8 games in and the Bills control their own destiny to the #1 seed

[ngbills]

Here is to somewhere between 14-2 and 6-10. 

 

Positive  - Cowboys and Pats only losses. We finish 12-4.

Negative  - Also lose to CLE on road, Ravens and Pit. We finish 9-7. 

[LabattBlue]

Keep in mind, this is the same OP who brought us this gem...

 

 

[Nextmanup]

I thought the OP meant the #5 seed when he used #1 seed in the thread title.

As in, we will be the best of the wildcard teams.

 

No, he actually meant #1?

 

Come on man!  Get out of here!
 

 

 

 

[Real McClappy]

4 minutes ago, Nextmanup said:

I thought the OP meant the #5 seed when he used #1 seed in the thread title.

As in, we will be the best of the wildcard teams.

 

No, he actually meant #1?

 

Come on man!  Get out of here!
 

 

 

 

His optimism is enlightening. I highly doubt we win out personally but can see another 6-2 2nd half getting us to 12-4.

 

Anything is possible with that kind of record. 

[transplantbillsfan]

52 minutes ago, LabattBlue said:

Keep in mind, this is the same OP who brought us this gem...

 

 

 

Yep.

 

And I was wrong there.

 

Allen has really improved, but I think Daboll and the gameplans are designed to hold him back.  I thought Daboll might have legitimately been the next offensive genius, but instead he's just an inconsistent, often conservative and sometimes downright awful playcaller.

 

No worries, I own being wrong there and the 2 bets I made to @GunnerBill and @Foxx I concede their victories already.

 

Nonetheless, the OP here is correct.  Bills control their destiny to the #1 seed at this point, and considering we're halfway through the season and that we were 2-6 at this point last year, that's an amazing thing.

 

Personally, I don't think we will be the #1 seed.  I think we'll be 11-5, maybe 12-4 and the #5 seed.

 

But that doesn't change that we have a clear path to homefield advantage throughout the playoffs... though with the way Buffalo plays at home, I don't know if that's necessarily a good thing.

[Mark Vader]

9 hours ago, H2o said:

I mean, technically, we do control our own destiny, but at the same time I think we can be realistic in recognizing we're not going to run the table. I love our team and how it's being built. I think we have our franchise QB. Our defense has shown some scary susceptibility to the run the last three weeks though and Levi has been getting burnt pretty regularly. They got it together in the 2nd half yesterday, but we have a lot of upper tier RB's remaining on our schedule. With Daboll calling the plays, having these "wtf" stretches in games, I don't see us being able to beat every team remaining on the schedule. I just don't. The defense is good, but can they continue to hold teams to 14-20 pts a game for 8 more weeks? I doubt it. There will probably be another couple performances where the offense needs to put up 30+ to win and I don't trust Daboll to call games where we do that, win a shootout so to speak. 

I disagree with your assessment of Levi.

 

He's been targeted a lot and he is giving up receptions, but he's not getting burnt. Very few times this year have I seen him give up big plays.

[H2o]

Just now, Mark Vader said:

I disagree with your assessment of Levi.

 

He's been targeted a lot and he is giving up receptions, but he's not getting burnt. Very few times this year have I seen him give up big plays.

Yeah, maybe I should change my wording a bit. He's not getting beaten deep or anything, but he is getting targeted a lot and routinely gives up first downs the last few weeks it seems. 

[row_33]

by definition you can't control your destiny

 

it just happens

 

[Boatdrinks]

3 minutes ago, H2o said:

Yeah, maybe I should change my wording a bit. He's not getting beaten deep or anything, but he is getting targeted a lot and routinely gives up first downs the last few weeks it seems. 

Bills play a lot of zone, and he’s on the opposite side of White. He’s going to get worked on a bit, and the Bills scheme has him playing off a decent amount. Their scheme is built around not giving up the deep pass, and it’s not something I’d bank on them changing. 

Edited November 4, 2019 by Boatdrinks

[Mark Vader]

11 minutes ago, H2o said:

Yeah, maybe I should change my wording a bit. He's not getting beaten deep or anything, but he is getting targeted a lot and routinely gives up first downs the last few weeks it seems. 

