How many of you were optimistic going into the preseason?

[njbuff]

And how many of you did a 180 as to what happened in the preseason.

 

For me, it was seeing this OL in action that turned me from optimistic to supremely negative, as a bad OL WILL derail a season. Just ask the 2017 New York Giants that.

 

I hope I am way wrong and the Bills surprise me. I wanna stay positive, so I will be tuning in Sunday (of course) and hoping for the best.

 

Thoughts?

[SkykingEHS]

I was, and remain optimistic.  The Carolina Game was ours until the 3rd string came in.  The cleveland game was ours other than the first drive by the browns, the bears game was AJ who looked terrible this preseason except for the end of the game when all the starters were gone.  Our offensive line is scary (but unknown).  I BILLIEVE we are heading in the right direction and will turn some heads this year.  

 

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

I had no opinion but keen interest in the rook QB.

 

I’m now optimistic he has a serviceable to great future 

[Dr. K]

I was pessimistic before pre-season. Right now I am still skeptical that they can win more than 6 or 7 games, tops, but also strangely optimistic about the team's chance to grow over the course of the season. The talent level overall seems low, with some big weaknesses, but I want to see how it plays out. 

[Rubes]

I was optimistic, but moreso because of the defense. Now I'm not so optimistic after seeing them get manhandled.

[Happy]

Cautiously optimistic.  I take the preseason with a grain of salt since we may not have seen what the real Oline, Dline, etc will actually look like.  Plus coaches call various schemes to see how guys perform/react.  This Sunday vs Balt, and next Sunday vs Chargers will be good tests and give an idea of what this Bills team is. 

[mead107]

19-0 baby. 

 

You coming to opener?

[BuffaloSol]

Cleveland running over us game really upset me, our 2nd CB really disappointed me Vonte seems done, and I knew our Oline would struggle and thought the signings were terrible(plus that idiot Ducacase). 

 

I lost some optimism, but, I also felt like this last year.  This year at least we have shiny new toys at QB and MLB.

[row_33]

i would have liked to see the O-line look better during the 2nd and 3rd preseason games, so a little less optimistic

 

oh well, bring... it.... on....

 

 

[aceman_16]

I was actually pessimistic before preseason and I am optimistic now.  I was not a big Allen fan (more that I though he was a 2-3 year type of project).  However,  after seeing Allen play,  I felt dirty putting so much of my understanding of what made a good QB into the hands of the analytical crowd.

[Buftex]

Going in to last season, my optimism for the Bills coming season was probably as low as it has ever been...then they back their way into the playoffs, and it turned out to be a really fun season.  After that, I am just trying not to have any expectations, other than just trying to enjoy the games every Sunday. Good or bad, watching the Bills on football Sundays is still one of the few joys in life.  Been doing it for 48 years or so....more bad than good...but still a great time. They showed me last year, you just never know what can happen. 

[JoeF]

I am optimistic because I live on the theory that most games are decided in the 4th quarter.  Talent gives way a little bit to perseverance and effort in the 4th quarter.  The Bills showed a greater ability to win close games last year than the last decade or so.   I think that carries over a bit this year.

 

I am pessimistic because the Bills are less talented and less experienced than other teams in key match-up areas like: 

1) Bills OL vs. Opponents Front 7 

2) Bills WR vs. Opponents Secondary 

3) Inexperienced Bills QB versus Defensive Coordinators ability to disguise schemes 

4) Bills RCB and SLB vs, Opponents Passing Attack

5) Bills MLB vs. Opponent interior Running Game (For now anyway)

 

Can the coaches scheme around these weaknesses most weeks? I don't know...

 

I had low expectations for 2017 and 2018 based on the cap mess.  The Bills were paying too much money to players that weren't performing up to the level of that pay.    2017 was a gift.  2018 may be the year the Bills pay for the past.  I will be cheering no matter what -- and God-willing I will be there in September of 2019 with hopefully unbridled optimism for the future.

 

By the way, using NFL.com power rankings: 

the Jags were #31 and the Jets #32 last year on September 5, 2017.  The Jags went to the AFC Championship Game.

In week 1 2016 it was 49ers #31, Browns #32

In week 1 2015 It was Browns #31 and Titans #32

 

All to say, the bottom feeder rankings are usually more right than wrong...but they are what they are...week 1 rankings and teams like last year's Jags can emerge...

Edited September 7, 2018 by JoeF

[sleeby]

I did not change much.  Went from realistic about this season over the off season (6-7 wins) to pessimistic for this season (4-5 wins).  The oline and defense caused that mostly.  RB we improved on since last year.  Maybe QB but way too soon to say that beyond fan speak.  Going to be interesting to watch for sure.

 

Last year we had a great D in weeks 1-4 and a record pace turnover ratio.  They sucked in the middle of the season and then got good again.  Seeing what the buffalo D looks like on Sunday is maybe as big a question to me as passing game.

 

Beyond this season - high hopes.  Cap space and likely decent draft spots and two young QBs developing.  We'll see a playoff win within three seasons I'd bet and hopefully upward from there.

Edited September 7, 2018 by sleeby

[CaptnCoke11]

Yeah after seeing the OL in preseason I’ve totally changed the way i think this season goes.  It’s going to be a long ugly season.  

[Captain Hindsight]

I think this will be a competitive team that will be 6-10 or 9-7 if the ball falls a certain way. I dont see a horrible team, but I see lots of weak points.

 

I felt that way last season going in and I was surprised.

 

The AFC is still down overall. They may have a better record than people think but still be an average team

 

its all about 2019. 

[COTC]

Winners makes goals. 

 

Losers make excuses. 

 

We will improve and grow from last season. 

