Watching the playoffs and this team was closer to a superbowl than we think

[Ray Stonada]

Super Bowl contenders average 28-33 points per game.

 

Next year we might too, if we get a couple playmakers, Motor has a big year, and Josh develops another notch.

 

But this year's team was never at that level.

[Mr. WEO]

17 hours ago, Hebert19 said:

AFC is terrible. Bills could beat any of these teams.   Any give Sunday in AFC this year. Hope it's just the start for us and we didnt miss an opportunity 

 

AFC is still solid.  Chiefs are out of control.

 

Bills couldn't beat any of the playoff teams.  After the Chiefs, AFC is wide open.

[apuszczalowski]

1 hour ago, Cripple Creek said:

I’m firm in my belief that the Bills D would have held KC to no more than 49 yesterday.

That's only 2-1/2 weeks worth of offence from the Bills.......

[Cripple Creek]

6 minutes ago, apuszczalowski said:

That's only 2-1/2 weeks worth of offence from the Bills.......

I prefer to focus on the positives.

[Mr. WEO]

All it took to make the playoffs this season was a winning record.  4 divisions had only 1 such team.

[eball]

17 hours ago, Joe in Winslow said:

 

My post after the loss stands. This team is in  incredible shape.

 

 

I'm really curious if even the most cynical, skeptical fans among us dispute this.  Unless you still don't believe Josh Allen is a franchise guy, I don't know how you could not be excited moving forward.  We finally appear to be on the cusp of becoming a year-in, year-out contender.

[C.Biscuit97]

3 minutes ago, eball said:

 

I'm really curious if even the most cynical, skeptical fans among us dispute this.  Unless you still don't believe Josh Allen is a franchise guy, I don't know how you could not be excited moving forward.  We finally appear to be on the cusp of becoming a year-in, year-out contender.

It certainly seems that way but things change quick in the nfl.  On paper, we are going to have a much harder schedule next year.  Guys will start getting paid and the cap will shrink.  They should treat this season as the beginning of their SB window because that window can close fast. Look at the Bears. 

[ILBillsfan]

17 hours ago, ScottLaw said:

Should’ve pushed harder at the trade deadline...

Agree with this completely but I just think prices were too high for what the return was.

 

Only one player I would of broke the bank for and it of course would of required Tampa to at least listen ?

[The Jokeman]

17 hours ago, Hebert19 said:

AFC is terrible. Bills could beat any of these teams.   Any give Sunday in AFC this year. Hope it's just the start for us and we didnt miss an opportunity 

I'm not sure we could beat KC, that offense is just deadly that said I do agree with a few improvements the Bills should be back in the top 3-6 teams in the AFC again next season. 

[eball]

6 minutes ago, C.Biscuit97 said:

It certainly seems that way but things change quick in the nfl.  On paper, we are going to have a much harder schedule next year.  Guys will start getting paid and the cap will shrink.  They should treat this season as the beginning of their SB window because that window can close fast. Look at the Bears. 

 

Sure, "things change quick" but certain franchises never become irrelevant and if you've listened at all to Beane and McDermott they've said all along they are all about sustained success.  The Bears are not a good comparison with the Bills for many reasons, most of which have already been laid out in that thread.

[Cripple Creek]

48 minutes ago, eball said:

 

I'm really curious if even the most cynical, skeptical fans among us dispute this.  Unless you still don't believe Josh Allen is a franchise guy, I don't know how you could not be excited moving forward.  We finally appear to be on the cusp of becoming a year-in, year-out contender.

The team is in a really good place. Good talent base. Good cap situation. Good leadership.

 

Don’t believe? Go back 2-3 years and look at the needs and the resources available.  We can actually sign our own. They decided to quickly flush the players they didn’t want and that had to be paid for. Now Beane is truly free to build what they envision.

 

Everything adjusts when Allen gets paid, but Beane and Littman appear to be strong in the planning department.

[BillsfanAZ]

I am ok if it takes another season or two to be a strong enough team on offense and defense to get to the superbowl. I dont want to get there based on defense alone and the offense cant do much. 

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

17 minutes ago, Cripple Creek said:

The team is in a really good place. Good talent base. Good cap situation. Good leadership.

