Schedule release day 5/11/23 - 8:00 PM EST on ESPN2

[Bills!Win!]

It’s getting to the point where spring begins and I’m just getting over the annual playoff loss depression. I’m excited about this season because we aren’t the Super Bowl favorites. Last year was stressful for me as a fan because I joined in on those Super Bowl expectations. This year is going to be a fun ride because the expectations aren’t to an extreme. We will see a new team - a new DC, most likely a new defensive philosophy, rookies, and some beefy new blood on the O-line/D-line. 
 

Schedule release day has become one of my favorite days of the year because once the schedule comes out i can start planning my September - December. Let’s talk about it here! 

Edited May 9, 2023 by Bills!Win!

[Gregg]

My season opener prediction is Pats at Bills Sun 9/10 at 1:00.

[Bills!Win!]

When does the training camp/pre season schedule come out? After schedule release day? 

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

Between all the pre-releases of games Wednesday and all day Thursday, what is the over/under for how many Bills games will actually be unknown till 8:00 PM Thursday.  The London game will be released on Wednesday for certain, the Friday after thanksgiving which they are rumored to play in will be released early, plus other big match ups

 

I'll go with 12

[PBF81]

I'm wondering whether the London game opponent will be the Cowboys as the "road team," in a symbolic transition from the old "America's Team," to the new "America's Team."   

 

[The Wiz]

43 minutes ago, PBF81 said:

I'm wondering whether the London game opponent will be the Cowboys as the "road team," in a symbolic transition from the old "America's Team," to the new "America's Team."   

 

Will the cowboys be wearing their Nike Color Rush redcoats?

[Doc Brown]

I want at Bengals week 1.  Don’t care what day or time. 

[TFBillsfan]

5 hours ago, Bills!Win! said:

It’s getting to the point where spring begins and I’m just getting over the annual playoff loss depression. I’m excited about this season because we aren’t the Super Bowl favorites. Last year was stressful for me as a fan because I joined in on those Super Bowl expectations. This year is going to be a fun ride because the expectations aren’t to an extreme. We will see a new team - a new DC, most likely a new defensive philosophy, rookies, and some beefy new blood on the O-line/D-line. 
 

Schedule release day has become one of my favorite days of the year because once the schedule comes out i can start planning my September - December. Let’s talk about it here! 

Personally, my expectations aren’t any different this season, so I expect it to be just as stressful. I think we can all agree it’s not unreasonable to expect this team can win the Superbowl THIS YEAR. The expectations of the franchise, the players and fan base has dramatically changed. After the last three seasons, it doesn’t matter what the media or talking heads say.

 

Stay healthy, eliminate self inflicted mistakes, don’t stumble against lesser opponents and play to their potential.  Do that and there’s no one they can’t beat.

[Dablitzkrieg]

34 minutes ago, Doc Brown said:

I want at Bengals week 1.  Don’t care what day or time. 

I agree

[Bills fan since 87]

6 hours ago, Bills!Win! said:

When does the training camp/pre season schedule come out? After schedule release day? 

 

Yep, preseason usually a week later i think?  Training camp sked comes out a few weeks prior to the start camp

[stlbills13]

Just saw a leak that our last game of the season is February 11th in Vegas. Rumored opponents are the Eagles, 49ers, Cowboys, Giants, and even Lions. 

[EasternOHBillsFan]

It's also my father's birthday... he was murdered in Niagara Falls and died 23 years ago, poisoned.

 

Sorry, I won't be celebrating like the rest of you. 😪

[BillsNutHawaii]

8 hours ago, Bills!Win! said:

It’s getting to the point where spring begins and I’m just getting over the annual playoff loss depression. I’m excited about this season because we aren’t the Super Bowl favorites. Last year was stressful for me as a fan because I joined in on those Super Bowl expectations. This year is going to be a fun ride because the expectations aren’t to an extreme. We will see a new team - a new DC, most likely a new defensive philosophy, rookies, and some beefy new blood on the O-line/D-line. 
 

Schedule release day has become one of my favorite days of the year because once the schedule comes out i can start planning my September - December. Let’s talk about it here! 