[downunderbill]

Still am 

[TheBrownBear]

Not really optimistic or pessimistic.  Going into camp, poor QB play was my biggest worry, but Peterman and Allen both showed some good things in preseason and look like they have the potential to be quality starters.  I really haven't a clue how this team will look on Sunday, but I'm excited to see what unfolds.

[GreggTX]

Optimistic for 2019, yes. 2018, not so much because of all the dead cap space. Brighter days are ahead, though.

[Augie]

Preseason can mislead people. I won’t judge until after we look horrible in real games.     ?

 

I think the OLine will get schemed up to look almost proficient. They can run block, we have a guy names Shady. Hold off on the panic. National media only knows Peterman had 5 picks in one half. Yes, horrific, but that’s ALL they know. 

[Kirby Jackson]

I wasn’t optimistic about the results this year. I still am not optimistic.

 

I was down on Allen as the guy. He’s ahead of where I thought he’d be. I’m optimistic about the big picture.

 

 

[BigDingus]

7 hours ago, njbuff said:

And how many of you did a 180 as to what happened in the preseason.

 

For me, it was seeing this OL in action that turned me from optimistic to supremely negative, as a bad OL WILL derail a season. Just ask the 2017 New York Giants that.

 

I hope I am way wrong and the Bills surprise me. I wanna stay positive, so I will be tuning in Sunday (of course) and hoping for the best.

 

Thoughts?

 

I wasn't optimistic going into the preseason, but surprisingly more optimistic now.

 

I'm a realist, and I try to remain objective as much as possible. Going into the preseason, a few things were obvious on paper.

 

1a) We had one of the worst QB groups in the league, with a combined 4 games of pro experience between 3 people. 

  b) We had no veteran QB to mentor our young & inexperienced group, something that fans were severely downplaying as an insignificant issue while players & experts underlined as one of the most important aspects of proper QB development.

 

2) Our O-line lost our 2 best players from 2017, and our 3 best overall. We had a good group with high production in 2016 with Woods, Glenn & Incognito, and already took a step back in 2017 just losing Glenn. Without all 3, our unit becomes a patchwork group of journeymen, backups, and undersized, undeveloped guys just happy to be on a team.

 

3) The WR corps is also one of the weakest in the league, and if Benjamin goes down, likely will be by a large margin. Our #1 WR has size & athleticism, but isn't known for his route running, separation skills, speed or elusiveness. He's a great red-zone threat, but requires a QB who has exceptional ball placement skills to get it in the right area where only Benjamin can come down with it, or at least give him a chance to fight for it. We have journeymen, ST players, long-shot rookies, & some unreliable question marks filling out the rest of the ranks. Zay Jones could help turn this around, or he could bomb worse than Corey Coleman with a repeat of last year.
 

4) Run Defense was awful last year, and although we tried to address that with Harrison Phillips & Star Lotulelei (as well as shoring up the MLB spot with a 1st round pick), the scheme & those players have yet to prove they're worth the investment. It's not nearly as concerning as the offense, but it's still a concern nonetheless. Sadly, I still expect the defense to get a lot of the blame for losses, even though the high point totals 


Yet here I am, still more optimistic than I was before. A lot of that has to do with fan perception and reality sinking in, but there's more to it than that. Now that most of the fans realize the media wasn't just being big ol' meanies with their Bills discussion, I feel it'll take some of the pressure off McDermott & Beane and to focus primarily on development. Fans clamoring to rush the rookie QB out, or call for the OC to be fired because we look pathetic on the field, can potentially lead to ownership trying to rush the process. Seeing that we're indeed letting Allen sit & learn, along with fans finally remembering "oh yeah, we knew this guy was the most raw 1st round QB in the draft & was picked on POTENTIAL, not how great he's been on the field!" and being ok with him sitting for now, proves for once that maybe we're going to try & develop a QB right for once! 

 

To top it off, I think the defense has a lot of talent in place, and unlike the O-line, will get better when they start to gel. People like to say "the O-line will improve when they start to gel!" but fail to acknowledge there's only so much they can do without proper talent. The defense however, has a ton of talented players, and when they start figuring out the ins & outs of the scheme and working with each other, they'll begin to thrive. Unfortunately, if our offense continues to go 3 & out like last year, we can still expect 2nd half break downs & high point totals against us, simply due to the exhaustion of the defense being on the field for 75% of the game.

But the final thing I'm feeling optimistic about is the likelihood we'll be able to keep the same Offensive Coordinator around for more than a season. Whether it was Roman, Hackett, Dennison, etc. fans blamed the OC & play calling for all the pitiful performances, even though execution was the more obvious issue. People also fail to realize that personnel directly affects the plays called, as coordinators know the limitations of their players. "Why did we run on ____ play?!" or "Why didn't we run more play action!?" etc. are cried after each loss. But when you fail to execute, cant build momentum, find yourselves in 3rd & long situations time & time again, it impacts the play calling options available. And if your QB can't throw out routes or comeback routes without huge risk of throwing an INT due to weak arm strength, you lose those options as viable calls. Coaches and fans finally seem to agree for once, allowing this year to give us a pass & expect greater results for our future.

 

Anyway, I think this year will playout rough, but will ultimately prove to be the turning point & foundation on which future successful seasons were built. As long as the coaches stick to their guns, actively pursue talent, and put a greater emphasis on the lines this offseason, we could be in for great next decade.

[PlayoffsPlease]

I was very optimistic.  The team had gotten rid of a weak starting QB, and drafted someone who is a special talent.  Then they decided to start a QB who is worse than last years QB, and I became pessimistic.  

[COTC]

6 minutes ago, PlayoffsPlease said:

I was very optimistic.  The team had gotten rid of a weak starting QB, and drafted someone who is a special talent.  Then they decided to start a QB who is worse than last years QB, and I became pessimistic.