For the First Time In My Life as a Bills Fan...

[ThurmasThoman]

I do NOT want the preseason to get here... I just want it to be over with.

 

During the Kelly years, the game just seemed "different." Although the prospect of someone blowing out a knee was always there (see sehorn, jason) preseason games were nothing to be scared of. Maybe it was because guys didnt treat the game as a 24/7, 365 religion like it is now--I could see Jimbo spending more time on...other... activities during the offseason, besides conditioning and mechanics.

 

During the decade and a half that followed, the game changed.

 

24 hour news cycles, internet bloggers, internet message boards, unrestricted fan access to the team, the players, the game... it's made it transparent, and it has turned into a national obsession. The days of the Bills losing 4 super bowls in a row are over - not because no team could make 4 super bowls in a row anymore, but the sh*t those boys were doing down in tampa in the week leading up to the game would be all over TMZ, and it would be a PR disaster for the organization.

 

So here we are now, after the longest playoff drought in the NFL, on the verge of a playoff season, and I just want the damn preseason to be over.

 

It just feels like so much can/could/WILL go wrong. Injuries, speculation, controversy, injuries, national attention, egos, did i mention injuries.

 

Guys are going all out trying to make a squad, on EVERY snap of the preseason. I KNOW our d-line is going to be nasty. I dont need to see them prove it in a meaningless game against the redskins in august.

 

So if you're wondering if the Bills make the playoffs this year - the answer is yes. Because this ball of anxiety in my stomach for our 4 game slate in august has never existed before!

[bills1960]

I hope we use the Marv strategy and have our starters play one series a game (sometimes not even).

[Buftex]

You can't really succumb to playing into fears about injuries in pre-season. The Bills look much improved, on paper, and the football media seems to be fawning all over them...but, I am sure nobody needs to be reminded, they still haven't done anything... this isn't the Kelly/Levy Bills...those guys were a well-oiled machine...the 2012 Bills are still a collection of nice parts...they haven't put it together...yet.

Edited June 22, 2012 by Buftex

[ThurmasThoman]

You can't really succumb to playing into fears about injuries in pre-season. The Bills look much improved, on paper, and the football media seems to be fawning all over them...but, I am sure nobody needs to be reminded, they still haven't done anything... this isn't the Kelly/Levy Bills...those guys were a well-oiled machine...the 2012 Bills are still a collection of nice parts...they haven't put it together...yet.

 

fair enough.

 

i guess its hard to put into words, without using a bill-simmons-grantland-like 20,000 word piece, but my feelings on this team are completely different than any I have had for the bills in 15 years.

 

I dont CARE if we start the regular season 0-3 as players get acclimated to one another. This team has talent, and we WILL get a wild card spot. Last year, the 6 seed went to cincinnati: a 9-7 bengals team that if we had beaten (should have beaten) in week 4, would have finished 8-8, while we finished 7-9. The line between playoffs and non-playoffs is not the chasm that buffalo fans have made it out to be in their mind.

 

WE ARE A PLAYOFF TEAM. hell, we were a playoff team, we just caught some bad breaks. thats the way of it.

 

So with that in mind, i just cant get excited for the preseason. Usually, to me, the preseason is a chance to sell me on the bills-realistically, I would know that we were going to be about a 6 win team... if we were lights out in the preseason, I would allow myself to hope that we could get a fortuitous bounce here and there, finish with 9 wins, and sneak into the playoffs through a backdoor tie breaker.

 

But now - I dont need the preseason to get me hyped. Im not thinking... "yeah, stevie COULD be a good wideout, lets see how he does in preseason." "our d-line MIGHT be good, lets see them on the field." "cj and freddie have legs, but lets see if they can get to the corner and pick up 7 when it looked like they were going to lose 3."

 

No. I know all that. We are a talented team, much better than 2 of the teams that made the playoffs last year. I just hope the snap count for our guys this preseason isn't even enough to break a sweat.

[Optometric Insight]

That's some deep man!

[Fixxxer]

And miss out on the little things?

 

Like the first fan report from TC? Those are like mana sent from heaven.

 

Like the pre-season debut of your favorite draft pick that no one believes will amount to nothing?

 

Like the first snapshot of Super Mario in full Bills gear?

 

Like the anticipation of Bills overall raking on Madden '13

 

Heck, for you guys is summer, I'm sure there's life besides football this time of year.

 

Feel free to add to the little things list.

[Buftex]

fair enough.

 

i guess its hard to put into words, without using a bill-simmons-grantland-like 20,000 word piece, but my feelings on this team are completely different than any I have had for the bills in 15 years.

