If in Week 18, we have locked up the AFC 1-seed and are resting starters, how will it have happened?

[harryS]

What will have transpired to go from where we are today to that cushy 1-seed and playoff bye being locked up in Week 18?

 

This thread is for the dreamers, the ones who want to use their imagination to concoct a scenario.  Jokes are also acceptable.

 

This thread is not for debbie downers who say it's impossible.

 

So, what say you?

 

 

 

[RobbRiddick]

I won’t be able to celebrate this miracle happening because Christina Hendricks will be busy suffocating me with her thighs 

[harryS]

Here is my dream.

 

In rough order of importance:

 

1. We add a WR that opposing safeties are concerned about.  It doesn't necessarily need to be a superstar #1 WR.  It can be a burner like Rashid Shaheed who is a threat to take the top off of a defense with his speed and therefore opposing safeties will shade towards him and try to stay deeper than him.  We need a WR who can occupy two defenders in other words.  What this accomplishes:
   • More consistent running room for Cook
   • More space for Shahir and Kincaid to operate in the middle of the field
   • More predictable defensive alignments generally
2. Hairston is an immediate impact starter once he completes rehab and goes through a mini training camp.  Similar to #1, this team desperately needs an injection of talent and speed.  (As things currently stand, the Patriots and Falcons have as much talent as the Bills outside of QB.)  We need Hairston to be a gem, a hit first-round draft pick.  When he returns, he needs to at least be a great CB2 and ideally (this is my dream, remember?), he would be like Quinyon Mitchell last season, a rookie corner that plays like a Pro Bowler and can be a CB1.  What this accomplishes:
   • Benford can become a great CB2, which arguably is his best usage, and we have two very reliable corners.
3. The LBs stay unusually healthy the rest of the season (and return to form in some cases).  This is a dream, remember?  In my dream, Milano and Bernard stay healthy and play well to complement Shaq Thompson, who has already been playing well.  Because of the lack of depth at LB, we do still need to use the 4-2-5 alignment a lot (while mixing in 4-3) in order to manage the snap count for those three guys and keep them healthy.  A healthy trio of LBs accomplishes:
   • Chemistry with the D-line.  If they're not in and out of the lineup all the time, they'll develop the run fit and coverage fit behind the D-line that has been sorely missing.  A healthy Milano, Bernard, and Shaq can actually make plays on the ball.  If they manage to stay on the field together, they'll start to generate turnovers again for this defense, and they'll gain chemistry with each other.
4. Continued improvement and emergence from Kincaid.  In my dream, these improvements build off each other.  If the Bills manage to get a burner that draws safety attention, then Kincaid should begin to dominate in the middle and deep middle .  In terms of targets, I would like to see Kincaid be option #1, Shakir option #2, Shaheed option #3, Cook option #4 (I agree that we should use him in the passing game), and Palmer when he returns option #5.  That receiving corps doesn't necessarily leave opponents shaking in their boots, but combined with a great rushing attack and Josh Allen, it'll be good enough for the consistent 30 pts/gm that we had gotten used to.  
5. More bread and butter from Joe Brady, less democracy.  Again, these things build off each other.  If we can get that burner on the outside to open up space underneath, then Brady needs to up the snap count of Kincaid and let HIM eat.  Likewise, Brady can throw away some of the cutesie pie plays involving just-another-guy talents, e.g. jet sweep to Knox.  With the safeties lifted, let Cook eat lots of carries.  With space in the middle, Kincaid and Shakir should be targeted often as they actually separate from their matchups.  Keep it bread and butter and feed those main guys, and take your deep shots with Shaheed so the defense continues to respect that aspect.  Offense is fixed.
6. Bishop improves a lot, and Rapp is replaced either internally or by trade.  Again, it's my dream.  With Bishop, we just have to let it play out.  We don't have enough assets to plug every single hole with good players.  I've already used some assets to get Shaheed here, and since Bishop has good physical tools (which he flashed when he made that INT against the Saints), I'll just dream that he puts it all together and starts playing well at safety.  Rapp, on the other hand, doesn't have that kind of upside and needs to be replaced.  Maybe Poyer can roll back the years and play a decent strong safety, or we have to use some other assets to get a good player in there.

