New Season. Fresh Optimism.

[ColoradoBills]

I can't wait for week 1 with the Texans.

All the predictions, lists, rankings and "pundent" articles never mean anything to me.

 

Let's start with week 1 and go from there.

[DrBob806]

6 hours ago, Augie said:

We are due for some good breaks this year, especially in the playoffs. 

I hear ya, but if that was remotely true the Jets, Browns, & Raiders are waaaaay overdue. 

 

My true fear is that the Bills squandered their best shots already, but I'll be happy to be very wrong. 

[Heitz]

100% agree - not only are both sides of the ball looking more aggressive, our depth feels better and Josh is locked and loaded. LFG!! 

 

 

 

[BillnutinHouston]

I used to be an out of town season ticket holder and diehard.  But I've been worn down by the annual disappointment at the end of every season.  My mentality as a fan is now like Charlie Brown trying to kick the football.  So tired of all the annual hype then early playoff exits.  Getting priced out of the new stadium only adds to my sense of alienation. 

Edited September 1 by BillnutinHouston

[Augie]

9 minutes ago, DrBob806 said:

I hear ya, but if that was remotely true the Jets, Browns, & Raiders are waaaaay overdue. 

 

My true fear is that the Bills squandered their best shots already, but I'll be happy to be very wrong. 

 

Those rosters and staffs already played those seasons.  Let’s just look forward to seeing the new version of our Buffalo Bills. 

[Victory Formation]

10 hours ago, HOUSE said:

This team will be lucky to win one game ..

Optimism is deadly.. The sun breeds maggots in a dead dog!

[ganesh]

10 hours ago, HOUSE said:

This team will be lucky to win one game ..

Damn that Josh Allen guy ! 

[1st&ten]

8 hours ago, Dan said:

Of the 16 games they win..  which one will be because of luck?

The Rams

[Sierra Foothills]

5 hours ago, BillnutinHouston said:

I used to be an out of town season ticket holder and diehard.  But I've been worn down by the annual disappointment at the end of every season.  My mentality as a fan is now like Charlie Brown trying to kick the football.  So tired of all the annual hype then early playoff exits.  Getting priced out of the new stadium only adds to my sense of alienation. 

 

Hang in there... sunny days are ahead!     👍

 

[Drew21PA]

Just reduce the amount of times you get my hopes up for a 3rd down stop when it’s 3rd and 14 - and Jim Leonard is gold 

[BuffaloMatt]

20-0

[The Firebaugh Kid]

I feel very much the same. 

This team needed a change so badly.

Being the hammer is better than being the nail and hoping for a mistake from the offense. 

Make your own luck, and die on that hill. 

I think Buffalo goes 14-3, earns the #1 seed, and plays the LA Rams in a classic Superbowl. 

[Buffalo03]

21 hours ago, eball said:

This will be my one and only thread devoted to how I feel about the 2026 season. 
 

I don’t over- or under-value my contributions to this forum, but anyone who has read my comments over the years knows I’m an optimist. Some claim I work for Bills PR. I assure you I don’t. I’m simply a reasonably intelligent, lifelong Bills fan who looks for the silver lining rather than the storm cloud. I’ll never profess to be an X’s and O’s guy or evaluator of film, but I’ve watched a hell of a lot of football over the years and learned a lot from reading opinions on this very board. 

 

The 2026 season has me more “juiced” than any since 2021. Although some have bemoaned the promotion of Brady and retention of Beane as ill-advised, I’ll go ahead and say I think this is the best roster of the Beane era. I believe this offense has the potential to break records and crush opponents’ spirit. We’re talking 2007 Pats*** level — with a more satisfying ending. 
 

I predict that Joe Brady is going to really impress people who thought Pegula did the “easy” thing by promoting him. I have read multiple reports this preseason that there is a new and different energy around camp. Micah Hyde just said so on the Buffalo Plus podcast yesterday, based solely upon what players have told him.

 

The Bills are going to be an aggressive football team, which is what I and many others have felt was lacking in recent years. McDermott tried — he let Josh go for 4th downs at a high rate — but at the end of the day we always seemed to be a reactive team. No more.

 

i think Josh is refreshed, refocused, and will be on a mission no opponent can derail. He’s the best player in the league, an even better person, and he has the most talent around him in his career. 
 

Watch out, NFL…the Bills are coming for you. 
 

Go Bills!!!

 

 

The only difference between us and the 2007 Patriots is that the Bills are always gonna "Bills" up a game at least 2 or 3 times a season. They have a couple games a year where they can't get out of their own way. That will still happen

[Simon]

3 minutes ago, Buffalo03 said:

the Bills are always gonna "Bills" up a game at least 2 or 3 times a season. They have a couple games a year where they can't get out of their own way. That will still happen

 

You can replace the word "Bills" with virtually any team in the NFL.

[Gregg]

13 minutes ago, Buffalo03 said:

The only difference between us and the 2007 Patriots is that the Bills are always gonna "Bills" up a game at least 2 or 3 times a season. They have a couple games a year where they can't get out of their own way. That will still happen

 

Last year at Miami was "that game". Even the game at home vs the Fins was closer than it should have been. Thankfully the Bills won that game.

[hondo in seattle]

22 hours ago, eball said:

This will be my one and only thread devoted to how I feel about the 2026 season. 
 