 

I dont CARE if we start the regular season 0-3 as players get acclimated to one another. This team has talent, and we WILL get a wild card spot. Last year, the 6 seed went to cincinnati: a 9-7 bengals team that if we had beaten (should have beaten) in week 4, would have finished 8-8, while we finished 7-9. The line between playoffs and non-playoffs is not the chasm that buffalo fans have made it out to be in their mind.

 

WE ARE A PLAYOFF TEAM. hell, we were a playoff team, we just caught some bad breaks. thats the way of it.

 

So with that in mind, i just cant get excited for the preseason. Usually, to me, the preseason is a chance to sell me on the bills-realistically, I would know that we were going to be about a 6 win team... if we were lights out in the preseason, I would allow myself to hope that we could get a fortuitous bounce here and there, finish with 9 wins, and sneak into the playoffs through a backdoor tie breaker.

 

But now - I dont need the preseason to get me hyped. Im not thinking... "yeah, stevie COULD be a good wideout, lets see how he does in preseason." "our d-line MIGHT be good, lets see them on the field." "cj and freddie have legs, but lets see if they can get to the corner and pick up 7 when it looked like they were going to lose 3."

 

No. I know all that. We are a talented team, much better than 2 of the teams that made the playoffs last year. I just hope the snap count for our guys this preseason isn't even enough to break a sweat.

 

I feel the passion in your writing, but, honeslty, the pre-season isn't really about what you or I think about the Bills, it is about the coaches and players figuring out what will work best for them, and give them the best chance to win, once the real bullets start flying. They have to figure out who plays best together, and who their best players are. Sure, some spots are nailed down (even though Chan will insist they aren't), but a lot of these are just still names. We just get a chance to watch them trying to figure it out. It isn't what we think, it is what the coaches think.

 

I think people are getting a little ahead of themselves. I think you are mistaken if you think the Bills can start out 0-3 and make the playoffs. They need to start strong, and finish strong. Of course, anything could happen...but an 0-3 start would be more likely, IMO, to put us in the "maybe next year" category. Sure, the Bills may give the Pats a scare, but unless the Bills win their division, a wild card spot is far from a sure thing if they finish second in the division. Fans in Kansas City, Denver, Oakland, San Diego, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Houston, Pittsburgh and Tennessee probably all feel like that their team has a legit chance to make the playoffs too.

Edited June 22, 2012 by Buftex

[UpperDeck]

And miss out on the little things?

 

Like the first fan report from TC? Those are like mana sent from heaven.

 

Like the pre-season debut of your favorite draft pick that no one believes will amount to nothing?

 

Like the first snapshot of Super Mario in full Bills gear?

 

Like the anticipation of Bills overall raking on Madden '13

 

Heck, for you guys is summer, I'm sure there's life besides football this time of year.

 

Feel free to add to the little things list.

Don't forget the joy of watching the free agent RB who tears it up in preseason, we all fall in love with, only to be a final cut down victim never to be seen again.

[eball]

fair enough.

 

i guess its hard to put into words, without using a bill-simmons-grantland-like 20,000 word piece, but my feelings on this team are completely different than any I have had for the bills in 15 years.

 

I dont CARE if we start the regular season 0-3 as players get acclimated to one another. This team has talent, and we WILL get a wild card spot. Last year, the 6 seed went to cincinnati: a 9-7 bengals team that if we had beaten (should have beaten) in week 4, would have finished 8-8, while we finished 7-9. The line between playoffs and non-playoffs is not the chasm that buffalo fans have made it out to be in their mind.

 

WE ARE A PLAYOFF TEAM. hell, we were a playoff team, we just caught some bad breaks. thats the way of it.

 

So with that in mind, i just cant get excited for the preseason. Usually, to me, the preseason is a chance to sell me on the bills-realistically, I would know that we were going to be about a 6 win team... if we were lights out in the preseason, I would allow myself to hope that we could get a fortuitous bounce here and there, finish with 9 wins, and sneak into the playoffs through a backdoor tie breaker.

 

But now - I dont need the preseason to get me hyped. Im not thinking... "yeah, stevie COULD be a good wideout, lets see how he does in preseason." "our d-line MIGHT be good, lets see them on the field." "cj and freddie have legs, but lets see if they can get to the corner and pick up 7 when it looked like they were going to lose 3."

 

No. I know all that. We are a talented team, much better than 2 of the teams that made the playoffs last year. I just hope the snap count for our guys this preseason isn't even enough to break a sweat.

I love it. Great post, man.

[Dragonborn10]

Last year no one got hurt in the pre-season except Troupe. Many idiots on this board were so happy that Chan sprinkled in a few two a day practices during camp to toughen up the team. Well look what happened. The o-line was still dessimated with injuries, we lost a potential MVP candidate to a broken leg, our QB got his ribs broken, and three guys off the street finished the year as starting WR's. If only they would practice full hitting without pads maybe that would toughen them up enough to make it through the season...

