Einstein's Dog

Normally this is the case but the whole dynamic changes if it is Tua that goes into the locker room or off on a cart from a head injury. This situation would overshadow what is happening on the field. This blurs the line on "winning is what matters". I know it would adversely affect my enjoyment of the game. It would be bad for the NFL Brand. If I were Commisioner I would not allow this possibility. I would have told Miami this along with all the other arrangements- it's a consequence of the unusual fallout from the Hamlin related situation. I would give Miami the neutral game if it came to it. In that light you can then see that the Miami vote against the proposal was a signal to the league that it wasn't their idea or their preference.

I think you have the answer right in your stats - the 5 out of 9 percentage for swing passes to an RB is unacceptable. Secondly, the chemistry with Josh has been off. Josh lost confidence in throwing darts to them (both Cook and Hines) and was floating the ball out there. The hang time of the floaters gives the D time to adjust and negates a lot of the advantages of the speed of these RBs. Until Dorsey becomes confident that these issues have been cleared up he is justified in limiting the play.

True, I would like to keep Hines. Both Cook and Hines are kind of slight and could easily be injured. It would also provide some continuity year over year and maybe help smooth out some of the timing in the swing passes and screens. While Hines is signed for more seasons I think it is one of those type of contracts the Bills could easily move away from. I think Hines is scheduled to make around $4M which isn't cheap. I think they'll restructure.

I'm starting to think Miami. Behind closed doors the league may say in exchange for Tua not playing they will award the neutral game to them. Easy to get to, nice weather, but they can still claim elements with no dome. Would be a sell out as both cities/teams would enjoy the road trip. And KC vs Buff in nice weather should be an offensive explosion which wouldn't hurt.

To add to that, from a personal perspective I wouldn't want to see it. If Tua got carted off with a head injury my enjoyment of the game would be affected (as would many others I imagine). The recency to the Hamlin trauma would make me more sensitive. If I were running the league, I wouldn't allow Tua to play. And certainly not McDaniels/Miami, their track record is terrible.

It would be a behind the scenes directive from Roger. Miami could have found a doctor to clear him, we already saw that with the "back" injury. It's just that this time, the league won't let them. Way too much at stake.

Most people who think Tua is starting haven't thought it out much. Of course it's a huge risk for Tua, but the real reason is the incredible risk it would be to the league. If Tua gets Mike Whitishly pulverized and goes unconcious from it, or even has to leave the game, the whole wild card weekend of playoffs is overshadowed. The league can not have another D Hamlin type event during wild card weekend. Miami will get a discreet phone call and publicly announce how they are going to be cautious. The alternative of risking tens/hundreds of millions to the league in terms of goodwill won't be allowed. Miami has already been exposed for working outside the rules, the league shouldn't let them risk it.

Hines was brought in as J Cook insurance/push and for special teams. If Cook didn't progress or was injured Hines would take the role. But Cook has progressed and is looking better, so I think they have held off of using Hines in that role. The McKenzie insurance/push was the Beas pick up. That, IMO, has more merit. The Gabe D insurance/push was Smoke. That also may need to be considered.

Not only that but the check down plays themselves do not have the same percentage of completion as other teams or the same level of effectiveness. For completions i think back to the opening drive of the Jets game, a simple swing pass to Singletary who isn't looking, the play where J Cook stops, the 3 yarder to McKenzie where it bounces off his hands in the Miami game. And somewhat recently the nonconnection with Beas in Cincy. For effectiveness, I think back to when Josh, maybe concerned with the catchers would float the ball out. The hang time of a floated pass was a contributing factor in the play getting very few yards. Now add to that the Bills have on their team one of arguably the top five best ever 20 yard laser throwing QBs and you should be able to understand the opponents strategy of trying to bait the Bills into a dink and dunk contest with the likes of Mac and Cheese or Tua, or anyone really.

I don't understand your thought here- if the league didn't "contort" itself KC would have the bye and the home field throughout the playoffs. The change to KC is now if they have to meet the Bills it will be on a neutral field. Cincy was complaining and didn't want the "contortion" because without the change Cincy would already be the Division winner and have home field advantage.

