Are the Bills a 2012 Super Bowl contender?

[Thurman#1]

Are the Bills a 2012 Super Bowl contender?

No, we're really not. If things go well and we continue having good drafts, an optimistic scenario would have us contending in 2013. 2014 would be more likely.

Don't know who will be AFC contenders next year, but the Steelers, Pats, Broncos, Ravens, Bengals and Texans would all be good guesses.

[crispy60]

What makes the Patriots, Ravens and Steelers the class? What strengths do they have the Bills don't? What weaknesses do the Bills have that those team don't?

Patriots WR's and Ravens WR's are about as poor as the Bills. Bills defensive talent is much better than the Patriots, better than the Steelers and should be on par with the Ravens. The Ravens haven't been to a Super Bowl since 2001. Ray Lewis turns 37 in May, Ed Reed 34 in September. Together they are as old as Buddy Nix. Hard to imagine after 11 years of failing to get to the Super Bowl, that they will be better in 2012.

I'm going to throw only two stats of Patriots WR's that are about as poor as the Bills in your thought process: Wes Welker, 122 receptions for 1,569 yards in the regular season and Rob Gronkowski, 90 receptions for 1,327 yards in the regular season as a TE.

The Patriots were playing the Super Bowl with Gronkowski far from healthy and he was one of their major contributors this past year.

I don't see the Bills with a receiving corp that is as good or better than New England.

[Thurman#1]

This is my prediction. IN 2012 WE WILL SWEEP THE JETS! WE WILL ALSO FINISH AT THE TOP OF OUR DIVISION! MARK MY WORDS!

Don't think anyone will bother.

Just put it in your sig with the date, and keep it there till after the season so we can jeer if you're wrong, as you probably are.

[GreggTX]

If we ink Anderson this week, we will see more focus on offense. Would we grab Floyd in the 1st and Adams in the 2nd or go Reiff in the 1st and best WR available in the 2nd?

Superbowl? I gotta see a lot more before I even begin thinking about that, but Buddy has us moving in the right direction, I believe.

[LeDee]

Ha!

Hahaha... haaaaaahahahahahahahahhahahahahahaaaaaaahahahahaha hahahahahhahahaaaaa!!!!!!




In a word, no. In three words, not even close.

[TXbillsFan]

We've made significant progress, but I think it's a little early to say SB... I can definitely see the playoffs a possibility. We'll have to give the Pats a good run for their money in the division, very possible if we can stay healthy. If we don't top the division the WC race will be a tight one, but from the look of our opponents we could very well see double digits in the W column for a change and we can pull it off. Another season or 2 and keep building the way we have been... SB could definitely be in the not too distant future

[seregil42]

What makes the Patriots, Ravens and Steelers the class? What strengths do they have the Bills don't? What weaknesses do the Bills have that those team don't?

Patriots WR's and Ravens WR's are about as poor as the Bills. Bills defensive talent is much better than the Patriots, better than the Steelers and should be on par with the Ravens. The Ravens haven't been to a Super Bowl since 2001. Ray Lewis turns 37 in May, Ed Reed 34 in September. Together they are as old as Buddy Nix. Hard to imagine after 11 years of failing to get to the Super Bowl, that they will be better in 2012.

Patriots : Belichick and Brady. With those two in NE, it's at least a 10 win season every year. WR's are pretty good in Welker and Lloyd. TE's are phenomenal. Yeah, defense sucked last year, but look where they ended up.

Ravens: Defense is better than the Bills, despite age. They just won a very tough division. They have a good running attack (not better than Fred, at least last year, I know). WR's ARE weak, but Flacco, I think, is a more consistent QB than Fitz.

Steelers: I know they have cap issues, but they went something like 12-4 last year, right? Their defense is still pretty darn good and their offense can be very good at times. Big Ben is MUCH better than Fitz.

Buffalo: Defense still suspect until we see how the new scheme/personnel works out. Injuries have ra***ed this team for YEARS. Lack of quality depth continues to hurt the team. If they can stay healthy, they can compete with anyone. Outside of Johnson, I don't really care for the WR's. Nelson is nice, but not a game breaker.

