Jags @ Bills in London: Week 5 - 10/8 @ 9:30am ET

[Never NEVER Give-up]

For the Jaguars, this will be the second of two-straight games played in London. The League wanted them rested to provide them with an advantage over the Bills.  I am disappointed this is an AFC clash that could have playoff-seeding implications; I was hoping for an NFC opponent; but at least it looks like all the international games will be AFC tilts.

[gordong]

whatever,  if the bills can't beat the jags we have bigger issues.

[The Frankish Reich]

38 minutes ago, Never NEVER Give-up said:

For the Jaguars, this will be the second of two-straight games played in London. The League wanted them rested to provide them with an advantage over the Bills.  I am disappointed this is an AFC clash that could have playoff-seeding implications; I was hoping for an NFC opponent; but at least it looks like all the international games will be AFC tilts.

A charter flight should take about 7.5 hours from Buffalo to London. There is the 5 hour time change, but I can't see that this is much different than the Seahawks coming to Buffalo for a Sunday game.

[Fleezoid]

Is this the official pre-game thread? Might be a bit early to be discussing game strategies and matchups. When the game is played, we'll all be like: 

 

[Gregg]

6 minutes ago, gordong said:

whatever,  if the bills can't beat the jags we have bigger issues.

 

Jags aren't a pushover anymore. This will be a tough game.

[Warcodered]

They really are pushing the Jags over there aren't they.

[BritBill]

1 minute ago, Warcodered said:

They really are pushing the Jags over there aren't they.

 

We're pushing back though, believe me. 

[Buffalo Boy]

Kinda like the whole 9:30 am thing from a “ Have the rest of the day” standpoint 

[eball]

52 minutes ago, Never NEVER Give-up said:

For the Jaguars, this will be the second of two-straight games played in London. The League wanted them rested to provide them with an advantage over the Bills.  I am disappointed this is an AFC clash that could have playoff-seeding implications; I was hoping for an NFC opponent; but at least it looks like all the international games will be AFC tilts.

 

Oh geez…more conspiracy theories.  Ridiculous.  Besides, staying longer in London doesn’t mean the Jags are “more rested” — they’re still staying in a hotel away from home.  It’s a non-issue.

 

[SCBills]

2 minutes ago, eball said:

 

Oh geez…more conspiracy theories.  Ridiculous.  Besides, staying longer in London doesn’t mean the Jags are “more rested” — they’re still staying in a hotel away from home.  It’s a non-issue.

 

 

Disagree completely with this.  

 

Bills have to travel and deal with the time change, for a "home game". 

 

Instead of playing a team also dealing with that.. for the first time... that's now not the case. 

[dollars 2 donuts]

19 minutes ago, gordong said:

whatever,  if the bills can't beat the jags we have bigger issues.

 

12 minutes ago, Gregg said:

 

Jags aren't a pushover anymore. This will be a tough game.

 

 

Respectfully, we couldn't beat them when they were hideous.  Now they are good and getting better, winning as many playoffs games last year as we did, and they are getting a road game essentially turned into a home game in their "home away from home" all the while as they've had a week to settle in.

 

If the Bills can't beat the Jags it might be because the Jags are a pretty good team, combined with the schedule working out well for them.  

 

Go Bills!

 

 

[nucci]

some of you just look for things to complain about. The Bills won't be tired. They will be ready to play. Football is emotion and adrenaline. You really think close to kickoff a couple guys will be yawning and needing a nap?

[Nextmanup]

Everything about this sucks.

 

Bills football at what? 9am?  It's like a week without football...and against Jacksonville, no less.

 

Let the Brits come watch football in the States.

 

 

[SoCal Deek]

24 minutes ago, Warcodered said:

They really are pushing the Jags over there aren't they.

Their Owner has ties to London. 

[SCBills]

6 minutes ago, nucci said:

some of you just look for things to complain about. The Bills won't be tired. They will be ready to play. Football is emotion and adrenaline. You really think close to kickoff a couple guys will be yawning and needing a nap?

 

I mean, it is a disadvantage.  We can talk about that. 

 

Does it mean we have an excuse, due to that, to go out and lose to a good (not great) team in Jax?  No.. We should still win that game.  

 

That said, I just don't like being part of the experiment with Jax.  First team playing two games overseas, staying overseas the entire time.  How does that drive their mentality?  The league will clearly be looking to see how good, bad or indifferent they play on the second game of two in a row over there.  Ehh.. just not a fan of the scheduling hand we were dealt here. 

