It’s the elephant in the room when it comes to discussing the future of the Bills in Buffalo. Finding a solution to where the Bills will be playing their games for the foreseeable future has presented a myriad of questions, proposals and debates throughout Western New York and it doesn’t appear we’re collectively closer to a final answer than before Ralph Wilson passed away.
The Buffalo News has been the most active in covering various plans and potential owners involved in the saga. They’ve done everything from profiling potential owners to scouting potential stadium sites. Outside of the News’ coverage, it appears as if there is a small handful of locations that have made the unofficial shortlist when it comes to the Bills home turf.
Keeping the team located in Orchard Park has been a popular topic along with spots in and around the Perry Projects, the Outer Harbor and even Niagara Falls. That group, to me, appears to be the most popular at this point in time. Other spots like Scott Congel’s land in West Seneca, Batavia and others have come up, but it seems as if they’re all extreme long shots.
What’s interesting is how the stadium project will factor into the mix with potential owners as well. Tom Golisano, Donald Trump or perhaps even Jeff Gundlach may have the funds to make a competitive bid on the franchise, but do they have the scratch to finance enough of a stadium to limit the need for PSLs – something that’s widely accepted as a non-starter given WNY’s economy? Terry Pegula, on the other hand, has the funds available to go off and buy the team and build the stadium without even searching for public assistance considering his vast wealth. In fact, you could argue that the $1.75 billion he made in his recent land sale is nearly enough to cover the costs associated with purchasing the team and building a new home in one fell swoop.
The various scenarios that can and will play out surrounding the potential owners is a lengthy conversation in and of itself. Placing the primary focus on what seems to work best in terms of a stadium without taking into account future influences from ownership is the point of this post. I’ve been on record voicing my support for a great number of options. At one point I saw the Outer Harbor as a simple solution but I’ve since backed off from that theory. I certainly support the idea of saving the public (and owner) any major costs by putting a serious renovation effort into the Ralph but I’d also love to see a perfect storm converge to see a new stadium built downtown. Continue reading →
You might say that everything has been laid at EJ Manuel’s feet for the upcoming season, but that’s what everyone is saying. Mainly because it’s the truth.
The message was made pretty clear at the draft with the trade up to select Sammy Watkins and the additional investment in offensive players like Bryce Brown, Mike Williams and even Anthony Dixon. Albeit, Dixon is more of a special teams addition than anything else. Where Whaley really invested this offseason was along the line. While adding Watkins and Williams adds even more depth and talent to the receiving corps, the line could see major changes take hold. Since the Bills are boosting their offensive line-up, expect that oddsmakers will surely consider them as a contenders with official NFL betting lines moving in their favor this season, having fans and fantasy pickers taking notice.
Between the signing of Chris Williams, the expected return of a healthy Chris Hairston and draft picks Cyrus Kouandjio, Cyril Richardson and Seantrel Henderson, the Bills two-deep could undergo some serious changes. Continue reading →
The new NFL season will be upon us before we know it, with Organized Team Activities already underway. This will be an exciting time for Bills fans, as the team has slowly but surely been (hopefully) heading in the right direction. There should be some star players back to their usual selves after last season, with mainly CJ Spiller in mind, as well as an arsenal of new weapons for second year quarterback EJ Manuel.
With the latest odds at http://www.bettingsports.com/nfl/ the Bills seem to be a ‘middle of the road’ bet in terms of Super Bowl chances. The truth is, they will have to first concentrate on beating the New England Patriots to the AFC East championship, something which, although daunting after the last few years, is becoming more and more realistic.
So what’s new?
The Bills traded up in the 2014 NFL Draft to land some true star power in Clemson wide receiver Sammy Watkins. With both size and speed, Watkins is the sort of player that can really take the top off a defense and open up opportunities for his teammates. It was definitely a risk to spend so much to get Watkins, but the Bills needed to provide the offense with a spark, and reinvigorate the fans.
The Bills also added some much needed O-line depth in the draft with Cyrus Kouandijo, Cyril Richardson and Seantrel Henderson being added. If Kouandijo and Henderson can overcome troubles (injuries and character red flags respectively), they could prove to be steals. Buffalo also took CB Ross Cockrell, LB Preston Brown and LB Randell Johnson with their remaining picks.
The Star Power
The truth is, if the Bills can gel as a team and pick up a bit of luck with injuries, they have the potential to go far. CJ Spiller can be a downright beast on his day, but struggled through the 2013 season with nagging injuries. He and Watkins could be enough to give any defense fits, and quarterback EJ Manuel could profit from that.
On the defensive side, the D-line looks good on paper, with tackle Marcell Dareus and end Mario Williams providing extreme talent that could hold up against anybody. Young players anchor the back seven, with linebacker Kiko Alonso already a rising star after his rookie season, being named in the NFL’s top 100 players list and cornerback Stephon Gilmore ready for a breakout season.
