You don't watch enough of the rest of the NFL thread

[SoTier]

15 hours ago, Wayne Arnold said:

 

Here’s where I differ from most Bills fans: I refuse to lower my expectations for this franchise just because the performance of the team historically has been so absurdly poor.

 

This isn’t college football where the gap between the haves and have-nots is enormous. It’s the NFL - all 32 teams have generally the same resources and opportunities to win the Super Bowl.

 

Until this team looks and feels like a true, legit Super Bowl contender I’m going to find it very difficult to “enjoy it”. Because I’ve had the football yanked out from under my foot by this franchise before. I know what a pretender looks like. And if this team finishes 9-7 or 8-8 or worse, I’m not going to look back and think “Wow, remember that 6-2 start? That was so much fun!”

 

”The freaking Buffalo Bills are 6-2”. Good, now let’s make it 9-2. Then 12-4. Then to the AFC Championship. Then the Super Bowl.

 

Then we all can truly enjoy it because it will be real.

 

Great post!   I feel  the same way.  So many posters on TSW are so happy with so little it's really sad.  Aim higher, dudes!  Expect more!

 

[Orlando Tim]

8 minutes ago, SoTier said:

 

Great post!   I feel  the same way.  So many posters on TSW are so happy with so little it's really sad.  Aim higher, dudes!  Expect more!

 

If we are only happy when they win the Super Bowl then why watch? Enjoy the good games when each happens- I give this team 1percent chance to win the SB but they are fun and they are good, so enjoy this season and hopefully next year they win it all.

[SoTier]

16 hours ago, section122 said:

I disagree with your 32 teams have a chance to win the super bowl as well.  Buffalo is not and probably never will be a fa destination.  They are also a small market team.  Remember when Gillmore left and said now my family can watch me?  Remember when Antonio Brown refused to come to Buffalo (blessing in disguise)?  New England gets players to take discounts for a chance at winning.  Some cities are more attractive than others and some franchises are more attractive than others.  In the AFC Big Ben, Peyton Manning, and Tom Brady account for every super bowl visit from the AFC with the exception of 1 lone Joe Flacco year going back to 2003.  Think about that 15 of the last 16 super bowl participants are because the teams had all time great qbs.  

 

Buffalo is not a FA destination because it's a small market team or because it's in a cold weather area.  It's not a FA destination because it's been a poorly run organization for 20 years under 2 owners and has been largely irrelevant to the rest of the NFL because the team has failed to win on the field.    Winning makes teams attractive to FAs.   See Green Bay vs Washington or Tampa Bay.  

 

As for the QBs, why can't the Bills find a world class QB?  Maybe they need to do a better job at the draft, which is again the failure of a poor organization.  In 2004, the Bills traded up to take JP Losman in the first round rather than wait to take Matt Schaub (who's still in the NFL btw) in the 2nd or 3rd round.   The Bills traded up for bust WR TJ Graham in the 3rd round of the 2012 draft and left Russell Wilson for Seattle to scoop up.  How about drafting EJ Manuel in the first round in 2013 simply because they wanted a first round QB even though the QBs were all poor prospects when they could have had Teddy Bridgewater, Derek Carr or Jimmy Garoppolo the next season.  They could have had Jacoby Brissett or  Dak Prescott in 2016 instead of Cardale Jones.   Then they passed on both Mahomes and Watson in 2017 to take a DB.  

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

1 hour ago, SoTier said:

 

Great post!   I feel  the same way.  So many posters on TSW are so happy with so little it's really sad.  Aim higher, dudes!  Expect more!

 

my 2 cents 

Isn't wanting perfection the opposite side of the coin?   Expecting perfection is also an extreme opinion. 

 

The Bills are 6-2  99.999% of us here knows the team isn't perfect.  No team is perfect.   It is Why they play the games.  

 

The Bills are 6-2 and I am enjoying it as much as I can.   

 

[row_33]

1 hour ago, SoTier said:

 

Great post!   I feel  the same way.  So many posters on TSW are so happy with so little it's really sad.  Aim higher, dudes!  Expect more!

 

 

their coaches told them just showing up and giving half your best was okay and why bother trying hard in life towards a goal anyways.....

 

 

 

[SoTier]

3 minutes ago, row_33 said:

 

their coaches told them just showing up and giving half your best was okay and why bother trying hard in life towards a goal anyways.....

 

 

 

 

No, it's more like they've been so badly treated for so long that they act like any little bit of good treatment -- ie, squeakng into a WC berth or going 6-2 in the first half of the season --- that they think their in heaven.

[CLTbills]

19 hours ago, KingBoots8 said:

THANK YOU.

