Scenario where Bills may want to intentionally lose week 17

[SageAgainstTheMachine]

1 minute ago, HappyDays said:

 

You're overstating my point. I'm not saying to literally throw the game. If Jake Fromm throwing to Gabe Davis and Isaiah McKenzie somehow beats the Dolphins, God bless them. I consider starting the backups effectively the same thing as intentionally losing. If the Dolphins somehow lose in that scenario I'll just shrug my shoulders and laugh at them.

 

My bad, I didn't understand this.  

[Buffalo03]

3 minutes ago, SageAgainstTheMachine said:

 

There's no such thing as a meaningless game where you play the same opponent the next week.  Handing over a mental advantage could be drinking poison.  I already acknowledged that I'm fine with playing the backups in this scenario but purely because of the injury concerns.  Do you really expect McD to address the team and tell them to intentionally lose?  He wouldn't be able to look at them after.  To be clear if you have a desperate team of starters vs a team of backups actively trying to lose in an NFL game the score would be something like 55-3.  That's not the team morale I want heading into the playoffs.  Give me a swaggering Bills squad against the Ravens over a simpering one against the Dolphins trying to pick their dignity back up off the floor.  

I just don't like the thought of Lamar in round 1 at all. I feel like the Dolphins even at their best isn't as good as the Ravens at their best. Give me the warm weather team with a rookie QB coming to cold weather on the road than Lamar any day of the week

[Figster]

3 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

 

You're overstating my point. I'm not saying to literally throw the game. If Jake Fromm throwing to Gabe Davis and Isaiah McKenzie somehow beats the Dolphins, God bless them. I consider starting the backups effectively the same thing as intentionally losing. If the Dolphins somehow lose in that scenario I'll just shrug my shoulders and laugh at them.

I like your idea up to the point of losing intentionally.

 

Resting the starters on the last regular season game is a great idea IMO...

 

 

Edited December 22, 2020 by Figster

[Buffalo03]

5 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

 

Eh the Ravens don't really scare me. I'd put them even with Cleveland as far as ranking teams I'd like to play in the wildcard round. We already know McDermott can slow Lamar Jackson down even in the middle of an MVP season and now we have an offense that can score points. Jackson has choked in two straight playoff appearances. I might actually prefer them to the Browns right now. Only team I really don't want to face in the wildcard is Tennessee. Outside of KC they're my least favorite matchup for the Bills. 

Yeah, Tenessee is definitely not a first round matchup I want either. Derrick Henry is freaking scary

[HappyDays]

Just now, Buffalo03 said:

Yeah, Tenessee is definitely not a first round matchup I want either. Derrick Henry is freaking scary

 

Now that I think about it part of me is actually rooting for the Titans to lose out and drop out of the playoffs entirely. That would probably mean we'd play the Ravens in the wildcard but I think I'd prefer that to having to play the Titans followed by the Chiefs.

 

All those years of toying around with the playoff machine to find crazy scenarios where the Bills sneak in at 8-8, and this is what it's come to!

[BillsfaninChicago]

Life has a funny way of flipping what you think should happen with what actually does happen. I was at this game back at the start of 2005 that was just like a playoff game and all we had to do was beat second and third stringers...

[SageAgainstTheMachine]

Just now, Buffalo03 said:

I just don't like the thought of Lamar in round 1 at all. I feel like the Dolphins even at their best isn't as good as the Ravens at their best. Give me the warm weather team with a rookie QB coming to cold weather on the road than Lamar any day of the week

 

I definitely prefer the Dolphins matchup.  I just think any threat to our mojo right now is a bigger deal than any particular opponent.  We've been stealing lunch money and rubbing faces in the dirt since the bye.

[Buffalo03]

4 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

 

Now that I think about it part of me is actually rooting for the Titans to lose out and drop out of the playoffs entirely. That would probably mean we'd play the Ravens in the wildcard but I think I'd prefer that to having to play the Titans followed by the Chiefs.

 

All those years of toying around with the playoff machine to find crazy scenarios where the Bills sneak in at 8-8, and this is what it's come to!

Trust me, I know what you mean lol

[Paulus]

The Barkley/Fromm game?

[Figster]

 

3 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

 

Now that I think about it part of me is actually rooting for the Titans to lose out and drop out of the playoffs entirely. That would probably mean we'd play the Ravens in the wildcard but I think I'd prefer that to having to play the Titans followed by the Chiefs.

 

All those years of toying around with the playoff machine to find crazy scenarios where the Bills sneak in at 8-8, and this is what it's come to!

You would think the extra wild card might start watering down the level of competition.

 

Doesn't seem to be the case in the AFC...

[machine gun kelly]

58 minutes ago, BuffBillsForLife said:

I'm pretty sure suggesting that the Bills intentionally lose to the Dolphins so that the Dolphins make the playoffs is a sin.

