Buffalo Bills 2017-18

[JohnRobertEichel]

Indeed it does, my friend! The Titans loss today surprised me and is huge for our playoff chances. The easiest road to the playoffs is now:

 

1. Bills sweep Dolphins

 

2. Titans lose last two games to Rams and Jags

 

3. Chargers beat Chiefs next week and end up winning the AFC West Division title

 

A Titans collapse is more realistic than a Ravens collapse.

 

Ok so Ravens just lost, which gives us more options!

 

I should clarify the AFC West situation. Solely in terms of playoff chances and ignoring KC's 1st rounder, we don't necessarily want or need the Chargers to beat the Chiefs next week. A large variety of scenarios can occur where any one of the Chiefs, Chargers, or Raiders can win the division and push any of the other two into a potential tiebreaker situation with a 9-7 Buffalo.

 

Okay, so in order for the Bills to make the playoffs:

 

1. Sweep the Fins (knowing our Bills, this is probably the least likely of the things we need to happen).

 

2. Hope Titans lose to Jags in week 17 plus at least 1 other game to the Rams in week 16 (most likely) or the 49ers next week.

 

These first two things alone give us a 98% chance of making the playoffs, according to the NY Times playoff calculator. But in case the Titans don't cooperate:

 

3. Hope Ravens lose at least 1 more game to either the Colts week 16 or the Bengals week 17.

 

4. Keep an eye out on the Chargers, Chiefs, and Raiders battle for the AFC West title. As long as the Chargers don't end up in the second place division spot with a 9-7 record, we are okay.

[inkman]

Ok so Ravens just lost, which gives us more options!

 

I should clarify the AFC West situation. Solely in terms of playoff chances and ignoring KC's 1st rounder, we don't necessarily want or need the Chargers to beat the Chiefs next week. A large variety of scenarios can occur where any one of the Chiefs, Chargers, or Raiders can win the division and push any of the other two into a potential tiebreaker situation with a 9-7 Buffalo.

 

Okay, so in order for the Bills to make the playoffs:

 

1. Sweep the Fins (knowing our Bills, this is probably the least likely of the things we need to happen).

 

2. Hope Titans lose to Jags in week 17 plus at least 1 other game to the Rams in week 16 (most likely) or the 49ers next week.

 

These first two things alone give us a 98% chance of making the playoffs, according to the NY Times playoff calculator. But in case the Titans don't cooperate:

 

3. Hope Ravens lose at least 1 more game to either the Colts week 16 or the Bengals week 17.

 

4. Keep an eye out on the Chargers, Chiefs, and Raiders battle for the AFC West title. As long as the Chargers don't end up in the second place division spot with a 9-7 record, we are okay.

This is a futile exercise. Bills gonna Bills and screw this up royally. At every moment in this franchises last 2 decades of any importance, the Bills have fallen on their face in the most epic fashion ever. All things will be aligned for the Bills to get in the playoffs. They will just need to beat the fish in the last week to get in and will lose in either a blow out or a last second play. Book it.

[Gramps]

Ok so Ravens just lost, which gives us more options!

 

I should clarify the AFC West situation. Solely in terms of playoff chances and ignoring KC's 1st rounder, we don't necessarily want or need the Chargers to beat the Chiefs next week. A large variety of scenarios can occur where any one of the Chiefs, Chargers, or Raiders can win the division and push any of the other two into a potential tiebreaker situation with a 9-7 Buffalo.

 

Okay, so in order for the Bills to make the playoffs:

 

1. Sweep the Fins (knowing our Bills, this is probably the least likely of the things we need to happen).

 

2. Hope Titans lose to Jags in week 17 plus at least 1 other game to the Rams in week 16 (most likely) or the 49ers next week.

 

These first two things alone give us a 98% chance of making the playoffs, according to the NY Times playoff calculator. But in case the Titans don't cooperate:

 

3. Hope Ravens lose at least 1 more game to either the Colts week 16 or the Bengals week 17.

 

4. Keep an eye out on the Chargers, Chiefs, and Raiders battle for the AFC West title. As long as the Chargers don't end up in the second place division spot with a 9-7 record, we are okay.

