The next six games are brutal - how will we do?

[BillsFan-4-Ever]

As for the Cards - Luck of the refs so far as Kolb was benched last year. This year they played the turnover king IGGLES, the Putz where neither team scored until late int he 4th, and the SeaHags who couldn't score against one of the poorest defenses

 

I think it would be more difficult to win 7 games in a row to finish out a season, than to win 3 of those 6 games.

That is true but most of them are home games (including the T.O. game) Edited September 26, 2012 by BillsFan-4-Ever

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

The Cards have gone 10-2 in the last 12 games (going back to last season). Their defense is absolutely brutal. Houston's defense is probably the best in the NFL at the moment. San Fran's isn't much farther behind. That's 3 games against what are arguably the top 3 defenses in the NFL.

 

The thing that scares me about SF and Arizona is how physical their defenses are. We are going to get punched in the mouth; we're going to need to play tough to win those games.

 

Houston doesn't scare me as much. We will be able to run on them, and I think we can shut down their running game. Fitz needs to be safe with the ball. Texans have won by forcing sucky QB's like Gabbert and Tannenhill into a bunch of bad picks.

[todzilla]

The thing that scares me about SF and Arizona is how physical their defenses are. We are going to get punched in the mouth; we're going to need to play tough to win those games.

 

Houston doesn't scare me as much. We will be able to run on them, and I think we can shut down their running game. Fitz needs to be safe with the ball. Texans have won by forcing sucky QB's like Gabbert and Tannenhill into a bunch of bad picks.

I think our O line can punch back with the best of them. I am much less confident about the ability to stop Houston though. Winning one of those 3 games would be great. Any more would be gravy.

Edited September 26, 2012 by todzilla

[JoeF]

Unlike the past 12 years -- this Bills team wins the lion's share of the battles in the trenches -- that puts us in every game-- Shaub and Brady will likely beat our secondary some but Kolb, Alex Smith, Jake Locker don't scare me --- so go 1-2 against the Texans and Pats and 2-1 in the other two games. That puts us at 5-4 -- so 5-2 the rest of the way likely makes the playoffs.

[BillsFan-4-Ever]

playoffs??? playoffs ???? did you say playoffs!?!?!?!?!

[TheBrownBear]

Looks like 1-5 to me. 0-6 looks like a real possibility, especially since we'll be on a 3 game losing streak when we face Tennessee at home, so we might have mentally packed it in by that point.

[Bufcomments]

If they are a playoff team 4-2

If they are pretenders 2-4

Win at home and get one on the road. 3-3 Its doable .

Each game is different. We shall see how good we REALLY are.

[Direhard Fan]

It seems to me that we all have been on the loosing side for so many years that it will take a while to get a good feeling about this team. I believe we have an opportunity to beat them all. The past three weeks have produced a lot of upsets. If we can stay healthy and get our running backs 100% we can be in every game. Yes we can. Go Bills

 

 

[SF Bills Fan]

I think 2-4. that is with a win this weekend and a win against Tenn.

[djp14150]

09/30 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

10/7 @ San Francisco

10/14 @ Arizona Cardinals

10/21 TENNESSEE TITANS

11/04 @ Houston Texans

11/11 @ New England Patriots

 

That's a brutal stretch right there. We're on the road against four teams playing very well right now (I'm including the Patriots, who almost beat the Ravens in Baltimore), and one of the two home games is against the Patriots as well. The Titans just beat Detroit.

 

IMO we'll be lucky to take two of these games and finish 4-5, which would put us in position to finish 9-7 or better if things go well down the stretch. But frankly, winning more than two of the next six will be TOUGH.

 

What do folks think? Can we pull of 3 or 4 wins out of the next six?

 

We're about to see what this team is made of - every one of these games will be really, really hard.

 

Luckily, when you have great line play on both sides of the ball, you put yourself in position to win any game. Hopefully that's the difference between this year and previous years.

 

Buffalo can win 4 of 6 by winning the 2 at home and splitting each pair of the back to back road games.

 

I havent heard confirmation of this...they should plan on staying out west for the week in between SF and AZ.

 

They really need to go 2-4. They need to be 4-5 before the final 7 games.....they go 6-1 then they are 10-6. If they go 1-5 then they have to win out their remaining games to go 10-6.

[djp14150]

If I was gonna put our odds on winning each of those 6:

 

09/30 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS 49%

10/7 @ San Francisco 25%

10/14 @ Arizona Cardinals 50%

10/21 TENNESSEE TITANS 80%

11/04 @ Houston Texans 30%

11/11 @ New England Patriots 35%

 

If they dont have Fred/CJ for the Pats game it may be more difficult unles the defense plays big with turnovers/pick 6s. I would put the odds higher on the game at NE for Buffalo to win. They will should have CB Brooks back for that game.

 

at San Fran...the Bills are a difficult matchup for them because of their streangths and SF weaknesses....also they can be caught looking ahead because they play the Giants the following wee. I would put it at 55% win chance. If they dont have CJ back this week--he'll be back for this game.

