PFT Superlatives: More Talk that Bills are 3rd Best Team in AFC (maybe)

[Utah John]

There have been occasional Bills teams over the decades that started to play well and routed some teams, only to lose a couple of close ones.  This year's team doesn't feel like that.  They don't seem able to rout anyone, just to put together solid offensive games most of the time to go with outstanding defense, and they seem incredibly resilient. 

 

I would take 11-5 without routing anyone in a heartbeat.  Much better than 9-7 with some fun-time routs but a couple of regrettable losses.

BTW the Jets have an early schedule like the Bills did last year -- very difficult.  Once a team gets beat a few times in the early games, it's hard to keep the edge and passion they need.  The Jets have talent and will be a lot better next year.

[CSBill]

 A fair take, the offense has to step up, but our defense allows us to play with anyone.

[H2o]

9 hours ago, RiotAct said:

we’ve played one great team (Pats), one good team (Titans), one mediocre team (Giants), and two bad teams (Bengals, Jets) so far. The next three games are a lot easier than the first five... two historically awful teams and one shaky team, all at home.

Dolphins and the Skins are bad teams. The Eagles? Not so much. I would say they are on par with the Titans, with Wentz being better than Mariota. 

[aristocrat]

i feel like the offense is spinning it's wheels a bit and at some point the wheels will get some traction and take off.   Every game I think Allen has had one of those perfect 6-6 for 60 yard drives and a td where you're like...did he really just do that?  If Duke turns into a real weapon and singletary comes back healthy we could be looking at more of those drives.  thats what's holding me back from thinking we're a top 3 team. the potential is certainly right there 

Edited October 8, 2019 by aristocrat

[GreggTX]

Enjoy it while it lasts. This does feel different, though. I see losses coming to Philly, Dallas and the Pats. That's only 4 losses all year. This team has been a pleasent surprise, but we still have money for FA's next year and decent draft capital. I'd love to see a probowler or 2 on that OL so Singletary can become a scoring machine. Add an elite DE and a CB because you can't have too many good CB's.

[Sundancer]

Ravens > Bills 

[mjt328]

One game at a time.

Right now, I would put us into the same tier as the Texans, Ravens, Colts and maybe Chargers.

 

In my opinion, our offense still hasn't clicked.  They are playing sloppy, making tons of mistakes and turning the ball over.  Yet we are still winning.

If we can get some consistent rhythm going on that side of the ball, we start winning by two scores instead of scraping everything out.

 

[Chandemonium]

17 hours ago, billsfan89 said:

I definitely feel more confident about this team than the 2017 team. Better depth, better defense, and a QB that is much more dynamic (although much more turnover prone than Tyrod.) I think the team is just very well built and I do think that this team will not be afraid to add a weapon on offense or a pass rusher at a reasonable cost. The schedule is also shaking out very favorably with 6 games the team should be favored in and another 2 I would qualify as toss ups. I think 11 games isn't out of the question although I think 10 is more realistic. But at 11-5 they could land the 3rd best record in the conference. 

So what are the 3 where you think they shouldn’t be favored? I’m assuming the pats* are one, but what about the other two? I’m certainly not saying I think we’ll win em all, but I honestly think we’re better than or on par with every team left on the schedule at this point, with the possible exception of NE. I can see this being a 12-4, 13-3 type season.

[billsfan89]

25 minutes ago, Chandemonium said:

So what are the 3 where you think they shouldn’t be favored? I’m assuming the pats* are one, but what about the other two? I’m certainly not saying I think we’ll win em all, but I honestly think we’re better than or on par with every team left on the schedule at this point, with the possible exception of NE. I can see this being a 12-4, 13-3 type season.

 

Away against Dallas and home for the Ravens. I think the Ravens are a legit team who will finish the season strong I grant you that this is based off of a projection. Dallas to me is a very good team at home (they are coming off 2 losses to some of the best teams in the league.) I also see the Eagles and Browns games as a toss up type games as I think the Browns will get more rolling once they hit the later part of their schedule. I think this team will be favored by 3 against the Eagles but considering home field they get some points. 

