Virgil Posted July 14, 2017 Share Posted July 14, 2017 (edited) I'm looking forward to this upcoming season because my expectations aren't very high. This is an experience year to me for our rookies and Coach. It's rare to have rookies contribute in a way that changes a teams path. Rookies Head Coaches always go through their growing pains. The Pats look stacked moreso than last year. Our schedule doesn't have many easy wins. This season reminds me of our 3-13 season, which was one of my favorites. Not because I think we will only win 3 games, but because I knew we were going to learn and get better. So for me, here's what I'm hoping to see this season: Tyrod solidifies the job, or they finish with a top 5 pick and we get our QB (Either Way, I think the QB question is answered going into 2018) The rookies show enough promise to be solid starters going forward. Jones at WR is the most crucial to me if Sammy doesn't earn his payday. However..... Sammy earns his payday. I hope he stays healthy all year and earns a pro-bowl spot RT position is solidified We are in all of our games and keep it close against the Pats by the season end. The season ends with us drafting Best Available, not for need again Dareus earns his contract Lorax continues his dominance Hauschka misses less XP's than Carpenter Brady gets hurt For those who think this is a beaten down attitude, maybe. But I don't think any team with this much transition and in our division would that great. Just my humble opinion Edited July 16, 2017 by Virgil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JM2009 Posted July 14, 2017 Share Posted July 14, 2017 Only when this ridiculous playoff drought ends, whatever year that is, will the Bills have what is called a successful season. I have them 7-9 in 2017 because the depth is not good. If they stay pretty healthy, maybe good things can happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dorkington Posted July 14, 2017 Share Posted July 14, 2017 Playoffs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alphadawg7 Posted July 14, 2017 Share Posted July 14, 2017 (edited) I'm looking forward to this upcoming season because my expectations aren't very high. This is an experience year to me for our rookies and Coach. It's rare to have rookies contribute in a way that changes a teams path. Rookies Head Coaches always go through their growing pains. The Pats look stacked moreso than last year. Our schedule doesn't have many easy wins. This season reminds me of our 3-13 season, which was one of my favorites. Not because I think we will only win 3 games, but because I knew we were going to learn and get better. So for me, here's what I'm hoping to see this season: Tyrod solidifies the job, or they finish with a top 5 pick and we get our QB (Either Way, I think the QB question is answered going into 2018) The rookies show enough promise to be solid starters going forward. Jones at WR is the most crucial to me if Sammy doesn't earn his payday. However..... Sammy earns his payday. I hope he stays healthy all year and earns a pro-bowl spot LT position is solidified We are in all of our games and keep it close against the Pats by the season end. The season ends with us drafting Best Available, not for need again Dareus earns his contract Lorax continues his dominance Hauschka misses less XP's than Carpenter Brady gets hurt For those who think this is a beaten down attitude, maybe. But I don't think any team with this much transition and in our division would that great. Just my humble opinion While there will likely be potential positives to take away from this season one way or the other...some you touched on already...there is no such thing as a "Successful Season" without making the playoffs. So the one, and literally, only answer to your question is at least a playoff birth. Anything other than that is still NOT a successful season. But again, if we miss playoffs, that doesn't mean other positive things wont come out of this season, but positive progression is not the definition of "successful". In summary: PLAYOFF BIRTH Edited July 14, 2017 by Alphadawg7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John from Riverside Posted July 14, 2017 Share Posted July 14, 2017 Wildcard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billsfan1960 Posted July 14, 2017 Share Posted July 14, 2017 advancing past the first playoff game Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bills4everNY Posted July 14, 2017 Share Posted July 14, 2017 Playoffs will do it for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1st Ammendment NoMas Posted July 14, 2017 Share Posted July 14, 2017 AFC East CHAMPIONS and playoffs or it is another waste of a season. No time to rebuild, No excuses for first year. it's time to win. it's time to knock Brady down and out for good. it's time to take control of the AFC East and enforce our will on others. Nothing less will do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LI_Bills Posted July 14, 2017 Share Posted July 14, 2017 The simple answer of playoffs or better feels superficial since I don't think a Lombardi trophy is a realistic expectation this year. Also, it seems reasonable to recognize that pinning 17 years of desperation on the new staff is unfair in year one. At the same time, I'm skeptical that we are any better than the near .500 team we've been for far too long. I would consider erasing that skepticism to be a large measure of success. At this time next year I want to feel that we are a legitimate playoff caliber team going into the 2018 season. Ideally a Super Bowl contender too, but I just don't see that happening that quickly. We focus on the 4 straight Super Bowls, but that team was a legit contender two years before and was still competitive a year or two after. Sustained success is what I am most interested in. Similar to the NFL draft I doubt we'll be able to determine whether next year is a success for a few years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KDIGGZ Posted July 14, 2017 Share Posted July 14, 2017 Playoffs or top 3 draft pick. Either one will make me