What is your X-Factor(variable) for the Bills this year?

[BillsPride12]

I'm excited and looking forward to getting this season underway. I have no doubts the Bills will be a competitive team right in the thick of things yet again.

One concern I do have is we still see a lot of the same inconsistencies that plagued us on Defense last year.  Overall I don't think the Defense is going to look drastically different this year.  With that said I do have two X-factors that I could see transforming the look of our Defense

 

1) Deone Walker.  If he can get a lot of minutes and become that same disruptive force we saw in preseason but this time playing against the 1's that is going to be game changer and a piece we really haven't seen yet in the McDermott era.

 

2) Joey Bosa.  If he can remain healthy and play at the level he is capable of we finally have our home run hitter for the pass rush.  I'm optimistic but still extremely nervous we can see this version of Bosa

 

If one of these scenarios plays out we should be in very good shape.  Now if both of these scenarios play out it should transform our Defense to another level we haven't seen yet in the McDermott era.

 

What are your X-Factors for the season?

[boyst]

I don't have an immediate answer but I hope it's Tyler Bass. 

[Another Fan]

I thought in the post season last year Baltimore in the 2nd half/Kansas City had a fair amount of success in neutralizing Josh.

 

I see other teams taking their lead more.  Josh needs to be cut more loose when it gets to the bigger games.  

 

McDermott's been a great coach for the franchise but I still question if he's a coach that turn the team from great to Super Bowl champions.  

Edited September 3 by Another Fan

[ChronicAndKnuckles]

For defense Joey Bosa. If they can get him at even 90% then watch out. He instantly becomes the best DL 

 

For offense I am gonna go with the obvious and pick Keon Coleman. So much depends on his progression. 

Edited September 3 by ChronicAndKnuckles

[NewEra]

Per usual-  certain players being healthy for the playoffs.

 

One of those players this season, is Joey Bosa. If he’s firing on all cylinders for playoff games, I think we’ll be champs.  He turned 30 in July and, imo, is the X-Factor that we’ve been missing since that fateful thanksgiving day in 2022

Edited September 3 by NewEra

[TBBills Fan]

My fantasy team name is going to change weekly based on the bills opponent. 

 

This week, the name is "Josh is Lamar's Daddy"

[BillsPride12]

14 minutes ago, ChronicAndKnuckles said:

For defense Joey Bosa. If they can get him at even 90% then watch out. He instantly becomes the best DL 

 

For offense I am gonna go with the obvious and pick Keon Coleman. So much depends on his progression. 

Keon Coleman is another good one.  Kincaid to an extent as well. Guess I glossed over these guys because even if they don't elevate their level of play this season I still think the Offense will be good enough like we saw last season.  But yeah Coleman is a great answer

[MikePJ76]

Managing expectations.

 

they spent the entire offseason going into 2024 that they were old, slow and about to take a step back.   
 

they have spent this entire offseason being praised as one one of the best teams in the league.  

It’s a completely different mindset for how these modern athletes are wired.  They all seem to respond better to being told they can’t do things as opposed to being told they should do things, only a few players and teams can regularly meet expectations and deal with the environment that creates.

 

I am hoping the veterans here can handle it but I will say with what looks to me to be very serious defensive issues ahead I am really worried.  

[Ethan in Cleveland]

On defense: For me it is Bosa.  If he plays at a reasonably high level it should elevate the entire DL play.  Rousseau should massively benefit from a credible rush threat opposite him, as will Bosa. Also, really looking forward to see a healthy dynamic duo of Milano and Bernard. While neither are the big bodied LB's I prefer, you can not disregard the playmakng abilities of both.  Their instincts are off the charts.  

 

On offense, I'm going to cautiously say Coleman.  I am expecting Kincaid to be much better.  I said this earlier, but Coleman should try to be Anquan Boldin 2.0.  Coleman is a little taller and not quite a s big.  But they could have very similar games.   If Coleman becomes a reliable target and chain mover with the occasional big play, it will open up everything deep and horizontal.  

[BuffaloRebound]

McDermott.  Now or never for him.  

[Bruffalo]

If Deone Walker or TJ Sanders pops and shows that they're a clear starting caliber force it's going to change the defense entirely. 

[RochesterLifer]

Defensively, I’m watching Cole Bishop. He’s got the tools, but hasn’t put it together yet. If it clicks for him, a question mark turns it into a strength at a key position in McDermott’s defense.

 

For offense, like many here, it’s Coleman. If he becomes a real threat on the outside, our offense has scary potential.

[BuffaloBillyG]

I've been big on Bosa doing well since he signed. I will stay with him on defense.

 

On offense, the heath of Dalton Kincaid. If he stays healthy we should see a nice jump from him. And on more then just those screen plays. 

[L Ron Burgundy]

2 hours ago, BillsPride12 said:

I'm excited and looking forward to getting this season underway. I have no doubts the Bills will be a competitive team right in the thick of things yet again.

