Buffalo vs New England Wildcard Game: 8:15 PM Saturday Night

[Brianmoorman4jesus]

No matter what it looks like, we need to find a way to get this one. Going to have to be more buttoned up then the last few weeks but just have to trust these guys to be ready.

[Mynamemike]

Lol, talk about rich people problems.   I’m sure they’ll figure something out. 

[wjag]

44 minutes ago, Dr. Who said:

Yes, I started out thinking Chargers having to make the trip East and their dope coach who goes for it on fourth down in ridiculous contexts, but as the game went along, I thought, well, Chargers take dumb penalties and they make lots of mistakes, but Herbert erases a lot of them. 

 

I know I was watching Herbert last night, but damn if he didn't play like Fouts.  His effort last night was heroic.  Reminded me of a classic Miami-San Diego game years back when Kellen Winslow was making all those plays while playing absolutely exhausted.  That was  previously the greatest game I have watched and it was replaced by last night's game.

Edited January 10, 2022 by wjag

[Greg S]

Just now, wjag said:

 

I know I was watching Herbert last night, but damn if he didn't play like Fouts.  His effort last night was heroic.  Reminded me of a classic Miami-San Diego game years back when Kellen Winslow was making all those plays while playing absolutely exhausted.  That was the previously the greatest game I have watched and it was replaced by last night's game.

 

It would have been funny if that game ended in a tie just to see the reactions from Pittsburgh. Why did the Chargers coach call timeout with like 20 seconds left in OT? It looked like the Raiders were going to let the clock run out. Why did the Raiders kick a FG with 2 seconds left? Why risk a block and have them return it for a score?

[Steptide]

If we win Saturday, do we play the winner of raiders/Bengals? 

[sunshynman]

1 hour ago, BassToMouth said:

I feel like there’s zero chance of this

Just like the Bills or Colts cant lose to the Jag's? 

[Greg S]

1 minute ago, Steptide said:

If we win Saturday, do we play the winner of raiders/Bengals? 

 

KC assuming the Chiefs beat Pitt which they probably will. That would be the #2 vs #3 matchup. The Titans get the lowest seed which is the winner of #4 Bengals vs #5 Raiders. If the Steelers can pull off an upset then that changes everything. Of course we have to beat NE first and I think we will.

[BassToMouth]

6 minutes ago, sunshynman said:

Just like the Bills or Colts cant lose to the Jag's? 

Definitely a fair point but with this one I just don’t see it. 

[Sherlock Holmes]

7 hours ago, gobills404 said:

 

We can't play the steelers in divisional round. If they somehow beat the Chiefs then they will automatically play the Titans next.

I was the liquor last night...

 

I'll take Pats, Titans, Raiders then.

 

@harryS

Edited January 10, 2022 by Sherlock Holmes

[Matt_In_NH]

Hopefully Covid does not rear its head this week.

[Sherlock Holmes]

1 hour ago, BassToMouth said:

I feel like there’s zero chance of this

TJ Watt has other plans

[BillnutinHouston]

1 hour ago, eball said:

 

Don’t sleep on the Steelers in KC.  That defense could make it interesting.

 

Having visions of Watt wrecking Mahomes.

 

[MiltonWaddams]

6 minutes ago, BillnutinHouston said:

 

Having visions of Watt wrecking Mahomes.

 

It looks like a giant squashing a rat. It’s a beautiful picture.

[Sherlock Holmes]

9 minutes ago, BillnutinHouston said:

 

Having visions of Watt wrecking Mahomes.

 

@MiltonWaddams

TJ Watt is going to be feasting on frog legs!

Edited January 10, 2022 by Sherlock Holmes

[stevewin]

1 hour ago, Steptide said:

I was actually hoping that the Chargers would win last night and have to come to Buffalo, but after watching that game last night, I'm glad we get Mac Jones. Herbert was making insane plays in that game 

Would have been interesting to see if could have replicated that with temps in the teens

[Logic]

Count me among those that wanted to play the Chargers rather than the Pats.

The Chargers would have been coming off a five quarter game that went late into sunday night, and would have to fly east to play in cold weather. They have a statistically weak defense, specifically against the run.

