Can the Bills win out?

[SCBills]

29 minutes ago, Paup 1995MVP said:

That's a very intriguing idea SC.  Do you really think we could get a 2nd for Dawkins at this point in his career?  If so, I would do it in a heartbeat.  Resign Van De Mark and maybe bring in someone (a rookie or lower price vet) to compete with him for the starters job.  I think Kromer is our best coach on the roster hands down.  He really gets the most out of each of our O linemen.  Starters or backups.

Dawkins is considered a top tier LT in this league.  Not elite, but in that next group.  Tackles typically play well in their mid 30’s and Dion is 31. 
 

Teams are desperate for OL help and high picks bust all the time.  
 

With Aaron Kromer here and drafting/developing OL being, perhaps, the biggest strength of this FO, I’d be willing to hear offers and I think a 2nd for a top tier LT on the backend of his prime sounds right. 
 

We’d never do it though.  Hes a Bill for life. 

[st pete gogolak]

I’d be shocked if we got a #2 for Dawkins.  31 year old very good but not great LT?  A fourth? Maybe a third?

[MDH]

In a weird sort of way I don't want them to win out. Yeah, sure, if they win the division I'd love it. But the last thing I want is a "chance" to win the division (and maybe the 1 seed) and have to play all the starters in week 18 only for NE to beat Miami and it doesn't matter, the Bills are still the 5 seed. I'd rather know they're locked into a WC slot and just use week 18 as a bye week for most of the starters.

[Alphadawg7]

Can we?  Yes of course, and we have done it multiple times before.  Did Sunday's game boost my confidence in them doing that this year, no it did not. 

 

The team I watched on Sunday did not look like a team that I would be comfortable wagering on to win out.  The offense was atrocious first half and then found some life only because we kept running the same running play over and over again with success, TJ Watt literally said he never seen anything like that before.  Outside the same running plays over and over again, the rest of the offense did not look good again.  And while the defense was dominant, beating up on a bad Steeler offense doesn't suddenly make me forget all the issues the defense has had all year to where I think this is what we can expect week to week.  

 

To again answer the title of this thread - Yes, the Bills certainly can, and have done it before.  But - my confidence in them being able to do it isn't as high as its been in the past when facing this potential.  The team has been so Jeckyl and Hyde this season that its hard to know what we can expect week to week. 

 

Four things concern me still right now:

1. Brady's predictability
2. Too many turnovers
3. Undisciplined mistakes
4. Defensive consistency

I hope they use this game to go on a run, and Bengals will certainly immediately test that.  But, I would be lying if I said I was highly confident in us doing it this year.  

[extrahammer]

In past years, usually by the middle of the season we usually get a good indicator of what this team is. It's week 13 and I still have no clue who this team, probably bc they've been so inconsistent and weaker than previous years. I say this to only say it makes my stress levels go up significantly. 

[MDH]

1 hour ago, extrahammer said:

In past years, usually by the middle of the season we usually get a good indicator of what this team is. It's week 13 and I still have no clue who this team, probably bc they've been so inconsistent and weaker than previous years. I say this to only say it makes my stress levels go up significantly. 

In the past 5 years the team has usually been in a place - record wise- very similar to this year. They tend to go on late season runs which makes us all feel better going into the playoffs. 
 

Record after 12 games (final record)

2020 9-3 (13-3)

2021 7-5 (11-6)

2022 9-3 (13-3)

2023 6-6 (11-6)

2024 10-2 (13-4)

2025 8-4 

[Sojourner]

4 minutes ago, MDH said:

In the past 5 years the team has usually been in a place - record wise- very similar to this year. They tend to go on late season runs which makes us all feel better going into the playoffs. 
 

Record after 12 games (final record)

2020 9-3 (13-3)

2021 7-5 (11-6)

2022 9-3 (13-3)

2023 6-6 (11-6)

2024 10-2 (13-4)

2025 8-4 

 
good post. Not that much different indeed. 
 

The Pats turning the corner so quickly and sitting atop of, not only the Division but the AFC is why it’s a cause for erratic concern is my feelings. 

