Think we're a playoff team, but here's two VERY IMPORTANT points to remember

[patmoran2006]

I hope the Bills make the playoffs this year, obviously. But here are two extremely (IMO) points that need to be put out there regarding our chances.

1- We're in the AFC East. Which means barring a major collapse by New England we're playing for a wild card from day one. I don't see anyway we overtake New England in just one season, and it's never fun nor easy to be behind the playoff eight ball before the season starts.

2- Indianapolis and Jacksonville are both loaded IMO. They're probably both 11 win teams (minimum) and unfortunately play in the same division. That automatically makes one of the two teams a wild-card.

Point: You never know what can happen in a season obviously, but the probability NE wins the division and Indy/Jags are one of the two wild-cards is very, very high.

I think the AFC West goes to San Diego and the North is a battle between Pittsburgh and Cleveland.

That means in order to make the playoffs, we have to be better than ALL of these teams (certainly possible, just stating what we're up against)
* Cleveland or Pitt (AFC North non division winner)
* Denver- I still think they can be good but are certainly no lock
* Jets- I think they've improved more than get credit for here. Faneca will help the OL immensely, and Pace, Jenkins and Gholston bolster a defense that already had great young talent in Harris and Reevis.

Then of course you always seem to have a team that comes out of nowhere to contend, such as . Maybe Houston is that team this year.

Tennesee was a playoff team last year, and is very well coached.

So the road to the playoffs is no easy task, especially in the AFC, which is much better overall than the NFC. I think the Bills can definitely make the postseason with their talent, but it won't be easy. Sweeping the Jets and beating Cleveland on Monday night could go a long way in determining how we do.

[Yasgur's Farm]

I see the Bills as a 10 win team... As you've pointed out, there's a good chance 10 wins won't cut it.

Side note... All the JP bashers better hope they're wrong about him. Given Trent's injury history, it's very likely JP will have to start a game or 2 at least. We'll see if the fruit of keeping him pays off.

[PECKERWOOD]

Too many contingencies for us to be a playoff team, we are still 2-3 years away, imho. Trent Edwards is not the answer and Losman doesn't have much of a shot because we are so willing to run him out of town. This year will be another QB carousel for the Bills. Sorry in advance, I'm not trying to piss in anybody's cheerios.

[Jan Reimers]

Playing in the AFC East is a good thing in that we get to play the Dolphins and Jets a combined 4 times. The rest of our schedule isn't that bad, either.

We just need to play well and not worry too much about everyone else. There are plenty of good teams in the AFC, but if the Pats can be beaten by the Giants, I don't consider anything a lock.

[Yasgur's Farm]

Too many contingencies for us to be a playoff team, we are still 2-3 years away, imho. Trent Edwards is not the answer and Losman doesn't have much of a shot because we are so willing to run him out of town. This year will be another QB carousel for the Bills. Sorry in advance, I'm not trying to piss in anybody's cheerios. I agree with your sentiment regarding our QB situation... But I think we win 10 games based on our D, ST's, running game, and receiving depth (now that we have Hardy).

[Patti120]

I just hope our offense finally starts to click. I'm still a little worried about Tight end and TE has all of the potential in the world but how he will perform is stil a question mark at this point. Turk is also an unproven OC so there are a lot of questions.

I am cautiously optimistic and hoping for a healthy season with no more off the field issues.

[TigerJ]

Yup. I think the Bills can make a wild card spot, but I never thought it was going to be a cakewalk. They can fail to make a wild card spot too.

[Yasgur's Farm]

That's right... I forgot to add the absence of Fairchild to the equation. Maybe we win 11 after all!

[Jan Reimers]

We'll need some breaks to get into the playoffs, no doubt about it. We'll need to win a couple of close games, stay relatively injury free, and perhaps have one or two of the teams that are close to us have down seasons.

But I think our talent level is as good as it's been in quite sometime, and I expect a number of our young players to really come into their own this year.

[PECKERWOOD]

I agree with your sentiment regarding our QB situation... But I think we win 10 games based on our D, ST's, running game, and receiving depth (now that we have Hardy).