This is true. He's given up first downs, but he almost always makes the tackle after reception.

 

It is concerning, but for a 2nd year undrafted player, he's doing pretty good.

 

Kevin Johnson is there to step in if things get bad, but so far the coaching staff has not made that move.

[transplantbillsfan]

13 hours ago, LeGOATski said:

Lol

 

I'm guessing you don't agree with the OP

 

I knew this was coming for the Pats. They haven't been playing as well as their record indicates. Brady has been chucking up some real duds every week. Ones that people would be bashing Allen for, had he thrown them.

 

It will be really exciting if week 17 decides the division champ.

 

Won't that be week 16?

 

that game has a decent chance of being flexed.

[Royale with Cheese]

What's holding us back is pass offense and rush defense.  We're not legitimate until this gets fixed.

[MJS]

13 hours ago, transplantbillsfan said:

Also... if we were considering this a 3 team race to the 1 seed with the Ravens, Bills and Patriots, well here are their opponents remaining records, not including the games they play each other (meaning I'm excluding the Bills from the Patriots schedule, vice versa, and the Bills from the Ravens schedule and vice versa)

 

Ravens opponents: 45.6% win %

 

Patriots opponents: 44% win %

 

Bills opponents: 31.3% win %

What about Texans and Chiefs? Wouldn't they have something to say about this race to 1st seed?

[Boatdrinks]

2 minutes ago, Royale with Cheese said:

What's holding us back is pass offense and rush defense.  We're not legitimate until this gets fixed.

I cant argue with this. 

[HappyDays]

9 hours ago, Seven-N-Nine said:

and have struggled in every game

 

This is not true at all. We led the Redskins by at least 1 score from start to finish. The Giants got an early lead and then we easily pulled away with them - if that game counts as struggling, then the Eagles struggled against us. We have not completely dominated a team from top to bottom yet but that's a pretty lofty expectation. 

 

[ngbills]

22 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

 

This is not true at all. We led the Redskins by at least 1 score from start to finish. The Giants got an early lead and then we easily pulled away with them - if that game counts as struggling, then the Eagles struggled against us. We have not completely dominated a team from top to bottom yet but that's a pretty lofty expectation. 

 

I would say any time a team is within a score in the 4th quarter the game is in doubt. Giants game was barely in doubt - they got it within 7 but Bills answered. WAS game was within 8 in the 4th and Bills D had to hold them twice, so yes that is in doubt. 

Edited November 4, 2019 by ngbills

[transplantbillsfan]

13 hours ago, JoPar_v2 said:

That’s true. Don’t we have the easier schedule though?

 

Conference Record would be the tiebreaker before SoS and the Bills would have a better conference record.

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

2 hours ago, row_33 said:

by definition you can't control your destiny

 

it just happens

 

 

You know you're my brother, but that seems a bit pedantic.

[Foxx]

2 hours ago, transplantbillsfan said:

 

Yep.

 

And I was wrong there.

 

Allen has really improved, but I think Daboll and the gameplans are designed to hold him back.  I thought Daboll might have legitimately been the next offensive genius, but instead he's just an inconsistent, often conservative and sometimes downright awful playcaller.

 

No worries, I own being wrong there and the 2 bets I made to @GunnerBill and @Foxx I concede their victories already.

 

Nonetheless, the OP here is correct.  Bills control their destiny to the #1 seed at this point, and considering we're halfway through the season and that we were 2-6 at this point last year, that's an amazing thing.

 

Personally, I don't think we will be the #1 seed.  I think we'll be 11-5, maybe 12-4 and the #5 seed.

 

But that doesn't change that we have a clear path to homefield advantage throughout the playoffs... though with the way Buffalo plays at home, I don't know if that's necessarily a good thing.

thanks but it is a bit premature to concede here, we still have half the season left to play out and who knows, anything can and will happen. had Luck not retired and Rothelisberger had a season ending injury, i'd say conceding might be appropriate at this time. however....

