Bills are 3 pieces away from Super Bowl

[John from Riverside]

6 minutes ago, bigK14094 said:

On the topics of #1 and #3.....Allen can and  will be better imho.  However, Daboll has to be better also...he had a few wierd brain cramp calls last year in critical situations...he needs to do better  and avoid crazy gadget stuff when what is working should be  continued.

I agree with this

 

like run the ball until they actually stop it

[chris heff]

Two players put the Bills of late 1980s early 1990s over the top, Bennett and Lofton. Bennett made Smith better and Lofton made Reed better, they took pressure off those guys. Yes the offense needs to score more Allen needs to progress, but Diggs is going to help a lot. Draft a running back in round 3 or 4. I don’t know anything about the RBs that will be available there, but based on size alone and possibly being a compliment to Singletary, I like Dillon. Not so big on the idea of trading away next years first round pick. 

[C.Biscuit97]

7 hours ago, Inigo Montoya said:

 

I agree with you, last year's D was elite.  I think our D could be historically great with a legitimate edge rusher like Ngakoue.  The Ravens won the Super Bowl in '01 with that amazing defense and Trent Dilfer at QB.  The Ravens didn't even bring him back next year.  For better or worse, our offense is pretty much set right now for 2020 except for the RB2.  If we can put Ngakoue on this D we might not need as much out of Josh Allen and the offense. 

 

Defenses can win championships. The final score of Super Bowl LIII, just the year before last, was Patriots 13 --- LA Rams 3.

Our defense last year was very good but it was a good pass rush away from being elite.  But I totally agree with a better, more consistent offense, it was  SB caliber.

 

With our schedule this year (we played some awful qbs last year) and some losses on defenses, it won’t shocked me if the defense falls back a little bit.  So it’s on Allen and the offense to make up the gap.  But good post. 

4 hours ago, Chaos said:

Its a shame last years defense was not playoff win caliber. If they had held on to beat the Texans, apparently they would have led us to victory in the Super Bowl. 

Come on.  The offense scored 6 points in the last 3 quarters of the game. 

6 hours ago, MJS said:

I don't believe that a backup running back will make or break a team's Superbowl chances.

There is no way Singletary is making it through an entire season as the bellcow.  He’s just not built for that.  They need a 2nd rb to help with the load. 

[C.Biscuit97]

2 hours ago, thebandit27 said:

A little trivia here...
 

Who had more sacks in 2019: Ngakoue or Addison?

 

How about in 2018?

 

How about over the last 4 years, the time from which Ngakoue entered the league?

 

I agree about Josh taking a step and adding a home run threat in the backfield (like my boy Darrynton Evans), but I think they checked the vet pass rusher box already.

You can never have enough pass rushers.  They still need more. Hughes gets about 5 sacks a year for the last 4 years.  Murphy gets 4.  And it’s the nfl.  Guys in their 30s can fall off at any given moment. It happens all the time.  
 

I would love to see this team acquire one more pass rusher with double digit sack skills. 

[hjnick]

7 hours ago, Inigo Montoya said:

I believe the Bills are just three pieces away from being a serious Super Bowl contender.  One of those pieces is already on the roster, one should not be too hard to come by, and the final piece will cost a pretty penny.

 

The first piece is a QB who is able to lead an offense that can score an average of 24 points a week.  Last season the Bills averaged 19.6.  The top six offenses last season were Ravens 33.2, San Fran 29.9,  Saints 28.6, Bucs 28.6, Chiefs 28.2, and Dallas 27.2 points per game.  Obviously averaging 28 points a week from Josh Allen and Co. would be even better, but I think that with our defense coming back essentially intact, we can probably be in every game if the offense can just score 24 points. 

 

Josh Allen needs to take another step and with another year in the League and in this offense, with O-Line stability and more playmakers, the table is set for him to play much better.  He wasn't a turn over machine last year, far from it, he had 9 INTs and 4 lost fumbles for a very respectable 13 turnovers during the regular season.  A QB averaging less than one turn over a game is solid.  Allen protects the ball, now he needs to start putting some more points on the board.