I don’t over- or under-value my contributions to this forum, but anyone who has read my comments over the years knows I’m an optimist. Some claim I work for Bills PR. I assure you I don’t. I’m simply a reasonably intelligent, lifelong Bills fan who looks for the silver lining rather than the storm cloud. I’ll never profess to be an X’s and O’s guy or evaluator of film, but I’ve watched a hell of a lot of football over the years and learned a lot from reading opinions on this very board. 

 

The 2026 season has me more “juiced” than any since 2021. Although some have bemoaned the promotion of Brady and retention of Beane as ill-advised, I’ll go ahead and say I think this is the best roster of the Beane era. I believe this offense has the potential to break records and crush opponents’ spirit. We’re talking 2007 Pats*** level — with a more satisfying ending. 
 

I predict that Joe Brady is going to really impress people who thought Pegula did the “easy” thing by promoting him. I have read multiple reports this preseason that there is a new and different energy around camp. Micah Hyde just said so on the Buffalo Plus podcast yesterday, based solely upon what players have told him.

 

The Bills are going to be an aggressive football team, which is what I and many others have felt was lacking in recent years. McDermott tried — he let Josh go for 4th downs at a high rate — but at the end of the day we always seemed to be a reactive team. No more.

 

i think Josh is refreshed, refocused, and will be on a mission no opponent can derail. He’s the best player in the league, an even better person, and he has the most talent around him in his career. 
 

Watch out, NFL…the Bills are coming for you. 
 

Go Bills!!!

 

 

 

eball, I read your post with a smile on my face as if in a pleasant dream.

 

But I'm a reformed optimist.  As such, I believe Brady won't be an abysmal failure as a coach, but he won't be as successful as we all hope.  Ditto Leanhard and Carmichael.  I think the roster is a typical Beane roster with Josh the Freak and not enough other playmakers.  The result will be another season ending in playoff disappointment.   

 

I think this is the more realistic expectation, but I'll reread your post to regain my smile.  

[SoMAn]

I'm  very optimistic about the offense. Josh should be in his prime as a leader, play caller, passer, etc. He's poised to be where Peyton Manning was when he finally won his first super bowl. The Bills have a solid O-line and pretty good skill players to compliment Josh.

 

The defense I'm less optimistic about. I'm cautiously optimistic, but dubious about how they're perform, particularly in the early going.

It could go either way. I don't know exactly what to expect. 

My hope is that the offense is built around ball control, moving the ball down the field methodically, making 'time of possession' their first line of defense for keeping opponents from scoring, putting points on the board, and forcing the guys across from them into panic mode and playing desperation catch-up football. 

But, the defense is still going to have to do their part and get the ball back into Josh's hands.

 

Overall, I'm fairly optimistic. It'll be interesting to see how the new Jim Leonard 'D' develops. That will be key. 

[BeyondTheProcess]

Looks like the D will be taking me back to the Dick LeBeau days when he was DC during the Bledsoe days.   Was as much fun to watch the D as it was to watch the O.  If we get both excitement from the D and the O, it will be very fun to watch.  

[billsfan714]

Ive been a firm believer in the defense holds this team back since 13 seconds.   My reasons for optimism are Sean and his D are gone.  I think Chubb can do more than Bosa, I think TJ Parker can do more than AJE.  I think the secondary is better.  I certainly think Oliver can be better than his 25 season.  Same for Landon Jackson.  I look at how many starters are no longer even in the league and what that tells me what 31 other GMs think of people like Rapp, Tre, etc. and guys on their last legs like Milano and Daquan Jones.  I really hope Leonard brings a different more aggressive D.  I think the receivers as whole are better. May we never have to be subject to the likes of Curtis Samuel again. My only cause for concern is the schedule, especially the early schedule, its pretty rough and I think the one seed in the AFC is not realistic.

Edited September 2 by billsfan714

[corta765]

20 hours ago, DrBob806 said:

My true fear is that the Bills squandered their best shots already, but I'll be happy to be very wrong. 

 

I have thought this myself specifically the fact the Bills are now 0-2 with Josh in the conference title game. Excluding Brady's crazy W/L record in well everything, since 2000 here are the number of conference title game/SB appearances some of top QBs have had both retired & current:

 

Rodgers: 1 SB appearances, 4 NFC title games

Manning: 4 SB appearances, 5 AFC title games 

Brees: 1 SB appearance, 2 NFC title games

Big Ben: 3 SB appearances, 5 AFC title games

Mahomes: 5 SB appearances, 7 AFC title games

Stafford: 1 SB appearance, 2 NFC title games

Warner: 3 SB appearances, 3 NFC title games

Rivers: 1 AFC title game

R Wilson: 2 SB appearances, 2 NFC title games

Matt Ryan: 1 SB appearance, 2 NFC title games

 

Josh most likely will see at least 1 more AFC title, probably 2 just given he is in the top echelon with Mahomes the way Manning was with Brady or vise versa. Whether he ends up like Peyton and the dam breaks with a ton of more games to follow OR maybe he is Steve Young where he gets a ring and his career is surrounded by almost years remains to be seen. He could be Brees or Rodgers where he will get his shot once and he better take it when it finally happens. He isn't Rivers, his career is already better, the Bills are a far better org then the Chargers were then, and frankly Rivers was never very good in the playoffs. But the chances are not limitless at all and realistically he has one or two left. So saying we've squandered our best shot to get there I don't disagree just simply as the opportunities are less then more at this point.

Edited September 2 by corta765