 

I won’t come on the boards after a loss for a few days until all the doom & gloom posts get stale. I know we have areas we can improve, and we won’t win every single game, but all that matters is we win when we can, however we can, and enjoy the ride. No team is invincible - all we need to focus on is being the better team one Sunday at a time. We haven’t been this good (or lucky if you want to go that route) in a long time. Trust the dang process and let the team grow week to week.

I'm the same way. I stay off here after a loss until AT LEAST Monday afternoon. Sometimes longer. I don't need the negativity to get me even more pissed off that the Bills lost!

[section122]

3 hours ago, SoTier said:

 

Buffalo is not a FA destination because it's a small market team or because it's in a cold weather area.  It's not a FA destination because it's been a poorly run organization for 20 years under 2 owners and has been largely irrelevant to the rest of the NFL because the team has failed to win on the field.    Winning makes teams attractive to FAs.   See Green Bay vs Washington or Tampa Bay.  

 

As for the QBs, why can't the Bills find a world class QB?  Maybe they need to do a better job at the draft, which is again the failure of a poor organization.  In 2004, the Bills traded up to take JP Losman in the first round rather than wait to take Matt Schaub (who's still in the NFL btw) in the 2nd or 3rd round.   The Bills traded up for bust WR TJ Graham in the 3rd round of the 2012 draft and left Russell Wilson for Seattle to scoop up.  How about drafting EJ Manuel in the first round in 2013 simply because they wanted a first round QB even though the QBs were all poor prospects when they could have had Teddy Bridgewater, Derek Carr or Jimmy Garoppolo the next season.  They could have had Jacoby Brissett or  Dak Prescott in 2016 instead of Cardale Jones.   Then they passed on both Mahomes and Watson in 2017 to take a DB.  

 

Green Bay rarely if ever signs FA.  I don't really see how you are touting them as a destination.  I don't disagree that the Bills are fighting a reputation they earned but doesn't that also mean that the Pegula run Bills aren't on a level playing field due to the Wilson run Bills?

 

On to the next paragraph, the expectation is super bowl or bust and you list Matt Schaub, Russel Wilson, Teddy Bridgewater, Derek Carr, Jimmy Garropolo, Jacoby Brissett and Dak Prescott as the players they missed out on.  All of those players combined have 1 super bowl win and 2 super bowl visits.  Both by Wilson.  I just looked up the stats and outside of Wilson the rest of the list looks like this:

 

Matt Schaub 1 playoff win in 16 years in 3 total playoff games started

Teddy B 0 playoff wins in 1 game started in playoffs

Derek Carr 0 and 0

Jimmy Garropolo 0 and 0 

Jacoby Brissett 0 and 0

Dak Prescott 1 in 3 total games

 

So really none of the players you listed would make you happy either since they haven't done anything worth celebrating.  This goes back to my point of people not realizing what else goes on in the NFL across the league.  We are fans if you aren't going to be excited when things are going well what is the point?  Here is your other post:

 

4 hours ago, SoTier said:

 

Great post!   I feel  the same way.  So many posters on TSW are so happy with so little it's really sad.  Aim higher, dudes!  Expect more!

 

  

I am happy with a 6-2 record.  Are you saying that the only way we should enjoy this is if they were 8-0?  They can't win the super bowl in November only lose their opportunity to compete for it.  I showed in the op that every single team has warts and struggles when you might not expect it.  They are tied for the second best record in the conference and are 1 game out of the division/conference lead.  Expect more?  Why?  I have literally zero control over what happens.  I'm happy they are 6-2.  It would have been nice to beat the Eagles or Patriots but they didn't and as I showed in OP this is a week to week league where no win is guaranteed.  Even against an 0-8 team.  This team certainly has flaws and they are worth discussing.  The doom and gloom about not blowing these teams out though is a bit much for me.  As you yourself said they have been bad for 20 years why would you deprive yourself of the enjoyment of 6-2.  You don't have to enjoy the ride I certainly won't argue that with you as you can feel however you want.  I will though Go Bills!!!

[BillsFan692]

This guy is 110% right I am even guilty of this mentality because we want to see our offense be more explosive and we haven't really gotten to see that yet. But that doesn't change the fact -- it's hard to win in the NFL and we've been doing it.

[Boatdrinks]

4 hours ago, SoTier said:

 

Great post!   I feel  the same way.  So many posters on TSW are so happy with so little it's really sad.  Aim higher, dudes!  Expect more!

 

Lol, it’s entertainment and a game. Fans can’t “ aim higher” etc etc because they have zero impact on the team. How many different teams have won Superbowls ? How many have never won it ? How many have won it, but ages ago where many current fans wouldn’t even remember it or weren’t alive to see it ? If the standard is the Super Bowl each and every year, that’s going to be a disappointing way to watch football. It’s a great game, and every season and each game are it’s own thing. Fans always want to win the Super Bowl and compete for championships every year, but realize that’s unlikely in the NFL. It’s all about expectations. How we watch football is probably an indicator about our approach to life. Can I not enjoy my Caribbean vacation because I’m not on a private island with a butler ? Can I not enjoy may sports car because it’s not a Bentley ? A dinner out if it’s not at Peter Luger ? Misery is ingrained in some people. It’s like Ferris Beuller said about life ..” if you don’t stop and smell the roses once in awhile , you might miss it !”. Be miserable if you must, but you don’t need to try to drag everyone into your bad day. Why do you find other fans enjoying the season so sad ? 

