Buffalo Bills aiming to become NFL's next worst-to-first wonder

[Fletch]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap200...tofirst-wonder

PITTSFORD, N.Y. -- The first NFL training camp practice of 2014 went a long way in explaining why these sessions have become so popular.


A general manager jumping out of his shoes talking about a potential breakthrough. A young quarterback asking for more responsibility. A fan base electrified by the first sight of its team since December.

You'd never know the Buffalo Bills went 6-10 last year.


But that's the beauty of all this. It's July, and like everyone else in the league, the Bills are undefeated. Buffalo's players and coaches believe that they very well could be -- maybe even should be -- the team to continue an annual tradition in the NFL: the worst-to-first turnaround. More than just that, it's the way they see themselves.

[More and video at link]

[Fletch]

Lol, just reading through this.

"I give all the credit in the world to (team president) Russ Brandon," Whaley said. "He's been a great leader through this whole process. His No. 1 edict to everybody in the building is, 'Business as usual.'

Business as usual. LOL And everyone thinks that Whaley's different.

When do we get business as unusual. That might be somewhat more refreshing.

[coastal]

All dead men walking...

[trapezeus]

hard to argue with you there.

the article seems to come up every year and every year the bills become a boring team to watch by November. Eventually (i hope) this has to be true.

[Fletch]

hard to argue with you there.

the article seems to come up every year and every year the bills become a boring team to watch by November. Eventually (i hope) this has to be true.

Yeah, we all do. But as I look at that list, I see other teams that I'd put my money on before I'd put it on us.

Tampa for instance. They not only beat us last year but dusted us. Carolina is much weaker this year and despite still having better and more experienced WRs than we have, are depleted there. I expect them to be a number of games worse, leaving Atlanta and NO for Tampa to contend with. I also don't know why Atlanta's not on that list. I expect them to rebound nicely. But like Houston, both teams are not far removed from "first" but only had bad seasons last year.

Tampa drafted Mike Evans who I expect will make more of an impact than Watkins. Tampa has a better QB too. They get Doug Martin back from injury too.

Cleveland beat us last year too. Pettine, who I think is massively overrated, seems to be viewed as something close to a great here. If that's true, then I'd think that Cleveland's chances are better also except that they have Baltimore and Cincy to contend with. Manziel may not last an NFL career, but if he can make it through one season it could be the difference for them. There too, their WRs have much more experience than ours, but everyone's talking as if they have nothing in the WR department while they talk about ours as if they're accomplished in the NFL or something when they're clearly not.

[better days]

Yeah, we all do. But as I look at that list, I see other teams that I'd put my money on before I'd put it on us.

Tampa for instance. They not only beat us last year but dusted us. Carolina is much weaker this year and despite still having better and more experienced WRs than we have, are depleted there. I expect them to be a number of games worse, leaving Atlanta and NO for Tampa to contend with. I also don't know why Atlanta's not on that list. I expect them to rebound nicely. But like Houston, both teams are not far removed from "first" but only had bad seasons last year.

Tampa drafted Mike Evans who I expect will make more of an impact than Watkins. Tampa has a better QB too. They get Doug Martin back from injury too.

Cleveland beat us last year too. Pettine, who I think is massively overrated, seems to be viewed as something close to a great here. If that's true, then I'd think that Cleveland's chances are better also except that they have Baltimore and Cincy to contend with. Manziel may not last an NFL career, but if he can make it through one season it could be the difference for them. There too, their WRs have much more experience than ours, but everyone's talking as if they have nothing in the WR department while they talk about ours as if they're accomplished in the NFL or something when they're clearly not.

LMAO at Carolina having better receivers than Buffalo.

The Panthers receivers may be more experienced than the Bills, but they are ALL MEDIOCRE.

I do expect the Bucs to finish ahead of the Panthers in the NFC South & will not be surprised if they win the division.

And yes the Bucs got Martin back from injury and hopefully he plays as well as in the past, but the Bills have a number of good RB's.

[Mr. Pink]

LMAO at Carolina having better receivers than Buffalo.

The Panthers receivers may be more experienced than the Bills, but they are ALL MEDIOCRE.

I do expect the Bucs to finish ahead of the Panthers in the NFC South & will not be surprised if they win the division.

And yes the Bucs got Martin back from injury and hopefully he plays as well as in the past, but the Bills have a number of good RB's.

Are you high?

The Bucs not only are the worst team in the NFC South, they may be the worst team in the entire NFC.

[Mahdi]

There are two things that show me that the Bills are NOT intent on winning or at least doing everything they can to ensure we are a playoff team.

