DefenseWinzChampionshipz Posted November 6, 2013 Posted November 6, 2013 Is a playoff spot going to matter this year? I think we can gain enough steam if we start to win to succeed in the playoffs but to get the wins needed to advance in the playoffs...gosh. We aren't going to go in to Foxboro, Denver, KC or even the Meadowlands and get lucky. It will take all we got and right now I am not sure what all we have. I guess at the end of the year I would rather know that we continued to improve and are going to be in a better position for the offseason and schedule next year then I would make the playoffs and go 0fer or even just one win. As sweet...oh gosh, yes... as sweet as a playoff victory would be I just do not want to be like the Browns of a few years ago. Make the playoffs by weak schedule and chance then never go back. This is not me being negative nancy... I am just upping my post count. Oh you're thinking superbowl... I just want the streak of not making it to the playoffs to end. Of course the superbowl is the big picture and if we made it to the playoffs I wouldn't want to lose, but I just want to know what watching the Bills in January feels like man. Been a fan for 13 years now so I don't have the luxury like most of you have with the "glory days". I've stuck by this team and have only known this team in it's worst. I want playoffs.
wnysteel Posted November 6, 2013 Posted November 6, 2013 for any of this to happen, we have to stay relatively healthy, and prove we can win on the road (stating the obvious). neither of which has happened in recent years.
DefenseWinzChampionshipz Posted November 6, 2013 Posted November 6, 2013 This is a one game at a time approach for me. I believe 10-6 makes it. 9-7 won't. The way I see it simply put, is if we lose one more game, then we can stop the playoff talk...
Terry Tate Posted November 6, 2013 Posted November 6, 2013 So what your saying is if we play perfect ball for 2 months and no one else gets hot, we have a chance
John from Riverside Posted November 6, 2013 Posted November 6, 2013 I really think 8-8 would be a more realistic expecation........ Put us right there to draft whoever the best Tight End is in the draft
metzelaars_lives Posted November 6, 2013 Posted November 6, 2013 The odds of the Bills making the playoffs at 9-7 is not good. At least one of those teams mentioned is going to win those amount of games, and the Bills are in bad shape tiebreaker wise via conference record. Also, odds are low that the Pats would be in a position to rest their starters for that final game. They're tied with Indy now for the 2 spot, and one game ahead of Cincy who they lose the tiebreaker to. They'll probably have to win that last game in Foxboro. So, my expectations are sadly nil already. You wanna bet that 9-7 gets you the last wildcard spot in the AFC? I'm not saying it's gonna be the Bills, but none of these teams are going 10-6 this year. This is a one game at a time approach for me. I believe 10-6 makes it. 9-7 won't. The way I see it simply put, is if we lose one more game, then we can stop the playoff talk... Traditionally this is the case but if you read the OP, the only team that has a fighter's chance of going 10-6 is the Jets and they'd need to go 5-2 the rest of the way to do it. I just don't see it happening.
1billsfan Posted November 6, 2013 Author Posted November 6, 2013 I really think 8-8 would be a more realistic expecation........ Put us right there to draft whoever the best Tight End is in the draft Oh snap!! Dropping draft position commentary in an optimistic thread such as this? For shame...LOL Hop on board the silly, "we're still in it" playoff dreaming Buffalo Bills bandwagon before the good seats are all gone.
djp14150 Posted November 6, 2013 Posted November 6, 2013 So based on your post, it appears that a 9-7 team may enter the playoffs. If so, who's shaping up to have the advantage? Is it divisional record or strength of schedule? We had a better shot winning the bengals game than the browns. But, you're right.... At 9-7 Buffalo will have a much harder team because of H2H and conference record. Football is really about matchups. You can't go by wins/losses or even what teams beat which. The Jets are a BAD matchup for the Bills, but not for every team in the league. They play a physical style that we don't respond well to. Our OL and DL can't block theirs. KC by all accounts has an excellent DL that gives most teams fits, but the Bills usu. have their way with them and did again on Sunday outgaining them 2 to 1. We don't block zone blitz, blitz zero schemes well and lose the LOS to the Jets on almost every play. They tackle, block, and hit better than we do. It doesn't mean the Jets will beat every team we do, just that they usually beat us. They generally outcoach us in very aspect as well. Rex Ryan has brought a lot of the OLD Baltimore Ravens street fight football mentality to the Jets, and its a type of football the Bills look like they want no part of after about 5 minutes. The Jets dont play well on the road. They hit Buffalo when they were without their top 3 CBs and basically played the game of throw deep and maybe we will get lucky. I looked at that last week, but not in the detail you have. I think it comes down to 9-7 and tie-breakers based on the schedules of the possible contenders. The Bills have to finish second in the division at 9-7 to have a shot. Buffalo needs to get to 2nd place forst before any playoff talk can happen. The way they do that is by beating the Jets and Dolphins at home and then have the Jets and Fins split their season series. Thos two things happen and Buffalo wins out they will be in 2nd place (and could be in 1st)
eball Posted November 6, 2013 Posted November 6, 2013 This. They kick the crap out of us upfront and it's pretty glaring. I'd take Ryan/Mornhinweg over Marrone/Hackett any day. So it sounds like you're a Jets fan. Enjoy their board.
