Unseasoned Preseason with Bland Buffalo Bills
The two worst things to do about preseason are overreact and not care. That covers everything. I suppose it’s possible to respond in a measured manner, but that doesn’t seem like fun. Freaking out about the inability to move or stop the ball against indifferent starters or energetic marginal players is not the best use of allotted blood pressure spikes.
Playing a collision sport without getting hurt is preseason’s goal, so anyone soothsaying regarding the regular schedule will guess wrong. Yet there are enough clues to make aspiring football psychics feel apprehensive. Discerning observers know what inconsequential moments deserve to provoke shrieking.
The common refrain that it’s preseason is chanted as a mantra throughout a trio of meaninglessness. Even Star Wars has created better recent trilogies. Yet a vague dismissal of the rehearsal process overlooks specific jitters. The lack of caring should not prompt relaxation. The Bills have specific problems on display that can’t be countered with a general dismissal.
The Josh Allen Tease Preseason Game will dominate memories except for how we already forgot it. Rain is the only foe who can stop him. Pretending Allen would play was a ruse so Mitchell Trubisky could have an August revenge game against Pittsburgh. Missing receivers before getting hurt wasn’t the plan. Jerry’s revenge date with the dermatologist didn’t backfire this much.
The preseason offense isn’t vanilla: that’s an insult to the smooth elixir which enhances anything sweet. It’s not a synonym for flavorless, which is just the start of misinterpretation.
A one-sided affair doesn’t bother half of participants. The other team isn’t game-planning, either. Yet some preseason foes are able to look like this isn’t the first time they blocked and ran.
The simulacrum can’t be shrugged off even as we forget this score upon seeing it. Individual trends spur anxiety, not the exhibition record. Getting to try things out is why they bother to play an AI-style knockoff.
Setting his own precedent means the possibility of falling short. Stressed fans are merely meeting the coach’s standard about taking sneak previews seriously. Sean McDermott’s focus on preparation leads to wondering if his team is doing the same. Ascertaining what they were doing all training camp has been an early challenge.
It’s easy to read too much into an incomplete script. Elements around the franchise player are in what we can generously classify as a transitional phase. Fretting they’ve already peaked is a common sensation before this year’s actual schedule begins. Nobody’s seen much to dissuade fears even in nonchalant efforts.
The imitation contests feature real unease about the number one receiver, namely if the Bills have one. There’s a lot of pressure on a group that fans are prepared to blame for disappointment.
Fans get a practice run at seeing new potential favorites. Keon Coleman has gotten to wear the gear even if he hasn’t done much in it. The ceaseless argument between those who note the games aren’t real and those who think this is a time to at least show something continues unabated. The experience of simply being in uniform reflects preseason’s chief value, namely getting the first time out of the way. Now, the next step is fielding passes.
We could all use reassurance, especially at this tense time when we’ve been without football for awhile yet approach the absence’s end. That’s why the faithful are still sighing about an offensive line that looks like they won a charity auction in the first scrimmage. Those who dismiss underwhelming play because it’s preseason argue that the players need more snaps to form a cohesive union. But that’s what these summer moments are for. Pointless games may not be useless.
Alarm about the inability to score touchdowns could all go away in games that affect standings. The only time preseason records get cited is when they’re ironic compared to games that count. Announcers treasure when successful clubs have unimpressive Augusts so they have something to smirk about late in blowouts. By contrast, the 2008 Detroit Lions won four games if the preseason counts, although the ensuing 16 losses probably canceled out excitement about just when they went undefeated.
Seeing how they look is the true score. The Bills could work through their unfortunate tendencies by the actual start. Yet it’s still concerning how they don’t look like they have worked together before. Being on a remedial schedule creates a sense of urgency. The sense of procrastination permeates an entire organization that should be dedicated to not wasting Allen’s career.
There’s nothing to do but calmly panic. Professional worriers hope twitching about summer football simulations turns out to be irrational. There are still chances to fix multiple issues, which is nice for the eternal optimist.
