corta765

Agreed. That year you saw what he can do with good talent at WR, RB, & O-Line. He can be about above average. However I am not sure if he would ever replicate that because after that season defenses started covering his outside deep routes different making the throws far tougher to make and changed how they covered him in the pocket.

I understand the want for a new QB drafted and as someone who didn't want EJ but bought his jersey after the second game I would be excited. New drafted QB's offer such hope and fun. BUT based off what McD/Frazier have said about the offense only needing to score 24 pts with the defense doing the rest and the holes that Beane created I just can't see the Bills going all out for a QB. I actually really like Mayfield also, but with how this group is focused I think its far more plausible that 2019 is the QB draft year and 2018 they strengthen the roster. Respectfully my $.02

Wayyy too early predictions: -Alex Smith is the starting QB after trading Glenn and a 4th to KC for him -Bills do not draft a QB in the draft instead solidifying DE, DT, OL, & LB in the first two rounds to add to the defense which also grabs Star Loutelli in FA. -Nick Chubb quietly is the steal of the draft for the Bills who get him in the 3rd round and have a true solid backup to Shady and future heir to the starting RB role -Paul Richardson is added in FA to a WR core making him the 2/3 guy behind Benjamin & D Thompson who is kept after a solid season. Jay Jones is put on notice to earn his wayy back into the Top 3 after far too many drops -Charles Clay is cut because Nick O'Leary does the same thing for cheaper. O'Leary is your starting TE with Logan Thomas ascending up to #2 -Preston Brown is also told to take a walk out along with Tolbert, Humber, & Brandon Tate -DeMario Davis & 1st rnd pick join Matt Milano as starting LB's. -EJ Gaines signs a 4 year deal to stay here at CB for 6 million, with a team option to let him go after year two or keep him -Kyle Williams & Lo'Alexander stay for one more run with the boys

I hate doing this when we don't know who our QB is, who other teams QBs are, roster changes, draft, FA etc... That said for the purpose of fun and with my belief the Bills are going to grab Alex Smith at QB and use the draft/FA to solidfy the roster holes I rate the schedule like this: Home: TEN- Win. 60/40 should win but tough team that runs well so that is a close game JAX- Win. repeat again 60/40 should win but tough team that runs well so that is a close game LAC: Loss. Talented defense, talented offense, and LAC plays well in BUF also for some weird reason. Only reason I go against LAC is if Rivers looks like he is regressing with age NE: Loss. I think we play NE tougher next year but I won't ever call it a Bills win until it happens while Brady is QB. NYJ: Win. They will be even tougher next year as they solidify their lineup and Bowles is a solid coach IMO MIA: Win. Same as Jets better team next year and Tannehill is back DET: Win. Honestly Detroit is maddening because they feel like a team that should every year break over the hump, but somehow don't and lose games with a top 10-12ish QB like Stafford that they shouldn't. BUF wins because DET for some reason losses these types of games. CHI: Win. They will be better and it will be closer then people like but overall CHI has a lot of work to do on offense. Their defense has some real talent though. Away: IND: Win. They need another season of adding talent to the roster and frankly need a year of Luck just getting back in rhythm. HOU: Loss. Watson looked like the real deal and they should be healthy across the board. Possibly the most talented roster in the AFC without injuries. BAL: Win. 60/40 game This is a roster that seems to be on the downhill age and talent wise. Frankly they blew it the last three seasons because their offense wasn't good enough and it ain't improving any time soon. NE: See above NYJ: Win. Buffalo avenges their loss in 2017 MIA: Loss. MIA gets their revenge on BUF and emerges as potentially BUF biggest challenger for WC. MIN: Loss. Incredibly solid roster and possibly this years SB Champs. BUF pushes them hard but can't overcome. GB: Loss. Buffalo probably makes a game of it but we are not beating Rodgers and crew in GB. Overall 9-7 to me feels safe, and I can easily see them at 7-9 also or 11-5. Few bounces make all the difference.

OP you make some really good points and this was well thought out. That said remember the Bills plan is if they score 24 pts they believe their defense can keep the opposing team under that. It's very similar to what Minnesota is doing and if you look at the Vikings I doubt you'd say Case Keenum is better then a host of the teams they've beaten this year but here we are. So it's very hard in general to tell next year because things change so much. I think the AFCE in general is going to be a buzz saw for all of the teams even NE just because of how everyone is adding pieces across the board. If Buffalo goes 6-2 again at home they will be in the playoff race until the end again, that may be the biggest thing really is to defend the dirt as McD says.

I will die if I have to watch this game my body cannot handle it

Yea Sal C. from WGR a while back had good information of how difficult it was to get home night games. I think the Pegula's are slightly more willing because they like the attention and exposure of night time games so with them it may happen a bit more for home games. But in general the organization is sensitive to the fact the team has a lot of people driving 1-3 hrs which is why you also don't see almost any games at 4pm beside the fact the team had been irrelevant for so long. I will have a pretty sizeable breakdown on the schedule and what to expect for 2018 after the Bills win the SB!

