Most realize season is toast by week 2; fastest ever?

[BuffRanger]

At some point in the season, every season for the past 17 seasons, you overcome the human instinctual response to deny reality and accept that there will be no playoffs again. For the naturally cynical this can often happen several weeks earlier than it does for the more optimistic among us. Over these past 17 seasons i've become much more hardened to it, and have gradually allowed this reality to set in earlier and earlier. It's gone from waiting it out till the bitter end; till the dreaded "mathematically eliminated" stamps its dreaded signature on the death certificate, to early December, to late November, to mid November. This year is different. It's September and it's already happened. No playoffs again this year. Not being overly emotional or over reactionary or even angry. It's just reality. And i'm not alone. It seems to be the majority. I think the players and the coaches are even here too. Is this accurate, and if so, have you ever experienced anything like this before?

[Typ0]

At some point in the season, every season for the past 17 seasons, you overcome the human instinctual response to deny reality and accept that there will be no playoffs again. For the naturally cynical this can often happen several weeks earlier than it does for the more optimistic among us. Over these past 17 seasons i've become much more hardened to it, and have gradually allowed this reality to set in earlier and earlier. It's gone from waiting it out till the bitter end; till the dreaded "mathematically eliminated" stamps its dreaded signature on the death certificate, to early December, to late November, to mid November. This year is different. It's September and it's already happened. No playoffs again this year. Not being overly emotional or over reactionary or even angry. It's just reality. And i'm not alone. It seems to be the majority. I think the players and the coaches are even here too. Is this accurate, and if so, have you ever experienced anything like this before?

The season Greg Williams went 3 - 13 we knew before it even started was toast so no not the fastest ever...

[Mr. Pink]

I think a lot of people realized this season was when the schedule was released.

Whether they admitted to it or not is a differently story but there was a thread on this board for predicting their record and the consensus ended up 6-10.

[Typ0]

We all held a hope that Tyrod was the wild card and might take a step we haven't seen a QB take here in a very long time. Now that Taylor is garbage though there is nothing left and 2 wins is more likely than six.

[sukie]

I think a lot of people realized this season was when the schedule was released.

Whether they admitted to it or not is a differently story but there was a thread on this board for predicting their record and the consensus ended up 6-10.

I was all in at 6-10... I figured a lucky bounce or 2 would produce that result... I also said 7-9 with lotsa help.

Tyrod is Tyrod. Throw Cardale to the wolves for a high pick.

[trapezeus]

the team also doesn't have a leader in the player position. i realize we've had them in the past and still lost. but shaking up the coaches isn't going to wake up the team. there seems to be very little buy in from the players. and as the wheels come off, i don't see a core of leaders saying, "we are going to fight to keep this thing together and we will get better". maybe hughes as a feisty guy who plays well. but we got nothing else on defense and we got no leader on offense. they all seem to be independent of each other. the season is lost. rex made his big speech of how he'd take all the bullets and in week two he shot the OC. how does that play out in the locker room?

[Typ0]

the team also doesn't have a leader in the player position. i realize we've had them in the past and still lost. but shaking up the coaches isn't going to wake up the team. there seems to be very little buy in from the players. and as the wheels come off, i don't see a core of leaders saying, "we are going to fight to keep this thing together and we will get better". maybe hughes as a feisty guy who plays well. but we got nothing else on defense and we got no leader on offense. they all seem to be independent of each other. the season is lost. rex made his big speech of how he'd take all the bullets and in week two he shot the OC. how does that play out in the locker room?

Just to play devils advocate a little...how do you know the firing is not at the request of the players?

[Saratoga Slim]

the team also doesn't have a leader in the player position. i realize we've had them in the past and still lost. but shaking up the coaches isn't going to wake up the team. there seems to be very little buy in from the players. and as the wheels come off, i don't see a core of leaders saying, "we are going to fight to keep this thing together and we will get better". maybe hughes as a feisty guy who plays well. but we got nothing else on defense and we got no leader on offense. they all seem to be independent of each other. the season is lost. rex made his big speech of how he'd take all the bullets and in week two he shot the OC. how does that play out in the locker room?

I agree. It's really not easy to change a culture. People may like playing for Rex, but that's different than saying that he's instilled a belief that they're a winner.

[Typ0]

I agree. It's really not easy to change a culture. People may like playing for Rex, but that's different than saying that he's instilled a belief that they're a winner.

well he speaks the speak but then is lax and not prepared well enough with material that is translatable to his workers. The team is not well prepared and they can't communicate. We saw it last year.

[trapezeus]

fair, the players could have called it out, but the film showed receivers that are open that TT doesn't make the throw to. TT could make some adjustments. this firing in week 2 really just shows you how messed up the org is. it is really hard to figure out their angle here. are they trying to suck? do they think they can save this season? i don't get it. Sammy is going to have to be shut down. he's going to do the same thing every week at this point. medical staff could also get fired

[Mace]

This is the first time in 46 years of being a Bills fan that everything was looking like smoking wreckage to me 8 days into a season.

