Buffalo Plus Podcast: Bills Season Ends. Who Is to Blame?

Date: January 23, 2023
Hosts: Mike Catalana, Jenna Cottrell, Dan Fetes

Episode Overview

This post-mortem episode dives into the Buffalo Bills’ season-ending 27-10 home playoff loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Jenna, Mike, and Dan analyze the big-picture issues that resurfaced, assess coaching and player accountability, and explore who or what is to blame for the defeat. They candidly discuss the lack of identity, in-game adjustments, roster construction, and emotional and leadership dynamics—offering insights and memorable moments for Bills fans processing a disappointing finish.

Key Themes & Discussion Points

1. Recurring Issues Resurface in Biggest Moment

• Problems all season, haunting in the playoffs:
  • Mike: "All the problems they had during the year came back to haunt them in the biggest game of the year." (00:59)
  • Offensive and defensive line struggles, lack of in-game adjustments, and uninspiring play-calling were cited as chronic issues that peaked at the worst time.
  • "It was 27-10, Dan. It wasn't even that close." – Mike (01:17)
  • "They got away with it against teams they were better than, and the Bengals were a better team." – Dan (01:39)

2. Lack of Energy and Identity

• Uncharacteristically flat performance:
  • Jenna: "My thing I'm surprised by was just the energy level, how flat it was in that game." (02:24)
• Defeatist body language and missing response:
  • Mike: "You never looked like you were in the game for about two minutes... then they just laid there while Cincinnati went down the field and scored. No responses. Nobody stepped up." (03:24)
• Over-reliance on Josh Allen:
  • "If you live the whole time by just saying, well, Josh will bail us out... it catches up with you." – Mike (03:43)
  • "The Bill's game plan at times is third and Josh Allen—third and be a hero. And that's not a recipe to live by." – Dan (03:50)

3. Creativity Gaps and Play-Calling Critique

• Comparison to other top offenses:
  • Mike highlights the contrast with KC, SF, Philly, and even Cincinnati:
    • "All those teams are super creative. The Bills… I don't think Cincinnati is the craziest, most inventive offense, but they have a super calm quarterback, great receivers, methodical. They are well coached and efficient." (04:31–05:15)
    • "There is no pre-snap motion. It's a whole lot of hoping that Josh makes a superhuman play." – Dan (09:09)
  • Diminished offensive identity and predictability were cited as serious flaws.

4. Leadership and Emotional Fallout: The Diggs Incident

• Stefon Diggs’ outburst and its fallout:
  • "I've loved Diggs since he's been there. I think he's an awesome player... but in the biggest game, you're on the sidelines yelling at your quarterback... I just think it's weak..." – Mike (06:18, 06:53)
  • Dan agreed it was "bad optics," but not a sign Diggs is a bad teammate. (07:14)
  • As Jenna points out, the team "has stuck together through a lot," making this discord notable.

5. Roster Construction & Talent Gaps

• Skill position and O-line questions:
  • "Weapon-wise, they don't have anybody outside of Diggs that you count on week in, week out... Dawson Knox is a nice player... but that's it." – Mike (10:36)
  • "If you went through every team that made the playoffs this year, I think the only one that has worse skill guys is the Giants." – Mike (16:11)
  • "Every single position group needs to be addressed." – Jenna (15:44)
• Draft and talent evaluation:
  • "Brandon Bean hasn't drafted a Pro Bowler the last four years on this good of a team." – Dan (17:45)

6. Coaching: Dorsey & Frazier Under Fire

• Ken Dorsey’s future in question:
  • "I don't think he is [back]. That's just my personal opinion." – Jenna (11:45)
  • "Do you have time for the growing pain? You have a window." – Mike & Jenna (12:29–12:30)
  • "This offense needs to be challenged... the message has gone stale... there are other voices that can come in, fresh voices that have not been a part of the organization." – Dan (13:36)
• Defensive context:
  • Mike notes Frazier's unit's injuries (Hyde, Miller, Poyer, White) and roster limitations, lessening the case for major coaching changes on defense (14:25).

