Bleacher report predicts Bills record 11-5

[BruceVilanch]

Pretty cool to see these write ups, fingers crossed we have a season!

 

 

It's quarterback Josh Allen's time to shine.

 

The Buffalo Bills acquired wideout Stefon Diggs from the Minnesota Vikings. In 2019, he became a big-play pass-catcher, logging 17.9 yards per reception.

With Allen's big arm, he and Diggs should connect on several deep balls next season. John Brown, who posted career highs in receptions (72) and yards (1,060) last year, will likely become the No. 2 option. The pair should challenge opposing defenses with speed and crisp routes downfield.

After allowing the second-fewest points during the last term, the Bills defense will look even better. Buffalo signed defensive tackle Vernon Butler, edge-rusher Mario Addison, linebacker A.J. Klein and cornerback Josh Norman, who are all familiar with head coach Sean McDermott from their time with the Carolina Panthers.

Addison is an upgrade over defensive end Shaq Lawson, who departed for the Miami Dolphins during free agency. The former has registered at least nine sacks in each of the last four seasons. Butler is coming off his best year with 32 tackles, including seven for loss, and six sacks.

Norman comes along as an added bonus for a pass defense that allowed the second-fewest touchdowns. If he performs at a level close to how he played in his standout 2015 campaign (18 pass breakups and four interceptions with two returned for scores), the 32-year-old would lock down the starting job opposite of All-Pro cornerback Tre'Davious White.

Buffalo added a notable playmaker for the aerial attack. The defensive group will likely remain in the top five in points and yards allowed. The Bills have a prime opportunity to take the AFC East crown.

Prediction: 11-5

[machine gun kelly]

Thanks Bruce for sharing.  If we have a complete season, then we’re playing the AFCW, and NFCW.  It’s pretty aggressive for Bleacher Report to guess 11-5.  I’m hopeful for 10-6, and be ready to go deep in the playoffs.  It’s plausible, and playing that kind of competition will prepare us to win against playoff caliber teams.

[ghostwriter]

I’m guessing 12 & 4.

[BillsFanThru-N-Thru]

I'm  thinking 10-6.  There's always that 1 game  that we will lose that we shouldn't

[HOUSE]

 Jake from State Farm could start the last two games if McD sits the starters

NO PREDICTION HERE ...

 

Edited April 30, 2020 by HOUSE

[GunnerBill]

At the moment I am leaning towards 10-6 again but 10-6 and an AFCE division title. 

[aristocrat]

It's all on Allen. If singletary stays healthy, moss better than Gore, and the true number 1 Diggs coming in doesn't elevate Allen we have a problem.  I'm expecting over 4k yards passing and around 30 tds passing from Allen.  If that happens we will win more than 11 games.  

[ALLEN1QB]

16-0 

[GunnerBill]

5 minutes ago, aristocrat said:

It's all on Allen. If singletary stays healthy, moss better than Gore, and the true number 1 Diggs coming in doesn't elevate Allen we have a problem.  I'm expecting over 4k yards passing and around 30 tds passing from Allen.  If that happens we will win more than 11 games.  

 

I think Allen will take a step.... and those numbers aren't a million miles away (maybe a tad high but in the ballpark). I think our ppg on defense will not be as good as it was last year though.  The Bills gave up just 16.2 points per game in 2019, which was second to the Patriots at 14.1. But the fact that two AFC East teams gave up so few points (only two teams in the previous 5 years bettered 16.2 and you have to go back to the 2008 Steelers for someone to better 14.1) does rather suggest that while the Patriots and Bills defences were legitimately excellent they benefitted from playing a weak schedule - especially in terms of Quarterbacks faced. While they both played against Jackson who was the MVP, other than he, Wentz and Dak.... how many of the rest would you even consider as top 15 NFL Quarterbacks at this stage?

 

I think the Bills defense could be just as good in 2020 and it would still give up more points, just as a result of the fact that the schedule features Mahomes, Rothlisberger, Wilson, Garoppolo, Murray and Goff rather than Haskins, Eli, Hodges, Brandon Allen and Mariota.

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

36 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

At the moment I am leaning towards 10-6 again but 10-6 and an AFCE division title. 

 

10-6 has been my go to as well.  

 

It can happen more assuredly not that Tawmmy is gone.  

 

[BobChalmers]

10 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

I think the Bills defense could be just as good in 2020 and it would still give up more points, just as a result of the fact that the schedule features Mahomes, Rothlisberger, Wilson, Garoppolo, Murray and Goff rather than Haskins, Eli, Hodges, Brandon Allen and Mariota.

 

I'm with you on your general idea that the schedule is much harder, but Goff as a QB??  The guy is QB garbage - just behind Trubisky for the biggest bust in the last decade.  They covered up his play by stocking the roster - and are now suffering the salary cap and draft pick consequences.  Rams have a lock on 4th place in their division probably for a few years.  You also left out Wentz and Dak from last year so a bit misleading.