This is all based on last year. Neither of us know whether we will be better or worse than them, but until that time, we have to base it off of last year.

[BuffalodBill]

First off...I've enjoyed following many of your posts over the years. I've enjoyed following this team for many more. With all the static from spammers, I lost my registration and to re-reg. recently. Because I don't want to lose it again, I figured I should probably post here and there. That being said, this seemed like a great post to start in.

I am thrilled to have watched this transformation of a team over the last couple years. I must admit, I had my doubts, like many of you, but I am very happy with how the team started last year and how they've been addressing the needs of the team lately. I don't think this is the year, but I don't see why they can't make a push to the playoffs. There is a young core in place, that has me really excited, and I don't see a ceiling for their success. The ebbs and flows of the NFL are interesting, and depressing as Bills fans know, but it looks like our leaders have us pointed in the right directions. March on Bills, our time is now.

[Jdot]

I think that based off history I will have to say no, not SB contenders.

I will say they are a contender to win the AFC. I dont think the will win the AFC East, but I think they will get into the Wild Card. Once into the elimination rounds I think this Bills team can beat any of the other teams.

Can the Bills get four more wins out of next season to get there? I think so.

Mario Williams I think will do wonders in aiding our D. Quite often last year I found that the D would be so porous that it would almost paralyze our O. Fitz would rush pashes, Jackson would be less involved than desired. If Williams can pressure the QB, I suspect our int happy secondary will improve as well.


I think we will be 10-6 this year and make the playoffs.

[thebillster12]

This team is not even a playoff contender, let alone a potential super bowl contender. I can see it now: Fitzpatrick gets blindsided and knocked out of the season in week 7, our defensive line just refuses to do what they're paid for, and Rian Lindell needs to retire, because I want a Sebastian Janikowski to come in.

[Glorydays]

Help...spammers are overtaking the boards!!!!!

[CAS22]

anything is possible, it all depends on depth. injurys has alot to do with it also, I think we have a chance as good as any.

[Jackson>Lynch]

Buffalo Bills and "Contender" in the same sentence made me laugh lol

What about AFC East 3rd place contenders?
Hahaha, yeah...
But really, let's make an assessment further down the line...maybe after the Draft? It's too early to compare teams, when a few trades could be made that change a team's talent level.

[GeeMan]

For one, I am excited for the Bills this year. It has been a very long time since I have looked forward to the next Buffalo Bill season. Even if they don't get to the playoffs, it will be fun to watch for once. Last year was good until, they lost the season.

We had years of quarterbacks that could not throw a 10 yr pass.

Although Fitz does need some accuracy work, the stats you list are very misleading. He has to try to make some plays at time, resulting in interceptions. But he does underthrow often, due to lack luster of an offensive line (throwing off back feet, feeling pressure from 300 lineman).

Don't forget about all the dropped passes I saw last year in every game, resulting in long third downs (infamous SJ drop). So you at the 50 yard line and you need 10 yards, if you throw a 20 yard pass and it gets picked, its really not that bad of a thing; a coaching strategy. I saw this numerous times.

Also, the play calling drives the quarterback to throw 50 passes a game. That arm must get tired ha!.

Fitz is much better than 3/4 of the qbs in the league. I expect the bills to draft OL and Defensive secondary. Improvements in these areas will not drive the bills to play from 21 points behind and protect Fitz.

Just my thoughts.

GeeMan Out.

I post a lot of statistics highlighting Fitz's shortcomings, two of those stats are in my signature. In general I rarely rely on "rhetoric". I prefer to focus on facts where possible in discussing particular players levels of play.

[Dalton]

Ha!

Hahaha... haaaaaahahahahahahahahhahahahahahaaaaaaahahahahaha hahahahahhahahaaaaa!!!!!!




In a word, no. In three words, not even close.

Thanks for the detailed analysis.

[Joe Fan]

In the wake of the Mark Anderson signing can we all agree that if Gailey doesn't get this team to the playoffs in 2012, he is not the guy to coach this team?