[extrahammer]

8 minutes ago, MDH said:

In the past 5 years the team has usually been in a place - record wise- very similar to this year. They tend to go on late season runs which makes us all feel better going into the playoffs. 
 

Record after 12 games (final record)

2020 9-3 (13-3)

2021 7-5 (11-6)

2022 9-3 (13-3)

2023 6-6 (11-6)

2024 10-2 (13-4)

2025 8-4 

 

My point isn't consolidated down to just records. My point is previously we showed more consistency and potential. Our average points per game are the lowest since 2019. 

[MDH]

8 minutes ago, extrahammer said:

 

My point isn't consolidated down to just records. My point is previously we showed more consistency and potential. Our average points per game are the lowest since 2019. 

2023 offense averaged 26.5ppg.

This years offense is similar to most other years. 2020 and last year were the stand out ppg years.

 

2020 31.3

2021 28.4

2022 28.4

2023 26.5

2024 30.9

2025 28.1
 

What makes this year feel different for me is how bad the D has been and the O’s inability to be consistent without Kinkaid on the field. 
 

Im crossing my fingers that Shaq can continue help stabilize the run D and that the coaching staff keeps him

in there once Bernard is healthy. 

[extrahammer]

6 minutes ago, MDH said:

2023 offense averaged 26.5ppg.

This years offense is similar to most other years. 2020 and last year were the stand out ppg years.

 

2020 31.3

2021 28.4

2022 28.4

2023 26.5

2024 30.9

2025 28.1
 

What makes this year feel different for me is how bad the D has been and the O’s inability to be consistent without Kinkaid on the field. 
 

Im crossing my fingers that Shaq can continue help stabilize the run D and that the coaching staff keeps him

in there once Bernard is healthy. 

 

Again my point is getting a good read on the team and consistency, not just stats. Also it's Kincaid not Kinkaid.

[st pete gogolak]

40 minutes ago, MDH said:

In the past 5 years the team has usually been in a place - record wise- very similar to this year. They tend to go on late season runs which makes us all feel better going into the playoffs. 
 

Record after 12 games (final record)

2020 9-3 (13-3)

2021 7-5 (11-6)

2022 9-3 (13-3)

2023 6-6 (11-6)

2024 10-2 (13-4)

2025 8-4 

Wow. That’s some stat. 20 - 3 over the last 4 - 5 games of the season (one of the losses being a rest the starters last year at NE).  Very impressive.

[Paup 1995MVP]

5 hours ago, SCBills said:

Dawkins is considered a top tier LT in this league.  Not elite, but in that next group.  Tackles typically play well in their mid 30’s and Dion is 31. 
 

Teams are desperate for OL help and high picks bust all the time.  
 

With Aaron Kromer here and drafting/developing OL being, perhaps, the biggest strength of this FO, I’d be willing to hear offers and I think a 2nd for a top tier LT on the backend of his prime sounds right. 
 

We’d never do it though.  Hes a Bill for life. 

Dawkins is a big teddy bear.  Doesn't play angry enough.  Almost seems distracted, where he loses his focus and jumps Offside a lot.  He obviously doesn't suck.  But I would not lose any sleep if we traded him for a second round pick.  Spencer Brown has that meanness that's needed on the O line.  But we sure know how to develop our O lineman.  Dam they were stout yesterday.  Put a whupping on the Steelers.  All their players from past decades could not have been happy watching that beatdown.  We have matched up well against the Steelers in the McDermott era.  

[ShakAttack]

I'm just hoping we can beat Bengals OR Pats right now.

[BigAl2526]

21 hours ago, steven50 said:

Ok, so devils advocate. Who is a championship team? New england beating up on 4th place teams?? The Chiefs who look like they wont even make the playoffs? Baltimore?

 

'Who do you consider THE championship team in the AFC this year?

 

Others have said recently, "The AFC is wide open this year."  Really, it is the whole league this year.  Not sure how the tie breakers shake out, but Chicago might be the #1 seed in the NFC right now.  Just like NEW England, nobody foresaw that before the season started.