The Red King

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.

If we beat the Pats, KC beats Cincy and Seattle beats Pitt, we secure a playoff birth before Week 18.

Why are you still watching, if everything but a Super Bowl win is pain?

For those wondering, I do recall talk some awhile back about some kind of rule where if divisional rivals meet in the playoffs, the division winner would have to go to the Wild Card if that Wild Card did better against the division winner, or something like that. But nothing ever came from those talks.

Ravens beat the Dolphins and we win out, Baltimore will have the #1 seed by virtue of better record. Buffalo will at worst be tied with *just* KC, giving us the tie-breaker due to head-to-head. The AFC South champ will be at least one game back of us. So, yeah, we almost control our own destiny to the #2 seed. We win out and the Ravens beat the Dolphins, #2 is ours.

Just...wow. If Baltimore beats Miami, KC loses one of their last three games, and Buffalo wins out, they would be the #2 seed! 🤯

"And what happened, then? Well, in Whoville they say - that my blood pressure grew three sizes that day. And then - the true meaning of Christmas came through, and the Bills found the strength of *ten* Grinches, plus two!"