Are the Bills having a marginal or magical season?

[HHURRICANE]

Let me start by saying that the Bills don not have a Superbowl team. Period. Anyone who wants to argue this is insane for trying.

The real question is whether the Bills are a playoff team, wilcard or maybe capable of winning the division with help, or a team that will be marginal with 7-9 wins.

My personal opinion is that the Bills are still not there yet. I've given some sceanrios where it COULD happen but the reality is still the same.

1) First year OC, no matter how great, is going to struggle.

2) WR depth improved with only one rookie. Not a big enough impact.

3) TE continues to be built with straw houses, instead of brick ones.

4) DE: Denney, Kelsay and Schobel. The Bills didn't learn that getting to Brady is how to beat the Pats.

Now, the D is better just by getting healthy. Stroud and Mitchell, to me are question marks that may only help the D marginally but the D is better. Schobel would have to improve greatly over last year to make this D better than improved and I'm not seeing it.

Thoughts??

[OpIv37]

with Simpson and Poz coming off injuries and the additions, the D should be significantly better. I don't think they'll be dominant but I do think they'll be good enough to keep us in games and maybe even win one or two.

The offense? Well, it's not going to be good enough. Edwards should be better and Hardy will help a little. But it's really all on Edwards and Lynch. If Edwards doesn't improve and Lynch is suspended or incarcerated, expect 2008 to look a lot like 2007.

[HHURRICANE]

with Simpson and Poz coming off injuries and the additions, the D should be significantly better. I don't think they'll be dominant but I do think they'll be good enough to keep us in games and maybe even win one or two.

The offense? Well, it's not going to be good enough. Edwards should be better and Hardy will help a little. But it's really all on Edwards and Lynch. If Edwards doesn't improve and Lynch is suspended or incarcerated, expect 2008 to look a lot like 2007.

Let me add one caveat. Without Lynch, this team will be lucky to get 8 wins.

[justasportsfan]

the fins are not there yet but I can give you scenarios where it could happen too.

[FlyingDutchman]

How many times are you gonna debate this til September?

[OpIv37]

the fins are not there yet but I can give you scenarios where it could happen too.

like what? They win the division after the Patriots plane crashes and the Bills and Jets each end up with 25 guys on IR after a gangland-style gunfight in the parking lot at the Ralph?

[justasportsfan]

How many times are you gonna debate this til September?
when one of what he says happens , he'll come back and gloat and say , I got it right.

[justasportsfan]

like what? They win the division after the Patriots plane crashes and the Bills and Jets each end up with 25 guys on IR after a gangland-style gunfight in the parking lot at the Ralph?
why not? Thats what he pretty much implied how we will win the division. That's just one scenario.

Another is, the bills get injury riddled again and have to go with Hamdan with Roscoe as his center.

[HHURRICANE]

when one of what he says happens , he'll come back and gloat and say , I got it right.

Justa, 9 wins. Book it. Sorry, I was right the last 2 years.

9 wins,
9 wins,
9 wins,
9 wins,
9 wins,
9 wins,
9 wins,
9 wins,
9 wins,

How is that confusing?

[justasportsfan]

Justa, 9 wins. Book it. Sorry, I was right the last 2 years.

9 wins,
9 wins,
9 wins,
9 wins,
9 wins,
9 wins,
9 wins,
9 wins,
9 wins,

How is that confusing?



So if the bills don't make playoffs, you're gonna come back and say, I was right.

If the bills make playoffs or win the division , you're gonna come back and say , I was right.

There's no confusion here. You're covering every scenario so you can say you were right. :rolleyes:

[Jan Reimers]

Let me start by saying that the Bills don not have a Superbowl team. Period. Anyone who wants to argue this is insane for trying.

The real question is whether the Bills are a playoff team, wilcard or maybe capable of winning the division with help, or a team that will be marginal with 7-9 wins.

My personal opinion is that the Bills are still not there yet. I've given some sceanrios where it COULD happen but the reality is still the same.

1) First year OC, no matter how great, is going to struggle.

2) WR depth improved with only one rookie. Not a big enough impact.

3) TE continues to be built with straw houses, instead of brick ones.

4) DE: Denney, Kelsay and Schobel. The Bills didn't learn that getting to Brady is how to beat the Pats.

Now, the D is better just by getting healthy. Stroud and Mitchell, to me are question marks that may only help the D marginally but the D is better. Schobel would have to improve greatly over last year to make this D better than improved and I'm not seeing it.

Thoughts??
While I don't totally disagree with you, HH, and much of this is pure conjecture at this point, I think there is some room for optimism.

1.) It is not a given that Schonert will struggle, and in all probability will be a major improvement over Fairchild. Turk is not a coaching "rookie," as he's been a QB and QBs coach for over 20 years in the NFL.

