam damn!!!

We better get Dodson and Douglas back.

[notacon]

No turnovers.

Especially NO INT's.

This is the fourth game Josh has not thrown an INT....ALL of them comfortable wins...

Week #2 - Las Vegas - W - 37-3
Week #4 - Miami - W - 48-20
Week #15 - Dallas - W - 31-10
Wild Card - Pittsburgh - W - 31-17

[Novacane]

Three more games of no TO Josh and we'll be world champs!

[Crisis]

If Josh breaks off a 50 yard TD like that every game, he's earned the right to throw a stupid interception.

[Mad Max]

Three more games of no TO Josh and we'll be world champs!

Unfortunately with all the injuries on D we will probably need to fully unleash Josh and let the chips fall where they may.

[Forward_Lateral]

Unfortunately with all the injuries on D we will probably need to fully unleash Josh and let the chips fall where they may.

Hopefully Dotson and Douglas get back.

[OpIv37]

I can’t give McD a goat for the game but that blocked FG was on him and not Bass. The conditions were terrible. The D was pitching a shutout. He should have just gone for it and trusted the D.


But I still agree that Bass deserves a goat for that late miss. That was brutal.

[Novacane]

Bernard will be a big loss but they have to find a way. No one expected Bernard to be as good as he is. You never know what the next guy up can do until he gets a chance.

[kingJofNYC]

I have no idea how Shakir doesn't get the ball more. I thought tonight without Gabe he would get it, clearly they had plans to get the TE's involved which was good. But the statistics bear it out, Shakir is the most effective and efficient wr when he actually gets the ball, he's the best YAC on this squad and it's particularly close.

[John Doe]

I’m going to save my goats for tomorrow

Balls

Klein— dude was on the couch 4 days ago. He played a hell of a game.

Dane— he’s gone from being picked on to being being very reliable at worst

Elam— stepped up after getting absolutely trucked by Friermuth

Obvious ones: JA17, Cook, Shakir, Kincaid, Diggs
Klein was credited with 7 solo tackles and 4 assists - the old war-horse came through big time.

Dorian Williams had 4 tackles 3 assists and 1 tackle for loss.

They may well be the starters next week with little else behind them.

[Chet]

How did Dorian Williams look?

[kingJofNYC]

I can’t give McD a goat for the game but that blocked FG was on him and not Bass. The conditions were terrible. The D was pitching a shutout. He should have just gone for it and trusted the D.

But I still agree that Bass deserves a goat for that late miss. That was brutal.

Agree with you 100% on the FG. Risk reward for the FG was not worth it.

[Mad Max]

Hopefully Dotson and Douglas get back.

We can only hope. And maybe we get extra blessed and get the Chiefs slayer Big Game Gabe back.

[Novacane]

I can’t give McD a goat for the game but that blocked FG was on him and not Bass. The conditions were terrible. The D was pitching a shutout. He should have just gone for it and trusted the D.


But I still agree that Bass deserves a goat for that late miss. That was brutal.



The mistake was the play calls before the kick. They should have run on 2nd and 7. Even if they get nothing the clock bleeds down to the 2 minute warning. Once they did that the compounded the mistake by not taking something short to make the FG reasonable.

- - - Updated - - -


How did Dorian Williams look?

He made some plays. He got beat some.

[OpIv37]

The mistake was the play calls before the kick. They should have run on 2nd and 7. Even if they get nothing the clock bleeds down to the 2 minute warning. Once they did that the compounded the mistake by not taking something short to make the FG reasonable.

Don’t disagree with that. Still, the O was rolling and the D had them shut out. The O had a decent chance of converting. If they didn’t, the D had a good chance of keeping them off the board and a really good chance of limiting them to 3. Statistically a FG was not a good option, and it flipped momentum and let them back in the game for a minute.

[Canadian'eh!]

Balls:

JA17 -we aren’t worthy

Shakir- Nothing better than wanting the team to pick a guy and they actually do and you get to feel like you willed him to the team. lol. Seriously, he’s been so good and that play was crazy.

Klein - did a great job on a tough spot.

Martin- gutted out that punt and got it done. Had to hurt.

Goats:

Bass - I suspect he’s mentally broken

Injuries- This will be the story of the week. Bernard is done for the year no doubt. But the number of LB/CB injuries is insane.

