How nuts is this for us to achieve? The playoffs?

[X-Era]

I just went back through our schedule and looked at each game head to head. I looked at each game as whether I thought it was winnable.

I think we could get to the Eagles game at 3 and 1. Wins against KC, Oak, and Cinnci. We lose to the Eagles. 3 and 2.

We then win 4 out of 6:

Giants- They are beatable
Redskins- Also beatable
Cowboys- beatable
Jets at home- possible
Dolphins- I think we can sweep them again

Now were 7 and 3. Probably from wins against the Fins and the Cowboys, Giants, and Skins

We lose to the Jets in NY. 7 and 4

Beat the Titans- possible
Lose to the Chargers
Beat the Broncos
Beat the Fins
Lose to the Pats

10 and 6. Without beating the Jets or Pats once but requiring a sweep of the Fins.

And that's if we just do what is feasible. A win against the Pats would offset a loss somewhere else, as would a win against the Jets.

It's a classic statement but for this to happen, we have to beat the teams we can beat.

[Night Train]

You know who else is beatable ? The Bills themselves.

Enthusiasm is tempered, knowing it's all about that individual matchup that specific weekend.

We'll lay some eggs but at least it's finally moving in the right direction, long term. OL and QB in the next draft, despite the curent Fitz love. This year shows 4-5 good ones and we should secure one.

[alohabillsfan]

ROFLMAO, I wondered how long it would take for someone to do this. We beat KC, lets revisit this half way through the season. Ofcourse if we had lost 41-7 I'm sure we would have already seen a mock draft.

[BAM]

I can dig it. Go Bills.

[Mad Max]

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Sorry man, couldn't resist. Hey anything is possible, but this I don't think is very probable, as even if we out-perform we're not winning more than 9-10 games max.

That won't be enough, as either the Jests or Pats, whichever doesn't win the division will probably win one wildcard. I'd guess the pasties at 12-13 wins, the Jests at 11-12. The other will be taken by the loser of the Ravens/Steelers battle for their division.

[ddaryl]

I'm happy we are moving forward as a team and a franchise away from the decade of futility. I firmly believe Nix/Gailey will get us out of this rut..

However I just can't jump on the playoff train at this junction... I'll save that for later in the season if the possibility is still on the table.

but of course it would be very sweet if we had that type of season this year

[Dr. Lecter]

It is only one game.

Don't get too high on the highs or too low on the lows

[SabreEleven]

I've already bought my tickets to Indy.

[mrbojanglezs]

Bills have no depth with easiey done I am very concerned with the receivers. You can bring up Aiken if someone goes down but still. Also our OL a other problematic position with bad depth

[Night Train]

Bills have no depth with easiey done I am very concerned with the receivers. You can bring up Aiken if someone goes down but still. Also our OL a other problematic position with bad depth

WR's are a dime a dozen. Aiken is a WR worthy of promotion, with those hands of glue.

OL and QB behind Fitz are my concerns.

[Dujek]

That's what I did when I went through the schedule and predicted that we would go 9-7 at the start of the year.

But I thought we would lose to the Chiefs in week 1 when I made that prediction.

Still don't see us winning more than 9 games though.

[HAMMER]

Injuries will dictate the record as much as anything else. Fitz goes down for a month and we're done.

[mikemac2001]

**** the playoffs where is the super bowl thread

[trapezeus]

i could believe any scenario from 3-13 to 11-5. but it will all come down to new england and philly. If they beat one of those teams, and/or stay close with both of them, then i'll start to really buy into the idea that things are changing.

if they beat the raiders, i think it was an expected win. at home, the opener. it's a game the bills should win no matter how bad they are.

so as a result, it really is one week at a time. the bills not only beat kc, but they came out healthy. we need that to consistently happen.