 

Ravens will most likely win out so there's one WC unless we and the Titans also win out (highly unlikely). There is no guarantee the Titans even beat the 49ers next week with Garopolo playing well. In the unlikely event Miami beats NE tonight, they'll be alive and ready to play a Buffalo team with who at QB ? Joe Webb ? 

[inkman]

I don't think I've ever been simultaneously this angry and this elated at a game's conclusion.

 

At least we get to talk about how we're still "IN THE HUNT" for another week. We want the Titans, Jags, Jets, and Chargers to lose today. And the Ravens to lose tonight. I still remain fairly convinced that the Bills will need to win out in order to make the playoffs.

Everytime I see your username, I read "Fuhr's Urine".

[darksabre]

This is a futile exercise. Bills gonna Bills and screw this up royally. At every moment in this franchises last 2 decades of any importance, the Bills have fallen on their face in the most epic fashion ever. All things will be aligned for the Bills to get in the playoffs. They will just need to beat the fish in the last week to get in and will lose in either a blow out or a last second play. Book it.

Yup.

[PASabreFan]

Yup.

I dunno. This feels different. Maybe some things are meant to be.

 

And, yeah, the Bills franchise is sucking me back in just a tiny bit. Just the tip perhaps. It kind of started with the anthem protests. If a certain someone tells me not to watch, you are damned sure I am going to watch. Not only that, I admired the players for it and through the controversy came to know the kicker Hauschka and Lorenzo Alexander. These are good guys.

 

I also found the QB controversy to be pretty intriguing and some of the "culture" moves The Wrestler made. And MSG has been showing various historical Bills shows — Top 10 this and that. I saw my ex and she isn't looking bad. God help me.

[darksabre]

I dunno. This feels different. Maybe some things are meant to be.

 

And, yeah, the Bills franchise is sucking me back in just a tiny bit. Just the tip perhaps. It kind of started with the anthem protests. If a certain someone tells me not to watch, you are damned sure I am going to watch. Not only that, I admired the players for it and through the controversy came to know the kicker Hauschka and Lorenzo Alexander. These are good guys.

 

I also found the QB controversy to be pretty intriguing and some of the "culture" moves The Wrestler made. And MSG has been showing various historical Bills shows — Top 10 this and that. I saw my ex and she isn't looking bad. God help me.

I mean, this is definitely one of the more likable Bills rosters in a long time. It's kinda the opposite of the Sabres for me. I like a lot of the guys on the Bills, but I question if McBeane really know what they're doing or are just getting lucky. I think they got extremely lucky yesterday that the weather basically turned the game into a crap shoot. I think nice weather sees us get run all over by Frank Gore and Peterman gets more opportunities to throw and turn the ball over. The snow saved them from themselves. 

 

I struggle to think I'll watch the rest of the Bills season unless I have a really good reason to. The snow yesterday was a great reason to watch. But I don't think for a moment they aren't still the Bills we know and hate. And McDermott has shown the capacity to be very Billsy in his decision making. 

 

 

[That Aud Smell]

In the context of one of his rants against the punt call, I heard Schopp chirp "faith-based" during the post-game show.

 

Amen, I say.

 

My youngest is now a relatively decent Madden player on his Playstation. There have been two, maybe three, distinct game-management situations that McDermott has botched (if forward-thinking, strategy-based logic is to be endorsed) that my kid, who's either just started or is not yet in middle school (depending on how you measure it), immediately rebuked and decried. (The other one I recall specifically is when McDermott, for no reason I could detect, ran the clock down to :09 before kicking a FG against the Chiefs before the half. Why not let it run to :04 or :03?)

 

It seems astonishing that NFL coaches can't, won't, or don't get that sort of stuff.

