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We are not contenders


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I don't remember anyone ever claiming Bob Woods being a #1.

Once in a while a thread pops up complaining that he's not getting his due as a WR. Equally as inane as threads that claim that he isn't physical enough for the NFL.
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That and the offense needs to get healthy.

 

Then, just maybe, we could crank out some first downs! Time of posession yesterday was almost funny (in a sick kind of way). I think we had about 1:50 in the first quarter. Crazy!

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That and the offense needs to get healthy.

Amen. Honestly wonder how TT not being "100%" is affecting his passing ability - not to mention other key offensive injuries (Sammy, Miller, Karlos, Harvin) can't help the cause either. The fact TT can do what he has done with a new system and not being 100% is remarkable. One of the highest passer ratings in the league. Things will be easier when the Defense finally pulls together more and starts to figure out the scheme, or the scheme amends to the players. Whichever comes first

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Tyrod Taylor was off pretty much all game throwing the ball and that was a problem against the Titans but the most important characteristic of a winning QB is what he does when the game is on the line. Great players find a way to win when they are having off days. He made great plays with his legs to give the Bills life and made a perfect throw to Chris Hogan in huge moments of the game. This kid keeps showing he is a winner...don't understand why people are knocking him. The Bills have problems (missing weapons, offensive line play, penalties) but Tyrod is not one of them.

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I hope Goff stays number 1 QB and we can trade up for Connor Cook, who finally is getting rythem with WRs, reminds me a lot of Rivers with Roethlisbergers play extending ability.

 

I'm a huge Roman fan, the QB and line not so much (except for Richie)

Agree about the o line but I'd say Taylor has done more to prove himself than Roman.

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Well, then I guess you'll be glad to know.... there ARE plenty more just like him! :)

I disagree, Auger.

There is only one real for true Buffalo Barbarian. And he is all ours :wub:

hugs

Agree about the o line but I'd say Taylor has done more to prove himself than Roman.

I think it is hard to think of one without the other.

Or critique them separately.

they are working together towards the same goal. Its still a work in progress. a process.

the slow starts are difficult to watch

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My preseason prediction for the Bills was the 6th playoff seed and loss in 1st round of the playoffs. That is exactly where they are as of now and I've seen nothing to make me want to change that prediction. They're an above average team, but they aren't running with the elite teams vying for a championship, I wish they were, but they aren't. Those blaming injuries need to look around the league a bit. The Bills aren't out of the ordinary there, it's just more noticeable since they aren't as equipped to overcome significant injuries as some teams are.

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My preseason prediction for the Bills was the 6th playoff seed and loss in 1st round of the playoffs. That is exactly where they are as of now and I've seen nothing to make me want to change that prediction. They're an above average team, but they aren't running with the elite teams vying for a championship, I wish they were, but they aren't. Those blaming injuries need to look around the league a bit. The Bills aren't out of the ordinary there, it's just more noticeable since they aren't as equipped to overcome significant injuries as some teams are.

This and it appears they still lack chamionship level coaching. ST's for certain. And they matter.

The HC does not seem to be able to out coach his more elite peers. he wins on trash talk and unkept promises though. yes he beat the pats*** in their house in the playoffs but that so far is his career Highlight. Here's to hoping he can grow and coach up a team too beat the good ones in the playoffs. Also, that Tyrod stays upright for the whole schedule and his offense can help him out starting Sunday.

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John from Hemet, on 11 Oct 2015 - 9:07 PM, said:snapback.png

Thats the spirit you are a great fan!

 

We need more like you

 

 

Why is sit every thread you don't like, you've got to throw your 2 cents in every time..

 

Give it a rest already.

 

If you lived in Hemet, you might understand John's curmudgeony behavior

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The offseason was great and we got pumped by all the moves but this team is the same as it always has been; average.

 

We either have a great defense or a great offense and until we get them both we are going nowhere as todays victory proved that we could barely beat a marginal team.

 

until we get a QB that can pass better than he can run and greatly improve the offensive line we are going nowhere.

 

What a fail of a post.

 

Show me a team who loses its top WR, and all of its RB's and I will show you a team with a losing record...except for the Bills who despite critical injuries to a young offense, that has included 2 of our best OL at times as well, other play makers at WR, and key members of its defense at times are still sitting at 3-2 and could be 5-0 if not for killing themselves with bone head penalties in NE and NYG, not to mention getting 2 touchdowns stolen from us on weak calls against the Giants.