 

I think this team could go as high as 12 wins but I think 10-11 is more reasonable. I think they win 5 out of 6 against the Fins (x2), Redskins, Broncos, Steelers, and Jets (It is the NFL, a fluky type thing is bound to happen in one of those games), I think they split the Browns and Eagles games, and I think it is possible they take 1 out of 3 against the Ravens, Pats, and Cowboys. So in my mind the Bills barring injury get to 10 or 11 depending on if they can pull an upset in one of those other 3 games.

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

18 hours ago, billsfan89 said:

I definitely feel more confident about this team than the 2017 team. Better depth, better defense, and a QB that is much more dynamic (although much more turnover prone than Tyrod.) I think the team is just very well built and I do think that this team will not be afraid to add a weapon on offense or a pass rusher at a reasonable cost. The schedule is also shaking out very favorably with 6 games the team should be favored in and another 2 I would qualify as toss ups. I think 11 games isn't out of the question although I think 10 is more realistic. But at 11-5 they could land the 3rd best record in the conference. 

 

So you're saying they'll be favored in 6 and the underdog in 3 games?  Which ones? I have them favored in 5, Miami twice, Jets, Washington, and Denver and definite dogs against Dallas (assuming they don't go into freefall) and NE.  Baltimore and Philly at home and at Cleveland and Pitt, not too certain either way, will likely depend on how both teams are playing between now and then.  If the Bills keep winning likely favored in most of them, though could see Philly maybe favored if they keep winning. 

[Chandemonium]

1 hour ago, billsfan89 said:

 

Away against Dallas and home for the Ravens. I think the Ravens are a legit team who will finish the season strong I grant you that this is based off of a projection. Dallas to me is a very good team at home (they are coming off 2 losses to some of the best teams in the league.) I also see the Eagles and Browns games as a toss up type games as I think the Browns will get more rolling once they hit the later part of their schedule. I think this team will be favored by 3 against the Eagles but considering home field they get some points. 

 

I think this team could go as high as 12 wins but I think 10-11 is more reasonable. I think they win 5 out of 6 against the Fins (x2), Redskins, Broncos, Steelers, and Jets (It is the NFL, a fluky type thing is bound to happen in one of those games), I think they split the Browns and Eagles games, and I think it is possible they take 1 out of 3 against the Ravens, Pats, and Cowboys. So in my mind the Bills barring injury get to 10 or 11 depending on if they can pull an upset in one of those other 3 games.

Where we differ most I think is the Browns and Ravens. The Browns are terrible and to me belong in your bottom feeder group of fins jets skins broncos Steelers, although they might be the best of that bunch. I’m not buying the Ravens hype either. I think they’re a average team that will win a terrible division by default. They don’t scare me at all, especially with it being a home game. Dallas I think should be favored due to it being an away game, but I don’t think they’re a better team than us. The way I see the schedule 11 wins is probably most likely, and accounts for a stinker against an inferior opponent plus losing to the eagles, which I basically see as a toss up. 12 would be winning all the games I think we should and still losing to the eagles, and 13 would be beating all the teams I think we should and the eagles or one of Dallas or the Pats* 10 wins to me would mean we lost to 2 teams I think we’re better than. 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

20 hours ago, mykidsdad said:

https://www.nbcsports.com/video/are-buffalo-bills-third-best-team-afc?ls=pftvod

I love that we are getting some credit, but, I'm a cynic. I think the Bills are good, but probably benefiting from a weak schedule. Are the Bills really better than the Texans? I don't know.

 

I would have called the Jets a mediocre team (maybe a scootch better) when we played them.  Losing their QB and their MLB sunk them to bad.

 

It's like I've always said when folks b**** we don't get no respect "just win baby".  We're winning, and here comes the respect.

