transplantbillsfan

Here's a pretty good image showing the remaining schedules (just ignore Week 14) of many of the remaining teams we're in contention with for the playoffs... namely the Browns, Broncos and Steelers... and here are their schedules: Browns: LV, @ GB, @ Pitt, Cin Broncos: Cin, @ LV, @ LA, KC Pitt: Tenn, @ KC, Cle, @ Bal Throw in the other 2 viable teams: Raiders: @Cle, Den, @ Ind, LA Miami: NYJ, @ NO, @ Tenn, NE Holy cow... just look at that. The Bills will have absolutely no one to blame but themselves if they don't get into the playoffs. I think it's almost a certainty they will just looking at that schedule and looking at the way Buffalo has played against the middling to worst teams in the NFL this year, save Jacksonville. There's no team in the AFC playoff picture with an easier schedule, and I don't think it's particularly close. Miami might be the next easiest. But sheesh... all the AFC playoff contenders are just going to beat up on each other in the next 4 weeks and in many cases it's almost not going to matter who wins for Buffalo's chances because another AFC team in the picture will be knocked out. And the only "meaningless" inter-conference games in there other than our own against Carolina and Atlanta are a game for Miami against NO (probably a Win... and I'm starting to think they're going to sneak into the playoffs, after all), the Titans play the 49ers, and Green Bay can help us with 2 wins against the Browns and Ravens, and the Ravens have another inter-conference game against the Rams. To all of the sudden doubters that Buffalo makes the playoffs this year, you can see above with your own eyes why it's still incredibly likely... even if we lose our lone remaining game against a real contender in the Patriots. Buffalo has beaten up pretty well on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th tier teams this year (again, minus the Jags), so I strongly believe we'll be in the playoffs, and I also think we could very well beat the Patriots in normal weather conditions and take the division and potentially still even the #1 seed. Crazy stuff with how I was feeling after that loss on Sunday.

Did it show the heart of the team or what we hope the heart of this team is?

See what I really want to know is what McDermott's influence was on our defensive turnaround. Everyone saw McDermott talking to Frazier on the sideline as we were getting gashed. Even Romo and Nantz noticed it and were talking about it. So what were the adjustments we made? Did McDermott tell Frazier to make all these adjustments? This is what I'd like to know.

I find this bizarre, too. The only explanation I can think of is that they don't trust him because of ball security issues. But he's generally an effective back we should be able to rely on for 10-15 carries every game.

This is good because it forces us to play Davis more. Sanders has been good this year, but he's played at the expense of developing Gabe Davis, who I think will be at least a really good #2 WR for us long term.

So turf toe is a toe sprain? Does it take longer to heal than an ankle sprain? To me a mild ankle sprain can heal in 1-2 weeks.

Not sure if it's been posted... but sounds like it's a mild case of turf toe Anyone know how that works? Can you stabilize it? Will it just inevitably get worse playing on it?

What terrifies me is Josh becoming essentially the next Aaron Rodgers or, worse yet, Dan Marino. I know that might sound nice, but let's be honest: Rodgers has underachieved as far as team accolades go. I understand that it's unreasonable for a Bills fan to expect this, but Josh should be able to get this team multiple Lombardis... yeah... get us one first... but Beane needs to do better to build up this team for more long term success.

I'm tired of all the what ifs at the ends of seasons... I thought we were done with them. But this year it really seems like they're warranted. Geez in yesterday's game alone there were so many: What if McDermott doesn't take Josh off the field to try a fake punt instead? What if McDermott chooses to go for it in the RZ? What if Daboll bothered with some Singletary/Breida runs in the 1st half? What if Dane Jackson can come down with that INT? What if the refs would have called that obvious DPI against Diggs? What if the refs didn't call that questionable-at-best DPI call on Wallace? What if there were a booth review of whether Josh actually stepped out of bounds while running along the sideline at the end of regulation? So many. And that's just one game. Can these tides turn for us please? If they do in the playoffs, I like our chances.

Okay, you aren't alone... but at least let's all talk about it in one place

Close? Brady and the Patriots were 14-2 in 2016 when Matt Ryan won MVP for the 11-5 Falcons. And there were 3 or 4 other teams also with better records. Allen isn't coming back from what? A Herculean performance on National TV? This isn't given out after week 14. But we all saw what happened this week, including Allen’s fantastic performance.

