I’m just going to come out and say it - this is the year

[CLTbills]

Just now, Joe in Winslow said:

 

The eagles might, if we see good wentz. I don't think we'll see good wentz.

 

Ok. Even if so.... one team? I’ll take that.

[H2o]

6 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

My answer to why not us is that we have to find a way to beat the Patriots. And until we do it I am going to continue to doubt their ability to do it.

And that is a reasonable answer that I don't believe anyone can argue with. I do believe we have assembled a team that can do it though as long as they 1) don't shoot themselves in the foot and 2) make the most of their opportunities. 

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

1 minute ago, CLTbills said:

Ok. Even if so.... one team? I’ll take that.

 

I edited.

 

[Aussie Joe]

I’m going to come out and say it...

 

The Bills will be even better next year...

 

Im never concerned about the schedule in advance of the season starting..

Edited October 10, 2019 by Aussie Joe

[CLTbills]

Just now, Joe in Winslow said:

 

I edited.

 

At the end of the day... we held the GOAT to nine points.

 

I have complete faith that we can hold Dak Prescott and Lamar Jackson and Carson Wentz to under 20.

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

Just now, CLTbills said:

At the end of the day... we held the GOAT to nine points.

 

I have complete faith that we can hold Dak Prescott and Lamar Jackson and Carson Wentz to under 20.

 

Yeah, they don't scare me too much either.

 

And the other thing is, only Baltimore on that list has a defense that really worries me. I know gunnerbill and some others like Dallas' defense, but I'm not impressed.

 

[CLTbills]

Just now, Joe in Winslow said:

 

Yeah, they don't scare me too much either.

 

And the other thing is, only Baltimore on that list has a defense that really worries me. I know gunnerbill and some others like Dallas' defense, but I'm not impressed.

 

Yeah... if they can get the offense to 21-24 ppg, I don’t know how we possibly lose a game. 

 

Yes, I know we’re not going to go 15-1 but... the point is, we will absolutely b in every single game with a shot to win. 

 

There will be no blowouts against this squad.

[NewEraBills]

I can see playoffs for sure.  As long as Josh continues to progress and the defense continues to fire on all cylinders we are making the post season.  I think the thing Josh has to figure out now, is the BB/Patriots defensive plan for him.  If he can figure that out, we could be looking at AFC East Champions.  But he's gotta figure that out.

[H2o]

9 minutes ago, Joe in Winslow said:

 

Yeah, they don't scare me too much either.

 

And the other thing is, only Baltimore on that list has a defense that really worries me. I know gunnerbill and some others like Dallas' defense, but I'm not impressed.

 

That Baltimore defense has been pretty crappy thus far. They are in the 20's in total defense this year and have gotten shredded in a couple of games. Lamar Jackson worries me because of his legs and not his arm. Either way, I believe every game on our schedule is winnable where I wouldn't have had the slightest bit of confidence in saying that years past. 

Edited October 10, 2019 by H2o

[billsfan1959]

41 minutes ago, BuffaloHokie13 said:

I don't know if you're purposely being obtuse or if you just don't understand my point. We are 12th in the league in yards per game and we're 26th in points per game. That's because we aren't finishing drives.

That is absolutely correct. 18 drives ending in opponent' territory (15 inside the 40) with no points over the first five games. It is not all on Allen, I have looked at everyone of those drives and there is plenty of room for blame: turnovers, penalties, drops, sacks, etc. They can move the ball. Their problem has come in finishing those drives for scores.

Edited October 10, 2019 by billsfan1959

[GunnerBill]

It has taken a long time for me in my Bills fandom (since 2002) to feel like we have the right General Manager, the right Head Coach and the right Quarterback. 

 

I don't think this is a one off like 2017. I think this is the start of a team that is going to be competitive for a decent stretch. Can they go from competitive to a Championship team? To be confirmed. 

[iinii]

2 hours ago, Another Fan said:

Gotta hope everybody still says healthy but agree with the OP.  Hopefully there not gonna be happy winning 9 games and sneaking into the playoffs 

No sneaking. This defense deserves playoffs.  3rd best record in the league thanks to them. 

[K-9]

Pavlov’s dog really wanted to believe, too.