"We will see a new team - a new DC, most likely a new defensive philosophy, rookies, and some beefy new blood on the O-line/D-line."  I have to disagree, mostly, here's why:

- A new DC, most likely a new defensive philosophy: Coach McDermott would only employ a Defensive Coordinator who follows the same philosophy as he does.  I don't see a new philosophy.  I do see expect to see some additional sense of urgency on defense - Coach McDermott, as HC, will not be outdone by a "mere" coordinator (Leslie Frazier).

- Rookies: For coach McDermott, rookies usually don't play so much.  Additionally, in the last 4 years our draft picks have been quite underwhelming, I don't expect this year to be much different.  Last years rookies, I look forward to seeing the potential growth there.
- Some beefy new blood on the O-line: I concur with you here, I just wish we would have used our 3rd pick on a OT (See KC Chiefs).
- Some beefy new blood on the D-line: I must have missed this memo.  Who is the "beefy new blood" here?  Other than Poona Ford, no new blood on the d-line and Poona is definitely undersized for an NFL interior d-lineman.  What did I miss?

 

Thoughts?

[SCBills]

Give it a few years … schedule release will be done by Greg Gumbel in the style/drama of the NCAAT Selection Show.  
 

Honestly not sure why they haven’t gotten there yet.  

[NoHuddleKelly12]

3 hours ago, Doc Brown said:

I want at Bengals week 1.  Don’t care what day or time. 

Before or after we also take care of Holyfield? 🤔

https://www.military.com/video/off-duty/humor/chris-farley-as-general-schwarzkopf/663148156001

[Doc Brown]

1 hour ago, BillsNutHawaii said:

- Rookies: For coach McDermott, rookies usually don't play so much.  Additionally, in the last 4 years our draft picks have been quite underwhelming, I don't expect this year to be much different.  Last years rookies, I look forward to seeing the potential growth there.
- Some beefy new blood on the O-line: I concur with you here, I just wish we would have used our 3rd pick on a OT (See KC Chiefs).
- Some beefy new blood on the D-line: I must have missed this memo.  Who is the "beefy new blood" here?  Other than Poona Ford, no new blood on the d-line and Poona is definitely undersized for an NFL interior d-lineman.  What did I miss?

 

Thoughts?

It's a faulty narrative imo that under McDermott "rookies usually don't play so much."  It has more to do with Beane built a complete enough roster to the point a rookie (even highly drafted) has started day one and/or unforeseen circumstances prevented McDermott from playing recent day 1 and 2 picks as often as he did his first three seasons here.

 

Just look at the playing time their rookie season for players drafted in the first three rounds since McDermott took over.

 

2017- T. White, Zay Jones, and Dawkins all started the majority of the season.

2018 - Allen was a starter after they watched Peterman for half a game.  Edmunds started right away.  Phillips was part of the defensive rotation the whole season.

2019 - Oliver started right away.  Ford started in a rotation before becoming the full time starter at RT.  Singletary split the workload with Gore.  Knox played in every game and started 11 of them.

2020 - Epenesa played in ten games.  Moss split the workload with Singletary.

2021 - Rousseau was part of the rotation in all 17 games.  Basham played in eight games. Spencer Brown was the starter at RT after week 3.

2022 - Elam was a rotational player for most of the year alternating with either Benford or Jackson.  Cook's workload increased as the year went on.  Benford - wth was Beane thinking with that pick?

[BillsNutHawaii]

16 minutes ago, Doc Brown said:

It's a faulty narrative imo that under McDermott "rookies usually don't play so much."  It has more to do with Beane built a complete enough roster to the point a rookie (even highly drafted) has started day one and/or unforeseen circumstances prevented McDermott from playing recent day 1 and 2 picks as often as he did his first three seasons here.

 

Just look at the playing time their rookie season for players drafted in the first three rounds since McDermott took over.

 

2017- T. White, Zay Jones, and Dawkins all started the majority of the season.

2018 - Allen was a starter after they watched Peterman for half a game.  Edmunds started right away.  Phillips was part of the defensive rotation the whole season.

2019 - Oliver started right away.  Ford started in a rotation before becoming the full time starter at RT.  Singletary split the workload with Gore.  Knox played in every game and started 11 of them.

2020 - Epenesa played in ten games.  Moss split the workload with Singletary.

2021 - Rousseau was part of the rotation in all 17 games.  Basham played in eight games. Spencer Brown was the starter at RT after week 3.