The Pats, meanwhile...even though we have shown that we can beat them handily when things are clicking...well....things haven't been clicking the past few weeks in Orchard Park. Anyone who actively WANTS to face Bill Belichick for a third time in the same season must have sat out the past two decades and/or missed the way Allen and the offense have been performing for large stretches of the past few home games.

Aside from the strategic advantage of facing the Chargers instead of the Pats, I felt like Herbert vs Allen would have been a really FUN matchup. Nothing about facing the Pats with the season on the line is FUN to me. Not in the least.

The playoffs are all about what path you have to take to reach the Super Bowl. The Bills will likely start out with the Pats and, if they win, the Chiefs at Arrowhead. That's a rough way to start the playoffs. The Chiefs, meanwhile, start out with a Charmin soft Steelers team at home. Ugh.

Oh well. Here's to me being totally wrong and the Bills wiping the floor with the Pats*.

[Greg S]

2 minutes ago, Logic said:

Count me among those that wanted to play the Chargers rather than the Pats.

The Chargers would have been coming off a five quarter game that went late into sunday night, and would have to fly east to play in cold weather. They have a statistically weak defense, specifically against the run.

The Pats, meanwhile...even though we have shown that we can beat them handily when things are clicking...well....things haven't been clicking the past few weeks in Orchard Park. Anyone who actively WANTS to face Bill Belichick for a third time in the same season must have sat out the past two decades and/or missed the way Allen and the offense have been performing for large stretches of the past few home games.

Aside from the strategic advantage of facing the Chargers instead of the Pats, I felt like Herbert vs Allen would have been a really FUN matchup. Nothing about facing the Pats with the season on the line is FUN to me. Not in the least.

The playoffs are all about what path you have to take to reach the Super Bowl. The Bills will likely start out with the Pats and, if they win, the Chiefs at Arrowhead. That's a rough way to start the playoffs. The Chiefs, meanwhile, start out with a Charmin soft Steelers team at home. Ugh.

Oh well. Here's to me being totally wrong and the Bills wiping the floor with the Pats*.

 

These aren't the Brady led Pats. The Bills are the better team. If they do a good job against the run then the Bills will win comfortably. Noodle arm isn't going to match Allen and company offensively. It will be very similar to the game they played at NE.

[K-9]

9 hours ago, Warcodered said:

Second verse same as the first.

[Bob in STL]

1 hour ago, PastaJoe said:

Pegulas can’t be happy with the game time as it conflicts with their other teams. The Bandits play at home Sat night, and the Sabres are on tv at Detroit.

 

I am quite sure having the Bills in the playoffs again is making them very happy. 
 

They don’t care much about the Sabres right now, the Sabres are years away from contending.  They probably care even less about the Bandits. 

[Greg S]

1 minute ago, Bob in STL said:

 

I am quite sure having the Bills in the playoffs again is making them very happy. 
 

They don’t care much about the Sabres right now, the Sabres are years away from contending.  They probably care even less about the Bandits. 

 

Does anyone in Buffalo know the Sabres exist right now with a Bills vs Pats playoff game on Saturday night coming up. Packed house for a playoff game for the first time in decades.

[Generic_Bills_Fan]

2 hours ago, eball said:

The Belichick factor playing hard with the spread of only -4.5 in this game...that's a good opportunity right there.  I expect that to move between 5-6.

I’ve seen it -5.5 in some places already…could go even higher depending on barmore, Isaiah Wynn, and Duggar’s injury status.  Barmore would be a huge loss for them 

[Dr. K]

It's probably a judgment on my character, but mostly what I feel about this game is dread. 

[Motorin']

1 hour ago, Greg S said:

 

It would have been funny if that game ended in a tie just to see the reactions from Pittsburgh. Why did the Chargers coach call timeout with like 20 seconds left in OT? It looked like the Raiders were going to let the clock run out. Why did the Raiders kick a FG with 2 seconds left? Why risk a block and have them return it for a score?

 

They didn't call TO with 20 seconds left. They called TO with 38 seconds left with 2 seconds left on the play clock.