Brady is the frontrunner. Allen is still on his heels even with today's loss. We've established it's not given to the best player on the team with the best record. Murray won't get it because his team proved they could win without him in the multiple games he missed. It truly probably is down to Brady, Rodgers or Allen at this point. And Allen needs to win out. With this team, I'd never bet we win out. But Allen proved he's still in this conversation today. Doesn't matter that it's 6 losses. That's not how this works.

If Allen were to win MVP at this point, we'd need to win out. But today made it pretty damn clear that Allen is the MVP for the Bills... so much so that he has been forced to carry a team on his back much of this year. And it's killing him. Please get OL and RB help in the offseason! Please allow Daboll to find a HC elsewhere! I think we're still making the playoffs... but if Allen were to win MVP now, I admit we need to win out.

Allen seems quite aware of what running has been doing to his body even if we fans don't notice it. That said, I thought I remembered seeing a study a few years ago that running QBs are no more likely to get hurt than pocket QBs. Of course... look at Lamar Jackson who might fall apart young like Cam Newton. I just think Allen needs to be a smarter runner. Last week on that 3rd down run where he dove for the 1st down I loved the effort but was terrified because I thought he was wincing from an injured shoulder. No easy answer.

Well when asked about fixing the running game this week... here's what he said... and the last 2 sentences to me are evidence that he doesn't want a finesse running team: “We’re gonna try our darndest to fix it. It’s tough. I’m not gonna sit up here and lie to you guys. To fix that part of your game this time of year is tough,” he said. “That’s why we try like heck to do it in training camp. That’s where you develop the toughness of the football team. That’s why we run the football in training camp.”

Is Williams even on the active roster? How would this work? With the new rules we have the ability to bring up PS guys and activating them without cutting anyone? Is that it?

Yeah I read the article and agree. The OL has an identity problem. It seems like McDermott wants grinders, but that's not what Morse is. Ryan Bates wants to be a Center in the NFL and this regime seems to like him a lot. Why not give him a shot moving forward?

I'm a big Singletary advocate, but did you watch the Vikings vs. Steelers game last night? Both RBs in that game for both teams were better than Singletary. And Minnesota has a pretty spectacular WR corps to go along with it especially when Thielan's healthy. Like I said, Singletary would be a good #2 in a 1-2 punch. I really wouldn't mind seeing what Antonio Williams has. Running Backs are one position where they can come out of nowhere.

Matt Ryan won it in 2016 on an 11-5 Atlanta team. If Buffalo loses 2 more, he's not getting it. With the added game this season and with general mediocrity across the NFL, he can afford to go 4-1 and still be very much in the running. And contrary to what you said earlier, Brady doesn't need to fall apart. Right now Josh has 200 fewer total yards and 6 TDs fewer than him. They also have the same number of Turnovers. He's not that far behind the GOAT right now. And if Buffalo wins in a head to head matchup this weekend and Josh plays well, that probably goes a long way for him.

Singletary would be a good #2 RB. We need a #1

Yes we'd win the tiebreaker if we lose to TB and win out because we'd have a better divisional record. They lost to Miami early this year.

Do you not see how ridiculous and contradictory your logic is? On the one hand, you're saying that when we beat the 2-2 Kansas City Chiefs who will end up with a winning record at the end of the year, but they were a different team. For that matter, I'd throw in the Miami Dolphins and Washington Football Team (sorry guys... I called them the Redskins before) who I think will end up with winning records at the end of the year. And we CRUSHED both teams... the Dolphins twice. But those teams we crushed were different teams than they are now. Okay... perhaps I can see that logic. And yet, the Bills are static and can not change or turn a corner or go on a winning streak with 5 games left?

Tailspin? Stop being ridiculous. We're in a win one lose one pattern. We just lost one after utterly dominating another team which was after losing one which was after utterly dominating another team which was after... well... you get it. 5 games left we're due 3 more wins by the logic of your tailspin. Who says we'll be "in the hunt" at the end of the year? The team with the most wins this year so far won multiple games without their supposed MVP. After them the Bills are 2 games within every team. 4-1 would do it What reality?