SI Predicts Bills Win AFC East at 11-6, tied with Pats(Wildcard)...LMAO

[PromoTheRobot]

And then there's this from the Athletic: 32 bold and not-so-bold NFL predictions for 2021

 

Quote

New England Patriots: They miss the playoffs.

Mac Jones had a nice summer, but as mentioned repeatedly in this space, it’s really hard for rookie quarterbacks to come into the league and be good right away. Could Jones light it up from the get-go? Sure. Is that the most likely outcome? No. Adding Nelson Agholor, Kendrick Bourne, Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith is fine. But are opposing defensive coordinators really losing sleep figuring out how to stop those guys?

 

[jimmy10]

2 minutes ago, Big Turk said:

 

I mean, why isn't that the narrative for every other team then? Most don't have the talent the Bills do from top to bottom on this roster.

Don’t ask me, ask the pundits. I’m just saying it’s not unreasonable to say “yeah, they’ve got the talent, let’s see if they can keep it up and take the next step this year.”
 

And then of course there’s the contrarians who know the way to get a rise out of BillsMafia is by criticizing the Bills, not praise them. 

 

We’re tantalizingly close. 

[HappyDays]

You'd think Mac Jones was the best prospect since Andrew Luck reading some of these prognostications. I don't care what team or coach you're talking about, rookie QBs very rarely make an impact. Just like every other rookie QB he will make a couple rookie mistakes that cost his team games.

 

After watching Brady go from having the worst year of his career to being a Super Bowl champion in a new city I thought the magical sheen of the Patriots would have worn off. They are still a rebuilding roster with no elite offensive skill players and, again, a rookie QB (who was by no means an elite prospect). They are a less than .500 roster with a elite coach that might earn them 2 wins above their expected. I'll predict 8-9.

[dollars 2 donuts]

12 hours ago, NoHuddleKelly12 said:

Bingo Donuts—why does the schedule automatically hurt only us? Aren’t the other guys the ones who need to knock their W-L record projections down a peg based on the fact BUFFALO is on their schedule? 🧐

 

12 hours ago, NoHuddleKelly12 said:

Bingo Donuts—why does the schedule automatically hurt only us? Aren’t the other guys the ones who need to knock their W-L record projections down a peg based on the fact BUFFALO is on their schedule? 🧐

https://www.google.com/search?q=2021+patriots+schedule&client=safari&hl=en-us&ei=WxI1YdLEMKOl5NoPhJGDmAQ&oq=2021+patriots+&gs_lcp=Cgdnd3Mtd2l6EAEYADIFCAAQkQIyBQgAEJECMgUIABCABDILCAAQgAQQsQMQgwEyBQgAEJECMgUIABCABDIFCAAQgAQyBQgAEIAEMgUIABCABDIFCAAQgAQ6BwgAEEcQsAM6CgguELADEEMQkwI6BggAEAcQHjoICAAQCBAHEB46BggAEAgQHjoFCAAQhgM6BggAEBYQHkoECEEYAFCvQFiEemDtlQFoAXACeACAAW6IAaYHkgEEMTAuMZgBAKABAcgBCcABAQ&sclient=gws-wiz#sie=t;/m/05g3b;6;/m/059yj;mt;fp;1;;

 

Amen, Brother HUDS.  Additionally, forgive me for not losing sleep on a team we haven’t lost to since 2019. 😁😉

 

btw, rundown the schedule yourselves.  I could see them making a strong start, but I have them at 9-8.  10-7 if I am being generous. 
 

https://www.espn.com/nfl/team/schedule/_/name/ne

 

sorry for the multiple attempts to link to their schedule.  
 

Losses to Tampa, Dallas, Cleveland, Tennessee, and us twice gets you to six.  7 if you want….I think San Diego can beat them.

 

and that’s sweeping Miami which I gave them for the sake of argument, but I think is unlikely.  

 

 

 

Edited September 5, 2021 by dollars 2 donuts

[StHustle]

2 hours ago, Solomon Grundy said:

Many of these publications consider Belichick a God. They do the same with Phil Jackson in the NBA, but what has either of these guys accomplished without the GOATs in these leagues? Phil when he went to NY wrecked the team for years. Bill in Cleveland, the same. The Bill and Phil were the wizards behind the curtain. 

 

It sounds crazy to most when they hear me say it but Belichick still has to prove himself. Bottom line.