First: No backup QB with significant NFL experience. Tampa got Josh McCown, Jets got Vick while the Bills go with Tuel and the other guy.

Second: Depth at DE. Schwartz's system relies heavily on DEs yet we have 1 true DE and 2 converted LBs on the other side. 1 injury and we are done.

[Mahdi]

Are you high?

The Bucs not only are the worst team in the NFC South, they may be the worst team in the entire NFC.

The Bucs have playmakers all over their team. With more stability at QB which they get with McCown they will be a solid team.

[THATHURMANATOR]

Thread full of old curmudgeons.... BILLS BLOW WAAAAHHHH

[The Jokeman]

The Bucs have playmakers all over their team. With more stability at QB which they get with McCown they will be a solid team.

McCown is a journeyman backup QB at best. Sure he was great in Chicago last year but was he a product of a good surrounding cast with guys like Forte, Marshall and Jefferies around him? I think so and don't expect him to be the same with a recovering Doug Martin, Vincent Jackson and rookie Mike Evans. I fully expect him to McCown will be benched by Week 9 and the Bucs will give the reins back to Glennon who will likely struggle and lead the Bucs to take a QB with their 1st Round pick next year.

[Fletch]

The Panthers receivers may be more experienced than the Bills, but they are ALL MEDIOCRE.

I love comments like this. Besides Mike Williams, whom we haven't heard jack siht about anything positive, we don't have one receiver on the team that to date has put up better numbers than Cotchery's or Avant's best season. Watkins aside, who's a rookie, we could very sell have a slate full of WRs that are mediocre too.

I along with you suspect that they'll be better, but I'll bet you anything that Carolina's leading WR puts up better numbers than any one of ours simply because they have a more competent, much more competent, QB than we do, and better TEs to help the WRs.

Right now based on what we're hearing, or not hearing, Mike Williams sounds quite likely to slip right into that mediocre role that you're talking about. Woods has a lot to prove as does Goodwin before crowning them non-mediocre too. That leaves Watkins. He's a rookie. It's unlikely that he's going to be fantastic as a rookie, and pardon me while the camp revues are what they were for TO for example, as he blows past a bunch of defenders whose names you don't even know.

The Panthers don't have much, but until proven otherwise, neither do we. If our receivers were on another team you and everyone else would be discounting Watkins as a rookie and saying big deal to the rest until proven otherwise. Cotchery and Avant will both put up between 800 and 1,000 yards easily with Newton throwing, and Tiquan Underwood is a Goodwin clone with better upside and a few more skills in his set.

So unless our receivers explode this season, which will require Manuel exploding, we'll see at the end of the season. But I'm willing to put up a friendly wager that their leading WR has 1,000 yards and at least 7 TDs. I wouldn't make that wager for any one of our WRs at the moment. Now next season, depending upon how Watkins develops, maybe him, but not as a rookie. He's not going up against the best DBs in the league in camp, to the contrary. We don't have any LBs on the roster that are healthy currently that are any good against the pass. So enjoy this camp stuff while you can, I know I am as at least it's something to have as a hope, but don't expect Watkins to be lighting things up as a rookie against the Jets, Pats, or a number of other teams that we play, like Denver, when he's going up against some of the best DBs.

To look at this realistically, take the names off the receivers that we have. We have a second year 2nd-round WR that put up almost 600 yards and 3 TDs last season, another 2nd-year 3rd-round WR that put up less than 300 yards and 3TDs last year whose best collegiate season wasn't much better, neither of which had a single 100-yard game, and another WR that's pretty much on his "last chance" in the NFL whose career has been about as up-and-down as it could be, and on that no other teams were really interested in not to mention one that we've heard nothing positive about and only negatives thus far, and a rookie 1st-round hopefully phenom. There isn't a receiver on the team after that that is even guaranteed a roster spot.

Looking at it that way, it should look a little different. The problem is that everyone here knows better and knows that Watkins is going to shatter rookie records, Woods is going to put up 1,000 yards, Mike Williams is going to have a resurgence so that collectively they put up 4,000 yards and 25 TDs. I think that the team will be lucky to hit 20 total passing TDs, distribute them as you will. I don't see us being able to keep opposing offenses off the field this season because our pass D stinks without any pass-D LBs in the mix and Byrd now gone, not to mention that we play some of the best passing offenses in the league this season and more than last season.

Anyway, two second-year WRs and one rookie along with whomever else makes the roster, including Williams, is hardly much better than anyone. The whole enchilada comes down to how good Watkins is. If he's not immediately good enough to draw double-coverages and be the #1, then this group is going to look every bit as mediocre as you accurately state that the Panther WRs are. As to Williams, right now it's looking as if we'll be lucky if he has a 500/4 season.

