thurst44

Probably will be

The Bills Run D was 29th in 2017 and 16th in 2018, giving up 10 fewer yards per game. They were also solid in most games (under 100 in half), but were so terrible in three that's all many of us remember. Even if you don't like that level of improvement, it's debatable that he was solely brought in to "improve our run defense" -- more often, I heard the justification was that we were getting murdered in the short pass game because QBs could step up into the middle and outlet a quick pass to the tight end. To that end, I'm pretty sure we allowed the fewest yards to tight ends this year. Is the scarcity of snaps concerning? Sure. However, given that this defense improved from 26th to 2nd and we have a plethora of cap space to address offensive issues (and he's not the reason we didn't have wide receivers this year), I trust their moves for now on the defensive side of the ball.

Colts are a cool, forward-looking choice as they may take the reins from the Pats as the power team considering they already are a SB contender and have a ton of draft picks and cap space. This year, I'm kinda rooting for 'em. Luck is a fellow nerd who just happens to be an amazingly talented QB, and hard to go against Frank Reich, but I know that will change after a span of dominance.

Cowboys would definitely be the ideal as I disliked them before I was a full-throated Bills fan (don't tell me who "America's Team" is), and losing those two SBs cemented that. Giants would only be fun b/c it would be such a big deal where I live (about 5 miles from Met Life Stadium). In earlier rounds, would definitely love to take down the Patriots -- although knocking them out of playoffs in two games in reg season would be even tastier. The Titans would be fun to beat to exorcise any demons (plus that franchise seems to play classic playoff games). Allen beating Mahomes with a couple of Tre picks would be a well-scripted Championship game.

Being in the NYC market, this question is slightly more complicated. I decided to make my vote reflect my feelings for the Jets since I have stronger (negative) feelings about them. In fairness, I've gone to three games and the fans have been incredibly friendly, even when I've worn Bills garb. The Giants (with the Packers) rotate as a sort of secondary team, even though that SB came at a formative time in my fanhood, as a combination of having affable friends who are Giants fans and rooting for their happiness, drafting Tiki Barber in a couple of his best fantasy years, and beating the Patriots twice in the SB does not hurt. That said, it's less that I'm a fan of the GIants, than I "wish them no specific harm."

I don't think you're wrong, but the Ravens have had some pretty good runs. However, the Bills have a defensive minded coach and exciting players at key positions. Also, there's reason to believe that the Bills D could be even better with an offense with fewer 3 & outs. Then again, I, too, have watched enough football to know it doesn't always play out that way.

But Wallace has also shown quite a bit, even by one expert metric outplaying a pro bowl rookie, and is the prototype of a McD player. I'd be wary to part with him, even for an insane talent like AB, who despite his questionable focus, I'd love to get paired with Allen. I suspect McD & Beane would be even more wary. They might rather bank on Foster and Jones's development than rob from the part of the team that is working.

Seems is the key word here as it is not backed by the facts in the least. Bills were wildly inconsistent against the run -- "gashed" in three games, held the opponent under 100 in half of the games (only over 120 in four games).

If he somehow drops to 9, we should sprint to the podium to ***** our second first round Josh Allen in as many years. Edit: wow, i'm shocked that word would be censored as it even took me a sec to remember there was an alternate, vulgar meaning for it (although that usage did provide one of the funniest lines in Heathers)

Well, no. First off, that's a gross oversimplification. One reason I always heard cited for the signing was to clog up the middle so that the opposing QB could not step into short passes easily. We here would often grouse about passes to tight ends. This year we were among the best teams for stopping tight ends. Furthermore, we went from 26 to 2 (and one mayfield pass from 1st) in total defense and allowed 15 fewer yards rushing a game than last year, fwiw.

They do look like a team on the rise; however, if that had been us, many would have likely been harping about Mayfield's inaccuracy in the clutch, and how our defense is overrated b/c we just gave up almost 300 yards on the ground. Grass often greener, etc.

In the last two drafts, we got Milano and Taron Johnson in those rounds. Yes, other teams have cap room, but we have more, hence can outbid -- more importantly, it gives freedom to re-sign our own guys.