[don137]

I will temper my enthusiasm. I remember 8-9 years ago the Bills thumped the Patriots on opening day something like 30-0. After that game they stunk the rest of the year. The same can be said for two years ago where the Bills had a commanding lead with about two minutes to go against the Patriots but thanks to McKelvin and company lost the game. Even after feeling good about 58 minutes of their performance and winning week 2 against Tampa the Bills let down their fans again. Been down that road too many times to drink the kool aid yet.

[psubills62]

I'm sticking with my 6-10 prediction for now. If it happens that we're a legit team and the way we played against KC wasn't a fluke, then I could actually see playoffs as a possibility.

[BillsWin]

I just went back through our schedule and looked at each game head to head. I looked at each game as whether I thought it was winnable.

I think we could get to the Eagles game at 3 and 1. Wins against KC, Oak, and Cinnci. We lose to the Eagles. 3 and 2.

We then win 4 out of 6:

Giants- They are beatable
Redskins- Also beatable
Cowboys- beatable
Jets at home- possible
Dolphins- I think we can sweep them again

Now were 7 and 3. Probably from wins against the Fins and the Cowboys, Giants, and Skins

We lose to the Jets in NY. 7 and 4

Beat the Titans- possible
Lose to the Chargers
Beat the Broncos
Beat the Fins
Lose to the Pats

10 and 6. Without beating the Jets or Pats once but requiring a sweep of the Fins.

And that's if we just do what is feasible. A win against the Pats would offset a loss somewhere else, as would a win against the Jets.

It's a classic statement but for this to happen, we have to beat the teams we can beat.

It's a favorable schedule with some teams that might be less conditioned after a long lockout. If the Bills could keep a level head and beat the beatable, there's a posssibility of a great season.

I still think we fold under pressure but go a respectable 8-8

[TigerJ]

Best case scenario, it's possible to get a wild card slot, but I think it's a long shot this year. I'll maybe start getting my hopes up at the mid point of the season and things are going well.

[justasportsfan]

OP is probably still asleep.

[jamze132]

:sigh:

[Dozerdog]

Can we beat New England for the first time in a decade before we go nuts about playoffs?

[Mad Bomber]

WR's are a dime a dozen. Aiken is a WR worthy of promotion, with those hands of glue.

OL and QB behind Fitz are my concerns.
I too am concerned about Fitz....if he gets hurt (which is possible the way he plays) we have Pigpen....that concerns me a LOT.

[stuckincincy]

Cinnci[/B]. We lose to the Eagles. 3 and 2.


BUF streak against CIN stands at 10 - 0 in their last ten meetings. It's the longest one in the Ohio River Candy Striper's history. Last season, the CIN DBs got wiped out which let BUF come back from a big deficit, but no matter.

The currently-maligned T. McGee was was one of the chief architects of the streak.

[X-Era]

ROFLMAO, I wondered how long it would take for someone to do this. We beat KC, lets revisit this half way through the season. Ofcourse if we had lost 41-7 I'm sure we would have already seen a mock draft.I'm good with anyone laughing at it if they can look at it and make an argument it's ridiculous.

When I first saw the schedule over the summer I came to the conclusion that this is a 6 win team max. But now, after a week and watching how teams played, I can look and see a shot at 10 wins. I mean if you think it's laughable describe where it's so ridiculous. Which games are likely losses that I have listed as reasonable chance for wins.

The schedule seems a lot softer now than it did when the sched. first came out.

[YardRat]

I never judge anything from first week results...it is the most unpredictable and non-indicative week of the season.

My biggest worry is that the victory over KC was simply a culmination of events that resulted in an almost 'perfect storm' scenario. We got all of the breaks and all of the calls, our emotion drove us to success, and KC's helplessness snow-balled them into the equivalent of opening day oblivion.

We're not that good, and they aren't that bad.

Oakland is by no means a gimme, and their running game/scheme scares me more than KC's did at any time last week leading up to the game.

[Turf]

Its nuts. We need to dose of reality. It isn't going to happen this year. 8-8 will be stretch.

