Seven month hiatus over - what is with all the concern and 10-7 predictions????

[Billsfan1972]

Sorry don't pay too much attention in the offseason or pre-season.  Yes free agency and read up on the Bills picks in the draft, but that's all.  

 

I already had 12-5 as the expected record and a 1 or 2 seed.

 

Now I'm reading division up for grabs and a dogfight to make the playoffs.

 

What did I miss?  

[Success]

It's contagious in the media.  Based on the ultimate hot take of judging our team by the Cincy game, it has become entrenched that "The Bills are taking a step back" and "their window is closing/closed."

 

It's based on nothing.  We have the best team we've had in the JA era heading into this season.

 

[Warcodered]

Sports media has found a new golden boy.

[MPL]

5 minutes ago, Billsfan1972 said:

Sorry don't pay too much attention in the offseason or pre-season.  Yes free agency and read up on the Bills picks in the draft, but that's all.  

 

I already had 12-5 as the expected record and a 1 or 2 seed.

 

Now I'm reading division up for grabs and a dogfight to make the playoffs.

 

What did I miss?  

You're going to want to make sure you're seated and have a strong drink in hand when you get to the Bills / Steelers Preseason Week 2 Thread. 

[0017]

Have you seen Hard knocks featuring AARON RODGERS!!!! and the jets? Also Tua learned jiu jitsu 😂

Edited August 29, 2023 by 0017

[sunshynman]

11 minutes ago, Billsfan1972 said:

Sorry don't pay too much attention in the offseason or pre-season.  Yes free agency and read up on the Bills picks in the draft, but that's all.  

 

I already had 12-5 as the expected record and a 1 or 2 seed.

 

Now I'm reading division up for grabs and a dogfight to make the playoffs.

 

What did I miss?  

Arguably, Jets got better with Rogers and Cook. Miami has a strong roster. 

so the division is likely more competitive. If Bills play up to their potential, none of it should matter. 

[teef]

hey buddy!

[Billsfan1972]

4 minutes ago, teef said:

hey buddy!

Thought you'd appreciate it!!!  Should I have mentioned McD in the OP?😜

[Virgil]

Glaring hole at MLB

 

Concerns at RT that could go downhill quick

 

Tough schedule and Conference 

[teef]

4 minutes ago, Billsfan1972 said:

Thought you'd appreciate it!!!  Should I have mentioned McD in the OP?😜

nah.  i'm sure there will be opportunities.  

[Straight Hucklebuck]

25 minutes ago, Billsfan1972 said:

Sorry don't pay too much attention in the offseason or pre-season.  Yes free agency and read up on the Bills picks in the draft, but that's all.  

 

I already had 12-5 as the expected record and a 1 or 2 seed.

 

Now I'm reading division up for grabs and a dogfight to make the playoffs.

 

What did I miss?  

OT is thin. Dawkins looks more out of shape than he did last year, and Spencer Brown is Spencer Brown. 

 

Another year on Mitch Morse. 

 

Best opportunity for growth is Guard play. 

 

The WR group is effectively the same as 2022, no change to Diggs and Gabe Davis. Unless we all think D. Harty or Sherfield will stay healthy and move up and produce noteworthy numbers. 

 

Kincaid is the obvious offensive upgrade. 

 

Defensively, there is age creeping into many positions - DaQuan is 30+, Miller is 33, Hyde and Poyer nearing the end of the line. The loss of Edmunds, but also, the unit lacks playmakers. Is Tre White going to start picking passes again? Does Dane Jackson take a step forward in Year 4? Do we get anything out of MLB?

 

And then there is McDermott, who has confidence that he can outcoach people in the Playoffs? 

[OldTimer1960]

38 minutes ago, Billsfan1972 said:

Sorry don't pay too much attention in the offseason or pre-season.  Yes free agency and read up on the Bills picks in the draft, but that's all.  

 

I already had 12-5 as the expected record and a 1 or 2 seed.

 

Now I'm reading division up for grabs and a dogfight to make the playoffs.

 

What did I miss?  

Just recognition that there are several other stacked teams in the league, AFC and AFC East.  I would not be surprised if 10-7 wins the AFC East.  

[Big Blitz]

This team was 7-6 in 2021 playing trash QBs and teams.

 

 

10-7, 9-8, 11-6, 12-5 don’t really care.  
 

Just get in.  Get hot and healthy at the right time.  
 

The best and healthiest team in the worst conference I’ve seen in decades beat Daniel Jones and then the 49ers 4th QB and got to the SB.  
 

The Chiefs also got healthy and played a young Jags team then a team that decided to talk trash about them.  Things broke right for those teams.    
 

 

Super Bowls aren’t won in September.  We need things to break our way in December and January.   It’s going to be a grind.  

