So if we end up 9-7 and lose a tie-breaker...

[JÂy RÛßeÒ]

Name the loss that you think had the biggest impact.

 

The way I see the next 2 weeks, it looks to me like we realistically lose a head-to-head with the Chargers for the 6th seed based on remaining schedules.  So one could say that the loss to the Chargers was the biggest.  After all, McDermott decided to start Peterman over Taylor in that game and he shat the bed.

 

But to me, the loss to the Jets on Thursday Night Football was the one.  We were so unprepared for that game - it looked like at 5-2 we believed that we'd win if we just showed up.  And that began our 3-straight-blowout-loss downfall.  But the other 2 were against teams that ended up in the playoffs (in this scenario) and were at least semi-expected.  I do believe that we SHOULD have beaten the Jets that night, and Tyrod DID start that one.

 

The other huge loss to directly cause us to miss the playoffs in this scenario was Tennessee losing to San Fran on that last second field goal last Sunday.  We would win a 3-way tie at 9-7 including Tennessee.

 

I'm not giving up on this year - stranger things have happened than San Diego losing to the Jets or Oakland, or Tennessee beating the Rams or Jags, or even us beating New England.

 

 

[BigBuff423]

To me, it is the Cincy game...simply because it's a team that is not a division rival and should have beaten if it weren't for a poor Offensive showing. That game stands out in my mind.

 

It's not in conference, but the Panthers game does as well simply because the Defense was outstanding in that game and once again the Offense just didn't show up. Basically a TD gives the Bills the win, on the road, against a team making the playoffs. That would have been a tremendous mental lift for the team. 

 

I understand why the Jets game stands out to many fans for very obvious reasons, but to me division games rarely ever go as scripted and the records or performances for the year go out the window. 

[Kmart128]

Gonna go with Panthers loss... If Zay brought that in then we would be looking at 10-6 in the face. I know it is a NFC team but that one extra win would have us on verge of playoffs. 

 

You could say Cincy, Jets, or SD but we really never had a shot to win those games. Our offense sucked vs Bengals. And defense sucked for Jets. And both sides of the ball sucked vs Chargers.

[Canadian Bills Fan]

Cincy or Panthers

[Koko78]

Getting blown out by the Jests.

[Gugny]

Cincy or Jets ... I can't decide.  But, being AFC teams, those are games we could/should have won.

 

The Carolina loss was tough, but they were the better team (although, their offense didn't play very well that day).

 

Losing to the Jets was ridiculous.  Getting our asses handed to us by them was pathetic.

[Big Gun]

Don't think the Chargers game was a win no matter who the QB was.

 

Cincy or Carolina were both there for the taking and the Bills didn't take.

[dollars 2 donuts]

46 minutes ago, dollars 2 donuts said:

 

 

Duff, somebody somewhere nationally (sports illustrated, espn?  don't remember) during the pre-season, when no one was picking the Bills to do anything, said the bills 5th game of the season against Cincy may be the determining factor of whether they make it to the playoffs or not.

 

Crazy if it ends up being true.  Additionally, for those who think it is the same thing for any other loss I have to disagree.  Cincy is the worst team we've played and lost to.  Don't give me the Jets as they have been in almost ever game this season and they are a divisional opponent hungry for blood.  Sure they could have beat Carolina on the road, but that is an NFC game and this just in, Carolina is pretty good this year.

 

They had to just plain reach out and take the Cincy game, even with the injuries at that point (including Clay part of the way through the game) and if everything stays the exact same this is a dramatically different team with a 9-5 (7-3 AFC record) heading into the last two weeks.  Hell, we'd still be going for not only a shot at the division this weekend with 2 Patriot losses, but also a first round bye still on the table.

 

 

The above as Patrick Duffy and I were talking about in another thread.

Edited December 19, 2017 by dollars 2 donuts

[Juice_32]

5 minutes ago, BigBuff423 said:

To me, it is the Cincy game...simply because it's a team that is not a division rival and should have beaten if it weren't for a poor Offensive showing. That game stands out in my mind.

 

It's not in conference, but the Panthers game does as well simply because the Defense was outstanding in that game and once again the Offense just didn't show up. Basically a TD gives the Bills the win, on the road, against a team making the playoffs. That would have been a tremendous mental lift for the team. 

 

I understand why the Jets game stands out to many fans for very obvious reasons, but to me division games rarely ever go as scripted and the records or performances for the year go out the window. 

 

This is the game that has bothered me the most when looking back. 

2 minutes ago, Gugny said:

Cincy or Jets ... I can't decide.  But, being AFC teams, those are games we could/should have won.

 

The Carolina loss was tough, but they were the better team (although, their offense didn't play very well that day).

 

Losing to the Jets was ridiculous.  Getting our asses handed to us by them was pathetic.

 

The funny thing is that both of those teams could now help us. I've got a funny feeling the jets will pull one out this week.

[WhoTom]

J-E-T-S

 

Not only was it a divisional game against a weak opponent, but it's the game that started the slump.

