TheFunPolice

Think of it this way: Baltimore was said to be one of, if not the, most talented rosters in the league before the season began. If they make it in they could be a problem but their schedule is brutal down the stretch. Bengals could be tough if they somehow win that division, but their entire team is based on Burrow throwing to Higgins and Chase, which is hard to stop but when you only pass eventually something bad, like a sack fumble, key drop, tipped pass INT, or just a bad throw, is bound to happen eventually. I'd worry about the Ravens in the playoffs but nobody else. I see people scared of the Texans. The TEXANS! LOL Yes, they beat us on TNF and sacked Allen like 71 times. Atlanta beat us pretty good also on MNF. Would you be scared to see them in the playoffs? IF the Ravens make it in, they will be the trendy pick and ALL the pressure will be on Lamar to get it done with that supporting cast and defense.

I mean, it's what many of us have been saying all season and it has bitten the team in a few games this season. The margins are so thin in the NFL. If a 4th down deflection doesn't bounce right to Coleman for a TD in week 1 and if Burrow doesn't toss a softball right to a blitzing DB we're likely 7-6 with a hill to climb to make it into the playoffs. But instead we're 9-4 and in a commanding position to make it in and make a run, whereas both of those other teams are in deep trouble. The question is whether any QB, even Allen, can put on a cape and will a team to a SB. If anyone can it's Allen. I'm convinced this is the year. The AFC playoff picture is a joke and we have #17.

I'm hoping it goes better than expected, or even really well, so that it happens again in the future with other guys.

this Sunday is going to be an incredible RedZone day in addition to the Bills games! Meaningful games everywhere

I've been told here and there that it comes across as as schtick or like I'm trolling or something, but I am legitimately this way about the Bills. Even back when Losman was QB I would talk myself into all sorts of way that if ______ happens then ______ happens we can make it in, then anything can happen! Just makes it more fun for me, although it does hurt a LOT worse when it doesn't work out, which has been every season so far. Here's a thought: If we didn't have hat comeback vs Baltimore and we lost to KC we'd be 7-6, tied with KC but behind them because of tiebreaker and also tied with but behind Baltimore due to tiebreakers. In short, we would be in tough for making the playoffs at all. That's how much those 2 wins will have meant to our SB run.

I was sort of bummed in a way that our SB championship wouldn't involve slaying any of these dragons... BUT we did along the way: We beat Baltimore and are a major reason they are in real playoff trouble. We beat KC and if we had lost that game they would still be in a great spot. We are one of the major reasons they could miss. We beat CIN and also could be a major reason they miss. So if we win it all this year we beat BAL, KC and CIN in highly meaningful games along the way and basically eliminated all 3. It just happened earlier. In January we'll get the Pittsburgh extra bye week and then beat a couple of frauds to get there. That's all good.

IMO Zach Taylor is the biggest solvable problem there. If Belichick is ever going to get another NFL job it's going to take someone like Burrow pushing for it. And he would have to be given free reign. The reason I connect him to the Bengals is that the Bengals don't really have strong front offices. They don't even have a GM! That's incredible. So, it's made for Belichick: QB in place, no GM anyway, so he can run the whole show. If Mike Brown realizes this will keep Burrow happy and help the team win he could do it. Obviously Belichick would take that job in 2 seconds. The Bengals have a coffee fetcher right now who got the job because he was in a room with Sean McVay for 5 minutes and he has done ok here and there. But I blast Taylor every chance I get because it is demonstrated every time Burrow goes out that his success is 100% due to Burrow. Without him (and even sometimes with him early in seasons) they cannot win games. Imagine missing 3 years in a row with Allen in a system where 7 teams make it. Belichick would have that team pushing for the #1 seed next season. He would have his pick of OCs to work with Burrow, so he would need someone good, that would be the only possible holdup.

oh we're going to paste these guys. Everything is falling into place this year. Everything. Playoffs are like mid-September/October inter-divisional games. Likely no Mahomes and no Burrow. Maybe Jackson, but it looks doubtful. Cakewalk. Imagine saying the road is: Pittsburgh (LOL), Houston (cute story, but who takes them seriously as a SB contender?), Broncos (another cute story) Even toss in New England, who already won their Super Bowl several weeks ago here and would be trying to be the first team to win 2 rings in one season. I didn't mention Jacksonville Barbie and their dozens of rabid fans. Basically our road to the Super Bowl is beating the AFC South teams and maybe Denver. I mean LET'S GO! Now Burrow is seemingly pushing to get Zach Taylor finally fired (good luck) or get himself out of there and likely to an NFC team (few AFC landing spots for QB) taking one top QB out of the AFC mix if that happens. New stadium. Hallmark movie. Allen being an all time great. The chance for guys from past teams like Tre White, Poyer, Jordan Phillips, Gabe Davis and others I probably forgot to get a ring as part of this reunion tour. It simply cannot not happen this year.

Brown will play hardball. It's what he does. I wonder what a Burrow trade would entail. I would imagine Bengals will tell Burrow you play here or retire. IMO Taylor is and has been the most overrated HC in the league. I wonder if a certain grumbling curmudgeon with a defensive background would help ...

