I think we lose to the Fish in week 1

[OpIv37]

I must admit that the offense looks further along then I thought they would at this point. But so far, they've only been tested against one 3-4 team, and they failed the test miserably. I'm still not convinced that they can play well against the 3-4.

On the other side of the ball, our LB's have looked downright horrible. They will have to play Miami's strong running game, plus try to get pressure on Henne to help the DB's keep the ball away from Marshall. Henne isn't anything great, but like any NFL QB, he'll pick us apart if we can't pressure him. Combine that with putting 8 in the box to slow down their running game, and we could have a serious problem.

In addition, this is the first real action with a new coach and new systems on both sides of the ball, so there is a good chance that it won't go smoothly.

I'm not saying a Buffalo win is impossible, but there are some major factors working against us and I don't see them pulling this one out.

[Dr. Lecter]

I saw the thread title and I am shocked, just shocked, at the author of the thread.


I think the Bills win this game and 2 others.

[DMBcrew36]

But so far, they've only been tested against one 3-4 team, and they failed the test miserably. I'm still not convinced that they can play well against the 3-4.

This is the key to the game, IMO, and the key to the following 3 games, also, which are against 3-4 defenses.

[HAMMER]

I think we beat flipper and his crew, then roll on to the AFC East title.

[BertSquirtgum]

i think you should drive up here for the game, watch the bills kick ass, and then jump over the falls.

[Jan Reimers]

I think we beat flipper and his crew, then roll on to the AFC East title.
And the Super Bowl.

[ddaryl]

I predicted a win for the opener.... I'm sticking with that.

[Buffalogic]

Did this really need a separate thread?

[wmoz11]

I don't think we're necessarily better than Miami, but being that it's week 1 and there is still hope among the players and staff, I think we surprise them and win.

I'm extremely worried about our defense even though Miami's offense doesn't particularly scare me, although their run game should be pretty good. The offense in Miami should be a weak-link, but I'm afraid we won't be able to proprerly expose and dominate them due to their use of short passing which will no doubt test our linebackers in coverage in a new scheme.

The atmosphere and optimism from the players to the coaches (and 35+ run plays on offense) should allow us to squeak out a win, even if conventional wisdom says we should lose.

[Nighthawk]

We may not win many games this year, but this is one I can definitely see the Bills winning.

[FlyingDutchman]

fair assessment...we absolutely struggle against the 3-4

[justasportsfan]

I must admit that the offense looks further along then I thought they would at this point. But so far, they've only been tested against one 3-4 team, and they failed the test miserably. I'm still not convinced that they can play well against the 3-4.

On the other side of the ball, our LB's have looked downright horrible. They will have to play Miami's strong running game, plus try to get pressure on Henne to help the DB's keep the ball away from Marshall. Henne isn't anything great, but like any NFL QB, he'll pick us apart if we can't pressure him. Combine that with putting 8 in the box to slow down their running game, and we could have a serious problem.

In addition, this is the first real action with a new coach and new systems on both sides of the ball, so there is a good chance that it won't go smoothly.

I'm not saying a Buffalo win is impossible, but there are some major factors working against us and I don't see them pulling this one out.


On the flipside, what have the fins and Henne done to gain your respect? Are you forgetting he didn't pick us apart last year but got picked off a number of times vs. the bills?

I actually think we are the underdogs vs. the fins but I don't get your reasoning. Makes little sense to justify a loss other than they had a better record.

Since this is the first time with a new system, it can also go our way and not just their way since they have no tape on us.

[Mindbender]

boo. week one is a win.

[Static]

Sporano hasn't won an opening day game yet.

[OpIv37]

Did this really need a separate thread?

just proving a point- look at the responses in this thread compared to the one on Finheaven. A few decent responses. A lot of "No way- we win" with no further comments.

[stuckincincy]

I must admit that the offense looks further along then I thought they would at this point. But so far, they've only been tested against one 3-4 team, and they failed the test miserably. I'm still not convinced that they can play well against the 3-4.