Edmunds had 120 tackles, 2 ints, 2 sacks as a 20-year-old rookie and looks like he's poised to take over reins as defensive leader at 21 next year. Allen had 5 tds today and almost led the league in qb rushing despite missing nearly half of season. It's hard to expect much more. On another note: they may have found two starters at key positions in the 2018 UDFA market which is pretty impressive. And...don't look now, but Browns about to have ball and if they get 50 yards or so, we can claim #1 defense.

By my math, Browns would need about 445 yards. They currently have 316 and there's a lot of time, so long shot, but not impossible.

Agreed, this was a statement game for Allen and the defense.

Big point: Tremaine Edmunds straight up balled to the buzzer today. 11 solo tackles, 1 int, 1 sack

This, however, I judge a bit. One of the things I love about Bills fans is as negative as we can be, and as many times as we say "I'm done with them," we stick by our team -- to a level most fanbases don't.

I don't think this can truly be quantified. We all have our own loads in life. As for game attendance, living in the NYC area, if I get a chance to go I do, but there was a period of about 15 years between graduating from UB and a few years ago when a Bills-fan friend organized a trip to Met Life to watch opening day (we lost 48-28 but it was fun). While it coincided with the drought, that was not the reason -- I simply didn't think to go. However, my fandom grew more fanatical during that time, as this site was one of the few I'd visit every morning before starting my work day. Sundays during NFL season were set aside for Bills games. I'd go to an uncle's to listen, then the Bills bars on 42nd, then Direct TV. I'm already exchanging Fanspeak mocks with a friend. Everywhere I've worked, people have known me as the Bills fan. However, I also have very little Bills gear. I cried when they lost their first SB and when they made the playoffs last year. Does any of this make me more or less of a fan than anyone else. Who cares! It's something that brings me joy even when it's heartbreaking. Our level of fandom is our own business :).

He's also 4-5 as a rookie with a team that has been favored in 2 out of 14 games, is 4-4 in games he completed, and with a team that is 1-5 when any other QB has played a significant time. There's nothing definitive yet, but it's a pretty promising start to a career. I find it hard not to be excited about the upcoming prospects of a team who overachieved its (admittedly negligible) expectations with an exciting, dynamic young QB, a top defense with most if not all likely returning next year, an abundance of salary cap room and draft picks.

Oooh, two games down the block from me next year :).

I won't a few months later if we draft an Edmunds or White level player. About the only way I might wish we pick higher is if it's below top ten -- and that's for the silly reason that ten is often the cutoff for mini-mock drafts on TV and it can be admittedly satisfying to hear the Bills debated on national TV.

Ha, yeah, but they're not that meaningless (or at least I kinda love these moves). There's a definite pattern. Mike Love, Dean Marlowe, and Keith Ford are all intriguing under-the-radar players who showed flashes in camp and pre-season. We've already possibly struck gold with Foster and Wallace. I'd love to see if any of these players could provide depth. As Yolo pointed out, Ford was a major recruit at one point, and if he shows similar progression as Foster, maybe he can be part of our post-Shady running plans (whenever that turns out to be).

Considering 3-1 is probably more likely than 0-4 with final games being mostly at home against other sub-.500 teams (miami will be that by then ), we may be too low, but that being said, I would love this pick. That's potentially two elite young cornerbacks with Taron Johnson and Levi Wallace (who have both flashed starter ability) coming in in packages. In a passing league, I'd love that.

I'd be stunned if Lorax was not back next year. This is just year 3 of his ultra-late bloom and I'd imagine he'd want to keep it rolling as long as he can play anything near the level he did in 2016 and has again since late in 2017. Kyle feels slightly different as over 10 years as a starter has to take a toll, but given he has not fallen off much, I have to think he'll want to stick it out a couple more years in hopes of seeing this incarnation bear fruit. And have a hard time seeing the Bills not taking them back, since they have no shortage of cap space and the two are about as archetypal McD "Process" guys as you can get.

I'd suggest it might be much lower than that as he's still playing at an exceptionally high level, seems to bought into McD's whole process thingy, and might very likely want to stick around another year or two to see where this all leads, so unless the team wants to move on or there's an Eric Wood situation, I really don't see how he would not come back.