Views
105
Comments
14
  • June 26, 2007 07:47 PM ET

Bills: Sleeper Pick

5
Votes
12
Votes
5
Votes
12
Votes


Well, I will most likely lose this, but I decided to take on a challenge. With the parity in the NFL, anyone can rise up and go from loser to contender. I think the Bills have a definite chance of being a sleeper pick this year. Last year they finished with seven wins, and that was with a young QB, rookie safeties, and aging defense. At the end of last year, J.P Losman started to show progress, finishing fifth in the AFC in TDS (19), eleventh in the NFL in passer rating (84.9), and had a completion percentage of 62.5. That's not too bad for a young guy, and he should improve even more this year. At running back, Marshawn Lynch could be explosive behind a line revamped in free agency, and they have a go to receiver in Lee Evans, who caught 82 passes for 1,292 yards and 8 touchdowns. On defense, their line is solid. The linebackers are a bit thin, due to the loss of London Fletcher and the trade of Takeo Spikes, but they have Paul Posluszny, who should be solid, and the talented Angelo Crowell, who had 95 tackles, third best on the team. The secondary lost Clements, but has two good young safeties in Donte Whitner and Ko Simpson.


No way. The Bills will not be a sleeper pick. This is why:

Regular Season

DAY DATE OPPONENT TV TIME/
Sun. 9/9 DENVER BRONCOS CBS 1:00 PM
Sun. 9/16 @ Pittsburgh Steelers CBS 1:00 PM
Sun. 9/23 @ New England Patriots CBS 1:00 PM
Sun. 9/30 NEW YORK JETS CBS 1:00 PM
Mon. 10/8 DALLAS COWBOYS ESPN 8:30 PM
BYE 10/14 BYE BYE
Sun. 10/21 BALTIMORE RAVENS CBS 1:00 PM
Sun. 10/28 @ New York Jets CBS 4:05 PM
Sun. 11/4 CINCINNATI BENGALS CBS 1:00 PM
Sun. 11/11 @ Miami Dolphins CBS 1:00 PM
Sun. 11/18 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS CBS 1:00 PM
Sun. 11/25 @ Jacksonville Jaguars CBS 1:00 PM
Sun. 12/2 @ Washington Redskins CBS 1:00 PM
Sun. 12/9 MIAMI DOLPHINS CBS 1:00 PM
Sun. 12/16 @ Cleveland Browns CBS 1:00 PM
Sun. 12/23 NEW YORK GIANTS FOX 1:00 PM
Sun. 12/30 @ Philadelphia Eagles

Lets take a look. The Bills will lose against the Broncos, Steelers, Patriots, Jets, Cowboys, Ravens, Jets again, lets say they upset the Bengals and Dolphins, lose to the Patriots again, Jaguars, win against the Skins, Dolphins again and Browns and lets be generous, win against the Giants. Then a loss to the Eagles. So that means the Bills will finish around 6-10. Not a sleeper pick.


Consider the Saints. They had a similar situation: uncertainty at QB (whether Brees was healthy), a young drafted RB (Bush), one go to receiver and untested guys behind him (Horn), and a defense with good linemen, so-so backers and an apparently thin secondary. As you know, the Saints went on to win the division crown. A point you made was that the Bills schedule is too difficult. But last year was last year, and it's hard to judge how tough your opponents will be. Again, I will cite the Saints: last year, if you looked at their schedule, would you have thought them capable of winning ten games?The Saints were 2 and 14; the Bills finished last year 7-9. You never know.


Yes, but even if they do win a couple more games then I predicted, they are still in a talent loaded AFC. The Saints are in a weak NFC where they had less compettion for the division and the wild card. In the AFC, there are so many more contenders, who the Bills will probably not be able to beat out. Such as, Patriots, Chargers, Colts, Ravens, Bengals, Chiefs, Broncos, etc. Overall, the Bills will not be a sleeper pick this year at all.


Oh, I agree. The AFC is definitely stronger than the NFC, and I don't expect the Bills to win the conference, and not the division. But in terms of a wild card spot, I think they have a great chance. If they could finish 10-6, or 9-7, they would have shot at getting in. Remember, the Chiefs made it this year with a 9-7 record. And, you must factor in the injury bug. If the Bills stay healthy and other teams lose key players, those could translate into more victories. Of the teams you listed, I think the Bills have the potential to beat out the Chiefs and the Bengals, which would give them the last wildcard berth. And the reason its called a sleeper pick is because it's unexpected lol. SO the Bills definitely have a chance to be a sleeper pick.


No, because you said if they could finish 10-6 or 9-7 they could be in the wild card race. Thats not going to happen. There is no way that the Bills will finish 10-6 or 9-7 even if some other teams have key injuries. All you have to do is look at the schedule I showed you before. SO the Bills definitely don't have a chance to be a sleeper pick.

June 26, 2007  07:48 PM ET

dang itt........

June 26, 2007  07:49 PM ET

sorry.

June 26, 2007  07:50 PM ET

Have you lost your mind?! Look at the Bills schedule and then slap yourself.

