This was suppose to be a rebuild year

[BullBuchanan]

Why do you th

10 hours ago, BillMafia716ix said:

Allen, McDermott and the crew just keep on rolling. Still a long way to go but McDermott should be in the running for Coach of the year. With the all injuries we’ve had to overcome, and all the new guys we had to play, we haven’t missed a beat. 8-2?? Best start since 1993? Just an incredible job by McDermott and his staff. Still have a long way to go but I’ve been very impressed. 
 

Big Kudos to Joe Brady as well. We finally have the balanced attack that I think most Bills fans have been calling for for years!! On to Kansas City 

Why do you think it's not a rebuilding year?

[Utah John]

9 hours ago, appoo said:

Keep in mind the bills have played 2 games against teams that will make the playoffs (probably), against the Ravens and Texans and lost both - (and got blown out by the Ravens).  

I think this is a good football team but probably the worst of the Lept Allen teams. 
 

But really games against the Chiefs and Niners will tell us much but right now my thinking is the team ends up with 4-5 losses and the 2/3 seed, wins a wild card and then loses the divisional to either Baltimore or KC or Houston.

 

And honestly that’s a good season for a group with a rookie WR as its best WR,  and what looks like a lack of blue chip across the DB other than Taron Johnson and across the front except Ed Oliver (who’s having a strange season)

This is exactly what I figured for the season, back in March.  Win the AFCE, maybe win a playoff game, call it a day and wait till next year when the Diggs cap issues go away. But I didn't count on all the replacements for the departed defensive players working out so well, or McGovern filling in well for Morse, or Coleman being a really solid draft pick.  Or the Jets and Dolphins both collapsing.  Now I'm thinking 11-6 at the absolute worst, 13-4 as the most likely result, and 15-2 an actual possibility. Both the Lions and Chiefs pulled out games yesterday they should have lost, and the Texans and Broncos showed how to attack them.  

[mjt328]

2 minutes ago, Utah John said:

This is exactly what I figured for the season, back in March.  Win the AFCE, maybe win a playoff game, call it a day and wait till next year when the Diggs cap issues go away. But I didn't count on all the replacements for the departed defensive players working out so well, or McGovern filling in well for Morse, or Coleman being a really solid draft pick.  Or the Jets and Dolphins both collapsing.  Now I'm thinking 11-6 at the absolute worst, 13-4 as the most likely result, and 15-2 an actual possibility. Both the Lions and Chiefs pulled out games yesterday they should have lost, and the Texans and Broncos showed how to attack them.  

 

Most people felt the biggest problem this season was going to be the schedule. 

 

Many of our opponents so far (Miami and NY Jets biggest of all) have been huge disappointments.  It's also important to remember that our most difficult stretch (Chiefs, 49ers, Rams, Lions) is still upcoming.  Even if the AFC East is already wrapped up, it will be interesting to see how we handle the next month.  I think it will really tell us whether this team is a Top 5 contender, or looking at another early postseason exit.

 

[Saint Douggie]

8 hours ago, Doc Brown said:

If things come together we're a Super Bowl team this year.  That includes the return of Milano, Josh gelling with Cooper and Coleman when healthy again, getting lucky with injuries, our d-line performing at their peak, and just putting together four great games in January/February.  If all that happens, an elite QB on a team with no glaring weaknesses can absolutely win the Super Bowl.

Well yea that’s stating the obvious lol

 

”if the stars align for them and they don’t suffer big injuries and win big games in January then this team can absolutely win the Super Bowl.”

 

Really going out on a limb there 

[Matt_In_NH]

Can someone link where the Bills said "THis was going to be a rebuild year".  That is just what some media and fans thought IMO.

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

10 hours ago, Dr.Sack said:

A rebuild year is when you tear the entire house down. This year is changing the drapes (Diggs) and replacing the old carpets (Morse, Poyer, Hyde, Tre). 

 

Agree except the Bills replaced custom designed drapes and carpet that broke with new ones bought at Walmart, but the new ones are just meant for short term use until they really find what they are looking for in longer term replacements!    So yes just replacement, but not close to the same quality level.  For that reason as the OP stated, the team and coaching and management do deserve more credit than you're giving them.

 

For those same reason I wasn't in favor of spending much money on spending much money on short term replacements at the trade deadline.

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

10 minutes ago, Matt_In_NH said:

Can someone link where the Bills said "THis was going to be a rebuild year".  That is just what some media and fans thought IMO.

 

Have you ever in any sport  in particular football heard the front office come out and state this is a rebuilding year?  So yes this is what the fans and media stated, but based on actions of the team and basic understanding of what they are seeing.