Yeah, I thought they would have put a Bills/Cincy game at a neutral location.

Unlikely we would be playing the Bengals in the Championship game. And it doesn't say anything about games before then. For me, I hope it comes to pass, Bills vs KC in a place to be named, hopefully a dome. Seems like it would be reasonably priced available tickets.

You should also have any games between 2 of the 3, KC/Bills/Cincy should go to a neutral site (not just the AFCCG).

Couple of questions. If they do a neutral site, where? How early would they tell us? Would love to go to a place like Tenn and catch this. Second- what if only one team between KC/Bills/Cincy makes the AFCCG? Seems like this option should only be used if 2 of these 3 teams meet in the AFCCG, otherwise seeding was accurate and the team should enjoy the benefit of home field advantage.

Give them the option? And what if the Bills don't want to do it, do they forfeit then? Because not many would want to travel to Cincy play a morbid game at the scene where Damar was put on life support. And the loser of that game is at a disadvantage to the lower seeded teams who get a bye. If the Bills are forfeiting the game to Cincy do it before they play NE. So at least then they know they are probably the 3 seed and can rest players accordingly.

Correct, it is not. It should have been though. And now the league will be making up some kind of rule. The ideas of some type of stand alone game are so flawed that I find it hard for people to even consider them.

With win percentage. Which should have already been on the books as a rule. The NFL just went through Covid and was lucky the last week wasn't hit hard before. They should have thought of it then and put it into the books. You can make games up early on, but at the end it just doesn't work.

He means making up a rule after the results are in. You shouldn't do that, and certainly not an enterprise with as much money at stake as the NFL.

The Bills are scheduled to play on Sunday. It is only up in the air by some posters on this board, the game is scheduled and will be played. The Chiefs play on Saturday and this can affect how the Bills approach the game. If the Chiefs win it is entirely possible our starters will not play, or not play very long. It will be our pseudo bye week because the 1 seed will no longer be considered a viable option.

If things unravel now no one will be attributing it to 13 seconds. The 13 seconds debacle was dealt with, starting with the Rams and continuing with beating KC. The Bills showed they were SB contenders and went 12-3. If things unravel from here it would clearly be attributed to this latest development - Hamlin. I don't see that happening. And their response to 13 seconds is part of the reason. This is a resilient group. Sure, the NE game is in jeopardy. But by the time playoffs start, in two weeks, the mood can be dramatically different.

Good point. No need to help out the league in that case. I don't mind the Tie/win percentage route. Kind of hurts Cincy in a little and helps KC some, because if KC/Cincy/Bills win, then the order would be KC/Bills/Cincy. Still seems like a cleaner/better move than all these complex extra game scenarios.

I agree that the game was by no means over. But that was a secondary reason to forfeit. McDermott should take the forfeit for the benefit of the league. He can say he wasn't bringing his team back out after what happened (and I believe he will be speaking the truth). It was the Bills that weren't going to resume playing- regardless of what the league said. So while the Bills appreciate the league actions the Bills will accept the consequences and forfeit the game.

I think along your lines. The Bills may come out with a statement that they will forfeit. Say the league offered them a chance to replay and they declined. It just helps the league out of a tricky situation with the Bills taking the hit. The Bills were behind and it was a Bills player that went down. Plus there were rumors that McD wasn't bringing the team back out no matter what the league said. While the Superbowl odds may decrease, the overall Bills brand will shine. And there will be an undercurrent of support Nationwide.

This is one of the reasons it was a bad idea to put the KC game on Saturday. Now if the Bills forfeit (or if they lost) and KC wins Saturday, then the Bills have little to gain against the Pats - would need Cincy to lose for any change in seeding.

So if/when the Bills win tonight they might have the 1 seed locked up before they play week 18 if KC loses. Several thoughts from there. First wouldn't Miami and Pitt be pretty upset? Second would the Bills put in Case Keenum? It would be a long layoff- they would have the bye plus nothing on the line week 18. I thought the league was trying to avoid these scenarios. Seems like the league made this schedule thinking Cincy is going to win.