Mark VI Posted September 8, 2004 Posted September 8, 2004 " We have to get off to a fast start..or else ! " ...yup, or else the wailing/sulking here would be unbearable... When looking at the schedule, I could see this team fighting through some growing pains early ( new coach, offense slowly getting better ). I could see a scenerio where the Bills enter the Arizona game (10/31) with a record of 3-3. I'm hoping for better but it wouldn't surprise me. I still wouldn't panic. I look at the schedule from that point on. Arizona and the Jets at home (Win,Win), at Pats ( L ) Rams at home ( Win ), at Seattle ( L ) at Miami ( Win ) Cleveland at home ( Win ) at Cinci ( L ) At San Fran ( Win ) Pitts at Home (Win) .... Bills may lose a game I have down as a Win. Will probably win a game I thought they would lose. That's still 10-6 and a wild card. Plus they'd be playing their best ball later in the year, not just limping into the post season. Everyone looks at things differently. I see us beating ourselves a couple times early then getting some momentum later. We have our weak spots.... This just in...so do the other teams, some even more than us. Like Nick Bakay said in his classic article the other day, being a Bills fan is all about hope and faith. Giving up early makes little sense. Injuries are always the wildcard with any team. But I'm seeing some little things that add up.. .. an OL which isn't bad at run blocking...a QB that is getting rid of the ball quicker...solid depth at RB,WR...How could we NOT improve from last year ? Defense is still good overall . I'll be interested to see how much pressure we can generate on the opposing QB. They won't spend 70 % of the game on the field again, like last season ( due to our bad 3 and out Offense ) . ST's will be better. Don't put too much stock in all the pre-season shuffling. Coaching/Playcalling - Will be MUCH improved, better prepared. Players are buying into this staff. Thus my outlook for 2004. May stumble early and then slowly get better. Keep the Faith.
mead107 Posted September 8, 2004 Posted September 8, 2004 sound about right , hoping for 11 wins with the first this sunday, GO BILLS
Bill from NYC Posted September 8, 2004 Posted September 8, 2004 Good post Mark. There IS reason to believe that the pass rush will get better because our young DEs have some experience and Schobel is entering his prime. As for the OL, while I am not predicting that they will be good, CV should be an immediate improvement, and I think that losing Ruben will actually help us on pass plays. The coaching was as bad as it gets last year, and MM, who will certainly be going through his own learning process, should be a plus. If healthy, I am predicting that this team finishes no worse than 9-7. Anything more could mean obviously mean the playoffs. LETS GO BILLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rico Posted September 8, 2004 Posted September 8, 2004 Everything's relative at the start of the year BUT The 3rd quarter-season (@ NE, Rams, @Sea, @Mia) looks very tough, while the 4th-quarter (Clev, @Cincy, @SF, Pitt) looks pretty easy. I think a 4-4 2nd-half is realistic.... I think if the Bills want to make the playoffs, they have to be at least 5-3 at the half-way point.
Mark VI Posted September 8, 2004 Author Posted September 8, 2004 Everything's relative at the start of the year BUT The 3rd quarter-season (@ NE, Rams, @Sea, @Mia) looks very tough, while the 4th-quarter (Clev, @Cincy, @SF, Pitt) looks pretty easy. I think a 4-4 2nd-half is realistic.... I think if the Bills want to make the playoffs, they have to be at least 5-3 at the half-way point. 21522[/snapback] I don't hold the Dolphins or Rams in high regard any more. The Rams have no D and a QB who is wildly erratic. The Dolphins may win 4-5 games, at best.
nick in* england Posted September 8, 2004 Posted September 8, 2004 Everything's relative at the start of the year BUT The 3rd quarter-season (@ NE, Rams, @Sea, @Mia) looks very tough, while the 4th-quarter (Clev, @Cincy, @SF, Pitt) looks pretty easy. I think a 4-4 2nd-half is realistic.... I think if the Bills want to make the playoffs, they have to be at least 5-3 at the half-way point. 21522[/snapback] Of those last 8 games - I think NE, Sea and Cincy are the only teams at this stage of the year I think we would lose against. @Mia and @SF should not pose a problem for this team if it winds up as Mark IV and I expect them to. I expect us to go 5-3 down the stretch - so 5-3 or even 4-4 is fine for the start of the season. Ideally - for the sanity of those of us at TSW - the Bills will scrape by in a low scoring contest this Sunday. I'd be happy for Drew to come out of the blocks slowly and for us to win a Defencive battle. That way we have a W in the bag and the O has some breathing room to say - OK - we played the opener, how do we improve? What went well? Where did we suck? It also gives the OL a chance to finally play a full game as a starting unit and bed themselves in. The Jags played some good D in preseason - so thats how i think it will shake out.
USMCBillsFan Posted September 8, 2004 Posted September 8, 2004 Ideally - for the sanity of those of us at TSW - the Bills will scrape by in a low scoring contest this Sunday. I'd be happy for Drew to come out of the blocks slowly and for us to win a Defencive battle. 21597[/snapback] I hope we score 40 points!
Rico Posted September 8, 2004 Posted September 8, 2004 The Dolphins may win 4-5 games, at best. 21535[/snapback] I would LOVE for you to be right on this ... but I see them at 8-8, their D is still strong. I think the key to our season is (as always) our performance in the division. The playoffs are in reach with a winning divisional record. I see us splitting with the Jets & Felons, and getting swept by the Pats... hope I'm wrong.
Like A Mofo Posted September 8, 2004 Posted September 8, 2004 Excellent post Mark and I agree about not being so wrapped up in the "fast start"...that relaly got the Bills far last year too right???
nick in* england Posted September 8, 2004 Posted September 8, 2004 I hope we score 40 points! 21617[/snapback] We tried having a great opeing last season and look where it got us! No more 31-0 openers for us. Hard fought ground battles is what we need. OH and the occasional punt on 1st down...
USMCBillsFan Posted September 8, 2004 Posted September 8, 2004 We tried having a great opeing last season and look where it got us! No more 31-0 openers for us. Hard fought ground battles is what we need. OH and the occasional punt on 1st down... 21730[/snapback] This isn't last year. I still hope we score 40 points.
Fake-Fat Sunny Posted September 8, 2004 Posted September 8, 2004 I guess cause I'm a risk averse sort, I measure our prospects based on our plan Bs in case a horrible injury occurs that no one can predict or some well-regarded pro or prospect pulls a Mike Williams out of the blue. I think one of the hallmarks of the Bills in the early 90s was that we had or things worked out on the Plan B level pretty well for us. The sterling example of this proved to be our depth at QB where it turned out that the injury bug laid out O centerpiece Jimbo Kelly for three games but Frank Reich who had done the same thing in college proved able to lead the team to glorious comeback wins and could be our plan B for three games. Even our disaster QB Gilbert proved SB capable eventually when he went to SD. Fortunately we never needed Kenny Davis to step in for Thurman, but I felt secure that if Thurman went down we would be OK. The problem with this year's team (and it may the slary cap and escalating big salaries causes this problem for all teams) is that I don't think we have the plan Bs at QB (we lacked a proven #2 even before the injuries), on OL, at TE and on the DL (where we have to cover up our potential lack of more than theoretical plan A with the zone-blitz scheme. I think you are right that injuries are all important because I simply do not see credinle plan Bs at several positions when like all teams their are even plan A question marks. We could (should) do fine and I am very hopeful, but also quite fearful at the same time. However, I guess that is what having faith is all about!
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