[machine gun kelly]

57 minutes ago, Success said:

It's contagious in the media.  Based on the ultimate hot take of judging our team by the Cincy game, it has become entrenched that "The Bills are taking a step back" and "their window is closing/closed."

 

It's based on nothing.  We have the best team we've had in the JA era heading into this season.

 

 

1 hour ago, Billsfan1972 said:

Sorry don't pay too much attention in the offseason or pre-season.  Yes free agency and read up on the Bills picks in the draft, but that's all.  

 

I already had 12-5 as the expected record and a 1 or 2 seed.

 

Now I'm reading division up for grabs and a dogfight to make the playoffs.

 

What did I miss?  

72,  everytime you read this hot take nonsense, read like it’s you’re creed what success wrote.  He said it perfectly.

 

This is the most talented team JA has had to work with since 2018.  We’re going to be fine.

[Boatdrinks]

It’s a combination of things, topped off with the classic anti Bills bias in the media. They’re tired of it and want to move on to newer stories. There are some causes for concern amongst fans though. A few in random order : 

 

Cincinnati playoff game

13 seconds

No legit WR2 in free agency/ trade

Offensive line issues 

Defensive failures in playoffs

difficult schedule 

tough competition in AFC/ AFCE

Chiefs 

Bengals 

Aaron Rodgers 

 

[machine gun kelly]

14 minutes ago, machine gun kelly said:

 

72,  everytime you read this hot take nonsense, read like it’s you’re creed what success wrote.  He said it perfectly.

 

This is the most talented team JA has had to work with since 2018.  We’re going to be fine.

 

One more thing, sports media will implode Tuesday 9/12 when we beat Aaron “peyote” Rodgers back into another dark retreat as they won’t know what hit them.  Josh will be Super Allen by the end of the game.

[Alphadawg7]

1 hour ago, Billsfan1972 said:

Sorry don't pay too much attention in the offseason or pre-season.  Yes free agency and read up on the Bills picks in the draft, but that's all.  

 

I already had 12-5 as the expected record and a 1 or 2 seed.

 

Now I'm reading division up for grabs and a dogfight to make the playoffs.

 

What did I miss?  

 

Its a what have you done for me lately mentality...and nobody wants to remember we were 8 points away from being undefeated last year despite all the injuries and all the emotionally draining events the team went though on its way to 13 wins and #2 seed (Araiza, Luke Knox passing, store massacre, multiple blizzards and deaths, and of course Hamlin).  Instead, they only want to remember the team that last saw the field against Cincy and Diggs frustration on the sideline.  Literally thats it...and that is what they are basing it all on.

[jlgarsh]

I dunno, but I think they have a shot to start 8-0 regardless of Von on PUP. After that, at Cincinnati & at Philly are going to be tough, but I feel like the Jets & Dolphins are overrated, and Pats won't be relevant.

Edited August 29, 2023 by jlgarsh
Forgot a couple words

[Simon]

1 hour ago, Billsfan1972 said:

What did I miss?  

 

You can find all that information right here

 

 

[Aussie Joe]

And to think that the Sports Media is usually so accurate normally with their takes..

[machine gun kelly]

18 minutes ago, Simon said:

 

You can find all that information right here

 

 

Wiseguy

 

BTW- you’ll have to put up with me on the board for the next day and a 1/2 as this media hype is driving everyone crazy down here on the Hurricane so we’re all stuck in our homes until Thursday.  I’m just hopeful we don’t lose power as that’s always fun.  Tampa should miss the direct hit so we’ll just nailed with bands for 24 hours.  So I guess I’ll get caught up with you lovely gentlemen and follow this sign new guys to ps, bla, bla.

 

I really did laught with your first comment.  It was so Simon.

Edited August 29, 2023 by machine gun kelly

[Orlando Tim]

2 hours ago, Billsfan1972 said:

Sorry don't pay too much attention in the offseason or pre-season.  Yes free agency and read up on the Bills picks in the draft, but that's all.  

 

I already had 12-5 as the expected record and a 1 or 2 seed.

 

Now I'm reading division up for grabs and a dogfight to make the playoffs.

 

What did I miss?  

We had a terrible last game- recency bias kind of thing. The fact is our biggest issue was Saffold at the end of the year followed by Brown, we eliminated one of those issues and hopefully Brown shows that was an aberration.

[Dr.Sack]

For the national media the Bills peaked in 2020 at the AFC Championship. 

 

For the national media the Bills have only been subtracted from. The 2023 draft additions do not count. 

 

It is impossible to fathom Kincaid can be an All-Pro. It is inconceivable that Torrence can be an All-Pro.