[mrbojanglezs]

WR's are a dime a dozen. Aiken is a WR worthy of promotion, with those hands of glue.

OL and QB behind Fitz are my concerns.

2nd string QBs are a concern on almost every team

[TheBrownBear]

Which games are likely losses that I have listed as reasonable chance for wins.


at Cowboys
at Giants
EAGLES
at (Toronto) Redskins

The only one that isn't arguably a likely loss is Washington. But given our track record in Toronto, I'm not too keen on our chances in that one. We will likely be Vegas underdogs in all of the games listed above.

In fact, the only games remaining where we are likely to be Vegas favorites are the Raiders, Dolphins (home), Broncos and Titans games (Cincy will likely be a pick'em).

Now, having said that, if the Bills build on last week's performance with a well-played victory against the Raiders, those Vegas odds might start to look a little different and your bandwagon a little fuller.

[Extremebillsfan247]

Win Sunday, Beat the Patriots. That is all this team has to do to make me confident enough to say they are ready to make that jump into playoff contention. Until that happens, I don't see it. I could be wrong though. But even then, it wont be easy. This team could finish with a 9-7 record, and still not get in as a wild card. That's just how crazy this season is looking out of the starting gate. JMO

[madness]

We need to beat the teams we should before worrying about NE. If that happens, odds of becoming a WC team are within reach. When we start beating NE, then we should be considered a playoff team by that point and that point is still a couple years in the future, IMO.

[Extremebillsfan247]

We need to beat the teams we should before worrying about NE. If that happens, odds of becoming a WC team are within reach. When we start beating NE, then we should be considered a playoff team by that point and that point is still a couple years in the future, IMO. The way I see it, if you can't defeat the top team in your division at least once in a season, you don't belong anywhere near the playoffs, you would just get an embarrassing beat down.

[Don't Panic]

I still think this is a 7 or 8 win team, but I could see 10-6 as being the borderline best we could possibly hope for. We will be underdogs for both Pats games, both Jets games, the Cowboys game, the Eagles game, and the Chargers game. I'd be thrilled if we could win two of those. Unless we're perfect against everyone else (which is highly doubtful), I think 10-6 is probably as good as it gets.

The bottom line is that we still have some major questions on offense, especially with the line. I could definitely see this D be a top half D though, and that will keep us in a lot of games. If Fitz can hold his top 10 form, I guess its possible, but that is asking quite a bit IMO.

[NOT THE DUDE...]

if they beat oakland then we will see how good we really are vs the pats.... its only been 8 years...

[BillsFever21]

ROFLMAO, I wondered how long it would take for someone to do this. We beat KC, lets revisit this half way through the season. Ofcourse if we had lost 41-7 I'm sure we would have already seen a mock draft.

I knew it wouldn't take long. We win one game and now all of a sudden people think that we can easily beat teams like the Giants, Cowboys, Redskins and others.

If we win 7 games consider it a good season and moving in the right direction. Even 10 wins might not get you in anymore. It usually takes 11 wins when you are fighting for the WC with the Ravens/Steelers and the Jets.

[TigerJ]

We need to beat the teams we should before worrying about NE. If that happens, odds of becoming a WC team are within reach. When we start beating NE, then we should be considered a playoff team by that point and that point is still a couple years in the future, IMO.
Well, Oakland is arguably a team we should beat unless you listen to national media pundits who list Oakland higher in their power rankings than they do Buffalo, but then Buffalo plays NewEngland before they play any other teams "they should beat." That being the case, I hope they do their best to knock the snot out of the Patriots rather than wait until the end of the season.

[Jane Austen]

Could we beat any of those teams? Sure. The thing is, pretty much all of those teams look at their schedules and see Buffalo as a team they could/should beat. Washington just beat the Giants. You think they are not seeing the Bills as one of the teams they should knock off on their "playoff run" right now?

