dollars 2 donuts

OK, but I still think the Cincy game. The jets are a much better team, regardless of the comparable records, than CIncy. It was a short week and we were going on the road to NY...tough order. AFC mark would still be 7-3 either way and I am not worried, even now, about Miami catching us even if they do because we'd still be toast at that point (they win second place at 8-8, so be it)...so divisional game really doesn't mean squat. EDIT: and if memory serves me, we were also winning for a brief period of time in the third or fourth quarter of the CIncy game. After the very first play of the Jets game I turned into every Star Wars character: "I got a bad feeling about this."

Respectfully, to the guys calling out the Jets game, were the Bills ever really in that game?

The above as Patrick Duffy and I were talking about in another thread.

Duff, somebody somewhere nationally (sports illustrated, espn? don't remember) during the pre-season, when no one was picking the Bills to do anything, said the bills 5th game of the season against Cincy may be the determining factor of whether they make it to the playoffs or not. Crazy if it ends up being true. Additionally, for those who think it is the same thing for any other loss I have to disagree. Cincy is the worst team we've played and lost to. Don't give me the Jets as they have been in almost ever game this season and they are a divisional opponent hungry for blood. Sure they could have beat Carolina on the road, but that is an NFC game and this just in, Carolina is pretty good this year. They had to just plain reach out and take the Cincy game, even with the injuries at that point (including Clay part of the way through the game) and if everything stays the exact same this is a dramatically different team with a 9-5 record (7-3 AFC record) heading into the last two weeks. Hell, we'd still be going for not only a shot at the division this weekend with 2 Patriot losses, but also a first round bye still on the table.

When Gaines missed the Cincy game (one that we sort of had to have considering the tire fire they are) I noticed how much our pass defense was hurting without him...and every time thereafter without him. he doesn't play I give them no chance. Throw in road Tyrod Taylor, a non-existent WR group, and no pass rush...I mean, come on guys. I love this team, but come on. i hope I am wrong. In the worst way I do.

And I know this may be a typical Bills fan small time thing for me to say, but this was my hope for the last few weeks...just to at least make it through and be in it on the final day of the season for the first time in 13 years. Yes, I want to make the playoffs...but to have every game truly matter throughout the season was a small victory I was going to be happy with at the start of this season.

Respectfully I disagree. They throttled us and would have throttled us with TT at QB. No, credit goes to those prognosticators before the start of the season (Sports Illustrated maybe? Can't remember who said it but someone did) who said that the Bengals game will determine if the Bills will make the playoffs or not. Cincy is a tire fire and although we were only one pass away against Carolina, that Bengals game against an AFC team that stinks may end up costing us everything.

Doesn't make the statement untrue.

I officially love you. Thank you.

Is there any scenario where a Bills win next week might clinch a playoff spot? i know it's not just everyone else losing, due to other tie breaker scenarios if we were to lose to Miami. just curious.

Jimmy, you ARE right. I'm not kidding you, man, I remember that play like it was yesterday and thinking to myself, "wait...what?...that's the season...what? why did he...wait..." Can we maybe just agree that generally he was in retirement mode after week 10?!

Now THAT is the anniversary of Kyle Orton sliding way short of the first down marker...and the very moment he decided he was retiring at the end of the season.

Glad that favorite team won, Ice. Sad that my second favorite team lost home field advantage because of it and it may have cost them a Super Bowl appearance.

Look, they have always been my second favorite team in the NFL, but their road is TOOOOOOOUUUUUGGGGHHHHHH!

So...ya know...Yeahhhhhhh us. Honestly, I thought the absolute ceiling for this team was 8-8. I figured 5-11 to 7-9 was likely and this has been a reasonably entertaining season. Please keep it going, Bills, this weekend against what increasingly is looking like a more difficult game against the Phins. EDIT: Additionally, and a weird stat I need to look into, outside of the late 80s-90s playoff teams I do not believe any bills teams have put together 4 straight season of at least 7 wins or more.

Yeah, it has been known for a little while that we'd pretty much like the Chargers to run the table.

I love that we get to talk like this in December. No, we have never won a Super Bowl and I am going to go out on a limb and say it seems unlikely we will win one this year...but this is a blast, isn't it?

THAT, WAS AN EVEN EASIER THUMBS UP, CB!!!

ah, ah, ah...I hear you, my friend. However, If the Pats beat the Steelers next week the Jags stand a real shot of a first round bye if they beat the Titans at the end of the season as they win tie breakers against Pittsburgh. So...oh, man...can't believe I am saying this...go Pats.

I knew someone was going to write it even before I finished reading the OT. You had the quickest fingers. ...did you get called that a lot in high school? GO BILLS!

You are a wise man, GB. I am with you on the above. Niners I believe are even favored next week against the Titans (didn't check, a buddy told me). Man, that and a loss to the rams the following week would make our Pats game almost meaningless (hoping that the Bolts are in first at that time).

Exactly what I was going to say. You got an easy up vote there from me, 26CB.

Truthfully, PTT, I believe you should be rooting for them against the Steelers next week, as well. The Steelers lose tie breakers with the Jags and if the Jags are still in the first round bye race the final week of the season they will bring it against the Titans...a game critical to us.

Didn’t our rb, the one with all the kids who got arrested, heck why can’t I remember...Travis henry? didnt he have one against the bengals in his rookie or second year?

Indeed. As I lost my father almost 10 years ago I still have in my wallet right now the ticket stub from the last game we ever went to, The Giants in 2007. Football was a common and binding ground.