[DraftBoy]

I have no idea how Shakir doesn't get the ball more. I thought tonight without Gabe he would get it, clearly they had plans to get the TE's involved which was good. But the statistics bear it out, Shakir is the most effective and efficient wr when he actually gets the ball, he's the best YAC on this squad and it's particularly close.

Would be curious to see more about this. Only three targets tonight, all catches but mostly silent other than the game sealer.

Odd with Davis out.

[Historian]

Balls:

Allen. Best running since Steve Young, and Young didn't have half of Allen's talent.

Epenessa and Oliver. Great pressure early.

Elam and Shakir. Both guys played well....finally.

Tight Ends. Great tandem.

Fans in attendance. You got heart. Not a lot of brains, but heart.

Goats:

Bass. What the hell? Draft another kicker next spring.

Brady. Too many deep out passes, and too many runs into the teeth of the defense. Bills won this game in spite of him.

[DraftBoy]

Balls:
The entire offense
Oliver
Klein
D. Jackson

Goats:
Bass
Pass Rush

Injuries are going to hurt a lot, but hopefully Dodson and Douglas are back next week. I worry about Bernard's ankle not only being broken but also ligament damage. That looked gross.

[Buffalogic]

It’s a 49 yard kick in decent conditions. There’s no way you turn that down. It’s not even a discussion.

[YardRat]

Goats--

Injuries

McDermott...I agree with Op and others, going for the field goal was a dumbass decision. Considering the score, weather, place on the field that should be a four-down thought process every single time.

Whatever dumbass name they call their tush push, they better pull a variation out of their ass next week against KC. It's getting ridiculous going left every single time.

[OpIv37]

Btw, it helped us so it doesn’t matter, but Pitt fans should be giving Tomlin a goat for what happened at the end of the half.

They got the block and the score. But our punter got hurt. They had at least 2 timeouts left, maybe all 3 (can’t remember). With a couple of stops, they could have forced us to punt with either our kicker or a hobbled punter. If they got 2 scores under 2 min, it could have broke us.

Tomlin is prob the 2nd best active coach after Reid, but that was a really bad sequence.

[TacklingDummy]

Whatever dumbass name they call their tush push, they better pull a variation out of their ass next week against KC. It's getting ridiculous going left every single time. They been setting up the Tush Push Fake Kincaid over the top all year.

[Mr. Pink]

Balls

JA17 - obviously. Best he's played since early in the season. Coming at the right time.
Cook and Johnson - ran the ball really well tonight to chew clock and possessions after we jumped out to a big early lead
Shakir - I still can't believe he scored on that play

Goats

Bass - might need a replacement at K next season
Diggs - another game and he's a non factor, meanwhile he's doing dumb bonehead things like taking water from the Steelers bench
3rd quarter performance - allowed the Steelers to make it a little interesting

[Forward_Lateral]

How did Dorian Williams look?
Like garbage

It’s a 49 yard kick in decent conditions. There’s no way you turn that down. It’s not even a discussion.

What? The conditions were not decent. It was 2 degrees and they were up 21-0 with all the momentum. It was a stupid call to go for it. It was one of McDermotts worst decisions ever.

[Mr. Pink]

Like garbage


What? The conditions were not decent. It was 2 degrees and they were up 21-0 with all the momentum. It was a stupid call to go for it. It was one of McDermotts worst decisions ever.

Williams looked like an average LB out there. Not good, not bad. Made a couple plays, gave up a couple plays. Not a liability but not an asset either, just another guy.

At the time of kicking the FG I didn't think that should have been the call. Said I wasn't sure if punting there was the right call either. Offensively we were on fire but I can see why you wouldnt want to go for it there in the situation.

[Buffalogic]

Like garbage


What? The conditions were not decent. It was 2 degrees and they were up 21-0 with all the momentum. It was a stupid call to go for it. It was one of McDermotts worst decisions ever.this is insane. Who cares what the temperature was. Boswell made a 40 yarder that would have been good from 50+ easily. Passing up a 49 yarder is asinine and the only reason anyone is saying it is because it was blocked.

[OpIv37]

this is insane. Who cares what the temperature was. Boswell made a 40 yarder that would have been good from 50+ easily. Passing up a 49 yarder is asinine and the only reason anyone is saying it is because it was blocked.

