Mike F Posted July 15, 2006 Share Posted July 15, 2006 With expectations low (and rightfully so), I think the Bills will surprise some folks this year. Am I talking playoffs? No........but if they develop a "Marv-like" attitude (never say die), with an emphasis on playing smart football (limit turnovers and play good defense), I don't see them picking first in the 2007 Draft, either. The two biggest questions marks are the OL (which we have solid players to stock) and QB (hopefully we find a serviceable starter in the group). Our defense should rebound with a vengeance using the "cover 2 scheme" (this unit was top five material the past few season) and we have solid skill position players on offense (including JP if he gets his head out of his......well, you know). Let me know what you think of my thoughts on the upcoming season. 2006 REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE Sun 09/10 @ New England Patriots CBS 1:00 PM Rough opener on the road, against an aging, but talented team. They have a lot to prove, as well. I don't see us winning this match up in any scenario, actually. (0-1) Sun 09/17 @ Miami Dolphins CBS 1:00 PM Contrary to what the media thinks (at least here in Florida), the Dolphins are not going to the SB. They have as many OL questions as we do. Not to mention, Culpepper is coming off a major injury, with a new team to boot. If we play smart football, we may steal this one. To be fair, I see us losing a close ballgame late, in the Florida heat. (0-2) Sun 09/24 NEW YORK JETS CBS 1:00 PM With the pressures of an 0-2 start, plus a very disorganized Jets team (more questions then we have) this early in the season, I think we play well in our home opener and cruise to a comfortable win. (1-2) Sun 10/01 MINNESOTA VIKINGS FOX 1:00 PM This brings us to the key early game in our schedule. A win here and we are at .500............a loss and we are in an early 1-3 hole. I am not scared of the Vikings, especially their defense. Brad Johnson is a solid veteran, but he can be rattled (since he is as fast as Bledsoe) with even an average pass rush. Again, playing well at home is a must. I think we squeeze out a close win thanks to our Special Teams and Rian Lindell. (2-2) Sun 10/8 @ Chicago Bears CBS 1:00 PM OK, we head to Chicago with some confidence as a .500 team, not to mention the Dick Jauron story line (former Bears coach). But, the Bears are for real and we may get mashed pretty good by their sick defense. Our defense, much improved by the way, mostly holds the Bears in check, but they only need a few points to win this one. (2-3) Sun 10/15 @ Detroit Lions CBS 1:00 PM Road games are a b%$ch in the NFL! The Lions figure to be much better on the offensive side of the ball, with Mike Martz calling plays and better QB (Kitna). The defense leaves a bit to be desired, but I see us getting outscored on the road, unfortunately. Another late loss that we will look back at as a game we could have won. (2-4) Sun 10/22 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS CBS 1:00 PM The good vibes of the 2-2 start are all but gone now. We limp home just in time to see the Patriots again. Just as the Minnesota game was key, early on. This game is huge for us. Win and we are close to .500, lose and we are in a major hole. The Bills fight their ass off, but I just don't see it. Brady and Co. are still a good team and will find a way to beat a young Bills squad late. Note.....even in a loss, we will start to see some real progress, especially for our young players, which bodes well for the future. (2-5) Sun 10/29 BYE WEEK The BYE comes at a good time.................the three game losing streak is left in the rear view mirror. Sun 11/05 GREEN BAY PACKERS FOX 1:00 PM Fueled by an angry defense, and a rowdy home crowd, the Bills come out for blood against an aging Packers team. The Bills look great and steam roll the cheese heads in a rout. (3-5) Sun 11/12 @ Indianapolis Colts CBS 1:00 PM Despite the momentum from the Packers game, this game is against the class of the AFC, on the road (domed stadium to boot). The Bills come out early and play well, but Manning and Co are just too much. They are what we should aspire to be in a season or two. The Colts run away from us in the second half. (3-6) Sun 11/19 @ Houston Texans CBS 1:00 PM Another road game, in a touch environment against a team much like ours (solid defense, young skill position players). Even though Houston should be better, this game is a toss up, IMO. By now, whomever we have at QB (hopefully a confident JP) should be comfortable and playing pretty well. We should also have a pretty good handle on the "cover 2 scheme". As bad as we drilled the Texans last year shows that we have some talent on our roster, when it is coached properly. For this reason, I see us winning a close, low scoring ball game, late (thanks again to the ST). (4-6) Sun 11/26 JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS CBS 1:00 PM We come home just in time to face one of the more underrated teams in the AFC. Jacksonville should be in the running for a playoff spot by now and they can't afford to lose to Buffalo in their pursuit of the Colts. Despite being at home, I see us stumbling against the Jags late and losing a game that teams like the Bills (young, but developing) always manage to lose at this point in their development. (4-7) Sun 12/3 SAN DIEGO CHARGERS CBS 1:00 PM OK, hot damn! Not just the close loss to the Jags or even playing at home. The Bills should be livid at how bad the Chargers drilled them last year in SD. If they don't come out like "a swarm of angry hornets", they have no pride (and with