 

Still should be a W, but we know of exactly one game, and it's about as meh as it could possibly be for us. 

 

Edited May 10, 2023 by SCBills

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

I still have bad memories of the EJ Manuel Bills/Jags game at 9 am on the yahoo stream, which buffered like crazy. One of the worst viewing experiences of my life.

[nucci]

1 minute ago, SCBills said:

 

I mean, it is a disadvantage.  We can talk about that. 

 

Does it mean we have an excuse, due to that, to go out and lose to a good (not great) team in Jax?  No.. We should still win that game.  

 

That said, I just don't like being part of the experiment with Jax.  First team playing two games overseas, staying overseas the entire time.  How does that drive their mentality?  The league will clearly be looking to see how good, bad or indifferent they play on the second game of two in a row over there.  Ehh.. just not a fan of the scheduling hand we dealt here. 

 

Still should be a W. 

It's just a football game. You're making it bigger than that. 

[SCBills]

7 minutes ago, nucci said:

It's just a football game. You're making it bigger than that. 

 

Ok.. Why even care at all about the schedule, or who/when we play anyone?

 

Give us a 1 pm season opener in Miami on Week One.   Give us the earliest bye week possible.  Schedule KC, CIN, PHI, LAC, NYJ & MIA all in a row.  What does it matter?

 

 

Edited May 10, 2023 by SCBills

[nucci]

1 minute ago, SCBills said:

 

Ok.. Why even care at all about the schedule, or who/when we play anyone?

 

Give us a 1 pm season opener in Miami on Week One.   Give us a Week 5 bye.  Schedule KC, CIN, PHI, SF, NYJ & MIA all in a row.  What does it matter?

 

I don't care about the schedule. I'll watch when the games are played. 

[SCBills]

Just now, nucci said:

I don't care about the schedule. I'll watch when the games are played. 

 

Cool.  So will all of us. 

 

The discussion we're having isn't about us.  

 

We aren't playing the games.  

[nucci]

Just now, SCBills said:

 

Cool.  So will all of us. 

 

The discussion we're having isn't about us.  

 

We aren't playing the games.  

Right, are the players complaining? 

[BuffaloBillyG]

9:30am? Going to have to start GameDay drinking the night before...

[nucci]

1 minute ago, BuffaloBillyG said:

9:30am? Going to have to start GameDay drinking the night before...

or a little kicker in morning coffee

[Warcodered]

 

[Big Turk]

Was the likely matchup from the get go...Jags have 2 games in London then...one as their normal home game and now against the Bills.

 

IMO, they definitely have the advantage as they have it down to a science in terms of how to prepare, pack, get ready and play in that time zone as they have done this many many years in a row now. And on top of this they look like could make a move into the very good up and coming teams in the AFC this year.

 

Probably the worst possible opponent we could have been given. Would much rather play a team that is a newbie like we are at this to even the playing field.

Edited May 10, 2023 by Big Turk

[nucci]

14 minutes ago, Big Turk said:

Was the likely matchup from the get go...Jags have 2 games in London then...one as their normal home game and now against the Bills.

 

IMO, they definitely have the advantage as they have it down to a science in terms of how to prepare, pack, get ready and play in that time zone as they have done this many many years in a row now. And on top of this they look like could make a move into the very good up and coming teams in the AFC this year.

 

Probably the worst possible opponent we could have been given. Would much rather play a team that is a newbie like we are at this to even the playing field.

you guys are making too much of this. You don't think anyone in the Bills organization will know how to prepare for this game? What do you mean pack....clothing , uniforms? They're going to London, not Australia

[QLBillsFan]

Let’s not start with all the excuses. Last year some unusual things happened to the Bills. I don’t expect the same this year and I am not going to search for it. Jags in London or OP are a very good team.

[Marv Levy]

I'm in the Pacific Time Zone. So this will be what, a 4 am start for me? LOL.

But seriously. I'm in the "Not a fan of London games" camp. Jet lag, games usually aren't that good, everybodys tired, and the next week return to the states, the teams usually play like crap. Hey they are pros, I get it, but just not a fan of this.

 

GO BILLS!

