If the Bills are 3-5 at the turn, what are you thinking?

[John from Riverside]

If we have a losing record at any point in the season this place will be unbearable....that is what I am predicting.

[KD in CA]

"Oh crap, tomorrow is Monday!"

[Domdab99]

With this roster and schedule? I’m thinking 3-5 would be a miracle 

[Kirby Jackson]

I’m not that concerned about the 2018 record. This team isn’t a contender. They do however have some high end young talent. If the secondary continues to be strong, Edmunds is a stud and Allen looks the part I don’t care about much else. A lot of these guys aren’t going to be on the roster by the time that the Bills are ready to compete. I hope that those players that will be exceed expectations. 

[eball]

1 minute ago, Kirby Jackson said:

I’m not that concerned about the 2018 record. This team isn’t a contender. They do however have some high end young talent. If the secondary continues to be strong, Edmunds is a stud and Allen looks the part I don’t care about much else. A lot of these guys aren’t going to be on the roster by the time that the Bills are ready to compete. I hope that those players that will be exceed expectations. 

 

While what you have written is logical, I simply can't allow myself to look at a season that way.  Now that the drought is over I say "shock the world!"

[Jay_Fixit]

16-0.

 

No problem.

[Buffalo Barbarian]

1 playoff win.

 

 

[Kirby Jackson]

25 minutes ago, eball said:

 

While what you have written is logical, I simply can't allow myself to look at a season that way.  Now that the drought is over I say "shock the world!"

That would be great but I don’t see it. This roster has serious flaws on the offensive side of the ball. This was a 3 year rebuild. The Bills spent year 1 installing the culture and core, year 2 adding a QB & clearing the cap and year 3 they can spend in the draft and FA. If we see the continued progress of the young players and if Allen can play the future is bright. This entire “process” is dependent on Allen becoming the elusive “franchise QB.” That’s what matters. It makes little difference if they are 4-12, 6-10, 8-8 or 9-7. They were 9-7 in the Orton year and 6-10 with Fitz. Those years aren’t that different in hindsight. 

Edited July 26, 2018 by Kirby Jackson

[ricojes]

4 hours ago, dollars 2 donuts said:

OK, some of the prognosticators can choke on their 0-8 starts and their 2-14 or 3-13 season for the Bills.  I also have been on the record as saying I would love them to have a great season but if they end up being between 5-11 to 7-9 I would not be too upset as I believe we are really into the second year of a three year rebuild.

 

 

Look at posts from a year ago, many had the Bills going 1-7 or something to start the year.  3-5 sucks, you can turn it around, but that's usually with a veteran team.  That being said, i would be good with 4-4...

[JohnC]

4 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

If we are 3-5 I want them to keep trying to win but do so with Allen at Quarterback.  

 

The ONLY situation in which AJ or Nate should be playing beyond week 8 is if the Bills are .500 or better or Josh Allen is injured.  

 

 

If the Bills are getting quality qb play from either McCarron or Peterman why would you make a change? If Allen isn't getting playing time that doesn't mean that he is languishing and being set back. Not playing doesn't mean that he is not learning how to play in the pro ranks. Goff barely played his rookie year until the end of the season. HIs second year he made a quantum leap. Mahome didn't get playing time until the last game of the season. He showed enough in practice to make the Chiefs comfortable trading Smith and installing Mahomes as the starting qb for the next season. 

 

If the Bills are 3-5 in the first half of the season, the toughest part of the season, and the offense is playing well (skeptical of that)  then my preference would be to continue doing what you are doing. Allen can still work on his game both on the practice field and in the film room. Regardless what his playing time is he still has the ability to work on his game and get better. 

[Soda Popinski]

I always figured the best week to start Allen was week 9.   So i'm going to stick to it. 

[Jon in Pasadena]

I'm thinking we go 14-5,  Josh Allen is Super Bowl LIII MVP, sunshine and roses in a perpetual summer in Buffalo, and then my !@#$ing alarm goes off.

[Big Turk]

I'm thinking that's pretty damn good considering our lack of talent on offense, unknown QB situation, and 2 big holes to fill on the OLine...

[BobDVA]

if we start 3-5 we end up 9-7.  I am hoping for 4-4 and a 10-6 finish and another playoff birth.  

[GunnerBill]

2 hours ago, JohnC said:

If the Bills are getting quality qb play from either McCarron or Peterman why would you make a change? If Allen isn't getting playing time that doesn't mean that he is languishing and being set back. Not playing doesn't mean that he is not learning how to play in the pro ranks. Goff barely played his rookie year until the end of the season. HIs second year he made a quantum leap. Mahome didn't get playing time until the last game of the season. He showed enough in practice to make the Chiefs comfortable trading Smith and installing Mahomes as the starting qb for the next season. 

 

If the Bills are 3-5 in the first half of the season, the toughest part of the season, and the offense is playing well (skeptical of that)  then my preference would be to continue doing what you are doing. Allen can still work on his game both on the practice field and in the film room. Regardless what his playing time is he still has the ability to work on his game and get better. 

