2018 Schedule Weeks 5-8

[The Now Moment]

1 hour ago, C.Biscuit97 said:

Obviously that can happen.  There’s not much to suggest that given our OC, whoever the qb is, an oline who has to replace 4 starters, & one of the worst receiving groups to predict that.

 

maybe AJ is Tom Brady.  More likely, he is a backup type qb who is getting miscasted as a starter.

Adam Thielen for Minnesota was an undrafted FA and became Minnesota's number one wide receiver.  With a different QB, the wide receivers can certainly improve. Look at what Thielen did with Keenum.  Players can develop a chemistry and become very productive regardless of their past play.  Again I say, you can choose to be pessimistic but offenses can turn around in one year.  It happens every year. 

[C.Biscuit97]

7 minutes ago, Buffalo30 said:

Adam Thielen for Minnesota was an undrafted FA and became Minnesota's number one wide receiver.  With a different QB, the wide receivers can certainly improve. Look at what Thielen did with Keenum.  Players can develop a chemistry and become very productive regardless of their past play.  Again I say, you can choose to be pessimistic but offenses can turn around in one year.  It happens every year. 

Thielen kinda broke out in 2016.  I want you to be right but if I had to money on it, I’d bet we have a bottom 10 offense.  The lack of speed/ line play is going to make McCoy see a lot of defenders in the box.  Daboll has yet to shown he is some dynamic offensive wizard plus McDermott probably favors a conservative type offense. Obviously JMO

[The Now Moment]

7 minutes ago, C.Biscuit97 said:

Thielen kinda broke out in 2016.  I want you to be right but if I had to money on it, I’d bet we have a bottom 10 offense.  The lack of speed/ line play is going to make McCoy see a lot of defenders in the box.  Daboll has yet to shown he is some dynamic offensive wizard plus McDermott probably favors a conservative type offense. Obviously JMO

Thielen had similar numbers numbers to what Benjamin had in 2014 and 2016 before, why can't Benjamin have a breakout season with the new QB?  Zay Jones dominated in college, with a new QB he could break out.  System fit for a QB can completely change what the weapons on a team do.

 

Tyrod was good at many things but he was not a very good passer.  He wasn't willing to throw the ball in tight windows and that is what Benjamin does best, wins the 50/50 balls.  I think our wide receiver core is not great but is better than the pessimistic fans give them credit for.  Tyrod needed a specific type of wide receiver and the guys we had last year didn't fit him. They made Tyrod try to fit what the coaching staff was trying to do rather than the other way around and why shouldn't they have?  Tyrod was nothing special even with Sammy and Woods who fit him better.  They clearly wanted to build their team around a drafted QB that fit their system better.  

 

They offense is a huge question mark this year and I don't think we can look at last year as an example of what our weapons can do because of Tyrod.  The chemistry was clearly not there.  

[corta765]

33 minutes ago, Buffalo30 said:

Thielen had similar numbers numbers to what Benjamin had in 2014 and 2016 before, why can't Benjamin have a breakout season with the new QB?  Zay Jones dominated in college, with a new QB he could break out.  System fit for a QB can completely change what the weapons on a team do.

 

Tyrod was good at many things but he was not a very good passer.  He wasn't willing to throw the ball in tight windows and that is what Benjamin does best, wins the 50/50 balls.  I think our wide receiver core is not great but is better than the pessimistic fans give them credit for.  Tyrod needed a specific type of wide receiver and the guys we had last year didn't fit him. They made Tyrod try to fit what the coaching staff was trying to do rather than the other way around and why shouldn't they have?  Tyrod was nothing special even with Sammy and Woods who fit him better.  They clearly wanted to build their team around a drafted QB that fit their system better.  

 

They offense is a huge question mark this year and I don't think we can look at last year as an example of what our weapons can do because of Tyrod.  The chemistry was clearly not there.  

 

Sorry but that is grossly wrong. 2015 Tyrod Taylor played well enough to be near the Top 10 for QBs and that offense was more then worthy to be a playoff team. They were 13th in points and 13th in yards overall. Just because they were not a high flying passing attack does not mean the offense wasn't successful. Sammy's numbers showed that season what his talent could be when healthy, Woods was his solid 50-60 catches 600-700 yards etc.. 2015 Tyrod is what prompted the contract he received and the ensuing debate over the next two seasons. Everyone going into 2016 said if the offense just stayed at the level it was at and the defense reverted back to 2014 form the Bills would be a really really good team.

 

In regards to the Bills WR Corp people are pessimistic because its so unknown and there isn't a lot to support that they could be good not that will be the case. I could certainly see Benjamin produce like he has when healthy, Zay have a decent rebound year, and Kerley have a nice season in the slot with Charles Clay producing well in the middle. The issue is that we just haven't seen that from many to believe. By comparison I actually think the Patriots may have some real issues after Edelman and Gronk with Cooks/Amandola gone but they have Brady so people automatically assume they will dominate given past track record. Not saying the Patriots won't be 11-5 12-4 either but this is the weakest their offense overall has looked to me since 2006-07. I understand that is a hot take also but just for comparisons sake switch WR/TE corps would people criticize NE's group the same and credit Buffalo's?

[C.Biscuit97]

55 minutes ago, Buffalo30 said:

Thielen had similar numbers numbers to what Benjamin had in 2014 and 2016 before, why can't Benjamin have a breakout season with the new QB?  Zay Jones dominated in college, with a new QB he could break out.  System fit for a QB can completely change what the weapons on a team do.

