Broncos, Ravens, Chiefs - Can the Bills run through this gauntlet.

[letsgoteam]

22 minutes ago, Boatdrinks said:

Starting off with a bye is huge. Then the weakest remaining team by record. Then possibly a very strong team for the title game, all at home. Not easy, but not exactly a gauntlet. The Bills will likely have to play the other two best teams in the AFC to reach the Super Bowl. Eliminating the bye week for the 2 seed is a mother @&$! for the Bills. Greatly diminishes their chances of getting to the big game while KC is going strong. 

I get your point and agree the #1 seed does have an advantage 

 

But the sentiment of the Bills having to run a gauntlet and what not, I mean should the Bills just opt out of the playoffs.

 

I get the sentiment, I really do, and I'm sure the Bills will find find some excruciating way to lose in the playoffs, or dare I say Super Bowl, but at least they have a chance? 

[Harold Jackson]

4 hours ago, Chaos said:

Maybe some variation between the Broncos and Chargers, but right now the path to the Super Bowl seems established.  Do you think the Bills can do it?

Nope. Sorry. Next year is the goal.

Not like Denver or Chargers are getting past KC anyway.

But Walmart is pleased with first year of ownership 

[RunTheBall]

We have a significant lack of talent on the defensive side of the ball. It doesn’t matter what scheme you run when you don’t have the horses.

 

Elite - Benford

Good - Bernard, Williams, Groot

Average - Rapp, Oliver, Epenesa, Milano, Von, Lewis, Jones, Ingram

Below average - Hamlin, Douglas (this year), Phillips, Jefferson, Smoot, Anderson

Ass - Spector, Carter

 

Literally 4 out of 11 players on the D are above average. That’s not a recipe for success no matter what the scheme. The only way we win through the playoffs is if Josh goes off and we are playing with a lead, then our D can be more effective. Also, the success of the D becomes much more dependent on the play calling because Babitch needs to dial up run blitzes or pressure at the right times in order for us to get stops against good teams. 

 

The only improvement I’ve seen this year on D has been the adjustments, they’ve been at an elite level. If we can keep it close for the first 2 quarters McD/Babitch have been pretty quick at taking away what’s been working for opposing offenses.

 

[Boatdrinks]

Just now, letsgoteam said:

I get your point and agree the #1 seed does have an advantage 

 

But the sentiment of the Bills having to run a gauntlet and what not, I mean should the Bills just opt out of the playoffs.

 

I get the sentiment, I really do, and I'm sure the Bills will find find some excruciating way to lose in the playoffs, or dare I say Super Bowl, but at least they have a chance? 

Of course not, and they certainly have a chance. The bye and seeding makes the road much tougher for all but 1 team. It used to be 2 teams got to win a single home playoff game to advance to the title game. Not impossible now but a lot more difficult. 

[Coffeesforclosers]

For the adults in the room who lived through it...

 

Can you imagine what this place would have looked like from 1990-1994?

 

 

 

 

[Boatdrinks]

2 minutes ago, Harold Jackson said:

Nope. Sorry. Next year is the goal.

Not like Denver or Chargers are getting past KC anyway.

But Walmart is pleased with first year of ownership 

“ next year” hasn’t been the goal for the Bills since the 2019 season. 

[Harold Jackson]

Just now, Boatdrinks said:

“ next year” hasn’t been the goal for the Bills since the 2019 season. 

It obviously has been because they didn't fold the franchise.

Raiders, it  took 4 conference championships in a row before their first SB win. And there were a couple years before that (a gap) that was after them going to 2 or 3 CC with no win.

So this isnt even that bad yet lol

[BillsFanForever19]

4 hours ago, RobbRiddick said:

Wish I thought so but nope. I don't see them getting past the Ravens. Then Ravens will get handled easily by KC.

 

I agree and disagree with this post. The Ravens scare me more than the Chiefs do. And it's not just bc we beat the Chiefs earlier this season and got spanked by the Ravens. 

 

We simply don't match up well with the Ravens. Even at full strength, we struggle against the run mightily. Good run Defending teams have a hard time against the Henry/Lamar combo. We're simply no match for it and that's not all they have. I don't think Week 4 was a mirage.

 

If we're matched up with the Ravens, I don't like our chances right now. We'll have to get back to full strength, Milano miraculously return to form, have perfect Defensive play calling, and Josh play the game of his life with all of his Receivers catching anything and everything.

 

I hope they're upset in Round 1 and we don't have to deal with them. If we do face them and they do best us, I don't think the Chiefs will "handle them easily". That's where I disagree. If they can beat us, they'll take down the Chiefs.

