The Red King

Yes, but then after Miami, we'd have to go to Baltimore. No thank you!

If the Bills win the Super Bowl, especially if it's not even close, Nick will implode onto himself and become a black hole. 🤣

Ah, gotcha. Fixing is a *lot* easier then scripting. The owners don't have to be in on it. And I wouldn't see it like, "Make sure [x] wins this game!". I see it more as, "The spread is [x] on this one, keep it close until the fourth quarter." or "Tip the calls toward [x] today, we'd prefer them to win." With rigging though, it doesn't [i]have[/i] to happen. If those individual outcomes don't happen, oh well. I remember the Jags game, what was it, four years ago? It was the low-scoring mess. For three quarters the Jags were getting *all* the calls. It was still a one-score game, and all of a sudden the calls drift to neutral, then as it gets late into the fourth the Bills get some sketchy calls in their favor at key moments, but still can't pull off the win. I remember then wondering if the NFL told the refs to keep it close, but let Buffalo win in the end. Again, I don't know any of this for certain, and I'm not even sure what I believe on this, but things have seemed sketchy this season so I wanted to open a discussion on it.

Also, for all the Lawrence bashing, let's not forget the sure TD drop at the end of the game. I still haven't been able to unclench.

Oh, I remember him specifically saying the Bills won't make the playoffs. Not "I think...", he specifically said they wouldn't. 🤣 That aside, props to the Titans. They wanted this game, maybe somehow more then the Jags. A couple of key, huge defensive stops there, and Henry spent every last drop of gas in the tank.

Titans upset the Jags. As a result, the Bills and Steelers just clinched the last two playoff spots.

Not good for the nerves. But now Buffalo can just focus on the division. I almost feel bad for Miami. Lose and they drop to #6 and have to go to KC. Win, and the get the #2 seed...and have to play those same Bills at home again next week.

Um, I changed nothing. I quoted the post in my reply. The original is a few replies higher on this page. No way I could have edited that. "Scripted" was used. I...honestly have no idea what you're trying to say.

As I said earlier, "fixed" does not equal "scripted". All you said applies to scripted, the word you used. I'm saying the NFL can have the refs nudge games on a week to week basis to improve the narrative or affect betting outcomes. No, I don't believe it's at all possible to script a season, but that's not what I asked.

There's a difference between believing it's all completely scripted, and believing the NFL influences individual outcomes via officiating.

They find ways to win, and they can go toe-to-toe with anyone when they're at their best. Not sure if they're gonna bring that 'A' game any given week, so I'm not saying it's a lock, but I see it as a definate possibility. I'm confident they *can*, if they get in at least. I'm not looking past that step yet.

You can't help but wonder what he's thinking. He does seem less intense at times this season. He knows it's over in NE. They're in full rebuild. He could retire. Does he want to go through the effort/challenge of building a new champion elsewhere? Or is he happy with his legacy and ready to ride off into the sunset? One way or another that looked like a "goodbye, thanks for the challenge"-type exchange. Given his statement about Josh, I feel like he's got a soft spot for the Bills atm. And I know, that seems odd to say.

Also remember, Brady is an interim OC. This isn't him running his own system. He's stuck trying to tweak Dorsey's system.

I'll critique McD, so it's only fair to credit him here. When I saw that shotgun I wondered if Dorsey snuck in, kidnapped Brady and was disguised as him on the sideline.

I think he's always been playing for it. We were hoping for "better then Dorsey", and I believe we have it, but that's just an end-of-season goal. I wasn't ready to give him the keys right away, even after the quick start. He has been, and should continue to be evaluated. Ironically, our offensive output dropped hard the moment we got Knox back. Anyone else notice this? When Brady's gameplans involved Kincaid as the sole TE, they were lighting it up.

A PIT win is not guarantied. I remember BUF losing at home to PIT's backups during the drought and missing the playoffs as a result.

If only we had some kind of play that could get a yard. Maybe they could find some way to sneak the QB or something...

We...do...have a running game, right?

Something just seems off with Josh today. I mean, really off. That pass, like most of his today, didn't look crisp in the air. That isn't his first underthrow, either. Is he hurt?

Neither of our games is an automatic win. That's why I want to lock a playoff spot up this weekend. Sooner the better.

Difference between cocky and confident. It's one thing for a Miami fan to be confident they win out. They're fans. We're doing the same thing. To believe they're going to roll the Ravens and Bills is something else altogether.

Agreed. Best case scenario is: Week 17 - BUF beats NE, BAL beats MIA, KC beats CIN and SEA beats PIT. With that, Buffalo goes into Miami already with a playoff berth locked in, and the chance to play MIA for the AFC East and #2 seed.

I agree. I didn't propose it. I just remember it being talked about. At the time it was only if divisional rivals met, and the WC swept the division winner. And again, it was just talk. The idea being that if, say, Buffalo swept Miami and then met in the playoffs, the Bills would have earned the home game against Miami despite not winning the division by virtue of beating them twice already. Again, this isn't *my* proposition, and I did not agree with the idea back then when it was being discussed. Nothing came from it though.

I don't like going into the playoffs off a loss. I'd rather a Week 18 win outright.

If Buffalo wins next week, KC beats Cincy and Seattle beats Pitt, the Bills will secure a playoff birth before Week 18.