I literally have text messages to multiple people before the kick saying that we should have gone for it, so that is patently false and I have proof.

[Buffalogic]

I literally have text messages to multiple people before the kick saying that we should have gone for it, so that is patently false and I have proof.
Well that proves my point even more because buddy you are wrong 99% of the time. If we punt there and it’s a touchback it’s a 29 yard net. Anyone who thinks anything but the field goal there is on goofy pills.

[Forward_Lateral]

this is insane. Who cares what the temperature was. Boswell made a 40 yarder that would have been good from 50+ easily. Passing up a 49 yarder is asinine and the only reason anyone is saying it is because it was blocked.

What? Lol

Even Romo said it was a bad decision.

Get lost

[OpIv37]

Well that proves my point even more because buddy you are wrong 99% of the time. If we punt there and it’s a touchback it’s a 29 yard net. Anyone who thinks anything but the field goal there is on goofy pills.

What I said in the past is irrelevant to this issue. The O was rolling, the D was pitching a shutout, it was 14 degrees with high winds. Punting would have been dumb. Going for it was the best option by any objective measure.

[Buffalogic]

What? Lol

Even Romo said it was a bad decision.

Get lostthis guy thinks you shouldn’t have your kicker try a 49 yarder. Why even have a kicker. One of the most gutless comments ever.

- - - Updated - - -


What I said in the past is irrelevant to this issue. The O was rolling, the D was pitching a shutout, it was 14 degrees with high winds. Punting would have been dumb. Going for it was the best option by any objective measure.but there wasn’t high winds.

[OpIv37]

What? Lol

Even Romo said it was a bad decision.

Get lost

I’m a guy on a message board who got stuff wrong in the past
Romo is a former NFL QB largely considered to be the best analyst in the sport.

But what he said doesn’t matter because I agreed with him. Duh.

[Mr. Pink]

this guy thinks you shouldn’t have your kicker try a 49 yarder. Why even have a kicker. One of the most gutless comments ever.

They had Jay Feeley, a former NFL kicker, saying both kickers were struggling at 50 yards going in that direction.

49/50 what's the difference?

Kicking a FG there was the wrong call...now I'm not sure if punting or going for it there was the right call however.

[Novacane]

This place would have been a rage if McD punted there. Punting from the 32? No way. Maybe they should have called plays as if they were in 4 down territory. That's a fair critique. If Bass was making those kicks in the pre-game I don't see an issue. The dumb ass should have gotten the ball higher.

[Buffalogic]

This place would have been a rage if McD punted there. Punting from the 32? No way. Maybe they should have called plays as if they were in 4 down territory. That's a fair critique. If Bass was making those kicks in the pre-game I don't see an issue. The dumb ass should have gotten the ball higher.
Exactly. Bass just ****ed it up.

[Buffalogic]

They had Jay Feeley, a former NFL kicker, saying both kickers were struggling at 50 yards going in that direction.

49/50 what's the difference?

Kicking a FG there was the wrong call...now I'm not sure if punting or going for it there was the right call however.
Kickers attempt kicks at their max range regularly. If he misses it, it’s the same as going for it and getting an incompletion so what’s the harm? Bass just botched it so the block turned out terribly. If Josh throws a pick six there everyone is *****ing about not taking the field goal. Playing hindsight after the worst possible situation happens isn’t how you play strategically.

[Historian]

The field goal wasn't the issue.

The two bombs that were called before it were the problem.

[YardRat]

Kickers attempt kicks at their max range regularly. If he misses it, it’s the same as going for it and getting an incompletion so what’s the harm? Bass just botched it so the block turned out terribly. If Josh throws a pick six there everyone is *****ing about not taking the field goal. Playing hindsight after the worst possible situation happens isn’t how you play strategically.


No it isn't, for the simple fact the opponent takes possession at the spot of the kick, not the original line of scrimmage.

[Forward_Lateral]

This place would have been a rage if McD punted there. Punting from the 32? No way. Maybe they should have called plays as if they were in 4 down territory. That's a fair critique. If Bass was making those kicks in the pre-game I don't see an issue. The dumb ass should have gotten the ball higher.

Nobody said punt.

First of all, the play calling was stupid. Run the ball, take the clock down to as little as possible. Leave no time for the Steelers to even sniff momentum.