 

For anyone wondering about McBeane, I'm not going to fire them midseason where it will cause chaos and be hard to find good replacements.  

[Gregg]

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

"And Harry doesn't mind, if he doesn't make the scene."

[harryS]

1 hour ago, Ridgewaycynic2013 said:

"And Harry doesn't mind, if he doesn't make the scene."

 

I am playing to an empty pub for sure.  Not too many dreamers in here, haha.

[Dan Darragh]

We wear the blizzard unis for every remaining home game.

[Just Jack]

28 minutes ago, Dan Darragh said:

We wear the blizzard unis for every remaining home game.

 

... in a blizzard, each game. So the defense can't see us. 

[Buffalo03]

At one point, I thought we basically had the 1 seed wrapped up. After the last 2 weeks, I have a hard time wondering if we will even win the division 

[billieve420]

6 minutes ago, Buffalo03 said:

At one point, I thought we basically had the 1 seed wrapped up. After the last 2 weeks, I have a hard time wondering if we will even win the division 

 

There is no excuses not to get the #1 seed this year but of course this team makes everything difficult for themselves. We have been in position to get the #1 seed multiple times in the past but choke games away they have no business losing if this is supposed to be championship level team. Will be extremely annoyed if they fumble this opportunity again.

 

The less games this defense plays come the postseason the better. There is only so much Allen can do to carry team as demonstrated these past 2 weeks. If he doesn't have A game every week team is extremely beatable.

[Fleezoid]

[ICanSleepWhenI'mDead]

At 1:15 pm EST on November 23, 2025, a large meteor strikes Arrowhead Stadium, taking out almost the entire roster of the Chiefs and the Colts.  Only Xavier Worthy survives, but his right leg must be amputated at the knee, leaving him only slightly faster than Keon Coleman. 

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

An act of God. This team is the Springfield tire fire right now 

[JakeFrommStateFarm]

It could be like the middle east 20 point peace plan

[Big Blitz]

Win the next 2 games - we will get it.  
 

The run will begin.  
 

That’s how I’m looking at the 1 seed.  
 

 

Also - if we beat KC - the Chiefs will not make the playoffs.

 

That would be 4 losses.  If they lose 7 they won’t get in over:
 

NE

Denver

Chargers

Jags 

 

Can see 3 wild card teams at 11-6.  Oh and one of them could be us.  Making the game even more massive now.  It isn’t just about the 1 seed.  It might be to get in the playoffs.  

 

 

 

Where will their other 3 losses come from - most realistic:
 

3 games left v Denver/Chargers 

Commanders desperate for a win

Home v Texans

At Dallas

Home v Colts

Can 3 of those be losses?   I think so.  
 

Heck, 11-6 might not do it if they finish tied with Jacksonville.  

[90sBills]

A lot of dreamers in this thread. 

[Success]

I mean, it's all kinds of simple - we just have to start acting like the team we are: the best in the league & eventual SB champs.

 

Post Hail Murray-style run incoming.

 

[T.E.]

If we lock the #1 seed up by Week 15, should we continue to play the starters and risk injury, or put them on the bench and risk them developing rust?

[Aussie Joe]

1 hour ago, ICanSleepWhenI'mDead said:

At 1:15 pm EST on November 23, 2025, a large meteor strikes Arrowhead Stadium, taking out almost the entire roster of the Chiefs and the Colts.  Only Xavier Worthy survives, but his right leg must be amputated at the knee, leaving him only slightly faster than Keon Coleman. 

fortunately Coach Reid also survived … being protected from the force of the impact  by Travis Kielce,  whom he was wrestling with on the sidelines at the time  …

 

 

Edited 5 hours ago by Aussie Joe

[Billsfed1]

I don’t believe anything major has to change, all they need to do is gradually get guys back healthy, and take it one game at a time…it’s that simple.

 

We’ll get a nice boost on defense from the suspensions, an extra week off to heal, McDermott is undefeated off the bye week and is going to his old stomping grounds.  So this is a get right game for him and his staff as well.

 

The team as assembled is fine, they just need a bit of luck on the injury front.  In a way it’s a good thing that some attrition happened early, because Walker was going to be absolutely buried in that rotation and with the limited snaps he has had, he’s turning into a stud.  We hope that Bishop, Keon and Landon make similar strides and I think they will.