Thurmal says 10-6, 11-5 not out of question.

[BidsJr]

I agree. We just need JP to be solid. Ala Kordell and Tommy Maddux.





http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=367559

[G. Host]

Well if McGahee's agent tells him to go lame for a game or two because Bills will not negotiate a new contract, there goes the running game with Henry. I am not confidant either Lee, Gates or Williams carrying the load for a game.

Bills offered Henry a position - backup running back and a chance to compete. If he wants out then his agent needs to find Buffalo a better deal.

[OpIv37]

he's nuts- chalk at least two losses up to JP's inexperience and 2 losses to NE- that means we only lose 1 or two more? I doubt it.

[The Spaz]

he's nuts- chalk at least two losses up to JP's inexperience and 2 losses to NE- that means we only lose 1 or two more? I doubt it.

Start out 0-4 win 8 out of last 10 end up 9-7 who would have thought?

[LifetimeBillsFan]

Well if McGahee's agent tells him to go lame for a game or two because Bills will not negotiate a new contract, there goes the running game with Henry. I am not confidant either Lee, Gates or Williams carrying the load for a game.

Bills offered Henry a position - backup running back and a chance to compete. If he wants out then his agent needs to find Buffalo a better deal.
I don't think we have to worry about McGahee intentionally going lame this season: both he and his agent know that he still has to prove that he can make it through an entire NFL season healthy (even last season, remember, he missed the 49ers game) and show that he can put up huge numbers if he wants to renegotiate his contract. That's why I think that you will see the best that Willis has to offer this season--he needs to establish that he is one of the elite RBs in the league, not just that he has the potential to be one before he can demand the kind of money that he wants and his agent isn't stupid enough to make that demand prematurely.

I really like the acquisition of R.Lee and am not as pessimistic about his ability to carry the load, if needed, as the back-up RB. A lot of FFL sites were very high on Lee to have a breakout season last year after J.Jones performed so poorly in preseason and was hurt, but B.Parcells never gave him the opportunity to get much playing time. When he was given a chance to run with the ball, Lee did well, but Parcells prefered to go with his old favorite R.Anderson and told everyone that he didn't trust Lee's ability to block in passing situations--even though he didn't play him in obvious running situations either. Since Parcells has been known to do this in the past with players that he doesn't like, personally, even when they can play, I don't take it as a reflection on Lee's ability to get the job done: I look at the 4.7 yards a carry he was able to get behind that Dallas offensive line when he did get a chance to carry the rock.

I agree about Henry and his agent. They should be on the phone lobbying B.Adams, the Titans' owner, and F.Reese, the Titans' GM, to come up with the 3rd round pick that the Bills are looking to get for T.Henry. As dominant as C.Brown can be at times, if the Titans think that he can stay healthy for an entire season, they're kidding themselves and J.Payton, despite his good showing in NFLE, is not anywhere near as good as T.Henry, let alone his father.

[LifetimeBillsFan]

I agree. We just need JP to be solid. Ala Kordell and Tommy Maddux.

http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=367559
If JP can do that, without making too many of the mistakes that first year starting QBs make to lose games, it is possible. I've said before that, when JP makes some of those inevitable mistakes, it will be up to the rest of the team to pick him up and win the game for him (which is what those Pittsburgh teams did for Kordell and Maddox). It's good to hear T.Thomas express confidence in the team to do that. And, if they do, Thurman could very well be right.

11-5 might be a little optimistic, but 10-6 isn't necessarily, if everything goes right and JP plays "within himself" and the rest of the team picks him up when he has a tough game. I keep looking at C.Palmer and the Bengals last year as a situation analogous to the one JP and the Bills are in this season: the Bengals went 8-8 with a defense and STs that weren't quite as good as what the Bills have this year and there were a couple of games that Cincy lost that they definitely could/should have won. So, as T.Thomas said, if the Bills' defense and STs play as well as they did last season, it certainly is possible that the Bills could win those couple of additional games that would take them to 10-6. It won't be easy, though, because I see this year's schedule as being tougher than the one they played last season.

[ExWNYer]

he's nuts- chalk at least two losses up to JP's inexperience and 2 losses to NE- that means we only lose 1 or two more? I doubt it.

Really? And how many of last year's seven losses can you chalk up to Bledsoe's ineffectiveness??? I'm sure you can come up with at least two. In fact, I'll spot you one...last game, AT HOME, against Pittsburgh's scrubs.
If the O-line can continue its progress under McNally like it did last year as the season went on and the D and ST "hold serve", so to speak, JP can be a caretaker and not take on the burden of carrying the team in his first year. Look at Rothlesberger's stats last year...they were nothing great and the Steelers went 15-1 with the same formula that the Bills want to employ: Great defense and an offense that emphasizes the run. Plus the Bills have one of the top special teams units in the entire league.
In Joe Ferguson's rookie year (1973), he set an NFL record for fewest pass attempts while the Bills pounded the ball on the ground behind the running of O.J. Simpson. That team went 9-5.
There is nothing unrealistic about thinking this year's team can go 10-6 or 11-5. I'm not saying they will, but they certainly are capable. Sure, they'll need some breaks but what team doesn't?