Second of all, he had to drive the ball, because of the conditions. Do you guys not listen to the broadcast? Feely said that before the game, the kickers were struggling to even get it there from 50 yards on that end of the field.

Pay attention.

- - - Updated - - -


Kickers attempt kicks at their max range regularly. If he misses it, it’s the same as going for it and getting an incompletion so what’s the harm? Bass just botched it so the block turned out terribly. If Josh throws a pick six there everyone is *****ing about not taking the field goal. Playing hindsight after the worst possible situation happens isn’t how you play strategically.

No, it's not even close to the same as an incompletion. Please use your brain.

[TheConsigliere]

I hope the goat’s balls are frozen again this upcoming Sunday against the Chiefs.

[DraftBoy]

Kickers attempt kicks at their max range regularly. If he misses it, it’s the same as going for it and getting an incompletion so what’s the harm? Bass just botched it so the block turned out terribly. If Josh throws a pick six there everyone is *****ing about not taking the field goal. Playing hindsight after the worst possible situation happens isn’t how you play strategically.

After a missed FG the ball is placed at the spot of the kick not the original line of scrimmage so it’s not the same as an incompletion on 4th down. There would be a 10 yard loss. So Pitt would have gotten the ball at 41 if he just missed it instead of the 31 of the Bills had tried and failed to convert.

[TacklingDummy]

Kickers line up 7 yards back, not 10.

[DraftBoy]

Kickers line up 7 yards back, not 10.

Correct, my mistake. Would be the 38 not the 41.

[ParanoidAndroid]

The mistake was the play calls before the kick. They should have run on 2nd and 7. Even if they get nothing the clock bleeds down to the 2 minute warning. Once they did that the compounded the mistake by not taking something short to make the FG reasonable.

- - - Updated - - -



He made some plays. He got beat some.

I didn't dislike that deep shot to Diggs. It was literally 2 inches of the DBs fingers away from being a TD or 1st and Goal.

Either go for it or punt instead of putting your kicker in another bad situation.

[ParanoidAndroid]

So, pooch punts when you don't like the kicking conditions and the 4th down is long, is not unheard of. Especially when your D has been shutting the other team out and you can pin them deep.

[Buffalogic]

Nobody said punt.

First of all, the play calling was stupid. Run the ball, take the clock down to as little as possible. Leave no time for the Steelers to even sniff momentum.

Second of all, he had to drive the ball, because of the conditions. Do you guys not listen to the broadcast? Feely said that before the game, the kickers were struggling to even get it there from 50 yards on that end of the field.

Pay attention.

- - - Updated - - -



No, it's not even close to the same as an incompletion. Please use your brain.It's 7 more yards than an incompletion. Probably similar amount to if you take a sack at 4th down. Who cares. Stop being so whiny.

[Forward_Lateral]

It's 7 more yards than an incompletion. Probably similar amount to if you take a sack at 4th down. Who cares. Stop being so whiny.
I'm not whining, I'm stating facts.

You're only comeback is to call someone a whiner.

Get a grip.

It's something that cost the Bills 7 points, and took all the momentum away. McDermott needs to be better in these situations. We've seen him mismanage the end of halves/games his entire tenure in Buffalo.

Would you rather be up 21-0 at the half, with Pittsburgh just hanging their heads and completely demoralized, or 21-7 because you tried a low % FG due to the weather?

It was McDermott's only mistake, and he's not immune to criticism. You are pretty much the only Bills fan saying that FG try was smart.

It would've been smart if they tried it with time running out, but they didn't because of said clock mismanagement.

[Buffalogic]

I'm not whining, I'm stating facts.

You're only comeback is to call someone a whiner.

Get a grip.

It's something that cost the Bills 7 points, and took all the momentum away. McDermott needs to be better in these situations. We've seen him mismanage the end of halves/games his entire tenure in Buffalo.

Would you rather be up 21-0 at the half, with Pittsburgh just hanging their heads and completely demoralized, or 21-7 because you tried a low % FG due to the weather?

It was McDermott's only mistake, and he's not immune to criticism. You are pretty much the only Bills fan saying that FG try was smart.

It would've been smart if they tried it with time running out, but they didn't because of said clock mismanagement.You're literally crying about McDermott kicking a field goal in a fringe FG situation. You called it one of his worst mistakes ever. Lol back away from the cliff dude.