 

The Raiders were already in fg range, and we're about to run the ball on 3rd down and the Chargers couldn't stop Jacobs all night. 

 

The media loves click bate though.

[Generic_Bills_Fan]

2 hours ago, wjag said:

 

I was saying this during the Bengals-Browns game yesterday.  I think in Bengals calculus, they deliberately dropped a seed yesterday to avoid going into KC in round 2.  

That would be pretty strange considering they just beat KC.  I think they prioritized staying healthy since Mixon was on the Covid list anyway and burrow was banged up.  I just don’t think KC is better than a healthy TEN although we don’t know if Henry will play yet 

2 minutes ago, Dr. K said:

It's probably a judgment on my character, but mostly what I feel about this game is dread. 

Lol I definitely get where you’re coming from though…losing to the pats would be much more painful than losing to the chargers.  But as far as matchups go I think the pats are the best one we could ask for 

[Greg S]

2 minutes ago, Motorin' said:

 

They didn't call TO with 20 seconds left. They called TO with 38 seconds left with 2 seconds left on the play clock.

 

The Raiders were already in fg range, and we're about to run the ball on 3rd down and the Chargers couldn't stop Jacobs all night. 

 

The media loves click bate though.

 

 The Raiders should have let the clock run out at that point. Why try a FG and risk a possible block and return.

[Generic_Bills_Fan]

3 minutes ago, Motorin' said:

 

They didn't call TO with 20 seconds left. They called TO with 38 seconds left with 2 seconds left on the play clock.

 

The Raiders were already in fg range, and we're about to run the ball on 3rd down and the Chargers couldn't stop Jacobs all night. 

 

The media loves click bate though.

Would’ve been a 60ish yard fg if they kicked it…I doubt they would’ve even attempted that.  They were not in any hurry to run a play before the LAC called timeout and it looked like the raiders players were telling the chargers on the field after the game that they were just gonna knee it out…we’ll never actually know for sure though 

[Motorin']

Just now, Greg S said:

 

 The Raiders should have let the clock run out at that point. Why try a FG and risk a possible block and return.

 

So they were going to take a delay of game with 36 seconds left? Or kneel it in shotgun formation?

 

The Raiders coach confirmed they weren't going to let the clock run out after Jacobs ran into fg range two plays before. 

 

And you want to know why? A tie sends them to KC who they lost two games this year by a combined score of 9000 to 12. 

[Greg S]

Just now, Motorin' said:

 

So they were going to take a delay of game with 36 seconds left? Or kneel it in shotgun formation?

 

The Raiders coach confirmed they weren't going to let the clock run out after Jacobs ran into fg range two plays before. 

 

And you want to know why? A tie sends them to KC who they lost two games this year by a combined score of 9000 to 12. 

 

Good point. I forgot about the tie sending them to KC. Going to CIN and facing Burrow and those weapons won't be any easier though.

[Mango]

4 hours ago, JMF2006 said:

 

While everyone practices in the Fieldhouse all week I would make Haack punt into the wind all week inside the stadium

In all seriousness, it’s going to be cold, I’d put the receivers outside on the jugs machine and crank them up all week long. They have to be better at catching those lasers when everything is frozen. 

[Willyville Guy]

C'mon Bills, boat-race these f*ckers.

[Logic]

23 minutes ago, Greg S said:

 

These aren't the Brady led Pats. The Bills are the better team. If they do a good job against the run then the Bills will win comfortably. Noodle arm isn't going to match Allen and company offensively. It will be very similar to the game they played at NE.

I mean...

Like I said, the Bills offense has been a bit rotten in Orchard Park for large stretches of the past few weeks. We're looking at a sub 20 degree game with a 50% chance of snow showers. We're going against a top 3 scoring defense.

I wish I shared your optimism that things will definitely play out the way they did in Foxborough, but I don't.

[Dr. Who]

3 minutes ago, Dr. K said:

It's probably a judgment on my character, but mostly what I feel about this game is dread. 

We should win. We're the better team. It's just that the anguish of losing to the Pats* in a year of SB expectations is such a horrific thought one can hardly bear to think about it.