mjt328 Posted November 6, 2013 Posted November 6, 2013 Football is really about matchups. You can't go by wins/losses or even what teams beat which. The Jets are a BAD matchup for the Bills, but not for every team in the league. They play a physical style that we don't respond well to. Our OL and DL can't block theirs. KC by all accounts has an excellent DL that gives most teams fits, but the Bills usu. have their way with them and did again on Sunday outgaining them 2 to 1. We don't block zone blitz, blitz zero schemes well and lose the LOS to the Jets on almost every play. They tackle, block, and hit better than we do. It doesn't mean the Jets will beat every team we do, just that they usually beat us. They generally outcoach us in very aspect as well. Rex Ryan has brought a lot of the OLD Baltimore Ravens street fight football mentality to the Jets, and its a type of football the Bills look like they want no part of after about 5 minutes. Excellent post. I would really like to see more study done into schemes and tendencies (as opposed to just records) to see how the Bills matchup against certain teams. You are right how they always seem to struggle with the Jets at the LOS. I remember the Trent Edwards years when our offense always struggled horribly with 3-4 base defenses. Last year, our defense struggled bad against everyone. But they couldn't stop the read-option to save their lives.
A Dog Named Kelso Posted November 6, 2013 Posted November 6, 2013 How about they just win 2 in a row before we talk about them winning their last 6 or 7 in a row?
COACH85 Posted November 6, 2013 Posted November 6, 2013 If the Pats have locked up a specific playoff position, I think they might be sitting some top players that last game of season vs Bills. I really believe the Bills can win out if they play to their potential and remain relatively healthy. Yes, the Jet game can possibly be an issue but all remaining games can be won and in some cases, SHOULD BE WON. If it was Jauron or Gailey leading the team, I probably wouldn't be so optimistic but boy I'm psyched to see how good we can be with our team finally getting almost fully healthy and expecting EJ to continue to grow and get better game by game. Heck, the whole team is getting better! If EJ remains just average the rest of the year, it might not be a bad idea to look at taking one of the top QB's coming out next year, and their are ALOT of them (although I might not use a !st rounder on one). Maybe one of these days we'll draft a game changing TE too. I like Chandler but I don't think he's a difference maker and he's taken some penalties at the worst times this year in a game. I know one thing though, if Chandler goes out with any kind of injury, we're screwed at that position this year. Don't quite think Gragg is ready for Prime Time.
PearlHowardman Posted November 6, 2013 Posted November 6, 2013 Seven more games in the season and only two are in Buffalo. That's an uphill battle. Moreover, Patriots coach Bill Belichik is very competitive. He might sit his players for the last game of the season but not if it's against another AFC East team.
JPS Posted November 6, 2013 Posted November 6, 2013 Any team with a good defense and a strong running game has a decent chance. I'm feeling 8-8 and I am ecstatic about it. If nothing else, this team is entertaining and competitive. I think 2014 is the playoff year assuming EJ proves to be thee guy. That being said, I think you have to draft a Foles-type prospect in the 3rd next year to limit your losses due to playing a Tuel at QB.
Rockinon Posted November 7, 2013 Posted November 7, 2013 Seven more games in the season and only two are in Buffalo. That's an uphill battle. Moreover, Patriots coach Bill Belichik is very competitive. He might sit his players for the last game of the season but not if it's against another AFC East team. Good! That gives us an opportunity to take them down harder.
Livinginthepast Posted November 7, 2013 Posted November 7, 2013 I would love to believe that the WC is possible but we all know this is the Bills we are talking about. They will finish agonizingly close to the playoffs but just out of it. They will rue the losses to Cinci, to the Browns and to KC. The thought of this almost inevitable outcome makes me feel ill.
3rdand12 Posted November 7, 2013 Posted November 7, 2013 This is a one game at a time approach for me. I believe 10-6 makes it. 9-7 won't. The way I see it simply put, is if we lose one more game, then we can stop the playoff talk... I thought we agreed on that concept two games ago . : ) As Marrone said " until we are mathematically eliminated we are playing for the playoffs ' i paraphrase of course. but i believe it 100 % Any team with a good defense and a strong running game has a decent chance. I'm feeling 8-8 and I am ecstatic about it. If nothing else, this team is entertaining and competitive. I think 2014 is the playoff year assuming EJ proves to be thee guy. That being said, I think you have to draft a Foles-type prospect in the 3rd next year to limit your losses due to playing a Tuel at QB. we do have that !!! This is my favorite Bills team in years and years and years. So over ten anyways
KikO M G Posted November 7, 2013 Posted November 7, 2013 We are overthinking this. The Bills schedule is super easy from here on out. If they are a contender, they will take advantage. If they are a pretender, they will drop some games that good teams should win. Either way, when it's done we should have a good idea of what we're going to get next year. I would consider anything less than 8-8 a failure given how they've played thus far and how easy the remaining schedule is.
BillsFan-4-Ever Posted November 7, 2013 Posted November 7, 2013 (edited) 3-5 followed by a 5-3 is very doable. Hell, even today 3-6 followed by a 6-1 is very doable if they stay healthy and EJ keeps improving. Edited November 7, 2013 by BillsFan-4-Ever
opfball91 Posted November 7, 2013 Posted November 7, 2013 It's weird, even though this is a new regime I expect this team to have a chance at winning every week. Maybe Marrone's winning mentality is contagious. I can see 8-8 being very possible, and me being very happy with that record considering the extremely close games we've had this year. Looking forward to watching EJ again the most if I'm being honest, for me the playoffs are out of reach but I'm excited about making a run for it.
Recommended Posts