[Forward_Lateral]

You're literally crying about McDermott kicking a field goal in a fringe FG situation. You called it one of his worst mistakes ever. Lol back away from the cliff dude.
I'm nowhere near a cliff. Thanks for your concern.

[Buffalogic]

Thread: Balls and Goats (http://www.billszone.com/fanzone/showthread.php/264807-Balls-and-Goats?p=5076204#post5076204)
Assforbrains



If you are going to negative rep me at least put your name on it.

[Discotrish]

The mistake was the play calls before the kick. They should have run on 2nd and 7. Even if they get nothing the clock bleeds down to the 2 minute warning. Once they did that the compounded the mistake by not taking something short to make the FG reasonable.

- - - Updated - - -



He made some plays. He got beat some.

Clock management isn't McDermott's thing.

Clearly.

[Discotrish]

You're literally crying about McDermott kicking a field goal in a fringe FG situation. You called it one of his worst mistakes ever. Lol back away from the cliff dude.

Yes I cried too when he made that decision.

[Chet]

Thread: Balls and Goats (http://www.billszone.com/fanzone/showthread.php/264807-Balls-and-Goats?p=5076204#post5076204)
Assforbrains



If you are going to negative rep me at least put your name on it.

Yeah that pettiness usually stems from a difference in viewpoint, not a personal attack, so I don’t get the incognito attacks.

With that said, you’re wrong in this instance regarding how it played out. I said it before the game and it wasn’t some earth-shattering revelation: Pittsburgh are football parasites. They can only thrive on their host’s mistakes and miscues. Cut out the mistakes (or opportunities for mistakes), and you cut off their O2 supply.

That decision breathed life into their team, and the payoff had it gone right was a mere 3 points that still would’ve had Pittsburgh needing to score three tuds.

[Historian]

It's something that cost the Bills 7 points, and took all the momentum away. McDermott needs to be better in these situations. We've seen him mismanage the end of halves/games his entire tenure in Buffalo.



It was a ten point swing, when you include the missed field goal.

There are times to take risks.

This wasn't one of them, IMHO.

[Buffalogic]

The thing got blocked. Doesn't really happen that often. How many kicks are you looking at saying oh well if this gets blocked we're in trouble. None.

[Chet]

The play would’ve been to hard count them for a cheap 5 yards, making a FG or 4D conversion attempt a lot easier. If they don’t bite, easy, take the 5 yds back for the punt

[Chet]

The thing got blocked. Doesn't really happen that often. How many kicks are you looking at saying oh well if this gets blocked we're in trouble. None.
It’s about waking a team that was on life support to that point, despite the knowledge that you have a shaky kicker in crappy conditions.

[Woodman]

It was a ten point swing, when you include the missed field goal.

There are times to take risks.

This wasn't one of them, IMHO.


Honestly I wanted us to go for it on 4th and 7. :idunno:

Probably gone to Kincaid on a roll out drag route or ran (Josh) if the field opened up in front of him.

He's a pretty tough runner when he wants something :D

[cookie G]

It was a ten point swing, when you include the missed field goal.

There are times to take risks.

This wasn't one of them, IMHO.

People make too much of it.

Its 4th and 7 at the Steelers 31. There is 2:21 left on the clock. Still plenty of time left on the clock. And Pitt has the 2 minute warning as an extra time out.
The Steelers hadn't blocked a FG all year, I think;
On their previous possession, the Steelers marched down the field, only to be stopped by Elam's int.

-Bills run the ball, don't get 7 yards the Steelers march down the field and score. McD gets labeled as playing not to lose;
-Bills let Josh pass on 4th down, where he nearly threw an INT on the previous attempt (and nearly threw a TD or first and goal pass), Josh goes into hero mode and throws an INT; McD ends up getting blamed for letting Josh play hero ball right before the half;
-Bills let Josh pass, he throws an incompletion. Like a failed run attempt, the clock stops on change of possession, with time on the clock before the 2 minute warning. McD gets blamed for a) playing not to lose and/or b) bad clock management. For some, he gets blamed for both.


It wouldn't matter. Whatever he did, if it failed, people will still *****.

[Forward_Lateral]

People make too much of it.

Its 4th and 7 at the Steelers 31. There is 2:21 left on the clock. Still plenty of time left on the clock. And Pitt has the 2 minute warning as an extra time out.
The Steelers hadn't blocked a FG all year, I think;
On their previous possession, the Steelers marched down the field, only to be stopped by Elam's int.

