FilthyBeast

I didn't address that because we've seen mixed results through the years in terms of teams resting their key players. Chiefs have done this pretty much on an annual basis the last 6 years and they've obviously never in the playoffs as a result. In fact I believe Andy Reid has the best record in NFL history coming off a bye week in both regular/postseason. Regardless outside of the Chiefs being somewhat of an anomaly I still always tend to favor the team that has is battled tested and don't rest players which is one of the main reasons I think the Texans also beat the Browns convincingly a few weeks ago despite everyone jumping on that bandwagon. Browns rested everyone the last week of the season and the Texans played a gritty must win game in Indy to secure a playoff spot, then ultimately division when Jaguars collapse was finished.

This is very interesting especially because a lot of people felt that the the Chiefs played their 'superbowl' against the Bills in the 2021/13 seconds game and now again last Sunday because they were so dead set on proving a point and winning their first road playoff game. Hoping that plays out again for the Chiefs against the Ravens but still not betting against this team ever as long as a healthy Mahomes is starting a playoff game.

I voted Elway scenario because that's obviously best case at this point, assuming the right head coach is eventually in place. But I won't be surprised if the first two scenarios playing out as well sadly.

The Chiefs won because they have the better coach, QB and defense which was validated yet again in this latest matchup. They are also the defending world champions playing in their 6 straight AFCCG. Why people choose to over analyze the situation is a frivolous waste of time Also I think the injury excuse is tiresome at this point as well especially when it's already been pointed out that when a healthy Milano, White, etc has played in these games the result has been exactly the same. The issue that does need to be addressed though is this regimes persistent drafting of undersized, injury prone players (mostly on defense which is no coincidence). I think you also have to clean house with the training/strength and conditioning staff at this point as well.

Well you got me there. Nobody would even remember Kaepernick right now if not for other reasons that has kept this clown in the news so many years later. At this point though anything that helps stop the Chiefs and Mahomes is a positive so hopefully Harbaugh is successful with the Chargers.

And yet he was probably the best player out there against the Chiefs the other day which is pretty scary considering how invisible all these other guys were.

I still think Harbaugh is a bit over hyped, at least compared to his brother whose NFL resume is much more impressive even if the Ravens lose this weekend. Still would have went after Belichik but maybe they did and he said no for some reason...who knows.

Would love to see proof of this...there's absolutely nothing better about the Chargers right now but if they land the right coach they can certainly make a quick turnaround with the pieces they have. I mean they did almost beat the Bills with a back up QB and interim head coach who never even held a DC or OC position before in this league (one of many warning signs this team was never a legit contender BTW). My overall point is that keeping McDivisional and Beane around because 'they ended the drought' makes zero sense considering this team isn't in the position the Texans were last year in terms of complete rebuild. They just need an upgrade at head coach to build around Josh Allen, and more importantly dump this absurdly pathetic defensive scheme build around undersized injury prone players and classice 'bend but don't break' mentality. The right head coach could take the Bills to a championship in the next few years.....McDivisional is not that guy no matter what ya'all want to continue to believe.

I just keep thinking about 'continuity' and the idea that this regime deserves to be here no matter what but then I look at a team like the Texans who picked #2 overall in the draft last year because they were terrible and then just one year later with a rookie head coach and QB had the same exact success and Beane and McDivisionals Bills.....a division title and losing in the divisional round. So again, what am I missing here....or more importantly what is Terry Pegula missing seeing other teams do this year after year so quickly?

I've said this for years and been flamed for it. Doug Marrone and Rex Ryan would have taken this team to at least one superbowl by now. Won't go as far to say win it but they were/are upgrades with a QB like Josh Allen. And before people brush this off remember that both have won road playoff games (something McD has never done) and both have been to at least one AFCCG which is the same career highlight as McD. They also did this with Blake Bortles and Mark Sanchez as their respective starting QB's.

Don't be surprised is nothing happens, including hiring an actual DC again. Because listening to a lot of these talking heads on TV they are all pretty much saying that the Bills should stay the course which is exactly what Beane and McDivisional probably love seeing.

Why? What exactly has he done other than be a part of the same defense that continues to fail over and over against elite QB's and in the playoffs?

I actually think he's going to be the first man up so to speak when Reid retires and take over as head coach. Some speculate that could happen as soon as this year but would you really want to walk away with potentially the GOAT on your roster?

How exactly can a team that is projected to be some $40 million over the salary cap going to stay the course or run it back even if they wanted to? Yes the salary cap can be manipulated but it would be the absolute worse thing for Beane to not acknowledge the obvious in terms of much needed changes to this roster with what little money they are going to have anyway.

Looking at the final 4 teams left you can make an argument for all of them to go the distance this year, but as of right now I think the AFCCG is the real superbowl next week and the winner goes on to a blowout win against the 49ers or Lions.