 

Don’t believe? Go back 2-3 years and look at the needs and the resources available.  We can actually sign our own. They decided to quickly flush the players they didn’t want and that had to be paid for. Now Beane is truly free to build what they envision.

 

Everything adjusts when Allen gets paid, but Beane and Littman appear to be strong in the planning department.

 

Great take!

 

 

[Jrb1979]

46 minutes ago, Cripple Creek said:

The team is in a really good place. Good talent base. Good cap situation. Good leadership.

 

Don’t believe? Go back 2-3 years and look at the needs and the resources available.  We can actually sign our own. They decided to quickly flush the players they didn’t want and that had to be paid for. Now Beane is truly free to build what they envision.

 

Everything adjusts when Allen gets paid, but Beane and Littman appear to be strong in the planning department.

My only concern is top defenses are hard to keep together for multiple seasons. I can see in a few seasons the defense taking a few steps back. 

 

Yes the Bills are in good position to be a playoff team but I don't think they are close at all. Til Allen and the offense can prove they can score more then 19 points week in and week out I doubt the Bills will go far when they make the playoffs. I hope K.C. wins it all cause I like seeing high powered offenses. I don't know why so many Bills fans want to go back to the Rockpile days with lots of running the ball and great defense. 

[Dan]

This team ..especially Josh Allen.. is a lot closer than many fans and pundits want to admit.  For all the misery and irratic play that people want to heap on Allen for the wild card game, I think the glass was actually more than half full.  Yeah, he had some boneheaded plays and they ended up losing the game.  

 

But...  He hit Brown on the sidelines with a great pass that should have given us a first and goal.  Brown lost focus and didn't get his feet down.  He hit Duke on a beauitful pass that should have been a touchdown.  Duke was activated specifically becuase he would be that big, sure handed WR that could make contested catches... He didn't.  

 

In overtime, he avoided pressure and heaved a ball downfield to DeMarco for what would have been a huge play.  Again, an awesome throw, that Demarco completely miss times his jump and doesn't even get his hands on the ball.  How many of those passes does Mahommes complete every week because his WR makes the catch?  But our staff has the fullback running that route??  

 

He executed a really nice power sweep, the same play that resulted in a huge gain to start the game. Only to have the TE completely whiff on the block and give the LB a clean shot at his head.  

 

Despite those examples, and there are others, he still drove the team with a minute left to tie the game and send it to overtime.  He still had us in position to win in overtime if not for a bad penalty call.  

 

This team is young.  We need some play makers, especially at WR.   We need a few other players.  I'd really like to see the defense be more aggressive. I'd like to see the coaching staff pull their heads out of their asses.  But there is no doubt this team is close to being a perrenial playoff contender. Next season nothing is a given.  Everyone, including and especially Allen, needs to improve.  But, based on the last 2 years, I see no reason to doubt that they will.    

 

 

[Another Fan]

Unlike 2017 I can say the Bills were a solid playoff team.  That year we had the lucky Bengals play to get in at 9-7.  That Jaguars game might have been the most unmemorable playoff game to any non Bills fan for the past 5 years.

 

That being said theres still a ways to go though before saying the Bills are presently champion contenders.  What’s encouraging though is Mc Dermott has built a solid foundation for culture these last few years.  
 

A lot of it’s up to Allen to see if he can elevate his game 

 

[reddogblitz]

I kindof got the opposite impression. When I watched Houston, KC, Green Bay, even Seattle rack up the points I'm thinking unless our D totally shuts them down we'd get blowed out cuz we can't score points. Until that changes, we can only imagine competing with the likes of KC,  Houston, Seattle, or Tennessee.

 

Look at the skill position players the teams like KC and Houston and have.  Brown would be at best 3rd or 4th on either of these teams and our best TE whoever that is Kroft or Knox would be 3rd or 4th if even on the team.

 

This has to change this off season. When I see the kind of offensive player acquisitions we have gotten over the last 3 off seasons and hear Beane and McDermott saying they don't want to bring in high prices FAs and build through the draft makes me wonder if we will do what we need to do get this to a championship caliber offense.

 

Teams with talent like KC and Houston is who we are competing against if we want to take that next step..