-Bills run the ball, don't get 7 yards the Steelers march down the field and score. McD gets labeled as playing not to lose;
-Bills let Josh pass on 4th down, where he nearly threw an INT on the previous attempt (and nearly threw a TD or first and goal pass), Josh goes into hero mode and throws an INT; McD ends up getting blamed for letting Josh play hero ball right before the half;
-Bills let Josh pass, he throws an incompletion. Like a failed run attempt, the clock stops on change of possession, with time on the clock before the 2 minute warning. McD gets blamed for a) playing not to lose and/or b) bad clock management. For some, he gets blamed for both.


It wouldn't matter. Whatever he did, if it failed, people will still *****.
Disagree

The correct sequence there was run on 2nd down, at minimum, and bring it to the 2 min warning. Then run it again, draining the clock to roughly 1:10 or so, and depending on the outcome of those runs, decide what to do on 4th down. It was complete situational mismanagement.

[Buffalogic]

Brady calls the plays, not McDermott, so the argument of what should have happened before 4th down is a separate one.

On 4th down the discussion is really about probabilities and you have three options:



Take a couple of penalties for more room and punt (pathetic and gutless)




Go for it on 4th and 7 from the 32 - a viable option but with higher probabilities of risk than punt or field goal (pick 6, fumble scoop and score, long sack)




Kick a 49 yard field goal - Missing gives the opponent the ball on the 39, making it you go up 3 tds and 3 two point conversions - a viable option with less probabilities of risk than going for it.


What happened is they got almost the worst possible outcome with the field goal. It's still an acceptable and preferential decision.

[cookie G]

Disagree

The correct sequence there was run on 2nd down, at minimum, and bring it to the 2 min warning. Then run it again, draining the clock to roughly 1:10 or so, and depending on the outcome of those runs, decide what to do on 4th down. It was complete situational mismanagement.

Yeah, well, Pitt still had all 3 of their time outs left plus the 2 minute warning. They could have used one or two and still got the ball before the 2 minute warning.

It would have been complete situational mismanagement to not realize they still had essentially 4 timeouts with more than 20 seconds to go before the 2 minute warning.

Had they made a 1st down in that sequence, it wouldn't have mattered..but they didn't.

[Forward_Lateral]

Brady calls the plays, not McDermott, so the argument of what should have happened before 4th down is a separate one.

On 4th down the discussion is really about probabilities and you have three options:



Take a couple of penalties for more room and punt (pathetic and gutless)




Go for it on 4th and 7 from the 32 - a viable option but with higher probabilities of risk than punt or field goal (pick 6, fumble scoop and score, long sack)




Kick a 49 yard field goal - Missing gives the opponent the ball on the 39, making it you go up 3 tds and 3 two point conversions - a viable option with less probabilities of risk than going for it.


What happened is they got almost the worst possible outcome with the field goal. It's still an acceptable and preferential decision.
McDermott is the Head Coach, he had better have final say on plays, especially in situations like that.

He should've told Joe "Run it here, take us to 2 min and we will evaluate". It's been his major flaw his entire career. At the end of halves/games he loses his mind/panics/I don't know what.

[Forward_Lateral]

Yeah, well, Pitt still had all 3 of their time outs left plus the 2 minute warning. They could have used one or two and still got the ball before the 2 minute warning.

It would have been complete situational mismanagement to not realize they still had essentially 4 timeouts with more than 20 seconds to go before the 2 minute warning.

Had they made a 1st down in that sequence, it wouldn't have mattered..but they didn't.
Then make them use the time outs, at least.

Cookie, you can't possibly agree that that sequence made any sense.

[Buffalogic]

McDermott is the Head Coach, he had better have final say on plays, especially in situations like that.

He should've told Joe "Run it here, take us to 2 min and we will evaluate". It's been his major flaw his entire career. At the end of halves/games he loses his mind/panics/I don't know what.Maybe if it's the fourth quarter he would micro manage his coach like that, but we're talking second quarter up 21 to nothing. If you can't trust your OC there then might as well call all the plays yourself.