The fact for the Bills is that a talented young team is being built, and 2014 has the potential to be a great year.
Doug Whaley made sure that he put his stamp on the Buffalo Bills with this year’s draft. He made both pragmatic and radical moves over the weekend in what appears to be a clear attempt to end the Bills’ decade-and-a-half playoff drought.
With Sammy Watkins as the obvious crown jewel of the class (as any first round pick would be), Whaley committed to improving Buffalo’s offense with his selections that included three offensive linemen. The trade to get Watkins is a clear risk for a team with as many holes to plug as the Bills do. Whaley deserves credit for ensuring that he kept his 2014 selections intact while sacrificing his first round pick in 2015.
My feelings on trading up wavered on nearly a week-to-week basis as the draft slowly approached. Making a drastic move to secure a cornerstone talent like Jadeveon Clowney would have been interesting and quite entertaining. However the assets required to make a pick like that outweighed the benefits in many cases. Managing to only give up an additional mid-round selection along with the requisite first round pick was a coup for Whaley. Even if you have concerns over giving up that pick, Whaley still did well in maintaining the rest of his assets along the way.
The lone concern I had in giving up a first round pick in 2015 is that the Bills could be on the outside looking in if a quarterback is needed. This is a worst case scenario situation, of course, but should management or the coaching staff realize that EJ Manuel isn’t capable of carrying the team – or if Manuel’s knees don’t cooperate again – the Bills may be searching for a signal caller next year. With Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston expected to be the most sought after signal callers in 2015, the Bills would be left out of the party. Now, a number of factors would need to come together for the Bills to be in that situation, but it certainly could be a possibility come next May. Continue reading →
The latest news out of the swirling tide of NFL rumors is that Austin will indeed leave Dallas in his rearview. On the Cowboys’ official website, two writers answered a slew of questions surrounding the team. And of course, leading the way was one about whether or not Austin will return to the Lone Star State. If we’re to believe what these guys are saying, it’s not looking good:
“That’s always a possibility, but I’d be surprised to see that happen. I think more so than the money, the Cowboys were ready to move on to a new player at the position. It wouldn’t hurt to have him, but his hamstrings got to the point where he seemed like a ticking time bomb before the next injury. He’s one of the best receivers remaining in free agency, but it’s hard to count on that.”
As we enter the middle of the 1st round of the NHL playoffs (which have been outstanding), the NFL schedule release is the first tangible sign that football is coming sooner rather than later; and for Buffalo sports fans still smarting from the Sabres’ dismal season that is welcome news.
I have to say I was left decidedly underwhelmed when the schedule came out 30 minutes early on the Bills’ website (courtesy of an NFL faux pas). No game on Thanksgiving after it was supposedly leaked by the Bills was a bit of a letdown, but my biggest disappointment came from not seeing a Monday night game on the slate. When Fox Sports Wisconsin reported the Bills would face the Packers on a Monday night at The Ralph I was more than excited to see the Bills on the league’s big stage for the first time since 2009; sadly, it wasn’t to be. Miami as a home opener will definitely be a blast, but I’d much rather see the Fish make the trek north in December. There are also no warm weather teams forced to deal with the cold and wind of Buffalo in November and December; the only two warm weather teams the Bills face beyond Week 10 (Oakland and Miami) are both on the road.
Everything is not negative, though. Four home games in September and October, plus a Packers team that draws well in December, will have Bills execs and salespeople pretty happy. You’ll also remember the Bills taking issue with the number of times they had to face a team that had an extended period of rest before playing Buffalo. That won’t be an issue this year as there are only four matchups this year involving a team having extended rest, and the Bills have the benefit of a long rest in two of those. Most obvious among the positives for this year’s schedule: no Toronto game. It has been much discussed so I won’t beat a dead horse, but it’s nice to see eight games at the Ralph again.
On to the week to week breakdown; keep in mind these are obviously done before the draft and before things like preseason injuries are accounted for.
Week 1: At Bears- The Bills open on the road against an NFC team for the first time since 1997, and visit the Bears for the first time since a 40-7 beat down in 2006.
The Bills visit Soldier Field in Week One
I don’t see it being that bad of a day for the Bills, but I don’t see a win. If the Bills’ front seven can harass Jay Cutler consistently it could be a different story, but the combo of Matt Forte and Brandon Marshall against a still unproven Bills run defense and a secondary missing Jairus Byrd doesn’t bode well. Final Score: Bears 27, Bills 17.