Thanks, I do believe you have some points as well but as Patti pointed out Turk is only a 1st year OC, what can we expect from him? What can we realistically expect Hardy to do as a rookie WR? I think you're right about our defense though. I do concede that if we make the playoffs this year it will be on the back of our defense.

[Yasgur's Farm]

LOL... And Lindell's leg.

[Jan Reimers]

I really feel that something a lot of people miss is the Bills' youth. Players generally make great strides in their second and third years, and we have plenty of those guys.

We are not a veteran, static team. We are a young team which will get better.

[LABillsFan]

Let's not forget the Bills play Jacksonville, San Diego, Cleveland, KC and Denver. The Bills have an influence on prospective playoff teams. Jax plays Tennesee the week before they play the Bills and Indy the week after, San Diego plays NE Sunday night before they play the Bills and Denver plays SD the week after the Bills. There's a few variables that can work to the Bills advantage.

[raphael120]

Let's not forget the Bills play Jacksonville, San Diego, Cleveland, KC and Denver. The Bills have an influence on prospective playoff teams. Jax plays Tennesee the week before they play the Bills and Indy the week after, San Diego plays NE Sunday night before they play the Bills and Denver plays SD the week after the Bills. There's a few variables that can work to the Bills advantage.

See, it's not that complicated. All the Bills need to do is TAKE CARE OF THEIR OWN BUSINESS! Do this by beating Jax, San Diego, Cleveland, KC, and Denver! Beat the teams on YOUR schedule this year that you may be breaking ties with for the final wildcard spot. This has been something the Bills HAVE NOT been able to do the past however many years. We've always fallen short when putting teams away that largely determine if we get in the playoffs or not. Just look at last season, we needed to beat Jax and Cleveland to even remotely think about playoffs and we blew back to back games. And its not like we were blown out of those games, one was played with JP (handicapped right there), and the other was played in some of the worst weather conditions Ive ever seen!

So yeah, while only winning 10 games might not get us into the playoffs, I think they may be just enough depending on if 5 of those wins come against 5 of those potential teams (Jax, Jets, SD, Cleveland, Denver) that we will be battling for wildcard sports. Bottom line, we need to create our own destiny because I'm friggen tired of hanging by a thread and hopeing for these extreme longshot possiblilities predicated on other teams losing.

[LABillsFan]

See, it's not that complicated. All the Bills need to do is TAKE CARE OF THEIR OWN BUSINESS! Do this by beating Jax, San Diego, Cleveland, KC, and Denver! Beat the teams on YOUR schedule this year that you may be breaking ties with for the final wildcard spot. This has been something the Bills HAVE NOT been able to do the past however many years. We've always fallen short when putting teams away that largely determine if we get in the playoffs or not. Just look at last season, we needed to beat Jax and Cleveland to even remotely think about playoffs and we blew back to back games. And its not like we were blown out of those games, one was played with JP (handicapped right there), and the other was played in some of the worst weather conditions Ive ever seen!

So yeah, while only winning 10 games might not get us into the playoffs, I think they may be just enough depending on if 5 of those wins come against 5 of those potential teams (Jax, Jets, SD, Cleveland, Denver) that we will be battling for wildcard sports. Bottom line, we need to create our own destiny because I'm friggen tired of hanging by a thread and hopeing for these extreme longshot possiblilities predicated on other teams losing.

That's what I meant by "The Bills have an influence on prospective playoff teams." :up:

[patmoran2006]

Let's not forget the Bills play Jacksonville, San Diego, Cleveland, KC and Denver. The Bills have an influence on prospective playoff teams. Jax plays Tennesee the week before they play the Bills and Indy the week after, San Diego plays NE Sunday night before they play the Bills and Denver plays SD the week after the Bills. There's a few variables that can work to the Bills advantage.
Excellent point. I forgot we play Denver too. Buffalo will very much have an influence on other teams, as many of the teams I think we'll contend with for a playoff birth are teams we face during the season.

