They Might...Just Might, Be Really Good

[Nextmanup]

2 hours ago, Jumpsuit Jim said:

My optimism doesn’t stem from a preseason win. It stems from how the offense and defense looked. 

 

The offense was crisp. Everyone was on the same page. The pocket was, for the most part, clean. The routes were precise. Allen got the ball out quickly and accurately. 

 

The defense applied pressure. Coverage was tight. They are SO FREAKING FAST. They were able to impose their will on the Panthers. 

 

That at is what I liked. They weren’t a dumpster fire. They looked like a good football team. 

This is exactly the point.  It's not that we have won 2 meaningless games, it's how the entire team has looked doing it.

 

Execution has been pretty darned good all over the field; we seem to have more depth at all positions than this organization has had in a very long time.  We have seen fewer mistakes and fewer of the meathead variety, like some numb-nut wideout lining up Offside or an unnecessary false start.  That comes down to coaching and discipline.

 

I would suggest our talent level, overall, is greater than Indy's, even if Luck didn't play.  

 

And then you have Allen's performance last night and his success with Beasley.  They looked like Brady and Edelman.  Controlled, measured, nothing too greedy, and just steadily moving straight down the field.

 

People will laugh, but we have almost felt like a team made in the New England mold.  Solid depth all over the field, a super high probability, controlled passing game, great execution, and no dumb mistakes.  

 

If you can do those things on a very consistent basis in this league, you will win a lot of games.

 

 

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

8 minutes ago, NoHuddleKelly12 said:

It’s just so weird that other QB’s obviously better than him in reg season can’t duplicate his preseason form against the same unschemed vanilla defenses.

 

Trent Edward was an absolute superstar in training camp.

 

some guys just can’t adjust to the speed of the top level game. 

[NoHuddleKelly12]

6 minutes ago, Over 29 years of fanhood said:

 

Trent Edward was an absolute superstar in training camp.

 

some guys just can’t adjust to the speed of the top level game. 

I agree totally. I just think that it’s odd that the reverse isn’t necessarily also true—the guys that shine in a real game can’t always adjust to a weaker D attack in front of them? Just an observation I find strange. 

[ganesh]

1 hour ago, mannc said:

Well, since they had a top 3 defense last year, that would be a bit disappointing...

we want a top 10 defense in points and turnovers.  Yards is not really a good measuring stick.

[C.Biscuit97]

Has a team ever won every preseason, regular season, and postseason game? ?

[Ralonzo]

23 hours ago, VW82 said:

According to ESPN we were 2nd in yards allowed per game but we were also the 18th ranked scoring defense. We just couldn't keep teams from scoring once they got in the red zone. Is that going to change this year? We're still a little small up front but I bet we're much better. Year 2/3 in the McD system for a lot of our starters.

 

Here's what would fix that right up: If, on just one or maybe two drives per game, instead of going 3 and out, just put together a couple first downs. Keep the defense off the field and give them a rest. Flip the field position. Maybe an extra figgie. It wouldn't take much. Momentum in football is a whiplash, but driving the ball on offense just kills any emotion on the other side.

 

It's encouraging that it looks like that's exactly what the coaches are trying to make the offense work on... matriculating the ball down the field.

[bdutton]

2 minutes ago, Ralonzo said:

 

Here's what would fix that right up: If, on just one or maybe two drives per game, instead of going 3 and out, just put together a couple first downs. Keep the defense off the field and give them a rest. Flip the field position. Maybe an extra figgie. It wouldn't take much. Momentum in football is a whiplash, but driving the ball on offense just kills any emotion on the other side.

 

It's encouraging that it looks like that's exactly what the coaches are trying to make the offense work on... matriculating the ball down the field.

 

We don't start Peterman for 1 half of a game and we probably end up ranked top 10 scoring defense lol.

[WideNine]

On 8/16/2019 at 8:06 PM, zevo said:

For ***** sakes people...enjoy a real nfl qb for once...my god...it’s ok to be optimistic 

 

Years of conditioning and the "how will this team ***** defeat from the jaws of victory" have been pretty much ingrained.

 

Too many Billsy moments to count...I will never forget friggin Lonnie running free at Green Bay and failing to account for the 11th man on the GB squad - a safety. Pointing at himself on the jumbo tron and jogging to what he thought was a sure score only to see a blur of green and yellow on the jumbo tron he was staring at and getting destroyed and fumbling the ball. Moments like those over and over again and the constant churn of coaches and staff made the Bills less of a contender and more of a joke in the league. Even fans of other teams and TV personalities would openly assume this organization would find a way to lose.

 

Steady ownership, team leadership, and strategic personnel moves and I believe that the culture and tone out of OBD has changed. Gradually, those outside the organization are starting to take note of the change and are not sure what to make of it. We have talking heads on sports programs saying things like, " I will go out on a limb" and saying positive things about this team - it is different.

 

If the glass-half-full crowd are honest they all want to hope, but cannot bear having that hope crushed - they are probably the hardest core fans of all of us. But this squad looks really good with the pieces that McBeane has assembled. Objectively, Allen is growing in this 2nd year in this offense and does not look as lost as to where the ball should go, and is getting it there more often than not. The offensive line is holding up better and will be even better still if Morse can come back healthy. And our defense (which was already good) may even be better this year.

 

Baby steps - nothing wrong with saying this team has to earn back some of that hope and trust to ease some of the most die-hard fans back from the edge. 

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

...admittedly and understandably reservations, doubts and trepidations abound...... 17 year "drought" causes dehydrations and hallucinations......multiple not thought to be "irrational exuberance episodes" litter the 17 year landscape....."this is it...the schneid is over....13-3....12.-4...11.5....playoffs" etc...you know the rest....all wet dreams.....BUT....now hopefully have bonafide football people running/coaching an NFL franchise versus the fraudulent misfits during the 17 years know as "F Troop"...could we see a semblance of the Polian days??.....I'm thinkin' about the Allstate guy sayin', ..."you're in good hands...."......CERTAINLY we're growing and progressing daily, but tell me where I'm wrong about this regime having "IT"...I'll hang up and wait for responses....

Edited August 18, 2019 by OldTimeAFLGuy

[PromoTheRobot]

On 8/16/2019 at 10:55 PM, Florida Bills Fanatic said:

Exactly.....how many times have we gone off the rails over a couple of preseason games just to be crushed in the regular season?  Granted, the roster appears to be better and deeper, but let's wait until the games are real.

 

Then we can bring up 2008 and Trent Edwards.