Do you think the Bills are a fluke?

[psubills62]

I don't think so, but I'm wondering what other people believe.

Do you think we're simply getting fortunate with when we play teams, who has injuries when we play, and are getting lucky with turnovers, etc.? Should we expect to continue on this pace next year and should we expect the team to be about as good next year and on?

Is this a turning point for this franchise or is it a flash in the pan kind of year (or half a year)?

[Ed]

Re: Do you think the Bills are a fluke?

I don't see anything flukey about it. People act like the Bills came out of nowhere this year, but this team actually already turned a big corner last year when they went 4-3 in Fitzpatricks last 7 starts, including the infamous Pitt loss on the dropped TD catch. This team took huge strides last year and improved significantly, but no one noticed or cared because they started 0-8.

This team is well coached, works hard, plays hard, has good chemistry, and has more talent then people give them credit for.

The Rams beating the Saints last week is a fluke. The Bills may still have a ways to go to be elite, but they work hard and they are improving. That's not a fluke.

[Jan Reimers]

Re: Do you think the Bills are a fluke?

They're not a fluke, nor are they a flounder. There is nothing fishy about them.

[Skooby]

Re: Do you think the Bills are a fluke?

They're not a fluke, nor are they a flounder. There is nothing fishy about them.

I think they taunt the Jets after beating them up this weekend, just for the halibut.

[zone]

Re: Do you think the Bills are a fluke?

Everyone makes a point of other teams having injuries, is our team playing with our day one starters?

[stuckincincy]

Re: Do you think the Bills are a fluke?

They're not a fluke, nor are they a flounder. There is nothing fishy about them.

[BILLSROCK1212]

Re: Do you think the Bills are a fluke?

I am not incredibly confident that we will win this weekend, but we are in it. And based on previous seasons, being "in it" with the Jets and every team we play must mean we are not a fluke.

[Thurmal]

Re: Do you think the Bills are a fluke?

I'm ashamed to admit it but, as a Bills fan, I am waiting for the other shoe to drop.

This season has been great so far, and the team has been one of the funnest Bills teams to watch in my life (27 y/o), but they are way too snakebitten of a franchise. I hate to admit it, but they would have to be like 8-2 or 8-3 before I really started to think playoffs.

A win this week would help big time though, I will admit.

[TrEd FTW]

Re: Do you think the Bills are a fluke?

Nope. Look at the important numbers. They're toward the top of the league in point differential, points scored, and turnovers. They've also beaten some good teams and have lost to two 5-2 clubs by a combined six points. These aren't the 2008 Bills, who were the definition of "fluke."

[Pinkerton Security]

Re: Do you think the Bills are a fluke?

I am not 100% sold that we are going to maintain this, but Im beginning to lean that way...we have gotten lucky a couple times and the balls arent always going to find their way into our player's arms like they did in a few games, but we are certainly headed in the right direction. We are certainly a contender and much better than most of us would have thought.

[TheBrownBear]

Re: Do you think the Bills are a fluke?

No. We have a good head coach, we execute well and we play with confidence.

As for how our talent stacks up, we have:

A very good quarterback.
A great running back.
A nice young receiving corp.
A very young potentially dominant offensive line.
A great collection of young talent on the interior of the defensive line.

There's no reason we shouldn't be competitive. Like Ed (post up-thread), I thought this team could be a contender based on the way we finished up last season. When you take into account the four 3 point losses to the Ravens/Bears/Chiefs/Steelers, which arguably should have been wins, this team was darn close to being 8-2 over Fitz's last 10 starts of 2010. The key is we've begun to learn how to win this season and our confidence is growing. Barring significant injury, this team will be in the playoff hunt through week 17.

[stuckincincy]

Re: Do you think the Bills are a fluke?

I'm ashamed to admit it but, as a Bills fan, I am waiting for the other shoe to drop.

This season has been great so far, and the team has been one of the funnest Bills teams to watch in my life (27 y/o), but they are way too snakebitten of a franchise. I hate to admit it, but they would have to be like 8-2 or 8-3 before I really started to think playoffs.

A win this week would help big time though, I will admit.

I know what you mean. Hope springs...infernal.

[BLeonard]

Re: Do you think the Bills are a fluke?

Do you think we're simply getting fortunate with when we play teams, who has injuries when we play, and are getting lucky with turnovers, etc.? Should we expect to continue on this pace next year and should we expect the team to be about as good next year and on?

Well, every team has injuries... Would the Rams have won the Super Bowl if Trent Green didn't get hurt that year? Would the Bills have come back from a 35-3 deficit against Houston if Jim Kelly were playing, instead of Frank Reich?

Did you know that the "Home Run Throwback" play that the Titans used to beat the Bills (painful memory, I know) was run in practice by Derrcik Mason and not Kevin Dyson? Dyson was only in on that play because Mason was injured earlier in the game.

As for "lucky turnovers," on the surface, some of the turnovers we've gotten sure seem to be unbelievable "right place at the right time" situations. I bet if you go back and look at the New England Patriots over the past few years, their defense likely acquired a fair amount of their turnovers in situations similar to those you've seen the Bills get this season.

I think, a fair portion of the time, a team creates it's "luck." Granted, there are some things that you just say "WTF," such as Stevie Johnson's catch against the Bengals that was ruled incomplete, the tuck rule, or the Immaculate Reception. But, for the most part, when you do things right, it's gonna look like luck is on your side more often than not. Remember the "tuck rule" called against the Bills in the Bengals game that nullified a Bills TD? What happened a few plays later? Bryan Scott (the same guy that got the TD called back) picked off Dalton and ran it back for a TD.

As long as the Bills play consistent football, they should beat the teams they're expected to beat and should be in a good position down the road. Especially if they lock up all of their core players and improve or upgrade in areas that need it.

-Bill

[we are]

Re: Do you think the Bills are a fluke?

I still think we are another good draft and decent free agent or two from being a serious contender.

I see no reason we can't win 10 games this year however.

[psubills62]

Re: Do you think the Bills are a fluke?

The "reasons" we could be flukey that I listed were just excuses I've seen people make about our success. I never said I believed them.

To me, this team has had some opportunities and taken advantage of them. That's what good teams do.

And honestly, if we are a fluke, I think we'll be able to collect enough talent in the next FA and draft that we won't really skip a beat. I'm still hoping to find a stud WR (the guys we have are playing well, but think about having a true stud like Andre or Calvin Johnson...that would make Fitz's life a LOT easier). I think Nix and co. are going to look to revamp the secondary and probably add another pass rusher. There are plenty of things we could do to get even better and I'm excited to see them happen.