[Boatdrinks]

BB and NE will get all the love until they miss playoffs for consecutive seasons. Seems a lot of faith being placed in rookie Mac Jones and BB but that’s how it is. 

[Ghost_002!]

2 hours ago, dollars 2 donuts said:

 

 

btw, rundown the schedule yourselves.  I could see them making a strong start, but I have them at 9-8.  10-7 if I am being generous. 
 

https://www.espn.com/nfl/team/schedule/_/name/ne

 

sorry for the multiple attempts to link to their schedule.  
 

Losses to Tampa, Dallas, Cleveland, Tennessee, and us twice gets you to six.  7 if you want….I think San Diego can beat them.

 

and that’s sweeping Miami which I gave them for the sake of argument, but I think is unlikely.  

 

 

 

They beat San Diego last season 45-0 w Cam Newton and the Covid lineup. Herbert had 2 picks, again that was with their Covid roster.  

Edited September 5, 2021 by Ghost_002!

[Another Fan]

 It's gonna take more than one year to reverse 20 years of one-sided games to a neutral fan.    

 

An analogy would be the Twins and the Yankees.  The Twins couldn't and can't beat the Yankees to save their lives.  As a fan of neither team it would take more than one year of Minnesota success against them for me to believe the Twins could compete with the Yankees 

[ColoradoBills]

6 minutes ago, Ghost_002! said:

They beat San Diego last season 45-0 w Cam Newton and the Covid lineup. Herbert had 2 picks, again that was with their Covid roster.  

 

......and they also lost to the Broncos at home.

[Ghost_002!]

2 minutes ago, ColoradoBills said:

 

......and they also lost to the Broncos at home.

18-12 yup they sure did.

 

Your point?

[ColoradoBills]

2 minutes ago, Ghost_002! said:

18-12 yup they sure did.

 

Your point?

 

LOL exactly.  What's your point?

[ChronicAndKnuckles]

7 hours ago, Thurman#1 said:

 

 

SI isn't a person. It doesn't have one opinion. It's many people with many opinions.

 

And while we may have to go back two or three years because Allen surprised so much last year, it just would not be so difficult  to find some. They don't have anything against us. They don't really care.

 

Oh, and I'd argue Belichick did a fine job of coaching last year in getting that roster to seven wins. The biggest part of that dynasty was Brady, IMO, but that doesn't mean Belichick isn't damn good. He is.

 

I thought SI was a robot? Like the ones from Blade Runner. Where's Harrison Ford when you need him...

[Ghost_002!]

2 minutes ago, ColoradoBills said:

 

LOL exactly.  What's your point?

 

 

He mentioned San Deigo could be them, I gave the score of last year's game with a worse lineup. 

[ColoradoBills]

1 minute ago, Ghost_002! said:

 

 

He mentioned San Deigo could be them, I gave the score of last year's game with a worse lineup. 

 

That was last year.  I take it from your comment then you a guaranteeing a Pats* win against the Chargers this year?

[Scott7975]

19 minutes ago, Ghost_002! said:

They beat San Diego last season 45-0 w Cam Newton and the Covid lineup. Herbert had 2 picks, again that was with their Covid roster.  

 

So.  What does that have to do with anything?  SD had a bad game that week.  2 special teams scores and turning the ball over on their half of the field twice led to 28 of those points by themselves.  That flukey crap doesn't happen that much in one game often.  Except for maybe Miami who seemed to benefit from the flukey stuff all season last year.

[Ghost_002!]

5 minutes ago, ColoradoBills said:

 

That was last year.  I take it from your comment then you a guaranteeing a Pats* win against the Chargers this year?

If we are going to say "that was last year" then that applies to every game against every team this year, right? Yes i do. I don't think think SD will be a problem, BB in general has never had an issue beating any SD Chargers team. 

3 minutes ago, Scott7975 said:

 

So.  What does that have to do with anything?  SD had a bad game that week.  2 special teams scores and turning the ball over on their half of the field twice led to 28 of those points by themselves.  That flukey crap doesn't happen that much in one game often.  Except for maybe Miami who seemed to benefit from the flukey stuff all season last year.

So we are going to go with the any given sunday logic, which is fine. So why we "mad" that SI has the bills at 11-6? Any given sunday right?

Edited September 5, 2021 by Ghost_002!

[ColoradoBills]

3 minutes ago, Ghost_002! said:

If we are going to say "that was last year" then that applies to every game against every team this year, right? Yes i do. I don't think think SD will be a problem, with. BB in general has never had an issue beating any SD Chargers team. 

