Sierra Foothills

Has anyone ever seen them in the same place at the same time?

You guys should all be ashamed of yourselves.... lord knows I am.

Which is why I was reminding people that the "must win/win-at-all-costs" mentality is more fear-driven than reason-driven. There are so many fans who think that every game is must win. As you remind us, "even the very wise cannot see all ends." Aside from your fears, do you have a prediction for the game?

The Bills finished with 8 total turnovers.

It's a good policy for ownership to buy goodwill in the locker room.

Not if they lose every time they do it though.

At the risk of violating the "no playoff talk" rule and angering the gods, it needs to be pointed out that none of the NFC teams know what their final playoff seeding is. That means that there are a lot of NFC games with "playoff relevance" as far as seedings go.

You're not the boss of me! For a lot of season ticket holders, it's a big chunk of their discretionary income. Selling the tickets is a very common way of defraying some of the cost. I don't agree with the practice and I've said before that the secondary market should allow a season ticket holder to sell to a "verified fan" of the home team. Surprised/disappointed that this easy option is not yet available.

It will be glorious to vanquish our biggest rivals/nemesis in one playoff season. We would: 1) Get revenge against the Bengals for the '22 Divisional Round 2) Keep our status as postseason Daddies to the Ravens ("now about that MVP conversation...") 3) Get the monkeys off our backs against the Chiefs I don't really care who we beat in the Super Bowl.

I think because he's only played 12 games and less than half of all offensive snaps that he needs the work to shake off the rust and get into game shape (he's missed the last two games). Also he has to help eat up some of the snaps today... especially with Amari not playing.

We can watch porn any night... this is football Sunday!!! I think you misunderstood my post. The last 14 game season was in 1977.

I saw where the offseason jobs program between the CFL and Canadian Tire has been scaled back. The coaches now only receive a 5 gallon pail with assorted promotional merchandise and giveaways. It includes a pretty sweet tire pressure gauge though.

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/steelers-make-unwanted-history-after-losing-fourth-straight-game-heading-into-the-playoffs/#:~:text=PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers,(h%2Ft ESPN).

Per PFT: "It’s the second straight year in which the Browns have fired an offensive coordinator. After the 2023 season, Alex Van Pelt got the boot after a playoff appearance for the Browns. Head coach Kevin Stefanski, the 2023 coach of the year, earned his shot to be a head coach through his work as an offensive coordinator. The chronic failures of the offense, however, have not yet stuck to him. Dorsey had been fired by the Bills during the 2023 season. He was one of several offensive coordinators who crash-landed on their feet in 2024. Van Pelt became the offensive coordinator in New England. Luke Getsy, fired by the Bears, was hired by the Raiders. Shane Waldron, out with the Seahawks after Pete Carroll was fired, got the Bears job. All of them except Van Pelt already have been fired. And, based on the Patriots offensive performance this season, Van Pelt could make it a clean sweep." https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/browns-first-offensive-coordinator-ken-dorsey

FWIW according to Google AI, the Bills hold the record in a 14 game season with 13 different players. It doesn’t say what year that is though. Accounting for the longer season, that prorates to 15.79 different players over 17 games.

