So does anyone BELIEVE we will make the Playoffs?

[GunnerBill]

4 hours ago, SaviorPeterman said:

I still don't think we make the playoffs or even get to 9-7 because sweeping the Fish is a pipe dream.

 

Won't be surprised if they end our season in spectacular fashion this week to because Gase is a better coach than McD and their defense is also much better across the board.

 

You have been predicting this great upturn for the Fins since week 4..... it hasn't happened. It won't happen. They are a bad football team. 

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

1 hour ago, OldTimeAFLGuy said:

...need a PhD to figure it all out.......just win..........

Complex tie-breaker has Bills in playoffs, for now

By Spectrum News Staff  |  December 11, 2017 @1:51 PM

 

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Despite a worse conference record than the Baltimore Ravens and a head-to-head loss against the San Diego Charges, the Buffalo Bills are currently holding the cards in a 3-way tie for the No. 6 seed in the AFC playoffs.

 

The Ravens held the sixth seed coming into Sunday, but dropped their Sunday night game to the Pittsburgh Steelers, bringing their record to 7-6. Earlier Sunday, the Bills improved to 7-6 with a frosty 13-7 overtime win over the Indianapolis Colts. Meanwhile, the Chargers also improved to 7-6 with their 30-13 win over the Washington Redskins, the Bolts’ fourth win a row.

 

With the three teams holding identical records, the Bills get the nod through an obscure, seldom-used tie-breaker called “Strength of Victory” or SOV — the combined records of the teams a squad has defeated throughout a season.

 

The Bills boast an SOV of .407 which leads the Ravens and Chargers, .378 and .341, respectively.

 

The tie-breaker negates the Chargers head-to-head victory over the Bills because there are currently three teams tied.

 

If true that’s awesome 

But.  I keep hearing common opponents trumps in ties. 

[The Wiz]

Just so everyone is clear, we don't play the pat's week 17.  We play the fins, pats then fins again (15, 16, 17).  So we don't have to worry about if they will rest their starters since we play them week 16.

[Starr Almighty]

If the Bills, Titans, Chargers and Ravens all end up 9-7 Buffalo is in. This doesn't seem impossible to me at all.

[The Wiz]

9 minutes ago, ShadyBillsFan said:

If true that’s awesome 

But.  I keep hearing common opponents trumps in ties. 

Once they both play the same 4 teams, yes I believe it does trump ties which is why bills are in right now over the ravens.  If the ravens beat the bengals then I believe they hold the tie breaker for common opponent over us.  We beat the colts so that would be a wash unless they lose to the colts.

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

11 minutes ago, ShadyBillsFan said:

If true that’s awesome 

But.  I keep hearing common opponents trumps in ties. 

 

 

...best bet is to roll the dice bro....Fins twice and Patsies gimme......see what happens.............

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

Let’s Go Bungles 

1 minute ago, The Wiz said:

Once they both play the same 4 teams, yes I believe it does trump ties which is why bills are in right now over the ravens.  If the ravens beat the bengals then I believe they hold the tie breaker for common opponent over us.  We beat the colts so that would be a wash unless they lose to the colts.

 

[The Wiz]

22 minutes ago, ShadyBillsFan said:

Let’s Go Bungles 

 

And Colts.

 

The implications are nuts.  Basically if the Titans lose there last two games and we get Miami 2 times we are the 6th seed (assuming the Ravens beat the Bengals).  If Ravens lose to the Bengals and Titans lose to the 9ers and Jags, we are the 5th seed.  We can also get the 6th seed as long as the Titan lose to the Jags.  Basically a lot has to happen for us to get the 5th seed and a little has to happen to get the 6th. 

 

To sum it up I refer to this quote from baseketball.

 

So, if the Beers beat Detroit and Denver beats Atlanta in the American Southwestern Division East Northern, then Milwaukee goes to the Denslow Cup, unless Baltimore can upset Buffalo and Charlotte ties Toronto, then Oakland would play LA and Pittsburgh in a blind choice round robin. And if no clear winner emerges from all of this, a two-man sack race will be held on consecutive Sundays until a champion can be crowned.

Edited December 11, 2017 by The Wiz

[SlamnSam]

13 hours ago, BigDingus said:

After today's dramatic win, I was quite excited. But within a minute or so, I mentally hit a wall. We know what this team is, and we know how this team plays...so looking ahead at the schedule, thinking about the Patriots in week 16, made me remember we're still probably not making the playoffs yet again.

Mathematically we're still in it, but the Ravens edge us out for the 6th seed (although CBS Sports says WE are the 6th seed - https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/standings/playoffrace). In reality, our only real chance at beating the Pats would've been playing them in week 17 & them resting their starters. 

Beating the Dolphins twice is doable, but far from guaranteed. But beating the Patriots in Foxborough isn't happening when they still have a reason to play their starters. 

Contenders for the Wildcard Spot:

1. Ravens (7-6) - They play a cakewalk schedule for their last 3 games. Browns, Cots & Bengals. They could easily finish 10-6. If they go 9-7, we MIGHT win those tiebreakers, but according to most projections at the moment, they're ahead. At 9-7 they'd have a 7-5 conference record, just as we would, so there may be a chance somewhere in there, but I'm not certain. However, given their schedule we need someone to pull off an upset for us to even have a shot.

 

2. Chargers (7-6) - They play the Chiefs, Jets & Raiders, and will likely beat all of them given how well they're playing. They've gone 7-2 in the last 9 weeks, only losing by 8 to the Pats in Foxborough & losing by 3 to Jaguars in Jacksonville. If they lose a game & go 9-7, they'll have a 6-6 Conference record & we'd have a 7-5 Conference record (assuming we only lose to the Pats). They may outright win the West though and leapfrog us entirely.