 

This team not only has the potential to be a contender, but also could be a very dangerous team come playoff time. We have 2 serious issues...too many Penalties (and untimely ones) and injuries. BOTH are very correctable.

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Before I offer my views on this matter, I would appreciate it if you could take 7 minutes of your time and watch this video.

 

Because this is 2015, and I realize the attention span of most people is not quite developed to the point that they are able to spend upwards of 7 minutes digesting others viewpoints, I will do my best to summarize it for you. Essentially, the video is a debate/conversation between Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, and ESPN personality Skip Bayless. In it, Skip is trotting out some tired viewpoint that "Lebron is not clutch", to which Mark Cuban responds by calling into question Skip's knowledge of basketball, and alleging that Skip Bayless, and others like him, are everything that is wrong with sports "media". Why? Because they speak in generalities and platitudes. "Not clutch" is about as relevant to a discussion of professional football as is the notion of saying that the Buffalo Bills are "not contenders".

 

A) It's a complete fallacy--the Bills are currently in place to be a playoff team, and their schedule gets easier from this point forward, while many of the teams contending for the final wild card positions must play increasingly difficult games.

 

but more importantly,

 

B) The Bills have been in "contention" in every game (hence, they are contenders), and your perceptions of their weaknesses is one of subjective perception, not objective truth. Stated differently, the coaches are tasked with developing different strategies for different games. So, unless you have the foresight to know what your opponent is going to do, akin to knowing the cards your opponent has at the poker table, (or playing for the New England Patriots), the appropriate strategy to win a professional, collegiate, high school or pop warner game of football is not the strategy that makes Buffalo Barbarian want to renew his Sunday Ticket subscription (although that is what Roger wants), but the one that wins football games.

 

In each game this season, Buffalo has employed the correct strategy, with some qualifiers as to why they lost the 2 contests that they did.

 

Against the Patriots, they scored enough points to win a typical NFL contest, but as is seemingly the case when anyone plays the Patriots, Buffalo faced an opponent who was able to carve up their defense at will, and score 40 some odd points within minutes of receiving the ball. This has been happening for years. They have won 4 Super Bowls because of it. (And please note, the league has punished them for cheating on multiple occasions, and opponents are so supremely aware of their nefarious actions that they refuse to have football-related strategy conversations in the visiting locker room of Gillette stadium, despite what Mr. WEO alleges as "fair play" on here--though Mr WEO himself is nothing more than a league shill: his breath reeks of curry, his flip flops are dusty from the vespa ride to his New Dehli call center, and the raging diphtheria that his family suffers from due to inadequately sterilized Indian drinking water leaves him bitter and despondent, but such is the life of an Indian tech support employee hired to do the leagues bidding on an NFL message board.)

 

Against the New York Giants, Buffaloscored more points than their opponents, but had many erased from the board, due to what was an obvious case of point shaving/referee manipulation. Again, I would encourage you to ignore the objections of those who claim that this simply can't be true. A massive insider trading scandal broke on Fanduel/Draftkings a few days later. The events are (probably) not connected, but if you willingly choose to remain naive to the very real influence of Las Vegas casinos/organized crime/big money gambling in the NFL, I would caution you that your enjoyment of the sport will be lessened. Ignorance is not bliss--in this scenario, or any other.

And that leaves us with 3 other games this season. Games which appeared to be officiated "on the up and up", although I must admit, Buffalo got some great calls (Graham's 15 yarder not withstanding) yesterday.

 

A convincing win over the Colts; a convincing win over the Dolphins; and a strong showing while offensively shorthanded against the Titans. The gameplan yesterday clearly involved keeping the ball on the ground with RBs, and when that approach stalled, they let Taylor keep it on the ground. Offensively, it worked: the Bills scored just enough, and the defense was stout. Had our playmakers been healthy, perhaps the approach would have been different. When Tennessee had a long field to play with, Buffalo appeared more than happy to let Mariota throw, but they tightened up that approach after midfield, and it seemed Tennessee's rushing attack was not up to par. Buffalo got the win, on the road, under-staffed, in a tough environment, on grass, against a good defense.

 

So, now the focus shifts to Cincinnati. Who will win? Who knows! Buffalo should have beaten New England AND New York, and probably should have lost to Tennessee. This is a 4-1 club, with the offensive weapons to compete (when healthy). With Williams and Watkins back, I would assume that Buffalo will put points on the board. The defense has kept every contest close (save New England*), so whichever way the wind blows, it will likely be less than a touchdown difference in either direction.