I think it depends on what happens with the Chiefs. If they go on to win the superbowl (now a very likely outcome IMO) then yes you can easily argue the Bills were a probably championship bound as well, but that will also make this loss among the worse in franchise history knowing this even compared to 2021 because I still think that's the ultimate straw man argument since the Chiefs didn't go on to win the superbowl that year, or even get there for that matter. But if for some reason this was the chiefs superbowl and they get smacked by the Ravens then I think it will become obvious a similar fate was waiting for the Bills.

Agree 100% and that's why it's funny when fans cry about the lack of pro bowl selections every year. Beane and McD have accumulated a lot of very solid NFL starters, role players, depth etc. But where they have fallen way short outside of JA17, is other elite game changers like the team they lost for now the 3rd time in the game that actually matters category. Take a look at Chris Jones last night, didn't necessarily have a monster game on the stat sheet but made the low key biggest play of the game when he hit Allen and disrupted what in all likelihood was going to be the go ahead TD for the Bills, and maybe game winning TD if they somehow stop Mahomes next. Ed Oliver was much better this year but has still been invisible in the playoffs like a lot of these other guys (including Milano who some fans really think would have made a difference last night despite also being a playoff no show his entire career).

Good riddance but knowing the Bills luck he'll probably sign a team friendly deal with another contender next year (i.e. the Chiefs) and have a career year. I will say this though, unlike a lot of guys on this team he at least showed up in the postseason. So that would be the only real reason for the Bills to consider keeping him but still think he's long gone regardless.

I've said for some time that if you truly put this teams 'success' under the microscope and take an objective, unbiased look at the situation that you'll probably realize that it's very hollow. The biggest of them all winning (now) four straight division titles in which the only real threat has been a soft Dolphins team also ravaged by injuries the last 2 years. In fact going back to 2020, this team almost lost to a washed Phillip Rivers in the wildcard round and probably would have if not for some favorable calls in that game. Other than that they have beat up on nothing but trash in the postseason just like a lot of their regular season wins through the years. Until a true 'wartime' coach is in the Buffalo nothing will change.

Which is also why I said the 2020 AFCCG is an outlier/asterisk because of the weird covid year and Jackson getting knocked out in the 3rd quarter. In some ways I feel bad for McDivisional because he showed brass balls last night but still couldnt win the game. It's simply just not meant to be for him, at least here in Buffalo.

Yes and I'll go as far as to say this '13 seconds' Bills would have won the Superbowl in 2021 crap needs to die once and for all as well. Remember, JA17 played the best game of his career that day and it's the only reason the game was close and came down to that to begin with. But it was never some sort of fluke win by Mahomes and the Chiefs. The better team won and they didn't even make the superbowl that year and neither would the Bills have which might be similar scenario if Ravens pull the upset next week.

No way man. I hate the Chiefs and even though I think another Lombardi is probably all but inevitable I'm pulling for the Ravens big time in this one to at least tap the brakes on the dynasty talk another year anyway. And unlike McDivisional, Harbaugh has climbed the mountain and beat the leagues best in playoff games, including multiple wins against Brady and the Patriots during their prime in the AFC playoffs. He'll be ready and hopefully Lamar continues to play at an MVP level to have a good shot in this one.

Mahomes/Reid are the perfect match just like Brady/Belichik, even though some still try their hardest to discount the latter. Regarding McD/Allen....they are obviously good enough to win the division title and get to the 2nd round of the playoffs. But convinced more than ever that's the ceiling and for JA17 to take the next step it's simply going to have to be with a new head coach. But regarding your point about playing 3rd string QB's the last few years....you really have to wonder if this duo would even have made the divisional if they played better competition so to speak. The Dolphins probably should have won last year in Buffalo and going back to the 2021/13 second season they faced Mac Jones in the first round and we all know he's probably destined to be nothing more than a backup in this league as well.

I still find the injury excuse fascinating. It's like the people that keep pushing this narrative believes that there is some sort of magical universe where the only NFL teams that can win big games in the playoffs or a superbowl are somehow 100% healthy all year. Yes it sucks, but still not sure what reality exists where guys like Milano, White, etc haven't been 100% healthy in the playoffs and still complete no shows in big games like this. Specifically White in the 2020 AFCCG against the Chiefs and Milano in the 2021 (13 seconds) divisional. They did absolutely nothing. Also for all the hype about Oliver and Daquan Jones they were among the biggest no shows yesterday in a game they needed to dominate at least 30% + percent of their one on one matches to have a chance to win.

Allen has proven to be a top tier NFL QB based on his postseason play alone. But unfortunately he plays in the same league as Mahomes and will always be second fiddle until he can win a playoff game against him. Also think the elephant in the room is Bengals/Joe Burrow who have proven they can beat the Chiefs in the playoffs and for me Burrow being 1B to Mahomes 1A is still the bigger conversation going forward.