What is the biggest question mark going into Game One

[CountryCletus]

I quickly looked up how the Ravens performed against mobile QBs last season. The QBs on their schedule that I could consider legit threats to run were Kaepernick, Tannehill, Wilson and Alex Smith. They lost all 4. Just found that interesting.

Was their defense healthy in any of them? Like, the bigger pieces? I thought I recalled several being injured

[boyst]

Linebackers. They'll expose every weakness, every subtle flaw and all the peachfuzz on the taint of this D.

 

This is why we will fail. The LB unit blows.

[YoloinOhio]

Was their defense healthy in any of them? Like, the bigger pieces? I thought I recalled several being injured

who are considered the bigger pieces?

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

My biggest concern is that they will pass a joint around in the huddle.

I know right...?? Athletes should vape! Also what about the guys on the sideline? That's just bad teamwork.

[Kelly the Dog]

How the team, as a whole, and the defense in particular, responds after the almost inevitable time in the game when things are not going right, penalties negate good plays, the opposition puts up points on consecutive drives, turnovers kill momentum, etc. Is this a team that pulls together and finds a way to win or who continually shoot themselves in the foot.

[CountryCletus]

who are considered the bigger pieces?

Suggs is the only one that is

Coming to mind

[r00tabaga]

The refs are my biggest question mark. Should be a close game and a late ghost DPI call against us is my biggest concern.

[YoloinOhio]

Suggs is the only one that is

Coming to mind

yes, I think he was out most of the season

[OhDozeBills]

Biggest concern for me is if our starters are in football shape and in synch with each other. I can't recall last time so many starters either didn't play in pre-season or had only a few snaps. I understand being healthy going into game 1 is important but hope we're not rusty and/or fade late in the game due to lack of any live snaps.

[Rico]

Tyrod Taylor without a doubt

Absolutely. Can TT carry the team on his back?

[YoloinOhio]

Biggest concern for me is if our starters are in football shape and in synch with each other. I can't recall last time so many starters either didn't play in pre-season or had only a few snaps. I understand being healthy going into game 1 is important but hope we're not rusty and/or fade late in the game due to lack of any live snaps.

Harbaugh actually wants to get rid of preseason games altogether. Edited September 8, 2016 by YoloinOhio

[Perk71]

How much the Bills will win by...that is all

[Hapless Bills Fan]

 

 

WR -- Watkins/Woods = starting weak

TE -- Clay = starting weak

 

Fans never cease to amaze me...

 

I think you may have misread him. His first sentence was "voids and lack of depth". Then he said "startling" not "starting".

 

I think everyone acknowledges Watkins & Woods as a good 1-2 punch and Clay as a high-quality TE starter, the question is what's behind them?

 

My biggest concern is lack of game time and whether everyone is in "football shape" and ready for the speed of the NFL game. Rex avoided some amount of the injury bug by resting starters more than many teams do. But will that cost us?

Edited September 8, 2016 by Hopeful

[eball]

 

I think you may have misread him. His first sentence was "voids and lack of depth". Then he said "startling" not "starting".

 

I think everyone acknowledges Watkins & Woods as a good 1-2 punch and Clay as a high-quality TE starter, the question is what's behind them?

 

My biggest concern is lack of game time and whether everyone is in "football shape" and ready for the speed of the NFL game. Rex avoided some amount of the injury bug by resting starters more than many teams do. But will that cost us?

 

Yeah, I guess I did misread. My bad.

 

For me, the biggest question mark in this game is which team gets over the adrenaline rush first. Both teams will be ridiculously pumped -- first game of the season, return to action for some injured players, etc. That extra energy isn't necessarily a good thing early on. I would like to see "controlled aggression" from the Bills. They have the more talented team overall.

[RevWarRifleman]

Bills D: 1. their ability to pass rush and, 2. penalties.

[Punching Bag]

Biggest question mark: Have they fixed the communication issue with replacing of coaches and removal of some of the whiners.

[Marty McFly]

Biggest question mark for game 1 is how the Dline will play without Dareus, Lawson, released Lawson, and the defense in general

Biggest question mark for the season is CAN THE BILLS STRING TOGETHER MORE THAN 2 consecutive WINS?

If we want the WC spot, we need to be able to go on 3-5 game winning streaks, something we didnt do last season

[Beef Jerky]

My biggest question is "Just how bad are the Bills going to beat Baltimore?"

Biggest question mark for game 1 is how the Dline will play without Dareus, Lawson, released Lawson, and the defense in general

Biggest question mark for the season is CAN THE BILLS STRING TOGETHER MORE THAN 2 consecutive WINS?

If we want the WC spot, we need to be able to go on 3-5 game winning streaks, something we didnt do last season

 

Lawson? Hahahaha

[Marty McFly]

My biggest question is "Just how bad are the Bills going to beat Baltimore?"

 

 

Lawson? Hahahaha

You dont think Lawson (shoulder) woulda helped us this Sunday? He OWNED Stanley in their last college meeting, and guess whos starting on the Ravens O line?

[Beef Jerky]

You dont think Lawson (shoulder) woulda helped us this Sunday? He OWNED Stanley in their last college meeting, and guess whos starting on the Ravens O line?

Sorry, "released Lawson" is the one I was laughing at.

[Marty McFly]

Sorry, "released Lawson" is the one I was laughing at.

lol no doubt. Do you think they cut him cuz he couldnt 'cut it'? or because of suspension reasons?

[r00tabaga]

lol no doubt. Do you think they cut him cuz he couldnt 'cut it'? or because of suspension reasons?

Or $$$

[KD in CA]

If we'll win the game.

[Kirby Jackson]

What is the one big thing that worries you when the Bills steps on to the grass field in M&T Stadium.