[Nanker]

You're actually proud to be an American?

[Optometric Insight]

Don't forget the joy of watching the free agent RB who tears it up in preseason, we all fall in love with, only to be a final cut down victim never to be seen again.

I have a feeling that you are hinting at an event...

[CowgirlsFan]

I don't care how they play. I just want a

team that starts the season healthy!

[Fan in San Diego]

I don't care how they play. I just want a

team that starts the season healthy!

 

I want a team that finishes healthy!

[BRAWNDO]

And miss out on the little things?

 

Like the first fan report from TC? Those are like mana sent from heaven.

 

Like the pre-season debut of your favorite draft pick that no one believes will amount to nothing?

 

Like the first snapshot of Super Mario in full Bills gear?

 

Like the anticipation of Bills overall raking on Madden '13

 

Heck, for you guys is summer, I'm sure there's life besides football this time of year.

 

Feel free to add to the little things list.

 

Don't forget the the starting Defense dominating the only series they play in the pre season opener and TBD salivating over how they look in their first real action...

[BuffOrange]

fair enough.

 

i guess its hard to put into words, without using a bill-simmons-grantland-like 20,000 word piece, but my feelings on this team are completely different than any I have had for the bills in 15 years.

 

I dont CARE if we start the regular season 0-3 as players get acclimated to one another. This team has talent, and we WILL get a wild card spot. Last year, the 6 seed went to cincinnati: a 9-7 bengals team that if we had beaten (should have beaten) in week 4, would have finished 8-8, while we finished 7-9. The line between playoffs and non-playoffs is not the chasm that buffalo fans have made it out to be in their mind.

 

WE ARE A PLAYOFF TEAM. hell, we were a playoff team, we just caught some bad breaks. thats the way of it.

 

So with that in mind, i just cant get excited for the preseason. Usually, to me, the preseason is a chance to sell me on the bills-realistically, I would know that we were going to be about a 6 win team... if we were lights out in the preseason, I would allow myself to hope that we could get a fortuitous bounce here and there, finish with 9 wins, and sneak into the playoffs through a backdoor tie breaker.

 

But now - I dont need the preseason to get me hyped. Im not thinking... "yeah, stevie COULD be a good wideout, lets see how he does in preseason." "our d-line MIGHT be good, lets see them on the field." "cj and freddie have legs, but lets see if they can get to the corner and pick up 7 when it looked like they were going to lose 3."

 

No. I know all that. We are a talented team, much better than 2 of the teams that made the playoffs last year. I just hope the snap count for our guys this preseason isn't even enough to break a sweat.

 

I like the optimism, but just because 9-7 got it done last year doesn't mean it will this year. It probably won't.

Plus "should've beaten Cincinnati" is a classic homer mindset that basically thinks your favorite team is entitled to win every game that's close. I know we had the lead and were hurt by a bad call, but we really got torched in that game statistically and scored on a freakish pick6 (the sort of play if you'll recall, people were ridiculed for calling it 'unsustainable' early in the year).

I know what you mean though, the difference between being in and out of the playoffs is pretty narrow; and I also don't care about the preseason.

[Dennis in NC]

And miss out on the little things?

 

Like the first fan report from TC? Those are like mana sent from heaven.

 

Like the pre-season debut of your favorite draft pick that no one believes will amount to nothing?

 

Like the first snapshot of Super Mario in full Bills gear?

 

Like the anticipation of Bills overall raking on Madden '13

 

Heck, for you guys is summer, I'm sure there's life besides football this time of year.

 

Feel free to add to the little things list.

This year, like never before, I am looking forward to a rookie punter playing in pre-season.

 

I believe UDFA Shawn Powell can become the Bills new punter this summer.

 

Oh, yeah, Brian Moorman has been quite reliable for 10 years or so. But I believe Powell can "kick the cover offa that thang", so to speak. More to the point, he can directionally kick it, Rugby-kick it, whatever the situation calls for.

 

The little things? I hope to have ZERO wildfires encroaching on my back yard this summer!

[Fixxxer]

This year, like never before, I am looking forward to a rookie punter playing in pre-season.

 

I believe UDFA Shawn Powell can become the Bills new punter this summer.

 

Oh, yeah, Brian Moorman has been quite reliable for 10 years or so. But I believe Powell can "kick the cover offa that thang", so to speak. More to the point, he can directionally kick it, Rugby-kick it, whatever the situation calls for.

 

The little things? I hope to have ZERO wildfires encroaching on my back yard this summer!

 

If the kid can corner-kick consistently he will give Moorman a run for his money. Moorman has a cannon for a leg but he struggles with touchbacks, too many of those for the caliber of punter he is.