What did media pundits see we that didn't?

[Kinzua]

Before the season started almost every sports writer in a America had written us off as a bottom 5 team in the league. After 2 weeks... it certainly seems that we are.

This forum was abuzz with hope and optimism, and defending players on our squad regardless of the head scratching moves our FO made.

We are clearly a team in disarray. It sounds like Sparano is in jeopardy of losing the locker room. And it's only been 2 frigging weeks!

The biggest surprise of the season has been Buffalo by far. Chan Gailey... Frigging Chan Gailey has gotten that franchise playing well while we still are mired in futility.

What did we miss? winning is the only remedy. And it's likely not going to happen this season.

Among Bills fans, we call it "drinking the Kool Aid" (as dispensed by the Bills FO). I think it's the nature of the die-hard fans to want to believe that their favorite team cannot possibly be as bad as everybody on the outside is saying. Believe me, it can be. I've been there and done that with the Bills for nearly a decade now.

I'm ecstatic that my Bills are 2-0, but I'm also skeptical. Prior to the season, I predicted they'd go 5-11 because I'm no longer drinking Kool Aid, and I'm not ready to see even 7-9 or 8-8 yet. I see the hole at WR left by trading away Lee Evans for a draft pick. I see the performance of the OL as totally being out of character for this same group that sucked in preseason. I will gladly eat crow, feathers and all, if the Bills continue to play well.

All that said, I'd say that coaching is the deal. Your owner (Ross?) screwed the pooch big time by NOT firing Sparano outright last season and hiring a new HC. If he didn't like Sparano after last season, why would he think Sparano would improve this season???

As for Chan Gailey, he's a far better coach than he's given credit for being. He's pretty much been a winner or associated with winners his entire career (as opposed to Dick Jauron). He's noted for getting the most out of the talent that he has available -- something very important because the Bills have so very little proven talent on their roster, especially on offense. The thing I've noticed about the Bills, even last year as they struggled in a new system, is that they are prepared and disciplined. The number of stupid presnap penalties are way down. They have become tackling machines. At the same time, Gailey's instilled confidence and swagger into this team that was totally missing during the Jauron years. Coaching matters. :up:

 

[DuderinoN703]

The media has been saying for years that the Colts are a 4 win team without Peyton. It's been pretty obvious for a while that even as great as Brady is, Peyton Manning is the most important player to his team in the entire NFL.

The media was sold on that when they watched the Patriots win 11 games with Matt Cassel.

The Colts should've solidified their backup situation years ago. Getting Collins out of retirement couldn't have been a worse idea

 

[Pachyderm_Wave]

The Colts should've solidified their backup situation years ago. Getting Collins out of retirement couldn't have been a worse idea

They've drafted quarterbacks and developed them as backups behind Peyton Manning, including signing veterans.

People don't realize that Peyton Manning isn't just the quarterback, he's the offensive coordinator of that offense. His football IQ is far superior to that of most any quarterback that's ever played in the NFL. That's not hype....

The guy came in and started from day 1 as a rookie 13 years ago and has never missed a game... what exactly do you do to prepare for the day that he does?

Nobody can run that offense like he does... he's a once in a lifetime quarterback. There is no replacing him... Dolphin fans should know all about that.


All the Colts can do is send guys out there that they've been developing behind Manning and hope they can run at least 60% of the offense the way Manning runs it. It's much more to it than sticking your hands under Jeff Saturday's a** and snapping the football. You have to know all the protections, all the audibles, all the blocking assignments, which of your receivers can read a DB's leverage on the fly and which one's can't...

Very few offenses in the NFL ever get anywhere close to being 100% 'installed' because quarterbacks can't absorb that much information... and the one's that have the mental capacity to absorb that much information probably don't have the physical skills to execute it on the field anyway, so they don't get to stick around.

The Colt's offense under Peyton Manning is as close to being 100% 'installed' as any offense in the NFL ever was, going back to Walsh's WCO under Joe Montana.

It's just not reasonable to think that the Colts could be prepared for a season without Peyton Manning and expect to perform anywhere near what they're capable of with him in there.

Everyone is lost without him... Jim Caldwell didn't sign on for this. He wasn't supposed to have to actually do anything.

 

[JB1089]

Everyone is lost without him... Jim Caldwell didn't sign on for this. He wasn't supposed to have to actually do anything.

LOL!!!!!

"It's funny because it's true."

 

[jw0119]

Before the season started almost every sports writer in a America had written us off as a bottom 5 team in the league. After 2 weeks... it certainly seems that we are.

This forum was abuzz with hope and optimism, and defending players on our squad regardless of the head scratching moves our FO made.

We are clearly a team in disarray. It sounds like Sparano is in jeopardy of losing the locker room. And it's only been 2 frigging weeks!

The biggest surprise of the season has been Buffalo by far. Chan Gailey... Frigging Chan Gailey has gotten that franchise playing well while we still are mired in futility.

What did we miss? winning is the only remedy. And it's likely not going to happen this season.

They actually took an objective point of view, and people on this board were filled with blind optimism. Or maybe because everyone's 0-0 at the beginning of the season, so people were pumped...then the harsh reality sets in 2 weeks later.

 

[das8929]

I had a pretty bad feeling about this season, but I was hopeful that maybe we would silence the doubters and be respectable.

 

[jw0119]

...and my under 7.5 wins bet for the fins is looking SOLID

 

[Fins1971]

I had a pretty bad feeling about this season, but I was hopeful that maybe we would silence the doubters and be respectable.

yeah, me too.

I cancelled my NFL Ticket this year cuz I knew we were going to suck.

I just got tired of watching all of those thrilling FG drives last year.

 

[jacquesstrap]

How is the present team better than the last 2 years? Miami still has only one seviceable TE, the ol is still not dominant, Henne is still here, they still can't score in the red zone, the secondary is the same with the same safety issues, the linebackers still can't cover tight ends, and special teams still has issues. How exactly did miam improve again?

 

[Dr. Phin]

That's the most ridiculous thing I have ever read. It seems obvious he is trying to get these idiots out of here.

Tell me, what does it accomplish to get rid of them mid-season?

It accomplishes stopping Ireland from making anymore stupid personnel moves that will screw the next regime. It gives Nolan a chance to see what he can do for the next 14 games, and if he is just as bad...he can get rid of his *** next year too! That's what it accomplishes!!!