 

OK.  I just wanted you to give me the "guarantee".

[Ghost_002!]

Just now, ColoradoBills said:

 

OK.  I just wanted you to give me the "guarantee".

Is that what i did? "i dont think SD will be a problem...."

 

 

some how that means i guaranteed something? And even if i did and they don't and? Some Bills fans think they are going to win the SB this year, and if they don't?

[Scott7975]

5 minutes ago, Ghost_002! said:

So we are going to go with the any given sunday logic, which is fine. So why we "mad" that SI has the bills at 11-6? Any given sunday right?

 

Im not mad.  I disagree with it but if anything I think it's funny.  Yes, I do believe in any given Sunday.

[Ghost_002!]

1 minute ago, Scott7975 said:

 

Im not mad.  I disagree with it but if anything I think it's funny.  Yes, I do believe in any given Sunday.

 

 

It's all the same once you stop thinking as a "homer" (not directing that at you) I don't think Bills will go 11-6 either, I think their record will be better than that, but if not. 11-6 is not a bad record and they are still in the playoffs and would still be a threat to be in the SB. 

[ColoradoBills]

3 minutes ago, Ghost_002! said:

Is that what i did? "i dont think SD will be a problem...."

 

some how that means i guaranteed something? And even if i did and they don't and? Some Bills fans think they are going to win the SB this year, and if they don't?

 

So you don't come out and say it you just imply it.  Got it.

Next, don't group me with others.  I don't predict scores or wins and losses.

I'm a forever fan of the Bills that watches every game and hopes for a win.

 

The best part of sports in my book is to actually watch the games and see what unfolds.

[BuffaloBillyG]

6 hours ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

I don't understand exactly what you feel this contributes to the conversation, but Whatever.

 

I don't have a mortgage, and I don't bet.

 

Who do you have as our 3 or 5 losses from curiousity?

Chiefs, Titans, (Déjà Vu scheduling or what) Bucs, Pats on the road Jets in final week when we rest starters.(However we still may win this one with 2nd teamers.)

[Success]

No one does the QB hype machine better than New England.

 

Catching lightning in a bottle 2 decades ago has made pundits abandon reason when it comes to up & coming QB's in NE.  Remember when Jimmy G was there?  He's turned out okay, but he was going to be as good as Brady. They kept leaking things out of camp about how unstoppable he'd be.

 

Then Stidham.  Again - then it was Stidham.  The hype on that guy was overboard - BB had done it again w/ another non-1st rounder.

 

Then they got Cam, and he was going to be back in MVP form w/ BB as coach.

 

Now it's Jones. I actually got scared a bit & watched all of his highlights, and a replay of the Pats/Giants preseason game.  I mean, he was certainly fine - but I've seen WAY too many QB's look amazing in preseason.  I remember thinking Van Pelt could seamless replace Kelly because of how good he had looked.

 

You can't gauge anything off of preseason.  2nd & 3rd team defenses, giving QB's no exotic looks or complicated packages.  Let's see Jones once he has to face a real pass rush and a defense he's never seen.

 

[dollars 2 donuts]

3 hours ago, Ghost_002! said:

They beat San Diego last season 45-0 w Cam Newton and the Covid lineup. Herbert had 2 picks, again that was with their Covid roster.  

 

I’m not anticipating a repeat. However, if it makes you feel better they split with the Dolphins, then. 

[The Wiz]

9 hours ago, Freddie's Dead said:

 

RIP Charlie Murphy.

Ok, this is the the most useful comment I have read on this thread.  Charlie Murphy died?!?!?!?!  I had no clue.

[Ghost_002!]

4 hours ago, ColoradoBills said:

 

So you don't come out and say it you just imply it.  Got it.

Next, don't group me with others.  I don't predict scores or wins and losses.

I'm a forever fan of the Bills that watches every game and hopes for a win.

 

The best part of sports in my book is to actually watch the games and see what unfolds.

 

 

1st off, I said "some fans" where does that group you into anything. If i need to say you, i would say you. 2nd I dont have to guarantee anything or be scared to say what i feel. None of it makes me less of a fan or makes anything I post less valid. 

1 hour ago, dollars 2 donuts said:

 

I’m not anticipating a repeat. However, if it makes you feel better they split with the Dolphins, then. 

  Ok. 