 

For me, it is the pass rush (or lack thereof). We have one Pass Rusher in Hughes who has had one phenomenal season and no one worth talking about on the other side. We don't have another 10-sack Interior lineman in Dareus. I don't know where Rex is going to generate the pressure. If he is going to his DBs to create the pressure, I see a long day for the Bills defense.

I agree 100%. The answer is pass rush and it isn't even close.

[Socal-805]

Who goes down 1st:

 

o McCoy

o T Taylor

o Watkins

o Clay

o Cordy Glenn

 

>

 

or ... Marquise Goodwin ?? If he plays

[Big Turk]

Defense. The offense is going to be fine. Can Kyle play DE? Can we stop the run without Mr. Big Puff? Will our LB's be any good as a unit? Will AW last more than a game? Will the Duke be the new Duke or the old Duke? CB is the only place on D where I'm confident.

 

Defense will be fine. They actually know their assignments and what they are supposed to be doing on plays now.

[r00tabaga]

Who goes down 1st:

 

o McCoy

o T Taylor

o Watkins

o Clay

o Cordy Glenn

 

>

 

or ... Marquise Goodwin ?? If he plays

At first I was like, and then I was like.... Now I'm like, you must be really fun at parties

[BADOLBILZ]

At first I was like, and then I was like.... Now I'm like, you must be really fun at parties

 

 

If you find yourself evaluating if people are fun at parties........then you probably are not fun at parties.

 

Been around some of our homers here at tailgates and just like they B word about fans here they B word about them(and everything else) at the tailgate.

 

And yes, there is a difference between criticizing a professional organization that hasn't even reached the minimum standard for a successful season once in 16 years and BITCHING about fans who still support them.

 

My position is that this area is where you can achieve a more in depth football discussion.........if you gotta' B word at the tailgate you are just lazy or probably a B word by nature.

[Punching Bag]

 

My position is that this area is where you can achieve a more in depth football discussion.........if you gotta' B word at the tailgate you are just lazy or probably a B word by nature.

 

My position is some just want to B word even though they do not have anatomy.

[Nihilarian]

If this year is anything like last years opener then Rex will have the Ravens offense thoroughly scouted and his defense prepared to play. The thing is that the Ravens see a very similar defense going against the Steelers 2x a year and they should be ready for anything.

 

Pass rush is a key issue and this year's team can't be last in QB pressures again this year and be successful. If preseason stats have any meaning at all the Bills were #10 in total defense and the Ravens #9 and both teams had around the same amount of penalties.

 

I look for the Ravens to throw a lot against a very good Buffalo secondary so turnovers could win this for the Bills.

[LeGOATski]

Isn't the 3-4 the best formation to stop the run?

In general, sure, but it ultimately comes down to the players.

 

Missing Dareus, plus rookies Lawson and Ragland (both should make the defense more versatile) just makes me worry for our run defense early on. They did pretty well in pre-season, so we'll see.

 

Otherwise, the next big question mark is the right side of the OL.

[Rocky Landing]

For me, it's gotta be the front seven. It's a big bag of question marks. How will Lorenzo Alexander do opposite Hughs? How will Kyle bounce back from surgery? How much better will Preston handle communication? How well will Adolphus play? How much will we miss Dareus? Will our pass rush improve? Etc, etc...

[John from Riverside]

Who goes down 1st:

 

o McCoy

o T Taylor

o Watkins

o Clay

o Cordy Glenn

 

>

 

or ... Marquise Goodwin ?? If he plays

I dont really dislike anyone here.....but your getting closer by the day

[MDH]

 

And yes, there is a difference between criticizing a professional organization that hasn't even reached the minimum standard for a successful season once in 16 years and BITCHING about fans who still support them.

 

My position is that this area is where you can achieve a more in depth football discussion.........if you gotta' B word at the tailgate you are just lazy or probably a B word by nature.

 

 

 

Absolutely. So tired of reading specific posters group fans together and rag on them in an attempt to make some sort of point.

[BuffaloBillsMagic1]

Coaching is my biggest question mark. Two winning seasons in 7 yrs worries me as every season with his team they get worse

[NoSaint]

I'll go with the middle of the field.... On defense, for a curveball.

 

Last year we funneled things inside to some of our weakest guys. Added Ragland to fix it, and lost him. MD out. Will AW be as aggressive(or stay healthy?). Both runs and passes inside the box will be my question mark

 

Otherwise, it's health with Sammy, clay, tyrod and McCoy. Need tyrod all season and 2 out of 3 of the others ready each game or the offense is going to be a big challenge.

[Hardcore Bills Fan]

penalties penalties and more penalties. keep from giving up the big ones and we'll be alright.

[Matt in KC]

My biggest question is Kyle Williams. If Kyle is back to his old form (and can stay healthy) our defense may be very good. If Kyle appears to be in decline, the Bills will struggle, especially while Dareus is out.

 

I want to see if the defense is in synch and fluidly playing Ryan's scheme. I saw signs this preseason, but it is hard to say with all of the absences. Last year's sack total (21) was pitiful for the talent on the team.

[RevWarRifleman]

My biggest is the obvious one : getting some sort of pass rush by the Bills D. Maybe we can do it by committee for this week & the

 

first several weeks.

 

A close second concern for me goes to all 3 squads: getting into double digit penalties for the game.

 

 

Obviously, both of these issues are concerns all throughout the season.

 

Go Bills.

Without a doubt, it's the defense. The Ryan's have doubled down to prove the naysayers wrong.

Good play on words.

[BreezeMafia]

Yes a general answer but the play if the defense. Barring injury, the Offense will put up points consistently all year. 25+ against the Ravens, with Shady getting 2 TD's (selfishly for fantasy purposes of course).