 

The second piece is a solid backfield compliment to Singletary.  Whoever they are is not on the roster yet.  The RB back position is the one position that a rookie can step in from the college ranks and make a difference.  That may be the way to go because the free agent RB market is drying up fast.  Devonta Freeman, Lamar Miller, and Chris Thompson are probably the three best still out there.  Not very inspiring.  That is why I think the Bills go best RB on the board with their pick in the 2nd or 3rd round like J.K. Dobbins out of Ohio State or A.J. Dillon out of Boston College who is a bruiser at 6'0' and 247 lbs.  Our own version of a thunder and lightning with him and Motor in the backfield.  A second RB is still a big hole on this roster and it needs to be addressed if we are going to contend for a championship

 

The third piece is an honest to god EDGE rushing beast who can consistently get after the QB.  This is going to be the expensive part.  The Bills finished 12th in the League last year with 44 sacks.  For reference, the top squad was Pittsburgh with 54.  Watching our defense last year swarm the ball, repeatedly bend but not break, and only give up an incredible 16.2 points per game (behind only the Pats at 14.1), I think many would be happy to just stand pat where we are and that would be a reasonable argument, but I would disagree.  We are trying to beat out 31 other teams to the championship.  We are in a two year window with Allen on his rookie contract and a wide open division.  We need to strike now.

 

I think adding Yannick Ngakoue from the Jags would be the final piece of the puzzle.  It would be expensive and would almost certainly cost us next year's first and eat up a bunch of our remaining cap space this year.  Would Clowney on a 1 year "prove it" deal be a reasonable, less expensive option?  Maybe.  I'd rather go with Ngakoue who by all accounts seems more like a "Process" guy than Clowney.   Ngakoue is only 25 and Clowney is 27 with more of an injury history.  

 

We are not going to draft a rookie EDGE in the 2nd round this year who is going to be an immediate difference maker.  I don't think that anyone we would add with a late 1st round pick next year would have the kind of impact that Ngakoue would.  More to the point, that 1st round pick in next year's draft doesn't help us at all this year when we have a real chance to make a run. Putting a beast like Ngakoue on this defense right now would create the scariest defense in the NFL and would make life very tough on Lamar Jackson and Mahomes who we need to get past to get to the Super Bowl.  Having a stronger defense would provide Allen and the offense with an even bigger cushion this year. 

 

I think now is the time to make these moves. (1) Allen takes a step,  (2) grab a solid RB2,  (3) make a deal for Ngakoue, and the Buffalo Bills will be true contenders for the AFC crown and a Super Bowl berth.  It's time for Beane to push his chips into the middle of the table.

 

 

Nice post.

 

Ok, so we got Josh Allen for #1.  With the addition of Diggs, it gives us a solid WR trio (plus singletary flaring out of the backfield) which will make it very hard for any defense to deal with.  Last year, Brown was the #1... Can you imagine how much better he can do against the other teams #2 CB? Which then makes a better matchup for Beasley and the TE inside.   Josh just needs to start trusting the WR's a little more and throw just a hair earlier.  This will also let him not hold the ball for so long.

 

#2 RB. This will probably be added via draft. 

 

#3 DE. I'm not sure this is going to happen... rushing beast DE's are usually not available in the 2nd round.  So this addition would have to be thru FA or trade.  For myself, I'd like a go at Clowney w/ a 2 year 'prove it deal' with a decently high base salary 12-15MIL/yr and performance bonuses that could get up to 20-22MIL.  Getting Clowney would instantly upgrade our pass rush.  I think he would give us the opportunity to just rush 4 and still get the same pressure as our 'creative' generated pass rush (which someone else coined in this thread).  They we can play zone with 7 defenders behind the rush and make it very hard to find someone open.  Clowney maximized our defensive potential IMO.

 

Now, for some other 'minor' positions that need some TLC.

#4 WR - It would be absolutely criminal if we did not take advantage of this amazing, deep WR class.  we need at least 1 WR drafted and some draft free agents to provide depth behind the Big 3.

 

#5 OT - It looks like we are really putting all our eggs in the Ford basket at RT.  Hopefully he will improve after a year under his belt, more mind melting of the offensive line and an offseason of technique work.

 

SUPER BOWL HERE WE COME!!!  

[MJS]

33 minutes ago, C.Biscuit97 said:

There is no way Singletary is making it through an entire season as the bellcow.  He’s just not built for that.  They need a 2nd rb to help with the load. 

Sure, I agree, but I don't think that propels us to a Superbowl. If we go to a Superbowl it's because Josh Allen improves and not because we brought in a 2nd running back.

[JaCrispy]

6 hours ago, MJS said:

I don't believe that a backup running back will make or break a team's Superbowl chances.

I do...man cannot live on Singletary, alone...but by a well balanced rushing attack that allows for moderation for all parties involved...?

[Big Turk]

The Bills were pretty much in every game even with the offense only scoring 19.6 points...well maybe except the Philly game that got away from them after halftime, but through the first half they were right there...