 

I don't think you can make too definitive judgements about a team's quality at this point.  The difficulty of a schedule is usually not spread evenly.  For example the Patriots**** are a good team, but is their D the legendary force it's being made out to be, or are they, too benefiting from a weak schedule?  They've beaten the 1-4 Steelers, 0-4 Jets, 0-4 Dolphins, 0-5 Redskins, and 4-1 us (after knocking out our QB, who made mistake after mistake in that game).  And the next several weeks aren't any more of a test for them with the Giants, Jets again, and Browns.   They don't look to face a legit offense until week 9 with the Ravens.

 

As for the Bills, barring major injuries to the OL and skill players, as Allen goes so go the Bills.  If we continue to see the Allen who played Sunday vs the Titans, we'll continue to do well enough to hang with anyone.  If we see Allen the "wild man" who "runs head first into human beings" and takes risky shots where he should live to play another down, well, it's on film and teams will learn to bait him (and us) or will knock him out.

[buffalo2218]

18 hours ago, Drunken Pygmy Goat said:

 

When Darnold comes back (is Mosley back?), they'll be a .500 ish team. Much better than their current record indicates, anyways. 

 

Maybe. Their first half schedule is brutal.

I'm not convinced Darnold will benefit at all under Gase. Gase got this "quarterback whisperer" title from being Peyton Manning's OC. Problem with that was that Manning was elite long before he got to Denver. Gase was just along for the ride, had nothing to do with making Manning the kind of player he became. If the Jets do reach a .500 record with Gase, it'll be despite anything Gase does. I hate the Jets with the purplest of passions, but I do respect Darnold. I hate that his career may end up taking an awful setback because of Gase

Edited October 8, 2019 by buffalo2218

[ndirish1978]

I need to see us whoop someone before I make top 3 claims

[jkeerie]

12 minutes ago, buffalo2218 said:

I'm not convinced Darnold will benefit at all under Gase. Gase got this "quarterback whisperer" title from being Peyton Manning's OC. Problem with that was that Manning was elite long before he got to Denver. Gase was just along for the ride, had nothing to do with making Manning the kind of player he became. If the Jets do reach a .500 record with Gase, it'll be despite anything Gase does. I hate the Jets with the purplest of passions, but I do respect Darnold. I hate that his career may end up taking an awful setback because of Gase

He sure didn't do much for Tannehill.

[buffalo2218]

5 minutes ago, jkeerie said:

He sure didn't do much for Tannehill.

Yeah that's when I really laughed when I heard that title. As bad as I hate doing this for division rival teams, he probably had the best running game in Miami with Ajayi and he blows it up to make Tannehill the center piece? Hell he may blow up Bell too

[billsfan89]

2 hours ago, Chandemonium said:

Where we differ most I think is the Browns and Ravens. The Browns are terrible and to me belong in your bottom feeder group of fins jets skins broncos Steelers, although they might be the best of that bunch. I’m not buying the Ravens hype either. I think they’re a average team that will win a terrible division by default. They don’t scare me at all, especially with it being a home game. Dallas I think should be favored due to it being an away game, but I don’t think they’re a better team than us. The way I see the schedule 11 wins is probably most likely, and accounts for a stinker against an inferior opponent plus losing to the eagles, which I basically see as a toss up. 12 would be winning all the games I think we should and still losing to the eagles, and 13 would be beating all the teams I think we should and the eagles or one of Dallas or the Pats* 10 wins to me would mean we lost to 2 teams I think we’re better than. 

 

I think the Browns are victims of a brutal schedule. In the end I think they finish 8-8 or 9-7 with an outside shot at 10-6. They have a lot of talent but they have a new coach with a lot of parts to integrate so a slow start might have been possible even against a easier schedule. So toss in a very tough schedule early and I think their stock is down but they are a more dangerous team once they hit the back half of their schedule which is insanely easy (They play the Bengals 2 times, the Fins, the Cardinals, and the Steelers twice, the only above .500 team they play is the Ravens in their last 7 games.) 