A mortal sin, not just a genial sin (my catholic upbringing).  Don’t forget boys, this is our rivalry going forward.  The Jets, and now even the Lats are a hot mess.  We will be ducking it out with the Dolphins for years, so just hear me out 😇(sorry happy, I couldn’t help myself).

[BillsMafia13]

22 minutes ago, SageAgainstTheMachine said:

 

There's no such thing as a meaningless game where you play the same opponent the next week.  Handing over a mental advantage could be drinking poison.  I already acknowledged that I'm fine with playing the backups in this scenario but purely because of the injury concerns.  Do you really expect McD to address the team and tell them to intentionally lose?  He wouldn't be able to look at them after.  To be clear if you have a desperate team of starters vs a team of backups actively trying to lose in an NFL game the score would be something like 55-3.  That's not the team morale I want heading into the playoffs.  Give me a swaggering Bills squad against the Ravens over a simpering one against the Dolphins trying to pick their dignity back up off the floor.  

The dolphins would have to win that game and would throw everything they had at our back ups only to play them at home right after. I’ll take rested starters and their game plan vs jackson getting hot in the playoffs. Not a good look but it’s definitely smart 

[Weatherman]

19 minutes ago, Buffalo03 said:

Yeah, Tenessee is definitely not a first round matchup I want either. Derrick Henry is freaking scary

The only scary team in the entire NFL is the Chiefs.  Everyone else is second rate.  I don’t care who we play as long as it’s not the Chiefs, at least until the conference championship. 

[theRalph]

I agree the bills would never intentionally lose a game. But I think the poster was trying to make the point that, if those initial likely conditions are met, the Bills could rest in week 17 having attained the two seed. And the way it may work out, the bills will likely choose who gets in the playoffs between Miami and Baltimore.

[Rocky Landing]

I'm actually for this scenario. Not only would I rather we play the Phins than the Ravens, there would be something gratifying about two AFCE teams making the playoffs, and neither of them are the Pats*.

[BillsfaninChicago]

1 minute ago, theRalph said:

I agree the bills would never intentionally lose a game. But I think the poster was trying to make the point that, if those initial likely conditions are met, the Bills could rest in week 17 having attained the two seed. And the way it may work out, the bills will likely choose who gets in the playoffs between Miami and Baltimore.

That makes sense and it is a great situation to be in. I would just be carful wanting to play one team over another. You never know what team will show up on Sunday. Especially this year.

[Figster]

11 minutes ago, machine gun kelly said:

A mortal sin, not just a genial sin (my catholic upbringing).  Don’t forget boys, this is our rivalry going forward.  The Jets, and now even the Lats are a hot mess.  We will be ducking it out with the Dolphins for years, so just hear me out 😇(sorry happy, I couldn’t help myself).

Man I get where your coming from, but If good fortune can come to another team that is sure to get us prime time matchups next season like back in the day with Kelly and Marino, why not. I like the Ravens less and I don't like the Browns.

 

 

Edited December 22, 2020 by Figster

[Big Blitz]

4 minutes ago, Weatherman said:

The only scary team in the entire NFL is the Chiefs.  Everyone else is second rate.  I don’t care who we play as long as it’s not the Chiefs, at least until the conference championship. 

 

 

This is wrong.  The Titans and Ravens are top tier.  The Ravens have been hurt and have the look of getting ready to put it together.  They know their best RB is Dobbins now.  IF those corners and Campbell are healthy it's one of the 3 best teams in the league.  Mahomes annihilating them on that Sunday night game has given everyone the wrong impression.  Lamar is still a freak you hate to play.  

 

I don't know why people see the Titans (almost got to the SB last year almost won in KC in the Championship) as 2nd rate.  

[Big Turk]

No team is intentionally going to lose and especially not this one.

[machine gun kelly]

2 minutes ago, Big Blitz said:

 

 

This is wrong.  The Titans and Ravens are top tier.  The Ravens have been hurt and have the look of getting ready to put it together.  They know their best RB is Dobbins now.  IF those corners and Campbell are healthy it's one of the 3 best teams in the league.  Mahomes annihilating them on that Sunday night game has given everyone the wrong impression.  Lamar is still a freak you hate to play.  

 

I don't know why people see the Titans (almost got to the SB last year almost won in KC in the Championship) as 2nd rate.  

Well said in that none of the teams that make the playoffs are second rate, but I am also not afraid of any team beating this Bills team that is playing hot in all three phases of the game.  The Chiefs in the AFCC would be a huge ratings game for the networks.  Thank god down here we just had CBS open up as the negotiations with TEGNA and DTV finally resolved.  My understanding is NBC had the same problems up there so hopefully this has or will get worked out for you guys.