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They haven't made the playoffs in 8 seasons, very nearly had the worst offense AND defense in the NFL last year, and have a head coach who has had only one winning season in 7 in his career, and yet there are still people who react with outrage that preseason publications aren't showing respect.

I wonder: if the anemic offense and paper-thin defense both make huge vaults forward to NFL average units (say 16-17th best), then the Bills record should be what? A 16-17th best team suggests something like 8-8 to me. 8-8 would be an improvement. I guess. :blink:

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It's a prediction, not a bet. Last year at this time the Bears were the defending NFC Champs and the Jets had made the playoffs. Pennington is very limited, but despite that he has lead the Jets to the playoffs several times. On the other hand, the Vikings and the Bills have been out of the playoff mix for quite a while. Also take into account that the league is driven a great deal by the quality of head coaches, and Lovie Smith and Eric Mangini get more respect than Brad Childress and Dick Jauron. Smith's been to the playoffs and SB and Mangini is 1 for 2 in playoff appearances and comes from the "coaching tree" of the league's most successful coach. Childress has done nothing and Jauron has a long a miserable track record of 6 losing seasons in 7 years plus an 0-3 interim stint in Detroit.

 

With any luck, the Bills purposeful building of a young team that Jauron might actually be able to motivate will pay off. But I don't see how you can blame people who look at his horrendous track record and say he's probably going to have another losing season.

I do'nt blame people for thinking that the Bills are not going to be good because of Dick Jauron's history as a head coach. However if that is the only reason, then TSN's analysis of the Bills would have to be considered highly questionable.

Did they even notice that the Bills dumped Larry Tripplett for Marcus Stroud? Did they not see the Bills address two needs in the draft by selecting McKelvin & Hardy? What about Kawika Mitchell, is'nt he considered an upgrade?

 

Yes, it's a prediction not a bet, I just do not see the logic in how they think that despite the upgrades that this team has done in the offseason, that they will be worse than last year.

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