Can the Bills be the seventh?

[T master]

I as you think they have a great chance at being that team to go all the way but on paper is a lot different than on the filed & i for one hate the Bills being the team given all the hype of being the best I'd rather have them be the under dog it always seems to be better that way .

 

But as you said time will tell i just hate puffing out my chest saying this & that about them i would rather them do the talking on the filed & save the pounding of my chest for after they win a SB !! 

[FilthyBeast]

16 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

The bold is really the truth.   We're all sitting here talking ourselves into the total superiority of this team, when the reality is as it's always been in the NFL - it's really, really hard to win a Super Bowl.   All those favorites who didn't?  They had really sad or surprising stories play out - key injuries, offense or defense unexpectedly goes south, coach allows team to lose focus.   I mean, anything can and does keep teams from the top.   

 

And that's the measure of Belichick's genius - the Pats often were picked to be the best, and one way or another they often turned out to be the best.  

 

There are going to be ugly losses along the way.   There were last season, there are almost every season for almost every team that either makes it to the top, or doesn't.  

 

There are no guarantees, nothing even close to guarantee.  There are no locks.  Except where, for whatever combination of reasons, the favorite does, in fact, win it all, and then in hindsight we say, "it was obvious at the beginning of the season that no one could beat them."

 

We used to complain about the power rankings and how stupid they were, because the Bills were at 24 instead of 18.  Now, we don't complain.  You know what?  We were right back then.  The power rankings are meaningless.   They were then, and they are now. 

 

Harsh reality is that there are probably at least a dozen NFL fanbases that believe their team is going to get to/win the SB this year but obviously only one of them is left standing in Feb while the rest will fail to live up to expectations, in some cases not even come close to what the fans/media thought.

 

I expect this team to be very good this year and at worse on par with the teams from the last two seasons but there's still a better chance of this team making the playoffs and getting bounced in their first game vs getting to/winning a SB because that's just how this league works at there's always going to be unexpected things that happen to contenders (i.e. BAL last year) and teams that come out of nowhere (i.e. CIN last year).

[FilthyBeast]

16 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

On the other hand, I seriously doubt you're right about this.   I think McDermott has everyone sold on his long-term view, including the Pegulas.  The Pegulas probably already agreed with his approach when they hired him.  I don't think the Pegulas are drawing any lines in the sand.  

 

Why not?  Because the Pegulas understand exactly what you said about the Bills not being a lock (in my words).   They know that all kinds of things can happen to keep you from winning.  They understand that you only can win the championship if your team is in the playoffs, and teams that make the playoffs all the time have a better chance of winning a Lombardi.  McDermott and Beane look like they have a team that will be in the playoffs for a long time.  And the Pegulas understand that the team is good because the Bills have some really good players, and some satisfactory players, but they have Bills are good because they have a full team of players handpicked to be McDermott's disciples.   McDermott is the ultimate key to the functioning of the team, because he is the conductor of the orchestra. The Pegulas know that.  

 

You may be right, obviously just speculation on my part because of a couple things:

 

1) The way last year ended obviously has left a bad taste in the fanbases and entire bills organizations mouth.

2) We have one of the highest paid rosters in the NFL

3) We went out and signed a big name FA which is somewhat out of character for Beane

 

Again nobody is disputing that McDermott has been a good coach and seems to be a man of tremendous character, but I just have a hard time believing that the Pegulas have infinite money to throw around and are going to be content with just being a playoff team every year and nothing more.

[Nineforty]

On 5/22/2022 at 12:45 PM, Nextmanup said:

You hit on an interesting thought.

 

IF we would be assured that the Bills WILL WIN A SB with McDermott as the coach, Beane as the GM, Josh as the QB, and Diggs as a WR (i.e., reasonably soon), I would be happy to have the big win come as late as possible.

 

It will make it sweeter when it gets here, it will fit the narrative tension of the plot better, and I'm telling you guys, once we win it all, you will forever be changed as a fan, including in bad ways.

 

You won't live and die with the team the way you do now.

 

Delay the huge win as long as possible I say, as long as we get it in the end.

 

Kind of a weird thought, but there it is. 

 

 

 

Are you a cubs or red sox fan, per chance?

[Shaw66]

3 hours ago, FilthyBeast said:

 

You may be right, obviously just speculation on my part because of a couple things:

 

1) The way last year ended obviously has left a bad taste in the fanbases and entire bills organizations mouth.

2) We have one of the highest paid rosters in the NFL

3) We went out and signed a big name FA which is somewhat out of character for Beane

 

Again nobody is disputing that McDermott has been a good coach and seems to be a man of tremendous character, but I just have a hard time believing that the Pegulas have infinite money to throw around and are going to be content with just being a playoff team every year and nothing more.

I hear you, but it's not a matter of "just being a playoff team every year and nothing more."  It's a carefully determined strategy that is based on the belief that the highest probability of winning the Super Bowl in the next ten years comes from being in the playoffs most or all of the time, as compared to planning on, and focusing all of your resources on, WINNING the Super Bowl in one year.  As I've said, it's obviously not either/or, but I think the strategy that gets you to the playoffs every year is a better way to win Super Bowls.   To win the Super Bowl you have to win four straight games (three if you get the bye).   The McBeane strategy, as I understand it, is that if we're in the playoffs a lot, we have a lot of chances to win four straight.   If we're only in two or three times over ten years, even if our team is better, we don't get many chances to win four straight. 

 

I mean, I don't know.   But isn't about being satisfied with making the playoffs.   It's about the fact that every time you're in the playoffs, you have a chance to win it all. 

[BillsFan619]

7 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

I hear you, but it's not a matter of "just being a playoff team every year and nothing more."  It's a carefully determined strategy that is based on the belief that the highest probability of winning the Super Bowl in the next ten years comes from being in the playoffs most or all of the time, as compared to planning on, and focusing all of your resources on, WINNING the Super Bowl in one year.  As I've said, it's obviously not either/or, but I think the strategy that gets you to the playoffs every year is a better way to win Super Bowls.   To win the Super Bowl you have to win four straight games (three if you get the bye).   The McBeane strategy, as I understand it, is that if we're in the playoffs a lot, we have a lot of chances to win four straight.   If we're only in two or three times over ten years, even if our team is better, we don't get many chances to win four straight. 

 

I mean, I don't know.   But isn't about being satisfied with making the playoffs.   It's about the fact that every time you're in the playoffs, you have a chance to win it all. 

Great, clarifying thoughts, Shaw.

 

Being in the playoffs year in and year out does increase our chances of winning Super Bowls.

 

Hopefully that happens this year. Let’s be the seventh. Go Bills!

[BillsPride12]

4 hours ago, FilthyBeast said:

 

Harsh reality is that there are probably at least a dozen NFL fanbases that believe their team is going to get to/win the SB this year but obviously only one of them is left standing in Feb while the rest will fail to live up to expectations, in some cases not even come close to what the fans/media thought.

 

I expect this team to be very good this year and at worse on par with the teams from the last two seasons but there's still a better chance of this team making the playoffs and getting bounced in their first game vs getting to/winning a SB because that's just how this league works at there's always going to be unexpected things that happen to contenders (i.e. BAL last year) and teams that come out of nowhere (i.e. CIN last year).

Agreed but after everything we endured during the drought years how damn amazing does it feel to finally be be one of them!?  

[BillsFan619]

2 hours ago, BillsPride12 said:

Agreed but after everything we endured during the drought years how damn amazing does it feel to finally be be one of them!?  

Totally amazing!!!