[BuffaloBill963]

20 hours ago, RalphWilson'sNewWar said:

 Buffalo is awful against starting QBs.

so first figure out how to beat a teams starting QB and then go from there.

What?

[Hebert19]

5 hours ago, Mr. WEO said:

 

AFC is still solid.  Chiefs are out of control.

 

Bills couldn't beat any of the playoff teams.  After the Chiefs, AFC is wide open.

But the issue is...the chiefs overpaid Watkins.  Paid Kelce and now have to pay mahomes 40M sooner than later.  They have this year and maybe 1 more as they aren't built the same way we are. 

[RalphWilson'sNewWar]

1 hour ago, BuffaloBill963 said:

What?

Teams real starting QBs.  Buffalo was 2-6 against them and 8-0 against backups.  I broke this down in another thread but here this  is how I see it.  You may agree or disagree.

 

Buffalo vs. Starting/Franchise QBs

Darnold - Win

Brady - Loss. Loss

Wentz - Loss

Mayfield - Loss

Prescott - Win

L. Jackson - Loss

D. Watson - Loss

2-6 Record

 

Buffalo v Back-Up/Benched QBs

E. Manning - Win

A. Dalton - Win

M. Mariota - Win

R. Fitzpatrick - Win, Win

D. Haskins - Win

B. Allen - Win

D. Hodges - Win

 

8-0 Record

 

**Will omit the Jets/Bills Week 17 Game as Allen didn’t play**
 

 

[Mr. WEO]

1 hour ago, Hebert19 said:

But the issue is...the chiefs overpaid Watkins.  Paid Kelce and now have to pay mahomes 40M sooner than later.  They have this year and maybe 1 more as they aren't built the same way we are. 

 

Bills are going to have to overpay Philips, Lawson, Poyer.....

[apuszczalowski]

54 minutes ago, Hebert19 said:

But the issue is...the chiefs overpaid Watkins.  Paid Kelce and now have to pay mahomes 40M sooner than later.  They have this year and maybe 1 more as they aren't built the same way we are. 

Who cares if they overpaid for someone or will have to pay someone in the future. Know why they have to pay Mahommes sooner than later? Because he is helping to make that team one of the top teams in the entire league and was the reigning MVP from last year. It's what happens to the really good teams when they are good, they have to pay players really well because those players are really good and made them what they are.

 

The Bills aren't built the way the Chiefs are, but they also aren't at the same level as the Chiefs. The Chiefs came into the season as one of the favorites from the AFC for the SB after being one of the top teams to n the AFC last season. The Bills struggled to get to 10-6 with an easy schedule and were beaten by a Texans team in the WC game after blowing a large half time lead.

 

You don't think if/when the Bills reach the level the Chiefs are at now as one of the top teams from the AFC, they won't be reaching a point where they are making tough decisions under the cap? If you don't want to have to pay Allen $30-40 mil a year, you better hope he doesn't get any better....

[dollars 2 donuts]

Respectfully, and I want to be really f***ing clear about my opinion on this: no they are not.

 

This teams values above all else things like comradely, faith, defense, brotherhood, and having each others backs...all are fine.

 

However, until they value scoring in the same breathe as the above, until they are greedier than Gollum is over his Precious with putting points on the board, until they deem a 17-13 win in post game as failure by at least stating, "we didn't score at least 3 tds," then this team isn't really that far from the team on the field in 2018 and a good receiver here and a stout tackle there isn't going to fix it.  

 

...they lost on Saturday because they don't love points as much as they love other things...and that is a sickness that I am not sure those in the room know how to cure.

[ngbills]

NFL - Just about any team can beat any team. You can be just as close to being in the Super Bowl as having a top 10 draft pick. 

 

Our Bills? This is why I dont like hearing - the process, we are not supposed to win this year, building for next year. Its about opportunity and this year was clearly one of those years anyone could have been in the Super Bowl. Heck for a few minutes there it looked like TENN v HOU in the AFC Championships. In the NFC Championship you have teams that were 4-12 and 6-9-1 in 2018. Meanwhile you have 12-4 CHI and 13-3 Rams not even in the playoffs. 