Week 2: Dolphins- The Bills swept Miami last year, and will make it three in a row in the rivalry. My reasoning rests in the unsteady right arm of Ryan Tannehill. Simply put, I don’t think he’s very good. After being shut out in a must win game at The Ralph last year, the Bills front four could have another field day. Final Score: Bills 28, Dolphins 10.
Week 3: Chargers- This game is a tough one for me. The Chargers went on a tear at the end of last year to not only make the playoffs but beat Cincinnati on Wild Card Weekend. Despite that the Bolts still ranked near the bottom of the league in pass defense, and in a coin flip I think the Bills will pull this one out. A cross country flight plays a factor in this one, as the Chargers were inconsistent on the east coast last year. Final Score: Bills 24, Chargers 23.
Week 4: At Texans- This could be the Bills first encounter with old friend Khalil Mack. The Bills will likely face Case Keenum under center, or potentially a rookie QB making his fourth NFL start; good news when you have a front four like Buffalo’s. If the run game does its job, the Bills move to 3-1. Final Score: Bills 24, Texans 13.
Week 5: At Lions- Jim Schwartz makes his return to Detroit. While Matt Stafford and company had the propensity to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory last year, I don’t see them slipping up against Buffalo. Schwartz might have some added insight on his old team, but not enough. Final Score: Lions 27, Bills 17.
Week 6: Patriots- I know the Bills have beaten the Pats once since I was 15. I also realize that that one win was beyond unlikely given the Bills personnel and Tom Brady inexplicably throwing four picks. I’m still taking the Bills. They should’ve won on opening weekend last year, and have come close more than a handful of times in Foxboro. This is the one the Bills finally get from New England without feeling like they stole it. Final Score: Bills 28, Pats 21.
Week 7: Vikings- This is one of the games I label as a “must win” if the Bills want to be taken seriously as a playoff contender. The Vikes have two playmakers on offense in Adrian Peterson and Cordarrelle Patterson, and Patterson was more of a threat on special teams last year. They still don’t have a quarterback and the defense is not what it was two or three years ago. The Bills get it done, but make it way more difficult than it should be. Final Score: Bills 21, Vikings 17.
Week 8: At Jets- The Bills haven’t beaten the Jets in New Jersey since 2009, and have looked particularly awful in their four losses there since. Factor in the arrival of Chris Johnson to the Jets’ backfield, and how awful EJ looked there last year, and it doesn’t bode well this time around either. Final Score: Jets 30, Bills 16.
Week 9: BYE
Week 10: Chiefs- The Kansas City Chiefs were the beneficiaries of Jamaal Charles’ monster season in 2013.
Sean Smith and the Chiefs got a few gifts in 2013
I’m also assuming Andy Reid and friends had a multitude of horse shoes lodged in various places for the first nine weeks of 2013; how else would you explain Jeff Tuel hitting Chiefs CB Sean Smith in the numbers for a 100 yard touchdown? The team is essentially the same outfit the Bills bludgeoned a combined76-24 in 2011 and 2012, with the exception of Alex Smith. The Bills get revenge from last year. Final Score: Bills 27, Chiefs 17.
Week 11: At Dolphins- Barring any trades or major injuries this should be similar to Week 2 in Buffalo, and by that I mean the Dolphins will likely still be starting Ryan Tannehill. It will be interesting to see how the Bills handle the warm temperaturs of Miami in November; the average high in Buffalo on November 13 is 48 degrees, while in Miami it is 82. I’m taking the Bills anyway, in a closer game. Final Score: Bills 17, Dolphins 14. DISCLAIMER: I’m really not a big fan or the Dolphins…if the Bills were an expansion team I’d still take them in both Miami games.
Week 12: Jets- It’s difficult to pick this game given that the Jets still haven’t named Michael Vick or Geno Smith their starter. Based on Vick’s injury history I’m going to say Smith will get the nod for this contest. If that’s the case, it’s good news for the Bills. Smith struggled mightily here last year; while I don’t see him going 8-23 with three picks again, an (hopefully) improved Bills run defense and a front seven that’s still very strong means I don’t see him throwing for 250 either. Final Score: Bills 23, Jets 14.
Week 13: Browns- The annual Bills-Browns game could be very interesting this year. Cleveland has a strong defense, and Brian Hoyer gave them NFL caliber quarterback play last year before being lost for the season. The potential for a rookie quarterback starting for Cleveland makes thise tough. Based on my predictions the Bills would enter this game at (a very generous) 8-3, primed for a letdown. Final Score: Browns 24, Bills 21.
