Patriots at. Bills

[BillsFever]

Vote for who you think will win each game. Just don't be a homer and pick the Bills to win every game, and the rest of the AFCE to lose every game :D

I will post a weekly game each day till we determine the winner of the AFCE.

We'll start off with our own Buffalo Bills.

[BillsFever]

Sadly, I pick the Patriots.

[Will McGahee Fast]

The Bills will never lose another game ever.

[Jan Reimers]

The Bills will eat the Brady Bunch for lunch.

[ryven]

with our new team billy wont have enough time to plan for us.

So my pick is the bills win.

[BFBills]

yah...i pick pats also....:wail:

[justasportsfan]

I think Lebeau can figure out the screen pass. the bills win @ home.

[Valerie]

I am going with the Bills. Because I think they know just how important this game is. Plus, I'll be at that game and I'm good luck.:)

[imbondz]

Originally posted by Jaded 7
Plus, I'll be at that game and I'm good luck.:)

I am too. i've never seen the Bills lose at home.

[TedMock]

Buffalo. They're fired up. I think the Pats win game two.

[WG]

IMO there's no way we lose this game unless Gilbride screws it up!!

N.E. will be this year's Miami for us! We'll take two. They won't be able to run the ball effectively which enabled them to win last year. Brady won't be able to do it v. a secondary that's gonna have a tone of help. Add in the fact that the Pat WRs all hail from Munchkinland as of now and it doesn't get pretty! :D

Bills take two from N.E. this year! If we struggle v. the AFCE it'll be v. the Jets and Phins. I don't care what the media says, the Pats can't live on D alone and their O is gonna be near the bottom this year w/ Smith as their primary ball carrier. The one caveat to this is if another RB emerges to replace Smith and is significantly better, very significantly. Even Drew won't be able to screw this one up! :D

[WG]

I also hope that a lot of the same Pats fans make the trek to Buffalo to see the Pats' arses get kicked as well! That'll be a sweet payback for last year's invasion. Perhaps it'll keep them outta here for a number of years too!

[WG]

Originally posted by BillsFever
Vote for who you think will win each game. Just don't be a homer and pick the Bills to win every game, and the rest of the AFCE to lose every game :D

Yeah right!

:rolleyes:

LOL

[Buckets]

The Bills let the Pats "D" control the flow of the ofense last season. If our "O" can force their "D" to react instead of the other way around we should win.

[WG]

Yeah, but they're gonna have to score too! Last year we handed them points like it was Christmas. As long as we don't have the TOs again, HELLO Drew!, then we should be fine. It should be a tight defensive matchup just as many games were last year. But if we set them up at our 9 YL, toss INTs inside the red zone just before we are about to put the ball in the EZ, that is difficult to overcome and wasn't caused by the Pat D, it was caused by Drew's completely bumbling INTs!

So again, if the Pats have to earn their points, they won't put up more than 17 IMO. Lucky if that w/ our D now. But if we constantly set them up at midfield, the 10 YL, and take away our own scoring opps by ourselves, then the game becomes just that much more difficult to log as a win, eh.

We credit the Pat D who played well, but it was our TOs, more specifically the INTs that made the difference last year. If N.E. has to work from a long field, IMO they have no chance w/ the offense they have. They can shut us down, which for us will mean holding us to 17 or so points, but they themselves will still have to put more up than that, and that's if they do hold us to 17 which I'm not sure they will w/o our bumbling blunders!

I just don't see the Pat O the way it now is being anything other than a bottom 10 O this year. Smith is finished as an effective F/T ball carrier, their WRs at last check were all 5'10" or smaller, and they've done precious little to upgrade their O this offseason.

You need a D to win, but you also need some O, especially against teams w/ an equal, or thereabouts, D.

So again, just like last year, the Pats won't win this w/o significant bumbling by Gilbride and some Christmas goodies from Drew!!! Period! That's the way it was last year, we've improved on D, our O is essentially the same, the Pats have regressed on O due largely to age, and while their D may have improved, it will only have improved marginally IMO. They were very good last year.

Bottom line: If we run the ball effectively we'll win. If not, for whatever reason, and Drew has to throw the ball, my money will go on Bellichick for knowing how to rattle Drew into making the errors that he made all last year, over Drew for being able to play a game by throwing the ball 35+ times v. a D as good as the Pats' D w/o tossing some very key INTs to set up the Pats or stall our drives. Last season supports my observations on this!