[newcam2012]

2 minutes ago, Motorin' said:

 

So they were going to take a delay of game with 36 seconds left? Or kneel it in shotgun formation?

 

The Raiders coach confirmed they weren't going to let the clock run out after Jacobs ran into fg range two plays before. 

 

And you want to know why? A tie sends them to KC who they lost two games this year by a combined score of 9000 to 12. 

Good info.

[Motorin']

2 minutes ago, Generic_Bills_Fan said:

Would’ve been a 60ish yard fg if they kicked it…I doubt they would’ve even attempted that.  They were not in any hurry to run a play before the LAC called timeout and it looked like the raiders players were telling the chargers on the field after the game that they were just gonna knee it out…we’ll never actually know for sure though 

 

I'd tell the Chargers we were going to kneel it down too. He's a little salt in the wounds. 

 

The Raiders had to snap the ball on 3rd down with 36 seconds left. 

 

They were in shotgun. Carr wasn't going to take a freaking knee. 

 

He probably hands it off to Jacobs. Maybe he half heatedly runs into his centers butt and falls down. And maybe they never take another snap.

 

But there was no guarantee he doesn't pickup more yardage. He gashes them all night. 

 

And there's nothing about the TO that guaranteed the Raiders were going to pickup 9 yards on the next run. 

 

This is case of senile Al Michaels not knowing that the play clock was almost at zero with the game clock under 40.

 

He made a dumb reaction, and Collinsworth backed him up with an even dumber assertion. So it set the narrative. 

 

The Raiders were never going to pass on a fg attempt to avoid going to KC. 

[Greg S]

Just now, Logic said:

I mean...

Like I said, the Bills offense has been a bit rotten in Orchard Park for large stretches of the past few weeks. We're looking at a sub 20 degree game with a 50% chance of snow showers. We're going against a top 3 scoring defense.

I wish I shared your optimism that things will definitely play out the way they did in Foxborough, but I don't.

 

Have a little faith in the Bills. They are the better team. They have the much better QB. Bill is the GOAT HC but his record without Brady isn't all that impressive. The Pats are a good team otherwise they wouldn't be playing WC weekend. In the end if the Bills play to their potential they will win. 

[Motorin']

4 minutes ago, Greg S said:

 

Good point. I forgot about the tie sending them to KC. Going to CIN and facing Burrow and those weapons won't be any easier though.

 

No doubt... I personally wanted the tie. Feel like the Steelers are basically a bye for KC. 

[Greg S]

Just now, Motorin' said:

 

No doubt... I personally wanted the tie. Feel like the Steelers are basically a bye for KC. 

 

Hopefully the Steelers can give them a game which is something they didn't do the last time. 

[Motorin']

6 minutes ago, newcam2012 said:

Good info.

 

The talking heads are loving trashing Staley for blowing the game calling a TO, while pretending like the Raiders were never going to snap another play. 

 

 

[harryS]

23 minutes ago, Generic_Bills_Fan said:

I’ve seen it -5.5 in some places already…could go even higher depending on barmore, Isaiah Wynn, and Duggar’s injury status.  Barmore would be a huge loss for them 

 

where?

 

i'm seeing 4.5 across the board.  at the very least, all the major most popular books are at 4.5

[Logic]

2 minutes ago, Greg S said:

 

Have a little faith in the Bills. They are the better team. They have the much better QB. Bill is the GOAT HC but his record without Brady isn't all that impressive. The Pats are a good team otherwise they wouldn't be playing WC weekend. In the end if the Bills play to their potential they will win. 

That's exactly it. I agree that if they play to their potential, they win.

The problem is that on many occasions this season -- including just yesterday and the Sunday before -- they HAVEN'T played to their potential, especially at home.

I'm not saying the Bills are definitely going to lose to the Pats. I'm just saying that the Pats winning is a reasonable possibility, because Belichick is the greatest coach of all time, the Pats defense is still elite, and this will be the third time we've faced them this season. Give Belichick three cracks at a given team in a single season, and it's reasonably likely he'll outcoach his opposition 2 out of 3 times.

There's a reason the oddsmakers are only giving the Bills essentially one point in the spread (they get three automatically for being the home team). It's going to be a close game.