And oh yeah, just by the way, the Panthers drafted a rookie named Kelvin Benjamin who did play in more of a pro-style offense at FSU and who does have that prototypical Megatron, Julio Jones, and AJ Green size, and I'll bet you anything that his rookie season is better than Watkins simply because he's got a much better and more accurate QB throwing him the ball. So when you factor him in, we're really comparing Avant, Cotchery, and Underwood to Woods, Williams, and Goodwin.

[Fletch]

I fully expect him to McCown will be benched by Week 9 and the Bucs will give the reins back to Glennon who will likely struggle and lead the Bucs to take a QB with their 1st Round pick next year.

LOL

If he struggles like he struggled last season he'll be in the top-10 of QBs if he plays all 16.

- - - Updated - - -

Are you high?

The Bucs not only are the worst team in the NFC South, they may be the worst team in the entire NFC.

They dismantled us last season.

[Fletch]

There are two things that show me that the Bills are NOT intent on winning or at least doing everything they can to ensure we are a playoff team.

First: No backup QB with significant NFL experience. Tampa got Josh McCown, Jets got Vick while the Bills go with Tuel and the other guy.

Second: Depth at DE. Schwartz's system relies heavily on DEs yet we have 1 true DE and 2 converted LBs on the other side. 1 injury and we are done.

We also no longer have a single LB on the roster that's above average against the pass. Everyone's overlooking that but it's going to bite us in the ass in a big way this fall. We play so many good passing teams. McKelvin and Williams once again are going to be overwhelmed just as they've been throughout their careers besides last season.

- - - Updated - - -

Thread full of old curmudgeons.... BILLS BLOW WAAAAHHHH

In walks the drunkard ...

; )

[better days]

McCown is a journeyman backup QB at best. Sure he was great in Chicago last year but was he a product of a good surrounding cast with guys like Forte, Marshall and Jefferies around him? I think so and don't expect him to be the same with a recovering Doug Martin, Vincent Jackson and rookie Mike Evans. I fully expect him to McCown will be benched by Week 9 and the Bucs will give the reins back to Glennon who will likely struggle and lead the Bucs to take a QB with their 1st Round pick next year.

Glennon had the best rookie year of any QB in the NFL.

Martin, Jackson and Evans > Forte, Marshall and Jefferies.

Teams go from worst to first in the NFC South all the time.

I think the Bucs can play with the Falcons & Panthers with no problem.

The Saints are the favorite to win the division, but you never know, injuries happen.

[better days]

We also no longer have a single LB on the roster that's above average against the pass. Everyone's overlooking that but it's going to bite us in the ass in a big way this fall. We play so many good passing teams. McKelvin and Williams once again are going to be overwhelmed just as they've been throughout their careers besides last season.

- - - Updated - - -



In walks the drunkard ...

; )

Linebackers are responsible for TE's & RB's in the passing game.

Can't wait to see Spikes welcome Gronk back to Buffalo.

[better days]

Are you high?

The Bucs not only are the worst team in the NFC South, they may be the worst team in the entire NFC.

More evidence that you don't know what you are talking about.

[Fletch]

Glennon had the best rookie year of any QB in the NFL.

Martin, Jackson and Evans > Forte, Marshall and Jefferies.

Teams go from worst to first in the NFC South all the time.

I think the Bucs can play with the Falcons & Panthers with no problem.

The Saints are the favorite to win the division, but you never know, injuries happen.

Agreed.

If we measure by TDs thrown, Glennon had the 8th best season for any rookie ever behind Peyton, Wilson, Luck, Newton, Dalton, Griffin, and Marino. I didn't include Kelly because he wasn't in his first pro football season.

Glennon also started only 13 games whereas all of the others except for Marino started all 16. Had he started all 16 games he likely would have been anywhere between 3rd and 5th on that list.

People here don't do their homework.

By the way, that's one of your best posts ever.

[Fletch]

Linebackers are responsible for TE's & RB's in the passing game.

Can't wait to see Spikes welcome Gronk back to Buffalo.

Wrong, depends upon the D, but usually LBs are responsible for anything within their range of coverage, largely OTM short to medium type stuff and short outside stuff to the RBs or TEs as you said. LBs rarely play m2m unless it's a TE.

[Fletch]

More evidence that you don't know what you are talking about.

What I think is funny is that he says that the Bucs are horrible, but they're better this year, especially with Glennon in his second season, and yet they dismanteled us last season. It wasn't even a game, but we're expected to be much better. Typical forum logic and reasoning.