Interesting Question involving the BUF/PHI and NE/BAL outcomes

[Cash]

34 minutes ago, SCBills said:

If it means nothing for us, why?

 

This team had an early bye.  We’re likely playing WC weekend.  
 

For what reason should we play our starters if that game means nothing. 
 

If it means nothing and was the final game of the season, they’d sit.  We’ve seen this before.  So why is it different if it’s the second to last game of the season… against a team that will need the game and has a strong pass rush?

 

Cant manufacture urgency and we’d be sending guys out there in a game they know is meaningless, against a team likely needing the game. 

 

Because in that scenario, it wouldn't mean nothing for us.  We'd be in play for the 1 seed, and getting that would give all of the players a week of rest, not just the stars.

[Lieutenant Aldo Raine]

The Eagles are the only team Allen hasn't beat in his career besides the Bills obviously.  

[strive_for_five_guy]

19 minutes ago, Gregg said:

 

If the Bills do go in as a WC, I hope they can get the #5 seed as the #4 seed is looking like it will come from the AFCN. As we saw the Bills have no problem going into Pittsburgh. I do think the Steelers will win the division after their huge win last week at Baltimore.

With the way the AFC currently stands, it wouldn’t surprise me if a couple WC teams make it to the AFC Championship, in which case the 5 seed would host.  Aside from playing the AFCN winner in the WC Round, one more reason to at least get the 5 seed.

[Nephilim17]

51 minutes ago, SCBills said:

NE 11-3

BUF 10-4

 

The following week we beat the Browns & New England loses to Baltimore. 
 

NE 11-4

BUF 11-4

We then play Philly & NYJ

 

NE plays NYJ and Miami 

 

With the Pats owning the tie-breaker, we need to finish one game up on them for the division and possibly conference #1. Correct?

That means we need to beat the Pats, Philly and the Jets and if the Pats win just one of their next two games to the Jets and Miami. Or, we need to win one of our next two games and the Pats lose both of theirs.

Not gonna happen. If battling for lower seeding matters enough, so be it. But we're not winning the division. 

Personally, I would want Kincaid, Bosa and other top vets, and yes, even Allen, on the Bills healthy versus trying to better our seeding.  Maybe that means playing Allen for Philly but resting against the Jets. Health over seeding for me when the bye is not in play.

[CSBill]

58 minutes ago, SCBills said:

Hypothetical.  
 

Let’s say we beat NE. 
 

NE 11-3

BUF 10-4

 

The following week we beat the Browns & New England loses to Baltimore. 
 

NE 11-4

BUF 11-4

We then play Philly & NYJ

 

NE plays NYJ and Miami 

 

That Philly game means literally nothing for us in this scenario, outside seeding.  It all comes down to beating the Jets and NE losing to the Jets or Miami for the Division. 
 

IF this were to happen.. Should we rest Allen & all other important players against Philly?

Or do you want to play that game out and guarantee the 5 seed? (which might even be ours with 12 wins anyway should we win our season finale)

 

That game “could” be utterly meaningless in any and every aspect. 
 

Of course, it could also mean keeping pace with NE if they beat Baltimore or meaningful in the playoff race should we lose to NE and, heaven forbid, struggle against Cleveland. 
 

But we will know the outcome of that NE/BAL game heading into our game with Philadelphia. 

 

NO! Because . . . 

 

 

[Avisan]

2 minutes ago, Nephilim17 said:

With the Pats owning the tie-breaker, we need to finish one game up on them for the division and possibly conference #1. Correct?

That means we need to beat the Pats, Philly and the Jets and if the Pats win just one of their next two games to the Jets and Miami. Or, we need to win one of our next two games and the Pats lose both of theirs.

Not gonna happen. If battling for lower seeding matters enough, so be it. But we're not winning the division. 

Personally, I would want Kincaid, Bosa and other top vets, and yes, even Allen, on the Bills healthy versus trying to better our seeding.  Maybe that means playing Allen for Philly but resting against the Jets. Health over seeding for me when the bye is not in play.

No.  At the same record, we win the division on tiebreakers if we win our AFC matchups and they lose to the Jets or Dolphins.

[DabillsDaBillsDaBills]

34 minutes ago, Process said:

I was thinking the same thing the other day, then remembered the one seed. It would likely still be in play. Not sure who wins the tie breaker if we and the broncos both have 4 losses.

 

Depends on who the Broncos lose to. 

 

Broncos final 4 games are against GB, JAX, KC, and LAC.

 

1st tiebreaker is conference record. Bills are 6-3 and Broncos are 7-2 currently. If Bills win out and Broncos lose 2 conference games we'd get the 1 seed (we'd have 9-3 conference record vs Broncos 8-4). If Broncos lose 2 games, but one of them is GB the next tie breaker is record in common games. 

 

If we win our next 2 games, NE loses next 2, and DEN wins next 2 we would still be in play for the 1 seed headed into week 17 (we'd have to win final 2 and DEN lose final 2). HOWEVER, Denver plays on Thursday so we'd know headed into the Philly game if we were eliminated from contention on the 1 seed. 