 

With regard to the Colts game, it seems like such a simple proposition: Taking into account the time remaining and what the team needs in order to preserve its playoff hopes, what are the odds of winning if you try to get a yard at your opponent's 41, versus the odds of winning if you kick it away. What does the data say? I am sure it strongly favors going for it.

 

There must be more to it than McDermott just not knowing about this sort of stuff, or just not getting it. There must be. But what? Is there some human relation/motivation factor that's not being accounted for? Do HC's find that the D is primed, locked, and loaded if you pin the opponent behind their 20 and affirmatively turn the matter over to your D to help save the game? ANd do HC's find that the D is correspondingly on its heels if you turn it over on downs at the 41? 

[PASabreFan]

Schopp will, rightly so, have a field day with this one, while emotionally abused, and worn out, spouse Bulldog will dutifully agree, but Mike's weakest point was that he doesn't think McDermott knew that tie would hurt their playoff chances. Please.

[Drunkard]

My reactions to the game:

 

Awesome to watch. This game is exhibit A for why domes in cold weather climates suck.

 

Peterson still sucks. Taylor needs to start if he's healthy and Webb should be promoted to backup. This may happen anyway depending on the severity of Peterman's injury.

 

I was sure we lost this game when Indy went for 2 and got it. The flag was legit though and I'm glad the refs did their job for once.

 

The Wrestler was stupid for punting on 4th and 1 when we were near mid field. We lucked out with the win with the help of the weather.

[That Aud Smell]

Mike's weakest point was that he doesn't think McDermott knew that tie would hurt their playoff chances. Please.

 

I guess he did say that, didn't he? That's nonsense, of course. NFW McDermott didn't know the W-L situation -- he just happened to think punting there gave the team the best chance to win.

 

Which really does seem illogical to me. Would I rather take my chances on getting a long yard, or kick the ball away and put the other team in control of the ball? Webb's improbable throw and McCoy's dash in the snow totally bailed out McDermott.

[Doohickie]

Everything about this game is stupid

Everything about this game is amazing

 

Both true.

[darksabre]

I guess he did say that, didn't he? That's nonsense, of course. NFW McDermott didn't know the W-L situation -- he just happened to think punting there gave the team the best chance to win.

 

Which really does seem illogical to me. Would I rather take my chances on getting a long yard, or kick the ball away and put the other team in control of the ball? Webb's improbable throw and McCoy's dash in the snow totally bailed out McDermott.

The punt didn't make sense given the context of the game where it was taking teams FOREVER to move the ball down the field. It took Indy, what, the whole 4th quarter to make one drive?

 

It's insane to me that, given the context, any coach thought there would be enough time to score after punting the ball away. 

 

McDermott got lucky. But there's a very real chance that that game ends in a tie given everything we had seen to that point. 

[Doohickie]

Awesome to watch. This game is exhibit A for why domes in cold weather climates suck.

 

I asked those who I was watching the game with:  "If the Bills get a stadium with a retractable roof, do they open it for a game like this? 

 

I mean really.... if they *chose* to play in the snow and won, it could really give a whole new meaning to home field advantage, and further show the rest of the league how bad ass Bills fans are.

Edited December 11, 2017 by Anordning

[Gramps]

I asked those who I was watching the game with:  "If the Bills get a stadium with a retractable roof, do they open it for a game like this? 

 

I mean really.... if the *chose* to play in the snow and won, it could really give a whole new meaning to home field advantage, and further show the rest of the league how bad ass Bills fans are.

 

Or how stupid we are to built a retractable roof stadium and then play in a snowstorm and fill 1/2 of the seats. 

[That Aud Smell]

I asked those who I was watching the game with:  "If the Bills get a stadium with a retractable roof, do they open it for a game like this? 

 

NFW.

 

Reason being:

 

Or how stupid we are to built a retractable roof stadium and then play in a snowstorm and fill 1/2 of the seats. 

[That Aud Smell]

I guess he did say that, didn't he? That's nonsense, of course. NFW McDermott didn't know the W-L situation -- he just happened to think punting there gave the team the best chance to win.