[NewEra]

I don’t think we’ll be adding a god pass rusher this year, yet we can still win the SB

[TigerJ]

8 hours ago, John from Riverside said:

So I’m not disagreeing with one and two

 

our defense was super bowl caliber last year 

 

offense needs to be consistently better next year

I'm here pretty much.  Yeah Josh Allen needs to take another giant step forward and the Bills need to add a complement to Devin Singletary who can get chunk yardage.  That's not a complaint about Singletary, but late last season, when Singletary wasn't on the field, the Bills couldn't do a thing on the ground.  On defense, Buffalo has a killer rotation up front.  Both Oliver and Jefferson can get after the QB from the 3 tech spot.  Both Lotulelei and Butler can tie up blockers and are strong against the run.  Oliver and Jefferson are both better versus the run than Jordan Phillips was.  Addison is comparable to Shaq Lawson in every way but age.  I think with the quality across the board, Hughes is going to have more chances  to get sacks.  I think Buffalo will be top five in sacks this coming season, and they will get them from multiple spots, not one or two superstars.

[stinky finger]

6 hours ago, MJS said:

I don't believe that a backup running back will make or break a team's Superbowl chances.

 

Don't view it as a back up role. The other back needs to be very instrumental is the success of the offense. 

 

AJ Dillon would be that player. With our stout D this HAMMER of a man would ice many a game as I believe we'll play with a lead often. 

[MJS]

18 minutes ago, JaCrispy said:

I do...man cannot live on Singletary, alone...but by a well balanced rushing attack that allows for moderation for all parties involved...?

For sure, but that doesn't move the needle much on a potential Superbowl win, in my opinion.

[hondo in seattle]

I think Josh Allen needs to continue his growth.  

And the OL needs to get better - either through continuity or by adding a couple PB type studs.  

 

The D was good enough to play in a Super Bowl last season.  If Josh and the offensive line get better, the O will be good enough too.

[jamiezzz]

QB QB QB progression.  Pass rush.

[All_Pro_Bills]

5 hours ago, Chandler#81 said:

Love the team, but frankly, the biggest piece from last year was the schedule. Its a missing piece now.

Strength of schedule is a good point.  But even with the 2020 schedule I can see the Bills getting to 10-6.

 

Division games, I can see them beating 2 of the division foes once and the 3rd team twice, so 4-2 here.

2nd Place schedule games, maybe a split with Titans and Steelers so 1-1 here.

AFC West, beating the Chiefs might be very difficult but try telling me the Bills aren't better than the Broncos, Raiders, and Chargers, so 3-1 here.

NFC west, I say they beat Rams and Cardinals so 2-2 here.

 

That gets you to 10-6.  Another factor is 4 of the road games are out West so more travel.  In 2019 the farthest west the Bills traveled was Dallas. 

 

I think the biggest factor this year is how much of a jump Allen can make in his 3rd season.

Edited March 25, 2020 by All_Pro_Bills

[Dr. Who]

6 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

We need better EDGE play. I do not think we have upgraded there. 

Clowney is still out there. I really hope Beane makes a pitch. 

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

So, we basically need a star QB and stud DE rusher and we are there? Not exactly the easiest pieces to find! 

[stinky finger]

3 hours ago, ChevyVanMiller said:

I think the Bills are Super Bowl contenders right now. Most teams in the league are 3 moves away from joining them.

 

This

 

There were holes in the teams that just participated in the last SB.

[SCBills]

I think Allen makes the jump to, at least, minimum what we need to win. 
 

I have no doubt that we will add a playmaker in the backfield to pair with Singletary.  
 

EDGE is tricky.  I think we have to roll the dice on Hughes, Addison, Jefferson and Oliver being able to get after the QB this year.  Looking at this DL comprehensively, it’s an upper half of the league group with talent and depth, albeit lacking that stud pass rusher.  
 

The better bang for our buck may be going CB in Round 2 to solidify our secondary as the best in the league, allowing for more pressure schemes, and then address RB in the 3rd or 4th round if we don’t sign someone. 
 

Alton Robinson or Jabari Zuniga in the 3rd could also be in play as high upside pass rushers. 

[TC in St. Louis]

Our offense scored about 20/game, but we played top 10 defenses in many games.  New England, Baltimore, Dallas, Denver, while Josh was developing his game.  The second half of the season he threw very few picks, and at times (see Thanksgiving) looked really good.  

 

Granted, in the second half of the playoff game he played pretty rough at times.

 

Now he's got a number one guy who will always be open, Smoke, Beasley, Knox, and others.  And a returning OL.  

 

This could be a great year for Josh Allen.  His teammates love him.  We need a better backup.