My thoughts on the wildcard...

and from friendly fire too. I haven't looked at the stats around the league but it seemed like an unusually high injury percent were from our own guys hitting each other.

 

They need an entirely new coaching staff, not one of those bums are worth keeping

 

he was inactive, I assume he was healthy, but I don’t know

 

Great summary, as usual. While I'm typically not conspiracy theory type, that officiating was certainly suspect. It sure seems like the NFL had a script of having Mahomes have to go on the road for a playoff match up against Josh Allen. I mean, Mason Rudolph? Nobody gives a rats ass about him, he won't get ratings. When the Steelers clawed back within a TD, the calls went totally one sided and extended their drives and killed ours.

 

Especially on the offensive side of the ball. I would fire offensive coordinator, quarterback coach and offensive line coach.

I know no one likes Austin. But I would bring him back because he held that defensive together with crazy glue and duct tape. But i would give Aaron Curry ( i think that's his name) more say in the defense..

 

7. We added another punter but I guess why use him
13. Cam needing way too many plays off didn't help.
14. You don't settle for FG by running two straight times up the middle when we needed 7 there!!

 

You’re right. And it sure seems like the NFL decided 6-7 weeks ago that holding the Steelers OLB’s was no longer going to be called a penalty. The Bills held all night. No flags.

 

The Steelers allowed the NFL to get what they wanted. Both Pickens and Friermuth fumbles were because they had one hand on the ground trying to get an extra yard, while the rest of their body is prone in the air. They need to learn to get down with the ball to live for another play. While Friermuth's fumble didn't hurt them, it could have.

I hope they keep Rudolph because the passing game is much more fluid. The team has pieces on offense, but coaching needs to maximize their talents.

The defense needs to transition from an emphasis on pass rush, to stopping the run and coverage. The NFL has quit calling holding penalties, so the elite pass rushers are being marginalized.

If Tomlin stays, I hope he changes his approach to his coaching staff. He needs to be more of a CEO and identify and develop some coaches that teach the game, so players are getting better as the season progresses.

 

Did that move make a damn bit of sense to anyone? What's the point of signing a punter right before the playoffs if they weren't going to use him?

 

Going into this game, the plan was:
- Run the ball down their throat
- Win time of possession
- Win the TO battle,

They failed on all three points. Cook had more yds than Najee and Warren combined. Allen has 1 yd less rushing than Najee and Warren combined. They lost TOP by 7 minutes and “Josh Allen turnover machine” had none.

And on top of that the D tackled like crap.

If I told you that all this was gonna happen, you’d probably be surprised that they only lost by 14.

 

The Josh Allen rushing TD in the 2nd quarter really irked me. He ran, leaned back like he was going to slide, the defenders pulled off and he rushed thru the gap for a TD. Tony Romo was all giddy about it, but to me, that is a play that needs changed for next season. If a QB makes any type of a motion to give themselves up, they should be ruled down right there, even if they pull out of it. That cost us a roughing the passer penalty later in the game. Allen goes on a designed run play and slides.....and after that BS from earlier, I don't blame our guy for hitting him. It also looked like our guy was committed when Allen started to slide.

If it is a designed QB run, there should be no roughing the passer calls. He is effectively a running back at that point. A designed run being any play where the QB immediately or almost immediately takes off running north south. Heck, anytime the QB moves forward of the line of scrimmage he should be considered a RB.

I also had issue with the Josh Allen Rushing for a first down where he was stopped and falling backwards but then was basically thrown over the line for a 1st down. He was literally laying on the pile, parallel to the ground and falling back when his teammates rolled his arse over the pile for a first down.

 

Losing Porter in the 3rd QTR really hurt.

 

In slow-mo I guess Myles hit is a penalty, but in real time it is almost impossible to do the right thing

 

I think getting both our starting safeties back who had not played in a month didn’t do is any favors. I think our slow start and digging a whole started with miscommunication in the secondary. We might have been better off with the players that won 3 games in a row

 

Minkah's effort on the last Bill's TD and Peterson's drive by when he blitzed Allen were frustrating.

 

They can change the rule, but they are not going to call it.

 

Great season, B&GP. I always look forward to your after-game thoughts.

 

true, he’s a one man wrecking crew, Allen does not have the big day and I’ll bet we get at least one strip sack

would’ve been a real tight game, I think

 

Well, Watt and Holcomb come to mind. Two pretty big losses.

 

Yeah Peterson you have to go at his waist no way you are arm tackling him. Imagine Ben is whole career never being able to be hit low. almost impossible to take down. Pet peeve of mine all season you can see our free blitzers coming in out of control and just juked out of the way like Bugs bunny with the bull!!

 

I'd like to add that Patrick Peterson is too slow and a liability. I don't know if I'd even want him at safety to be honest. Half ass tackler aswell and we could do better there.

I also think the offense dug this team in a whole early with the fumble by Pickens (Bills capitalized off short field), and interception by Rudolph where the Bill's marched down the field against a tired defense. At that point Steelers down 21-0. Really changes the game plan at that point.

 

Bonehead plays that can be fixed:
Myles Jack penalty, Dan Moore penalty, Pickens fumble, muth fumble, overall lower quality of talent especially at QB position, overall lower coaching talent.

bonehead plays that can’t be fixed:
Tomlin poor clock management, Rudolph throwing into triple coverage, Pickens can’t get separation, Mason taking bad sacks,

 

Yep, that was the final nail in the coffin

 

faking a slide should result in an automatic 15 yard unsportsmanlike penalty. that's such a bush league move. it's the same as mahomes dancing on the sideline and drawing a penalty for getting hit out of bounds or taking off running when defenders think he's stepping out of bounds. these guys are taking advantage of the league coddling QBs. they'd have gotten killed in the old days with their style of play. the NFL loves it though and we all know the refs won't ever throw a flag on the league's golden boys.. so get used to it.

 

Josh Allen threw the most interceptions this season, I thought their best chance at winning was to get him to throw 1-2, he wasn't reckless like he usually is.