 

Evidently, McDermott in today's press conference intimated that he was NOT focusing on playoff implications when he decided to punt, that it was, at most, one of many variables he would consider. He also seemed to say that a tie might have helped them under some scenarios.

 

Welp.

[WildCard]

Evidently, McDermott in today's press conference intimated that he was NOT focusing on playoff implications when he decided to punt, that it was, at most, one of many variables he would consider. He also seemed to say that a tie might have helped them under some scenarios.

 

Welp.

Speechless. I'm actually speechless 

[Doohickie]

NFW.

 

Reason being:

 

Leave me alone with my fantasies, okay?  :P

[Drunkard]

Evidently, McDermott in today's press conference intimated that he was NOT focusing on playoff implications when he decided to punt, that it was, at most, one of many variables he would consider. He also seemed to say that a tie might have helped them under some scenarios.

 

Welp.

 

Variables that McDumbass was considering:

 

1. WWJD

2. Did the punter say his prayers

3. Does Indy have enough sinners in their organization that God is willing to punish them and give us the game

 

What he should have been thinking about

 

1. Winning the damn game

2. Time left on the clock

2. Number of timeouts remaining

I asked those who I was watching the game with:  "If the Bills get a stadium with a retractable roof, do they open it for a game like this? 

 

I mean really.... if they *chose* to play in the snow and won, it could really give a whole new meaning to home field advantage, and further show the rest of the league how bad ass Bills fans are.

 

I'm against a retractable roof dome precisely because they would leave it closed for games like yesterday.

[That Aud Smell]

Speechless. I'm actually speechless 

 

According to one Tweet, McDermott later specifically said that his decision to punt with 4+ minutes to go in OT was not informed by potential playoff scenarios.

 

I'm telling you, man. Geeeez.

 

The one potential saving grace (ha!): He kinda sorta suggested that there were things he would learn from the scenario, even while acknowledging the decision worked out in that instance.

[darksabre]

According to one Tweet, McDermott later specifically said that his decision to punt with 4+ minutes to go in OT was not informed by potential playoff scenarios.

 

I'm telling you, man. Geeeez.

 

The one potential saving grace (ha!): He kinda sorta suggested that there were things he would learn from the scenario, even while acknowledging the decision worked out in that instance.

Would it kill a coach for once to just come out and be like "Oh heck yeah, I made the wrong choice. But my team bailed me out and I'm grateful."

[Taro T]

According to one Tweet, McDermott later specifically said that his decision to punt with 4+ minutes to go in OT was not informed by potential playoff scenarios.

 

I'm telling you, man. Geeeez.

 

The one potential saving grace (ha!): He kinda sorta suggested that there were things he would learn from the scenario, even while acknowledging the decision worked out in that instance.

:huh:

 

He not only punted there, he wasted a time out before punting.

 

So, he not only thought it would be better to punt, try to hold the Colts, & hope to get the ball back w/ about 2:30 at best and at best around midfield; he thought doing that w / at most 1 timeout would be better than trying to pick up 1 yard & then having over 4 minutes to pick up 40 yards. :wacko:

 

He got SERIOUSLY lucky.

 

But on the other hand, when's the last season that a Bills coach did catch a break or 3?

[SwampD]

Can someone please tell me how a loss would have been better than a tie yesterday?

[inkman]

Evidently, McDermott in today's press conference intimated that he was NOT focusing on playoff implications when he decided to punt, that it was, at most, one of many variables he would consider. He also seemed to say that a tie might have helped them under some scenarios.

 

Welp.

I'm shocked you thought the Jesus wrestler was intellectual enough to have thought that out. This guy is in WAAAAAAYYYY over his head.

Variables that McDumbass was considering:

 

1. WWJD

2. Did the punter say his prayers

3. Does Indy have enough sinners in their organization that God is willing to punish them and give us the game

 

What he should have been thinking about

 

1. Winning the damn game

2. Time left on the clock

2. Number of timeouts remaining

 

What he said

Can someone please tell me how a loss would have been better than a tie yesterday?

Is someone saying that?