Success

I'm not religious (at all), but I do think all of the prayers and positive energy sent out by SO many people makes a difference. It was great to see the NFL world united for a few days like that, and the outpouring of support even from bitter rivals.

Cincy had a hot start against the Ravens yesterday, too. They were lucky the opposing QB was a 3rd stringer.

If the Pats should have won more games, they would have won them. That's why I said they remind me of the Bills during the drought. The Bills had very similar years during that time, where they had a good running game & D, and a lot of close games that they just couldn't finish. That was the Pats this year. Pats also could have easily lost to the Steelers & Jets, both times. I think 2 things are going to hold the Patriots back in the years ahead: Mac Jones, and Bill Belichick. The latter has lost his touch, and Jones is exactly the kind of QB that will keep a team picking somewhere between 11 - 17 in every draft.

I get that. Miami is the OLD nemesis, for me. I started watching the Bills in the '80s, and they were the hated team. But the Pats really took their place, and I'd be surprised if that changed for me. I never imagined anything like the run they had against the Bills when I started being a sports fan. It gives me incredible satisfaction to keep beating that team, especially w/ Belichick at the helm. He's the greatest coach in history, and he can't do a thing to stop JA and this team.

I'm completely focused on the playoffs, and nothing matters (really) until we win the Super Bowl. But I can chew gum & walk at the same time. I can still love that we just ended the Pats season for the 2nd year in a row, and won 6 out of the last 7, with the only loss being in hurricane-force winds. I can love their salty online comments about how "the Bills will just choke to KC again." I can love that they're stuck in the purgatory we had for years - not bad enough to get a high draft pick, not good enough to do anything meaningful. I love, love, love that we have flipped the script w/ that team. And I expect it to continue for a long time. He who laughs last, and all of that....

I swear - reading some of the Pats boards, it sounds like we did in during the drought. All about the bad officiating, and how they have cap space & the building blocks, and will be "right back in contention next year." It's kind of wonderful. Spoiler alert: they won't be right back in contention last year. They're headed for an offseason of turmoil if Kraft has had it w/ losing, and pushes Belichick's buttons on changes he thinks should be made to the coaching staff.

Von & Hyde are really 2 huge losses. I feel like we have a middlin' pass rush without Von, and that we give up way too many easy completions without Hyde. Guys have to step up.

I'm going to pretend I didn't see that.

Can we get Hines more involved in the offense? And Shakir? I feel like we have some guys who are under-utilized. It's a talented offense, so I kind of get it, but Hines is a real playmaker.

They did get a couple of favorable calls - I thought that was PI in the endzone, and the offensive PI on Henry was kind of phantom. But we had a couple of those go against us too. It was pretty even.

You know, after ALL of the phantom roughing calls against Brady and officiating being one-sided in the Pats favor for years - it feels really warm & fuzzy to see their fans online blaming the refs.

Man, after the past couple of decades - feels good to end that team's season 2 years in a row. Good, gutty win today. #3 is smiling, I'm sure.

So, if we lose - who would we play next week?

Heck no - and they won't. This team is going to come out tomorrow w/ everything they've got.

I get so annoyed when Mahomes scampers for 1st downs. But then I think, this must be how opposing teams feel when Allen goes off.

Well, a Raiders TD drive here could at least make it interesting....

Pick 6 might save the game. Let's get one of those.

To be fair - Allen gets some good treatment, too.

We're beating KC this year in the playoffs. I don't care where it is.

Refs appear to be all in on this one.

Stidham ain't bad. Honestly, he looks better than Mac Jones - I wonder if Pats fans watch these games and think "what if."

Love the jumping through tables. Love "Shout!" I even don't mind the mustard guy. But this tradition? Nope. I truly wish this wasn't associated w/ Buffalo. This isn't a strip club, or swinger's party. People bring kids to these games, in case no one has noticed.

Raiders could come up huge for everyone today (well, except KC).

To read the comments of some Bengals fans online today, you'd think the NFL took away their eligibility for the playoffs for the next decade. No solution to this was going to be fair to everyone. Cincy probably got the worst of it - but they win tomorrow, against a likely 3rd stringer, and they're still in great shape.

Division rivalries can be weird. I know what you're saying, but I remember the Pats beating the Jets 45-3, then meeting again in the playoffs and losing to them. We SHOULD win this game of course. But I'll never discount Belichick, or any given Sunday.