Rex Ryan will get another shot at breaking the Bills postseason drought. He came in last season with guns blazing and guaranteed a postseason berth only to guide an average club to an average record.
Rex is known as a defensive coach but the Bills regressed on that side of the ball in 2015, with several players publicly commenting about the plays and schemes. So, what does Rex do? He hires his brother Rob to run the defense. Rob’s last gig was putting together one of the NFL’s worst defenses ever at New Orleans.
Buffalo Bills Regular Season Win Total Odds at BookMaker.eu
Bills Over 8 Wins -115
Bills Under 8 Wins -105
After a league-high 16 consecutive seasons of failing to accomplish what should happen just by the law of averages, the Bills are willing to try anything. And after an 8-8 finish punctuated by unfulfilled promises and grumbling among the troops, Ryan isn’t too proud to steal a good idea when he hears one.
If coach Dabo Swinney’s “All In’’ slogan can help get Clemson to the national title game, maybe it will get the Buffalo Bills to the NFL playoffs. It’s a saying that Ryan says resonates with his team and is a daily reminder of the commitment the Bills have to each other.
It sounds good. But the reality is that salary cap hell resulted in Buffalo’s .500 roster being gutted of expensive veterans, little free-agent shopping and the placement of big pressure on an impressive draft class. If quarterback Tyrod Taylor doesn’t elevate his game significantly, another year out of the postseason is guaranteed and even eight wins will be a stretch.
2016 Buffalo Bills Schedule
Week 1: at Baltimore Ravens -2.5
Week 2: vs. New York Jets +2
Week 3: vs. Arizona Cardinals -2.5
Week 4: at New England Patriots -7
Week 5: at Los Angeles Rams -1
Week 6: vs. San Francisco 49ers +7
Week 7: at Miami Dolphins -1
Week 8: vs. New England Patriots -3
Week 9: at Seattle Seahawks -10
Week 10: BYE
Week 11: at Cincinnati Bengals -5.5
Week 12: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars +5
Week 13: at Oakland Raiders -1.5
Week 14: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers -2
Week 15: vs. Cleveland Browns +9
Week 16: vs. Miami Dolphins +3.5
Week 17: at New York Jets
Reaching 10 wins will give Buffalo a good chance at ending its 16-year playoff drought. However, it will be a bit more challenging in 2016 when the Bills face teams that compiled a .520 winning percentage the previous year. The crossover games against the AFC North and NFC West are, on paper, more challenging than when Buffalo played the AFC South and NFC East. Three cross country trips in the middle of the season could be troublesome, but the Bills close the year with three very winnable games.
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Buffalo’s offense should be more than capable of scoring points and moving the football. It better be to keep the defense off the field. Taylor showed us what he can do last season, the only problem is his ceiling isn’t very high and he probably reached it.
LeSean McCoy is in his prime and Sammy Watkins is a top threat. But both are prone to injuries. There’s no question that Buffalo has a talented roster, but is the coaching staff the right one to end 16 years of playoff-less football?
The Bills’ drop from a No. 4 ranking in yards allowed per game in 2014 to No. 19 last season was the major storyline of Ryan’s first season and a source of great embarrassment. Buffalo’s sack total dropped from an NFL-best 54 to 21, with players such as the departed Mario Williams and Pro Bowl defensive tackle Marcell Dareus clearly incapable of doing some of the things Ryan was asking in his scheme.
Getting players who fit his plan was the main focus of the offseason, and while it was difficult to achieve in free agency, the Bills believe they accomplished that goal in the draft. If the Bills’ defense returns to being a top unit and Taylor improves on his output, the Bills might just win that extra game.
NFL Odds: Buffalo Bills Over 8 Wins
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