 

Goff played almost half the season - 7 games. And if we are getting quality Quarterback play from one of the deadly duo we will not be 3-5. The Bills are going to look at Allen this year - it is inevitable. Just as looking at Peterman last year was. The question is when. At 3-5 I am not sure what the argument for waiting any longee is unless he is really struggling which is a whole other issue and I don't want to even contemplate that. 

[reddogblitz]

7 hours ago, dollars 2 donuts said:

That said, what are you thinking if they are 3-5 at mid season?

 

14-5

[JohnC]

9 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

Goff played almost half the season - 7 games. And if we are getting quality Quarterback play from one of the deadly duo we will not be 3-5. The Bills are going to look at Allen this year - it is inevitable. Just as looking at Peterman last year was. The question is when. At 3-5 I am not sure what the argument for waiting any longee is unless he is really struggling which is a whole other issue and I don't want to even contemplate that. 

If the Bills are 3-5 in the first half of the season, the toughest part of the schedule, that would be a pleasant surprise. No one is making the claim that either one of the two experienced qbs are going to be our future franchise qb. But I don't see the basis for putting in the rookie if one of the other qbs is playing well. Will Alllen get playing time this year? Odds are probably so. The longer he is given time to learn the offense the better prepared he will be when he takes to the field. What will be working against playing him right away is how bad our offense is in general. Our OL is less than mediocre and other than McCoy there are no other playmakers on the unit. If you want him to get steamrolled then throwing him out right away will get that done. Getting unmercifully pummeled is not usually the best way to learn. 

 

I don't understand why you would be so panicked if Allen struggled to grasp the offense in his rookie year? Most rookie qbs are overwhelmed with the complexity of the offense. Without question Allen is going to be our long-term franchise qb. If it takes a year or even longer to get acclimated to the pro game, then so be it. There would be nothing surprising about that development because it would not be outside of the norm for rookie qbs to go through that adjustment. 

 

Of the top four qbs in this draft Josh Allen has the biggest adjustment from college to the pros. I rather wait a little longer and put him in a better position to succeed. Impatience is not usually a virtue. His time will come soon enough. 

 

 

[Nihilarian]

If the Bills are 3-5 at midpoint after playing the @ Ravens, Chargers, @ Vikings @ Packers, Titans, @ Houston, @ Colts, Patriots I'll be rejoicing! This means that the Bills beat one of the really good teams that most are saying will be making the playoffs this year. 

 

It also means that the offensive line won't be so offensive in defending a pocket QB!

 

The remainder of the season consists of the Bears, Jets, Jags, Dolphins, Jets, Lions, Patriots, Dolphins. The bolded teams are the ones I think they have a shot at beating so 8-8 realistically. 

 

OTOH, should the Bills make some moves to replace Mills at RT and do a better upgrade at center I could see them winning a few more games. Perhaps even obtain a decent WR to go along with KB. Those teams I underlined. 

 

The offensive linemen currently on the roster will face some brutal defenses Chargers, Vikings, Packers (new DC Mike Pettine), Houston, Jags. Even the Lions and Patriots might be fielding top 10 defenses this year.

[bdutton]

Tank and take the best QB in the 2019 draft.  ?

[GunnerBill]

1 hour ago, JohnC said:

If the Bills are 3-5 in the first half of the season, the toughest part of the schedule, that would be a pleasant surprise. No one is making the claim that either one of the two experienced qbs are going to be our future franchise qb. But I don't see the basis for putting in the rookie if one of the other qbs is playing well. Will Alllen get playing time this year? Odds are probably so. The longer he is given time to learn the offense the better prepared he will be when he takes to the field. What will be working against playing him right away is how bad our offense is in general. Our OL is less than mediocre and other than McCoy there are no other playmakers on the unit. If you want him to get steamrolled then throwing him out right away will get that done. Getting unmercifully pummeled is not usually the best way to learn. 

 

I don't understand why you would be so panicked if Allen struggled to grasp the offense in his rookie year? Most rookie qbs are overwhelmed with the complexity of the offense. Without question Allen is going to be our long-term franchise qb. If it takes a year or even longer to get acclimated to the pro game, then so be it. There would be nothing surprising about that development because it would not be outside of the norm for rookie qbs to go through that adjustment. 

 

Of the top four qbs in this draft Josh Allen has the biggest adjustment from college to the pros. I rather wait a little longer and put him in a better position to succeed. Impatience is not usually a virtue. His time will come soon enough. 

 

 

 

The other two guys are not good. You are advocating leaving inferior Quarterbacks on the field.  How does that help Josh Allen? It doesn't.  They shouldn't force him in there and hey if one of those guys is a nice surprise then let them play out... but if one of those guys is a nice surprise I expect we will be better than 3-5.... even with a tough schedule.  Just like last year I see the Bills holding probably 10-12 of our opponents to 20 or fewer. So that means that with good Quarterback play you can win games.  But they shouldn't hold Allen back either.  This is the NFL.  If you are losing and the other guy is better you put him in.  All the people expecting him to have a red shirt year are living in cloud cuckoo land as far as I am concerned. If we still had Tyrod then sure, maybe he gets a redshirt year (though they pulled Tyrod for a 5th rounder who can barely play so probably not) but we have two guys with less than stellar NFL resumes. Allen is going to play.  I still think he will play sooner rather than later too.  My prediction remains week 4 at Green Bay.