[WG]

P.S. If we were to lose this game for the same reasons as last season, if I were GW, I would instantly fire Gilbride.

[SABURZFAN]

i was at a casino(Arizona Charlie's on Boulder Highway) and they had the opening line for week 1.they had the BILLS as a 3 point favorite.

[WG]

I'd lay the 3 in a NY second...

I'll predict that game will be the opposite of last year;

27-16 Bills

[Bledsoe2Henry]

I predict Travis Henry will expose their weak DL and will run all over the place. Bledsoe will throw a couple TDs and Henry will run for 2. Dick LeBeau will use blitzes to stop the screen pass and confuse the Patriots offense. Big Sam will easily stop Antowain Smith from running all over the Bills like he usually does. Bills win 28-17!

[BillsNYC]

i take the Pats. GW has not yet proven to me he can outcoach Bellichek. I hope I'm wrong.

[WG]

I hope you're wrong too NYC! If we can't outcoach Belichick, then Gilbride needs to go. If this turns into a debacle, then Gilbride isn't the right man for the job. Our O is good enough that even if we struggle, we should be able to put up 20 against a D like the Pats, particularly since they won't have a O to help them out defensively.



Originally posted by Bledsoe2Henry
I predict Travis Henry will expose their weak DL and will run all over the place. Bledsoe will throw a couple TDs and Henry will run for 2. Dick LeBeau will use blitzes to stop the screen pass and confuse the Patriots offense. Big Sam will easily stop Antowain Smith from running all over the Bills like he usually does. Bills win 28-17!


IDK what you're talking about B2H, but the Pat DL is anything but weak. It's very good if not excellent. Young perhaps, but that didn't stop them from doing well last year and they're only getting better w/ time and draft picks. At the neglect of their O granted, nonetheless however.

I don't see us having any trouble shutting them down offensively, but I don't see Henry rushing for much more than 100 and I certainly don't see Drew "doing most of the damage." Belichick knows what those of us who are not as high on Drew and others also realize, that when pressured even moderately he's not very good and makes monumental errors! Belichick will continue to try to get to Drew thru varying schemes and hope that he giftwraps a bunch of mistakes that cost us TDs or hand them to the Pats. If Belichick can do that, and we don't rely on our run first and foremost, then the Pats can win the game w/ half the yardage output that we'll have.

If Drew has two TD passes, I'll be shocked. As well, if Drew has more than 30 attempts then I'll be PO'd. Henry should get 30+ rushes in that game otherwise we're risking too much.

I'm tellin' ya, mistakes, just like last year, courtesy of Gilbride being an idiot or Drew making mistakes as a result of Gilbride being an idiot are the only things that can lose us that game. We would have easily won the 2nd game last year if not for Drew's bumbling TOs! They represented a 17 point swing in a 10 point game!!!

[WG]

B2H,

WELCOME BTW!!!

Glad to have ya on board(s)...

Yuk, yuk! :D

:cheers:

[BillsFever]

20-3? There's no way it should be that far apart. We'll be 16-0 with this voting,lol

[MDFINFAN]

Originally posted by Wys Guy
I hope you're wrong too NYC! If we can't outcoach Belichick, then Gilbride needs to go. If this turns into a debacle, then Gilbride isn't the right man for the job. Our O is good enough that even if we struggle, we should be able to put up 20 against a D like the Pats, particularly since they won't have a O to help them out defensively.
IDK what you're talking about B2H, but the Pat DL is anything but weak. It's very good if not excellent. Young perhaps, but that didn't stop them from doing well last year and they're only getting better w/ time and draft picks. At the neglect of their O granted, nonetheless however.

I don't see us having any trouble shutting them down offensively, but I don't see Henry rushing for much more than 100 and I certainly don't see Drew "doing most of the damage." Belichick knows what those of us who are not as high on Drew and others also realize, that when pressured even moderately he's not very good and makes monumental errors! Belichick will continue to try to get to Drew thru varying schemes and hope that he giftwraps a bunch of mistakes that cost us TDs or hand them to the Pats. If Belichick can do that, and we don't rely on our run first and foremost, then the Pats can win the game w/ half the yardage output that we'll have.