 

When you have a chance to win you go for it. I think if the Bills had made some moves during the season they are playing this week. If they could have added that WR at the deadline would that get them past HOU? I think so. Then can they play with KC? Never know. 

[Hebert19]

17 hours ago, apuszczalowski said:

Who cares if they overpaid for someone or will have to pay someone in the future. Know why they have to pay Mahommes sooner than later? Because he is helping to make that team one of the top teams in the entire league and was the reigning MVP from last year. It's what happens to the really good teams when they are good, they have to pay players really well because those players are really good and made them what they are.

 

The Bills aren't built the way the Chiefs are, but they also aren't at the same level as the Chiefs. The Chiefs came into the season as one of the favorites from the AFC for the SB after being one of the top teams to n the AFC last season. The Bills struggled to get to 10-6 with an easy schedule and were beaten by a Texans team in the WC game after blowing a large half time lead.

 

You don't think if/when the Bills reach the level the Chiefs are at now as one of the top teams from the AFC, they won't be reaching a point where they are making tough decisions under the cap? If you don't want to have to pay Allen $30-40 mil a year, you better hope he doesn't get any better....

I'd say we havent put ourselves into a situation where we will have to make as many of those decisions.   We are built differently.  Parts are interchangeable.  They are going to have 70M locked into 3 players on offense.

17 hours ago, Mr. WEO said:

 

Bills are going to have to overpay Philips, Lawson, Poyer.....

I think you are wrong.  I'd say 2 of them walk and poyer gets an extension that will give us cap flexibility.  

[Protocal69]

On 1/12/2020 at 5:03 PM, Mango said:

Inversely it means that this team is a few plays away from 8-8 because on any given Sunday in the AFC...

 

2 examples:

 

1. 1st jets game. It’s the only game we won where we lost the QB differential. Darnold also had mono. 

 

2. TEN. They missed 4 field goals and had 2 TDS called back. Mariota was benched shortly after. We won 14-7. 

Don’t play that game. Bills was getting in their own way vs the Jets and While TN missed 4fg 3 were from over 50 yards and we were in fg range at end if it was needed

[Mango]

2 minutes ago, Protocal69 said:

Don’t play that game. Bills was getting in their own way vs the Jets and While TN missed 4fg 3 were from over 50 yards and we were in fg range at end if it was needed

 

Buffalo got in their own way in:

 

-Jets 1

-Bengals

- NE 1

-Titans

-Browns

- Jets 2

- Houston

 

Seems to happen a lot....

[C.Biscuit97]

19 hours ago, Hebert19 said:

But the issue is...the chiefs overpaid Watkins.  Paid Kelce and now have to pay mahomes 40M sooner than later.  They have this year and maybe 1 more as they aren't built the same way we are. 

They have the best qb in the nfl, a generational talent.  They are fine. 

[colin]

over all we are in solid shape, but what we are missing is GLARING.

 

we just have no weapons on O.  We could use an OT upgrade, we need an RB2 but there are plenty of those, and dropping a wad of cash on a pass rusher would really help the team, but we ABSOLUTELY need weapons.

 

bean was looking at AB, OBJ, so im pretty certain he will be riding hard to drop like 20 a year on a star WR.  that single addition alone would have had us facing KC after spanking the texans, and maybe we even win there.

 

 

[Hebert19]

1 hour ago, C.Biscuit97 said:

They have the best qb in the nfl, a generational talent.  They are fine. 

Works well for Stafford and ryan.  2 very good qbs that cant put talent around him. 

[Protocal69]

On 1/14/2020 at 10:14 AM, Mango said:

 

Buffalo got in their own way in:

 

-Jets 1

-Bengals

- NE 1

-Titans

-Browns

- Jets 2

- Houston

 

Seems to happen a lot....

So don’t play that game like I said. 

[LABILLBACKER]

On 1/12/2020 at 1:12 PM, Hebert19 said:

Patriots regressing.  Chiefs in cap hell sooner than later.  Baltimore is severely limited by jackson.  Houston will be same.  Tennessee still doesn't have a QB (come on) and the rest are mediocre teams.  

This era is lining up so much like 1989. Jim was 30 when the Bills hit SB25. For God's sake Josh is only 23. Scary optimistic future for us.

