Week 8 2020. The Bills

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Doesn't look like anyone else wants to start this thread so...
Lose and we're pretty much out of AFC East contention. Win and we're still in a precarious situation.
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The Bills started their 2020 campaign hot. Led by the aforementioned Josh Allen, who looked like a serious MVP candidate over the first month of the season, Buffalo won its first four games. From Week 5’s blowout loss against the Titans, however, the team has struggled a bit: it was defeated by Kansas City before beating the Jets without scoring a touchdown. 5-2 is still 5-2, but the Bills have not been a dominant team for most of the season as evidenced by their -4 scoring differential on the season.

Buffalo’s offense has played some impressive football this season, mainly because of quarterback Josh Allen’s growth and connection with his newest weapon: Stefon Diggs is leading the Bills with 48 receptions for 603 yards and three touchdowns. He is far from the only talented player on the offense, though, with the other starter-level receivers as well as the team’s running back group also contributing on a regular basis. The main question for Buffalo will be at tight end: Dawson Knox tested positive for Covid-19 last week, and could miss Sunday’s contest against the Patriots.

Buffalo’s defense is ranked 18th in scoring (25.4/game), 21st in DVOA (5.9%), 25th in EPA (0.123), and dead last in success rate (50.9%), but the unit still features some very talented players across the board. Led by the young trio of Ed Oliver, Tremaine Edmunds and Tre’Davious White, the unit has big play ability written all over it. It has yet to put it all together this season, but the unit is certainly capable of leading the Bills to victory if need be.

Three things to watch​

1. Is a new era in the AFC East upon us? With Tom Brady having left the Patriots in free agency, the Bills have never had a better chance at seizing the division for the first time since 1995. New England won’t relinquish the crown without a fight, of course, which is why Sunday could ring in the dawn of a new era — or, alternatively, prove that Bill Belichick and company are still a force to be reckoned with in the AFC East.

2. Which Josh Allen will show up? Josh Allen was off to a terrific start this year: over the first four games, he completed 71 percent of his passes for 1,326 yards, 12 touchdowns and only one interception. Since the, however, his numbers have gone down as he has been successful on only 63.1 percent of his throws for 692 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions. Which Allen will the Patriots see on Sunday, the better passer of earlier during the season or the quarterback willing to trust his legs rather than his reads? That could very well determine the defense’s success against him.

3. Will New England’s offense get back on track? There is not denying it, the Patriots offense looked like one of the worst in football the last two weeks. Cam Newton and his receivers were out of sync, with the running game being unable to provide a consistent relief as defenses honed in on it. Going against a talented but inconsistent defense, will this week be a turn for the better? New England certainly has to hope so.

 
Bills have trouble stopping the run, so we should do that. Bills have trouble running, so just containing Allen will be a big start. Their defense is not what it was last year, they pretty much rank along where we are.
They have kinda came back to the pack in the last couple of weeks. Its a very winnable game from a matchup standpoint.
 
The Bills?

We always beat them, they are our bi-

What? Their #1 in the division?

Well, We got Cam and he is....oh yeah, he wasn't last week. Or the week before.

Doomed.

What? There aren't Karma threads anymore?

:shake:
 
That bodes well for Pats as Bills have a terrible rushing attack. Maybe a lot of sailed balls by Allen? Here's to hoping.
 
Nobody else wants to say it so I will.................we're doomed, doomed I tell ya!!!
 
I wouldn't say doomed. September was a great month, but October has been dreadful - until the 2nd half vs the Jets. I know, it's the Jets, but something happened and the September Bills almost showed up again. They didn't score a TD although they had 2 called back and one catch that was an easy one, the TE tripped over the white paint in the grass.

The biggest disappointment in Buffalo this year is the Defense. The GM is on the hook right now, having let 2 big pieces go in Jordan Phillips and "Sack" Lawson. Ed Oliver looks terrible. Edmunds has been hampered by an injury and Tre White got his big contract and is laying back. The secondary has not been as opportunistic as in recent years. - until the 2nd half vs The Jets. The belief among the fans is that Coach McD took over play-calling from Leslie Frazier. The same thing happened 2 years ago. The D looked anemic, McD took over play-calling and they came back to life. So, which Defense shows up is the key to the game.

John Brown has been hurt, though he practiced today. Josh Norman did not. Nor did Jerry Hughes, this week's DPOTW. I doubt there's any concern of Hughes missing the game. If I were Daboll, I'd sit Josh Allen down and replay the Dallas game from last year, where he came alive on National TV.

The other missing factor - no 12th man. No Bills Mafia in the stands.

Should be an interesting game.
 
I just learned that Harry had concussions in HS that almost made him quit football.
This could be serious for him.
 
I just learned that Harry had concussions in HS that almost made him quit football.
This could be serious for him.
For some reason I wouldn't be surprised if we never hear from him again. With the way the season has gone and 2020 has gone why not get 13 games out of a 1st round be pick lol
 
Interesting game for sure. The Pats are 35-5 vs the Bills since 2000. That's quite a feat. This is a down year for us and the Bills started out like world beaters before Josh Allen got back to being Josh Allen. I don't think a week is long enough to get all the pieces on our team back on track after that sorry effort against SF. It will take a hell of an effort by BB & staff. It's a critical game from the standpoint of winning the conference. Win & there's still ground to make up but lose and we're focusing more attention on next year immediately. The Pats could become sellers in prep for next year. Not just Gilmore but Thuney, too. Lots riding on this game.
Interesting indeed.
 
I just learned that Harry had concussions in HS that almost made him quit football.
This could be serious for him.
That makes it even more head scratching as to why we took him in round 1.
 
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