If Drew has two TD passes, I'll be shocked. As well, if Drew has more than 30 attempts then I'll be PO'd. Henry should get 30+ rushes in that game otherwise we're risking too much.

I'm tellin' ya, mistakes, just like last year, courtesy of Gilbride being an idiot or Drew making mistakes as a result of Gilbride being an idiot are the only things that can lose us that game. We would have easily won the 2nd game last year if not for Drew's bumbling TOs! They represented a 17 point swing in a 10 point game!!!

Wys, your response is confusing to me..first you say"Your O is good enough that even if you struggle, you should be able to put up 20 against a D like the Pats, particularly since they won't have a O to help them out defensively." Then you answer someone else's post with " but the Pat DL is anything but weak. It's very good if not excellent. Young perhaps, but that didn't stop them from doing well last year and they're only getting better w/ time and draft picks." (which I agree with) This seems a bit hypercritical..Frist you should have no problems putting up points, but then their D is good, and I remind you this year is the get "better w/time" year and they have their draft picks, plus FA's, this team is pretty good on paper..While they have added a lot to their D, you haven't added a lot to your O..except players who will, in your OC way of thinking, help you run better, Since we haven't seen you play this type of O yet, it's a little premature to make statements like, "Your O is good enough that even if you struggle, you should be able to put up 20 against a D like the Pats" The Pats D is better than that. At least from what I've seen on paper and knowing the mind of a Belichick, you shouldn't put anything pass them. Their O is not weak either, but it didn't make significant upgrades, their suddle ones can be effective. Go back and look at them again.

[BillsFever]

Dolphin fans confuse us all the time.

[XNOUGHT]

As a Patriots fan I applaud you all for sticking by your team and giving reasons for your descision.

However, we have a crux here.

The Pats outscored the Bills last season 65-20.

That is 3 points for every 1 point the Bills scored.

This comes down to the fact the Bills scored 10 points a game vs the Pats. Now the Pats defense has improved, and the Bills offense has gotten worse.

Also, Brady is 8-0 on turf. The Pats gang of slants, curls, screens, and outs are perfect on this kind of surface.

[Michael82]

Wys...what are you talking about? Their run D was pretty bad last year and if we ran Henry instead of pass the ball...we would've won at least one of the two games. They didnt do much to improve their run D. Colvin is a great LB....but his strength is passing. And the only help they got for their DL was in the draft. He won't be able to help right away. Now, the 2nd time they face eachother...then I will worry a bit.

[Captain gameboy]

Past performance is no predictor of future results.
Many variables have changed, but the one comparison that excites me is Travis Henry vs. A. Smith.

Bills 19-16

[AG75]

I pick the Bills. It's a home game and we will have an improved defense. The last game against the Pats was winnable, unlike the november game at the Ralph. This time I think we will take them.

[Doc]

Sorry XN, but the Pats' defense won't be better, at least not for a few games into the season. That's what happens when you have a complex defense to begin with that is changing scheme (4-3 to 3-4), add a rookie who is expected to start at (L)DE (Mike Williams will have his way with Warren, BTW), have an undersized and/or converted DE playing NT (Hamilton, Green, or Klecko, and Klecko is a rookie), Seymour playing (R)DE for the first time in the NFL, Colvin still rehabbing from shoulder surgery, Otis Smith still unable to practice after pec surgery, and Harrison having nowhere near the range Jones and Green had. Belichick's game is about preparing to the nth degree, and he'll have NO idea what will await him from the Bills' defense, while the Bills will make a concerted effort to hammer away at the Pats' still-remaining weakness: stopping the run.

[MDFINFAN]

Originally posted by BillsFever
Dolphin fans confuse us all the time.

We try:lol:

Now I just hope our team confuses you as much on the field.
btw, did you understand Wys post? Now he should be a Bills coord., he defintely could confuse another team. :bling:

[justasportsfan]

Originally posted by XNOUGHT
As a Patriots fan I applaud you all for sticking by your team and giving reasons for your descision.

However, we have a crux here.

The Pats outscored the Bills last season 65-20.

That is 3 points for every 1 point the Bills scored.

This comes down to the fact the Bills scored 10 points a game vs the Pats. Now the Pats defense has improved, and the Bills offense has gotten worse.

Also, Brady is 8-0 on turf. The Pats gang of slants, curls, screens, and outs are perfect on this kind of surface.