Well, 1 and a half teams. CIN switches over to a 3-4 set with some regularity - moreso lately as they work on getting their M. Johnson into an OLB spot.

[psubills62]

I think there are definitely some things working against us, but there are some things working for us too. After all, what has Miami's defense done? They lost their starting NT from last year, they still have young corners who really haven't done much (well, Sean Smith did lose his starting job to Jason Allen), and lost a good chunk of their sack production in Jason Taylor and Joey Porter. Karlos Dansby is an upgrade inside, but Channing Crowder has been injured lately.

Their DL is the saving grace for that defense, and may be able to keep them out of the basement, but it's not exactly like going against the Steel Curtain.

[Cntrygal]

:mad:

I'm going to this game..... the Bills had better ****ing win!!!!!! :mad:

[DMBcrew36]

I think we beat flipper and his crew, then roll on to the AFC East title.

You never mentioned how much acid I need to take to achieve this.

[madness]

You never mentioned how much acid I need to take to achieve this.

It's implied that you probably shouldn't stop taking it at all. Just remember to double your dose for every consecutive day.

[ddaryl]

It's implied that you probably shouldn't stop taking it at all. Just remember to double your dose for every consecutive day.

even that doesn't work.. at some point the body becomes saturated and the effects are diminished greatly..

or so I've heard

[madness]

I'm not even begin to predict what will happen week 1. I'm sure the Dolphins have some question marks of their own but we don't know how the new defense will look when they actually start using their blitz packages or whether they can finally stop the run and have legit players on ST for a change.

I honestly can say I'm not too worried about the offense. Gailey will prove why he's considered one of the top OC's in the league and you can already plainly see the progress he made with Trent and rest of offense. It's easy to believe the OL is starting to play better but the protection schemes between this year and last year are night and day.

[OpIv37]

I don't know why people say we're not using blitz packages. In the first two preseason games, Whitner blitzed at least 3x.

[madness]

even that doesn't work.. at some point the body becomes saturated and the effects are diminished greatly..

or so I've heard
I know somebody back in their younger days who tripped 5 days straight on paper (31 tabs total) to test that theory. "Better judgment" kept him from going further since he figured he better cleanse his system before his vacation was over. I can only imagine the damage and lasting effects it caused. Guy must be a few straws short of a basket case.

:ontome:

[Beebe's Kid]

This team will never beat a 3-4 team. They did a few times last year, but that was during the glory days of Jauron/Van Pelt. Gailey has yet to prove that he can make an adjustment, and there is no reason to think that we can win.

Need more proof? The Redskins play a 3-4, and they dominated us. Signed, sealed, delivered.

We will be lucky to win any games this year, and that is stretching it. We don't have a QB, LT, NT, or any linebackers. Well, we do have them, but I am clairvoyant, and they will have no level of success. Surprise only happens in a homer's fantasy land.

Being realistic, we don't know a lot about this team yet other than a very poor first showing, and two very good subsequent showings. After a little practice and preparation they looked much better, and have been showing improvement week after week. This makes it clear that they will always be as bad as they were in the first week of the preseason. How can you argue that? The last two weeks were PRESEASON!!!

All of you homers that were excited by new formations are too stupid to know that all that means is this team doesn't know what they are doing.

***This realism thing, purely based on cold-hard-facts is easier than I thought. I am going to go kick the dog around for a while and give it another try!!

[DraftBoy]

I know somebody back in their younger days who tripped 5 days straight on paper (31 tabs total) to test that theory. "Better judgment" kept him from going further since he figured he better cleanse his system before his vacation was over. I can only imagine the damage and lasting effects it caused. Guy must be a few straws short of a basket case.

:ontome:

Sounds like a Mets fan to me!

[OpIv37]

This team will never beat a 3-4 team. They did a few times last year, but that was during the glory days of Jauron/Van Pelt. Gailey has yet to prove that he can make an adjustment, and there is no reason to think that we can win.