Week 14: At Broncos- The Broncos still have Peyton Manning, last I looked, and Wes Welker is good for about 13 catches and 105 yards with a few touchdowns every time he plays the Bills. Final Score: Broncos 38, Bills 20
Week 15: Packers- Niagara Falls’ own James Starks returns to Western New York, sadly he also brings Aaron Rodgers, Jordy Nelson, and Randall Cobb. The Bills can find solace in the fact that Green Bay’s offensive line isn’t stellar, and if the weather does its part to help neutralize Rodgers, they could have a shot. Final Score: Packers 27, Bills 21.
Week 16: At Raiders- The Bills haven’t played in Oakland since 2005. Assuming the Raiders aren’t starting a rookie under center, the Bills will face either Matt McGloin or Matt Schaub, while Trent Edwards holds a clipboard.
The Bills make a trip to Oakland for the first time since 2005.
Run defense could carry more weight than usual if the duo of Maurice Jones-Drew and Darren McFadden are healthy and can channel a little magic from 2010. Final Score: Bills 23, Raiders 17.
Week 17: At Patroits- With the division likely sewn up the Pats could potentially give the Bills a late Christmas gift and rest some starters. Once you remember Bill Belichick still coaches New England that thought quickly goes away, especially if the Bills get a win in Orchard Park. Final Score: Pats 30, Bills 24.
It is highly unlikely that I’m correct on even half of these, but if I manage to go 16 for 16 it would put the Bills in an interesting spot. The team would (hypothetically) finish at 9-7, right in the thick of the AFC playoff picture (remember, San Diego got in at 9-7). It would also be the team’s first winning season since 2004. The Bills would also post a 4-2 mark in the AFC East, which would be the first time the Bills finish with a winning record in the division since 2007. They would also be 8-4 in the AFC, which would help the cause in terms of playoff tiebreakers.
While the likelihood of this season playing out in this fashion is very slim, I’m looking forward to the afternoon of September 7th, and I can’t wait to star the tailgate at the Ralph the next weekend. Go Bills.
It took about 4 years and 364 days for the Bills executives to catch up with the feelings of the Buffalo fan base with regard to the Toronto series. Publicly, at least.
With Russ Brandon noting that there appears to be a distinct competitive disadvantage to the Bills playing a late-season home game in the domed Rogers Centre each season, perhaps a change is coming for the recently renewed series. While fans are hoping for the best, I doubt the Bills are willing to turn away from the massive check that Rogers has cut them in order to get those regular season games.
There’s probably a good chance that there is a massive penalty that would need to be paid by either party if they decided to walk away, so I’d quell any thoughts of the remaining games being cancelled at this point.
But that doesn’t mean the Bills won’t be working to find a better working relationship with what has become little more than a joke of a cash grab for the organization. There are a few different ways that the Bills and Rogers could work to adjust and fix what has quickly deteriorated into a poorly attended, non-partisan yearly event that typically serves as the cherry on top of Buffalo’s annual playoff elimination.
The most preferable option would be to come to an amicable split, allow Rogers to take back any remaining funds that would be attached to the games that were still set to be played and allow the Bills to take their home games back. This is obviously a long shot as the legal eagles on both sides of the table most certainly wrote in some sort of cancellation clause which would prevent either side from terminating the deal. Continue reading →
Sunday’s loss to the Steelers not only dropped the Bills to 3-7 on the year, but brought the Draft and offseason process closer to the forefront as the 2013 season is slowly turning towards yet another chapter in the tragic novel that is the Bills playoff drought.
The story this week was an inability to control the game at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. Playing against one of the worst lines in the league, Buffalo’s vaunted front four didn’t have much of an impact while the Bills running game never got rolling against the sputtering Steeler defense. It was almost as if the teams underwent a complete role reversal after the optimism surrounding this game. Continue reading →
Since it is already Thursday and I’m two full days past when I typically do a write up on the Bills game that was I’ll keep this to a minimum. Consider it a drive thru version of the Extra Point. Continue reading →
There’s been a whole lot of talk about where the Bills will reside once their newest lease expires in 10 years (or seven depending on what course of action they take).
While the current renovations will serve as little more than a soggy band-aid for the aging stadium, the lease is designed to provide the time necessary to get a new stadium designed, approved and built in Western New York. Of course seven to ten years probably isn’t long enough around these parts.
Although a shiny new stadium built on the Outer Harbor is probably the first choice for many new stadium advocates, I think that it’s more likely that Bass Pro will build a floating supercenter to support the new signature Peace Bridge span before a football stadium gets constructed on the Outer Harbor. Too many opponents with plans for parks, public access and other causes which simply don’t align with a billion dollar project such as that.
Instead, I think there are a few more feasible locations throughout the city that would not only appease those who staunchly disagree with placing the stadium on the water but also the parties who hope to see the stadium built in the city limits. I’ll go in order of most ridiculous and unrealistic and work my way down to the plan I like best (forgive the sloppy photo work). Continue reading →
Two in the Box 