 

It is insulting to me that a conversation about the league fixing the Buffalo/New York game was locked within an hour of being opened, despite every participant in it agreeing, and discussing the matter in a civil, cordial manner. Furthermore, it is extremely frustrating that it was locked for "not contributing positively to the board". Ha. If that is the case, how is such drivel as this "thread" allowed to exist on the board for days. It is an uneducated, worthless post that adds nothing of value to the discussion of professional football in general, or the Buffalo Bills specifically. The original poster took no stance other than to hurl platitudes and generalities into the water like chum to sharks, and his lack of critical thinking, objective analysis and defense of his position contributes nothing positive to the board. Mods, please lock and delete this thread, and follow your own rules for once when it is a thread critical of the Bills.

Or are we only allowed to be critical of the team that this board purports to be in support of--and any negative comments about our division rivals and/or the commissioner who has absolutely ruined the game that so many of us have grown up loving are to be locked up and deleted. It seems on here the only enemies of twobillsdrive are the fans who grew up loving this sport, and the team that represents a community filled with fans, friends, family and former players who chose to keep this team and this city near and dear to their heart. But I know, I know: I'm just a bitter conspiracy theorist, and no one can stop the Pats because their Cleveland Browns reject head coach and 6th round, 40 year old QB who has to let air out of the ball to throw it are the greatest combo in NFL history, and their multiple cheating violations (AND PUNISHMENTS!) are because the Bills are "jealous", and the Bills need to "try harder" and "stop complaining".

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It has been the same week, to week. Taylor can not get it done without his legs.

 

Is he not allowed to use those? I'm pretty sure he is, but even just going by his passing #s, he's been very good. Currently among all QBs he's 7th in passer rating, 8th in comp%, 12th in y/a and 8th in TD. Was anyone expecting better?

 

I believe people were hoping Taylor would be a poor man's Russell Wilson. 5 games into 2015, if he hasn't been significantly better than Wilson, he sure hasn't been worse. Wilson has taken 22 sacks to Taylor's 14. Wilson has lost 2 fumbles, Taylor none. Yards and comp% Wilson has a slight edge, while Taylor has a small edge in y/a. Wilson has 11 more yards rushing, while Taylor has 2 rushing TDs to Wilson's zero. Taylor's TD/INT ratio of 9/4 is also better than Wilson's 6/3. Are we really complaining that we got a starting QB in free agency that has been comparable to the NFC's Super Bowl QB two years running?

 

I don't want to attack anyone personally, but there has to be some sort of psychosis brought on by the Bills last decade and a half of futility that has caused some of it's fans to have absolutely no rational thought.

Edited by mike22nc
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Is he not allowed to use those? I'm pretty sure he is, but even just going by his passing #s, he's been very good. Currently among all QBs he's 7th in passer rating, 8th in comp%, 12th in y/a and 8th in TD. Was anyone expecting better?

 

I believe people were hoping Taylor would be a poor man's Russell Wilson. 5 games into 2015, if he hasn't been significantly better than Wilson, he sure hasn't been worse. Wilson has taken 22 sacks to Taylor's 14. Wilson has lost 2 fumbles, Taylor none. Yards and comp% Wilson has a slight edge, while Taylor has a small edge in y/a. Wilson has 11 more yards rushing, while Taylor has 2 rushing TDs to Wilson's zero. Taylor's TD/INT ratio of 9/4 is also better than Wilson's 6/3. Are we really complaining that we got a starting QB in free agency that has been comparable to the NFC's Super Bowl QB two years running?

 

I don't want to attack anyone personally, but there has to be some sort of psychosis brought on by the Bills last decade and a half of futility that has caused some of it's fans to have absolutely no rational thought.

Yea, that's just like your opinion man....

 

I kid. I kid. Unfortunately, fans will always pull the "eye test" card. Or the " Russell Wilson doesn't have as many playmakers..." card.

 

Russell Wilson has certainly had some "stinker" games. I remember a game in 2013, when Seattle won the SB, they were playing the Rams in St. Louis and Wilson went 10/18 for 135 yards and literally couldn't get anything going on offense. He didn't even have a good game running. They had SEVEN 3 and outs and two 4 play drives. It was ugly. If it wasn't for the defense they could have lost that game. In that same season he lost a game, at home, to the Cardinals going 11/27 for 108 yards. Again, they had SEVEN 3 and outs and Wilson was missing open receivers.

 

Even last season in the NFC Championship game, Wilson looked bad but big time players make big time plays and he did just enough to win.

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