Welcome to Brosh's Spotlight! I will be using this new medium to periodically spotlight a team and analyze the progress they’ve made throughout the season. So, which team should I go with first? The Raiders seem like they would be the obvious choice. However, it only seems fair that I would start with my predicted Super Bowl Champion, the Buffalo Bills.
Yes, I opened this season with a very bold prediction. And why not?! I clearly didn’t make the obvious choice. I decided that there was no excitement in disclosing the fact that the Packers and Patriots were two of the favorites to win Super Bowl 50. Where’s the fun in that? However, I don’t need to make excuses for my bold prediction! The Bills were my pick and I am sticking to it! Go Buffalo!
And, after an impressive Week 1 performance, I was feeling pretty confident in the Bills, as they thrashed the Colts, 27-14, in a game that was much more lopsided than the scoreline would suggest. With an impressive win under their belt, it seemed certain that the Bills would give the Patriots a real tough matchup at home in Week 2. Buffalo has consistently been a tough place for the Patriots to win in recent memory. So, with a strong defense and an emerging offense, I expected a good game from the Bills. However, that was not the case. The Bills defense didn’t show up, and the Patriots handled the Bills comfortably, 40-32. Again, the scoreline suggested that the game was much closer than it actually was. Fortunately, before the Bills were to become the first featured team in Brosh’s Spotlight, Buffalo would have a chance to redeem themselves in Week 3. And that's exactly what they did. Last Sunday, Buffalo responded with an emphatic victory, as the Bills went into Miami, and absolutely decimated the Dolphins, palindromically, 41-14. Suddenly, the Bills were back on track to being a playoff contender this season.
Through 3 weeks of the regular season, the Buffalo offense, expected to be an afterthought to one of the most prolific defenses in the NFL from last year, has averaged 36 points per game. That is nothing at all to scoff at. I had solid expectations for Tyrod Taylor, and he has met them so far. It helps that the Bills organization has treated their new starting quarterback well, surrounding him with lots of talent, in the forms of Lesean McCoy, Sammy Watkins, Percy Harvin, and Charles Clay. So, maybe Taylor’s successful start to the season should not have been that much of a surprise.
The only part of this successful Buffalo narrative of which I am not a fan is this seemingly misplaced infatuation with Rex Ryan. Rex Ryan has been viewed as a big addition to the Bills this year, and I guess I don't really see why. I think Rex is a fine coach, but not the difference between a successful and unsuccessful Bills team.
Buffalo was a very talented 9-7 team last year that was led by a very talented defense. After making some hearty additions to the offense in the off-season, this team is nearly complete. Now, if they are given a little time to become a cohesive unit, the future will be looking bright for the Bills. This brings me back to my original point. What is this obsession with Rex Ryan as a coach? Sure, he had two successful seasons as head coach of the Jets, when they lost in back-to-back AFC Championship Games. However, that was followed by four seasons where the Jets failed to finish with a winning record (8-8, 6-10, 8-8, 4-12). It should be noted that Rex Ryan had to work with very bad teams during that time period, so it is hard to blame him completely. However, it is similarly difficult to praise him for the successes of the Jets in his first two seasons as head coach.
Buffalo was a very talented 9-7 team last year that was led by a very talented defense. After making some hearty additions to the offense in the off-season, this team is nearly complete. Now, if they are given a little time to become a cohesive unit, the future will be looking bright for the Bills. This brings me back to my original point. What is this obsession with Rex Ryan as a coach? Sure, he had two successful seasons as head coach of the Jets, when they lost in back-to-back AFC Championship Games. However, that was followed by four seasons where the Jets failed to finish with a winning record (8-8, 6-10, 8-8, 4-12). It should be noted that Rex Ryan had to work with very bad teams during that time period, so it is hard to blame him completely. However, it is similarly difficult to praise him for the successes of the Jets in his first two seasons as head coach.
Either way, I have never been someone to think that a head coach has a very significant effect on a team’s successes or failures (unless your name is Belichick, Arians, or Jim Harbaugh). So, the whole argument is somewhat moot coming from me. Either way, I would like to point out the successful direction that this Bills team was headed before Ryan arrived. This is a playoff team, with or without Rex Ryan. The Bills are for real this season, and I expect them to be a very good team for at least the next few years.
With that, I will give you my updated prediction for the Buffalo Bills this season.
Original Prediction:
10-6
AFC Wild Card Berth (2nd in AFC East)
Super Bowl Champions
New Prediction (based on 3 weeks of regular season football):
11-5
AFC Wild Card Berth (2nd in AFC East)
Super Bowl Champions
Which team will be next in the spotlight? Stay tuned for more of Brosh’s Spotlight, as this becomes a new feature in everyone’s favorite blog, Brosh Knows Football.
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