#16- Who is the most indispensable player on defense?

[San Jose Bills Fan]

I expect the Bills offense to average over 24 points per game by themselves

 

Add another 10 ppg from the D, throw in 7 from punt/kickoff return & coverage TDs

 

That would put Da Billsss at roughly 41 ppg - I fully expect that from this team...

 

 

 

GO BILLSSS!!!

 

 

"I expect to be undefeated...I expect to win every game." - Chan Gailey

 

19 and 0 baby!!!!

Mini Chixleys 87, Cheatriots*** 0.

 

so rules judge mh so it shall be

All rise…

[BuffaloFan68]

I think we will average over 24 points per game.

[Optometric Insight]

#18 Can the Bills post a winning record in the division?

 

One of the biggest questions in the offseason. I say it depends on the Patriots defense. If they are last in the league, again, I think the Bills' offense would be able to take advantage of that and that the defense will be able to hold of the Pats* offense when the time has come.

[San Jose Bills Fan]

#18 Can the Bills post a winning record in the division?

 

One of the biggest questions in the offseason. I say it depends on the Patriots defense. If they are last in the league, again, I think the Bills' offense would be able to take advantage of that and that the defense will be able to hold of the Pats* offense when the time has come.

Considering I've predicted a 15-1 season for the Bills (hold the laughter), I'd say yes, the Bills will have a winning divisional record.

[Optometric Insight]

Considering I've predicted a 15-1 season for the Bills (hold the laughter), I'd say yes, the Bills will have a winning divisional record.

Who do they lose to?

[San Jose Bills Fan]

Who do they lose to?

Ironically, I think they lose the October 7th game in San Francisco (which I've bought tickets for).

 

The quality of opponent + the travel makes that game a tall order to fill.

 

 

[Chandler#81]

1341677772[/url]' post='2499338']

Ironically, I think they lose the October 7th game in San Francisco (which I've bought tickets for).

 

The quality of opponent + the travel makes that game a tall order to fill.

 

 

 

So, you're sayin we'll see them again in February?

While the decade old 4 team Division gives us a 25% chance at winning it, I find it odd how little it can impact a teams' success vs the old 5 team format. Back then, a team HAD to be great against Division foes for a realistic shot at the playoffs. Now we get Oakland going undefeated in division games but missing the playoffs.. I realize it's 2 less games per year in a precious 16 game schedule, but it doesn't make or break a season anymore.

This said, the Dolphins games are always unpredictable and the Pats* hang on us like an albatross.. Sweeping any Division foe has proven to be our Achilles heel since the addition of the Texans forced realignment.

[Optometric Insight]

So, you're sayin we'll see them again in February?

While the decade old 4 team Division gives us a 25% chance at winning it, I find it odd how little it can impact a teams' success vs the old 5 team format. Back then, a team HAD to be great against Division foes for a realistic shot at the playoffs. Now we get Oakland going undefeated in division games but missing the playoffs.. I realize it's 2 less games per year in a precious 16 game schedule, but it doesn't make or break a season anymore.

This said, the Dolphins games are always unpredictable and the Pats* hang on us like an albatross.. Sweeping any Division foe has proven to be our Achilles heel since the addition of the Texans forced realignment.

How did the division games work back then. Did you still play every team twice because the article I just posted makes it seem like you only played 8 games vs. division opponents.

 

And why did they take the Colts out instead of the Dolphins. I realize that the Dolphins are closer to the east coast than the Colts but they are also further South.

[CA OC Bills Fan]

How did the division games work back then. Did you still play every team twice because the article I just posted makes it seem like you only played 8 games vs. division opponents.

 

And why did they take the Colts out instead of the Dolphins. I realize that the Dolphins are closer to the east coast than the Colts but they are also further South.

 

Yes, they still played 2 games against each division opponent so half of their schedule were division games.

