Casey D Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 I know the phrase must win is overused, but the next two games are the key to the rest of the season IMO. Both are home games(Toronto I know but nevertheless) against decidedly average opponents. If the Bills are to threaten for a playoff spot, these two home games have to be wins. If they can get to 6-2, they have a pretty good shot at the playoffs. With home games remaining against Tennessee, Miami and Denver in December all being very winnable as well, that means the final determination will be made by how many wins the team can get in away games at Dallas, Miami, NYJ SD and NE-- none of which will be easy(Miami being the possible exception). But games obviously don't go to form all the time, and the Bills have lost 2 of the last three. So I think the next two games will decide whether the Bills can right the ship and have a legitimate shot at the playoff after week 9. 5-3 won't cut it given the second half schedule. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tennesseeboy Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 I don't know. The jets game is very important and it would be nice to beat Washington but I don't have Washington as a must win by any stretch of the imagination. I wouldn't like being 4-3, but that wouldn't be the end of the world for us. I see us winning the jets dolphin games and the broncos for a nine win season and winning one or two of the others to get a division title or at least into the playoffs. Washington is as good a pick as any for that elusive tenth or eleventh win, but not crucial. The last game against the Patsies is the one I'd think would be huge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
don_of_manhattan Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 I know the phrase must win is overused, but the next two games are the key to the rest of the season IMO. Both are home games(Toronto I know but nevertheless) against decidedly average opponents. If the Bills are to threaten for a playoff spot, these two home games have to be wins. If they can get to 6-2, they have a pretty good shot at the playoffs. With home games remaining against Tennessee, Miami and Denver in December all being very winnable as well, that means the final determination will be made by how many wins the team can get in away games at Dallas, Miami, NYJ SD and NE-- none of which will be easy(Miami being the possible exception). But games obviously don't go to form all the time, and the Bills have lost 2 of the last three. So I think the next two games will decide whether the Bills can right the ship and have a legitimate shot at the playoff after week 9. 5-3 won't cut it given the second half schedule. Yeah,but it gets so much tougher after that game - I also see it as a must win Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrags Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 I agree Casey. If the Bills come out of the bye week and lay 2 lame ducks we might as well cash out and go home cuz at 4-4 we won't be going anywhere in January. However if they get to 6-2 they are almost a lock to make te playoffs unless they tank the rest of the games down the stretch and ibdont see that happening. At worst case I see them splitting those last 8 and being 10-6 and still making the playoffs. We need to win our home games and Toronto is no different. Have we even won a single game there year? I'm trying to remember and font recall ever winning one there. Can someone tell me if we have or not? This is all part of this team getting over hurdles and winning. They need to come out of the bye and show they are different from previous Bills teams. Just win baby!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozymandius Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 Agreed. Need to go 2-0 here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CodeMonkey Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 Cue The Senator ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Big Cat Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 Going 2-0 after the bye week means we need to play out the rest of the season without losing two games in a row to be comfortably in the playoffs driver seat. That said, our season will be won or lost in the month of November. 10/30 WASHINGTON REDSKINS (TOR) 11/06 NEW YORK JETS 11/13 @ Dallas Cowboys 11/20 @ Miami Dolphins 11/27 @ New York Jets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey D Posted October 18, 2011 Author Share Posted October 18, 2011 Going 2-0 after the bye week means we need to play out the rest of the season without losing two games in a row to be comfortably in the playoffs driver seat. That said, our season will be won or lost in the month of November. 10/30 WASHINGTON REDSKINS (TOR) 11/06 NEW YORK JETS 11/13 @ Dallas Cowboys 11/20 @ Miami Dolphins 11/27 @ New York Jets I agree. We need to get to December at 7-4 at the worst to have a good shot. I like the 3 December home games. SD will be tough. NE depends on if NE is playing for anything. If they are, it will be a hornet's nest. But again, after November it needs to be 7-4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reddogblitz Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 I understand the schedule and all, but come on, there re no "must wins" in October. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey D Posted October 18, 2011 Author Share Posted October 18, 2011 I don't know. The jets game is very important and it would be nice to beat Washington but I don't have Washington as a must win by any stretch of the imagination. I wouldn't like being 4-3, but that wouldn't be the end of the world for us. I see us winning the jets dolphin games and the broncos for a nine win season and winning one or two of the others to get a division title or at least into the playoffs. Washington is as good a pick as any for that elusive tenth or eleventh win, but not crucial. The last game against the Patsies is the one I'd think would be huge. I think beating the Jets twice is not a reasonable assumption. NYJ are better than Washington. If the Bills can't beat Washington at home after a bye--going to 4-3-- it would shock me if they got to 10-6. I understand the schedule and all, but come on, there re no "must wins" in October. Strictly speaking you are, of course, correct. But I'd wager that if they don't win those two games, they will not make the playoffs. These are relatively easy games at home-- to make up for a loss you will have to beat as good or a better team on the road, and leave yourself very little margin for error. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobobonators Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 i don't view them as must wins, at least not both...if we beat Wash, we don't HAVE to beat the jets..however, if we lose against the skins, i'll say that the Jets game will be pretty close to a "must win." I see us beating the Skins in 2 weeks, and losing to the Jets at home. The jets will be playing us off a bye week and the Jets are ALWAYS hard for us to beat. However, I see us going to the meadowlands and beating the Jets in their house later this season. I think beating the Jets twice is not a reasonable assumption. NYJ are better than Washington. If the Bills can't beat Washington at home after a bye--going to 4-3-- it would shock me if they got to 10-6. Strictly speaking you are, of course, correct. But I'd wager that if they don't win those two games, they will not make the playoffs. These are relatively easy games at home-- to make up for a loss you will have to beat as good or a better team on the road, and leave yourself very little margin for error. Since when is a divisional game against the Jets relatively easy???? I'll say we MUST split vs. teh Jets this season..but the Jets will be playing us off a bye, giving Rex Ryan 2 weeks to prepare for us..don't discount how tough that game will be... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpberr Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 I feel the Washington game is important. Losing going into the bye, you don't want to come out flat and lose the first game after it. This team rides on intensity and emotion, and I think it would take a big hit with a loss in Toronto. Washington with Beck at QB is a very winnable game, and we need all those we can get, regardless if it's in the conference or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobobonators Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 I feel the Washington game is important. Losing going into the bye, you don't want to come out flat and lose the first game after it. This team rides on intensity and emotion, and I think it would take a big hit with a loss in Toronto. Washington with Beck at QB is a very winnable game, and we need all those we can get, regardless if it's in the conference or not. Agree completely. The Skins game will be critical..we win and we go to 5-2 before going up against the Jets..at that point we can still afford to lose vs. the Jets and go 5-3. If we lose against the Skins, and then have to go against the Jets at 4-3, that puts a ridiculous amount of pressure for the Bills to win that Jets game. Lets just take care of business vs. the Skins...hopefully we can develop a better defensive gameplan vs. the Skins during these two weeks. Important to note about Skins: their QB situation is in shambles; Cooley, T. Williams, Lichtensteiger will all most likely be out when they play us..critical injuries. We must take advantage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tennesseeboy Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 I'm not seeing much in the Jets this year. It isn't a foregone conclusion you are going to beat any team twice in the same season, but it is much easier to beat the Jets than it will be to beat the Skins, and the win means a lot more in the divisional race. Washington is beatable, but I don't think I'd pack up and go home if they beat us. I'd be sorely disappointed to lose to BOTH Washington and the Jets neither of which are as good a team as the Bills. It won't be EASY to beat the Jets twice, but then it won't be EASY to beat Miami twice. We are definitely playing far better football week in and week out than both of them. I think for all of the rest of teams on our schedule not one team is considering us an easy win. For that reason I'm not putting any credence in the concept that losing to the Skins and Jets would be the end of the world. It would be two sub-par weeks and a matter of concern though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattsox Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 I don't know. The jets game is very important and it would be nice to beat Washington but I don't have Washington as a must win by any stretch of the imagination. I wouldn't like being 4-3, but that wouldn't be the end of the world for us. I see us winning the jets dolphin games and the broncos for a nine win season and winning one or two of the others to get a division title or at least into the playoffs. Washington is as good a pick as any for that elusive tenth or eleventh win, but not crucial. The last game against the Patsies is the one I'd think would be huge. I think Washington is a Must Win Game. Absolutely. We should kill them 41-7 like we did KC. If The Bills are gonna compete for a playoff spot. This is a very winnable game. They have to show up and make plays!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattsox Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 Agree completely. The Skins game will be critical..we win and we go to 5-2 before going up against the Jets..at that point we can still afford to lose vs. the Jets and go 5-3. If we lose against the Skins, and then have to go against the Jets at 4-3, that puts a ridiculous amount of pressure for the Bills to win that Jets game. Lets just take care of business vs. the Skins...hopefully we can develop a better defensive gameplan vs. the Skins during these two weeks. Important to note about Skins: their QB situation is in shambles; Cooley, T. Williams, Lichtensteiger will all most likely be out when they play us..critical injuries. We must take advantage. Agreed. Championship teams take it 1 game at a time. They don't worry about what's to come. Right now it's Washington for 2 full weeks to think about. They should be focused on them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey D Posted October 18, 2011 Author Share Posted October 18, 2011 i don't view them as must wins, at least not both...if we beat Wash, we don't HAVE to beat the jets..however, if we lose against the skins, i'll say that the Jets game will be pretty close to a "must win." I see us beating the Skins in 2 weeks, and losing to the Jets at home. The jets will be playing us off a bye week and the Jets are ALWAYS hard for us to beat. However, I see us going to the meadowlands and beating the Jets in their house later this season. Since when is a divisional game against the Jets relatively easy???? I'll say we MUST split vs. teh Jets this season..but the Jets will be playing us off a bye, giving Rex Ryan 2 weeks to prepare for us..don't discount how tough that game will be... There is roughly a 6 point swing playing at home v. road. I agree we likely will split with NYJ, but I don't agree that it's more likely we win on the road than at home. And I would not want us to have to win the third game of a road trip to split--which is what you are saying. I feel the Washington game is important. Losing going into the bye, you don't want to come out flat and lose the first game after it. This team rides on intensity and emotion, and I think it would take a big hit with a loss in Toronto. Washington with Beck at QB is a very winnable game, and we need all those we can get, regardless if it's in the conference or not. Exactly. And dumping the only true home game in a 2 month period to the Jets would be, for me, equally bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deep2evans Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 totally agree with the OP. If we're a good team, and this isn't smoke and mirrors, we should beat Washington. And one win vs the Jets is crucial, because I don't see us beating them twice. Their defense owns Fitz. You get to 6-2 and we're in the driver seat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey D Posted October 18, 2011 Author Share Posted October 18, 2011 totally agree with the OP. If we're a good team, and this isn't smoke and mirrors, we should beat Washington. And one win vs the Jets is crucial, because I don't see us beating them twice. Their defense owns Fitz. You get to 6-2 and we're in the driver seat. Well put. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyd19 Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 Games left we should win. Redskins, Titans, Dolphins, Dolphins, Broncos. Winnable games Cowboys, Jets @ home, Chargers Tough games to win Patriots, Jets on the road. I could see this team being anywhere between 9 and 7 and 13 and 3. Just my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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