thurst44

Best: 15-1, D gels into dominant force, line and backs continue to generate sacks and interceptions, as Spikes and Schwartz add a run-stopping aspect; meanwhile, a healthy Spiller is unstoppable, rotation with Jackson and Brown lead to one of the most punishing running games in NFL history, Watkins becomes an immediate star and helps aid in EJ & the line's swift maturity as he and Spiller turn short passes into hefty gains. The city and team rally around the team as Pegula makes it official the week the Bills clinch a first-round playoff bye. The plucky, fun-to-watch, nearly-impossible-to-hate Bills are the sweetheart team of the nation as they start their first playoff run in 15 years. Worst: 1-15, Manuel regresses, either becoming too aggressive and racking up INTs or a frustratingly indecisive shell, rarely leading any drives, Spiller is hurt or dancing behind a bad line, Jackson finally shows age, Brown not ready for prime-time, Watkins battling injuries, line young and inconsistent, losses pile up, D is solid, but prone to large gains in both the run and pass as injuries and bad luck abound. I go nowhere near this site as Cleveland ponders its #1 pick from the Bills, and Rogers (without a Bon Jovi who might actually balk at moving the team) is finalizing his surprise purchase of the team, leaving Bills fans even wearier and wondering for what to root. Likely: Somewhere between 10-6 and 6-10, as this team has too much talent on D and so many options at RB, and EJ has been nowhere near as bad as this board would have you believe, but they are also young and there is clearly a lot of chaos on this team.

By "almost worst defense in the NFL," do you mean the one that was 10th in overall yards allowed, 2nd in sacks, and 2nd in interceptions (and was one of the best in yards allowed over the last 8 games), all this in spite of an offense that had them on the field quite a bit (they were also 1st in tackles). It's that pesky 6th win in the first half of the season that just keeps eluding them

Can we please put this bizarre misconception (Spiller can't shed tackles) to rest? When he's healthy, he's one of the most elusive in the game. It seems straightforward that a high ankle sprain is going to make it much tougher to switch direction (hence his meh-but-not-terrible 2013). https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2013/01/16/signature-stats-elusive-rating/ http://rotoviz.com/index.php/2013/06/cj-spiller-ridiculous/

We'd be on the side of good!

No, he was/is not. He had a nice drive in that game where he lost a shoe, but he played in the playoffs by coach's decision, he did not play himself there, nor was he any part of the reason they made the playoffs (did not even. As for your assertion (and thankfully you said "what's come since" so we don't have to dredge up rj vs. you-know-who), other than Losman and players who had short runs, he stacks up pretty much the same...only way he distinguishes himself is his astronomical sack rate.

Call this an unfair generalization if you must, but old people are no good at everything.

Also, DeSean to Cleveland could both aid in a QB run and cause Watkins to slip....

Johnny Unitas! Now there's a haircut you can set your clock to!

That would be a concern if the Bills were the "answer to a team in [L.A.]." However, for obvious reasons, the Rams, Raiders, and Chargers are all much better options...if the Bills move, there's plenty reason to doubt it would be to L.A.

Seriously, if the Bills started winning this year (as i think they will), they will be America's team.

Well, you know, we can't go back in time, so....

Made this same point in another thread...the compensatory 3rd pick is not as valuable as you might think. It's way more miss than hit. As for it definitively bringing you your left guard of the future, not too long ago, an NFL team with nearly a century's worth of history thought that same Williams was a tackle good enough to warrant the 14th pick overall in the draft. Branch was a solid piece of the D last year, likely worth a hypothetical late 3rd or 4th round pick. If three of this year's free agents are solid contributors, the loss of a mid-round pick was easily worth it.

Look back at the first compensatory pick for the past 10 years, and you'll find it's hardly idiotic. You've got 4 defensive players who had fewer tackles in their career than Branch had last year with the Bills, a couple skill players who bounced around practice squads, a guard who started 1 game in his two years in the NFL, two maaaaybe Alan Branch level defensive players in Landon Johnson and Eric Smith...oh, and of course, the greatest player of all time in Chasm Rinegartholtner.

So would you not have committed to Peyton Manning (28 ints, 3-13), Troy Aikman (9 tds, 18 ints, 1-15), John Elway (7 tds, 14 ints, 4-6), etc.? As rookie years go, Manuel's was average at worst.

You only closely study your own team and see the worst. The Seahawks let Mike James amass 158 yards; does that prove they are not a top defense? I hate to give you hopeful news, but in the second half the Bills D was near the top, and this is with the offense putting them on the field more than the average team. They have flaws, but they were a top 10 defense last year, and even with the loss of Byrd, they are on the rise.

They allowed the second fewest yards in the league during the second half of the season. There's reason to believe this defense is on the upswing and he's a large part of it.

They hired a new DC b/c of matters out of their control, and have been vocal they are NOT making major changes -- it's all been fan hypotheticals based on Schwartz's D in the past...maybe right, maybe wrong. Who are the 4-5 productive players who are being marginalized? Maybe Lawson, which would be unfortunate...but Alonso will likely be used more significantly.

Oh for crissake...his career is almost the exact same as Corey Graham, except Browner's a year older and has one third the tackles. Also, they're losing a ton of important players. Let's step back from the ledge here .

So Mario & Branch weren't enough for you? I'd say we're fine at DE. WRs have a lot of prospect. QB...seriously, look at the standard rookie qb season...Manuel actually played well for his level of experience and there's hope. The rest: well, it's early in the off-season....we'll see. But if you're questioning DE as "not very good," I question you.

We also signed K. Williams, A. Williams, Wood, etc....we tried to sign Byrd, but we can't tie him up and force him to be here....I mean, I understand that so many years of frustration is hard, but if it breaks you, find another distraction, another hobby, another obsession. Honestly, there was a lot of hope last year, and this off-season has been an intriguing gambit so far. It could fall apart and they could be 6-10 yet again. As optimistic as I am, I would not be shocked. But if you cannot have some hope, find some other pursuit. It's just f-ing sports. And I say that as an obsessive fan.

I do...over, way over...young team with a great defense and potential for a great running attack with improvement on line. Go Bills!

And complaining about it helps, how?

Word is we offered him 10mil...how is that stingy? Yes, it's not confirmed, but let's not just be negative for negativity's sake. This seems a good value pick...and considering their success with Hughes and Lawson, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt...kinda love what they're doing this FA season. Wish Byrd had signed with us, but that is in the past now.

Yes, we're all pretty frustrated at this point, but I don't see how offering 30mil guaranteed for first 3 yrs (and who knows for the rest of the contract) is "decid[ing] not to pay"

Plus a high ankle sprain may have been the WORST possible injury for a runner of his style. I'm looking forward to seeing what he does this year, healthy, and hopefully with upgrades on the line. That being said, if the start is 5-2 and he's nearing 1000 yards already, and contract talks start heating up, as ecstatic as I'd be, my superstitious side might begin to get a bit woozy. And, back to the subject of the thread, agreed that the Bills should just pay him the top salary. We are too close to being an elite defense to let a key piece (likely the most important one) go.