 

I don't think there's any possible scenario where the Philly game won't impact seeding. It might not matter for 1 seed or AFCE title, but it would matter for 2 v 3 seed or 5/6/7 if we're in the WC race. 

[Nephilim17]

1 minute ago, Avisan said:

No.  At the same record, we win the division on tiebreakers if we win our AFC matchups and they lose to the Jets or Dolphins.

Wow. Did not realize that. Thanks. If the division is still up for grabs, then I guess we gotta go for it.

[Lost]

Don't sleep on the Dolphins beating the Pats.   They actually still have an outside shot of making the playoffs themselves so they're not gonna just roll over.  They've also won 4 straight themselves.

[Malazan]

Nothing matters except beating NE this weekend

[Kelly to Allen]

1 hour ago, SCBills said:

Hypothetical.  
 

Let’s say we beat NE. 
 

NE 11-3

BUF 10-4

 

The following week we beat the Browns & New England loses to Baltimore. 
 

NE 11-4

BUF 11-4

We then play Philly & NYJ

 

NE plays NYJ and Miami 

 

That Philly game means literally nothing for us in this scenario, outside seeding.  It all comes down to beating the Jets and NE losing to the Jets or Miami for the Division. 
 

IF this were to happen.. Should we rest Allen & all other important players against Philly?

Or do you want to play that game out and guarantee the 5 seed? (which might even be ours with 12 wins anyway should we win our season finale)

 

That game “could” be utterly meaningless in any and every aspect. 
 

Of course, it could also mean keeping pace with NE if they beat Baltimore or meaningful in the playoff race should we lose to NE and, heaven forbid, struggle against Cleveland. 
 

But we will know the outcome of that NE/BAL game heading into our game with Philadelphia. 

 

We are still playing for the 1 seed in this hypothetical with Denver potentially 

15 minutes ago, Nephilim17 said:

With the Pats owning the tie-breaker, we need to finish one game up on them for the division and possibly conference #1. Correct?

That means we need to beat the Pats, Philly and the Jets and if the Pats win just one of their next two games to the Jets and Miami. Or, we need to win one of our next two games and the Pats lose both of theirs.

Not gonna happen. If battling for lower seeding matters enough, so be it. But we're not winning the division. 

Personally, I would want Kincaid, Bosa and other top vets, and yes, even Allen, on the Bills healthy versus trying to better our seeding.  Maybe that means playing Allen for Philly but resting against the Jets. Health over seeding for me when the bye is not in play.

 

No. As long as we are tied in both overall record and they just lose 1 of the last two div gms, buffalo wins the division 

[Ned Flanders]

1 hour ago, SCBills said:

IF this were to happen.. Should we rest Allen & all other important players against Philly?

Drinking early today?

[SCBills]

10 minutes ago, Malazan said:

Nothing matters except beating NE this weekend

Nope. Sorry. I’m actually in the locker room as we speak and instead of practice, the players are all in a conference room with McDermott looking at potential playoff scenarios after we beat New England this week. 

[boyst]

2 hours ago, wjag said:

Bills v Philly is at 430p while NEvJets are 1p.  So they'll at least know what the +/- of winning/losing will be.

 

 

This was going to be my point in knowing what Buffalo must do against the Eagles

[stlbills13]

I don't rest the starters but yeah if anyone is even somewhat in doubt due to injury, I sit them 

[transplantbillsfan]

6 hours ago, SMAKCruiser said:

No we should not rest Allen and other important players against Philly.

 

I actually think I agree with the OP.  I brought this exact same scenario up in I think the Game week thread.  

 

I would throw in one scenario and I'd be entirely for resting guys.  If the Broncos win these next 2 games, the Bills would no longer have a shot at the #1 seed.

 

At that point, I'm surprised at the negativity towards this scenario.  If the Bills are in a position where that Philly game is completely meaningless as far as the division title goes and only (possibly) matters in terms of whether we're the 5th, 6th, or 7th seed, why would we not consider resting important players?  Obviously they would then have to beat the Jets the following week, so the team would transition right into playoff mode, but they could almost view that as a "knock off the rust" game for the players who sat out the week before.

 

If the proposed scenario happens, I'm for resting starters.

[BearNorth]

6 hours ago, 2003Contenders said:

Exactly. Not only that, but if the Bills do manage to win on Wild Card Weekend and the Division round then they could host the AFCCG if the 6th/7th seed also upset the division winners in the first 2 rounds.

If 7 beats 2, do they reseed so 7 plays 1 in the next round?

[Cash]

8 minutes ago, BearNorth said:

If 7 beats 2, do they reseed so 7 plays 1 in the next round?

 

Yes.  The NFL playoffs aren't a fixed bracket like the NCAA tournament.  Highest seed hosts lowest seed in every round, followed by 2nd-highest seed hosting 2nd-lowest.