One win against a collapsing KC team just doesn't tell us much. That being said, I love the direction the team is going, and I thing Fitz could actually be an oustanding QB if he continues to develop. The playoffs wouldn't totally surprise me, but I would be more than happy this year with a feisty 8-8, especially if a few of those wins are against some of the upper echelon teams we play.

[Historian]

Its nuts.

AT BEST, this is a 7-9 team.

At worst, 5-11

[X-Era]

Can we beat New England for the first time in a decade before we go nuts about playoffs?I think we have to beat the Pats before being taken seriously no matter what. But, there is a path to the playoffs without beating NE or the Jets.

[madness]

Well, Oakland is arguably a team we should beat unless you listen to national media pundits who list Oakland higher in their power rankings than they do Buffalo, but then Buffalo plays NewEngland before they play any other teams "they should beat." That being the case, I hope they do their best to knock the snot out of the Patriots rather than wait until the end of the season.
Just to clarify, my comment wasn't about a win here and there but being able to consistently beat the Patriots. I'm a firm believer anything can happen on Sunday so it's not a reach we could hand out a random beating to the Patriots once in a blue moon but the odds are obviously in their favor.

As for Oakland, I feel they are a mystery team just like our own boys. I have serious respect for their HC and they might just be a team that's turning the corner. Sunday should sort out which is true.

[Ed]

It's too difficult to project wins and losses this early since you can't predict injuries to our team or our opponents, but I don't think 10-6 is that crazy. However, the problem is that I don't feel like 10 wins is good enough to make it based on our division. There are four other teams that I expect to win 11 games or more. The Pats, Jets, Ravens, and Steelers. If all 4 of those teams finish ahead of us or win a tie-breaker vs. us then we're out. If we were in the south or west it would be a different story, but it's going to be hard to lose to the Jets and Pats and still make it.

[justasportsfan]

It's too difficult to project wins and losses this early .


I agree. We will sweep the Pats ,Jets and fins.

[X-Era]

Get to the Eagles at 3-1... In sight
Loss to the Eagles- 3-2, 4 wins seems also in sight
Win 4 out of 6 of Giants, Skins, Cowboys, Jets, Fins, Jets- Seems reasonable, none of the NFC East teams seem dominant. Don't sleep on us splitting with the Jets
7-4 at this point
Beat the Titans, Broncos, and Fins- Seems reasonable

Thats a 10 and 6 team

10 and 6 without beating NYJ or the Pats at all is a reasonable target... And I think we could actually split with the Pats or Jets or both.

[Ed]

Get to the Eagles at 3-1... In sight
Loss to the Eagles- 3-2, 4 wins seems also in sight
Win 4 out of 6 of Giants, Skins, Cowboys, Jets, Fins, Jets- Seems reasonable, none of the NFC East teams seem dominant. Don't sleep on us splitting with the Jets
7-4 at this point
Beat the Titans, Broncos, and Fins- Seems reasonable

Thats a 10 and 6 team

10 and 6 without beating NYJ or the Pats at all is a reasonable target... And I think we could actually split with the Pats or Jets or both.
I don't see why we can't beat the Jets. I'm not really impressed with their offense.

[The Jokeman]

Being 2-0 against AFC foes helps. That said to have any semblance of a chance we have to split games with the Dolphins and Jets and Titans to even think about a wild card spot as I doubt many think we have a chance to beat the Patriots for the AFC East and possible conference crown. That said I'm taking this team week by week and after two weeks am loving them and suspect after this week I'll be upset and lamented I feel as good as I do right now.

[X-Era]

Being 2-0 against AFC foes helps. That said to have any semblance of a chance we have to split games with the Dolphins and Jets and Titans to even think about a wild card spot as I doubt many think we have a chance to beat the Patriots for the AFC East and possible conference crown. That said I'm taking this team week by week and after two weeks am loving them and suspect after this week I'll be upset and lamented I feel as good as I do right now.I had us sweeping the Fins but getting swept by the Jets and Pats.

[Cntrygal]

I would need to seek medical care.