We got rid of the turf, what's Brady's record on astroplay? :D

The Pats biggest weapon is the coach. Hopefully we've hired enough coaches that know their stuff to kinda help GW out. I think we 've hired enough talent to even things out as well.

What happened between the bills and Pats or bills and anyone else for that matter means nothing. We are practically a different team. I'd like to think a different team for the better.

It was easy for Bellichick to confuse the hell out of Drew because Drew barely had a grasp of his new team and system. The system was pretty one dimmensional knowing that Gilbride would throw first and run second. Our D didn't make it easy to run as well. We had to throw when we played catch up.

[ublinkwescore]

Originally posted by XNOUGHT
As a Patriots fan I applaud you all for sticking by your team and giving reasons for your descision.

However, we have a crux here.

The Pats outscored the Bills last season 65-20.

That is 3 points for every 1 point the Bills scored.

This comes down to the fact the Bills scored 10 points a game vs the Pats. Now the Pats defense has improved, and the Bills offense has gotten worse.

Also, Brady is 8-0 on turf. The Pats gang of slants, curls, screens, and outs are perfect on this kind of surface.

I wouldn't say your D has improved at all. You guys got better against the run, but lost a little in the pass coverage department - Harrison sucks in pass coverage - and used to be good against the run - by seasons end you'll be calling for his head. Colvin sucks in coverage so if he can't break through the O line on a blitz - you guys might as well only have 10 players on the field.

Meanwhile, our D has with out a doubt gotten better on paper, and I'll definitely bet anyone that it will transfer to the field.

[XNOUGHT]

Originally posted by Doc
Sorry XN, but the Pats' defense won't be better, at least not for a few games into the season. That's what happens when you have a complex defense to begin with that is changing scheme (4-3 to 3-4), add a rookie who is expected to start at (L)DE (Mike Williams will have his way with Warren, BTW), have an undersized and/or converted DE playing NT (Hamilton, Green, or Klecko, and Klecko is a rookie), Seymour playing (R)DE for the first time in the NFL, Colvin still rehabbing from shoulder surgery, Otis Smith still unable to practice after pec surgery, and Harrison having nowhere near the range Jones and Green had. Belichick's game is about preparing to the nth degree, and he'll have NO idea what will await him from the Bills' defense, while the Bills will make a concerted effort to hammer away at the Pats' still-remaining weakness: stopping the run.

Excellent excelent point.

The Patriots under Belichick are historically slow starters with last year being the abberation in his time here.

Yet, i feel that the Bills will be making the largest transition with a new LB unit, a new DT, a new DE, and a new Nickle Corner. The Patriots however will be in the exact same boat with Colvin, Rodney, Poole, Warren, and Green at NT.



Originally posted by gameboy
Past performance is no predictor of future results.
Many variables have changed, but the one comparison that excites me is Travis Henry vs. A. Smith.

Bills 19-16

Good post but you seem to contradict yourself a bit by saying varibles change but pointing out A-Smith and Henry. Many varibles have changed. And the comparison that sticks out to me is Bledsoe vs Brady. Since Bledsoe joined the Bills, Brady has thrown over 6 TD's vs the Bills to zero INT's. Bledsoe has thrown for 3 TD's to 5 INT's in both games. If you look at some above comments, you will see that both defenses may take a game or two to reach thier potential. I will admit that I fear this team in our December matchup more then in the September 1.



Originally posted by justasportsfan


We got rid of the turf, what's Brady's record on astroplay? :D

The Pats biggest weapon is the coach. Hopefully we've hired enough coaches that know their stuff to kinda help GW out. I think we 've hired enough talent to even things out as well.

What happened between the bills and Pats or bills and anyone else for that matter means nothing. We are practically a different team. I'd like to think a different team for the better.

It was easy for Bellichick to confuse the hell out of Drew because Drew barely had a grasp of his new team and system. The system was pretty one dimmensional knowing that Gilbride would throw first and run second. Our D didn't make it easy to run as well. We had to throw when we played catch up.

EXACTLY. The team that gets the lead in this one SHOULD and WILL win the game.
However, I disagree on the learning comment. Before facing the Pats, the Bills were 5-3 and slaughtered such teams as the Jets, Vikings, Bears, and other teams. But Bledsoe did have growing pains but if you looks at his final numbers on the season, it is safe to say he knew what he was doing.