[dave mcbride]

55 minutes ago, section122 said:

 

Green Bay rarely if ever signs FA.  I don't really see how you are touting them as a destination.  I don't disagree that the Bills are fighting a reputation they earned but doesn't that also mean that the Pegula run Bills aren't on a level playing field due to the Wilson run Bills?

 

This is true. They rarely sign anyone of note. Their signing of Reggie White was a long time ago.

[iinii]

23 hours ago, section122 said:

 

It really is incredible when you look around the NFL.  Here is some more did you knows:

 

The Bills old man rushing attack currently is the 11th ranked rushing attack.

The Bills score more points per game than the Minshew mania led Jaguars and the OBJ/Landry/Mayfield/Chubb Browns.

The Bills have more passing tds than super rookie sensation Kyler Murray's Cardinals.

The Bills are 1 of 3 teams giving up less than 300 ypg on defense, less than 200 yards passing per game, and less than 17 ppg.  The Patriots and Niners are the other 2 teams that accomplish that feat.

 

 

Scary trend: 422 interior rushing yards allowed over past three games

The Eagles exposed it more than any of the Bills' opponents since the team's Week 6 bye, but Buffalo has allowed a league-high 422 interior rushing yards over the past three weeks. The Bills also have surrendered the NFL's most such yards before contact and after contact in that span. It's a problem Buffalo is rapidly attempting to fix, given it faces Nick Chubb, Phillip Lindsay, Ezekiel Elliott, Mark Ingram II, Lamar Jackson and James Conner within its next six games. -- Marcel Louis-Jacques

Those comps are skewed to fit a narrative, like most.......

[Tesla03]

no one will take this team seriously until we beat a quality opponent 

 

we could be 11-5 and everyone in the playoffs will want to play us b/c they know our record is a total fluke. 

[Jrb1979]

Its great they are 6-2 but after watching a lot of other teams this season the Bills offense looks very bad. Its mostly cause a lot of other teams use their offense to the strength of their QB. Its  hard to win against good teams using a game manager. That's what they have turned Allen into. 

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

2 hours ago, iinii said:

Scary trend: 422 interior rushing yards allowed over past three games

The Eagles exposed it more than any of the Bills' opponents since the team's Week 6 bye, but Buffalo has allowed a league-high 422 interior rushing yards over the past three weeks. The Bills also have surrendered the NFL's most such yards before contact and after contact in that span. It's a problem Buffalo is rapidly attempting to fix, given it faces Nick Chubb, Phillip Lindsay, Ezekiel Elliott, Mark Ingram II, Lamar Jackson and James Conner within its next six games. -- Marcel Louis-Jacques

Those comps are skewed to fit a narrative, like most.......

 

Scary trend: 4.7 rushing yards allowed per attempt

The 49ers' defense has been one of the best in the league this season but has struggled at times against the run, especially recently. Since Week 4, the Niners are allowing 5.54 yards per carry, which is 31st in the NFL in that time. It hasn't mattered much because San Francisco has jumped out to such big leads that teams have abandoned the run. But the 49ers are now without linebacker Kwon Alexander for the rest of the season, and the competition level is about to increase. That means the run defense is going to be tested more consistently. -- Nick Wagoner

 

Scary trend: 369 rushing yards allowed over past two games

The defense that the Patriots play most is a nickel package, with two big defensive tackles, four linebackers and five defensive backs, and the Browns (159 yards) and Ravens (210) had success running the ball over the past two weeks. Getting back to playing fundamental football, with better fits in the run game, is a good place to start. -- Mike Reiss

 

 

I think what ESPN is saying is that 

BAD things happen to GOOD teams 

Edited November 6, 2019 by SlimShady'sGhost

[section122]

1 hour ago, iinii said:

Scary trend: 422 interior rushing yards allowed over past three games

The Eagles exposed it more than any of the Bills' opponents since the team's Week 6 bye, but Buffalo has allowed a league-high 422 interior rushing yards over the past three weeks. The Bills also have surrendered the NFL's most such yards before contact and after contact in that span. It's a problem Buffalo is rapidly attempting to fix, given it faces Nick Chubb, Phillip Lindsay, Ezekiel Elliott, Mark Ingram II, Lamar Jackson and James Conner within its next six games. -- Marcel Louis-Jacques

Those comps are skewed to fit a narrative, like most.......