[patmoran2006]

Playing in the AFC East is a good thing in that we get to play the Dolphins and Jets a combined 4 times. The rest of our schedule isn't that bad, either.

We just need to play well and not worry too much about everyone else. There are plenty of good teams in the AFC, but if the Pats can be beaten by the Giants, I don't consider anything a lock.
I agree and disagree with you.

Our schedule overall isn't murder; at least not on paper in June. Of course, you never know what teams rise and flop each year; there's always a handful. NE can be beat by anybody on a given Sunday, but I dont see 5 teams beating them in a season, and I dont see the Bills winning 12 games, so we're looking at a wild card shot.

And I definitely disagree with you about having the "luxury" of playing Miami and NY four times. The Jets are no pushovers in my opinion. In fact, I think they could be the sleeper team of the AFC. They're loaded with talent on defense, and their offense is good enough to at least keep them in a lot of games. Ironicially, they're makeup reminds me a bit of the early 2000-Bills teams.

Miami will still struggle, but I guarentee you they play harder and are better coached. Having said that, we should beat them twice, at least if we're a legit playoff contender.

[yordad]

My thoughts.........

1. Patriots- Still the team to beat, preferably with a stick
2. Colts- Getting older, but if Freeney comes back full strength, I think there is another run possible
3. Cowboys- Class on the NFC, and I am not happy about this
4. Chargers- One of the most talented, sky is the limit
5. Giants- Not getting too much respect
6. Jags- AFC team no one wants to face, their D-line should be fierce
7. Minnesota- NFC team no one wants to face, their D-line should be fierce
8. Cleveland- They were close, will the additions pay off?
9. Redskins- Holy receivers!! Is Campbell the guy?
10. Saints- I still think their talent was better then their '07 record
11. Bills- The return of Poz, and the fall of Hardy, makes Bills nation feel like they added 3 first rounders
12. Pittsburgh- Should be in the hunt, but hopefully not too deep
13. Tennessee- I know Vince is fast, but can he catch his own passes?
14. Green Bay- I could be wrong, but I think they take a sizable step back
15. Carolina- They did some good things, but I don't think it will be enough
16. Denver- Some are high on the horses, not me.
17. Cards- lost in the shuffle
18. Tampabay- They have more QBs then receivers
19. Seahawks- From pass happy to power running? We'll see.
20. Houston- Someone give Andre Johnson some help. Seriously, how is Owen Daniels (TE) the next best offensive weapon?
21 Eagles- Let the rebuilding begin
22. Baltimore- Let the rebuilding begin
23. Rams- My, how they fell, but I think they have better talent then their '07 record
24. Lions- Oh come on Lions.
25. Jets- I am not convinced
26. San Fran- Well, I thought they were moving in the right direction
27. Chiefs- too young, too bad
28. Cincinnati- just change the name to "bungles" already
29. Dolphins- moving up in the world
30. Raiders- they might as well get comfy down here
31. Bears- their defense might outscore their offense
32. Falcons- they are the worst team, and they know it


Bills are the 6th AFC team.

[bflojohn]

Somewhere along the line, the Bills will HAVE TO exert their will on others to succeed. Remember the 90's, even when teams like the Jets were winning late (Jamie Muellers' catch), they KNEW they would lose the game because eventually the Bills would break through. I think this team will find an identity this year that propells them upward. I feel Dick Jauron will lead this team to the playoffs this year, and unlike say, the Cinncinati Bengals, will sustain the contender status throughout the next 5 or 6 years onward. Just my $.02

[gr8slayer]

2 years away IMO....

[Historian]

I think SD falls from the elite this year.

Although they still are the class of a crappy division.

Pittsburgh and Cleveland will duke it out and may take two spots.

Indy and Jax are both excellent teams, Houston made some strides last year too.

And I never count Tennessee out until they're mathematically eliminated.

[HHURRICANE]

Raphael makes a great point. The Bills have yet to win a game where they need to. The Pittsburgh game a few years back, at home, was a classic example.

Until the Bills win games that they need to win I don't care what the potential is.

If the Bills can't split their series with New England I still don't how we are a playoff team.