 

as it stands right now; Watson, Jackson, Mahomes (i am assuming he will pick up where he left off before being injured), Rivers, Brady and possibly even Carr are the leading candidates i would think.  Jackson with his style of play, could get injured at any point. same with Watson, though, to a lessor extent. Rivers and Brady have definitely seen better days and it remains to be seen if they can maintain the hall of fame play that they are known for to this point. Mahomes hasn't returned from his injury as yet so he is a bit of a wildcard right now. Carr, it is anyone's guess which way he trends from week to week. Allen could always keep improving and make it to one of the two reserve status QB's.

 

i think we should have a better idea in about 4/5 weeks or so.

Edited November 4, 2019 by Foxx

[BillsFan2313]

15 hours ago, JoPar_v2 said:

If the bills win out, and the pats win out, then we still have 2 losses to their 1. So how do we control our own destiny? Don’t we need the pats to lose at least 1-2 more games to have a shot at the 1 seed? I’ll hang up and listen.

 

I take It you aren't too big of a football fan?

[transplantbillsfan]

10 hours ago, SlimShady'sGhost said:

Doesn't every team control their own destiny??   

 

 

No they don't.

 

Right now there are only 3 teams in the AFC that control their own destiny to the #1 seed:  Patriots, Bills, Ravens

[transplantbillsfan]

8 hours ago, The Red King said:

I think some people are missing the OP's point.  It's not that people believe we're gonna run the table.  It's more, can we just stop and appreciate where we are right now?  Halfway into the season and instead of talking about how tenacious our playoff chances are, we're still in a position where we could still win the division and even top seed, however unlikely.

 

Yes, the Bills could collapse.  I'll worry about that if and when it happens.  Let's say the Bills utterly collapse and lose out.  When the season is over, I'll have enjoyed half the season and lamented the other.  The naysayers here will have hated all of it.  Who got more enjoyment out of the season in total?

[transplantbillsfan]

6 hours ago, DaBillsFanSince1973 said:

thinking about the # 1 seed 8 games in to the season is really putting the 

 

 

cart............................................way before the......................................horse

 

 

win a few more. beat the ravens, ne*, sweep the fins and jets and even beat the cowboys before this kind of thought should even be considered, this early?

 

 

 

Why do you think we should wait until after we've played our last game before we consider this?

Edited November 4, 2019 by transplantbillsfan

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

21 minutes ago, transplantbillsfan said:

 

No they don't.

 

Right now there are only 3 teams in the AFC that control their own destiny to the #1 seed:  Patriots, Bills, Ravens

the Chargers, Raiders, Steelers, Texans, Colts all tangled up in the WC chase do not control their own destiny?

 

it all up to luck ?  
 

I really don’t think so.  

 

[transplantbillsfan]

3 hours ago, MJS said:

What about Texans and Chiefs? Wouldn't they have something to say about this race to 1st seed?

 

Not until the Bills and Ravens lose at least 1 more game and Patriots lose at least 2 more.

[transplantbillsfan]

15 minutes ago, SlimShady'sGhost said:

the Chargers, Raiders, Steelers, Texans, Colts all tangled up in the WC chase do not control their own destiny?

 

it all up to luck ?  
 

I really don’t think so.  

 

 

No, they do not control their own destiny as far as the #1 seed is concerned.  For any of them to get the #1 seed, they need both the Bills and Ravens to lose at least 1 more and the Patriots to lose at least 2 more.

 

That's just the simple truth.

[DaBillsFanSince1973]

17 minutes ago, transplantbillsfan said:

Why do you think we should wait until after we've played our last game before we consider this?

you think you can tell at the halfway point? speculate, sure. 

 

number one seed. every team controls their destiny. there are a few teams that look to be ahead at this point and even they could go one way or the other but thinking about it at the halfway point? whatever floats your boat.

[transplantbillsfan]

3 minutes ago, DaBillsFanSince1973 said:

you think you can tell at the halfway point? speculate, sure. 

 

number one seed. every team controls their destiny. there are a few teams that look to be ahead at this point and even they could go one way or the other but thinking about it at the halfway point? whatever floats your boat.