happy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virgil Posted July 14, 2017 Author Share Posted July 14, 2017 I get the playoffs answer. But after almost 20 years, if this ends up being the first year of the McDermott era, I'll be happy to see it happen. Nothing against the team, just rookie HC's, new scheme, rookies and so many FA's starting...It's just a rare thing to all come together in one season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gugny Posted July 14, 2017 Share Posted July 14, 2017 Determining, by mid-season, whether Tyrod is staying or going. Determining whether Sam Watkins is staying or going. Playing more disciplined football - especially on D. Seeing excellent game management skills from McDermott. Not ending the season near .500. Either win enough to get to the playoffs, or lose enough to get a top 3 pick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LI_Bills Posted July 14, 2017 Share Posted July 14, 2017 Determining, by mid-season, whether Tyrod is staying or going. Determining whether Sam Watkins is staying or going. Playing more disciplined football - especially on D. Seeing excellent game management skills from McDermott. Not ending the season near .500. Either win enough to get to the playoffs, or lose enough to get a top 3 pick. Agree with everything except the .500. I understand the sentiment given the past 17, but IMO this is not a bottom-feeding team. If McD guides this team to a top 3 pick I will be truly depressed about our future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chandler#81 Posted July 14, 2017 Share Posted July 14, 2017 The simple answer of playoffs or better feels superficial since I don't think a Lombardi trophy is a realistic expectation this year. Also, it seems reasonable to recognize that pinning 17 years of desperation on the new staff is unfair in year one. At the same time, I'm skeptical that we are any better than the near .500 team we've been for far too long. I would consider erasing that skepticism to be a large measure of success. At this time next year I want to feel that we are a legitimate playoff caliber team going into the 2018 season. Ideally a Super Bowl contender too, but I just don't see that happening that quickly. We focus on the 4 straight Super Bowls, but that team was a legit contender two years before and was still competitive a year or two after. Sustained success is what I am most interested in. Similar to the NFL draft I doubt we'll be able to determine whether next year is a success for a few years. To the bolded, Yeah, BUT! It's been happening every 2-3 years this millennium. I'm sick of it. I don't expect a SB contender, but every year, at least one and usually 3 teams make the playoffs few people expected them to do. Timely plays (T/O's, 4th down stops, ST's return, bad ref calls) push a couple middling teams into January football. It's almost defying the odds and the nature of things that the Bills haven't been a recipient of this at least once in 17 years, especially considering how many 6-10, 7-9 seasons we've had. Playoffs or Bust! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eball Posted July 14, 2017 Share Posted July 14, 2017 This is a team that, despite putrid coaching, was (with apologies to GunnerBill) essentially .500 the past two seasons. They lost a couple of players but also gained a couple. It's simply not a bottom-of-the-barrel roster. A successful season to me will be 10-6 or better. While that should qualify the team for the playoffs, I'm not basing success upon that fact. 10-6 would be the best record for this franchise since 1999. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GunnerBill Posted July 14, 2017 Share Posted July 14, 2017 It was not essentially .500. It was .468. I don't expect the Bills to make the playoffs this year and that is not the success criteria I will be measuring them against. I agree with the OP on that. To me success in 2017 looks like a team that looks prepared, committed and ready to play every week. No 10 men on the field and 12 men on the field all the time, no linebackers checking for rain as the other team is snapping the ball, no safeties completely abandoning their assignments and no game plans that play against the strengths of our players. Marcel Dareus is not a nose tackle just as one obvious example. On offense it means no needless timeouts because we can't line up properly, it means being able to operate a 2 minute drill effectively and it means not getting away from things that are working in the name of "variety". If I see those things and we win 6 games (I really do think this schedule is hard and we could be a better team than last year and win fewer games - as an example I personally think the 2016 Bills played better than the 2015 Bills but on a harder schedule..... the 2015 season remains an epic underachievement against a powder puff schedule) I will think we go into 2018 with a real chance to break the drought. If I see those things and we win 9 or 10 then fantastic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirby Jackson Posted July 14, 2017 Share Posted July 14, 2017 I'll say 10 wins. I try to stay consistent by not using playoffs as the judge. If the Bills are 10-6 and miss the playoffs, the year isn't worse to me than if they are 10-6 and lose on the 8th tiebreaker. It will suck but I want them to control what they can control. If they handle their business and get to double digit wins they've had a nice year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloWings Posted July 14, 2017 Share Posted July 14, 2017 advancing past the first playoff game Don't set the bar too high... Playoffs. I almost don't care if they sneak in and get blown out in the wild card round. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.Y. Orangeman Posted July 14, 2017 Share Posted July 14, 2017 Franchise QB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROONDOGG55 Posted July 14, 2017 Share Posted July 14, 2017 I can't see it being a successful season until we win the division. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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