Challenge the Bills

[Real fan 02]

With a far better roster, coaching and overall direction of the team. It feels like we can challenge Buffalo for the division.

Yes of course the roster will work itself out by camp battles. Think back to the last few seasons of how close be played Buffalo with inferior talent. We should be optimistic as fans that we can challenge them in the division. Vrabel has built the defense to compete and frustrate offenses like the dolphins.. Justin fields scares no one and don't laugh me off the forum... but if seems like our WR room may be better than the Bills.

like to get posters thoughts on where have a chance to finish in the division?

 

[maust]

A look at the current SB/playoff odds makes 'challenge' seems like a strong word but certainly the Pats should give Miami a fight for 2nd place in the division. Should the Bills falter or suffer key injuries then OFC that picture changes. With both a new offense & defense needing to be installed and learned along with the sizable roster turnover the expectations should be somewhat tempered but at least the way forward is clear and that's certainly a positive sea change from season's end.

How about we take a deep cleansing breath and see what develops rather than burdening ourselves with expectations that could lead to disappointment? I'm looking forward to seeing a competitive, tough to play against team that opponents won't want to see on the schedule in December. Anything beyond that would be gravy

 

[Real fan 02]

A look at the current SB/playoff odds makes 'challenge' seems like a strong word but certainly the Pats should give Miami a fight for 2nd place in the division. Should the Bills falter or suffer key injuries then OFC that picture changes. With both a new offense & defense needing to be installed and learned along with the sizable roster turnover the expectations should be somewhat tempered but at least the way forward is clear and that's certainly a positive sea change from season's end.

How about we take a deep cleansing breath and see what develops rather than burdening ourselves with expectations that could lead to disappointment? I'm looking forward to seeing a competitive, tough to play against team that opponents won't want to see on the schedule in December. Anything beyond that would be gravy

Good take Muast. I'll say this. This is the time of the year play installation and scheme is set in by the Coordinators.. the Dolphins beat us with scheme.. something our last two coaches couldn't seem to figure out.. Hopefully Vrabel will. All division opponents play each other tough.. it starts with being able to compete in the division. We can do that.

 

[signbabybrady]

That joke of a franchise? They'll be lucky if they can compete with us.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Anyways all they do with their opportunities is lay down for mahomes so its time for them to be removed from the main event scene. Hope we are ready soon.

Miami is definitely falling off, jets are a joke until they are not.

 

[BobDigital]

We are not the Bills match. Simply because they have Josh Allen and we don't. I like Maye, but Maye isn't Josh Allen. Maybe he will prove to be at that level in the future. For now that gap is too big and a really good QB is the great equalizer. I think we can compete with them, but they are still better.

That being said, as was pointed out by other posters, all they've done with their Allen window is find ways to lay down for Mahomes and the Chiefs. I think either they need new management, a new coach or to really do something different with their roster make up. Maybe all three... Cause what they are doing hasn't been working. And Allen deserves his share of the blame.

 

[Uptown]

We’ll win the division.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Josh Allen still has the edge within the division, but they are in dire need of having a big draft as their roster continues to decline. Their GM just flipped out on the media trying to defend their lack of firepower on offense. The Pats just beefed up their defense while the Bills didn't really add anyone. The days of stumbling into division titles is going to end as soon as this year. If Maye is becomes what he's projected to be, the Pats are going to make the Bills sweat. Nobody thought the 1999 Colts were going to leapfrog the entire division and I see this Pats team being similar to them.

Pats will beat the Dolphins with or without Tua at least once this season.

Jets are an afterthought and will be a last place team.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Duplicate.

 

[Huckleberry1]

A look at the current SB/playoff odds makes 'challenge' seems like a strong word but certainly the Pats should give Miami a fight for 2nd place in the division. Should the Bills falter or suffer key injuries then OFC that picture changes. With both a new offense & defense needing to be installed and learned along with the sizable roster turnover the expectations should be somewhat tempered but at least the way forward is clear and that's certainly a positive sea change from season's end.

How about we take a deep cleansing breath and see what develops rather than burdening ourselves with expectations that could lead to disappointment? I'm looking forward to seeing a competitive, tough to play against team that opponents won't want to see on the schedule in December. Anything beyond that would be gravy

I don’t see the Patriots challenging Buffalo for the division, but the fish have a lousy OL, and possibly the worst secondary in the league. I think the Patriots can take 2nd and a WC spot.

