Blokestradamus

Because what Tyrod did was enough. He couldn't make the defensive unit play better. They let the side down. After looking into the trends of a Greg Roman attack, there should be some minor improvement at QB and in the run game in Year 2. If Tyrod can at least replicate his 2015 season and Rex gets the defense up to his usual standards, we should start to see the progress reflected in the record. I think we match up well in the division and, with the Brady suspension, going 5-1 in the AFCE should be feasible. Not easy by any means but feasible. Call it a gut instinct but I see reasons to be optimistic. The schedule doesn't look overly daunting either, a lot of winable games.

Oh. Okay. I stand corrected.

I'm not expecting Tyrod to be better. Wonderful if he is but I think we're somewhere near his ceiling. Taking progression for granted when he's come so far from his VT days would be, for me, a little foolish. No insults meant by that. Hopefully the 2nd year in both schemes brings some improvement. The margins in the NFL are so small between success and failure, it's only finding little bits here and there. I think we're on the cusp of seeing something so special for this team. If it fails, I'm not sure I can stop myself from going ballistic at those in charge. I'm not an optimistic type normally but I'm absolutely buzzing for this season. As someone who's never seen a playoff game, it's about time we changed that.

With the talent on the roster, we really should be #2 behind Seattle. That is how good this team should be. I'm saying 5-7 because that should be enough to make this a 10 win team.

The biggest thing for me is that Rex really doesn't have many excuses for 2016. Especially defensively. 8 returning starters (plus Manny opening the season at SLB). Only guys you're really replacing are Bradham and Mario. You filled those spots with quintessential 'Rex guys'. Pretty much every offensive starter is back, depending on how you view RT. If that D can't be in the top 5-7 in the league, it's probably a failure.

It's got to end up producing results though. Enough with this content being in the race stuff, the goal is playing meaningful games in January. I'm not writing Rex off, just that the time for talk is well and truly over. If they can't produce with the talent at their disposal, it's not the talent that needs to change.

Nobody is unbeatable. Darius Slay gave up 47 catches on 73 receptions and that was seen as a bloody good year. I think people forget that shutdown corner doesn't mean invincible. It's all about nullifying threats and Gilmore can do that.

It's weird as a concept to say no but it's true. He's supposed to have as little to do with the game as possible. He just has to take someone out of the game with him.

Dick had the worst personality for Buffalo. Can't go around saying stuff like "We punted well" with this enthusiastic lot. The team seemed handicapped by ownership for a long time. It probably did a disservice to some fine men (Wade, Jauron, Chan). I remember when Chan left, I've never felt so much emotion from sport. The job absolutely broke him.

I think it's a foregone conclusion that either Aaron gets injured or Corey falls off physically. One or the other happens because it always does. It never rains in Buffalo, it pours. I think Blanton gets big nickel package looks early and ends up in a starting spot by the end of the season.

When you look back at the Bills from when I first started watching games about a decade ago, how that team didn't go 0-16, I'll never know. Edwards/Losman, Roscoe Parrish, Robert Royal, Josh Reed, Michael Gaines on offense. John DiGiorgio, Keith Ellison, Angelo Crowell, Chris Kelsay. My lord, taking that to 7-9 deserves a retrospective knighthood.

He seemed to open his mouth a bit more last year. The stuff with Odell and whatnot. Side effect of Rex in charge, maybe? I'm comfortable waiting for a year on both Gilmore and Tyrod, if that's what needs to happen. I have every faith both guys will let their play do the talking for them. Part of why I kinda want them both to stick around, lead by example types.

Gilmore averages 12.5 PD/year, 2.25 INT/year. Slay averages 11.66 PD/year, 1.33 INT/year. Stats favour Gilmore a little. I think I trust Slay in run support a little more. I'd love to have either of them as my #1 corner. Both are incredible talents and I have a lot of man-hours invested defending them.

Crazy thing is, Slay and Gilmore are on the same level. I really hope Stephon isn't about to **** all over his perfect fit for the sake of money. Daft players follow money. Smart players know when they aren't finding a situation that works better for them than the one they're in.

I think the logical point is that any upheaval of your positive unit would be less than ideal. Schwartz staying would've been the definition of 'continuity of good'. I don't think Whaley is anti-Rex at all, just possibly resentful that he's having to pull a rabbit out of his hat again to save the day. Which, to his credit, he seems to have done with Shaq/Reggie. I think the Mario thing could be seen a mile away by any human being that knows what Mario likes/dislikes. The exact situation that saw him leave Houston happened again with the exact same results.

The Bills were in position to be successful and chose the switch defensive philosophy willingly. That rendered 2015 a lost year as some key players were reaching their peaks on cheap deals. The window for that is closing. If they can't get it done this year, what hope do we have that this team will be good under them with $30-odd million a year tied up at QB/CB? If the talent is there but the coaching isn't (ie. another .500 or so season missing the playoffs), surely fresh impetus would be required.

Darius Slay just got paid. @AdamSchefter CB Darius Slay and Detroit Lions agreed to a 4-year extension worth $50.2M with $23M fully guaranteed at signing, per source.

He's still no Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink.

I hope they run a 4-3 Under, let Dion play SAM. I believe in his physical ability, just not in his ability to stop killing his career. Mario at 5-T LDE, Jordan Phillips 1-T, Suh 3-T, Wake 7-T Dion SAM Vigil MLB Jenkins WLB

Continuity is only good if it's continuity of something good. This season should be make or break, especially since it was management that broke it in the first place.

It's quite possible. I can't find it through Twitter, which is where I'm certain I saw it. Possibly been deleted/retracted. It was before last season started, can't remember for the life of me who tweeted it (was someone with a national platform). Trying to wade through a "Whaley Jackson" Twitter search after the Fred debacle is a nightmare! EDIT: Apparently Mike Silver mentioned Hue thought he had the job, would've pitched to keep Schwartz as DC. As close to confirmation of any Schwartz DC rumour as I can find.

It was reported by a couple of sources a while ago. Let me try and dig them up. No luck with a quick search. I'll dig deeper for them when I get a chance.

Even if it's just using Fournette more in the passing game to simplify reads for Harris. He's like Derrick Henry as a receiver, better than you think, just underutilised. For what he is, LF is a very good back. Not 1st round good or a Gurley/Zeke level athlete but he's very good.

Fournette and his 400+ carries this year. Dude is going to run for 2500 yards and get run into the floor. It's a shame they can't recruit QBs for ****, Dupre & Dural are really solid receivers. 506 rushes to 277 passes last year, completing 53.6% of them. Jesus.

My levels of excitement for the season are unprecedented. History suggests that my optimism turns to heartbreak in about 4 months. I am ready for whatever this team throws at me. It's footbaw season!