[billsfan1959]

Just now, iinii said:

No sneaking. This defense deserves playoffs.  3rd best record in the league thanks to them. 

It's not as if the offense hasn't helped in any way...

[GunnerBill]

14 minutes ago, Joe in Winslow said:

 

Yeah, they don't scare me too much either.

 

And the other thing is, only Baltimore on that list has a defense that really worries me. I know gunnerbill and some others like Dallas' defense, but I'm not impressed.

 

 

Dallas's defense is good. It isn't in the conversation for best in the league in the way the Bills are... but they are 6th in yards and 7th in points. I think they will be a top 10 / top 12 defense.

 

They are very talented up front and at linebacker. They are more vulnerable in the secondary. 

[Putin]

2 hours ago, Wayne Arnold said:

This team has what it takes to win 13 games and make a serious run at the AFC Championship.

 

I’m no homer. Trust me. That said - it’s time we stop being afraid of believing in this team. This isn’t 2004 or 2008 or 2011. 

 

It’s also time we stop thinking that progress is linear and we aren’t ready yet. Three reasons why 12 wins should be the minimum expectation for this team:

 

1. The schedule is as easy as it’s going to ever be. Easiest schedule in the NFL going forward. You have to take advantage of that. 

 

2. The defense is dominant. Third year in this system, they have arrived. Edmunds is on the verge of becoming a perennial All-Pro. Best safety tandem in football. A shut-down corner. And DEPTH. There is no reason for this team to not impose their will on each of the 11 offenses they will face moving forward.

 

3. The offense is better than they have showed. They aren’t scoring enough points yet. They’re turning it over too much. But they’re moving the ball (12th in total offense). Allen is only going to get better. The brand new pieces should improve as the season goes along. We have seen this offense at its worst - and we have won 4 out of 5 (possibly 5 out of 5 if our QB hadn’t gotten concussed).

 

No excuses. 12 wins minimum. 

I’m glad you came out , BUT are you SURE that’s all there is ??? 

[wagon127]

Man, this is going to feel like the longest bye week ever. I know this is important for them to rest and such. I can't wait another 10 days to see what this team does next. And then, after we play the dolphins, the game against the Eagles, could have as much hype going into it, as the Bills Vs. Patriots game did earlier.

Edited October 10, 2019 by wagon127

[egd]

1 hour ago, Bob Chandler's Hands said:

First world problems if that scenario occurs

 

And this is so true! Good post.

[GunnerBill]

Just now, wagon127 said:

Man, this is going to feel like the longest bye week ever. I know this is important for them to rest and such. I can't wait another 10 days to see what this team does next. And that game against the Eagles could have as much hype going into it, as the Bills Vs. Patriots game did earlier.

 

I want to see them be really dominant against the Dolphins. I want to see them shut the Dolphins down (keep them below 12) and score at least 30. 

[RememberTheRockpile]

49 minutes ago, MyDogLuvsPB said:

It's way too premature to make predictions.  However, if everything falls our way we "should' make the playoffs and at least host 1 game.  Sadly, we can't be the 1st or 2nd seed unless we win the division. 

 

1. Highest seed in any playoff game is the home team. 

2. The 6th seed can never host a game because it is always the lowest seed.

3. 5th seed will only host a game if they are playing the 6th seed.

4. The only way the 5th and 6th seeds play a playoff game against each other is if both make it to the conference championship.

[Warcodered]

29 minutes ago, Aussie Joe said:

I’m going to come out and say it...

 

The Bills will be even better next year...

 

Im never concerned about the schedule in advance of the season starting..

Yeah next year the team could be a lot better I think they'll make some more moves to finish building the offense so it can carry it's share of the weight. Though with how the schedule is from this year to next year the records might not completely reflect them being better next year.

[sir andrew]

I'm not calling anything until they stamp their ticket to the playoffs.  Too many times I have gotten overexcited with this team and too many times, I have been let down.  See 2007, 2011.  I'll take it one game at a time.  Then let's move on to the next opponent. 

[Mr. WEO]

I  feel bad for the future of this thread

Edited October 10, 2019 by Mr. WEO

[MikeSpeed]

You know sometimes I can be a sadistic !@#$%.

I just wonder what this place will be like if we get blown out by the dolphins at home? Can you imagine the carnage? 