 

If this wasn't a rebuilding or retooling year, then I assume you must have felt this was a SB winning team?   And let me guess if they don't win the SB, you'll be one of the first to post how McD and Beane need to be fired for not winning it it again.

[Big Blitz]

7 minutes ago, mjt328 said:

 

It's also important to remember that our most difficult stretch (Chiefs, 49ers, Rams, Lions) is still upcoming.  Even if the AFC East is already wrapped up, it will be interesting to see how we handle the next month.  I think it will really tell us whether this team is a Top 5 contender, or looking at another early postseason exit.

 

 

 

Losing on the road to Detroit and the Rams….and at home to the Chiefs and SF - depending on how it happened would be bad but not necessarily mean playoff doom.

 

We’re going to win at least 2 of these games.  I think.  We’ll see how they play out.  Could lose at Detroit like we did at Philly….not sure I’d sweat that.  
 

 

I just think it’s worth noting the Chiefs O looked like complete trash last year, lost to us at home in December, and finished the 3 seed - then won in Buffalo and Baltimore to get to the SB.  
 

We had an ideal path and it didn’t matter.  
 

The only thing that matters for playoff teams - especially the division winners - is health.  Not necessarily how you finish.  
 

[finn]

Seasons like this one make you realize just how quirky the game is. This is not the most talented Bills team of the Allen era, yet they have the best record at this point in the season. Same with the Chiefs, who could easily be 6-4 or even 5-5. Sometimes the better teams lose via bad bounces, heroic plays by the other team, missed calls, weird weather conditions, etc., and sometimes the weaker teams win, just like 2-8 offsuit can sometimes beat pocket kings. It's just probability. I never bought the B.S. that "good teams find a way to win." That's just after-the-fact rationalization, like most post-game commentary. Seventeens games plus playoffs just isn't a big enough sample size to iron out the quirks. 

[DrDawkinstein]

38 minutes ago, Big Blitz said:

 

 

Losing on the road to Detroit and the Rams….and at home to the Chiefs and SF - depending on how it happened would be bad but not necessarily mean playoff doom.

 

We’re going to win at least 2 of these games.  I think.  We’ll see how they play out.  Could lose at Detroit like we did at Philly….not sure I’d sweat that. 

 

There is no playoff doom with the current state of the rest of the division. Even if we lose the next 4 in a row, we win the 2 Pats and the Jets game and Div is still ours. Heck, it might be ours during those 4 losses!

 

I think the biggest issue the team will face will be when do we start resting guys without it being too much time off.

[ToGoGo]

6 minutes ago, DrDawkinstein said:

 

There is no playoff doom with the current state of the rest of the division. Even if we lose the next 4 in a row, we win the 2 Pats and the Jets game and Div is still ours. Heck, it might be ours during those 4 losses!

 

I think the biggest issue the team will face will be when do we start resting guys without it being too much time off.

If we’re in the running for the #1 seed then we don’t rest. 

[DrDawkinstein]

4 minutes ago, ToGoGo said:

If we’re in the running for the #1 seed then we don’t rest. 

 

Right. I think there are a couple other threads on it, but a lot depends on how Sunday goes with the Chiefs. We win and we stay in the hunt for #1. We lose, and we can kick it into cruise control and focus on keeping people healthy for the playoffs.

 

Not that I think Josh, McD, and the boys would dial it back that much. I'm sure they'll try to win every game possible at least until that last week.

 

But with the history of that turf in Detroit, I'm good with throwing in the Practice Squad if we're in that position.

 

 

Edited November 11 by DrDawkinstein

[Matt_In_NH]

1 hour ago, Ed_Formerly_of_Roch said:

If this wasn't a rebuilding or retooling year, then I assume you must have felt this was a SB winning team? 

 

Interesting the title of the thread is rebuild but you chose to say retool, they are different.  The Bills did retool but that does not have to come with decreased expectations.

 

I felt they had about the same chance as the previous 4 years of winning the SB but I would stop short of saying it is a SB winning team, they have NEVER been that.  The big changes were over hyped...Poyer and Hyde were old and slow, Morse was replaceable, Davis was replaceable.   The big loss was Diggs but I am not like most who dwell on WR's all the time, the Chiefs have shown that.  I feel the Bills have an organization and QB to compete year in and year out, lots of the other pieces can change but they will still be able to compete for a championship.  And they accomplish that by having good depth and they teach their schemes well.   That does not mean there is not growing pains with some of the changes, but that is manageable for the most part. 