 

So far as why the Fish are in the AFC East, that was because of Ralph Wilson. The league wanted the Bills, Browns, Steelers, and Bengals together since we are all pretty close. We had a huge rivalry with the fish dating back to going 0 for the 70's against them and then into the Kelly / Marino years (where we owned them). Ralph would not accept any realignment that didn't include Fish / Bills in the same division. At the time, I completely agreed with him. I remember reading an article stating that it was short sighted, that if we played the other teams close to us twice a year, could go to games in their stadiums and their fans would come to Buffalo, new rivalries would arise pretty quickly. Now, a decade or so later, with the Bills and Fish afterthoughts for most of that time to the rest of the NFL, I tend to agree with that article.

[Optometric Insight]

Yes, they still played 2 games against each division opponent so half of their schedule were division games.

 

So far as why the Fish are in the AFC East, that was because of Ralph Wilson. The league wanted the Bills, Browns, Steelers, and Bengals together since we are all pretty close. We had a huge rivalry with the fish dating back to going 0 for the 70's against them and then into the Kelly / Marino years (where we owned them). Ralph would not accept any realignment that didn't include Fish / Bills in the same division. At the time, I completely agreed with him. I remember reading an article stating that it was short sighted, that if we played the other teams close to us twice a year, could go to games in their stadiums and their fans would come to Buffalo, new rivalries would arise pretty quickly. Now, a decade or so later, with the Bills and Fish afterthoughts for most of that time to the rest of the NFL, I tend to agree with that article.

The N "if" L at its finest.

[Whites Bay]

As I recall, it was Ralph Wilson who pushed to keep the Miami rivalry in place with the realignment. The other aspect to be kept in mind, however, was that he wanted to keep little Buffalo playing on major stages such as Boston, New York and Miami, as opposed to the "Rust Belt" division that would have been Cincinnati, Cleveland and Pittsburgh. Not exactly Broadway.

 

Echoing some thoughts from earlier in the thread, I do indeed like the idea of an O-Line of Glenn-Levitre-Wood-Urbik-Hairston, and I do indeed think they could run on people all day long, particularly on those defenses that might be a little smaller. I'm going to take another look at the schedule to see what teams those might be. This all having been said, the NFL Schedule Gods didn't do the Bills a lot of favors by having them open AT the Jets. That game is HUGE. I mean, that's a real statement game. If the Bills can go down to New Jersey and really push that defense around on the ground, it's going to set the tone for (a) the entire season and (b) how the league views what Nix and Gailey and company have done during the off-season.

 

My hope and belief is that the Bills O-Line isn't going to be intimidated by ANYONE. Particularly the Pats*. If New England hasn't done anything substantial to upgrade their defense from last year, it's going to turn into a long day of pounding for them.

[Meathead]

i always thought it was pretty dumb retaining the fish in the east. those rivalries will quickly develop with anybody you play twice a season. within two years we would hate the browneyes, beengals, and mouth rapers as much as the fish, nyets, and cheaters. in a city trying to keep its stadium full wth would you not want to have the three other division teams within a one-afternoon driving distance. theyd sell out every one of those games regardless of month no question. the downside is we would have the mouth rapers beating the crap out of us all the time but they would just take the place of the cheaters anyway

[Optometric Insight]

#17- Will T.J. Graham have an offensive impact?

 

Later in the year, when injuries happen, yes.

[shoretalk]

#17- Will T.J. Graham have an offensive impact?

 

Later in the year, when injuries happen, yes.

I have wavered back and forth on the Graham pick. At the rookie camp it sounded like he was making inroads but as the OTA's moved into mini-camp it was clear that the complexities of the Bills' offense was truly confusing him.

 

The first thing that Mr. Graham needs to do is to make sure is contract is signed and filed before training camp begins. If he is out there waiting for the Bills to cave to his salary requests then he might as well wave goodbye to any real chance of having an impact on the field in 2012.

 

I believe he has the physical skills but there is a lot more to playing in the NFL than what you can physically do.

 

Hopefully he'll bring it all together in training camp and give us a special occasional speed option on the outside for this season.