Originally posted by ublinkwescore


I wouldn't say your D has improved at all. You guys got better against the run, but lost a little in the pass coverage department - Harrison sucks in pass coverage - and used to be good against the run - by seasons end you'll be calling for his head. Colvin sucks in coverage so if he can't break through the O line on a blitz - you guys might as well only have 10 players on the field.

Meanwhile, our D has with out a doubt gotten better on paper, and I'll definitely bet anyone that it will transfer to the field.

No arguments here friend. I felt the Pats were a last place team until the hype machine kicked in and ranked the Pats in top 10. I agree, we dont have the talent and are heavily reliant on Weis, Crennel, and BB to raise our game.

I COMPLETELY agree you guys have a better team on paper then us. But will it transfer to the feild.....that is not the question. It's WHEN the Bills defense will transfer to the feild. I feel by the end of the season, we will see a defense similar in alot of ways to the Tennesse Titans defense of 99-00.

I feel the Pats have a better chance at this game then most people because last year we were 3-4 heading into Buffalo while you guys were 5-3.

However those are numbers from a season what will never happen again, and we are a 0-0 team facing a 0-0 team.

[Cntrygal]

Originally posted by Buckets
The Bills let the Pats "D" control the flow of the ofense last season. If our "O" can force their "D" to react instead of the other way around we should win.

Welcome to the Zone!!!!!! :cheers:

[Captain gameboy]

Originally posted by XNOUGHT

Good post but you seem to contradict yourself a bit by saying varibles change but pointing out A-Smith and Henry. Many varibles have changed

I don't see it as a contradiction at all.
Most of us have seen Henry and Smith. On his worst day, Travis is better than Smith. That's where I see the game being determined.
What worries me is the kicker comparison. You win that one-but clearly, not the running back comp.

[Doc]

Originally posted by XNOUGHT

Excellent excelent point.

The Patriots under Belichick are historically slow starters with last year being the abberation in his time here.

Yet, i feel that the Bills will be making the largest transition with a new LB unit, a new DT, a new DE, and a new Nickle Corner. The Patriots however will be in the exact same boat with Colvin, Rodney, Poole, Warren, and Green at NT.


I think that the Pats got out to a fast start defensively last year (although during the course of the season the defense underproduced from the year before) because it was largely the same group of players, with the exception of Steve Martin replacing Brandon Mitchell, as the year before. I think the biggest things in the Bills' favor, besides homefield, are the fact that the Pats have more than a few new guys who will need to learn how to play in the Pats' complicated system; the possibility that guys like Colvin, Otis, and possibly Harrison (who suffered a groin strain, which can be a nagging injury) will still be slowed by injuries they're still currently trying to overcome, when the season opener rolls around; and the fact that BB does his best work when he knows what he's facing, and he won't have a clue what the Bills will be doing since they've changed their offensive and defensive philosophies.

[ublinkwescore]

Originally posted by XNOUGHT



Yet, i feel that the Bills will be making the largest transition with a new LB unit, a new DT, a new DE, and a new Nickle Corner. The Patriots however will be in the exact same boat with Colvin, Rodney, Poole, Warren, and Green at NT.







No arguments here friend. I felt the Pats were a last place team until the hype machine kicked in and ranked the Pats in top 10. I agree, we dont have the talent and are heavily reliant on Weis, Crennel, and BB to raise our game.

I COMPLETELY agree you guys have a better team on paper then us. But will it transfer to the feild.....that is not the question. It's WHEN the Bills defense will transfer to the feild. I feel by the end of the season, we will see a defense similar in alot of ways to the Tennesse Titans defense of 99-00.


Speaking of a new Nickle CB - does anyone know who has been looking better out of Sydney and Thomas?

Who's been playing with the first D in Nickle packages?

[justasportsfan]

Originally posted by XNOUGHT


However, I disagree on the learning comment. Before facing the Pats, the Bills were 5-3 and slaughtered such teams as the Jets, Vikings, Bears, and other teams.




Bellichick knew Drew better than any coaches Drew faced prior to playing the Pats.



But Bledsoe did have growing pains but if you looks at his final numbers on the season, it is safe to say he knew what he was doing.

By this time, other teams knew what he was doing as well. A one dimensional Girlbride pass haapy system. I hope Gilby learned from it and has enough brains to manipulate defenses.