As of this morning (Sunday January 5th) most of the playoff field has been set, but two playoff teams remain to be decided and the No. 1 seed in the NFC will go down to the final game of the season. Here’s how the NFL playoff picture looks after the Saturday games of Week 18: AFC Playoff Picture DIVISION LEADERS 1. Kansas City Chiefs (15-1): Clinched the No. 1 seed, first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs. 2. Buffalo Bills (13-3): Clinched the No. 2 seed. 3. Baltimore Ravens (12-5): Clinched the No. 3 seed. 4. Houston Texans (9-7): Clinched the No. 4 seed. WILD CARDS 5. Los Angeles Chargers (10-6): Clinched a wild card, will be the 5 seed with a win on Sunday or the 6 seed with a loss on Sunday. 6. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7): Clinched a wild card, will be the 6 seed if the Chargers win on Sunday or the 5 seed if the Chargers lose on Sunday. 7. Denver Broncos (9-7): Need to win today to be the 7 seed. OUTSIDE LOOKING IN Cincinnati Bengals (9-8): Would be the 7 seed if the Broncos and Dolphins both lose. Miami Dolphins (8-8): Would be the 7 seed with a win and a Broncos loss. NFC Playoff Picture DIVISION LEADERS 1. Detroit Lions (14-2): Clinched a playoff berth, will clinch the No. 1 seed if they beat or tie the Vikings on Sunday night. 2. Philadelphia Eagles (13-3): Clinched the No. 2 seed. 3. Los Angeles Rams (10-6): Clinched the NFC West. 4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7): One-game lead in the NFC South, but they would lose a tiebreaker to the Falcons. WILD CARDS 5. Minnesota Vikings (14-2): Clinched a playoff berth, will clinch the No. 1 seed if they beat the Lions on Sunday night. 6. Washington Commanders (11-5): Clinched a playoff berth, own the NFC record tiebreaker over the Packers. 7. Green Bay Packers (11-5): Clinched a playoff berth. OUTSIDE LOOKING IN Atlanta Falcons (8-8): Will win the NFC South if they win on Sunday and the Buccaneers lose. Clinching Scenarios Here are the full playoff scenarios released by the NFL: AFC CLINCHED: Kansas City Chiefs (15-1) – AFC West, No. 1 seed, first-round bye and home-field advantage Buffalo Bills (13-3) – AFC East, No. 2 seed Baltimore Ravens (12-5) – AFC North, No. 3 seed Houston Texans (9-7) – AFC South, No. 4 seed Los Angeles Chargers (10-6) – wild card Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6) – wild card Cincinnati Bengals (9-8) season over Cincinnati clinches a playoff berth with: DEN loss + MIA loss or tie Denver Broncos (9-7) vs. Kansas City Chiefs (15-1); Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS Denver clinches a playoff berth with: DEN win or tie Miami Dolphins (8-8) at New York Jets (4-12); Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX Miami clinches a playoff berth with: MIA win + DEN loss NFC CLINCHED: Philadelphia Eagles (13-3) – NFC East, No. 2 seed Los Angeles Rams (10-6) – NFC West Detroit Lions (14-2) – playoff berth Green Bay Packers (11-5) – playoff berth Minnesota Vikings (14-2) – playoff berth Washington Commanders (11-5) – playoff berth Detroit Lions (14-2) vs. Minnesota Vikings (14-2); Sunday night, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC Detroit clinches NFC North division title and the NFC’s No. 1 seed, lone first-round bye and home-field advantage with: DET win or tie Minnesota Vikings (14-2) at Detroit Lions (14-2); Sunday night, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC Minnesota clinches NFC North division title and the NFC’s No. 1 seed, lone first-round bye and home-field advantage with: MIN win Atlanta Falcons (8-8) vs. Carolina Panthers (4-12); Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS Atlanta clinches NFC South division title with: ATL win + TB loss Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7) vs. New Orleans Saints (5-11); Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, FOX Tampa Bay clinches NFC South division title with: TB win or tie ATL loss or tie

My money's on the Bills beating the Ravens in the Divisional Round.

The other guys will correct me if I'm wrong but I believe McDermott clearly stated that Hyde will not dress for this game.

Contrary to what you guys are saying, there is a line in football between what is acceptable and what is not. Unnecessary roughness is similar to the law enforcement concept of "excessive force." Do you guys remember this "clean hit" by Warren Sapp on Chad Clifton? The hit complied with the letter of the law at that time. Clifton suffered a fractured pelvis, was hospitalized, and couldn't walk for 5 weeks. He missed the remainder of the season including the playoffs. In 2005, the NFL Competition Committee agreed on new guidelines for "unnecessary roughness", making hits such as that suffered by Clifton illegal. Head on a swivel or not, acts like Sapps and Shnowman's are excessive, unnecessary, and malicious. Call me what you'd like but I'd prefer to enjoy a sport where there is some respect and consideration (and please don't confuse kindness for weakness) for your opponent. So I respectfully disagree with you guys.