7. Bengals’ Poise and the AFC Landscape

• Burrow vs. Allen and shifting AFC power
  • "Joe Burrow... puts the ball in the right place at the right time. His decision making, his poise... phenomenal. Yeah, he's a problem." – Dan (19:53)
  • "It was Mahomes and Allen. It's Burrow and Mahomes now. Until Josh [challenges]." – Mike (22:30)
• Buffalo’s window now in jeopardy:
  • "It does change the window... they have to make substantial moves to open that window wide open." – Mike (20:39)

8. Emotional and Physical Toll of the Season

• Team simply ran out of gas:
  • "It felt like slowly, this team had been losing air all season long, and then yesterday, it just..." – Jenna (25:34)
  • Matt Milano (as relayed by Dan): "There was no juice, there was no energy, there was no momentum... to say it in the divisional round is just very surprising to me." – (23:23)

Notable Quotes & Highlights by Timestamp

• On Recurring Problems:

  • "All the problems they had during the year came back to haunt them in the biggest game of the year." – Mike (00:59)
  • "They got away with it against teams they were better than, and the Bengals were a better team." – Dan (01:39)

• On Lack of Creative Offense:

  • "Their gameplan at times is third and Josh Allen—third and be a hero. That's not a formula to win." – Dan (03:50)
  • "[Other top teams have] multiple ways, creative ways [to win]. All those teams are super creative. The Bills aren’t." – Mike (04:53)

• On the Diggs Incident:

  • "In the biggest game, you're on the sidelines yelling at your quarterback... I just think it's weak because our job is to ask questions and we ask people about those [outbursts], it's almost unfair..." – Mike (06:53)

• On Skill Players:

  • "If you went through every team that made the playoffs this year, I think the only one that has worse skill guys is the Giants." – Mike (16:11)

• On Coaching Staleness:

  • "[The message] has gone stale... this offense has plateaued and is lacking creativity. Other voices can come in—fresh voices." – Dan (13:36)

• On AFC Playoff Picture:

  • "It was Mahomes and Allen. It’s Burrow and Mahomes now. Until Josh [challenges]." – Mike (22:30)
  • "He’s (Allen) lost in the playoffs to Mahomes twice and Burrow once. He’s 0-3 against those two." – Mike (22:48)

• On Season’s Emotional Toll:

  • "It felt like slowly, this team had been losing air all season long, and then yesterday, it just..." – Jenna (25:34)

Important Timestamps

• 00:36 – Episode begins, post-game breakdown starts
• 00:59 – Mike identifies recurring season-long issues
• 03:50 – Dan and Mike debate lack of offensive identity
• 06:18 – Diggs’ frustration and team leadership discussion
• 09:09 – Comparing Dorsey era play-calling to the Dabol years
• 10:36 – Roster shortcomings and skill position critique
• 11:45-13:36 – Ken Dorsey’s future and coaching staff evaluation
• 16:11 – Bills' skill positions compared to the rest of the playoff teams
• 17:45 – Drafting and lack of Pro Bowl talent
• 19:53 – Joe Burrow’s performance and AFC hierarchy
• 20:39 – Bills’ championship window remains, but is narrower
• 23:23 – Matt Milano’s postgame comments on energy and momentum
• 25:34 – Jenna’s analogy: team ran out of air through the season

Memorable Metaphors & Analogies

• "It felt like slowly, this team had been losing air all season long, and then yesterday, it just..." – Jenna (25:34)
• "There were holes in the tire, and you kept filling it up and patching them, and you hit a really big pothole in the Bengals." – Dan (25:42)

Conclusion

The hosts offer a comprehensive, at times raw, diagnosis: the Bills' playoff exit was not about one thing, but a convergence of familiar weaknesses—lack of offensive ingenuity, incomplete roster building, insufficient adjustments, and, ultimately, a failure of the team’s energy and leadership at the crucial moment. This loss prompts hard questions for the coaches, front office, and core players. Listeners are left with a call to expect and demand significant offseason change if the Bills hope to keep their championship window open.

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