Zach Taylor is a terrible HC Brown is a terrible owner. The organization is cheap and cuts every corner. Burrow has missed the playoffs 3 years in a row now assuming they don't make it. He's going to want out and Mike Brown will force him to retire just to "win" over the player instead of trading him.

25% 99% 1%

Happy birthday Burrow! Poor SOB is stuck playing for a terrible organization with no front office and bad coaching. As of Jan 29, 2026 it will have been 3 calendar years since he took a playoff snap. His last playoff game was the AFC Title Game in KC Jan 29, 2023.

if MVP means what the name says Allen is 100% the MVP Without him this is a 3-4 win team

Thank you! Every single year we have the same discussion (as football fans). Everything is set in stone, Team A is "done" Team B is going to run away with whatever. Then Will Levis, a man who adds mayonnaise to his coffee, come out of nowhere and takes down a division leader and resets the entire thing. The thing is, this happens EVERY YEAR. There are always upsets or games nobody saw coming that totally change things. Just this season: Miami led us 16-0 in the second half and eventually blew us out after firing their GM and trading players away. Cleveland beat Green Bay and made Love look horrible. The pathetic Falcons blew us out on MNF Joe Flacco threw for like 600 yards and 7 TD to beat the Steelers 97-96 (I'm exaggerating but that game was drunk) This season has some more craziness to it. Every NFL team has talent and some guys are getting an opportunity for the first time and want to live their dream and build a career for themselves. It's their Super Bowl. Oh another one: the Saints just beat the Bucs last week!

Everyone in the AFC is hoping for the Steelers bye The 5 seed is basically a 2nd bye week if PIT wins that division but becomes very tough if either BAL or CIN do. For all their issues Baltimore would be a tough out at home in the playoffs. All the talk early in the year was that Baltimore was the best team in the AFC and this was going to be Lamar's year to get it done.

I just had a crazy week 18 scenario: Chargers/Denver Chargers either win the game and the division or miss the playoff entirely Denver either wins and wins the division and is the 2 seed or if they lose they're the 5 seed In that scenario if the Chargers win all of DEN,LA and KC get in and the Colts and Texans are out. If Denver wins DEN and KC are in and the Colts replace the Texans. I also think in playing with multiple scenarios that Baltimore has a great shot at their division still.

It's going to get crazy at the end. The thing we also know is that there are always upsets nobody saw coming. I'm just picking chalk or maybe mild upsets using the playoff machine and you can get all sorts of crazy outcomes still. I've had the Bills get the #1 seed in week 18 with Miami beating NE I've had all of DEN, LA and KC get in and the Texans out I've had CIN win their division (it is not that crazy) I've had JAX the #1 seed 4 games is a lot, and a ton can still happen. Denver could lose 4 in a row with their schedule, as could LA. JAX has 2 tough games and 2 jokes, but we have seen this story before. Remember when a horrible TEN team beat MIA who was leading our division, and put us back in the driver's seat? PIT has MIA, CLE, DET, BAL. They are at 7 wins and I could easily see them slip up. Who trusts them to lock it down? Teams lose inexplicable games every season. GB lost to CLE this year. Crazy stuff can and does happen, so it'll be a lot of fun!

KC fans will be cheering for us this week. They will want Denver to have to try week 18 and not just throw the game. Denver needs to be in a spot where they have to win for the #1 seed in week 18, or else they'll lay down for the Chargers and KC will be left out even if they win out. IF NE runs away with the #1 seed Denver also has no reason to play week 18.

thank God Zach Taylor is a terrible HC or else these Bengals would be a problem in the playoffs. Luckily, they are never there. It is currently almost 3 calendar years since Burrow took a playoff snap.

3/4 of the way through the Bengals game the narrative was Allen has no weapons. Then Burrow tossed a floater right to a blitzing CB for 6 and Allen put his cape on so it's all forgotten. But it could still be true. I'm admittedly a crazy optimist who always expects they'll win. It's not an act for the boards. But I'm.also not blind. IF we win it all this year it's because Allen went nuclear in the playoffs and just became unstoppable.

Maybe but it'll all be buried because we're about to win the Super Bowl! The AFC playoffs look like a 3 week stretch in the middle of the season in between prime time games

It's been a cute story. Drake Maye for MVP! This week begins OUR march not to a midseason SNF championship, but to a SB championship! NE has been much improved, and seem to have the HC and QB figured out, so they'll be a problem. But this is the year that all the hard work, all the winning, all the getting close, all the superhuman Allen plays, finally pay off.

I was thinking the same: start Rypien, but dress Rivers as backup. Colts could still get in with 6 losses, so maybe this week is a write off.

ironically, KC fans will want the Bills to win this week, because they need to get NE and DEN both to 4 losses so that DEN tries in week 18. IF either they have #1 seed wrapped up or cannot clinch it then they will rest everyone and LA will win. KC wish list this week: KC over LA Bills over NE GB over DEN if those things happen, the only other help would be: Week 16: Ravens over NE (or NE to lose any other 1 game along the way but this is most realistic) Week 18: DEN over LA 1 more loss for LA somewhere

somewhere Drew Brees is posting videos of him hitting the sleds again