Success

I've always been a fan of his game, and his attitude. He had the unfortunate luck of spending his peak years in the shadow of Brady & Manning. The games I've seen this year, he's just not the same guy. He's capable of some of the old brilliance, but it seems like he can get rattled more easily, and he floats and skips more passes than he used to. Not that he can't still get it done, but he's not as scary as he used to be. Age is catching up.

Of all the QB's in the AFC, Rivers is the guy I thought would be the best match-up, for obvious reasons. He just can't run, and we don't have to worry about that kind of containment. I think we can force a few mistakes out of him, also. That said, their running game & D are no joke, and they are very well coached. This is the best AFC playoff line-up in literally decades. I remember years that even the 4-6 seeds were very marginal playoff teams, and the Pats (or Colts) could count on a cakewalk until the AFCCG. This is such an important game. It's the 2nd to last monkey on our back (the 3rd to last being the actual playoff drought, and the last being a SB win). I don't want any more monkeys on our back. I like monkeys. I just don't like them on our back.

He'd be the right guy for the Jets. They need someone to develop a QB - whether that's sticking w/ Darnold, or Fields. He's probably the best candidate for that. But please, universe - no.

I love these write-ups. And it is amazing what we're experiencing right now. It's like emerging from a dungeon after 20 years - I'm squinting and trying to get used to the bright light again. But it's a great feeling. I'd like to think that at this point, we can retire the word "Billsy." There is nothing about this year's team that bears any resemblance at all to most of the teams we saw during the drought. This team would give our best Kelly-era team a run for its money.

Same. I'd much rather have the re-match w/ the Titans. That first game had some flukey things, and it's tough to beat a team twice in a season. Pittsburgh is a tougher match-up, imo. But ultimately, I don't care that much. This is a great Bills team. Any given Sunday & all of that, but if they stay focused and healthy, it shouldn't matter who they play.

I'll add to the chorus of AFCCG. Like others, I'm actually expecting the Super Bowl - which is weird to even say, but I'm getting used to it. But the AFCCG won't be a cakewalk, and a game like that - likely at KC - can go either way. It may even come down to whoever has the ball last. I hope it happens - I think it would be a really fun game, though nerve-wracking. KC also has more big game experience right now, which gives them an advantage. Anything short of the AFCCG would be disappointing, of course. Right now, I'm mainly focused on breaking the "other" drought, and getting that 1st playoff win.

That was rough. After a day when teams that had no playoff chance played like they had everything on the line, the Eagles just folded. It was disrespectful to the players on the field. They were fighting hard to win that game.

We owe 'em a couple from their old days in the AFCE. Can't wait.

So, what day do we play?

The Colts are a good team - they're a better defense than the Titans. Both games would present challenges. I guess it's fun to root for something, but I don't think it really matters if we end up getting the Titans in round 1. They can't beat us unless we fall apart.

Could be one of Watson's "someone has to be great" moments....

I'd be excited about that game. We had some bad breaks that 1st time - staring w/ that improbable pick that started the game. Bring 'em on, if it goes that way. The only team I didn't want was the Ravens. On one of their good days, they could be a tough out.

Titans or Colts are both fine w/ me.

I don't think there is any doubt. That would have been the end of the season for a lot of Bills teams we've seen over the years. But it brought out the best in this team. They took it as a challenge - we've been a different team since that day. Leaving nothing to doubt. And it's interesting to see that the Cards went in a completely different direction. They're probably going to miss the playoffs now.

This team has to wear their masks and keep distancing, and save the celebrations. They can win a Super Bowl this year.

Anyone see that roughing the passer in the Detroit game? Same as Epenesa last week. Just a good sack. Pathetic.

I mean, they have to figure something out for the top players. They rescheduled some games in the regular season - why not the playoffs? Would it be too hard to allow each team to name 5 players that they couldn't play without, and reschedule if any of those come down w/ COVID? The answer to that may be "yes," but I hate the thought if making the Super Bowl and having either Allen or, say, Rogers have to miss because of that. It would taint the game either way.

I feel like I'm going to hold my breath about COVID every single day. I wish the NFL would have some sort of plan for that in the playoffs - either more of a bubble, though it would have to be more creative than what the NBA did. Or maybe something like giving each team the right to name a small handful of players that they could postpone the game if they weren't able to play. But, otherwise, I'm basically on board. There are never guarantees when it comes to a championship, but I like this team's chances, a lot. We can beat anyone.

It's really just 'being a fan.' We had an unusually long rough patch. But most teams have more rough patches than times of success. Even the might Patriots went through horrible stretches prior to their run. And as for the mighty Patriots, I wouldn't trade being a Bills fan w/ any younger fan of theirs. Imagine growing up with nothing but winning. It's like being a trust-fund kid. How can you really appreciate it? This season has been amazing for us - largely because of what we went through to get here. If we had drafted Allen (or a QB like him) right after Kelly and had this kind of season & team without a pause from those years, it wouldn't be nearly as satisfying.

Great post. Honestly, I'd rather suffer and then have this kind of payoff than the other way around. Pats fans under 30 are like trust fund kids - it's hard to appreciate the wealth when you've never known poverty. We're well set up w/ a great coach and a QB who just keeps getting better. It's all homer of me to say this, but I think Allen could be in the GOAT discussion before all is said & done. He's that good, and that determined. As for the salary cap thing that others have brought up: I think Beane may have that figured out, as well. He has a knack for finding guys like few other GM's I've seen - very targeted FA acquisitions, as well as successful contributors in the mid & later rounds of drafts. I hated losing Lawson, but ultimately, it didn't really matter too much. We'll probably have to get used to losing talented players who we love, but Beane is building a sustainable model for success, imo.

That was an excellent read. In similar fashion, I really didn't think this game would mean that much to me, but man, did it. It turns out that I NEEDED it, badly. And not just the win. How we won was so important. Just dismantling that team, with each positive play taking away another bad memory. 20 years is an awfully long time. It felt a lot like what they used to do to us. When there is such a disparity between the teams, there is literally nothing the bad team can do. They just have to watch it happen, helplessly - as we did so many times over the years. I never thought I'd see the mighty Belichick on the other side of that. I became more of a fan of Knox last night, also - and I know opinions on that vary wildly. He's a baller, just like his QB. And resiliency is such an important quality. He overcame that 1st drop to make some very key plays and really stand out as a contributor on offense.

I don't think BB will stick around for too many seasons like this one. His presser last night was something else - he's usually cranky, but he looked truly miserable. I hope we can keep this up, and keep the Pats down in the standings for awhile.

Diggs just put on a clinic after that exchange. Jackson was basically helpless to stop it.

McD went from being pretty conservative, to just going for it, all the time. That fake punt shocked me, and the 4th down attempt early on was pretty aggressive. I think he feels more comfortable doing that w/ the offense we have. If the fake punt didn't work, he has more faith that we can come back and still make it a game. But it's great to see him adapt. He has had very few missteps this season. He has put together great gameplans, handled clock management well and made necessary adjustments all along the way. He's easily a top 10 coach in the league.

Same - and it feels the same way. This isn't a flukey one-year thing. We have a GM who knows how to build a team, a coach who knows how to win games, and a QB with an arm made for Buffalo and a winning attitude. This feels amazing right now. I'm excited about the playoffs, but also don't have any kind of "we have to take advantage this year" sense of urgency (though the team should always have that). This team can be a contender for a long time.