Since training camp, the one constant thing that I’ve been preaching is progress, not W’s and L’s. I didn’t care about their record, because we were rebuilding. And when you are in a rebuilding process, you want to see individual players evolve. Overall, some guys have accomplished that. However, after today’s game, I never knew that a team making progress, would hurt this much. Today’s game was a major kick in the nuts. To lose that way in OT…God, it kind of makes you wish we didn’t even make it to OT. I don’t know what to say.
I wanted this game! I hated being stuck at a bar with a bunch of Steelers fans and their stupid, dumb cheers! I’m sure people at RWS felt the same way. I’m sure if we won this game, we would have rubbed it into the black and gold crew. I had visions of watching as many highlight shows tonight as possible. Now? I can’t even watch anything related to sports for the next 24 hours. We were so close. My heart goes out to them and Bills fans. It hurts.
However, there is a silver lining in all of this: they are making progress. (Click “Read more” for the rest of the article)
I’m sorry, but I think this team is better than last year’s squad. I think they just have to learn how to win these games. It happens over time. They are still really young, especially on offense. I know some will say that we’ve been learning how to lose like this for the last 10 years, and I understand that notion. However, we are rebuilding and these are the kind of losses you want to see. Hey, it’s better than getting killed by 30 points.
I know it sucks, and I hate writing blogs like this after a emotional game like this one. I guess I kind of understand why people in the mainstream media aren’t suppose to care, because I’m really sad about today’s game and I’ll try to muscle out some thoughts. Anyways, here it goes:
Reversal of fortune for Stevie
What a difference a week makes. A week ago at this time, Stevie Johnson could do no wrong in the eyes of Bills fans. The guy came off a phenomenal game against the Bengals with three touchdowns. He was the toast of the town. He was doing the media rounds as if he were T.O. or Ocho Cinco. Everything was great. Then came today. Wow…OK, how can I phrase this? Look, I like Stevie Johnson. He’s been awesome this year. You’d be stupid to not give him credit for helping this offense turn it around. I’ve taken a liking to Stevie, not because of his celebrations, but because he was a nobody that came out of no where to get where he is. It’s always nicer to root for a young player who no one saw coming. However, if he really wants to be a #1 receiving option, he needs to put this game to bed and move on. 5 drops are unacceptable. I’m sorry, but college kids don’t get that many drops in a game. What makes these drops even worse, was after the Polamalu interception, which glanced off of Johnson’s hands and into the all-pro safety’s hands, I was under the impression that it couldn’t get any worse for Johnson. Well, it did. I can’t express the words for how sad I was for his drop. I mean, I almost died at the bar. I couldn’t believe it. It was right there. It was right there for Stevie Johnson to make the highlight reel once again, to make the media rounds and to be the man! Instead, the joke was on us and Stevie. Bottom line: As an athlete, when you get knocked down, you gotta get up. Stevie has the talent to do that.
People are ass clowns
People really needed to shut up on twitter about Stevie Johnson. I know it sucks that he dropped the game-winning touchdown pass, but people were totally out of line to crap all over him, as if he were a bum. I don’t know, but I have a feeling that if it were David Nelson or Donald Jones dropping that pass, the reaction wouldn’t have been that strong. However, because Stevie made the media rounds and has been the talk of the league (at least if the name Buffalo is mentioned), it made it a lot easier to pick on the popular kid. Also, and I’m sorry to stereotype the fan base of WNY like this, but people aren’t fans of charismatic players. They rather have their guys play like blue-collar steel workers, who bring their lunch box to work daily, and don’t say a word. Sorry, but that may have worked in the 60’s, when there were black and white TVs, but not in today’s NFL. Frankly, I like flash in NFL players. And even if you don’t like it, learn to love it, because that’s the age we live in. Even still, to be all over this guy, after having a career year and being a major part of the offense, is a little overkill for my taste. What ever happen to the fans who cheered for Scott Norwood at the rally after Super Bowl XXV?
People are ass clowns Pt 2
I’m still rolling on the Stevie Johnson outcry. In case you didn’t read, Stevie tweeted this after the game:
I PRAISE YOU 24/7!!!!!! AND THIS HOW YOU DO ME!!!!! YOU EXPECT ME TO LEARN FROM THIS??? HOW???!!! ILL NEVER FORGET THIS!! EVER!!! THX THO…
Of course, those words gave people more fuel to douse on the Stevie Johnson fire. Some hacks were going crazy about it, as if Stevie was blaming god for his drop. Look, I’m sure in everyone’s life, we have gone through valleys, where we pretty much yelled at everyone, including the guy upstairs. What Johnson did was nothing more than human nature. To me, he was upset and just asking God, Why? Some of the people on twitter acted as if he was running outside in Devil horns, a pitchfork and a Marilyn Manson T-shirt to renounce the world. Sorry, but he was just upset, just like everyone else was. Then, to make matters even more dumber, people started tweeting that Johnson dropped the football because he was thinking about what do to for his celebration. Are you fricken serious?! Lets not make this guy out to be Chad Ocho Cinco. He’s only celebrated two touchdown catches in a creative fashion. I seriously doubt at that moment of the game that he was thinking about throwing Joker playing cards, ala Gambit from X-men, at the crowd. Just shut up! People bitch and complain about how the Bills aren’t relevant in the sports world, then we get a guy, who actually gets mentioned in the national media, and we use it against him. You just can’t have it both ways.