Overall attendance is hard to judge. IF all NFL stadiums were filled to capacity every week Buffalo would rank 11th in the NFL before standing room tickets just by basic capacity rankings. In general teams manipulate numbers all the time including BUF so it is very hard to judge because everyone is trying to look better then the next. I was at the snow game and they said 60k showed yet I felt like it was more low 50k but who am I to know. Bills fans I think are a very dedicated bunch and one of the big 6 fan bases that travel well and loyalty knows no fault (other five KC, DEN, PIT, CLE, & PHI). At the same point I think we and other similar football markets sometimes get a little full of ourselves because of devotion and markets like LA or Miami become easy targets when the stands aren't a 100% full despite the fact we have had similar this season. On the other hand the stadium has been for the most part this last decade pretty full or sold out regularly. This season people came in with far less high hopes and backed down on the madness. I know I myself went from season to going to 3 games.

Bills night time home games from 2010 on: TNF 2012 Dolphins TNF 2016 Jets That is it. One thing you do need to know is the way they setup the stadium for night time television the Ralph has awful infrastructure in terms of wiring etc.. that makes it a very difficult stadium to setup. I am not sure if during the renovation any of this was improved but in general because of its age it is a more difficult stadium to do at night. Mix in that the team really tries for home games to be at 1 pm Sunday as much as possible because of Canadian, Southern Tier, & Rochester markets and you have another major reason why we are not on TV as much. That said I predict 3 night games next season. TNF, SNF, & MNF with at least one home.

I will do a more true write up once the post season is over and we win the SB focusing on the Bills potential for night games. Thanks to the playoffs and some storylines already writing themselves like BUF v JAX in post season and playing in 2018 there is a very good chance the Bills play not only on TNF but also MNF and maybe finally a return to Sunday Night Football. Here are the facts on this last season of Sunday Night Football: -18 of the 32 NFL teams appeared on SNF. ATL, BAL, DAL , DEN, DET, GB, HOU, IND, KC, MIA , MIN, NE, NYG, OAK, PHI, PIT, SEA, & WSH -Every team that made the 2017 playoffs played on SNF -Every team except for KC hosted a SNF game at home and KC hosted a Saturday night game and MNF game at home. -The remaining teams that missed the playoffs BAL, DEN, IND, MIN, PHI, & WSH all have been in Super Bowl or won their division within the last 3 years. They also all are major markets for the NFL So I would expect the Bills at minimum to be on SNF and if they don't host at home which I think they will against the Jaguars earlier in the season, they will host on Monday Night Football instead.

There is pressure but with the drought gone they can just focus on building the best roster to win even if it may be more geared for 2019. The drought was such a noose for any coach/gm.

Murphys Law is having parties at both locations downtown and out on Empire Rd. in Webster

You have to look at how Buffalo is building to see their plan for QB and it will not be to trade up for a QB if it means mortgaging the farm. This team has had a great first year with McBeane but the roster has some real holes on D in the front 7 and the Bills offense needs line help and at least a #2 WR plus backup RB and of course QB. If you have watched how calculated every move McBeane has made their goal will be to infuse the team with as much talent as possible this offseason to shore up these holes. If that means that for QB they have to grab Alex Smith or Keenum and wait another year so be it. The last thing they want to do is give the farm for a QB to a team that can't help set him up for success on both sides of the ball. In no way am I saying if they like Mayfield and he's available at 28 they wouldn't pick him or Rudolph in the 2nd etc.. but I just don't see this group in this draft pulling that kind of move. They have said they believe if their offense scores 24 pts that the defense can keep the otherside under that and win. That will only be emphasized more this offseason to strengthen that D.

Thats actually pretty cool can't lie.

Sorry you * Patriots which for 95% of Bills fans is they cheated, my bad.

Ummm he tore his calf not sure exactly how that is a cheap shot other then you being an incredibly bitter and pathetic person

No way people aren't voting for Brady because he's a Patriot lol

Wish we were wearing white on white or throwback whites. Never been that fond of the white with blue.

Really hope he stays it took a lot to get him here and he is highly respected league wide. If he leaves I'm sure Beane fines a quality replacement but I really liked Beane's staff he put together and was hoping we would get 2-3 years before guys left for bigger spots.

The NFL in general finally saw a needed regression by offenses. I actually had gotten kinda sick of how offense heavy things have been and enjoy closer defensive games from time to time. Also there was a good article by ESPN explaining how right now is a golden age in QB play that has jaded a lot of people for what is good.

Highest ticket prices of any wild card game thanks to both teams being out for so longer. For Jax its also party like 1999 because that is the last time they hosted a playoff game.

I would love to see them resign Gaines. Problem is his injury history and the amount of money he can get in FA. The numbers I have heard for Gaines start at 8 million and thats alot for your #2 guy who also has injury issues. I love him in this defense, I just wonder if its worth 8 mil.

With Gaines in the lineup the Bills are 8-4 are play markedly better on that side. Gaines allows far more man coverage on D with him and White so more attention can be focused up front to cover the run. This game is very winnable to me because he is in the lineup and we can stack the box on JAX. Just hope and pray that knee stays good.

Sorry we got the playoffs first to worry about But for reals GB is on the list to go to if we could. Only thing isn't the tickets for GB insanely hard and expensive to get?

Exactly. Only reason I look at schedule is for possible night games. I am going to start a thread on potential night games especially because of the playoffs now.