[Mango]

3 hours ago, Protocal69 said:

So don’t play that game like I said. 

point was, teams who get in their own way, generally are more consistently 8-8 than they are 10+ wins. 
 

Which is what I was responding too in regards to a thread about the Bills being super bowl competitors. They were 2 very flukey games from being 8-8. They got in their own way 6/16 games plus the playoffs. Teams that do that, are not generally close to the super bowl because they require too many bounces, flukes. Etc. 

[Manther]

On 1/12/2020 at 4:12 PM, Hebert19 said:

Patriots regressing.  Chiefs in cap hell sooner than later.  Baltimore is severely limited by jackson.  Houston will be same.  Tennessee still doesn't have a QB (come on) and the rest are mediocre teams.  

Agree on all except Houston.  If a new HC goes to Houston they could be dominant.  I hope they keep O’Brien for next year.  Even the following year.  I can’t imagine BO could keep the facade going longer than that.

[Tcali]

On 1/12/2020 at 1:00 PM, Hebert19 said:

AFC is terrible. Bills could beat any of these teams.   Any give Sunday in AFC this year. Hope it's just the start for us and we didnt miss an opportunity 

The Bills lost to a bad Texans team which got blown out by KC,,,,-And that means we were closer to the SB than we think????

[Manther]

On 1/12/2020 at 4:33 PM, Happy Gilmore said:

IMO, biggest problem we have is the coaching staff's game management philosophy.  No closing instinct, they seem content in allowing the opponent to stay in the game.

Agreed.  The coaching staff seems to address issues and make improvements in the offseason.  More so than most staffs.  No egos or my way or the highway.  I am hopeful and confident they will fix this.

 

Agreed it is an issue and needs fixed.

 

Maybe we can have nice things!?

[Manther]

On 1/12/2020 at 6:22 PM, Buffalo619 said:

Confidence in the hyper conservative approach? Playing not to lose? Never beating the Pats? 
 

What exactly are our coaches doing correctly?

I hope and am confident the coaches will learn from this and be more aggressive/less conservative next year.  Especially against the better teams in the league.

 

Trust the process!  
 

I guess I am trusting the process until they prove otherwise.

 

Go Bills!

[Manther]

On 1/12/2020 at 7:27 PM, Scott7975 said:

You are probably going to take some flack and so are some others including myself, but I also believe this team is closer than some want to admit.  A couple more pieces on offense and another step from Allen.  This defense was have been one of the best in the playoffs already.  Just need our offense to get their too and I don't think that is too far away.

Agreed!

[Happy]

12 minutes ago, Manther said:

Agreed.  The coaching staff seems to address issues and make improvements in the offseason.  More so than most staffs.  No egos or my way or the highway.  I am hopeful and confident they will fix this.

 

Agreed it is an issue and needs fixed.

 

Maybe we can have nice things!?

 

I really hope we can have nice things.  This offseason will be an indication of "the process" and if it is truly applied to the coaching staff, because it needs to be.  McD, I'm sure sees that the offense wasn't anywhere near good enough in terms of play calling; Daboll needs some process.  The defense (yes, defense) wasn't good enough in getting to the QB, as well as the prevent/soft zone Frazier likes to play when having a lead; McD and Frazier need to see that allowing opponents to stay in games prevents you from winning.  If they didn't learn this vs Houston, I don't think they ever will.  They also need to continue to tighten the run blocking gaps, which were exploited multiple times this year.  McD and Frazier need some process.  Special Teams, Heath Farwell was very disappointing earlier in the season allowing the Pats (and one other team - Dolphins or Eagles, I thought)  to block a punt due to weaknesses in the punt blocking formation, though this seemed to get fixed as the season went on.  Maybe Farwell already got his process, but we'll see next year.  McD's game management is getting better, but still lots of room for improvement.

 

Of course the players will get the process, and we'll also get some new players.  Additionally, with the ones we have now, execution should be better with another year of experience under their belt.  The point is the coaching wasn't good enough this year and they need some "process."

[John in Jax]

Regarding the title of this thread: NO, they really were not, or they surely would have taken care of (beaten) Houston.

 

Now, they MAY or MAY NOT "turn the corner" next year. I sure hope that they do, but of course, we will have to wait & see.