The Importance of Week 1

[psubills62]

I was thinking the other day about the initial matchup against the Patriots. Last year in Week 1 Buffalo played the Seattle Seahawks, who had previously been division champions for several years in a row. It was exciting to see Buffalo beat a team that, by most accounts, should have been a good team, although we all know how badly the Seahawks did throughout the year, not just in Week 1.

That will not be the Patriots, who are generally the favorites to win the Super Bowl going into the 2009 season. Not only are they a strong team in general, they are a mental hurdle for the Bills, who have lost eleven straight times to the New England team. In that eleven game stretch, the Bills have been outscored 321-96, which is an average score of 29.2-8.7.

I know that to me, most every offseason I can see the Bills beating the Patriots due to the contributions of young players who don't have the complacent, beaten mentality of most Buffalo players when facing New England. Of course, it doesn't happen.

The first week is an extremely important test for a young team with a revamped offense and a coaching staff hanging by a thread. Another embarrassing primetime loss, especially to an enemy as despised as the Patriots, could send at least one of the current Buffalo coaches packing very quickly.

Now losing to the Patriots, who is a very good team all the way around, does not necessarily mean that the Bills won't make the playoffs. Losing would, however, set a depressing tone for the rest of the season, which is marked by a seemingly tough schedule.

Week 1 is the perfect test for a new offensive line, a hopefully improved pass rush, a deep secondary, a young but improving QB, and a solid group of wide receivers. Even if the Bills lose, if they can score more than 20 points and at least put up a good fight (one that registers on the field as well as the scoreboard, unlike a not-as-close-as-it-seemed 20-10 shellacking in Week 10 of 2008), then it bodes fairly well for the rest of the season. But if they fall on their faces like they usually do against their currently smug division rival, then it will most likely be another season of bitter disappointment after an offseason of more high hopes.

The flaws of the 2008 Buffalo Bills were not exposed until the divisional matchups. They won't have the luxury of beating any cupcakes early on, as three road divisional games loom large in the first six weeks. Is this a Buffalo team that, despite abandonment of hope by many fans, can make the playoffs? At least we'll know earlier this season how much this team has improved, if at all.

[The King]

Great Post

[psubills62]

Really? No other comments?

[kid mickey]

Hope they come out swinging. The Bills need to make some noise this year. I want play-offs like crazy. Just to prove that we are good team.

[DrGraves]

I am really scared that our new young linemen (potentially 3 starters in Nelson, Levitre, and Wood) have to start their first game ever in the national spotlight on the road against one of the best teams in the league... that is a really scary thought!!!!!!!

However, I do feel like this it is probably better that we play this game week one since IMO is probably the one game we will most definitely lose since it is MNF, the pats, and the road, and no marshawn.... no better place than to get the jitters out than here. I rather it be this game than a game that we are 'suppose to win'

At the same time, if we come out and play well (no necessarily even win) if could be a huge confidence boost and mean good things the rest of the way

Another thought is that if we are going to beat Brady ever we should try to jump right on him in his first game back from injury.

[elltrain22]

Great post! Call me crazy, but I like our chances to beat them. Brady might be rusty, they've had alot of roster turnover, alot of new players, and there defensive, IMO, doesn't strike fear into opponents. :lt:

[ServoBillieves]

Great post! Call me crazy, but I like our chances to beat them. Brady might be rusty, they've had alot of roster turnover, alot of new players, and there defensive, IMO, doesn't strike fear into opponents. :lt:

I have to agree with most of that, but key on two things: New players and a not-so-scary defense. Without Vrabel and having an aging front 3 and aging Bruschi in the middle... I see nothing in their secondary to be scared of. Brandon Meriweather? The offense is definitley scary, but where do Fred Taylor and Joey Galloway fit in? Who takes the #1 TE spot? It's going to be a tough locker room to be in with the competition, IMO.

It'll be a great game IMO, Brady back, new O-Line, see the rookies (I think Byrd gets the nod at FS this game to piss of Brady with some INT's), T.O. vs. Randy Moss, Lee Evans vs. Wes Welker, and to see what our secondary and pass rush can do against the high powered Patriots! MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL, ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL!?!?!?!

...

hoo... way too excited there for a minute...

[Mad Bomber]

psubills....

I appreciate the posts that you put forth on this site. Intelligent, thoughtful, and non-argumentative.

Yet another good post. :up:

[psubills62]

psubills....

I appreciate the posts that you put forth on this site. Intelligent, thoughtful, and non-argumentative.

Yet another good post. :up:

Haha I am plenty argumentative, usually...it's just that one these boards, I can take it out on Op :up:

[Cntrygal]

Every week is important. :sigh:

[BillsWin]

I was thinking the other day about the initial matchup against the Patriots. Last year in Week 1 Buffalo played the Seattle Seahawks, who had previously been division champions for several years in a row. It was exciting to see Buffalo beat a team that, by most accounts, should have been a good team, although we all know how badly the Seahawks did throughout the year, not just in Week 1.

