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Not Sure We Will Repeat as AFCE Champs


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I'm more pessimistic than most on this board, but I think we're the overwhelming favorites to win the AFCE again this season. 

 

Miami would be worrisome if Tua takes a giant leap and progresses to being elite, but I've seen nothing from him yet to indicate that will happen.

 

NE will be better, but Cam is a bottom tier QB at this point. I'd be more scared by NE if they had signed Fitz

 

Jets will be better (how could they not?), but will still very likely be a bottom feeder. 

 

If I was going to assign odds of who wins the AFCE I'd say 

 

80% Bills

10% Dolphins

9% Patriots

1% Jets

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Injuries can change anything. If there’s not serious injuries to key spots we are still the second best team in the AFC until proven otherwise. I’m not sure how anyone could dislike this offensive line. The run game is a lot of rhythm and linemen don’t get into that rhythm when you only attempt runs 5-7 times a half. They were fantastic in pass protection though, and last I checked our best player is the quarterback. This isn’t fantasy football despite how many people act. You can’t just get any free agent you want by clicking their name. Sometimes it’s better to stay with what got you to the dance opposed to the shiny free agent that may or may not perform or gel with your team. Other teams in the east HAVE to spend to try and keep up with what we already have. Don’t fool yourself the other 3 east teams are playing catch-up to buffalos roster despite some of y’all hating half our players. 

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8 minutes ago, blacklabel said:

The one reason I think this Bills team can have sustained success is the culture. This is a real team. These guys care about one another and they're really all unified in their goal of winning it all. I don't think you can say the same about the other teams. Up in New England they just want machines, not people. Flores is trying to get a culture installed in Miami but he's not helping his players trust him by his back and forth BS last season with Fitz and Tua. And the Jets...as long as Woody Johnson owns that team they're gonna be dumpster turds. 

 

I love your take on this.   I do believe a team is more than the sum of its parts.  And McD has created something special here.  

 

But from what I've read, Flores is successfully building a similar culture in Miami - even if he waffled on the QB call.  

 

And - despite last year's results - I still think there's something to "The Patriot Way."

 

Also, culture may be important but so is individual talent.  I wish we had more of it.  

 

 

15 minutes ago, Bangarang said:

Let me help you feel better: Darnold sucks, Cam sucks and Tua sucks. Thanks for listening.

 

Weirdly, that did make me feel better.  

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19 minutes ago, hondo in seattle said:

I’m usually not a Negative Nancy but today let me be that guy.

 

The AFCE will be harder this year.  The Pats, Phins, and Jets all got better while the Bills got worse.

 

Pats.  They didn’t resolve the signal caller issue but Bill’s epic spending spree improved the rest of the roster.

 

Phins.  Tua – who Fitz seems to love – should be better his sophomore year.   To help, they went out and got Will Fuller.

 

Jets.  While they picked up a couple nice free agents defensive linemen, the best thing the Jets did this offseason was change out their entire coaching staff. 

 

The Bills were an interesting team last year.  Despite the 13-3 record and AFC Championship game appearance, our guys only excelled in two areas: special teams and passing the ball.   Unfortunately, our ST unit lost its two best players: Roberts & Bojorquez. 

 

While there were moments of excellence, no level of our D was consistently good.  And our offensive running attack was putrid.  None of those shortcomings have been addressed so far.

 

Beane did a nice job retaining our offensive linemen.  Sadly, though, they’re just not that good.  They don’t open holes in the running game.  And Daboll has to use TEs and RBs to help with pass pro.  Even with that help, we couldn’t protect Josh in KC. 

 

While the rest of the AFCE stepped up, we stood still at best and probably stepped back. 

 

Fingers crossed –free agency isn’t over and we still have the draft. 

 

Vegas is probably thinking "The Bills lost their punter and return guy.....that's crippling to a team.  Wild Card at best".

 

 

 

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17 minutes ago, junior12thman92 said:
  • Haack is better at pinning the ball than Bojo is. Bojo has a stronger leg. 
  • Roberts is a big loss in the return game - hopefully McKenzie can fill in nicely.
  • Hollister > Smith, Kroft.
  • Sanders is as good, if not better than Brown

 

Given all that (and the fact that we're going to add in the draft), I don't think we took a step back. When it comes to NE, MIA, and NYJ, everyone knew they would improve considering they were all in the top 5 in cap space. 

 

Agree with the points about Roberts/McKenzie, Hollister and Sanders.  

 

But about Bojo.  Last season...

 

*  Bojo averaged 50.8 gross and 44.0 net.

*  Haack averaged 44.7 gross and 39.8 net.  

 

Haack may have better directional control but overall he's not as good as Bojo.  