LOL

June 26, 2007  07:52 PM ET

No way the bills will be a sleeper team

June 26, 2007  07:52 PM ET

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/teams/schedule?team=buf

Check this link out, it shows the 2007 schedule.

No way the Bills get into the playoffs.

June 26, 2007  08:19 PM ET

Do not compare the Saints to Bills.

June 26, 2007  08:27 PM ET

Eh. I chose a difficult topic. I must disagree though, Humbug. I think the Saints comparison is very relevant, though. Very similar situations, question mark at Q, talented RB.

June 26, 2007  08:27 PM ET

But i respect your opinion.

June 26, 2007  08:27 PM ET

first off a sleeper team to do what? go to the playoffs superbowl????? and no tthey will not the next sleeper team is the Skins....and thats not me beign a homer

June 26, 2007  08:28 PM ET

I only see 4 games in their schedule which they have a chance of winning every other game should be a clobbering

June 26, 2007  08:28 PM ET

Playoffs.

June 26, 2007  08:35 PM ET

I can see the Bills being a 7-9 or 8-8 team but isn't that what they are evry year? and BOmb3rs, the Skins got no shot!

June 26, 2007  08:44 PM ET

Skins, NO WAY!!!! Bills, I doubt it. Not in the AFC!

 
June 26, 2007  11:34 PM ET

I will say as a bills fan you have to be used to it by now always getting bashed by everyone????When the bills had these players they did nothing and were considered average players right????Now that they are gone evryone on here believes that they will implode.I think different this year is the most excited i have been in a awhile because i see a bunch of TEAMMATES that so far in OTAs has impressed the likes of espn and realfootball365 reporters who say the offense has the potential to compare to that of the rams with faulk.Gone is willis who was nothing but a loudmouth winey baby,gone is spikes who has played in i believe 6 games the past two seasons?Gone is clements yes a good cover corner but a terrible corner in run support and attacking the play,he didnt really fit the scheme any longer not a good tampa 2 corner.The only one i will miss is fletcher because he is the only one worth missing but again he was aging and did make alot of tackles downfield and never really attacked the play.So this offseason the bills addressed the teams main weakness in going out and signing 3 new offensive linemen,getting a complete all around running back in lynch while i will say people dont sleep on wright cause he is impressive,Then they get poz a talented young linebacker to replace fletcher and may have found a gem in digorgio a linebacker who was right under there noses all along.So to bills bashers everywhere i say this team last year lost 4 games by a combined less than 10 points so why not a couple plays here or there this was a 10-6 or even 11-5 team last year all while fielding as many as 6 defensive rookies at a time.I say losman is spending his second year in fairchilds syatem and lynch will be a great compliment on that offense so yes i will say that this years buffalo bills team could very well find thereselves in the playoffs at the end and alot of you need to look at things and qiut basing all of your info from what other morons say.honeslty how many of you even knew the bills lost by 1 to last years superbowl champs in there house or that they lost by two to san diego,or that losman was the 11th ranked QB last year,or that evans was the number 6 rated wide reciever last year!!!!!!!!Probably not to many cause these are things other teams get praised for by espn but the bills never get no recognition.......I mean where else would you rather be than right here right now!!!!!!!!!!!!

Comment

Remember to keep your posts clean. Profanity will get filtered, and offensive comments will be removed.


Leaderboard

  Fan W L T Win %
1 YODA 51 3 2 92.9%
2 Hyped78 190 19 4 90.1%
3 FoosBall 118 12 3 89.8%
4 [The] Coach 130 21 7 84.5%
5 Southern Discomfort 42 7 3 83.7%
6 Argos: Lets Go Packers! 49 8 4 83.6%
7 BBK - Now it's all football 52 9 6 82.1%
8 BSchwar... 128 27 6 81.4%
9 BobbyOr... 45 10 3 80.2%
10 rstowe 315 79 20 78.5%

The Si.com Cover Hub Go to the Cover Hub

Truth & Rumors

MOST POPULAR

  1. 1
    McDaniels takes jab at NFL Network
    Views
    3947
    Comments
    801
  2. 2
    Merriman: Runyan is dirtiest player I've faced
    Views
    78180
    Comments
    373
  3. 3
    Damon's Yankee days likely over
    Views
    58246
    Comments
    180
  4. 4
    Who's Red Sox shortstop now?
    Views
    11210
    Comments
    121
  5. 5
    Sosa facing lawsuit
    Views
    2485
    Comments
    91

Most Active Users

Comments + Blog Posts + Throwdowns

  1. 1
    Chico 2.0
  2. 2
    BBK - Now it's all football
  3. 3
    rstowe
  4. 4
    gigi_iv
  5. 5
    Never NDing Struggle

Message Boards

  1. NBA > General NBA

    Surprises of the NBA - Part 3
    Views
    298
    Replies
    5
  2. NCAAF > General NCAAF

    Your team sucks
    Views
    277
    Replies
    16
  3. NFL > Dallas Cowboys

    Good game against a Bad Team
    Views
    164
    Replies
    18

Blogs