 

3. Chiefs (7-6) - They have the lead in the West right now, but that could quickly flip with the Chargers. They play the Chargers, Dolphins & Broncos. It really depends on what Chiefs team shows up, but assuming they go 2-1 during that stretch, they'd have a 7-5 Conference record (tied with us), and have a loss to us head to head. One of them has to win the division, so I'm not sure which would be better for us, assuming one goes 2-1 & the other goes 3-0 to close out the season. 

 

4. Titans (8-4) - They play the 49ers, Rams & Jaguars. They currently hold the 5th seed, as the Jags lead the division at 9-4. Their final game of the season against the Jags could be very important for them, and the Rams are a good team this year. There's a chance they go 1-2 during this stretch, finishing 9-7 with a 7-5 Conference record too. If the Ravens win out, this may be our only other shot at getting in based on tie-breakers, but it's still slim.

 

I'm not even including the Raiders, as even if they win out & go 9-7 they'd still only have a 3-3 division record, and a 6-6 conference record.

Thinking about all that needs to go right in order for the Bills to even have a shot hurts my head. Granted the Bills could just end the conversation before it even happens by scrubbing out against Miami next week (which would be predictable given this team's history), but let's assume we don't. With that said, does anyone HONESTLY feel we're making the playoffs this year? And if not, do you guys feel there's something to be said for going 9-7? Or are you in the "no moral victories" camp, and would rather us not win anymore games? I'm genuinely curious as to how this board feels given where we stand.

 

Yes we can make the playoffs as long as tyrod stays on the bench. If tyrod plays again we’re out.

[Another Fan]

I hope I'm wrong but I don't see it happening.  I mean the Colts are just a 3-10 team.  I see the team going 8-8.  Whether you think the season was a success would just depend on your perspective. 

[ndirish1978]

nope. We will either drop one of the 2 Dolphins games due, not to the offense, but the terrible defense. Or, we will win both games and lose a tiebreaker

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

1 hour ago, The Wiz said:

And Colts.

 

The implications are nuts.  Basically if the Titans lose there last two games and we get Miami 2 times we are the 6th seed (assuming the Ravens beat the Bengals).  If Ravens lose to the Bengals and Titans lose to the 9ers and Jags, we are the 5th seed.  We can also get the 6th seed as long as the Titan lose to the Jags.  Basically a lot has to happen for us to get the 5th seed and a little has to happen to get the 6th. 

I’ve run dozens of scenarios on the playoff machine.  I don’t know if I ever had them as 5 (except a month ago) this week.  

I’m just trying to not get overexcited and avoid a big letdown.  (again) 

[Call_Of_Ktulu]

The Chargers game was the loss that killed the playoffs. We wouldn't have won that game even if we had Peyton Manning in his prime, no QB can run a offense with 2 sec to pass the football.

[FearLess Price]

Im gonna Billieve until we are 8-8.

 

It looks like tough sledding but its possible.

 

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

1 hour ago, Call_Of_Ktulu said:

The Chargers game was the loss that killed the playoffs. We wouldn't have won that game even if we had Peyton Manning in his prime, no QB can run a offense with 2 sec to pass the football.

Sure pick the game Nate started and ignore the 3 or 4 other piles of ? the other guy gave us.  

 

FTR It started with the JETS game.  

Edited December 12, 2017 by ShadyBillsFan

[TuelTime]

I have Buffalo winning the division at 10-6.

[BigDingus]

So wait, on tonight's game they brought up an info graphic of the playoff standings (this was late in the 3rd or early in the 4th), that once again showed the Bills not in 6th seed... Then the announcers talked about the Ravens being in that position, followed by discussing the Bills & the others. Wtf is going on... ESPN's own nationally televised game doesn't have updated info?

 

4 hours ago, TuelTime said:

I have Buffalo winning the division at 10-6.

 

No... no you don't. 

Edited December 12, 2017 by BigDingus

[DollaBills]

20 hours ago, BeginnersMind said:

Ravens are winning out. Browns, Colts, Bengals.

 

 

 

nothing is for certain my son

3 hours ago, TuelTime said:

I have Buffalo winning the division at 10-6.

only a poster with the name tueltime would ever EVER post something of this caliber, bravo

Edited December 12, 2017 by DollaBills

[Boatdrinks]

The 1st WC will most likely be conceded to the Ravens, due to their soft remaining schedule. That won't matter too much, as long as TEN doesn't defeat JAX in week 17 OR win two of their remaining games. ( @SF, vs Rams, vs Jags). The Chiefs are the intriguing team right now. KC won the earlier matchup vs LAC. If they win Saturday, they will hold tiebreak vs Chargers for the division title. That would put the Chargers in the mix for a WC, which if coupled with a 9-7 TEN team would give the Bills the playoff spot on sov tiebreak. This may be the most realistic path. 

[BigDingus]

4 minutes ago, Boatdrinks said:

The 1st WC will most likely be conceded to the Ravens, due to their soft remaining schedule. That won't matter too much, as long as TEN doesn't defeat JAX in week 17 OR win two of their remaining games. ( @SF, vs Rams, vs Jags). The Chiefs are the intriguing team right now. KC won the earlier matchup vs LAC. If they win Saturday, they will hold tiebreak vs Chargers for the division title. That would put the Chargers in the mix for a WC, which if coupled with a 9-7 TEN team would give the Bills the playoff spot on sov tiebreak. This may be the most realistic path. 

 

So we DO want the Chiefs to win the division is what you're saying? Trying to figure out who would be better wining the West makes my head hurt.