Edited May 10, 2023 by Marv Levy

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

2 hours ago, Fleezoid said:

Is this the official pre-game thread? Might be a bit early to be discussing game strategies and matchups. When the game is played, we'll all be like: 

 

'Buffalo Bills AI Art' is a few threads down the page. ⬇️⬇️⬇️

Edited May 10, 2023 by Ridgewaycynic2013

[BigAl2526]

The league says the Bills are technically the home team in this game, but the Jags are the NFL team with the most experience in the league at playing in London.  By keeping the Jags in London two straight weeks, the Jags will be over their Jet lag.  Essentially, the league has flipped the game and given the Jags home field advantage despite the fact they are supposed to be visitors.  Buffalo should be good enough to overcome this, but it sure looks like the league is trying to screw Buffalo.  

[msw2112]

My kids are off of school that week for "fall break."  When I was a kid, we had "spring break," but "fall break" did not exist.  The good news is that my wife likes to take an international family trip during fall break and was planning a trip to Ireland that week.  Hearing about the Bills schedule, she decided to route our trip through London.  Airline tickets have been purchased and I will be at the game!  I registered this morning for notice of the public ticket sale.  If anyone has any more information about tickets, I'd appreciate it.  I look forward to seeing some of you there!

[Sammy Watkins' Rib]

 I predicted the NFL would finally schedule the Jags for back to back games in London.  That’s sort of the next step of testing out the waters of having a team over there full time or maybe at least half the year. 
 

I could see the Jags possibly splitting time evenly between Jacksonville and London eventually. 

[corta765]

1 hour ago, nucci said:

you guys are making too much of this. You don't think anyone in the Bills organization will know how to prepare for this game? What do you mean pack....clothing , uniforms? They're going to London, not Australia

 

Agreed. This is turning into the Sun Game last year where the excuses are rolling to a stupid level except the game hasn't even been played. The NFL has done London for so long teams have perfected it and it really is no different then going West Coast these days. Saying the Jags have "two home games" is dumb too. It's in London not Jacksonville, its basically just two neutral site games at this point.

[bigduke6]

not a fan of these international games for my team.   i get the reasons why they exist.   it puts players and teams who are very structured outside their comfort zones and is shows on the field.   the following weeks game usually suffers as well.    this isnt a "home" game for our Bills.  its an unneeded distraction for a team that will have to play at their very best every friggen week to keep up with the murderers row of teams in the AFC,  especially for any chance at homefield in the playoffs.

 

 

[RoyBatty is alive]

2 hours ago, Warcodered said:

They really are pushing the Jags over there aren't they.

They sure are.  We as Bills fans should be grateful the Jags are the designated "international" team every year, better them than us.

[Big Turk]

2 hours ago, nucci said:

you guys are making too much of this. You don't think anyone in the Bills organization will know how to prepare for this game? What do you mean pack....clothing , uniforms? They're going to London, not Australia

 

It's a lot of work especially since they are going to be gone much longer than a typical road game. I don't think we are making too much of it considering the huge challenges teams themselves who have done it for the first time said they had and how they had no idea there would be so many of them.

[SoCal Deek]

People please!

The players and their families have a BLAST with these games. It’s once every five years for heaven’s sake!

[nucci]

5 minutes ago, Big Turk said:

 

It's a lot of work especially since they are going to be gone much longer than a typical road game. I don't think we are making too much of it considering the huge challenges teams themselves who have done it for the first time said they had and how they had no idea there would be so many of them.

then pack an extra pair of underwear. This is getting ridiculous. Players will get plenty of rest and enough to eat. I don't see the huge challenges you talk about. 

[frostbitmic]

Maybe next year the league in all its wisdom can have us play overseas for two of our home games.

 

This wouldn't irritate me if we played an away game there, but to give up a home game in Buffalo to play the team that plays there yearly and is the "home team" in London isn't competitively fair, and that does irritate me.

 

When the Bills had the Toronto series, it was always a Bills home game. If the Jaguars are looking to move to London, the games there should be their home games.

 

 

[SoCal Deek]

8 minutes ago, frostbitmic said:

Maybe next year the league in all its wisdom can have us play overseas for two of our home games.

 

This wouldn't irritate me if we played an away game there, but to give up a home game in Buffalo to play the team that plays there yearly and is the "home team" in London isn't competitively fair, and that does irritate me.

 

When the Bills had the Toronto series, it was always a Bills home game. If the Jaguars are looking to move to London, the games there should be their home games.

 

 

Up until just a couple of years ago the Bills had eight home games. This year they’ll have…yep…eight home games. 

My gosh what a bunch of whiners! Not sure why people want be such Debbie Downers. I literally guarantee you that the players and the entire organization are going to have fun with this. 

Edited May 10, 2023 by SoCal Deek