 

Of course we can't tell.

 

But once again, no every team does not control their own destiny to the #1 seed at this point.  I was actually incorrect earlier.  There are really only 2 teams that control their own path to the #1 seed:

 

Pats & Bills

 

Ravens would need the Pats to lose one more.

 

This isn't about speculating.  It's just a fact that we've played half of our games this season and we control our own path to the #1 seed.

 

Forgive me, but I think that's a pretty awesome thing considering we were 2-6 at this point last year.

 

I don't think we're going 14-2.  I think we're going 11-5 or 12-4.  But who knows?  

[Warcodered]

[JOE IN HAMPTON ROADS]

18 hours ago, Peace Frog said:

All they have to do is win the next game.  That's it!

 

Rut-row, looks like Aussie Joe was confused by my statement.  I'll clarify it.  The Bills only have to worry about the next game.  Just win the next game and everything will take care of itself.  Who cares about the game in week 11 or the road game at the Paytoilets.  Just worry about the one this weekend coming up.

Im pretty sure this is exactly McDermott's philosophy as well.

[Rocky Landing]

This thread is some crazy homerism, sure. But, ask yourself a couple of questions:

1) In the first half of this season, has Josh Allen improved, remained the same, or declined? I think most would agree that, the Eagles game notwithstanding, he has, from game to game, incrementally improved.

2) In the first half of this season, has Tom Brady* improved, remained the same, or declined? I think one could make a sound argument that Brady* is in decline.

 

It is not outside the realm of possibility that the Bills win this division.

[buffaloaggie]

15 hours ago, Rocky Landing said:

This thread is some crazy homerism, sure. But, ask yourself a couple of questions:

1) In the first half of this season, has Josh Allen improved, remained the same, or declined? I think most would agree that, the Eagles game notwithstanding, he has, from game to game, incrementally improved.

2) In the first half of this season, has Tom Brady* improved, remained the same, or declined? I think one could make a sound argument that Brady* is in decline.

 

It is not outside the realm of possibility that the Bills win this division.

Bills have to take care of business obviously. Let's beat the Browns first. 

 

Patsies are now considered a bit vulnerable after their loss. Now going into Philly, who is hot. Cowboys at home, Texans on the road, Chiefs at home. It's a tough 4 weeks ahead of them. Three possible losses in there. We can only hope.

[dma0034]

Not that will happen but the Bills and Patriots are the only two teams that control their destiny to the 1 seed. If the Bills beat the Pats they will own the tie breaker.

[wagon127]

21 hours ago, transplantbillsfan said:

 

Not until the Bills and Ravens lose at least 1 more game and Patriots lose at least 2 more.

The Texans and Chiefs play the patriots. So if they combine forces, they control their own destiny together! There's your two losses.

[Mat68]

Allen becoming more game managerish imo is a sign of growth.  When they are playing good defense and running the football effectively Allen just needs to keep the reigns on the game and convert Redzone trips to scores.

[Success]

16 hours ago, Rocky Landing said:

This thread is some crazy homerism, sure. But, ask yourself a couple of questions:

1) In the first half of this season, has Josh Allen improved, remained the same, or declined? I think most would agree that, the Eagles game notwithstanding, he has, from game to game, incrementally improved.

2) In the first half of this season, has Tom Brady* improved, remained the same, or declined? I think one could make a sound argument that Brady* is in decline.

 

It is not outside the realm of possibility that the Bills win this division.

It really isn’t.  It’s funny how we are now.  We’ve been broken like a horse.

 

If the last 20 years didn’t happen, not only would we feel like we had a shot at the division - because of the remaining schedules, we’d be confident about it.  The Pats shouldn’t scare us anymore.  They’re old, and we almost took them in the 1st game.  To me, Brady looks worse every week.

 

It would shock the nation, too.  Everyone already has NE penciled in for homefield and the AFCCG at minimum.

[LabattBlue]

So, if the Bills lose on Sunday, will we get another new thread titled "The Bills no longer control their own destiny"?