Edited September 6, 2021 by Ghost_002!

[dollars 2 donuts]

52 minutes ago, Ghost_002! said:

 

 

1st off, I said "some fans" where does that group you into anything. If i need to say you, i would say you. 2nd I dont have to guarantee anything or be scared to say what i feel. None of it makes me less of a fan or makes anything I post less valid. 

  Ok. 

 

And good catch, Ghost.  I remember that game, but not really until you brought it up.

[Freddie's Dead]

3 hours ago, The Wiz said:

Ok, this is the the most useful comment I have read on this thread.  Charlie Murphy died?!?!?!?!  I had no clue.

 

Charlie Murphy passed from leukemia in 2017, he was only 57.  The Rick James and Prince sketches on Chapelle's Show are arguably the funniest sketches ever on that show.  I've looked for any way I can to incorporate Charlie Murphy references, so Marcus Murphy became "Charlie" Murphy.  I also used the GIF showing Charlie as Tyree in The Mad Real World when Tyree Jackson was here.  Charlie wasn't just Eddie Murphy's older brother, he was hilarious in his own right.

[GunnerBill]

19 hours ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

OK, fine. 

 

The article is written by Conor Orr.  Who TF is Conor Orr, and what does he know about football and the NFL East?  I'll hang up and wait.

 

Weirdnesses of the article that struck me on first pass:

I actually don't think the Bills run what's usually referenced as a "spread offense" at all, and our current offense certainly isn't predicated on maximizing Allen's mobility, as indicated by the fact his rush yards per game in 2020 were exactly HALF his rush yards in 2018.  Someone please correct me if I'm mistaken about the Bills offense being considered a "spread offense", unless we consider almost all modern NFL pass-centric offenses as "spread offenses"

 

I don't consider anyone in the NFL to run a true "spread" offense. The Bills have some spread concepts in there - as do most E-P based teams - and they ran more 4 or 5 wide than anyone in the league in 2020 so I suspect that is what he is referring to. But I wouldn't call the Bills a spread offense. They are an E-P offense with some spread concepts. 

 

19 hours ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

Just trying to figure out what the similarities between SF, Tenn, and GB offense are thought to be, and how Mike LaFleur, who was passing game coordinator and WR coach in SF after following Shanahan from Atlanta, deserves credit or partial credit for the latter two?  Anyone enlighten me?

San Fran, Tenn and Green Bay are all variations of the stretch zone version of the west coast offense. Essentially the "Shanahan" scheme. I am not sure if Tennessee will run that this year with Todd Downing as OC (that isn't what he ran in Oakland in his last stint as an OC). The LaFleurs are both disciples of that Shanahan scheme. Matt LaFleur (rather than Mike) took it to Tennessee and then Arthur Smith retained a modified version of the scheme after his departure and he has then implemented it in Green Bay as well. Mike LaFleur has been brought in to the Jets to install it there too. It is hard to know how much credit he deserves for the San Fran offense because Kyle Shanahan runs that show, but the other LaFleur had obviously absorbed enough of the detail to be reasonably successful out on his own. Remains to be seen with Mike. 

 

19 hours ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry are good players.  Judon is a beast.  But is anyone else puzzled by lauding the addition of Kendrick Bourne (SF #4 WR in Y/G) and Nelson Agholor (LV #2 WR in Y/G) as capitalizing on a depressed FA market?  Barmore may be good, and Jones may be good but we all know that what a guy can do in preseason playing against #2s and 3s and without (usually) a team-specific defensive game plan designed to target weaknesses doesn't equate to regular season.

 

The question with Henry is can he stay healthy. Judon and Smith are very good adds. I do like Bourne as a scheme fit for the E-P and both he and Agholor (who I am not a particular fan of) are upgrades on what the Patriots had at wideout last year but they are complimentary receivers really rather than guys who can transform an offense. 

[John from Riverside]

I don’t care how good bb is And he’s pretty damn good you cannot hide the fact that you are running out a rookie QB

[Radar]

On 9/5/2021 at 9:58 AM, Big Turk said:

 

We don't need to be.

True. Just commenting on being described elite team. I don't think we're "elite".

On 9/5/2021 at 10:07 AM, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

If you "don't think we're defensively not elite" does that mean you do think we defensively are elite?

Yeah, meant to edit that😁.

[Big Turk]

3 minutes ago, Radar said:

True. Just commenting on being described elite team. I don't think we're "elite".