 

I don't want my post to be misconstrued as the Bills are perfect and beyond reproach.  For me at least Josh's fumbles are concerning as well as his deep ball accuracy.  3rd Quarter performance from the offense leaves a lot to be desired as well among other concerns.  That being said at the end of the day they are 6-2. 

 

The rush defense is certainly a concern but even with the last 3 games they still are giving up the 3rd least yards per game total and are 19th against the rush.  Among "Super Bowl Contenders" they are better than the Chiefs and Packers.  Some of these teams have better run defenses because they are so porous against the pass (Raiders, Texans, TB, Jets) or are out to such big leads that teams abandon the run (Saints, Patriots, Niners, Ravens, Texans).  The Bills certainly have a harder schedule coming up and those are some good names at RB but so are Saquon Barkley, Le'veon Bell, Joe Mixon, and Derek Henry whom they have already faced.

 

There is criticism to dish out but we shouldn't lose sight of the fact that perfect teams in the NFL don't exist.  That is all I wanted to point out in the op.  Discussion is good but it seems really weird around here with all the doom and gloom when we are 6-2.  I've been a fan for more than 30 years (wow) so I have eaten my fair share of razor cakes.  I'm gonna enjoy this ride as I do every year.  If the bottom falls out it falls out hopefully it doesn't but each Monday after a victory I don't want to come to my favorite website and see pissing and moaning about how they should have won by more.  Discussion is always welcome, whining entitled posts get my goat, that is what inspired this post.

[FLFan]

On 11/5/2019 at 1:53 PM, section122 said:

So much doom and gloom for a 6-2 team.  Enjoy it.  It has been 25 freaking years.  I watch a lot of other games.  Too many.  I then watch highlights of the games I miss during midnight feedings.  So I wanted to put some things in one thread game by game to show you that you can actually enjoy the success.  

 

The Bills only beat the Jets 17-16.  Can you believe that?  If they were good like say the Cowboys they wouldn't have needed a 4th quarter come back to win.  Oh wait the Jets beat the Cowboys.

 

The Giants game was as complete a game as they played and dominated this one.  If you complained about this one you are a terrible person and you should feel bad.

 

The Bills needed a 4th quarter comeback at home to beat the sad sack Bengals.  If they were good like Seahawks that would never happen!  Oh wait Russel Wilson did just that and even landed on 21 points same as the Bills.

 

They can't hang with the Patriots!  Oh wait they held the Patriots to their lowest point total of the season?  Wait they played the closest game save for the Ravens winning of any team in the NFL?

 

The Bills offense is terrible if only they had a real qb like Matt Ryan they would have scored more than 14 points.  Oh wait the Falcons only scored 10 points against the Titans?  

 

Can you believe the Bills only won by 10 against the Lolphins and were only up 3 late.  If only they were good like the Eagles they wouldn't struggle with these sad sack teams.  Oh wait the Eagles lost to the 1-7 Falcons?

 

Speaking of the Eagles, can you believe they ran for so many yards and put up 31 points against this defense?  If only they were as good as the Packers that would never happen.  Oh wait the Packers gave up 34 points and 176 rushing yards?  If they were a great defense like say the Patriots they would never give up over 200 yards rushing.  Oh wait that just happened to the Patriots?

 

Can you believe the Bills were only up 1 score in the 4th quarter agains the Redskins?  No I don't care that they won by 2 tds that isn't good enough.  If only they were as good as the 49ers they would have beat the doors off of them.  Oh wait they only won by 9?  How about if they were as hot as the Vikings?  oh wait they only won by 10?

 

point of this thread?  A win is a win.  Every team is talented in the NFL stacking ws is all that matters.  Stop trying to poo poo everything and realize that each game is a struggle no matter who you are.  The Patriots just lost by 17 to the same Ravens team that lost by 15 to the Browns who lost by 14 to the Patriots.  There is no need for the Bills to apologize for the schedule.  The Bills are 6-2.  The freaking Buffalo Bills are 6-2.  It is November 5th and not only are they still in contention, they are 1 loss outside of the division lead and tied for the 2nd best record in the conference.  Watch some other teams and realize none of them are perfect either.  Go Bills!!!

Great post. Sometimes I feel like I am in an alternate universe around here.  

[Augie]

We’ve beaten the teams we are supposed to beat. I find it encouraging that A) there are teams we are supposed to beat and B) so far we have actually beaten them (for the most part, the Eagles are an enigma).  Remember when we were expected to lose......and we DID? I like this MUCH better. 

[Captain_Quint]

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

3 hours ago, Augie said:

We’ve beaten the teams we are supposed to beat. I find it encouraging that A) there are teams we are supposed to beat and B) so far we have actually beaten them (for the most part, the Eagles are an enigma).  Remember when we were expected to lose......and we DID? I like this MUCH better. 

this needs repeating