Utah John

Suppose the Miami DB had an incentive in his contract that he got a $XXX bonus for Y interceptions, and he had Y-1 going into the game. Even if not, these guys are rewarded for INTs far more than heads-up plays. The INT goes into his lifetime stats, the heads-up play gets a pat on the helmet.

The biggest mistake for the Pats was in sticking with their lousy GM (Bill Belichick), who let the roster collapse. A competent GM plus HC Belichick would likely still have the Pats winning.

Those are good points but the Commanders still have the Snyder Stink stuck to them. It will take a while for the bad mojo culture to go away. They have had some really good players they disposed of (Sweat, Young) and they've let so many fine coaches go somewhere else to thrive. It took lightning striking for the Bills to get out of the same pit, and that was largely due to a few high-character players still on the team (Kyle Williams, Lorax) whom the McBeane team turned to, to revamp the culture as well as the personnel. Plus Josh of course. I think the Commanders are stuck with too many holes to fix at once and no identity to rally around.

That would be a shame. Their interim coach turned that team around. Really the moral of the story is that you don't want to be the HC of a team that doesn't have a good QB. You can't win otherwise, and if you don't win you're out.

I've been saying most of the season that Davis is an offensive line player allowed to be downfield. He's better at blocking than anything else he's asked to do. Catching passes is just a bonus.

OK, I'm as happy as could be about the win and the AFCE and the 2 seed. The team is really good. But compared to the last few years, where the pressure was on all season long to compete for a high seed, and possibly the 1 seed, to get home playoff games, this season seems like a fluke. The Bills just floundered during the middle third of the season, playing really badly. OK, they turned it on and beat some really good teams in the last third of the season, and ended up pretty much where they've been the past couple of years, but this feels really different. Maybe it's because except for the Ravens all the other AFC teams didn't look quite as strong, particularly KC. I'm certainly not complaining, just observing. What this means going forward, as the 2 seed, is that the Bills should have two home games and win them both, beating Pittsburgh without Watt, and then probably KC without its mojo (Miami is in shock and will sleepwalk through a sad loss in cold KC, boo-hoo). If Cleveland's defense can play to potential, they could take down the Ravens, and then Cleveland comes to Buffalo for the AFC. Who could have seen this coming after the Bills lost to the Broncos in the most inglorious way possible?

If the Bills could execute a simple screen pass to a RB, well then they wouldn't be the Bills, but boy it sure would help. The opportunities are there every game.

Line up with 11 men on the Denver FG try, and we're already in the playoffs. Not making the playoffs would be just the football gods shaking their heads at the NYJ, NE, and Denver losses.

Well, not first thing in the morning.

I saw him too!!!

Those stats are for the whole year. Since the Philly game he's been off the field a LOT. That's what we're talking about. It's the change from how things were through most of the season that has us wondering what's going on.

If you've been watching the games you've seen this happen, and often it gets pointed out by the announcers.

Tannehill isn't the only Titan who wants to leave on a good note. Vrabel is also probably on the way out, not because the Titans want him gone, but because he's considered a good candidate for open jobs elsewhere.

Good Lord, I'm not saying he doesn't deserve to be in the HOF. I think he certainly does. I'm just telling you that I don't think the sportswriters of a few years from now, five years after he retires, will retain the impression we all have of him. If he doesn't overcome the shortcomings I've mentioned, they will not think he matches up. Look at the trouble and delays that Andre Reed had.

I am far less convinced that Josh will be in the HOF eventually. Keep in mind the decision is not up to Bills fans, but to sportswriters around the country. And they look at specific considerations, where he doesn't measure up. He has never been All-Pro or MVP. He has never in any particular year been seen as the best QB in the NFL. He has no rings. He has a reputation as an inconsistent performer (well-deserved this year, which is why he's not on the Pro Bowl squad). If some of these limitations go away, then things could be different. My hope is that he gets his ring(s), he makes an All-Pro list, and that those factors are turned around as reasons why he IS selected. All I really care about is the Bills winning the Super Bowl. If Josh plays meh and they win, I'll celebrate. If Josh plays great and they lose, his performance will be no consolation at all. The best in history? That must mean he's been the best in at least one year, right? So which year would that be? I love having Josh as our QB. I think he's great. But come on. There's a substantial list of QBs who have been better throughout the NFL's history than Josh has been, and in each year since he started, there's been at least one QB who was recognized as better for that year.

Josh has simply had too many ineffective games. Sorry, but face it. He's been too inconsistent. I'm less concerned about the interception total because only some of them were his fault, and only some of them hurt. I'm more concerned about drives that fail or don't get started at all because he misses an open receiver with a bad pass or doesn't see the open guy at all. He's just been off for at least five games, including the last two.

The Jets with their terrible O line were a bad fit for Cook. Even Breece Hall is seldom able to get going, and he's got a lot more tread left on his tires. Dalvin Cook probably is better than he looked this year. Last year he was still really good (remember him ripping off a long TD against the Bills for the Vikings?). In the right setting with a good O line he might be a valuable pickup.

One of the quiet events of this season has been the ascent of Brown. He was just terrible the last couple of years, but this year you almost never hear his name called in a game, a good sign for an O lineman. When they do mention him it's for a good block pulling around to the left, an impressive play for a huge man like that. Part of this no doubt is due to playing next to a competent guard for a change, but he does well with one on one pass blocking too. Also there's Kromer's teaching to recognize. The O line as a whole is hugely better than last year. In the Chargers game, I heard Khalil Mack's name once, when the teams were introduced. After that he vanished. The Pats D line didn't do much rushing Josh but their overall D was able to plug all the running gaps, which is why Cook didn't do well. Unlike Murray or Johnson, Cook can't make his own holes -- but unlike Murray or Johnson, if Cook can get through the line he's into the secondary in a flash so that's why he was still playing. If Josh had been playing close to his capability, the Pats' D would have had to back off from the line and that would have opened holes for Cook.

Yeah, that's what I thought. I had the Ravens-Dolphins game taped and watched it after the Bills game was over. Miami was matching Baltimore's offense until Tyreek Hill bobbled a sure TD pass, and the Fins had to settle for a FG. After that the Ravens kept scoring and the Dolphins sort of wilted. It was really over in the 3rd quarter. It was just plain stupid for the Fins to keep Tua and Chubb in the game in the 4th.

They get the 2 seed if they win and the 6 seed if they don't. That's enough motivation.

Hoping for the best but I still think karma will punish the Bills for the 12 men loss to Denver. The Dolphins have beaten exactly one team with a winning record when they played them, and that was the squeaker win over the Cowboys last week (even though the Bills would be in the same win and in, lose and hope for help next week if the Dolphins had lost). The Bills appear to be limping into the Dolphins game with no passing offense, and all I can hope for is that they didn't show everything they've got against the Pats. Except for the absence of Milano, the Bills D seems to be in as good a shape as they were when they beat the Dolphins earlier. We just need Good Josh to reappear.

The Fins were playing for a shot at the 1 seed. Kinda fell short. What's that going to do to Miami's self-confidence?

I like the Bills momentum IF Josh is not hurt. Watching him run off the field it doesn't look like he's favoring his left shoulder.

Nope. I'm watching on NFL ST.

Way to stay in bounds, Ty. Good job.