Nextmanup

Don't forget Mark Duper. Duper and Clayton are 2 of the greatest Bills killers in NFL history. But we got it all turned around in our favor during the SB run. I don't remember a single "BIG" game between us in that era that Miami won, and there were quite a few of them....either late season games with playoff ramifications, or actual matchups in the playoffs.

"...or else the Bills will likely lose in the most painful way imaginable." There, finished your thought for you! 😄 PS: I agree with you!

Not only would this prevent teams with lousy records from making the playoffs, but it would also eliminate the "safe harbor" of teams having off years realizing all they need to do is win their weak division to qualify. New England got an automatic trip to the playoffs for years simply b/c of the division they were randomly in, and the incompetence of their competitors in that single division. New England should have to prove itself against the LEAGUE over a SEASON. Not dominate 6 games against 3 teams. I realize you (THE OP) basically said as much, but yes, I would be very much in favor of a conference wide system, maybe something like what they do in the NHL these days. Though that is a hybrid approach. The only reason to have "divisions" nowadays is to try and maintain rivalries, which is a good reason to keep divisions (!) but they could sort out the playoff qualification system much better than they currently do.

What would be the most painful way for the Bills to miss the playoffs? Answer: Titans lose, and we know that prior to our game. So we are focused and know we have to win (as players on the team and as fans). We all know the stakes. Then: Miami vs. Buffalo game is tight, close, tense, and back and forth on the scoreboard. As the game progresses we can sense a Bills win, as we are X points ahead with Y minutes remaining. But then, lightning strikes, we turn the ball over, Miami picks it up and runs 34 yards for a TD. The game comes down to a FG kick by the Bills to win, but it's a 54 yarder and it sails wide...LEFT this time. The clock expires. We lose, and in the span of 20 minutes in real time go from pretty sure we will be in the playoffs to being OUT of the playoffs...and calls for McDermott's head resume... That lightning strike of "We are almost in boys!" to "My God, we are out of the playoffs" in a few minutes would be the most painful thing you can imagine...which is why it's likely to happen. As a fan going back to the '70s, ask me how I know.

No way will that be the case. Watch the game.

I say "go" absent all but a SB win. All I want is one SB before I die. If McD gets it, keep him on for life, I don't care at that point. If/when we get knocked out again, move on and find someone who is smarter.

Definitely not Tyreek Hill.

For some reason, a lot of Bills fans simply can't accept that Josh is a very inconsistent player. People say things like "Where did Josh go?" when he looks terrible for a couple of games. And then they say "OH, he's back. We found him again!" when he plays lights out. No, Josh was here the whole time. It's who he is. You never know what you're going to get exactly. We are going to have trouble winning a Super Bowl with him, b/c without No.1 seeding, we are going to need FOUR GAMES IN A ROW agains the cream of the league...and asking Josh to play with that level of consistency is a tall order.

I don't really know what the feud is about, nor care. I was hoping someone would give me a quick summary...didn't find it...and now I'm moving on with my life.

It's worth that that. People have died doing this. Proceed with caution!

Yep, I voted "NO" and "NO". Not worth a roster spot. As mentioned a thousand times here over the last few weeks, I have moved on to hoping legal problems in Texas allow us to back out of his K and see ya later.

My opinion has changed ZERO. Nothing that has occurred since the firing of Dorsey has changed McDermott in any way. Back when we were losing, MANY posters here said "At this point, we have to win the AFC Championship game for me to reconsider my position with McDermott" or similar. I really hope McDermott remains on the hot seat regardless of how this season plays out. The goal here is not to heroically make the playoffs...the goal should be winning MULTIPLE SUPER BOWLS while Josh Allen can still play football. McDermott remains an "0 for" in that regard, and this season is likely to be the same.

I eat pop tarts all the time; I have an addiction with them. No.1 favorite, by a mile, is cinnamon and brown sugar. No. 2 is cherry. After that, who cares. Of note: for anyone in the South with access to Publix brand grocery stores, check out the Publix brand fake Pop Tarts. They are about half the cost of the real thing, and actually much better. The brown sugar/cinnamon that I eat constantly are noticeably thicker with quite a bit more stuff inside, and the taste is a little different and better. The "real" Pop Tarts taste kind of generic and chemically-based in comparison. I wonder where the Publix are made...but they are great. Might want to try any house brand you can find in your grocery store...might be the same thing I am eating from Publix. $3.49 for 12 of these babies!

And think how rarely they work in our favor with McDermott as the HC. Truly unusual and surprising. We usually have to play our way around McD's many coaching mistakes, every game.

Yeah, well, he ain't a "first ballot hall of famer" in terms of how he is playing at this point in his career. Bruce Smith was a sack machine. He ain't playing on Sunday either. Or they realize he's finished and there is no reason to hog up a roster spot with a guy who can't play anymore. Or at least at the moment.

He probably is playing for his career. I doubt the job is his already. Who knows, they may know right now he will NOT be the permanent OC....but you would think everything he does is getting judged. Just remember, he is working with another guy's offense and can't really do his own thing in the middle of the season. So he is calling plays with one arm tied behind his back. I hope they scour the entire NFL looking for a replacement; I'm sure we can find someone better.

What makes you think the team isn't going to do that? The only people discussing false "motivations" are fans in this thread. For some reason, sports fans always feel a need to invent psychological explanations for things. Pro football players just go out and play hard. No room or need for special story lines.

What makes you think the team would look at it that way? I think FANS look at things this way all the time. I think pro athletes go out and try their best pretty much regardless of surrounding circumstances. "Trap games" and the like are fictions.

No way in hell BB conveys that to McDimwit under those conditions, even if we are to assume BB already knows that. They certainly did have a much longer chat than McD had with his own ex-OC though.

Is there a pressing reason why this couldn't have been a post in the "What's wrong with the passing O" thread?

I assume we will be flexed to the night game, so all the others will be over. A big game for all the marbles with a national audience. Should be epic.

Tua looks fine. He'll play and that's not a big deal. Chubb will be out; wait until tomorrow; they'll announce torn ACL.

An owner mixing it up like that with the rabble you find at an NFL game is the stupidest thing I've ever seen.

My gut says take the over. I see this one featuring a lot of scoring.

If Baltimore allows Lamar anywhere near the field next week, Harbaugh should be fired.