 

at Arizona....they have a very good defense. Their defense is why they went 3-0. Teir defense gave then a 14 pts swing against the eagles with the sack/fuble/return near their goalline. They got another easy TD against the Pats because of a blocked punt (if I recall correctly--or was it a turnover) then a gift from the NE kicker. With Seattle..at the end the QB blew a couple of plays that could have been a game winning TD if he threw this way instead. Odds of 60%.

 

Tennessee.....odds at 80%

 

at Houston...a week off to prepare for Marios homecomming. The defense will be playing a big game here. I see it a close game. 50% chance.

 

at New England....if they are without CJ/Fred for the home game but for this game I see Buffalo winning if they lost earlier. With New England they have hid the playbook until they play them.

 

My best bet is they go 3-3 during this stretch.

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

I havent heard confirmation of this...they should plan on staying out west for the week in between SF and AZ.

 

Was thinking the same thing today. Pull a Jim Harbaugh and set up camp in the desert.

[Geno Smith's Arm]

Looking ahead so many games is a bit silly. All these teams will be beaten up soon enough. Depth starts coming into play, teams start showing weaknesses, older guys slow down, younger guys gain experience. Not all these "powerhouse teams" are gonna be playing well throughout this season.

[JÂy RÛßeÒ]

Was thinking the same thing today. Pull a Jim Harbaugh and set up camp in the desert.

They are.

[Bill from NYC]

Luckily, when you have great line play on both sides of the ball, you put yourself in position to win any game. Hopefully that's the difference between this year and previous years.

 

Yes Coach. Good post, and the above is the tune that you and I (and others) have been singing for years. And yes.....the opponents we beat were not so good, but they WERE divisional opponents.

 

I like the fact that in the Chiefs game, the 3 (not 2) OTs dominated the game. In terms of the Browns game, imo the dominant blockers were Wood and Levitre. Wrt the DL, MD and KW are providing push that enables a lanky DL such as Anderson to make plays vs. the run. And, Mario seems to be coming around. Not only that, the difference up front is probably what is enabling Moats and Sheppard to play better, and both of them really do look better than they did last year.

 

Normally, I would be expecting a loss vs. NE, home or not. But not this time. There is no reason for me to believe that we will be unable, at home, to move the football vs. their defense, and hopefully win the battle of TOP. If our front 4 can get to Brady, we really can win. And Gailey will really matter on Sunday. If he can figure out a way to get TJ Graham into the game, we should really score some points. In any event, a win Sunday, against a divisional opponent, would change the entire scenario.

 

GO BILLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mike6683]

I think AZ is us last year, over rated. Hope they start to tank by the time they play us.

[Rob's House]

It's a nasty stretch, but looking at each game individually there isn't one that isn't winnable.

 

AZ won a game on a missed FG that's usually a win and pulled out a close one against Seattle. They're good, but let's not get carried away here. Their offense is average at best.

 

NE is always a threat but they're not the juggernaut they once were. If our front four gets pressure we might surprise some people.

 

SF is balanced but not really dominant in any facet. And we have the D to stop Al Gore and make them beat us with Alex Smith. I like our chances there.

 

TN showed they've got something last week, but no matter how hard I try i can't get worried about them.

 

And Seattle could easily be 1-2 right now. Their passing game is nothing to fear. Their D is a concern but they haven't faced a stout O-line yet either.

 

Like I say, it's a rough stretch, and I don't expect to win all of them, but other than Houston I don't see a team on the schedule we don't have a reasonable shot at. And who's to say they can't be beat too; I doubt they go 16-0; We could be that off game.

[sllib olaffub]

What appeared to be a pretty nice schedule before the season started now looks like a pretty tough one. There aren't too many certain victories to circle on the schedule, anyway. I'd say Indy, Jacksonville, and Tennesee are the only games left that one could reasonably say we SHOULD win. The rest, Miami, Jets, Patriots, San Fran, Arizona, Seattle, St. Louis, Houston - those are tough games.

 

I never really thought we'd be a team that would go far this year, anyway. Before the season started I thought we would go 10-6 or 11-5, because the schedule looked favorable, but I didn't expect us to be ready to compete with the best of the best - yet. I still think we're a franchise QB away, not to mention a star LB and another WR, from being SuperBowl contenders.

 

However - the schedule looks harder now. We also are beginning to look like a different team than I had expected. I really thought Gailey would insist on throwing it like crazy regardless, but he is actually leaning on the run game in just the right way, I think. I also think our Defense is still evolving, still gelling, and I think from a week to week basis we'll see improvement in it right through to the mid-way point of the season, by which time I think we'll know better just how good a defense we have. Anyway, this team, if it can stay healthy - and the importance of that cannot be overstated - and if it continues to play to it's strengths, plays good defense, can compete on any given Sunday with most anyone.

 

Therefore - I think IF WE STAY HEALTHY - we can pull off a 3-3 mark on this next six game stretch, and end the season at 11-5 or 10-6. But, if key O-linemen get hurt, or if our RB's cannot stay healthy, if Fitz has to carry this team, then we could very well begin losing more than we're winning. If that happens I hope we commit to finally getting that QB next year, as the only solace for what would be another losing season.

[Thunderstealer]

When it's too tough for them, it's also pretty tough for us.

 

Hopefully 4 and 3 at the bye.

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

They are.

 

for real? is this not public knowledge yet?

 

I think this is going to work wonders.