 

Tyrod was good at many things but he was not a very good passer.  He wasn't willing to throw the ball in tight windows and that is what Benjamin does best, wins the 50/50 balls.  I think our wide receiver core is not great but is better than the pessimistic fans give them credit for.  Tyrod needed a specific type of wide receiver and the guys we had last year didn't fit him. They made Tyrod try to fit what the coaching staff was trying to do rather than the other way around and why shouldn't they have?  Tyrod was nothing special even with Sammy and Woods who fit him better.  They clearly wanted to build their team around a drafted QB that fit their system better.  

 

They offense is a huge question mark this year and I don't think we can look at last year as an example of what our weapons can do because of Tyrod.  The chemistry was clearly not there.  

Benjamin has gotten worse every season of his career.  His knees are awful and he can’t get separation.  

 

I wasnt the biggest Tyrod fan but it’s funny how everyone blames him for us failing last year.  It was dumb coaches who forced him into a West Coast Offense and traded his best wr a month before the season.  Tyrod was part of a top 10 offense.  It was time to move on from him but I think people are going to be surprised at how our offense is going to struggle.  There is no explosiveness . 

[The Now Moment]

4 minutes ago, corta765 said:

 

Sorry but that is grossly wrong. 2015 Tyrod Taylor played well enough to be near the Top 10 for QBs and that offense was more then worthy to be a playoff team. They were 13th in points and 13th in yards overall. Just because they were not a high flying passing attack does not mean the offense wasn't successful. Sammy's numbers showed that season what his talent could be when healthy, Woods was his solid 50-60 catches 600-700 yards etc.. 2015 Tyrod is what prompted the contract he received and the ensuing debate over the next two seasons. Everyone going into 2016 said if the offense just stayed at the level it was at and the defense reverted back to 2014 form the Bills would be a really really good team.

 

In regards to the Bills WR Corp people are pessimistic because its so unknown and there isn't a lot to support that they could be good not that will be the case. I could certainly see Benjamin produce like he has when healthy, Zay have a decent rebound year, and Kerley have a nice season in the slot with Charles Clay producing well in the middle. The issue is that we just haven't seen that from many to believe. By comparison I actually think the Patriots may have some real issues after Edelman and Gronk with Cooks/Amandola gone but they have Brady so people automatically assume they will dominate given past track record. Not saying the Patriots won't be 11-5 12-4 either but this is the weakest their offense overall has looked to me since 2006-07. I understand that is a hot take also but just for comparisons sake switch WR/TE corps would people criticize NE's group the same and credit Buffalo's?

Tyrod was not someone I would build an offense around.  That's the point.  He was middle of the road to just above that.  He is a guy who hit the home run ball and then scrambled, that was about it.  He has never been very good at passing the ball on the short and intermediate routes.  His home run balls curved his stats.  We had so many three and out series with him, that is not good for any defense.  

 

I know why people believe we won't do well on offense.  It's not exactly rocket science but fans around here are who are pessimistic to the core believe that to be fact as if the season has already happened.  I provided a few examples of teams whose offense unexpectedly were very good last year.  It happens every year, players breakout and offenses breakout.  

 

New coach, new scheme, new players including a new QB and everyone seems to know how the offense will turn out.  It's just way too early to come to any conclusions.

[The Now Moment]

6 minutes ago, C.Biscuit97 said:

Benjamin has gotten worse every season of his career.  His knees are awful and he can’t get separation.  

 

I wasnt the biggest Tyrod fan but it’s funny how everyone blames him for us failing last year.  It was dumb coaches who forced him into a West Coast Offense and traded his best wr a month before the season.  Tyrod was part of a top 10 offense.  It was time to move on from him but I think people are going to be surprised at how our offense is going to struggle.  There is no explosiveness . 

You really think they wanted to keep Tyrod after a coach was just fired by the owners because we didn't win with him?  They want to implement the offensive system that best compliments a solid defense and that isn't what Tyrod brings to the table.  The amount of three and outs he was a part of would drive a defensive coach like McDermott crazy. Benjamin can certainly bounce back, so many players bounce back after injuries now and dominate.  His game is not separation, it never has been.  When will fans realize this?  He is a jump ball player and Tyrod didn't throw the ball into tight windows.  

 

Look at Philly, got their QB and then the following year they added pieces through FA, trades and the draft to build around the QB and won a championship in year two of the young QBs career.  They had a solid defense as well which is what our regime is trying to provide the young QB.  It's almost the exact same footsteps as both Philly and the Rams and both of those teams were wildly successful last year and are looked at as being wildly successful moving forward.  I still don't understand the complaining about the offense.  Rams/Philly both added top wide receivers in year two.  We have our QB now and 100 million dollars in cap space next year to go along with 9 draft picks.  Our defense is coming together nicely and Shady is being shady.  The blueprint of this team is staring fans back in the face with examples of success to back it up and they still are complaining.  I don't understand.

 

 

[richardb1952]

6 hours ago, FluffHead said:

the Kool Aid is particularly strong this time of year

 

It tends to become more bitter once the season starts.

Edited May 22, 2018 by richardb1952

[corta765]

1 minute ago, richardb1952 said:

 

It tends to become more bitter once the season starts.

 

2015 was the highpoint of Kool Aid to the max thanks to Rex and the defense in 2014 plus Shady being added. Training camp was a zoo that season to the point people were criticizing every pass thrown in practice. It was mayhem... and ended after week 2 haha. I don't think this season is even close to that level which is smart. Long term out look is rosy but short term may have some bumps this year.

[SoCal Deek]

I always had fun putting these sorts of projections together when I was a kid. While I definitely appreciate the effort this is one upcoming year when nobody knows how the Bills are going to do. They don’t have a QB. Their WR Corp is really sad and they’ve seen tons of turnover on both the offensive and defensive lines. In short, this should be interesting but their is NO WAY to make these kind of preseason predictions.

Go Bills

[Chandler#81]

2-2, 2-6 overall.