Edited April 30, 2020 by BobChalmers

[Drunken Pygmy Goat]

We know the opponents and venues, but I’m waiting for the actual schedule to be released before making a final prediction. This is a 9-12 win team on paper, but a tough stretch of games with a couple west coast trips could sway the win total by a game or 2. The Bills were pretty healthy last year, and had a rather easy schedule, resulting in 10 wins. This team may be better, but could finish with fewer wins due to schedule and added travel (AFCW should be much better this year as well, IMO). 
 

I wonder how Bleacher Report/this author had the Bills finishing in 2019...

[Greg S]

Tougher schedule along with a tougher travel with multiple WC games but I have the Bills going 10-6.This is a good football team who will win the division.

[aristocrat]

9 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

I think Allen will take a step.... and those numbers aren't a million miles away (maybe a tad high but in the ballpark). I think our ppg on defense will not be as good as it was last year though.  The Bills gave up just 16.2 points per game in 2019, which was second to the Patriots at 14.1. But the fact that two AFC East teams gave up so few points (only two teams in the previous 5 years bettered 16.2 and you have to go back to the 2008 Steelers for someone to better 14.1) does rather suggest that while the Patriots and Bills defences were legitimately excellent they benefitted from playing a weak schedule - especially in terms of Quarterbacks faced. While they both played against Jackson who was the MVP, other than he, Wentz and Dak.... how many of the rest would you even consider as top 15 NFL Quarterbacks at this stage?

 

I think the Bills defense could be just as good in 2020 and it would still give up more points, just as a result of the fact that the schedule features Mahomes, Rothlisberger, Wilson, Garoppolo, Murray and Goff rather than Haskins, Eli, Hodges, Brandon Allen and Mariota.

 

If he gets his longball going and hits 10 more big throws next year that's a huge chunk.  Gotta get some more of the short throws completed and Diggs will go a long way towards that. If our offense is scoring more and staying on the field our defense can spend less time on the field and maybe they do keep that ppg down where it was last year. 

[GunnerBill]

3 minutes ago, BobChalmers said:

 

I'm with you on your general idea that the schedule is much harder, but Goff as a QB??  The guy is QB garbage - just behind Trubisky for the biggest bust in the last decade.  They covered up his play by stocking the roster - and are now suffering the salary cap and draft pick consequences.  Rams have a lock on 4th place in their division probably for a few years.

 

Garbage? I mean you can cover up garbage Quarterback play to an extent but to the extend of going to a Superbowl? To the extent of throwing 87 touchdowns in his first 4 years? To that extent that he holds the NFL record for the most completions in a single game? The Rams are in a tough division. Goff is not an elite Quarterback. But garbage? Come on now. did he have a more difficult year in 2019, yep, but if you watched the Rams last year they had the worst oline in the league, a dreadful run game and some pretty poor coaching and they went 9-7 in what we are both agreed is a tough division. The people who want to throw the Rams problems mainly at Goff's door should really watch more Rams games.

[Virgil]

16-0

[GunnerBill]

4 minutes ago, aristocrat said:

 

If he gets his longball going and hits 10 more big throws next year that's a huge chunk.  Gotta get some more of the short throws completed and Diggs will go a long way towards that. If our offense is scoring more and staying on the field our defense can spend less time on the field and maybe they do keep that ppg down where it was last year. 

 

Yea, I still doubt it. I think the Bills defense will be more like top 5 or 6 this year rather than top 3 (and that 3 were a long way clear of the rest). I think the offense will be somewhere around 15th or 16th.

[aristocrat]

15 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

Yea, I still doubt it. I think the Bills defense will be more like top 5 or 6 this year rather than top 3 (and that 3 were a long way clear of the rest). I think the offense will be somewhere around 15th or 16th.

 

i would hope for a higher ranked offense with the weapons added.   We should be top 10 and I would be really disappointed if we weren't

[Greg S]

3 minutes ago, aristocrat said:

 

i would hope for a higher ranked offense with the weapons added.   We should be top 10 and I would be really disappointed if we weren't

 

Two things with the offense 1) the OL needs to improve in pass protection and 2) Allen improving obviously. At the skill positions the Bills are loaded so if these two things happen then top 10 should be a given with a shot at top 5.

[GunnerBill]

I should add that the one thing I think is majorly in the Bills favour is a season without the normal prep time. We don't "need" a single rookie to start. And the only addition we made in FA that we "need" to start who doesn't already know the scheme and system is Stefon Diggs. Addison and Klein who are the two definite new starters on defense and Norman who is the next most likely are all walking into a scheme they know inside out. I wouldn't mind playing the likes of Denver, Oakland, Arizona and Miami who are going to have multiple new pieces they are trying to bed in early. Especially if there is a truncated camp and pre-season.