SaviorPeterman

If this team implodes and certain players quit on the team in the 2nd half like years past you better believe they will be long gone after the season no matter if they are entrenched starters, rookies or backups. It's all about the process but there will be more games this season like what happened against the Jets so should tell us a lot about the team and McD.

Fair enough. And yes the season is far from over with another loss this Sunday but it certainly lowers the chances this team makes the playoffs significantly considering the upcoming two game road trip and them the Patriots in the next home game. I'm still holding up hope things are truly different this year but the past looms large and will always have me skeptical until this team proves things are different.

DaBills - serious question for you my friend. Let's say the Bills lose to the Saints and possibly another blowout loss, just curious what your mindset will be regarding this team going foward? Just another game with plenty left? Sadly this is the same old Bills? Indifferent?

This year teams road teams are 5-4 on TNF so it dispels the myth that they favor the home team. No matter what way some folks spin it what happened to the Bills last week matters big time and is serious cause for concern going forward.

Unless they magically solve their issues there are plenty of games left for them to lose but I do agree on paper they have a chance to go on a run in the 2nd half but at least they have 5 losses already.

Thanks Yolo, definitely a stat in our favor this Sunday. Hopefully the forecast is accurate and the termps don't heat up before then.

Luck was considered the next once every 10-15 year QB prospect when he came into the NFL but quite frankly he hasn't lived up to that mostly due to injuries that derailed 2 of the last 3 seasons and having total crap around him. Obviously he's a franchise QB and certainly not questioning that, but still not sure I would pursue him if I will the Bills and the Colts still have all the leverage and would be asking for a ton in return if trading him is truly on their radar.

Yes this is one important metric still in our favor despite other trending downwards (i.e. yards allowed, sacks, etc.)

Not hardly and they are dominating teams as of late including the same terrible Bucs team we needed 3 TO's and luck to barely beat a few weeks ago. Saints also have the #2 overall offense and #15 overall defense and their metrics are trending upwards each week whiles ours are steadily declining.

I'll say this in regards to the 2008/2011 comparisons. First of all we obviously haven't lost against the Saints yet and might not. But if we do it will be 2 straight losses, 1st home loss, etc and the doubts will start to creep in big time with 2 straight road games where we have simply not been good this year sitting at 1-3 away from Buffalo. Also important to point out that in 2008 and 2011, we didn't have first year coaches those seasons. Dick 'The Corpse' Jaraun was in his 3rd season and Gailey 2nd season respectively. So McD gets some benefit of the doubt because we don't know how he's going to respond yet. Either way history does matter and despite what players, coaches, etc are saying publicly the ghosts of seasons past loom large with this franchise. In fact we were 4-2 just last season and at least half of the current roster was here when we collapsed midseason and ultimately flamed out.

http://www.espn.com/blog/buffalo-bills/post/_/id/29882/will-5-3-record-fade-into-usual-disappointment-for-bills-fans

Thanks for posting these metrics which I've said for weeks now have been trending in the wrong direction. I think the main issue with this defense is the front seven. Yes we had some sacks early in the season but it was simply a (classic) bi-product of our defense being ahead of some of the offenses we played including the Panthers that were obviously terrible to start the season. But in terms of overall talent, this front seven has very little outside of KW (whose showing his age) and Jerry Hughes (who can't shake lose because we have no other pass rush threat). As for the secondary and all the turnovers, most have simply been lucky and I've said all along it can't be sustained. In the end this year's unit is what it is and why we have to rely on a true bend but don't break philosophy to mask the glaring holes and lack of talent we have. But hopefully once we get McD and Frazier some real talent to work with in the front seven their excellent track records will truly show.

For me the four straight superbowl seasons as a whole. For those that were kids at the time like myself it set the bar very high in terms of what to expect from this team on a year to year basis. Probably also why the last 17 years have been so depressing and frustrating. Regardless nothing can take away the memories of those late 80's/90 Bills teams that were always in the mix and the four straight superbowls is still something we'll probably never see any team do again.

Yes this is my main concern and why my gut feeling tells me we are in store for another 2008/2011 type of finish to the season including a lengthy losing streak over next month. And in hindsight even looking at our win against the Jets in week one where many felt we barely beat a 'bad' team, we barely beat a middle of the pack team like us. And in some of games even getting multiple turnovers wasn't enough (Bengals) or barely enough (Bucs). I give credit for McD having a woefully average roster devoid of talent playing as hard as they have but I think the feel good story is pretty much over.

I hope I'm wrong as well but don't see it happening. Another stat I just posted in a different thread that isn't working in our favor is that the Saints are only the 3rd team in NFL history to start 0-2 and then win the next 6 or more straight. The other two went on to win the SB (93 Cowboys, 07 Giants).

You'll find some homers here but I'm certainly not questioning what the Saints are doing and the next gen starts and advanced metrics certainly back up the Saints great run with the #2 overall offense and top 15 defense. And losing to division leaders and contenders early on like the Pats and Vikings is nothing to be ashamed about. A stat you may or may not be aware of that should have your fellow Saints fans excited is the previous two teams to start 0-2 and win 6 or more straight games went on to win the superbowl (1993 Cowboys and 2007 Giants, the former beat our very own Bills in our last championship game appearance and the latter beat ruined the Pats undefeated season). So I'd say this year's Saints team is in pretty good company and well on their way to good things.

Here's the problem with this excuse regarding not having the talent to overcome the preparation for a TNF, if a team like the Jets who probably equal or worse than Buffalo in terms of talent, what should that say about this team especially since we didn't just lose but got throttled? An astute fan would say to himself/herself that yes this team is not for real and is about to get destroyed by much better teams like the Saints even with 10 days to prepare.

Great to see that KB is putting in word and buying into the process. Wish we got him sooner though because not sure I see a major impact right away and we really needed the over this brutal stretch of games during the next month.

St. Doug is running a tight ship in Jax, if he can't straighten Dareus out nobody will. If the Bills do end up missing the playoffs again I'm certainly rooting for the Jags because they look like a true dark horse team that might give the Pats, Steelers, Chiefs or Dolphins a run for their money this year.

Nice, I'd definitely hit it!

Still think the Dolphins will either have a playoff spot clinched in week 17 and will be resting starters or will in fact need the game against us to get in and possibly eliminate the Bills in one fell swoop. Quite frankly I dread both scenarios because it could possibly be 2004 all over again if the Dolphins backups beat us and prevent us from the playoffs OR they simply beat us head to head in a 'win and get in' playoff game. Either way I get the feeling we'll be looking back specifically at games like the Bengals and say 'How could we not beat that team' as one of the reasons we'll miss the playoffs for the 18th straight season.

The bottom line is that if we couldn't sweep the Jets, we aren't sweeping Miami who also swept the Bills last year just like the Jets. And speaking of the Jets, in hindsight we did in fact barely beat them in week one at home and then were spanked in their building. Just goes to show how badly this team has struggled in the division going 3-7 in the last 10 AFCE games and one of those wins was the game last year in NE when they were playing a 3rd string rookie QB.

Best case is splitting with Miami so to get to 10-6 we are going to have to find a win somewhere else and not sure that is possible.

Bad news for the Bucs and Winston but their season is pretty much done anyway. Also means Fitz will be starting against his most recent former team in the Jets next week so that should be quite something but now the Jets are almost certain to win and get to 5-5 which means they will be right in the thick of the playoff hunt.

Yes indeed Shady, H.U.G.E. and L.A.R.G.E. especially if the Bills go into this game at 5-4 and the Chargers are 4-5. Hate to think our season might come to an end though with a Chargers loss but very well might be the scenario if we can't beat the Saints.