Buffalo Bills: Elite early season team, year after year

[Logic]

Deja Vu all over again...
 

 

[TheyCallMeAndy]

I disagree, Bills are usually the hot mess express to start the season, inconsistent as they come. 
 

*edit*
 

I take that back, they are actually quite good in September. Not sure why I was thinking otherwise. 
 

16-3 going back to 2020 in the first 4 games. 

Edited September 25 by TheyCallMeAndy

[TheWeatherMan]

Snake bitten with injuries by mid season 2 of the last 3 years.  This year is different, we were snake bitten early and still rose to the occasion. 

[Big Blitz]

2 minutes ago, Logic said:

Deja Vu all over again...
 

 

 

 

Which of those seasons saw the kind of roster turnover we’ve had in 2024?

 

 

Whatever.  It feels good so enjoy the highs because the lows suck.  
 

No week 3 champion banners here.   

[US Egg]

Guess I’ll skip that bowl of Corn Flakes.

[Success]

I'm just enjoying every game, and hoping it continues and that we stay relatively healthy.

 

This isn't a psychological thing, where we just run out of steam at the end of the season.  We've had some circumstances.

 

[Sweats]

Looking back, i seem to recall......

 

* the team genuinely looks good and focused in September

* the team seems to derail a bit in October

* in November, they are starting to swerve a bit and head for the rhubarb

* they "right the ship" in December and compete and make the playoffs

[Buffalo_Stampede]

The Bills were one of the best teams the 2nd half of last year as well. I think this is sustainable.

[gonzo1105]

It’s usually mid season that they see a swoon

[Brand J]

8 minutes ago, gonzo1105 said:

It’s usually mid season that they see a swoon

That’s the pattern I’ve seen every single year. Start off hot, followed by mid season lulls, then they get hot at the end of the year going into the playoffs. The only year they were lukewarm/trending in the wrong direction at the end of the year was when Damar Hamlin died on the field. Or at least, was clinically dead.

[Process]

Early season blowouts are not new, we do it every year

[Logic]

16 minutes ago, Sweats said:

Looking back, i seem to recall......

 

* the team genuinely looks good and focused in September

* the team seems to derail a bit in October

* in November, they are starting to swerve a bit and head for the rhubarb

* they "right the ship" in December and compete and make the playoffs

This. It's actually been a REMARKABLY consistent pattern:
 
Early season: "First in DVOA! We look amazing! Which hotel near the Super Bowl stadium should I book a room at?"
Early to mid season: injuries hit, offense and/or defense stagnate, a few last minute Billsy losses mount, "fire McDermott" threads start
Mid season: Galvanizing moment or game (sometimes related to a players only meeting and/or bye week), team strings together a bunch of wins
Late season: Team rides into the playoffs on a multi-game win streak, everyone says "we're peaking at the right time!" (defense may or may not be decimated by injury)

Playoffs: Mahomes rips out our heart and throws it into the compost bin and does the Griddy with Brittany and Jackson and Taylor while Kermit-talking his way through his Super Bowl MVP victory speech.

I swear, you can set your watch to it.

[Low Positive]

I remember when we were the "best team in the NFL" when we beat Miami last year in week 4. I just don't understand what happened when they came back from London last year. Losing that single game should not have derailed things so badly. 

[rusty shackleford]

36 minutes ago, TheyCallMeAndy said:

I disagree, Bills are usually the hot mess express to start the season, inconsistent as they come. 
 

*edit*
 

I take that back, they are actually quite good in September. Not sure why I was thinking otherwise. 
 

16-3 going back to 2020 in the first 4 games. 

The week 1 losses to the Jets last year and the Steelers 3 years ago just stick in memory and sting a lot. 

[PoundingDog]

There are some validity for the topic. To me, early season success speaks of tight shipment run by the coaching staff and general talent of players. New players, new or adjustments to schemes at the beginning of the season, and we make less mistakes than others.

 

After roughly 4 weeks, teams are catching up to what you are doing and they see what works against and what does not. So this present the first problem: adjustments, finding ways to counter measure. This is the area, Dorsey failed, although the problem might be rooted in the skillset of the roster that you can't change that much.

 

The next issue is injuries. Players' body getting used to the weekly hitting and in that process, some will have a huge impact - there are unlucky issue throughout the season but those are truly unlucky instances. the Bills were the victim of that the last 2 seasons. 

 

I'll reserve judgement after the next 3 games - especially the Ravens and Jets games because I believe those are likely the more physical games. We need luck and we need adjustments to go far.

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

7 minutes ago, Logic said:

This. It's actually been a REMARKABLY consistent pattern:
 
Early season: "First in DVOA! We look amazing! Which hotel near the Super Bowl stadium should I book a room at?"
Early to mid season: injuries hit, offense and/or defense stagnate, a few last minute Billsy losses mount, "fire McDermott" threads start
Mid season: Galvanizing moment or game (sometimes related to a players only meeting and/or bye week), team strings together a bunch of wins
Late season: Team rides into the playoffs on a multi-game win streak, everyone says "we're peaking at the right time!" (defense may or may not be decimated by injury)

Playoffs: Mahomes rips out our heart and throws it into the compost bin and does the Griddy with Brittany and Jackson and Taylor while Kermit-talking his way through his Super Bowl MVP victory speech.

I swear, you can set your watch to it.

 

^ Reason 1 why i never get excited about this team. Because when it all matters, they fold like cheap suits

[Drew21PA]

I really don’t care - just win - I have always been an advocate for win now and win often

 

4-0 is better than 2-2 / 1-3

 

if this team sucked out the gate they would be talked down - but they are doing good so it’s a bad thing?

 

lol what gives ?

[PoundingDog]

From Fan's perspective, we want to enjoy every victory.

 

From the team's perspective, get enough wins to the playoff and be as healthy as possible. Does not really matter when you win.

 

For the coaches, they want to fine tuning the schemes and player developments for the post season run. 

[zow2]

The old Tony Dungy saying is that you want to be playing your best football in December/Jan (or after Thanksgiving).   The Bills absolutely did that last season, and I think in the 13 seconds year, and Still lost to KC!

It almost doesn't matter.  Just win the elimination games.  There will be some adversity this season, there always is for every team. Obviously you can't have injuries to your top guys.

[Neo]

I’ve always respected process.  I’m a process guy.  But, man, what a whole new level of insight and admiration.   Brown, Cook, Shakir, Bedford, Bernard, Hamlin, Williams, Spector, Lewis, Ingram …