 

Only Sauce Gardener can be a rookie All-Pro. Only the New York Jets can take an aged soon to be 40 year old QB and turn him into the next coming of the GOAT. 

[716to540]

2 hours ago, Billsfan1972 said:

Sorry don't pay too much attention in the offseason or pre-season.  Yes free agency and read up on the Bills picks in the draft, but that's all.  

 

I already had 12-5 as the expected record and a 1 or 2 seed.

 

Now I'm reading division up for grabs and a dogfight to make the playoffs.

 

What did I miss?  

The sky has fallen.

[HappyCat]

2 hours ago, Straight Hucklebuck said:

OT is thin. Dawkins looks more out of shape than he did last year, and Spencer Brown is Spencer Brown. 

 

Another year on Mitch Morse. 

 

Best opportunity for growth is Guard play. 

 

The WR group is effectively the same as 2022, no change to Diggs and Gabe Davis. Unless we all think D. Harty or Sherfield will stay healthy and move up and produce noteworthy numbers. 

 

Kincaid is the obvious offensive upgrade. 

 

Defensively, there is age creeping into many positions - DaQuan is 30+, Miller is 33, Hyde and Poyer nearing the end of the line. The loss of Edmunds, but also, the unit lacks playmakers. Is Tre White going to start picking passes again? Does Dane Jackson take a step forward in Year 4? Do we get anything out of MLB?

 

And then there is McDermott, who has confidence that he can outcoach people in the Playoffs? 

I agree about the age factor on Defense.  I don't see Poyer, & Hyde making it through a 17 game season.

[Billsfan1972]

I guess the lines only have their O/U at 10.5, with no one over 11.5, so that isn't terrible, but last year's 13-3 (where they blew all three of the losses) seems untenable.

 

 

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

Bills fan doomerism

 

nothing new under the sun

 

[boyst]

14 hours ago, Billsfan1972 said:

Sorry don't pay too much attention in the offseason or pre-season.  Yes free agency and read up on the Bills picks in the draft, but that's all.  

 

I already had 12-5 as the expected record and a 1 or 2 seed.

 

Now I'm reading division up for grabs and a dogfight to make the playoffs.

 

What did I miss?  

our team did not get better at any specific position. arguably better at anything to the OL.

our schedule is among the top hardest 6 or more.

 

there are far more questions than answers and history is still behind us lurking.

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

14 minutes ago, boyst said:

our team did not get better at any specific position. arguably better at anything to the OL.

our schedule is among the top hardest 6 or more.

 

there are far more questions than answers and history is still behind us lurking.

 

tell me you didn't watch the preseason

 

better at TE

better at WR

better at OG

 

 

[PatsFanNH]

14 hours ago, Billsfan1972 said:

Sorry don't pay too much attention in the offseason or pre-season.  Yes free agency and read up on the Bills picks in the draft, but that's all.  

 

I already had 12-5 as the expected record and a 1 or 2 seed.

 

Now I'm reading division up for grabs and a dogfight to make the playoffs.

 

What did I miss?  

What did you miss?

 

Jets  — got Aaron Rogers and still have one of the top D in the league. A lot of experts are expecting them to make some noise. 
 

Dolphins — Got a better  DC and added some D talent. Their season will go as far as Tua health takes them.. They could be very good as well.

 

your also facing KC,Cincy and the Eagles. 
 

I also think a lot of people/experts saw how the Bills faded badly down the stretch and are expecting a step back.  Will they… I doubt it.

[dollars 2 donuts]

12 hours ago, machine gun kelly said:

Wiseguy

 

BTW- you’ll have to put up with me on the board for the next day and a 1/2 as this media hype is driving everyone crazy down here on the Hurricane so we’re all stuck in our homes until Thursday.  I’m just hopeful we don’t lose power as that’s always fun.  Tampa should miss the direct hit so we’ll just nailed with bands for 24 hours.  So I guess I’ll get caught up with you lovely gentlemen and follow this sign new guys to ps, bla, bla.

 

I really did laught with your first comment.  It was so Simon.

 

For the OT, frequent misses or underachieving in the first three rounds since after the first round in 2018, 20 or so million dollar difference makers on the rack in back to back years, the division has gotten better, tough schedule, and seemingly every QB of noteworthiness plays in this conference.

 

For you Guns, stay safe, brother. It would be a shame if you had to give up your Raiders tickets because you are pre-occupied!  

[boyst]

45 minutes ago, Pine Barrens Mafia said:

 

tell me you didn't watch the preseason

 

better at TE

better at WR

better at OG

 

 

the entire OL - we are not better at. RT is no better. 1 guard is improved the other still a question mark. dawkins seems like he's not up to his best form

 

WR - on paper we look better but i don't buy we are better than we are at this point last year with the hope that mckenzie would be as good as he was supposed to be. i don't buy harty or sherfeld are going to be better

 

and i did forget TE - but in my defense the guy is a rookie and it's not that i forgot him it is that i don't put a ton of weight into rookies.