 

The Browns still have a skill position core that is as good as any in the league, their defense is solid, Mayfield in my opinion is a pretty capable QB, and their O-line while it is struggling has talent and could play better against weaker fronts. However the Browns issue might be that they might be 3-6 by the time they hit that softer patch of their schedule. They sit at 2-3 and in their next 4 games they play The Pats, Broncos (the lone game they will likely be favored in), The Bills, and Seahawks. So if they sit at 3-6 they could go 6-1 in that back half and go 9-7 which might not be enough. 

 

Odds are the Browns are going to have to take the Broncos game and then take a game against the Seahawks, Bills, and Pats not an easy task. But if they can take care of the Broncos and snake an upset in those games they would be 4-5 entering into that sweet back half of their schedule where 6-1 takes you to 10 wins. 

[PlayoffsPlease]

22 hours ago, Thurman#1 said:

Agreed we're still benefitting from a weak schedule, but this rebuild shows every sign of working, and working ahead of schedule.

What teams have played a tough schedule? 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

15 minutes ago, billsfan89 said:

I think the Browns are victims of a brutal schedule. In the end I think they finish 8-8 or 9-7 with an outside shot at 10-6. They have a lot of talent but they have a new coach with a lot of parts to integrate so a slow start might have been possible even against a easier schedule. So toss in a very tough schedule early and I think their stock is down but they are a more dangerous team once they hit the back half of their schedule which is insanely easy (They play the Bengals 2 times, the Fins, the Cardinals, and the Steelers twice, the only above .500 team they play is the Ravens in their last 7 games.) 

 

Errrr....they started out with the Titans and the Jets (without Darnold and their MLB), two teams we played.  Then they had 3-2 LA Rams, who are a good team but did not up their case for Stud-hood by losing to Tampa and the Ravens (how good are the Ravens?  Good question....)  It's arguably a somewhat tougher schedule than we've faced so far, but c'mon- brutal?  Very tough? 

 

15 minutes ago, billsfan89 said:

The Browns still have a skill position core that is as good as any in the league, their defense is solid, Mayfield in my opinion is a pretty capable QB

 

You lost me right here.  All of these things can not be true.  The Browns D is down in the bottom 3rd of the league.  If we want to blame Mayfield and his 10 picks for putting their D in a bad spot routinely, then you got to let go of the "pretty capable QB" tag.    I mean, we have 11 picks and the 4th best D in the league right now on points and we're saying our QB needs to calm down and be far more careful with the football

 

[billsfan89]

49 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

Errrr....they started out with the Titans and the Jets (without Darnold and their MLB), two teams we played.  Then they had 3-2 LA Rams, who are a good team but did not up their case for Stud-hood by losing to Tampa and the Ravens (how good are the Ravens?  Good question....)  It's arguably a somewhat tougher schedule than we've faced so far, but c'mon- brutal?  Very tough? 

 

 

You lost me right here.  All of these things can not be true.  The Browns D is down in the bottom 3rd of the league.  If we want to blame Mayfield and his 10 picks for putting their D in a bad spot routinely, then you got to let go of the "pretty capable QB" tag.    I mean, we have 11 picks and the 4th best D in the league right now on points and we're saying our QB needs to calm down and be far more careful with the football

 

 

I think Mayfield is a capable QB playing poorly at the moment. In part due to bad O-line play and he just isn't executing that well at the moment. The Browns played a legit Niners team away, a tough Rams team, and a decent Titans team at home. The Titans loss is a big blemish on their resume but the other two losses they have are hard time to blame on them. They also beat a legit Ravens team and took care of business against a battered and brusied Jets team. 

 

I think they have issues currently integrating a lot of new parts going against a tough schedule. But the team in my opinion is talented on both sides of the ball and will finish in the realm of 8-9 wins when all is said and done. However they might be 3-6 going into that easy stretch to end their season which might be too big of a hole to get out of.