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1 minute ago, hondo in seattle said:

 

Agree with the points about Roberts/McKenzie, Hollister and Sanders.  

 

But about Bojo.  Last season...

 

*  Bojo averaged 50.8 gross and 44.0 net.

*  Haack averaged 44.7 gross and 39.8 net.  

 

Haack may have better directional control but overall he's not as good as Bojo.  

 

So the only way to measure a punter is how far he can kick?  Pinning the ball deep isn't measurement at all?

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Keeping a 13-3 team of 53 players almost entirely intact is quite a feat, and for the sake of continuity, I see us being overall better.   Our young QB is also still on the upswing, so once again- better.

 

The other AFCE teams had more catching up to do than we had needed personnel improvements.
 

Coaching is my main concern.  We were unstoppable when we came out aggressive, but beatable when conservative. 

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24 minutes ago, hondo in seattle said:

I’m usually not a Negative Nancy but today let me be that guy.

 

The AFCE will be harder this year.  The Pats, Phins, and Jets all got better while the Bills got worse.

 

Pats.  They didn’t resolve the signal caller issue but Bill’s epic spending spree improved the rest of the roster.

 

Phins.  Tua – who Fitz seems to love – should be better his sophomore year.   To help, they went out and got Will Fuller.

 

Jets.  While they picked up a couple nice free agents defensive linemen, the best thing the Jets did this offseason was change out their entire coaching staff. 

 

The Bills were an interesting team last year.  Despite the 13-3 record and AFC Championship game appearance, our guys only excelled in two areas: special teams and passing the ball.   Unfortunately, our ST unit lost its two best players: Roberts & Bojorquez. 

 

While there were moments of excellence, no level of our D was consistently good.  And our offensive running attack was putrid.  None of those shortcomings have been addressed so far.

 

Beane did a nice job retaining our offensive linemen.  Sadly, though, they’re just not that good.  They don’t open holes in the running game.  And Daboll has to use TEs and RBs to help with pass pro.  Even with that help, we couldn’t protect Josh in KC. 

 

While the rest of the AFCE stepped up, we stood still at best and probably stepped back. 

 

Fingers crossed –free agency isn’t over and we still have the draft. 

Let me respond:

 

1.  Our best ST guys were not Roberts and Bojorquez.  Our best ST guy was Bass.  

 

2.  We kept Williams at RT; without him we would have had to retool at that position.  

 

3.  Our D will be helped by Star coming back into the 1 technique.  Keeping Milano is also a plus.  They still have a couple pieces to work on there.

 

4.  The Pats tried to buy a team in free agency.  That rarely if ever works in the NFL.  And if Cam is their QB they are still going to have issues.  

 

5.  Saying Tua should be better seems to be a wish to buttress your argument.  From what we saw of Tua last year I am not worried.  And the Jets will still probably have Darnold and if not a rookie signal caller who will have to adjust.

 

No question we'll have to improve the run game.  But teams are going to have to figure out  how to stop our passing game, and to the tune of a 13-3 record no one could last year.

 

 

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3 minutes ago, Royale with Cheese said:

 

Vegas is probably thinking "The Bills lost their punter and return guy.....that's crippling to a team.  Wild Card at best".

 

 

 

 

I don't bet and don't care what Vegas is thinking.  My main point is that we've mostly stood pat this offseason.  That's not terrible when you're 13-3 but I'm 62 years old and my favorite sweatshirt reads, "Just One Before I Die."  Beane has to find ways to make us better. 

 

And I'm not knocking Beane.  I give him credit for building a playoff roster in the first place and then keeping the band together in a challenging year.  But we need more before we can hoist a Lombardi.  

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I just find it amazing how the Jets and Dolphins, who spend money on FA all the time, have really nothing to show for it and continue being bad.

But, when they do it again this offseason.....they're definitely better.  Like it's finally their year they got it right.

 

The Bills are a better team top top to bottom than every team in the AFCE. 

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This is why we can't have nice things. Bills are worse because of a punter and aged returner. That is hysterical. I suppose OP could be right -- but I'll take the team that returns nearly every starter and backup from the AFC Championship game. 

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31 minutes ago, Mat68 said:

Who has the best coaching staff and Qb...  thats your division winners.  Tua no shot.  Darnold no shot.  Cam no shot. 

 

To be fair the best coach is in NE. We would all love it if McDermott could accomplish half of what Bill has. That said the Bills should win the division. Best QB and one of the best rosters in the league.

31 minutes ago, Mat68 said:

Who has the best coaching staff and Qb...  thats your division winners.  Tua no shot.  Darnold no shot.  Cam no shot. 

 

To be fair the best coach is in NE. We would all love it if McDermott could accomplish half of what Bill has. That said the Bills should win the division. Best QB and one of the best rosters in the league.

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