[H2o]

3 minutes ago, Mr. WEO said:

I feel bad feel bad for the future of this thread

3 minutes ago, MikeSpeed said:

You know sometimes I can be a sadistic !@#$%.

I just wonder what this place will be like if we get blown out by the dolphins at home? Can you imagine the carnage? 

[jletha]

We move the ball but dont score because of bad sacks and turnovers. Josh needs to do a better job of that, Tennessee was a great step in the right direction with the slides and throw aways but it still didnt lead to points.

 

When we get start scoring more ill believe we win more than 9 games.

[timekills17]

2 hours ago, Bring it said:

You could be right! I don’t know about winning the division but hosting a wild card game is a definite possibility! With a great defense, which travels well usually. We could conceivably get to the AFC championship! What a great way to stick it to the Pats but to beat them to advance to the Super Bowl!! 

 

One can dream can’t I?

 

 

If the Bills don't win the AFC-E division, then they can't host a wild card team.

Not trying to state the obvious here, but a wild card team's only possibility of a home game is if both of them meet in the conference championship (which could, but as yet has never happened.)

[DaBillsFanSince1973]

9 minutes ago, MikeSpeed said:

You know sometimes I can be a sadistic !@#$%.

I just wonder what this place will be like if we get blown out by the dolphins at home? Can you imagine the carnage? 

I'm afraid my imagination can't/wont go there.

 

could it happen? of course and it would likely create some carnage, for sure.

[John from Riverside]

I need to see better offense before I am going to say this.

 

The defense is Super Bowl caliber......the offense has a lot of potential

[Pokebball]

2 hours ago, Sunshower said:

My original prediction was 11-5, but Allen needs to: #1 Generate more points and #2 Limit those boneheaded interceptions. We need him to really grow and come into his own as a man. He is still a very young QB, we must be patient with him but I do think he’s the guy. We need like 22-23TDs and 10-12INTs along with some rushing TDs and I think we can win the AFC EAST.

Do you think this is a reasonable expectation for a soph QB?  When JA was drafted, I thought the best path for his development was to sit for a year, then start this year with it being another development year for him, with plenty of growing pains; pains that needed to happen towards his growth into the QB we all want him to be.  He's gotten tossed into the fire early with expectations beyond anything I certainly thought reasonable for his second year with the Bills. 

 

And I don't think this is only about JA.  There are eight new guys around him on O and they are all learning how to play with each other.  I thought we would be a good 6-8 games into the season before they became even somewhat a cohesive, collaborative, unit.  I believe the Bill's O leads the league in false starts.  There have been a number of plays in each of our last few games that confirm for me that they are not all on the same page yet.  That is going to have to happen before we can get some more scores out of JA and the O.  One of JAs strengths is his scrambling.  Our WRs have to learn to extend their plays to compliment JA's scrambling and this is a deficit to our offense yet today.  Case in point, Yeldon had a good chance of making that catch last week, or at a minimum preventing the interception.  Our O is still adapting to the fact that JA can extend many plays with his athletic ability.  Lineman, backs and WRs jobs need to be a good 5 seconds longer each snap.  As all of them learn to extend their play, more good things will happen.

 

Alternatively, we can coach JA to not extend plays.  If that's were we go, I think we're giving up a significant advantage we have with him behind center.  And this isn't a choice between him throwing good or bad passes.  That exists whether we extend plays or not.  My point here is that extending plays doesn't mean we get more bad passes out of JA.  That improvement from JA needs to happen either way we go.

 

I love the excitement and expectations.  I think it's important to understand it may be too much too soon.

[Victory Formation]

1 minute ago, Pokebball said:

Do you think this is a reasonable expectation for a soph QB?  When JA was drafted, I thought the best path for his development was to sit for a year, then start this year with it being another development year for him, with plenty of growing pains; pains that needed to happen towards his growth into the QB we all want him to be.  He's gotten tossed into the fire early with expectations beyond anything I certainly thought reasonable for his second year with the Bills. 