That will not be the Patriots, who are generally the favorites to win the Super Bowl going into the 2009 season. Not only are they a strong team in general, they are a mental hurdle for the Bills, who have lost eleven straight times to the New England team. In that eleven game stretch, the Bills have been outscored 321-96, which is an average score of 29.2-8.7.

I know that to me, most every offseason I can see the Bills beating the Patriots due to the contributions of young players who don't have the complacent, beaten mentality of most Buffalo players when facing New England. Of course, it doesn't happen.

The first week is an extremely important test for a young team with a revamped offense and a coaching staff hanging by a thread. Another embarrassing primetime loss, especially to an enemy as despised as the Patriots, could send at least one of the current Buffalo coaches packing very quickly.

Now losing to the Patriots, who is a very good team all the way around, does not necessarily mean that the Bills won't make the playoffs. Losing would, however, set a depressing tone for the rest of the season, which is marked by a seemingly tough schedule.

Week 1 is the perfect test for a new offensive line, a hopefully improved pass rush, a deep secondary, a young but improving QB, and a solid group of wide receivers. Even if the Bills lose, if they can score more than 20 points and at least put up a good fight (one that registers on the field as well as the scoreboard, unlike a not-as-close-as-it-seemed 20-10 shellacking in Week 10 of 2008), then it bodes fairly well for the rest of the season. But if they fall on their faces like they usually do against their currently smug division rival, then it will most likely be another season of bitter disappointment after an offseason of more high hopes.

The flaws of the 2008 Buffalo Bills were not exposed until the divisional matchups. They won't have the luxury of beating any cupcakes early on, as three road divisional games loom large in the first six weeks. Is this a Buffalo team that, despite abandonment of hope by many fans, can make the playoffs? At least we'll know earlier this season how much this team has improved, if at all.

excellent post.

[DynaPaul]

Week 1 could set the tone for the entire year. If we win or lose in a close one it could start the engine rolling. If we go out and lay an egg on the field it's probably going to be another 7 - 9 season.

[sdbillsfan2]

yea great post ...
Why does the element of surprise keep coming to mind this year more then most VS NE ? I actually feel good about this game and all the intangibles involved.

[BillsWin]

yea great post ...
Why does the element of surprise keep coming to mind this year more then most VS NE ? I actually feel good about this game and all the intangibles involved.

perfect time to unveil our no huddle offense in my opinion.

[psubills62]

Every week is important. :sigh:

Well, that's certainly true. But I'd say beating a proven team led by a future Hall-of-Famer is a little more important than beating a team like the Chiefs. It really wouldn't make a difference to you if we beat New England versus if we beat the Texans?

Maybe not everyone is bothered by the fact that Jauron can only beat teams that turn out to be awful to mediocre. That's fine.

[psubills62]

Hope they come out swinging. The Bills need to make some noise this year. I want play-offs like crazy. Just to prove that we are good team.

Exactly. I'm young enough that I don't really remember the days when we dominated the Pats. I'd LOVE to beat them in New England on our way to the playoffs. Would I be happy to get to the playoffs even if we get swept by the Pats? Sure...but if we only beat one team this year, I'd want it to be them.

[psubills62]

I am really scared that our new young linemen (potentially 3 starters in Nelson, Levitre, and Wood) have to start their first game ever in the national spotlight on the road against one of the best teams in the league... that is a really scary thought!!!!!!!

However, I do feel like this it is probably better that we play this game week one since IMO is probably the one game we will most definitely lose since it is MNF, the pats, and the road, and no marshawn.... no better place than to get the jitters out than here. I rather it be this game than a game that we are 'suppose to win'

At the same time, if we come out and play well (no necessarily even win) if could be a huge confidence boost and mean good things the rest of the way

Another thought is that if we are going to beat Brady ever we should try to jump right on him in his first game back from injury.

I agree...I'm concerned that some of our rookies will be so important in Week 1.

The good thing is that if the rookies perform well, then New England won't be prepared for them, since they have no tape on them. If they perform poorly...then I guess as Bills fans we sort of expect that and won't have too high hopes for the rest of the season.

I'm very interested in how Brady will return from injury. It's not like he's a terribly mobile QB, he does most of his damage from the pocket. So I have few reasons to believe that he'll be any worse.

[psubills62]

Week 1 could set the tone for the entire year. If we win or lose in a close one it could start the engine rolling. If we go out and lay an egg on the field it's probably going to be another 7 - 9 season.

Haha, my thoughts exactly. If we win...then we'll know that this season is almost certainly going to be different from the last three. If we lose...then we know what to expect.

[BillsWin]

Although this isn't high school when you beat youre cross town rivals and that victory carries your team to an undefeated stete championship season, I can really see a situation where if the Bills were to beat Brady in his prodical return to the NFL and come out and assert some AFC East dominance on MNF, I could see that victory majory impacting how the rest of the season turns out. I mean, there are like 3 players on the team now that where on the Bills when they last beat the Patriots. So this would be a big boost to their confidence.

This makes you excited for the season to start don't it? Just sends your blood a boiling.


Bills 24 Patriots 10

You heard it here first. :D :up:

[diggemsmack]

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