Yeah, meant to edit that😁.

 

We are absolutely an elite team.

 

The defense doesn't need to be elite for that to be true.  The offense is going to carry us, the defense can be merely good.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

2 minutes ago, Big Turk said:

 

We are absolutely an elite team.

 

The defense doesn't need to be elite for that to be true.  The offense is going to carry us, the defense can be merely good.

 

One of our problems last year was that the defense was only part-time good, resulting in our having a middle-of-the-pack defense (16th on points, 14th on yards, 15th on sacks, 18th on pressures).

 

We need the defense to take a step to "overall good, part time awesome".  It's pretty common that teams who win championships have at least a top-10 defense - it's been true for the last 8 seasons.

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

SI.  Always behind 

 

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/32133086/simulating-2021-nfl-season-projecting-285-games-biggest-storylines-super-bowl-winner

 

Bills win Super Bowl LVI

They did it! The Buffalo Bills won their first-ever Super Bowl, capping an incredible season in which they looked like serious contenders from beginning to end.

[Big Turk]

1 hour ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

One of our problems last year was that the defense was only part-time good, resulting in our having a middle-of-the-pack defense (16th on points, 14th on yards, 15th on sacks, 18th on pressures).

 

We need the defense to take a step to "overall good, part time awesome".  It's pretty common that teams who win championships have at least a top-10 defense - it's been true for the last 8 seasons.

 

Our D will likely be improved over last year with a full training camp and less moving parts. They started rounding into form late in the year, early season was a struggle

[Hapless Bills Fan]

2 hours ago, Big Turk said:

Our D will likely be improved over last year with a full training camp and less moving parts. They started rounding into form late in the year, early season was a struggle

 

Having Milano injured then out, Edmunds injured, Phillips not all the way back from ACL, and no one else who really wanted to play 1TDT didn't help, certainly - but even with all that, I don't think we had enough hosses who could "affect the QB".   

 

Beane seems to have taken the pragmatic approach that if he couldn't afford to hire or draft a sure-fire talent,throw enough plausible bodies at the problem and hopefully 2 or 3 will work out.

 

[Big Turk]

3 hours ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

Having Milano injured then out, Edmunds injured, Phillips not all the way back from ACL, and no one else who really wanted to play 1TDT didn't help, certainly - but even with all that, I don't think we had enough hosses who could "affect the QB".   

 

Beane seems to have taken the pragmatic approach that if he couldn't afford to hire or draft a sure-fire talent,throw enough plausible bodies at the problem and hopefully 2 or 3 will work out.

 

 

We had a lot of pressures but didn't get that many sacks until we started actually bringing heat with blitzes...

 

But we definitely needed to add pieces to that area...I think with Epenesa looking like a different player, Rousseau looking like he could be a steal and Basham looking like he could be a solid piece that improves as the year progresses will be extremely beneficial to us...plus we still have Hughes and Addison...lots of different packages we can run.

 

 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

23 minutes ago, Big Turk said:

 

We had a lot of pressures but didn't get that many sacks until we started actually bringing heat with blitzes...

 

But we definitely needed to add pieces to that area...I think with Epenesa looking like a different player, Rousseau looking like he could be a steal and Basham looking like he could be a solid piece that improves as the year progresses will be extremely beneficial to us...plus we still have Hughes and Addison...lots of different packages we can run.

 

It shouldn't be overlooked that Zimmer seems determined to make himself hard to part with, and so does Obada

[Radar]

On 9/6/2021 at 1:18 PM, Big Turk said:

 

We are absolutely an elite team.

 

The defense doesn't need to be elite for that to be true.  The offense is going to carry us, the defense can be merely good.

Agree with your assessment about offense. Defense is not elite and in fact probably good. So for me the term elite team has yet to be proven.

[Billsatlastin2018]

14-3 or 13-4

 

Been on 2 Bills forums for a generation, where a few clowns would declare the Bills would win the SB! 
A few more would claim AFC Champions!
Even more would say that the Bills would beat the Pats & the GOAT... for the Division.

So laughable as the only realistic goal was win more than you lose! They couldn’t even accomplish that for the better part of this millennium.

Last year, it was getting to the AFC Championship- Mission accomplished.

Only ONE goal in 2021.
WIN THE SB! And they are all in for it, as you have to pay others in 2022.

“Where would you rather be, than right here- RIGHT NOW!”

GO BILLS!