Success

Roughly halfway through the 1:00 games, and I have concluded that the Bills need to win out.

Not really anyone. I don't want the Bills to play IN Kansas City again. If we can lock up home field, there isn't anyone I would really want to avoid. Naturally, we could lose to anyone - but I like our chances against basically every team.

"The Dirty Noodle."

NYC is Bills territory. It's not 100% Bills territory - but Bills fans can call it home.

I realized on the "what song" thread how different we all must be - but what ties us all together as brothers and sisters is the sacred, almost indescribable love & devotion to the Buffalo Bills. A very Happy New Year to you all! And I hope 2023 exceeds all of our wildest dreams, in football and in life...

I mean, the last-place Patriots 100% should have beaten Cincy last week. That game was basically over w/ 1st & goal at the end. I am really looking forward to the game. I have a hunch it will be a statement game.

Kind of surprised to see all the chitter chatter from Cincy. I'm not a huge believer in "bulletin board material" when it comes to grown men - but that's gotta give the Bills a little bit of a boost heading into Monday.

If we can secure the bye week, it's like a brand new season in the playoffs.

It would be tempting - that would be a cool place to go in the middle of winter, and it would be kind of cool to see it live if they can pull through and get that 1st Lombardi. I went to one SB previously (non-Bills), and it was a cool atmosphere - but you also get disadvantages that you get w/ any live game. I think I'd be too tense during a Bills SB to not have the best camera angles, replay, et al. that comes w/ watching at home.

I remember seeing a thing on that magical NC State b-ball run in the '80s. Supposedly, Valvano would end practices by taking out a ladder & some scissors, and having the team cut down the net like the champs do at the end of the NCAA tournament. That was an underdog team - but they thought like champions. I always find myself hoping also that the team doesn't think like the fans. At least some of us older ones - who carry around past failures like a ball & chain. I hope that they consider themselves to just be an up & coming team w/ the future of possibilities right out there in front of them.

I'm a Norman fan. He brought some great energy to the team while he was a Bill.

KC very likely wins out. I don't think it's a stretch to say that quite a bit of this team's SB hopes lay in the balance on Monday night. It's not dramatic to say that. The differences between the top 3 AFC teams are so thin - homefield, and getting the extra week, are crucial this season. Of course a championship is still possible if the Bills lose. But it goes from being a mild incline, to a pretty steep mountain. This is such a big, big game. I want KC to have to make that trip to Buffalo.

They can still make the playoffs, right? Inexplicable. It's hard to see what reasoning would support this.

Motor & Cook running effectively is absolutely the key to getting that elusive title, imo. The Bills are still largely seen as a 1-man team on offense. That really can't be the case if we want to have a playoff run through the current AFC.

KC earlier this season was pretty big, too. But this feels epic because the season is winding down, and everything hangs in the balance. It's so much fun. For so many years, we were just playing out the string at this point, and thinking about the draft.

Bass has really come through. Great pick. Watching Hodgins w/ the Giants, I think that's one that got away. He was great in the preseason here. Obviously, our coaches saw more in the WR's we kept on the active roster, and they know more than me, but it's hard to see what they were seeing on that one.

I get what you're saying too - but it's not what they look for, or what they're instructed to look for. Protocol is all about actual concussion symptoms. Look, it may end up that Miami is really at fault here - but like I said in the original post, there are too many snap reactions on the internet, when no one knows anything right now aside from that he hit his head. This announcement today took everyone by surprise, and we all watched the game.

Poor QB play is not a concussion symptom.

Did he? How do you mean? Because he threw INT's?

Twitter and the rest are going crazy on this story. It's really one of my least favorite things about the internet. Instantly, everyone feels like they know everything, and are quick to judge. From the sounds of it, he only exhibited some symptoms after the game. And they're not even sure yet if it's really a concussion. This doesn't sound like it was something that was instantly clear or obvious, or even suspicious. But we all need more details to come out.

He was supposed to be the player who didn't have all the skills, but had the "poise" and maturity to be a good or great QB. He seems like a total brat. He out-whines every other QB, has tantrums regularly, and does stuff like this. Leaf vibes.

Has it been reported that he showed symptoms during the game? From what I read, it was only after the game - and they're not even sure it's a concussion. Either way, I obviously hope the guy is okay.

That's fair, and I get the fans who would rather face NE. I do think coaching and defense become more prominent in the playoffs, but it's not like high-powered offenses haven't been successful. For me, it's probably just that there is too much mental baggage w/ Belichick. I loved beating them like we did in the WC, but I didn't enjoy the day leading up to that. I'd prefer (personally) to just have a playoff game without all of that. He's more capable of getting a middlin' team to overachieve for a game than most other coaches in the league.

It's not that outrageous. Is Miami really that much better than NE? They do have the same record right now. One has a better offense, one has a better defense. Both are division rivals. EDIT: sorry, my mistake - they don't have the same record. But easily could after Sunday. I don't think there is a huge gap between those teams.

Who haven't they played tough this year? Probably should have beat the Raiders, probably should have beat Cincy, probably should have beat Minnesota. They're not garbage. The defense is top 5 and capable of keeping any game close. No, thanks - I don't want to see them in the playoffs.