 

 

[Mike in Horseheads]

Jets or Bungals. Panthers were the better team, too bad TT couldn't throw a decent pass to Zay

[dollars 2 donuts]

Respectfully, to the guys calling out the Jets game, were the Bills ever really in that game?

 

 

[D. L. Hot-Flamethrower]

Just now, dollars 2 donuts said:

Respectfully, to the guys calling out the Jets game, were the Bills ever really in that game?

 

 

The Saints game! LOL we had 'em right where we wanted them and let them off the hook!

[BigBuff423]

And in re-watching the Cincy game, I forgot (somehow) that was the game that the Defense got 3 good, respectable turnovers AND that AJ Green for the second time created a big play and put the Bengals Offense with less than 5 yards to go and the Bills D stood tall and didn't give up a point. But, they can only create turnovers and push back on point for so long before the Offense needs to be productive, and they weren't. 

 

Tate made a great punt return and gave the Bills Offense terrific field position only to come away with a FG. 

 

It was also a game that was epic TT - he'd hold the ball too long, miss open guys, make bad throws behind / over / low the receiver limiting the YAC and THEN throw that dart to Tate in the end zone making it all the more frustrating....one so many plays he looks mediocre to bad and on one play that they needed a good throw, he makes it and they score a TD....he is the roller coaster QB that you can't stand for 80% of the game and then makes two or three amazing plays that temporarily redeems himself. 

[mjt328]

The team didn't show up for the Jets game.  Effort was suspect.  Afterwards, they were whining about the short week.  It was pathetic and embarrassing to watch.  That was the game which should haunt the players throughout the offseason.  You never take a game off, and I don't think they gave it a full effort.

 

It's hard to say what the Chargers game would have looked like if our Quarterback hadn't thrown 5 interceptions.  The rest of the team had no chance.  That was the game which should haunt Sean McDermott.  Everyone questioned his timing with us in the midst of a playoff race.  Now that game may cost us the playoffs.

[Clyde Smith]

Numerous games could have went our way including NE, but the lack of offensive production is the reason we lost most of the games.

[JohnBonhamRocks]

Originally thought Chargers, and I do think that will be the most talked about game during the offseason if we miss on a tiebreaker just because of the Peterman decision, but wow, yeah Jets and Bengals games are right up there. At least the Panthers are 10-4, so that one stings just a little less. 

[PromoTheRobot]

23 minutes ago, JÂy RÛßeÒ said:

Name the loss that you think had the biggest impact.

 

The way I see the next 2 weeks, it looks to me like we realistically lose a head-to-head with the Chargers for the 6th seed based on remaining schedules.  So one could say that the loss to the Chargers was the biggest.  After all, McDermott decided to start Peterman over Taylor in that game and he shat the bed.

 

But to me, the loss to the Jets on Thursday Night Football was the one.  We were so unprepared for that game - it looked like at 5-2 we believed that we'd win if we just showed up.  And that began our 3-straight-blowout-loss downfall.  But the other 2 were against teams that ended up in the playoffs (in this scenario) and were at least semi-expected.  I do believe that we SHOULD have beaten the Jets that night, and Tyrod DID start that one.

 

The other huge loss to directly cause us to miss the playoffs in this scenario was Tennessee losing to San Fran on that last second field goal last Sunday.  We would win a 3-way tie at 9-7 including Tennessee.

 

I'm not giving up on this year - stranger things have happened than San Diego losing to the Jets or Oakland, or Tennessee beating the Rams or Jags, or even us beating New England.

 

 

Obviously it's the Carolina loss. One completed pass wins the game. Next to that is Cincinnati. Convert at last one turnover to a td and that's a win. 

[Chandler#81]

25 minutes ago, JÂy RÛßeÒ said:

Name the loss that you think had the biggest impact.

 

The way I see the next 2 weeks, it looks to me like we realistically lose a head-to-head with the Chargers for the 6th seed based on remaining schedules.  So one could say that the loss to the Chargers was the biggest.  After all, McDermott decided to start Peterman over Taylor in that game and he shat the bed.

 

But to me, the loss to the Jets on Thursday Night Football was the one.  We were so unprepared for that game - it looked like at 5-2 we believed that we'd win if we just showed up.  And that began our 3-straight-blowout-loss downfall.  But the other 2 were against teams that ended up in the playoffs (in this scenario) and were at least semi-expected.  I do believe that we SHOULD have beaten the Jets that night, and Tyrod DID start that one.

 

The other huge loss to directly cause us to miss the playoffs in this scenario was Tennessee losing to San Fran on that last second field goal last Sunday.  We would win a 3-way tie at 9-7 including Tennessee.

 

I'm not giving up on this year - stranger things have happened than San Diego losing to the Jets or Oakland, or Tennessee beating the Rams or Jags, or even us beating New England.

 

 

Yep. The Jets loss was the dagger.

[JohnC]

There is a flip side to the question posed. What games did we win where the opposition could reasonably make a claim that it should have won? Most of the prognosticators and the odd makers in Vegas had us winning 6 games or so. I consider this an overachieving team and a pleasant surprise.