Success

Honestly, it's a pretty tough schedule. I'm a little irked by the fact that the Pats can dominate for 20 years, and have completely lame division competition the ENTIRE time - and once the Bills are good and ready to dominate, the division becomes one of the toughest in the NFL. Still, it's more fun that way. Love the rivalries when it gets competitive.

I see a big comeback year for him this season. Blocking hurt our whole run game last year - our O-line did great in pass protection, but didn't open up too many holes for any of the backs. He's still a playmaker. He has that quickness in the open field - they have to get him the ball more like that (short passes, screens, misdirections, etc.)

At this point, the Pats are just another division foe w/ an uncertain QB situation. To answer the OP question, I don't think they can challenge w/ a run first offense. The Bills tried to do that through most of the drought. Granted, not with as good of a coach - but you need a QB to win. That's the 1st rule of NFL club. The Patriots will go as far as either Cam or Mac Jones can take them. I basically know what we're facing w/ Cam, and welcome that. Jones is more of the x factor - but even if he pans out, it will take time. I just don't see them being too much of a threat this year.

My prediction for the game: I will not be sober by the time it starts.

LOVE the Saints on Thanksgiving Day. Oyster & crawfish stuffing and plenty of Hurricanes.

Are beavers too much into building dams? Are birds too much into flying?

Pundits gush about the Patriots every single year, and they have been middle or bottom-tier once results have come in consistently over the past 5 years.

I'm WAY too homer to think that Cleveland leaps over the Bills because of one decent game against KC in the playoffs. So, I'll give my homer take on it. The Bills went on a streak that was absolutely ridiculous, from the hail Murray to the AFCCG. And there was no doubt: they rolled through late November, December and January like they were the best team in the league. And they probably were. Unfortunately, by the time they rolled into the game against KC, ALL 4 WIDEOUTS had significant injuries. And we saw that, all game. Yes, injuries happen - but not like that, to one unit, and a unit that was probably the biggest key to our success outside of QB. The Bills, imo, are the best team in the league. We retained everyone (except Smoke, who we replaced w/ the equally effective Sanders), and added a young but talented pass rush in the draft. I don't think Cleveland is even close to our level. Hey, I said it was a homer take. But it's also a true story.

I love this pick. He brings something we don't have. Like most of Beane's picks, he is one of those "huge upside, needs to develop" type of guys - and on this roster, he'll have time to do that. I see him making the team.

I don't know enough about college players to think "we should have gotten this guy or that guy instead." As soon as we pick a guy, I'll google away and see what I can learn about them. There are certain patterns Beane has shown us at this point, and definitely a certain kind of player that we go for. He likes guys that may have been overlooked for one reason or another, that have huge/freakish skillsets, and tons of upside. No matter what the pick, you can always find at least one pundit online who had him going 2-3 rounds earlier, and a few who call him a "steal, if he can overcome/do (x)." That works for me. He's a home run hitter, always swinging for the fences. If you hit on even a few, you win.

I feel like everyone we've drafted is going to make the roster, and just about every pick has the potential to be an eventual starter.

That's like having 2 starting WR corps. I mean, to think back on some of the units we had back in the drought days, when it was JAG city at WR. These are good times.

Trenches! I'm giddy. It's really all about the lines.

I saw a Pats fan expressing the opposite perspective this morning. Other Pats fans on their board were all like "we're having the greatest offseason & draft EVAH!", and one poster said (paraphrasing) "the Bills have hardly done anything - no big FA acquisitions, and their draft has been boring." A smarter Pats fan - they exist - responded saying that comment was exactly how opposing fanbases used to talk about the Pats offseason & draft.

Same, 100%. Beane has a real vision, imo - and he just knows what he's doing. It's great going into these offseasons & drafts having full confidence in the GM and the rest of the Bills braintrust.

I was thrilled when the Bears moved up to get Fields. I think he could have been dangerous w/ the Pats. Mac Jones was kind of the consolation prize for them. I see their fans rationalizing that "he should have gone at #3!", but that was just a smokescreen all along. He's never been pressured in the pocket. I think the chances that he adjusts to real pressure - and the "other" pressure of trying to follow the GOAT - are slim.

Opt out with freakish talent and huge upside. Something seems familiar here...

We really don't need to get any better on offense - we were top 3. Sure, our running game wasn't all that, but it's not like that slowed us down too much. It was tough watching a D that couldn't get pressure on the passer last year. Even during the drought, it was the one thing the Bills were good at. Now, they've addressed that. I mean - Rousseau, Oliver, Epenesa, Basham. A really young, talented crew that could be anchoring a SB-contending defense for years to come. Color me stoked.

KC's offseason moves were geared toward the biggest weakness they had against the Bucs. Our draft has been geared toward the biggest weakness we had against KC. If we could have pressured Mahomes, we could have been in the SB.

Youth movement on the D line. I mean, why not? They're building a line for the future. If they hit on both of these guys, we could be set for years.

Well, we do dive through tables, so....

That's really somethin'. If there's ever a remake of "The Princess Bride..."

I'm good if he runs hot in Sept & Oct, and then cold the rest of the season.

Maybin's big thing was his "quick 1st step." In college, he blew past people at the LOS because of quickness. One trick pony, and without other strengths, he didn't break through in the NFL. It looks like Rousseau has a pretty good arsenal of techniques and tricks - he can bull rush guys, blow by them w/ speed, spin & turn. He has a good motor and stays with a play even if the 1st move doesn't get him there. And just great instincts, from what I saw. I'm sure most here have seen the highlights, but I'd encourage everyone who hasn't to check them out. He's what the defense needs.

What's nice about Jones is that he'll take time. Despite all of the "big moves" they made in FA, it will likely not amount to much for the '21 season - they'll either have Cam, who will be better w/ the new weapons but hardly scary, or a rookie QB who has really never been pressured by an opposing defense. Beyond that, they'll have to go through the same thing we went through w/ new QB's - you really have to invest 2-3 years, regardless. And if they don't pan out, it's wash, rinse, repeat. I was hoping they wouldn't get Garropolo, who could take much more advantage of their new additions if he stayed healthy, and certainly hoping that they wouldn't get Rogers, after yesterday's news.