TKO on the field this time, they willl have plenty of that). Philip Rivers is a first year starter and that will show. I expect the Bills to focus on LT and make Rivers beat them. I don't see that happening in Buffalo, in December. Revenge is sweet! (5-7) Sun 12/10 @ New York Jets CBS 1:00 PM This will be an unpopular pick, but I see this as a "classic trap game". Coming off a win over SD, and with Miami on the schedule the following week, I see the Bills overlooking a team they already beat once this year. As I said earlier, road games are tough and young teams are prone to mistakes. The Bills fall prey to this and the Jets (who should be improving under Belicheck "clone" Eric Mangini). The Jets steal a close ball game late on FG. (5-8) Sun 12/17 MIAMI DOLPHINS CBS 1:00 PM OK, Miami-week is here! Enraged by the earlier loss in Miami, not to mention a "wild card hopes crushing loss" to the Jets, the Bills come out ready to play. The December weather plays havoc with Daute's ability to throw the ball downfield. The Bills defense clamps down on the short and intermediate parts of the field and limits Miami mostly to FG chances. Willis has a huge game and the Bills put a dent in the Dolphins post-season plans. (6-8) Sun 12/24 TENNESSEE TITANS CBS 1:00 PM The last home game of 2006 comes against a Titans team that will be trying to decide when to play Vince Young and LenDale White. December 24th in Buffalo is not the best place for a young QB to learn on the job. Regardless who the QB is, the Titans offense is just not that good at this juncture. The Bills ever improving defense has a field day and shuts down the run and the pass. We manage to play well enough on offense to pull out a win and come closer to .500 (7-8) Sun 12/31 @ Baltimore Ravens CBS 1:00 PM Baltimore is not an easy place to play. Not to mention, I think they will be playing for a wild card slot with that defense, a healthy Jamal Lewis and a solid veteran QB in Steve McNair. We throw a scare into the Ravens, but fall short on the road in the second half. (7-9) Not a bad season for a team picked to clean the basement floor. I can really see the Bills winning this many games, as well as coming close in several others. It will also serve as a springboard for better things in 2007 and beyond. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dibs Posted July 16, 2006 Share Posted July 16, 2006 Well thought through. I don't fully agree, but at least you used some sort of logic for each win/loss. I'd be happy enough with 7 wins this season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramius Posted July 16, 2006 Share Posted July 16, 2006 good post. altho i dont compleely agree on our wins and losses, i see 7 wins as a real possibility this season. we should sneak up on a lot of teams. I see us winning 2 NFC games, 3 division wins, and 2 conference wins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCinBuffalo Posted July 16, 2006 Share Posted July 16, 2006 Good post. I agree on the well thought through commet. However, and this has to be done - What about the Pats looking past us on week one? That team has no shortage of cockiness(if they did the press took care of that real quick - see Tedy Brushci), and most of our defenese has seen them for years now. McGuinest is gone... I dunno, but I say we beat them game 1. Our guys have a lot to prove, the Pats do not. If DJ can keep everyone believing, we may just out hustle them. That also depends on no one becoming a head case during the game, which depends on DJ as well. We'll get to see if he can lead during this game as well. Don't forget we owned them the first game last year, we just found a way to lose... I also don't agree with the Lions pick because - they are the Lions. I think we can beat Baltimore last game of the season, if I am right about the two above then we will have something to play for as well, which could push us. Lastly, I really like your analysis of the second Jets game. That will tell us a ton about what kind of team we have. If we let down like you suggest, that's when I will stop being optomistic about DJ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2003 Posted July 16, 2006 Share Posted July 16, 2006 nice post, but I think the Bills can beat DET. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tortured Soul Posted July 17, 2006 Share Posted July 17, 2006 Mike F, The way you write it up, it looks like the season hinges on the Houston game. 3-6 and going on the road against, as you say, a similar team, if we drop that one, then I'd see players starting to give up and the season taking a nose dive. If we win, the Monday discussion on TSW will be who we need to lose to get the tie breakers. Big Difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike F Posted July 17, 2006 Author Share Posted July 17, 2006 Exactly...............it is funny when you look at the schedule and our "chances" to win each game. There are several "pivotal" games as you go along (not that all of them are not important). The Houston game would be, if things unfolded as I think they will. The first Jet game would be the biggest, if we are coming home at 0-2. Mike Mike F, The way you write it up, it looks like the season hinges on the Houston game. 3-6 and going on the road against, as you say, a similar team, if we drop that one, then I'd see players starting to give up and the season taking a nose dive. If we win, the Monday discussion on TSW will be who we need to lose to get the tie breakers. Big Difference. 723877[/snapback] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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