Why didn't the Bills lose as EXPECTED in 2017?

[Punt75]

What NFL team comes out with the same less than average QB and a 66% roster CHANGE from the previous year after 17 seasons of not making the play-offs and expects to win??? 

 

ANSWER:  NO TEAM !!!

 

The 34% who still remain as of Sunday (18 players) are: Groy, Henderson, Mills, Wood, Incognito, Glenn, Tyrod, Miller, Clay, O’Leary, Schmidt, Williams, Alexander, Brown, Hughes, McCoy, Tate, Washington.

 

How many are valuable assets for trades?

 

The Bills of 2017 were expected to lose.  This was to be the cleansing, flush the toilet and start over season.  Too many 7-9, 8-8 finishes didn’t make us close to being a real Super Bowl contender and we all knew that.  A lucky win here, a missed penalty there and we might have grabbed a play-off spot one of those last 17 years.  Did it really matter?  We didn’t have the talent to be a big winner.

 

Somehow, with less talent, the Bills have done the unexpected.  Put us back in that traditional “close to the play-offs” picture.  I look forward to 2018 and beyond.  We’re on the right track.  Enjoy it and don’t complain!   

[The Frankish Reich]

You're right ... these Bills should have had no expectation that they'd be at 6-6. But I'm not sure that's so good long term.

As to which returning players have trade value?  The answer is none. That's ... really bad.  I suppose you might get a 7th rounder or something for Adolphus. But most of them you literally couldn't give away. Their salaries are greater than their value.

EDIT: you missed Shaq Lawson (probably because he missed most of last year himself).  He'd have some trade value. Probably a 4th rounder or so like Ragland.

Edited December 8, 2017 by The Frankish Reich

[Doc]

Most of the moves they made were the correct ones even though they were panned by the "experts" and many Bills fans/sportswriters.  The problem was that the same deficiency at QB remained. 

[WotAGuy]

The Bills didn’t lose as expected because 6 teams they played self-destructed with turnovers and/or very poor play. The Bills haven’t beaten any team that played well against them. 

[westerndecline]

Lucky in Atlanta and Tampa

 

Should be 4-8

[Bing Bong]

Yep. Credit to the team and coach for ignoring all the tank talk and just playing to win. I just want to see the team compete, forget flushing the toilet for a season. Let the GM plan for the future, and the team play for the present.

[Gugny]

The defense was getting a lot of turnovers off of a) very bad teams and b) very lucky tips and bounces.

 

The luck ran out.

[Woodman19]

Structure and Character goes a long way in team sports.  Once we add more talent to it, we should be a perennial playoff team.

[Another Fan]

Overall big picture I like what were doing but it would definitely be easier to take if we didn't start out 5-2.  Plus short term let's be honest it's still painful watching us being manhandled and bullied by the Patriots

Edited December 8, 2017 by Another Fan

[BADOLBILZ]

 

JAURON BALL

[Punt75]

28 minutes ago, The Frankish Reich said:

You're right ... these Bills should have had no expectation that they'd be at 6-6. But I'm not sure that's so good long term.

As to which returning players have trade value?  The answer is none. That's ... really bad.  I suppose you might get a 7th rounder or something for Adolphus. But most of them you literally couldn't give away. Their salaries are greater than their value.

EDIT: you missed Shaq Lawson (probably because he missed most of last year himself).  He'd have some trade value. Probably a 4th rounder or so like Ragland.

 

I wrote "as of Sunday" knowing Shaq was on IR.  I think we'll trade him before the draft.  He's just nothing special and too light and not strong to play inside!  Thanks for the comment.

[Bakin]

23 minutes ago, WotAGuy said:

The Bills didn’t lose as expected because 6 teams they played self-destructed with turnovers and/or very poor play. The Bills haven’t beaten any team that played well against them. 

And philly hasn't beaten a team with a winning record. 

[Dadonkadonk]

1. The secondary played much much better than anyone expected.

2. TT is better than people on this board give him credit.  Not turning over the ball gives you the chance to win

3. They got lucky with injuries to Julio Jones and some timely turnovers

4. For a while they played with much greater discipline than they every did under Ryan

5. The fans and media know much less about football than we think we do

6. No NFL player or team tanks.  They don't have guaranteed contracts. Every snap is on film.  The players need to compete at a high level to get paid.

7. People need to stop analyzing the schedule.  There is no way to project what teams will be good or bad. 

8. The 2016 team was an 11 win team hobbled by injuries at WR and an antiquated defensive scheme coached by two buffoons

 

[BarleyNY]

Figured they’d go 7-9, give or take a game.  Looks like that’s about what they’re going to do.  Shrug.  Lots of people indulge in hyperbole - they gotta be great or they gotta totally suck - but reality has been that they’re pretty average.  They can build on that and get better, but it’s who they are this season and it’s who they’ve been for awhile.

Edited December 8, 2017 by BarleyNY

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

22 minutes ago, Gugny said:

The defense was getting a lot of turnovers off of a) very bad teams and b) very lucky tips and bounces.

 

The luck ran out.

That.  

[Punt75]

16 minutes ago, Dadonkadonk said:

1. The secondary played much much better than anyone expected.

2. TT is better than people on this board give him credit.  Not turning over the ball gives you the chance to win

3. They got lucky with injuries to Julio Jones and some timely turnovers

4. For a while they played with much greater discipline than they every did under Ryan

5. The fans and media know much less about football than we think we do

6. No NFL player or team tanks.  They don't have guaranteed contracts. Every snap is on film.  The players need to compete at a high level to get paid.

7. People need to stop analyzing the schedule.  There is no way to project what teams will be good or bad. 

8. The 2016 team was an 11 win team hobbled by injuries at WR and an antiquated defensive scheme coached by two buffoons

 

 

Great Observations!  The secondary is much better than I expected - how did we steal Hyde?  Thanks for the post.

[Teddy KGB]

23 minutes ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

JAURON BALL

 

And the crap qb you peddle 

[BADOLBILZ]

5 minutes ago, Air it out Fitzy said:

 

And the crap qb you peddle 

 

 

JAURON BALL

 

 

[WotAGuy]

33 minutes ago, Bakin said:

And philly hasn't beaten a team with a winning record. 

Carolina is 8-4.  And Philly has beaten several teams who played really well against them. 

[Doc]

1 hour ago, WotAGuy said:

The Bills didn’t lose as expected because 6 teams they played self-destructed with turnovers and/or very poor play. The Bills haven’t beaten any team that played well against them. 

 

Um,  that’s usually how it works.