2022 - Elam was a rotational player for most of the year alternating with either Benford or Jackson.  Cook's workload increased as the year went on.  Benford - wth was Beane thinking with that pick?

Thanks for your feedback.  The narrative you laid out makes sense, but I still disagree, here’s why.  The KC Chiefs for several years now are also a superior team, have a mostly loaded roster, and still get extensive playing time / contributions from their rookie draft picks, and not just the high end picks but even their late round additions.  It’s frustrating when the Bills spend three picks on running backs, (3 years in a row, a 3rd D Singletary,  a 3rd on Z Moss, a 2nd on Cook) and still have an unknown status at the position. Meanwhile, Chiefs draft a 7th round rookie RB and he meets their needs, (all the while, chiefs, eagles and others spend premium picks on lineman - but I’m deviating to a whole other topic, a sore topic for me).  Same with their center, Claude Humphrey, an immediate starter.  To be clear, I’m not complaining about the Bills as a whole, (leadership, cap management, free agency, and the list goes on…. Are all exceptional).  I’m frustrated and puzzled by their draft philosophy and lack of production from rookie draft picks.  It’s important to get players who out-play their contracts.  I see other superior teams doing it, but not the Bills, and honestly I can’t stand it! And it bothers me a lot bc I love the community and the team, not because I’m trying to be some internet troll.  That’s my take, again thanks for your feedback - that took some effort and I appreciate it!!  Mahalo!! (That’s Thank you in Hawaiian)

[Doc Brown]

5 minutes ago, BillsNutHawaii said:

Thanks for your feedback.  The narrative you laid out makes sense, but I still disagree, here’s why.  The KC Chiefs for several years now are also a superior team, have a mostly loaded roster, and still get extensive playing time / contributions from their rookie draft picks, and not just the high end picks but even their late round additions.  It’s frustrating when the Bills spend three picks on running backs, (3 years in a row, a 3rd D Singletary,  a 3rd on Z Moss, a 2nd on Cook) and still have an unknown status at the position. Meanwhile, Chiefs draft a 7th round rookie RB and he meets their needs, (all the while, chiefs, eagles and others spend premium picks on lineman - but I’m deviating to a whole other topic, a sore topic for me).  Same with their center, Claude Humphrey, an immediate starter.  To be clear, I’m not complaining about the Bills as a whole, (leadership, cap management, free agency, and the list goes on…. Are all exceptional).  I’m frustrated and puzzled by their draft philosophy and lack of production from rookie draft picks.  It’s important to get players who out-play their contracts.  I see other superior teams doing it, but not the Bills, and honestly I can’t stand it! And it bothers me a lot bc I love the community and the team, not because I’m trying to be some internet troll.  That’s my take, again thanks for your feedback - that took some effort and I appreciate it!!  Mahalo!! (That’s Thank you in Hawaiian)

Their draft history really isn't that impressive before last season since the Mahomes pick if you go back and look at it.  Their only home run was Humphrey and they wasted a first round pick on a RB.  I won't dig too far into the weeds but I don't consider them a superior team in either of the last two seasons like you claimed.

[BillsNutHawaii]

2 hours ago, Doc Brown said:

Their draft history really isn't that impressive before last season since the Mahomes pick if you go back and look at it.  Their only home run was Humphrey and they wasted a first round pick on a RB.  I won't dig too far into the weeds but I don't consider them a superior team in either of the last two seasons like you claimed.

Good points, no need to get into their draft history- I’m mostly familiar with KC draft efforts.  But KC just won the SB - so I need to rate them as superior.  
 

[BillsFan130]

3 hours ago, Doc Brown said:

Their draft history really isn't that impressive before last season since the Mahomes pick if you go back and look at it.  Their only home run was Humphrey and they wasted a first round pick on a RB.  I won't dig too far into the weeds but I don't consider them a superior team in either of the last two seasons like you claimed.

Trey smith, Humphrey and Bolton all in the same class in 2021. Those are fantastic picks right there

 

2020 they whiffed on Clyde, but had some good picks with Gay and Sneed, and even had some good role players (like Danna) in the later rounds .

 

They definitely have some whiffs like all teams, but chiefs are one of the better drafting teams, if not the best in the league IMO