[Forward_Lateral]

Maybe if it's the fourth quarter he would micro manage his coach like that, but we're talking second quarter up 21 to nothing. If you can't trust your OC there then might as well call all the plays yourself.
The point still remains. THey were kicking the snot out of Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh looked like they had quit already. Why give them any shred of hope at all? I get wanting to score again, but a coach should always be thinking steps ahead. Yes Pittsburgh had their time outs, etc, but they hadn't done diddly poo up to that point. To me, it was 4 down territory, but the play calling suggested otherwise.

In the end, it didn't matter, thankfully, and hopefully they learned that they can't be trusting Bass with long FGs in those conditions, which is worrisome in itself.

[Chet]

On another matter, congrats to McD for not wasting timeouts for no goddamn reason like he’s done all year. Another sign of growth

[cookie G]

Then make them use the time outs, at least.

Cookie, you can't possibly agree that that sequence made any sense.

Actually, it makes perfect sense.

The Bills scored on 3 of their first 4 possessions in the half. Not just scored, but scored 3 TDs.

Up until the time of the 2nd and 7, Josh had been something like 10-13.

On that drive he had been 2 for 2. They went from their own 21 to the Pitt 31.

And now...with a 3 TD lead, people are whining that McD didn't say.."stop what you are doing!! sit on the ball!.

On the 2nd and 7, Josh made a bad throw to a fully covered Johnson. He did have Shakir coming over the middle in a short crossing route, 2 yards past the LOS, with no one within 5 yards of him. A decent short pass and he easily makes a 1st down. It was't the playcall...it was the choice of pass.

On the 3rd and 7, Josh himself said that one more degree of arc and its a completed pass. And of course, on this play too, Shakir had space in the flat. whether he made the 1st would be anyone's guess, he could have, but also could have gained at least 5 yards and stayed inbounds.

Keep your foot on the gas;
Keep your knee on their throat;
Don't play to not lose;

People have been asking, in fact begging...for McD to do this. And when he does...and the fault of its not on the playcall but the execution by the QB...

people still blame McD.

[Forward_Lateral]

On another matter, congrats to McD for not wasting timeouts for no goddamn reason like he’s done all year. Another sign of growth

Agreed, they've gotten much better at this, especially at home, where they shouldn't have to waste any

[Historian]

A guy called in to Tasker's show today about the second missed field goal.

He thought it was way too far off the mark for an NFL kicker.

Perhaps it was, but this guy thought it was kicked that way on purpose.

His reasoning was, 1, It gave Pittsburgh the ball on the 17, as opposed to a good field goal and a touchback, resulting in the 25 as a drive start.

2, because they didn't want to have to perform kick coverage, since all our special teamers were now playing starting rolls.

:rofl:

[Forward_Lateral]

A guy called in to Tasker's show today about the second missed field goal.

He thought it was way too far off the mark for an NFL kicker.

Perhaps it was, but this guy thought it was kicked that way on purpose.

His reasoning was, 1, It gave Pittsburgh the ball on the 17, as opposed to a good field goal and a touchback, resulting in the 25 as a drive start.

2, because they didn't want to have to perform kick coverage, since all our special teamers were now playing starting rolls.

:rofl:

LOL

[Chet]

A guy called in to Tasker's show today about the second missed field goal.

He thought it was way too far off the mark for an NFL kicker.

Perhaps it was, but this guy thought it was kicked that way on purpose.

His reasoning was, 1, It gave Pittsburgh the ball on the 17, as opposed to a good field goal and a touchback, resulting in the 25 as a drive start.

2, because they didn't want to have to perform kick coverage, since all our special teamers were now playing starting rolls.

:rofl:

Was it Alex Jones by chance?

[TacklingDummy]

If the Bills didn't try for the FG, Punted, and lost by 1,2, or 3, people would be *****ing that they didn't kick a FG before the half.

I have no problem with the FG attempt. My issue is more on the plays called on 2nd and 3rd down.

[Mad Max]

A guy called in to Tasker's show today about the second missed field goal.

He thought it was way too far off the mark for an NFL kicker.

Perhaps it was, but this guy thought it was kicked that way on purpose.

His reasoning was, 1, It gave Pittsburgh the ball on the 17, as opposed to a good field goal and a touchback, resulting in the 25 as a drive start.

2, because they didn't want to have to perform kick coverage, since all our special teamers were now playing starting rolls.

:rofl:

That caller should pick another sport. American Football isn’t for him.