 

 

Edited November 11 by Matt_In_NH

[appoo]

2 hours ago, Utah John said:

This is exactly what I figured for the season, back in March.  Win the AFCE, maybe win a playoff game, call it a day and wait till next year when the Diggs cap issues go away. But I didn't count on all the replacements for the departed defensive players working out so well, or McGovern filling in well for Morse, or Coleman being a really solid draft pick.  Or the Jets and Dolphins both collapsing.  Now I'm thinking 11-6 at the absolute worst, 13-4 as the most likely result, and 15-2 an actual possibility. Both the Lions and Chiefs pulled out games yesterday they should have lost, and the Texans and Broncos showed how to attack them.  

The defense scares me quite a bit. Damar should be a 3rd safety, Rapp has actually played really well for me, and I like him as a starter. 

 

Groot seems to destroy replacement level dudes and struggle against guys who are above that. Oliver is struggling with all the attention he's getting, because the Bills don't really have a 2nd guy to double on most downs. 

 

Bernard has been good and bad at times, but that just comes with him being in his 3rd year. The corners - I know they get a ton of praise - but we can't not play zone against reasonably talented offenses.  

 

I'm biased but I do love McDermott as a coach and defensive schemer, and his partnership with Babich has worked a minor miracle IMO. Give this defense an average DC and I think the defense is significantly worse. 

 

But Beane has got get McDermott/Babich more talent this offseason. The franchise is on the cust of being an absolute juggernaught if they can find a legit stud pass rusher, and a corner who excels in man. 

 

Everything Bills do should be aimed at maxmizing the number of touches Allen gets, but because of the defensive personell they have to play much more conservatively than most years and the offense plays a lot more ball control to protect the D

Edited November 11 by appoo

[HappyDays]

4 hours ago, BufBills83 said:

 

I like your attitude.

 

I don't know why so many people are like, we need one more offseason to really finish off this roster for a real run.  Why?  We're 8-2 and when healthy this team can absolutely beat anyone in the playoffs.  We almost beat KC last year in the playoffs and when everyone is healthy, this team is better than last year.  So why can't we beat them now?

 

Agreed. The roster if mostly healthy is good enough to win a Super Bowl. As usual it will come down to coaching and injuries.

[machine gun kelly]

11 hours ago, NewEra said:

I don’t think that was ever the case.  More of a retooling.  

The problem with some is listening or watching the hot take talking heads from for example ESPN, FSN, NBCS, etc.  Now, please remember his a broken clock is only right twice a day.  The addition of Cooper, and the development of Coleman has helped.

 

Im hopeful Cooper is ready for the Chiefs, and Coleman probably won’t be until SF.  By the 49ers or Lions, we’ll have Milano back so humming by that time.  I don’t know if we can sweep these three opponents of KC, SF, and Detroit.  My hope is at least 2-1, and the Chiefs stop getting lucky breaks with calls.

 

Im not worried about the Rams, Pats twice, and Jests.

[Sweats]

I think we can all agree that this was never going to be a rebuild year.......we're definitely reloading by getting rid of the Diggs baggage, trying to clean up the cap, getting younger on the roster, etc.

 

A reload will still have some growing pains, mind you, but we seem to be making it work thus far and how far or how long it's going to work for us at this point, is anyones guess.

[Rubes]

12 hours ago, ganesh said:

Except for the predictable inside run on EVERY First down !!!

You mean like those two interceptions, both of which came on first down?

 

Yeah, kinda wished we had run the ball instead.

 

[NoSaint]

13 hours ago, BillMafia716ix said:

Allen, McDermott and the crew just keep on rolling. Still a long way to go but McDermott should be in the running for Coach of the year. With the all injuries we’ve had to overcome, and all the new guys we had to play, we haven’t missed a beat. 8-2?? Best start since 1993? Just an incredible job by McDermott and his staff. Still have a long way to go but I’ve been very impressed. 
 

Big Kudos to Joe Brady as well. We finally have the balanced attack that I think most Bills fans have been calling for for years!! On to Kansas City 

rebuild was never the right phrasing based on how many here use the term. When the expectation is a championship ring, any small step back instead of pushing chips on the table is a rebuild. Even in those years you can be a reasonably good team when you’ve got a Josh Allen. 

[appoo]

35 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

 

Agreed. The roster if mostly healthy is good enough to win a Super Bowl. As usual it will come down to coaching and injuries.

Luck mostly IMO. It's been so long sincew the Bills were contenders, that the last 5 years is reminding me how much luck plays into a team winning the SB (One you gain contending roster talent + good coaching & scheme which the Bills have). I mean the Niners 2nd best defender blew his achilles in the middle of the SB running onto the damn field. 

Edited November 11 by appoo