[The Wiz]

15 hours ago, Billsfan1972 said:

Sorry don't pay too much attention in the offseason or pre-season.  Yes free agency and read up on the Bills picks in the draft, but that's all.  

 

I already had 12-5 as the expected record and a 1 or 2 seed.

 

Now I'm reading division up for grabs and a dogfight to make the playoffs.

 

What did I miss?  

Welcome back!

 

 

Now...

[BuffaloBillyG]

15 hours ago, Billsfan1972 said:

Sorry don't pay too much attention in the offseason or pre-season.  Yes free agency and read up on the Bills picks in the draft, but that's all.  

 

I already had 12-5 as the expected record and a 1 or 2 seed.

 

Now I'm reading division up for grabs and a dogfight to make the playoffs.

 

What did I miss?  

Combination bot a few things, I believe. With Buffalo coming off the division championship we face a tougher schedule (in theory on paper for the moment) than the Jets and Fins.

 

Both teams grabbed a few big names and look to be tougher and on the rise. 10-7 is plausible. So is 13-4. Another AFCE title is plausible. So is being a Wild Card. Long season and lots can happen.

[MJS]

They've been reading Two Bills Drive.

[eball]

1 hour ago, boyst said:

our team did not get better at any specific position. arguably better at anything to the OL.

our schedule is among the top hardest 6 or more.

 

there are far more questions than answers and history is still behind us lurking.

 

I would argue the team is better on the OL.  Another year for Brown, signing McGovern, drafting Torrence…and another year of Kromer’s coaching.

 

I would argue the team has better pass catchers, adding Sherfield, Harty, Kincaid…and Davis appears to be healthy.

 

I would argue the team has a better secondary.  Return of Hyde, Tre appears to be back to normal, adding Rapp, and another year for Benford and Elam.

 

I would argue the team has a better RB room.  Cook looks ready to explode, Harris and Murray bring great veteran presence.

 

Only question marks in my mind are the MLB hole (which I think makes less of an impact than many here do) and whether Von comes back at full strength.

 

It’s the best Bills roster in the McBeane era.

 

[Artful Dodger]

Josh Allen is on the cover of Madden. 

[BillsFanSD]

The Dolphins and Jets both beat us once each last year.  They each got significantly better in the offseason.  We did not.  That's why people are a little less optimistic about this season than we were about the last couple of seasons.  Our road to a division title isn't going to be as easy as it has been recently.

 

Now, the Bills are arguably still the best team in the division.  We certainly have the best QB, and that matters tremendously.  When I say that the Bills did not get better in the offseason while the Jets and Dolphins did, we already had a SB-caliber roster and there wasn't a lot of scope for us to do anything but tread water.  The other two teams had a lot more room for improvement than we did.  We haven't slipped -- our rivals have simply improved.

 

I don't think you can look at the Bills and Dolphins and seriously argue that one team is clearly better than the other.  Our rosters are different, but both of these teams would ordinarily be favored to win most divisions and make a deep playoff run.  The Jets are a notch behind IMO, but they could also be really good if Rodgers performs better than I expect him to.  It's going to be a tough division to win, the WC race is going to be murderous in the AFC, and there's no reason to expect any favorable matchups in the playoffs.  We have a tougher climb this year than we did last year.  

Edited August 30, 2023 by BillsFanSD

[The Firebaugh Kid]

Its all fluff. Buffalo is still daddy.

Somebodys about to get spanked.

[boyst]

12 minutes ago, eball said:

 

I would argue the team is better on the OL.  Another year for Brown, signing McGovern, drafting Torrence…and another year of Kromer’s coaching.

 

I would argue the team has better pass catchers, adding Sherfield, Harty, Kincaid…and Davis appears to be healthy.

 

I would argue the team has a better secondary.  Return of Hyde, Tre appears to be back to normal, adding Rapp, and another year for Benford and Elam.

 

I would argue the team has a better RB room.  Cook looks ready to explode, Harris and Murray bring great veteran presence.

 

Only question marks in my mind are the MLB hole (which I think makes less of an impact than many here do) and whether Von comes back at full strength.

 

It’s the best Bills roster in the McBeane era.

 

compare the roster to this time of the preseason to last year. it's hard to see it is better.

 

i think our best mcbeane era roster was going into 2020. beas coming in after an all pro season, diggs finding his pace, davis rookie year, mckenzie a gadget player, sanders involved.

 

i'll admit for rb i was a homer for singleterry because i thin khe was undervalued for the total package he offered - especially blocking.