Big Turk Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 The AFC North played what might be considered a historically easy schedule this year... 4 games against the NFC South, the second worst division in pro sports history all time and 4 games against the AFC South, the 16th worst division in pro sports history... Teams outside this division had little chance to make it with that easy of a schedule...makes you wonder how good those teams actually are... http://finance.yahoo.com/news/nfls-historically-bad-division-screwed-151514740.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 It's not just that the 7-8-1 Panthers took a playoff spot away from a more deserving team, bull ****. The Panthers didn't take anything away from anyone. They won their division, and earned a playoff spot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billstein22 Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 Yeah, NFL scheduling and the 8 division format is always going to be a little unfair but it is what it is. Don't give games away vs KC and at Oakland and you make the playoffs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricojes Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 bull ****. The Panthers didn't take anything away from anyone. They won their division, and earned a playoff spot. I agree. Win your division, regardless of record, earn a playoff spot. What a dumb comment. Yup. It works both ways. They also pulled wins out of their asses against Detroit and Minnesota so it works both ways.... Works for every team as well.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsVet Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 (edited) The excuse making begins. At least this year injuries cannot be cited for why the Bills failed to reach the playoffs. Beat two of the following: HOU with Fitz, KC at home, MIA away (after the bye) and OAK in Week 16. But it didn't happen and they're on the outside looking in - again. Edited December 30, 2014 by BillsVet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Turk Posted December 30, 2014 Author Share Posted December 30, 2014 I think it would be interesting to look at a historical basis to see how much a factor playing a weak/strong rotating division schedule has played in wildcard berths over the years...that's half the schedule being accounted for by those games Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
machine gun kelly Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 The other side to that argument is we played three of the best QB's in the NFL and none of them threw for a touchdown. None. I know Brady left at the half, but it wasn't like he wasn't trying. The bottom line is if you play a tough schedule, and you win 11 speaking to the Oakland, KC games, or even if it were Orton in for Houston, then your battle ready for the playoffs. I would have taken us against the Colts or the Steelers this week. I think we could have beaten them both. Then we'd have the uphill climb afterwards, but so what. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 Yeah, NFL scheduling and the 8 division format is always going to be a little unfair but it is what it is. Don't give games away vs KC and at Oakland and you make the playoffs. That's the key point: the 8-division format, with smaller divisions. The playoff format used to be 3 division winners and 3 wild cards, with half your games being division games...now it's 4 division winners and 2 wild cards, with two fewer division games. The importance of the division was weakened, and the likelihood of weak divisions sending weak teams to the playoffs increased. But the solution to that isn't to abandon the division system completely. It's to go back to fewer, larger divisions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sullim4 Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 Of course, the argument could be made that the AFC South and NFC South teams had to play the stronger AFC North. The south's records were therefore poorer because they had to face stronger teams. Pittsburgh beat KC (AFCW), though they lost to the Jets (AFCE). Cincinnati beat Denver (AFCW), though they lost to NE (AFCE). Baltimore beat Miami (AFCE), though they lost to San Diego (AFCW). Cleveland beat Oakland (AFCW), though they lost to Buffalo (AFCE). I don't think you can draw any conclusions, good or bad, about the AFC North... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GunnerBill Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 The excuse making begins. At least this year injuries cannot be cited for why the Bills failed to reach the playoffs. Beat two of the following: HOU with Fitz, KC at home, MIA away (after the bye) and OAK in Week 16. But it didn't happen and they're on the outside looking in - again. Miami wasn't after the bye actually.... Kansas City was... just for the sake of accuracy. They didn't beat two of those teams because ultimately with this offense this is a 9 win team. The offense had the chance driving down the field to win all but 1 of those games and couldn't get it done. No excuses should be made. This team is what it is. However, what it is is still a lot better than most of the Bills teams of this play-off drought and it wouldn't take a lot to get us over the hump. Fingers crossed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Turk Posted December 30, 2014 Author Share Posted December 30, 2014 (edited) The excuse making begins. At least this year injuries cannot be cited for why the Bills failed to reach the playoffs. Beat two of the following: HOU with Fitz, KC at home, MIA away (after the bye) and OAK in Week 16. But it didn't happen and they're on the outside looking in - again. Not really an excuse, just the reality of the situation. Is it really coincidence that 3 of the wildcard teams came from divisions that played the NFC South and went a combined 10-1-1 against them? Of course, the argument could be made that the AFC South and NFC South teams had to play the stronger AFC North. The south's records were therefore poorer because they had to face stronger teams. Pittsburgh beat KC (AFCW), though they lost to the Jets (AFCE). Cincinnati beat Denver (AFCW), though they lost to NE (AFCE). Baltimore beat Miami (AFCE), though they lost to San Diego (AFCW). Cleveland beat Oakland (AFCW), though they lost to Buffalo (AFCE). I don't think you can draw any conclusions, good or bad, about the AFC North... Don't really think that holds as Cincinnati, Baltimore and Detroit went 10-1-1 against the NFC South teams and 21-15 against everyone else... Edited December 30, 2014 by matter2003 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chandler#81 Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 I think the OP has a good point. Baltimore, Pittsburgh and Cincy looked absolutely terrible at times. Jax, Tenn and the NFCS looked terrible all year. Without Watt, Houston isn't in the picture at all. Yes, the Bills blew big opportunities to overcome the AFCN cakewalk, but I agree, their path to the playoffs was easier than any other Division group. i hope the AFCS stays crappy next year.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mannc Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 Not really an excuse, just the reality of the situation. Is it really coincidence that 3 of the wildcard teams came from divisions that played the NFC South and went a combined 10-1-1 against them But the "reality" of the situation is that the Bills went 4-0 in their crossover games vs the NFC North, so if this is offered as an excuse, it's a pretty poor one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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