2.) Hardy and Johnson give us a couple of new guys to work with, and a different system - one that gets the TEs and RBs involved in the passing attack - should help the passing game in general. But I agree that a veteran WR would have been a nice addition.

3.) Schouman didn't play much last year, Fine is highly regarded by the Bills, and Anderson could be a factor. One of them might turn into the pass catcher we need. But I agree again, that a Bennett or Rucker in the draft would have made me happier.

4.) I think our DEs will be helped by better play at DT and LB, and Ellis could be a very good situational pass rusher.

I also feel that our D will be much better with our players returning from injury, our FA acquisitions, the development of our 2nd and 3rd year guys, and the draft. We could have 5 or 6 new (and better) starters on D vs. how we finished last season.

[TacklingDummy]

Justa, 9 wins. Book it. Sorry, I was right the last 2 years.



9 is too high. Step back for the Bills this year, playoffs in 2009.

[Bill Brasky]

Let me start by saying that the Bills don not have a Superbowl team. Period. Anyone who wants to argue this is insane for trying.

is it safe to assume that people thought the giants had a super bowl team last year?

it's the nfl. anything can happen. will it? most likely no. but who's to say it won't? with that kind of attitude, why should they even play?

[HHURRICANE]

So if the bills don't make playoffs, you're gonna come back and say, I was right.

If the bills make playoffs or win the division , you're gonna come back and say , I was right.

There's no confusion here. You're covering every scenario so you can say you were right. :rolleyes:

9 wins, no playoffs.

All I said on the playoffs is that it was possible. If we make the playoffs I'll be excited but in no way will I be saying "I thought so."

Stop trying to twist everything like you always do.

[HHURRICANE]

is it safe to assume that people thought the giants had a super bowl team last year?

it's the nfl. anything can happen. will it? most likely no. but who's to say it won't? with that kind of attitude, why should they even play?

The Giants had a much better team last year than we do right now. Let's be fair here.

The Giants had some playoff experience in the previous years. We don't. Not apples to apples.

[PECKERWOOD]

I'm going with marginal because afterall, how can the season be magical if it's expected by so many?

[The Answer]

Let me start by saying that the Bills don not have a Superbowl team. Period. Anyone who wants to argue this is insane for trying.

The real question is whether the Bills are a playoff team, wilcard or maybe capable of winning the division with help, or a team that will be marginal with 7-9 wins.

My personal opinion is that the Bills are still not there yet. I've given some sceanrios where it COULD happen but the reality is still the same.

1) First year OC, no matter how great, is going to struggle.

2) WR depth improved with only one rookie. Not a big enough impact.

3) TE continues to be built with straw houses, instead of brick ones.

4) DE: Denney, Kelsay and Schobel. The Bills didn't learn that getting to Brady is how to beat the Pats.

Now, the D is better just by getting healthy. Stroud and Mitchell, to me are question marks that may only help the D marginally but the D is better. Schobel would have to improve greatly over last year to make this D better than improved and I'm not seeing it.

Thoughts??

1) Not necessarily true - a lot of 1st year offensive coordinators have had tremendous success turning an offense around, even with the same talent from the previous year. (See Jason Garrett) In fact if Schonert utilizes Lynch in the passing game more, and by also letting Edwards audible it should definitely yield positive results over last year's joke of an offense.

2) True - but if Hardy can make an impact right away it will free up Evans significantly. Also don't rule out signing another veteran WR this summer.

3) Yes we have garbage at the TE position, but you can't fix every hold in one offseason. Our only hope is that we get stupid lucky with a castoff like Teyo Johnson or Courtney Alexander will benefit from a change of scenary.

4) True - but all of our DE's will benefit from the expected upgrades we now have at the LB and DT's positions. We are also getting players back from injury that can add pressure blitzing.

Still way too early to gauge this team as a hole - but the ingriendients are definitely in place for this team to be a force on both sides of the football in 2008.

~The Answer

[justasportsfan]

9 wins, no playoffs.

All I said on the playoffs is that it was possible. If we make the playoffs I'll be excited but in no way will I be saying "I thought so."

Stop trying to twist everything like you always do.
you're the one who twists your own opinions by covering all the bases so you can say you were right.

[BillsOwnAll]

Let me start by saying that the Bills don not have a Superbowl team. Period. Anyone who wants to argue this is insane for trying.

The real question is whether the Bills are a playoff team, wilcard or maybe capable of winning the division with help, or a team that will be marginal with 7-9 wins.


Thoughts??

How can you "argue" if there a playoff team and lock them out of the superbowl? ANYONE..who MAKES the playoffs can win the super bowl with a few lucky bounces or the right motivation. Once you make the playoffs its a whole new season.