[Mikie2times]

5 minutes ago, Harold Jackson said:

It obviously has been because they didn't fold the franchise.

Raiders, it  took 4 conference championships in a row before their first SB win. And there were a couple years before that (a gap) that was after them going to 2 or 3 CC with no win.

So this isnt even that bad yet lol

What they went thru prior to winning was likely the most challenged path in NFL history for a team that actually won it all. Most who go thru that level of “almost” never end up winning it with those teams….Broncos, Vikings, Bills, etc. 

Edited 21 hours ago by Mikie2times

[Scott7975]

Not with this defense playing that way. They at least need to get a couple turnovers a game if they are going to let teams march up and down the field. Its a tall ask to essentially ask Josh to win you 3 straight games like that. The receivers can't play like last week either. 

[ganesh]

7 hours ago, Hsker4life said:

We need to be healthy. Start resting the boys and let’s get ready for the gauntlet. 

The Bills should beat the Jets and then rest everyone in week 18 against the Patriots.  That is their bye week...of course the Chiefs offense is getting 2 bye weeks

[Dr.Sack]

I’m only focused on the Jets. 

[GunnerBill]

I think they will beat the Broncos. Anything after that is gonna be a coin flip. They will need a bit of luck to go their way.

 

[Albwan]

I think they will be lucky to beat the Jets. Outside of that, just based on the D play last 3-4 weeks, 

I'm not even sure they beat the Bronco's.  

[Dr.Sack]

Write this down:

 

Week 17 Bills > Jets

Week 18 Bye Week

WC Bills > Broncos 

DIV Bills > Steelers

AFCG Bills > Chargers

SB LIX Bills > Rams

[ganesh]

3 minutes ago, Dr.Sack said:

Write this down:

 

Week 17 Bills > Jets

Week 18 Bye Week

WC Bills > Broncos 

DIV Bills > Steelers

AFCG Bills > Chargers

SB LIX Bills > Rams

This assumes Steelers wins the North division or upsets a divison winner as a wild card.    Chargers winning against the Chiefs at Arrowhead would be a HUGE upset.

[ganesh]

Steelers at #6, go to Baltimore and upset them

 

Then they go to Arrowhead as the lowest remaining seed and upset them 

 

Then they come to Buffalo for the AFC Championship game. 

 

The Bills take down Denver (#7 seed) and then get Chargers (who upset the Texans) in cold Buffalo in the Divisional round.

 

This would be awesome if it happens. 

 

[26TrapDraw]

I’ll say this, this offense is clicking and can score on anyone in bunches. I have absolutely zero confidence that this defense can stop any of the playoff caliber teams. Yet another year where Allen’s MVPplay will be wasted by an absolute dumpster fire of a defense. It be worst part is that this defense is fools gold and was just good enough for the ride along.

[Gman10]

14 minutes ago, Dr.Sack said:

Write this down:

 

Week 17 Bills > Jets

Week 18 Bye Week

WC Bills > Broncos 

DIV Bills > Steelers

AFCG Bills > Chargers

SB LIX Bills > Rams

Or

 

Bills vs Bengals which is very possible and very scary.

 

Bills vs Ravens

 

Bills vs KC.

 

if they somehow win all of those,

 

Bills vs Eagles or Vikings for the SB. Also scary. Lol

[JohnNord]

7 hours ago, RunTheBall said:

We have a significant lack of talent on the defensive side of the ball. It doesn’t matter what scheme you run when you don’t have the horses.

 

Elite - Benford

Good - Bernard, Williams, Groot

Average - Rapp, Oliver, Epenesa, Milano, Von, Lewis, Jones, Ingram

Below average - Hamlin, Douglas (this year), Phillips, Jefferson, Smoot, Anderson

Ass - Spector, Carter

 

Literally 4 out of 11 players on the D are above average. That’s not a recipe for success no matter what the scheme. The only way we win through the playoffs is if Josh goes off and we are playing with a lead, then our D can be more effective. Also, the success of the D becomes much more dependent on the play calling because Babitch needs to dial up run blitzes or pressure at the right times in order for us to get stops against good teams. 

 

The only improvement I’ve seen this year on D has been the adjustments, they’ve been at an elite level. If we can keep it close for the first 2 quarters McD/Babitch have been pretty quick at taking away what’s been working for opposing offenses.

 

I’d move a few more players to good and a few below average to average.
 

Overall though, this is the biggest area where you can criticize Beane and McDermott.  They have a nice assortment of “good” players but not enough “great” and hardly any “elite.”   Defensive line especially.  
 

I think the defense as a whole is better than than they’ve played the past few weeks,  but yeah they aren’t going to win low scoring games