As we all knew, Rex is getting interviewed... it's scheduled for Tuesday. https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/jets-will-interview-rex-ryan-for-head-coaching-vacancy-on-tuesday I still don't believe they'll hire him though... more just to get him off their backs.

My bad! Sorry!!! (see below) The Chargers will go as far as Justin Herbert will take them and he's been playing the best football of his career over the last two weeks.

If Von makes a handful of outcome affecting plays in the postseason and the Bills win the Super Bowl, how will you feel about the acquisition?

Probably Tom Brady. I think it had to do with the Bills signing Lawyer Milloy in 2003. Due to the arcane and indecipherable NFL compensatory draft rules, New England was awarded an extra retro-future 6th rounder in 2000. Or something like that.

Yes, it possibly could. While the Patriots have not drafted well over the last several years we cannot assume that will continue next year. They could have a lucky good draft.

Excerpt from Joe Buscaglia's piece yesterday in "The Athletic:" The case for and against — practice squad elevations With the Bills wanting to look at some young players on their roster, here is a quick rundown of players they could consider. Remember, the Bills can only use two elevations for the game. QB Mike White — The Bills admitted that it will be difficult to call up White due to a roster crunch at other positions, but didn’t rule it out. RB Frank Gore Jr. — He had one call-up earlier in the season when James Cook was injured, but the team may want to get Ray Davis the bulk of the work. Cook also has some season-long markers the Bills may want to hit in the game. That takes Gore out of consideration. WR K.J. Hamler — Hamler is the only practice squad receiver with a call-up remaining, as the Bills elevated Jalen Virgil and Tyrell Shavers on three separate occasions, which is the maximum amount for the season. Hamler would get the call if the Bills want to rest Amari Cooper or Curtis Samuel can’t play. OL Will Clapp — Clapp spent 11 weeks on the active roster, and part of the benefits of calling up a player is that the player gets a 53-man roster salary for that weekend. The Bills may look elsewhere since he’s a veteran player and has gotten that level of compensation nearly quadruple the standard elevation limit. OL Richard Gouraige — Gouraige is an extremely compelling case for a standard elevation, as he could help the Bills give their entire starting offensive line the week off and also has the flexibility to play either guard or tackle. He would enhance their overall versatility should an injury occur to one of their four other backup offensive linemen. OL Mike Edwards — Edwards hasn’t been called up once this year, but it’s only his first year on the practice squad, and he is a guard only, which would probably give Gouraige the edge. Gouraige is in his second full year on the practice squad. DE Kingsley Jonathan — If the Bills want to give one of Dawuane Smoot, A.J. Epenesa or Von Miller some more rest, Jonathan would be one to consider this weekend. Jonathan is on the shortlist of those to call up. DE Casey Toohill — Like Jonathan, the Bills could consider Toohill for another option at defensive end. The only thing working against him is that, like Clapp, Toohill spent the first 15 weeks on the active roster, guaranteeing his full-year 53-man roster salary. LB/S Lewis Cine — Cine has one elevation remaining and is a very strong candidate to get called up this weekend. Not only does he give them versatility at two different positions, but they could use him on all phases of special teams to help lighten the workload of some others. CB Daequan Hardy — Hardy hasn’t been called up yet this season and could factor into cornerback this weekend. However, the Bills have a lot of healthy cornerbacks and a few different options to use on the 53-man roster already. S Kareem Jackson — Jackson is another consideration with one standard elevation remaining, though he may not have as much versatility to offer in this situation as Cine. He remains on the shortlist, however. S Micah Hyde — McDermott ruled out Hyde being called up this weekend against the Patriots. Projected practice squad elevations: OL Richard Gouraige, LB/S Lewis Cine It's behind a paywall: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6034094/2025/01/03/josh-allen-bills-patriots-starters-week-18/