 

And I don't think this is only about JA.  There are eight new guys around him on O and they are all learning how to play with each other.  I thought we would be a good 6-8 games into the season before they became even somewhat a cohesive, collaborative, unit.  I believe the Bill's O leads the league in false starts.  There have been a number of plays in each of our last few games that confirm for me that they are not all on the same page yet.  That is going to have to happen before we can get some more scores out of JA and the O.  One of JAs strengths is his scrambling.  Our WRs have to learn to extend their plays to compliment JA's scrambling and this is a deficit to our offense yet today.  Case in point, Yeldon had a good chance of making that catch last week, or at a minimum preventing the interception.  Our O is still adapting to the fact that JA can extend many plays with his athletic ability.  Lineman, backs and WRs jobs need to be a good 5 seconds longer each snap.  As all of them learn to extend their play, more good things will happen.

 

Alternatively, we can coach JA to not extend plays.  If that's were we go, I think we're giving up a significant advantage we have with him behind center.  And this isn't a choice between him throwing good or bad passes.  That exists whether we extend plays or not.  My point here is that extending plays doesn't mean we get more bad passes out of JA.  That improvement from JA needs to happen either way we go.

 

I love the excitement and expectations.  I think it's important to understand it may be too much too soon.

I think 1 year is a lot of time for a QB to develop, if your QB hasn’t developed by the end of 2 years, I think fear should set in.

[Pokebball]

1 minute ago, Sunshower said:

I think 1 year is a lot of time for a QB to develop, if your QB hasn’t developed by the end of 2 years, I think fear should set in.

I believe this is exactly what I said.

[Aussie Joe]

35 minutes ago, Warcodered said:

Yeah next year the team could be a lot better I think they'll make some more moves to finish building the offense so it can carry it's share of the weight. Though with how the schedule is from this year to next year the records might not completely reflect them being better next year.

 

Offseason additions for OT, WR and DE should just about complete it..

 

Even if their record is slightly worse next year, they will have a better chance of beating the elite teams in the playoffs which is what it’s all about...

[Putin]

36 minutes ago, sir andrew said:

I'm not calling anything until they stamp their ticket to the playoffs.  Too many times I have gotten overexcited with this team and too many times, I have been let down.  See 2007, 2011.  I'll take it one game at a time.  Then let's move on to the next opponent. 

This is NOT 2007 , 2011 team 

[Rc2catch]

I can’t see this being “the year” they make any real noise. Not from what I have watched anyways. The pieces are there, the team is in great shape. All this playing to the level of your opponent stuff and of course Allen’s hit and miss style of play gives me concern they can’t really hang come playoff time. I would need to see way better execution and explosiveness from the offense 

[RunTheBall]

I think some people are getting way ahead of themselves. We are at the quarter pole and people are seriously discussing our playoff seeding?? Yeah, I'm optimistic we have a shot at making the playoffs but I don't even look at the Miami game as a given W. We are going to have bounces that don't go our way, games where our D is not as dominant, injuries of unknown impact/duration.

 

Obviously it's the offense that will most determine our fate assuming the D continues a high level of play. If he cuts down on the TOs, I think we have a wild card shot. If he make a leap over the next 8 games, we could make some noise. 

 

That's a long ways off though. Let's just beat Miami next week.

[Victory Formation]

14 minutes ago, Sunshower said:

I love the excitement and expectations.  I think it's important to understand it may be too much too soon.

 

12 minutes ago, Pokebball said:

I believe this is exactly what I said.

I’m not sure why it put my name in the quote but both came from you.

Edited October 10, 2019 by Sunshower

[RobbRiddick]

Some people scoff at predictions of the AFC championship game. But when you think that this team SHOULD get to the playoffs this year, given the 4-1 start and the weak schedule, it really isn't so crazy.

 

Even as a wildcard, this is the sort of team who could give much better teams nightmares in the playoffs because of that defense. If Singletary recovers fully and gets more integrated into the offense then a 1 - 2 punch of him and Gore could really sh*t on a lot of teams new years

[US Egg]

"I’m just going to come out and say it - this is the year"

[colin]

I like the optimism here!  and I'm with it.

 

The one thing tho, we have to beat NE in NE, be it in reg season to get a home playoff run, or in the playoffs because we don't.

 

we do need all kinds of other things and lots of wins to ball out, that is totally true, but if we can't bring the wood to NE, then this season ends with a loss or no playoffs.