gsf101

From MJD of Yahoo Sports http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/Buffalo-taxpayers-will-be-paying-the-Bills-to-no?urn=nfl-wp946 "Some would argue that the best thing the county could do to beautify Ralph Wilson Stadium is to keep the Bills from playing in it. Others might argue that the Bills should save on pest control costs, and instead put uniforms on a group of rats, pigeons and opossums, and see if they don't make the playoffs as often as the Bills over the past 10 years."

http://channelsurfing.net/watch-nfl-2.html If San Diego wins, they clinch a first-round bye, which would relegate the winner of the East (New England/Miami) to the #3 or #4 seed.

The Bills said today that there are still approximately 2,000 tickets still unsold for Sunday’s game against New England. If they are not sold by 1 p.m. Thursday, the game will not be televised in the western New York market and that would be a first this season. Last week in Kansas City, the Chiefs were granted a 24-hour extension to sell about 3,000 tickets for their game against the Bills, and it was successful and the game was televised locally. The Bills could do the same thing if the tickets aren’t gone by the deadline. As for the Jan. 3 season finale against Indianapolis, at last count nearly 5,000 tickets were available. The Bills have struggled in recent years to sell out the last couple of games on their schedule, due to a combination of the wintry weather, the busy holiday season, and the fact that the team hasn’t been to the playoffs in nine consecutive years.

UPDATE - The Bills CANNOT win a Wild Card, and here's why ... their conference record sucks. At best, the Bills finish 5-7 in their conference, which would include wins over New England and Indianapolis to end the season. If Baltimore loses out, they are 7-9, and wouldn't be better than Buffalo's 8-8. If Miami loses out, they are 7-9, and wouldn't be better than Buffalo's 8-8. However, for both of those to occur, Baltimore and Miami would both have to lose to Pittsburgh, which would put the Steelers at a minimum of 8-8. I thought Buffalo would win the tiebreaker over Pittsburgh, but they wouldn't, as Buffalo's conference record would be 5-7 and Pittsburgh's would be 6-6. If Baltimore beats Pittsburgh and then lose the other two to go to 8-8, their conference record would be 7-5, better than Buffalo's 5-7. If Miami beats Pittsburgh and the lose the other two to go to 8-8, their division record would be 4-2, better than Buffalo's 3-3. So after all that explanation earlier, when I finally crunched the numbers - I learned the truth. Buffalo can only win the AFC East and not a Wild Card, after all. If New England, Miami and New York all lose out, and Buffalo wins out - Buffalo and New England would be 8-8, Miami and New York would be 7-9. However, the Jets could finish at 8-8, and would then lose on the division record tiebreaker (2-4 compared to Buffalo and New England's 3-3). Tiebreakers used to split Buffalo and New England would be: head-to-head (would be 1-1), division record (both would be 3-3), best record in common games (both would be 6-6), conference record (both would be 5-7), strength of victory (because Buffalo beat Indianapolis, that's the highest strength of the victory), and the division would be theirs. Easier typed than done.

Perhaps you're right Poeticlaw, but I'm just going by what the Yahoo! scenario generator told me. It's possible that Yahoo! isn't taking into account the various tiebreakers that exist behind head-to-head, division and conference record. Can Buffalo win the #6 seed at 8-8? Let's see. The Bills cannot pass the Broncos, the current #5 seed (8-5) because of the conference record tiebreaker. Should Buffalo win out and be 8-8: Jacksonville, the current 6 seed (7-6), could lose out and be 7-9. But that would require a loss to Cleveland. Baltimore, at 7 (7-6), could lose out and be 7-9. But that would require a loss to the JaMarcus Russell-led Oakland Raiders. Baltimore and Pittsburgh, at 10 (6-7) can not both lose out because they play each other. If Baltimore wins, they would have eight wins and would have Buffalo on the conference record tiebreaker. If Baltimore wins that game, Buffalo would be out. Pittsburgh would then have seven wins and play at Miami, the current 8 seed (7-6), in the last week. One of those teams, with a win, would go to eight wins. However, Buffalo's conference record would be better than Pittsburgh's, so the Bills would win that tiebreaker. Basically, if you want a Wild Card, cheer for Pittsburgh to lose this week vs. Green Bay and then beat Baltimore and Miami. Now, Miami, at 8 (7-6) plays Tennessee, Houston and Pittsburgh, two of which the Bills would lose direct tiebreakers with due to head-to-head losses. Miami could lose out but that means that all three of those teams would have seven wins. New York, at 9 (7-6), could lose out and be 7-9. Actually, I see this to be a distinct possibility. Pittsburgh, at 10 (6-7), has been discussed. The Bills would want them to finish 8-8 in order to wipe away two teams Buffalo wouldn't win the tiebreaker against - Baltimore and Miami. Tennessee, at 11 (6-7), has also been discussed. The Bills need them to finish at 7-9 or worse, but they would have to beat Miami. Houston, at 12 (6-7), has also been discussed. The Bills need them to finish at 7-9 or worse, but they would have to beat Miami. Then is Buffalo, at 13 (5-8). Win out and hope a lot of dominoes fall your way in the last three weeks. One loss, however, and this entire time I spent at work diagnosing all this goes to the hounds. There's always next year, right Cubs fans?

Now I'm probably going to get booed off this board for posting this, but I'm reminded of Jim Carrey's line from "Dumb and Dumber" ... 'so you're saying there's a chance!' Buffalo can still win the AFC East, and while it would require a total meltdown from New England, it wouldn't be unheard of - remember San Diego won the West last year with an 8-8 record, and then beat the Colts in the first round of the playoffs. Buffalo's playoff possibilities: 1. Buffalo needs to win out (New England, at Atlanta, Indianapolis) 2. New England needs to lose out (at Buffalo, Jacksonville, at Houston) 3. Miami must lose out (at Tennessee, Houston, Pittsburgh) 4. New York cannot win more than one game (Atlanta, at Indianapolis, Cincinnati) That would put Buffalo and New England at 8-8 and Miami and New York at 7-9. According to this Yahoo! scenario generator, that gives Buffalo the division. Is it likely? No. But it's possible. And as Yogi Berra once said, "it ain't over 'til it's over." I don't know about all of you but I don't quit on the playoff dreams until Buffalo is mathematically eliminated. However, Buffalo cannot win a Wild Card because it is impossible that all the 7-6 teams lose out because they play one another. Plus, Buffalo does not own the tiebreaker over Jacksonville (the current #6 seed) due to the 18-15 loss on November 22. Jacksonville plays New England, so one of those teams will win - whichever team wins that game basically eliminates Buffalo from reaching that particular qualifier, whether it be the East or the Wild Card. If the Bills beat the Patriots this week, root for the Jaguars next week. http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/playoffscenari...amp;16=00044000

I have a buddy who works at WGRZ-TV (Channel 2 in Buffalo) and he told me of a rumor he had heard. If the Colts are 15-0 heading into the final week of the season, their game at Buffalo will be flexed to Sunday Night on NBC, unless there is a game with distinct playoff possibilities (maybe Giants-Vikings or Eagles-Cowboys). With this information, I asked a Buffalo Bills beat writer (I will not divulge his name) if he had heard anything pertaining to that rumor and he told me it's a definite possibility. My question to you all: would you be excited for this? Despite the fact the Colts will likely be resting Peyton, Reggie and several others, would it be a good idea for the NFL to flex this game?