[OpIv37]

Really? And how many of last year's seven losses can you chalk up to Bledsoe's ineffectiveness??? I'm sure you can come up with at least two. In fact, I'll spot you one...last game, AT HOME, against Pittsburgh's scrubs.
If the O-line can continue its progress under McNally like it did last year as the season went on and the D and ST "hold serve", so to speak, JP can be a caretaker and not take on the burden of carrying the team in his first year. Look at Rothlesberger's stats last year...they were nothing great and the Steelers went 15-1 with the same formula that the Bills want to employ: Great defense and an offense that emphasizes the run. Plus the Bills have one of the top special teams units in the entire league.
In Joe Ferguson's rookie year (1973), he set an NFL record for fewest pass attempts while the Bills pounded the ball on the ground behind the running of O.J. Simpson. That team went 9-5.
There is nothing unrealistic about thinking this year's team can go 10-6 or 11-5. I'm not saying they will, but they certainly are capable. Sure, they'll need some breaks but what team doesn't?

I'm really concerned about our ability to emphasize the run. Our O-line sucks. Remember the first few games last year- no one feared our passing attack so they'd put 7-8 in the box, making it almost impossible to run. If JP doesn't show some proficiency and do it fast, and if our O-line doesn't step up big, this whole strategy goes right to hell.

Plus, I still expect us to have a great defense but I don't expect us to hold a team to 26 yards again. Schobel is a liability against the run to the outside, and without Williams it will be easier for opponents to run up the middle. I still see our D doing well- maybe top 10 or 15, but there's no way we go top 5 again.

[Bulldog]

he's nuts- chalk at least two losses up to JP's inexperience and 2 losses to NE- that means we only lose 1 or two more? I doubt it.

I sure hope the players don't have the same mentality with regards to NE as you do. I for one think it's very possible that Buffalo splits with NE this year. The game in Buffalo last year was close until Drew decided to be Drew and turn the ball over. That was a very winable game for the Bills.

[Bulldog]

I'm really concerned about our ability to emphasize the run. Our O-line sucks. Remember the first few games last year- no one feared our passing attack so they'd put 7-8 in the box, making it almost impossible to run. If JP doesn't show some proficiency and do it fast, and if our O-line doesn't step up big, this whole strategy goes right to hell.

Plus, I still expect us to have a great defense but I don't expect us to hold a team to 26 yards again. Schobel is a liability against the run to the outside, and without Williams it will be easier for opponents to run up the middle. I still see our D doing well- maybe top 10 or 15, but there's no way we go top 5 again.

So the loss of one player make the defense slip that much? I agree, losing Williams will weaken the run defense, but I don't think the impact will be that big. Edwards played well at times last season, we just need to find out if he can do it on a consistant basis. Between he and Anderson, I think they should be able to fill Pat's shoes.

[OpIv37]

So the loss of one player make the defense slip that much? I agree, losing Williams will weaken the run defense, but I don't think the impact will be that big. Edwards played well at times last season, we just need to find out if he can do it on a consistant basis. Between he and Anderson, I think they should be able to fill Pat's shoes.

I think Edwards may be a slight upgrade as a pass rusher but he's definitely not as strong against the run. The run D was the foundation last year- unless Gray comes up with something really good, I suspect it will slip. As far as Anderson, I've never really seen the guy play but I hope he can step up.

[BidsJr]

I'm really concerned about our ability to emphasize the run. Our O-line sucks. Remember the first few games last year- no one feared our passing attack so they'd put 7-8 in the box, making it almost impossible to run. If JP doesn't show some proficiency and do it fast, and if our O-line doesn't step up big, this whole strategy goes right to hell.

Plus, I still expect us to have a great defense but I don't expect us to hold a team to 26 yards again. Schobel is a liability against the run to the outside, and without Williams it will be easier for opponents to run up the middle. I still see our D doing well- maybe top 10 or 15, but there's no way we go top 5 again.

I was really concerned about the run last year too after the first few games. Then came Willis and I was no longer concerned. :lmao:

[Kolbiss]

WOW!! Feelthepain not here yet to tell us how stupid we are and that the dolphins are now the best team in the NFL!!!!

[Historian]

I'm not concerned with inexperience at QB.

You have Wyche coaching him, and Holcome backing him up.

I look for a very good year.