One concern I do have is we still see a lot of the same inconsistencies that plagued us on Defense last year.  Overall I don't think the Defense is going to look drastically different this year.  With that said I do have two X-factors that I could see transforming the look of our Defense

 

1) Deone Walker.  If he can get a lot of minutes and become that same disruptive force we saw in preseason but this time playing against the 1's that is going to be game changer and a piece we really haven't seen yet in the McDermott era.

 

2) Joey Bosa.  If he can remain healthy and play at the level he is capable of we finally have our home run hitter for the pass rush.  I'm optimistic but still extremely nervous we can see this version of Bosa

 

If one of these scenarios plays out we should be in very good shape.  Now if both of these scenarios play out it should transform our Defense to another level we haven't seen yet in the McDermott era.

 

What are your X-Factors for the season?

100%.  If Walker ends up being a steal it could change the makeup of this defense.   It will improve the entire unit.  Same with Bosa.  

[DaVinci]

I believe the X factor this year is Josh Allen. I think Allen is going to improve his  accuracy and be  better at making quick decisions, reading defenses.

[Richard Noggin]

Milano and Bernard when healthy have proven to be a dynamic duo. Along with Johnson, that Bills 2025 2nd level could reach its All-Pro potential behind a more disruptive d-line (we hope). That is the (only?) way they can take the next step to beat the best.

 

(I also have continuously harbored the contrary suspicion that they should just clearly be going ALL THE WAY IN ON OFFENSIVE WEAPONS to surround Allen with other game changers who demand defensive attention. The world deserves to watch Josh freaking Allen with another bona fide stud WR and other dangerous dudes.)

[Big Blitz]

Bosa, Benford, Milano.  In that order.  
 

They have to play all 17 games or most of them.  We can survive if Milano missed a few.  A have a bad feeling we become a full fledged disaster without Benford.  And to some extent Bosa.  
 

Players that will put us over the top if they hit:

Bishop

The rookie DTs

Max 

 

Considering the PT they’ll get they have to be at least decent.   

[Thurman#1]

5 hours ago, BillsPride12 said:

I'm excited and looking forward to getting this season underway. I have no doubts the Bills will be a competitive team right in the thick of things yet again.

One concern I do have is we still see a lot of the same inconsistencies that plagued us on Defense last year.  Overall I don't think the Defense is going to look drastically different this year.  With that said I do have two X-factors that I could see transforming the look of ond ur Defense

 

1) Deone Walker.  If he can get a lot of minutes and become that same disruptive force we saw in preseason but this time playing against the 1's that is going to be game changer and a piece we really haven't seen yet in the McDermott era.

 

2) Joey Bosa.  If he can remain healthy and play at the level he is capable of we finally have our home run hitter for the pass rush.  I'm optimistic but still extremely nervous we can see this version of Bosa

 

If one of these scenarios plays out we should be in very good shape.  Now if both of these scenarios play out it should transform our Defense to another level we haven't seen yet in the McDermott era.

 

What are your X-Factors for the season?

 

 

How can anyone say you "see a lot of the same inconsistencies that plagued us on defense last year"? The season hasn't started. And the starters virtually didn't play in the pre-season. Plus they seem to want to show a lot more man-to-man looks than last year, making us hopefully more unpredictable

 

The D is going to have, what? Four new starters and two new platoon players compared to last year? Milano/Shaq Thompson, Bosa, Tre White, Cole Bishop, Deone Walker and Sanders. And all that is leaving Maxwell Hairston completely out of it.

 

This whole defense is an X-factor.

 

And if we'd had Benford last year for the Chiefs playoffs game, things might have turned out an awful lot different anyway.

[BillsPride12]

4 hours ago, Thurman#1 said:

 

 

How can anyone say you "see a lot of the same inconsistencies that plagued us on defense last year"? The season hasn't started. And the starters virtually didn't play in the pre-season. Plus they seem to want to show a lot more man-to-man looks than last year, making us hopefully more unpredictable

 

The D is going to have, what? Four new starters and two new platoon players compared to last year? Milano/Shaq Thompson, Bosa, Tre White, Cole Bishop, Deone Walker and Sanders. And all that is leaving Maxwell Hairston completely out of it.

 

This whole defense is an X-factor.

 

And if we'd had Benford last year for the Chiefs playoffs game, things might have turned out an awful lot different anyway.

Have you not paid any attention to our secondary situation? And I'm still nervous about our defensive line.  Although as I mentioned in my original post if Walker and Bosa maximize their potential I think that can give the Defense a major boost this year.  I think your naive if you think this Defense is just going to be rock solid from top to bottom this season

[ganesh]

There appears to be so many "ifs" as described by posters above..

 

* if Bass is healthy to kick

* If White can man the 2nd CB position successfully

* If Coleman can see growth in the 2nd year

* If Kincaid can come out of his 2nd year funk

* If Bosa can stay healthy into the playoffs 

* If the rookie DTs can make a difference 

* If Cole Bishop can stay healthy and man the safety position

* If Samuel can show a glimpse of what he was in last year's playoffs 

* If Josh Palmer can be that speed threat to take off the top of the defense

 

and yet this Bills team is favored by many to win the SB this year...I am confident they will be alrigth.  Go Bills !!!