[feldspar]

This is the first time in 46 years of being a Bills fan that everything was looking like smoking wreckage to me 8 days into a season.

It's been harsh...that's for sure.

Up next, the Cardinals, one of my favorite non-Bills teams. Maybe I'll root for them instead to take the edge off.

[Jimkelly12203]

This is the earliest it has happened for me. It's astonishing but the season is over on September 16th. ASTONISHING! I would confidently bet my home, my two cars, everything i own and all four of my children that we are not going to the playoffs.

Unbelievable. This is the worst run franchise in all of sports. The Browns are up there, but all things considered it's not close IMO. You have to work really hard at sucking to have a 17 year playoff drought in the NFL. It requires a level of incompetence that should not exist.

[feldspar]

I would confidently bet my home, my two cars, everything i own and all four of my children that we are not going to the playoffs.

Sorry, but who the **** wants your four kids?

That might be the single most horrible bet I ever won.

[Mace]

Sorry, but who the **** wants your four kids?

That might be the single most horrible bet I ever won.

Kids are cheap labor.

I'm with you on the Cardinals. Loved the Arians hiring, was bitterly disappointed we never even interviewed Bruce and settled on Marrone at the time. Was disappointed when he lost Bowles to the Jets, really want to see them get a title.

[TacklingDummy]

Kids are cheap labor.

I'm with you on the Cardinals. Loved the Arians hiring, was bitterly disappointed we never even interviewed Bruce and settled on Marrone at the time. Was disappointed when he lost Bowles to the Jets, really want to see them get a title.

Loved the Patrick Peterson drafting. Wish we drafted him...oh wait...we could have.

[Albany,n.y.]

1985: I went to the Meadowlands for game 2 of the season with hopes of beating the Jets. The Bills led 3-0 early. 42 unanswered points later the Bills lost 42-3. I stayed until the end, but leaving the stadium I knew the season was over. Kay Stephenson lasted only 2 more games, and then the short Hank Bullough era began.

[Albany,n.y.]

Sorry, but who the **** wants your four kids?

That might be the single most horrible bet I ever won.

The Bills will take them in hopes of turning one into the QB of the future.

[Historian]

1971 and 1985 are pretty close.

[Ingtar33]

I think a lot of people realized this season was when the schedule was released.

I know i did.

[gebobs]

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say we aren't going to make the playoffs next year or the year after that. What hope is there? The depth chart at quarterback is a dumpster fire.

I wish I could find the thread where I bet someone here a double sawbuck that the Bills weren't going to win 8 games. It would be easy money if I could remember anything.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

I thought we were going to be right where we were last year, in the 7-9 8-8 muddling middle. Loading two of the more winnable games on our schedule, coupled with the offense (which I had hoped to carry us somewhat) turning into a dumpster fire that cost a guy his job already was unexpected. And then the Pats won 2 games when I was hoping the Brady suspension would give us breathing room. The only good news is that the Dolphins also suck.

[gebobs]

I thought we were going to be right where we were last year, in the 7-9 8-8 muddling middle. Loading two of the more winnable games on our schedule, coupled with the offense (which I had hoped to carry us somewhat) turning into a dumpster fire that cost a guy his job already was unexpected. And then the Pats won 2 games when I was hoping the Brady suspension would give us breathing room. The only good news is that the Dolphins also suck.

They get a reprieve this week. Cleveland without the briefly resurgent McCown.

[swiper]

1971 and 1985 are pretty close.

LOL. Dennis Shaw sucked.

[swiper]

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/buf/1971.htm

[cookie G]

Lost any hope for the season as soon as dumbass started the fully pregnant talk and bringing his brother in to fix things.

He hadn't learned a damned thing.

in 1 year he took a team on the cusp of finally making the playoffs to a rebuilding project and dysfunction.

If nothing else, you have to admire the level of his incompetence.

[YardRat]

Some realized this latest version was toast (for whatever season) before the second week of training camp in 2015. Nothing left to do except wait and watch it burn until somebody smartens up and rolls a bunch more heads.

[SpikedLemonade]

I agree. It's really not easy to change a culture. People may like playing for Rex, but that's different than saying that he's instilled a belief that they're a winner.

I imagine players would say they would like to play for Forrest Gumb as well, but I still would NOT want Gumb coaching my NFL team.....


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlF79D0iHaI

[SpikedLemonade]

LOL. Dennis Shaw sucked.


He has let himself go and he is no Bon Jovi but his brother Tommy can still play guitar...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcrPtCghQ-E

[SpikedLemonade]

Lost any hope for the season as soon as dumbass started the fully pregnant talk and bringing his brother in to fix things.

He hadn't learned a damned thing.

in 1 year he took a team on the cusp of finally making the playoffs to a rebuilding project and dysfunction.

If nothing else, you have to admire the level of his incompetence.

You assume his incompetence is intentional?