 

[Boomer B]

 

[TommyD4207]

With a far better roster, coaching and overall direction of the team. It feels like we can challenge Buffalo for the division.

Yes of course the roster will work itself out by camp battles. Think back to the last few seasons of how close be played Buffalo with inferior talent. We should be optimistic as fans that we can challenge them in the division. Vrabel has built the defense to compete and frustrate offenses like the dolphins.. Justin fields scares no one and don't laugh me off the forum... but if seems like our WR room may be better than the Bills.

like to get posters thoughts on where have a chance to finish in the division?

It will be a product of the Bills continuing to bash their head against their closed window and regress, and the Patriots improving.

It might look like a true challenge by the end of the year. 10 wins might take this division.

 

[Tunescribe]

We are not the Bills match. Simply because they have Josh Allen and we don't. I like Maye, but Maye isn't Josh Allen. Maybe he will prove to be at that level in the future. For now that gap is too big and a really good QB is the great equalizer. I think we can compete with them, but they are still better.

That being said, as was pointed out by other posters, all they've done with their Allen window is find ways to lay down for Mahomes and the Chiefs. I think either they need new management, a new coach or to really do something different with their roster make up. Maybe all three... Cause what they are doing hasn't been working. And Allen deserves his share of the blame.

Maye and Allen don't play each other, they play the opposing defense. The Prairie Cows defense ranked a mediocre 17th last season and they're concerned judging by their defense-heavy draft. We're going to see a drastically different Patriots team -- new coaching staff and what might end up a two-thirds roster turnover. I absolutely see the Patriots challenging for the division title in 2026 and perhaps splitting with Beefalo this year en route to second in the AFCE. Whether that's good enough for a wildcard spot, we'll see.

 

[n1997y]

I was on a road trip so listening to the draft on Sirius XM NFL radio. Multiple times there were assertions the Pats are now better than the Dolphins. Nothing that I heard at all was said about the Jets. My interpretation of the commentary is that the Pats are now consensus number 2 in AFC East.

Personally, I think there is such a housecleaning with so much new talent that I wouldn’t put a ceiling on their upside.

There is a cliche about building a team, not collecting talent. Right now we don’t have any idea of how much talent there is on the roster, let alone how that talent will mesh as a team.

I’m optimistic that there’s a lot of talent, including talented coaches who know how to build a high functioning team.

It’s going to be fun to watch!

 

[VrabelJr]

We are still 1-2 years away but without a doubt on the right path, finally

 

[Real fan 02]

We are not the Bills match. Simply because they have Josh Allen and we don't. I like Maye, but Maye isn't Josh Allen. Maybe he will prove to be at that level in the future. For now that gap is too big and a really good QB is the great equalizer. I think we can compete with them, but they are still better.

That being said, as was pointed out by other posters, all they've done with their Allen window is find ways to lay down for Mahomes and the Chiefs. I think either they need new management, a new coach or to really do something different with their roster make up. Maybe all three... Cause what they are doing hasn't been working. And Allen deserves his share of the blame.

Allen struggles and reverts back to his rookie ways when you take away his primary options . Cook is the catalyst to what McDermott and joe Brady do on offense. You take him away you handicap them and Allen has to do it on his own. This is a much, much better defense and defensive philosophy than we've had facing Buffalo in past several years. The perimeter is locked down so Allen will have to check down. we will muddy the middle of field and a have a fierce interior rush.. interior rushing is how you primarily affect Allen and disrupt the timing of the snap . Brady even admitted he hated playing teams will potent interior rushers.

 

[Real fan 02]

That joke of a franchise? They'll be lucky if they can compete with us.

The Jets SBB??? Or fins???

 

[neuronet]

Fingers crossed we are on that trajectory. Not sure about this year but we can hope. I mean… we did beat them last year

 

[signbabybrady]

The Jets SBB??? Or fins???

Them too

 

[Real fan 02]

Them too

Ok.. as I've posted.. Vrabel's preaching winning the division... that's the first order of operations. That's the measurement and the path forward to a post season berh... go figure 3 AFC West teams made in last season... we could be what Denver was last season or the Chargers for example.. Vrabel has built the defense specifically to deal with running QBs like Allen. What I've seen is when teams take cook out the game Allen reverts to hero ball. Bills defense can be had as well...