[3rdand12]

it's a good point made that our receivers need to learn all the positions, in addition to being two years into our development of the complex offense Chan runs.

T J will start slow and pick up speed by latter half of season. (Pun intended) he might be a decoy early in though. Kid has talent. he will get comfortable and we will have a very good option for Fitz.

[eball]

This doesn't necessarily mean jack squat, but TJ tweeted the following, earlier today:

 

@SpeedBi11s: Happy to be back home in BLo, first stop will be the Taste o[f] Buffalo Festival. Ymmmmmmm #dub Davis #GoBills

 

Love the guy's attitude. Already calling Buffalo "home." Might this mean he's back early to sign his contract?

[MikeSpeed]

I'm not too worried about the speed at which he's learning the offense. I think Chan will ease him into the offense slowly. He may dumb down the O early and open it up more as the year goes on. To answer the question limited.

[BillsBytheBay]

Besides Spiller he pretty much whiffed on the rest of his first draft

 

Troup hasn't shown me a thing and I hated the pick when it was made as much as I hated the Hardy pick when it was made.

 

Moats has shown me more then anyone else from that draft besides Spiller but doesn't see the field enough

 

On the other hand his last two drafts has been very good IMO

Was Modrak still on the staff for that first draft? I think nix also may have an eye for scouts. Seems like his guys have yielded better results. I'm excited to see where Whaley could take this progress in the future.

[HOUSE]

http://www.buffalobills.com/news/article-2/16---Who-is-the-most-indispensable-player-on-defense/26c596be-2a0b-49ee-837e-63d38a992d28

[Hapless Bills Fan]

Glenn is not being eased in to anything. He has been lining up as No.1 LT since the 1st practice. Barring injuring he will start at LT opening day.

 

Does not follow at all, given what Gailey has said. Pears has been out recovering from surgery and they're wanting to see how Hairston looks at RT (and maybe how he holds up against a top rusher like Mario Williams)

 

If Glenn looks really good in pads and in preseason, it's not impossible that he might win the starting role from Hairston, but it's by no means a given.

Hairston has proven he can play the game at the NFL level. Glenn has yet to prove how he plays in pads and the slower preseason pace of the game.

 

Was Modrak still on the staff for that first draft? I think nix also may have an eye for scouts. Seems like his guys have yielded better results. I'm excited to see where Whaley could take this progress in the future.

 

Affirmative, Modrak was still on the staff and the staff was still Modrak's, for that first draft.

Modrak was still on the staff for the 2nd draft- fired just afterwards - but interestingly, the 2nd, much more successful, draft pulled almost entirely from Gailey's Senior Bowl coaching experience.

 

My read on it is Nix and Gailey had litlte choice but to rely on Modrak's board for the 1st draft. When they saw the poor results of that draft during the season, it was too late to fire Modrak and his gang - college scouting had already largely taken place - but they threw out his board and built one based on the Senior Bowl, then fired Modrak ASAP after the draft. The third draft was based on a new scouting department. It will be very interesting to see how that works out - key, I think, to determining whether we've actually turned this mess around. Senior bowl coaching not being a sustainable path for an improving team, y'know.

 

I have wavered back and forth on the Graham pick. At the rookie camp it sounded like he was making inroads but as the OTA's moved into mini-camp it was clear that the complexities of the Bills' offense was truly confusing him.

 

The first thing that Mr. Graham needs to do is to make sure is contract is signed and filed before training camp begins. If he is out there waiting for the Bills to cave to his salary requests then he might as well wave goodbye to any real chance of having an impact on the field in 2012.

 

I believe he has the physical skills but there is a lot more to playing in the NFL than what you can physically do.

 

Hopefully he'll bring it all together in training camp and give us a special occasional speed option on the outside for this season.

 

Give him time. He has between now and training camp to study his film and his playbook. He has training camp to pick it up. If every rookie could pick it up instantly, they wouldn't call 'em rookies.