Thoughts after watching the Colts, Chiefs, Ravens, Patriots, Lions, Eagles, Rams and 49ers

[Ray Stonada]

If Brandin Cooks and Josh gel...

[Sierra Foothills]

I've always been an "optimistic realist" but here are the posts that most closely express my expectations for the season (some of them are contradictory):

 

On 11/25/2025 at 7:45 AM, Kirby Jackson said:

I think that if we are looking for a “silver lining” it’s that the NFC looks tougher than the AFC for the first time in a long time. The Bills obviously have underachieved to this point. They have not played well. If they get hot though and go on a run, they can win at NE, Den, Indy, etc… This might be a year, like the Rams last title, where someone got hot at the right time.

 

On 11/25/2025 at 8:12 AM, BFLO said:

The flaw is the going on a run part. I think we all agree the Bills can beat anyone on any given day. 

 

But can they actually win 4 in a row? Not with the way they've been playing

 

What about 4 in a row against playoff teams of escalating difficulty? Laughable

 

On 11/25/2025 at 9:00 AM, Johnnycage46 said:

I think the Bills can beat any team in the NFL this year. But I also think they can lose to any team in the NFL this year. If they come out with the right gameplan and they are clicking, they can contend. Their inconsistency this year has been the issue and gives me pause on thinking they can do much in the playoffs (assuming they hold serve and make it in).

 

On 11/25/2025 at 11:24 AM, Rubes said:

But they need to, since McD's record in the post-season, on the road, is not so good. Can anyone imagine McD winning 3 post-season road games as a WC to get to the Super Bowl?

 

On 11/25/2025 at 11:55 AM, Nihilarian said:

The thing is, you never know, and even when you think you know, you never know.  The Bills OC could pull his head out of his arse... the injury bug could go away, and players could return to help this team at just the right time. Lady Luck could return and stop the Bills from committing turnovers, and the defense starts getting them like they did last season. So many "IFs" but hey, anything can happen as Buffalo is still in it. 

 

On 11/25/2025 at 12:01 PM, Puckman5 said:

It feels like there's no learning from last week or last year.  In a relative sense they're still a decent team with a great QB, but it's leadership struggles to adapt or change.  The team has played less than inspired football for a significant portion of this season.  That may be the most difficult pill to swallow.  I like what McDermott has brought to the organization in terms of leadership and stability, but he's in a high pressure role where yesterday matters little.    

 

As has been pointed out, the Bills have a recent history of going on late season runs and there are other teams have come from the depths of the wild card race to win the Super Bowl. There is much to be said about peaking at the right time.

 

BUT, the last post above by @Puckman5 resonates most loudly for me.

 

How can a team with a TE Coach AND a OL Coach who were both NFL Offensive Coordinators not get the offense straightened out???

 

The finger points to McDermott, IMO. Either he has more negative influence on the offense than we care to admit AND/OR his systems and culture do not allow for positive collaboration and honest self-scouting. It's unfathomable to me that Kromer and/or Boras don't have some good ideas on how to improve Brady's shyt show and yet even after the bye, we've seen little to no evidence that the offense is progressing in a good direction. Are Kromer/Boras allowed to provide constructive input into the offense? If not, why not? Are their voices welcomed in the room? Are they biting their tongues? Are their ideas dismissed?

 

And why do players like Samuel and Moore, who've put up good numbers elsewhere while never having played with good QBs come to the Bills and promptly disappear from the face of the earth even though they're now playing with an all-time great QB?

 

Mike Sando's "The Athletic" article about the failings of Raiders' OC Chip Kelly seem to apply verbatim to Joe Brady... that he's a college play caller who had short term success, but who can't raise his game now that the NFL has solved his offense. Brady has no answers and neither do those around him for whatever mysterious reasons.

 

The dysfunctional offense and the injury-riddled defense make me highly doubt that the Bills will be the team catching lightning in a bottle this season.

 

I hope I'm wrong.