Need more proof? The Redskins play a 3-4, and they dominated us. Signed, sealed, delivered.

We will be lucky to win any games this year, and that is stretching it. We don't have a QB, LT, NT, or any linebackers. Well, we do have them, but I am clairvoyant, and they will have no level of success. Surprise only happens in a homer's fantasy land.

Being realistic, we don't know a lot about this team yet other than a very poor first showing, and two very good subsequent showings. After a little practice and preparation they looked much better, and have been showing improvement week after week. This makes it clear that they will always be as bad as they were in the first week of the preseason. How can you argue that? The last two weeks were PRESEASON!!!

All of you homers that were excited by new formations are too stupid to know that all that means is this team doesn't know what they are doing.

***This realism thing, purely based on cold-hard-facts is easier than I thought. I am going to go kick the dog around for a while and give it another try!!

Clearly you don't get it.

All we have is limited, imperfect information. Is it possible that this team can play well against a 3-4? Sure, it's possible. But they have yet to prove that they can do it. Is it possible that our LB's play well in a 3-4? Yes, but they have yet to prove they can do it. Is it possible that one of our unknown players will turn out to be great? Sure, it's possible. But people say this "what if" crap every year, and every year it fails to materialize.

So why would any reasonable person believe that we'll have surprise improvement or play well against a 3-4 team or have decent LB's? There is no real reason- just a hope that the team will do well.

So, go ahead and be sarcastic. Go ahead and use baseless hope as your logic behind your opinions. I'll continue to use actual observation and performance, and I'll continue to be right more often then not. Enjoy your trip to fairy-tale land until reality kicks you in the teeth next Sunday.

[madness]

Sounds like a Mets fan to me!

:rofl: Wait a minute... :stfu:

[NOT THE DUDE...]

aaron maybin is going to have 3 sacks and be the miller light player of the game!!!!!

[cocamide]

So why would any reasonable person believe that we'll have surprise improvement or play well against a 3-4 team or have decent LB's? There is no real reason- just a hope that the team will do well.

You've answered your own question. What reasonable person would want to be a Bills fan? It's pure torture being a Bills fan, and no reasonable person would subject themselves to it year after year. As Bills fans, we are not reasonable people.

[OpIv37]

fair enough.

[HHURRICANE]

I am optimistic that we will win this game for the following reasons:

1) Maimi is not having a great pre-season. Saprano was just *****ing about it this week.

2) Didn't they lose a starter on the o-line? I also think they have more than one injury on the o-line.

3) The game is our home opener. If this was New England or the Saints than I would say it doesn't matter, but Miami on the road in Buffalo. That's more than a 3 point advantage for us.

4) I thin we have a coach that can call a game and Saprano has no tape to study like we do.

Yes, I won't be shocked if we lose but i think this is one of the more winnable games.

[THRILLHO]

Do I want us to win? Yes. Will I watch the whole game, no matter what happens? Yes. Does the Homer in me say we can win this game? Yes. Do I honestly think we will win? No.

[Barb]

I am optimistic that we will win this game for the following reasons:

1) Maimi is not having a great pre-season. Saprano was just *****ing about it this week.

2) Didn't they lose a starter on the o-line? I also think they have more than one injury on the o-line.

3) The game is our home opener. If this was New England or the Saints than I would say it doesn't matter, but Miami on the road in Buffalo. That's more than a 3 point advantage for us.

4) I thin we have a coach that can call a game and Saprano has no tape to study like we do.

Yes, I won't be shocked if we lose but i think this is one of the more winnable games.

1) since when does preseason matter, the colts got beat bei 30 points, they suck as well ?
2) no starter, a backup, the starting 5 is intact
3) wheather will be no factor though, we will be pumped as well
4) there is no footage of what we will do on defense

[Nublar7]

I think we lose to the Fish in week 1I agree. :up: