corta765

Yea that is a new wrinkle as is the flexing of MNF games this year. I can easily see the Bills starting with four night games (2 MNF, TNF, SNF) and then the back end of the season from week 12-13 on you see matchups either division or in conference that have the ability to get moved so were not stuck with the Broncos flaming out like last year.

That is not fully true. The same way teams can make requests on where they play to open the season, end the season, their bye, primetime games etc... the networks do get some say to the NFL. CBS got KC at 4:25 so I would assume it reverts back to night, FOX probably would get the Bills PHI and as it is the first time in a few years I would also get a 4:25 national spot. CIN I would think by be MNF again or otherwise at night as this year went sideways. But you are correct the days of CBS/FOX being specific to one conference are evolving into more the league itself and the NFL can dictate matchups in spots they want.

I came over from there after the great purge.

Not completely. Some years the matchups are good where they do AFC other years its all NFC. With the 3rd game now at night it seems that AFC is getting more of a spot, but as recently as 2018 all three games were all NFC.

My enthusiasm is pretty low for the first time in a long time so I have not done my normal look into next season as I typically do, but I would say Buffalo will have a pretty large presence in nationally televised games again this year. They maybe are not the bell of the ball like this prior year, but the ratings have been huge, they still have a very good team with marketable players, and their games typically are very entertaining all things the league network, and sponsors love. I will do my annual post once we are on to 2023 in March but this past year literally half the season was a nationally televised game//prime time game. Primetime games are anything that is either at night or at the 4pm window for me. Looking at the opponents it is a pretty solid schedule before FA or the draft with the usual suspects like KC/CIN leading the way, playoff teams like JAX/LAC/MIA, and the entire NFC East which the NFL loves. I would be stunned for Buffalo to open the season two straight years especially as they would be on the road if they went to KC/PHI/CIN. Plus the AFC East in general improved last year so I would expect a division game or two again in a primetime window. I also agree with others that another Thanksgiving game probably is not there this year as maybe KC or CIN takes the Bills spot. One of the things to remember with the schedule is teams have the ability to request to the NFL certain things they prefer from game times, days they play, how many primetime games they get etc... the NFL doesn't do everything for each team, but they do really try to honor requests as much as possible. My guess after hearing Beane's comments and the chaos of this season is Buffalo requests to open at home this year, no Thanksgiving, and probably a little more limited amount of at least home night games with a goal of a little more rhythm and normalcy. The Bills already are going to London which is always a big enough thing in itself, so despite the teams popularity I can see the NFL backing the Bills down a little from this past year. KC actually played on Sunday 14 of the 17 games with just one MNF game, a TNF game, and a Saturday game. Buffalo on the other hand had 7 games that were not on Sunday. Networks can also protect games so maybe KC goes back to night but CIN is the 4pm spot and the Eagles stay in FOX's national 4 pm window rather then going primetime. The Bills do have to go though to LA for the Chargers so there is no stopping that 4pm window. My overall guess would be this: 9 primetime window game games 4 at night. Plus possible Saturday flex game in DEC and final week Sunday 1x SNF (DAL) 1x TNF (at Division my guess NYJ) 2x MNF (MIA//at KC) in London at PHI 4pm national at CIN 4pm national at LAC 4pm national This would be still a pretty large window of non 1pm games with over half the season still in the spotlight, but only three games non Sunday. As I said things can change on the attractiveness of matchups with FA, draft, trades etc.. but this would be my general guess in terms of what we look like in overall.

They can't both teams are home for their games

Ah we say this everyone year. You do not know until the games are played what your looking at. KC/CIN will be yearly, after that PHI is great and DAL is tough. Division games are always hard. Even so look at the home piece and realistically 8-1 should be the minimum, so be a.500 road team.

Let me be very clear with this Sean McDermott has done a superb job since taking over to take a franchise from the ashes into a highly competitive winning club. He developed a QB no one gave an ounce of a shot at being anything and did change the culture where players who would never come to Buffalo. At the same point time is not limitless, they have not even reached a Super Bowl, and it is fair to say the team has regressed in achievement the last three years with this coach and staff in which decisions he directly made had a negative impact on his teams chances. Josh is now entering the 6th year of his career and decidedly in the prime of his career. He realistically has 4-5 years before all the hits start to catch up and his mobility slows a bit. The guy as is carries the burden for the team to an uneven level that finally crested this season. The rest of the AFC exist and is challenging while the Bills have went 0-4 in the playoffs when they had their largest resource pool they will get with Josh and this team. Fan expectations need to move past being happy the team is good and not garbage and understand the goal is larger but also very limited. I don't disagree that just dumping McDermott would probably be an overaction unless you truly have someone set to take over you think can do better. But some true changes need to be made in some capacity whether its a new coordinator on D, new assistants, etc.. This team has ran the same group across the board back for years and the results have diminished. They have certainly been reactive in prior off-season's to try and fix their flaws so I don't doubt the work will be attempted. But two things have been true for a bit now which is unless Josh is superman in the post season like last year, the offense does not have enough support and the defense has been a mess every elimination game.

Whoops my bad they made it seem like he was. Just read he restructured, that helps a bit.

BOB is a pretty decent coordinator who has won with crappy QB play in Houston. The major problem remains the talent around Mac is just not there and they are dead last in the division in skill position talent. Add in the retirement of David Andrews also on the offensive line it will take a lot of work to make something functional. I think Mac will look better and probably much like his form his rookie year with some improvement, but again even with some internal improvement his cast just does not have a lot to work with.

Josh hasn't won a SB, Josh hasn't won an AFC title. He has played in one AFC title game which was now 2 seasons ago whereas the other two are rematching again. Until he does Mahomes and Burrow are both ahead of him.

If their head coach wasn't part of so many collapses I would agree, but his play calling both with the Falcons and 49ers doesn't fully give me fear.

If they want to play they can play. Damar's injury was a freak thing that has happened in soccer, hockey, lacrosse, etc.. this specific injury was not a football thing. The sport itself is a violent game that does wear on the body so in that regard I will be honest on what they are getting themselves into. I do believe sports offer many benefits and life lessons that outweigh the consequences of not playing and that includes football. By the same token I work in higher education and sports in general in terms of college/life are just a small piece of the puzzle compared to good grades, diversifying into art music technology etc, community service, etc.. So I will let my kids decide where and what they want to do, if they pick football awesome just be aware of what you are getting into and do it for your own enjoyment no one else.

I will forever take the statistics that say 1 seed is best chance to play in SB. Also we know Josh can play weather or dome, doesn't bother me.

NFL playoffs expanded in 2020 to 7 teams aside and only one bye. I think long term this will limit playoff droughts more as that extra spot will get teams in that are fringe for the first time in a bit that usually would've missed. 2020 KC/GB 1 seeds -> both hosted AFC/NFC title games 2021 TEN/GB 1 seeds -> both lost last minute divisional round games. KC 2 seed and LAR 4 seed hosted title games.

I think the margin of error between KC-BUF-CIN is paper thin where home field matters big time. Had the Bills still had Von I think we were a little ahead of those two, but without him it narrows things were the differences become interchangeable and not traveling on the road becomes an advantage in itself.

I figured so but had to have fun in the kids 5 year old response lol in fairness I agree its BS screw the Pats

I was listening Saturday to some sports radio and the media was allll set to get on the pats bandwagon again. Thankfully I think Sunday finished the job that this is not the same franchise since Brady left and they are not special despite the hopes some may have.

Comp picks have nothing to do with playoffs. If you lose __ number of players you drafted/signed as entering the league and do not sign as many free agents back you get comp picks. like your 5: If you give more of your toys away then you get at a toy trade show, at christmas you get more toys then others.

As the season winds to an exciting end and the battle for the 1 seed is real it really is down to KC-BUF-CIN. I took a dive into how the last decade the AFC rep was decided by seed and where it shakes out since the 2012-13 playoff: -1 seed has represented the AFC six of the ten years in the SB -1 seed has hosted the AFC title game seven of the last ten years with the only loss being the KC-NE OT game in 2018 -the three AFC 1 seeds that failed to make the AFC title where Denver 2012 (Flacco miracle TD late), Ravens 2019 implosion at home vs TEN, and the Titans last year who truthfully probably should've made the AFC title game had Tannehill not thrown so many INTs -the four AFC representatives that were not 1 seeds were the Ravens seeded 4th, Pats seed 2nd 2018, Chiefs seeded 2nd 2019, and Bengals seeded 4th also in 2021 (maybe the AFC north has an in on the 4th seed SB runs) -If you care about the NFC eight of the last 10 years the 1 seed has hosted their title game with the only two years it didn't happen being Dallas 2016 (lol) and actually last year as Green Bay puked on themselves -The 1 seed has went to the SB five of the last ten years Without saying too much more statistically over the last decade if your the 1 seed it is a 70-80% chance you will be in the conference title game and better the 50% chance of making the SB. We need the Bills to win out lol

I think big rookie seasons can be inflated too much. Baker Mayfield came on like fire same with RG3 or Sam Bradford in their 1st years. I don't think Jones is bad but he is limited by mobility and his physical abilities. If he has success it will be with a better cast of play makers who can catch anything, have good separation, and probably a burner for mid routes. The Pats did him zero favors between OC and cast of support, but at the same time todays NFL rewards mobile QBs more then ever ie: Allen, Mahomes, Hurts etc.. that does not mean pocket passers can't make it as Burrow is torching teams and Tua has been really good. But Jones limitations are highlighted and it is pretty telling he has won two games in his career where the opponent has scored 22 pts or more (both 2021 HOU and LAC) and he had to out score them.

Back in late summer I ranked where I saw the AFC shaking down and I had it like this: The Class of the AFC: Baltimore Buffalo Cincinnati Kansas City Los Angeles Chargers Playoff Contenders Denver Las Vegas Miami Cleveland*- depended on how Watson situation shook out but had them as a middling team 5-7 wins Could be a playoff team, Could be 6-11 Indianapolis Colts Jacksonville Jaguars New England Patriots Pittsburgh Steelers Tennessee Titans On To The Draft Houston NY Jets Overall I am pretty happy as with a few weeks to go my major miss is Denver which I think a lot of people had and I thought Vegas would've been more explosive then they have been. The Chargers will probably be a playoff team but haven't proved to be in the Elite and BAL is similar in that regard. The Jets are a miss as they have blown away everyone's expectations and still have a decent playoff look. I pretty much nailed the middling group as the Titans are crashing down while the Jags have an outside chance at the playoffs.

I am not disappointed in the least with the team. My point was why people are seemingly not satisfied with a 10-3 team that is currently the 1 seed. This team reminds me of the 2019 team with a higher offensive ceiling and better QB play. The defense is rock stout and the offense can do a lot of things and when on point they can truly dominant.

My thought on why the fanbase and feelings have been all of since the MIN game on is expectations and eye test. When we last left the Bills the offense looked like the greatest thing ever, 17 legitimately elevated to god QB status which only 1 other dude does in the NFL, and IMO most importantly the team lost a heartbreaking game which had they won they would've hosted the AFC title and SB was there. Fast forward to this season they started incredibly hot start with expectations at the max and then attrition set in like it does for most teams. Injuries happened, normal season ups and downs happened, the division got tighter across the board, the new OC has shown some room for growth, and the eye test with the offense of late has been frustrating as they at times do great and other times not great. There have been games the Bills have lost I have felt better about certain areas of the Bills then some they have won. Football at times is not pleasant on your eyes and subsequent expectations, but come seasons end it doesn't matter if you have a lot more Ws then Ls. 2020 I constantly say is the dream regular season you love as a fan in terms of regular season as they started hot, cruised for the division, and the team was pretty much on fire the last 6. All aspects of the team felt good by the end there where you hopes as a fan felt limitless. The thing is even if you have a great team or QB who makes special plays all the time, that is not how most seasons go. The NFL especially is a weird animal where predicting a team is by no means a perfect science for who will succeed in the playoffs. Watching the Eagles right now they look unstoppable the same way the Ravens did in 2019 and then I remember they fizzled out in the divisional round. Same happen for Manning and crew twice in DEN with bad playoff losses despite being the 1 seed. I do agree that you want to be playing your best football heading into the playoffs and McD and crew seemingly turn it on around now every year they have been here. The offense is maybe not the perfection you hoped season start, but they still are quite good and if Josh is humming it kinda doesn't matter.

The Pats game I thought was a bit of a break through as they routinely were eating yards on 1st and 2nd down which made 3rd really manageable and Buffalo was very successful. The Pats have a very good D so I was hopeful that it might translate to another strong game against the Jets. Unfortunately yesterday felt like a step back and more of what we saw vs CLE/DET where mistakes from OL, drops, and a few Josh decisions limited drives. Buffalo's offense when operating at full capacity and clicking is incredibly dangerous. But I think these things have limited them: -Dorsey 1st year. As much as we wanted to hope Dorsey would be perfect year 1 he has had growing pains and outside of matching weekly the performance of the Bills in the playoffs I think expectations were always going to be unrealistically high. With that said at times the offense has looked stale or predictable and he hasn't at times used his playmakers to the full extent. With that said... -Injuries. The OL has been a turnstile which is never easy to build a group, the WR corp has went from a strength to question mark at times due to injury, and Josh himself getting hurt only further complicated things. Crowder was meant to be a dependable security blanket and we got 3 and 1/2 games out of him. -Drops. If my fat a$$ on the couch is getting frustrated when Josh throws a simple toss two yards up for a RB to take for YAC and it is dropped, I can't imagine what he feels after a while. The last few years it felt like it was on Josh to get the ball to his dudes and they could make a play, this year has felt like Josh is hitting you in the hands and you didn't catch it? -Gabe Davis. I hate singingly guys out as football has so many factors and influence of your teammates on what you do, but the team bet he could grow into a true #2 option. Instead he is at that awful middle ground of WR2/3 where he could finish the year with 1000 yards 7 TD's yet you feel let down. He has dropped enough balls where it feels like Josh doesn't trust him him the way you hoped. With this said while the Bills offense is probably not the world destroying juggernaut we maybe all hoped, they still are a very good unit that just has flaws and limitations like a lot of other good offenses past and present. 17 gives them a ceiling that allows for so much belief to be justified and that is enough for me despite frustrations at times. With that said even if they win the SB I would expect some revisions at WR and OL this offseason to switch things up vs keeping the band together as they had for the last 3 seasons.