If you want to blame someone from the WR core, here’s your guy
I’m going to make this short: Lee Evans is completely overrated. I’ve been saying that for the last three years, and if this season doesn’t convince you, I don’t know what else will. I understand all the excuses that this guy has received over the years: “Oh, he doesn’t have a top tier QB, the line sucks and the coaching stinks.” Well, as I’ve been saying for years, game-breakers who make 10-million a year, should be able to impose their play on the field, no matter what the circumstances are! Evans stat line for this game reads like this: 1 catch for 9-yards and a fumble. Oh, and lets not forget his alligator arms in overtime. That’s the guy you should blame.
Missed opportunities
This game just had a weird feel to it, didn’t it? How many times did you feel that the Bills were going to get blown out? The god awful stat about the Bills having the ball for like six minutes in the first half had that eerie feeling of SBXXV. Honestly, the Bills were lucky to be down by only 13 points at half. Then, in the 2nd half and OT, the Bills had several chances. The first one started early in the fourth quarter after Jairus Byrd recovered a fumble by Rashard Mendenhall at the Pittsburgh 23. However, the Bills couldn’t punch it in on a third and 1 (Fitz running the keeper wasn’t the ideal call) and the team had to settle for the game-tying field goal. Soon after, Big Ben did his best Madden 2010 impression, by somehow avoiding a Chris Kelsay sack and rumbling (on one leg) 18 yards for a 1st down. Later on in the drive, the Steelers added a field goal to take the lead at 16-13. Then the Bills were able to drive the ball inside the redzone, but Fitzpatrick tried to knife the ball on a slant to Johnson.
However, the ball deflected off the WR’s hands, and Polamalu made an outstanding, diving interception.
Of course, there was OT, where you get Leodis McKelvin making his annual “I’m going to kill this guy” moment. Man, I’m getting angry just thinking about this. Well, in short, McKelvin was on his way to scoring the game-winning kickoff return for a TD. I saw the light and so did Leodis. However, that light was a freight train with Arthur Moats name written all over it. McKelvin tripped over Moats’ feet, and the Bills had to settle for the ball at midfield. I could go on about how McKelvin’s fumble cost the Bills 15 yards and Big Ben recovering his own fumble at the 1-yard line, but then I would precede to hang myself, and we don’t want that to happen.
(OK, lets breathe and get to some positive stuff)
The defensive line came through
This was probably the most impressive game that the defensive line had this season. The Bills had a season high 5 sacks and really got after Roethlisberger. Now, we enter the weekly “Kiss the ass of Kyle Williams” portion of my blog. The guy is the best defensive player on this team and should be going to the Pro Bowl. He chipped in today with an eyepopping 10 tackles and 2 sacks. The guy was completely unblockable. Not only did he play his best game of the season, but we saw Chris Kelsay continue with his impressive play as of late. I’m not sure what position he plays anymore, but Kelsay had one sack and 9 tackles. Hell, we even got Alex Carrington involved, as the rookie pitched in with one sack after being called into duty because of the Dwan Edwards injury. Even though Big Ben was elusive, the Bills were still able to put constant pressure on him, especially when the Steelers were in Bills territory. That is what you call a bend but don’t break defense. What made their performance even more impressive was that the Bills defense was on the field for over 45 minutes. Even in OT, they still showed a knack at getting after the QB. Yes, they couldn’t stop the run to save their lives, but you have to give them credit for a gutsy performance. They did everything they could to put the Bills offense in position to win.
Anyone want to tell me why we drafted a running back?
Who needs a waterbug when we got Fred Jackson! Jackson had 5 catches for 104 yards and gained 163 yards in total offense. He only touched the ball 17 times today, yet, he averaged almost 10 yards whenever the ball was in his hands. Of course, the majority of his yards came on his 65-yard touchdown reception, which was a thing of beauty by the running back. Even still, to get big plays from your running back against the Steelers defense is cause for a pat on the back. Bottom line: Spiller better play out of his mind when he returns, because I wouldn’t take too many touches away from Jackson.
O-line is gelling
You have to give a ton of credit to the offensive line for the pass protection they gave for Fitzpatrick. Fitz dropped back to pass 45 times today, and only got sacked twice. Considering that the line played without Eric Wood and had to endear the Blitzburgh style defense, I thought they held up pretty darn well. It was pretty evident what the Bills wanted to do against the Steelers, they wanted to spread the field, which is the same way the Saints and Patriots had their way with their defense. Of course, when you spread the field, you aren’t going to have as many blockers in the backfield. However, that didn’t stop the Bills from having probably their best pass blocking day of the year.
I’d love to write some more, but I think it’s time to goto sleep. Remember, it’s all about progress.
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