Week 17: Dolphins at Bills - Squish the Fish playoff hopes and dreams

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

30 minutes ago, Cruiserplayer said:

Please whatever the plan: “Don’t let Barkley throw to Diggs!”

More like: “don’t let Barkley throw near Diggs.”

[Freddie's Dead]

Can't handle another 24 hours....PLAY THE GAME NOW!!!!

[Saxum]

10 hours ago, Big Blitz said:

I don't disagree.  I think I'd sit everyone and take my chances that the Browns can't screw this up bc the Steelers will be resting half the starters.

 

Is there a rule about lying to press? No otherwise Billicheat would have much higher number of rules violated.

 

If a team thought best way to win would they lie to press? Yes.

 

Do you think a coach which attempted to trip a player would be worried about it? No.

 

I would not depend upon Mike Tomlin keeping his word about resting starters if he felt he could fool his old teammate.

[JMF2006]

I bet Josh and Company start the game and try to get a couple TD's.

 

With a lead and looking at the out of town scoreboard will determine how much they play.

[Pokebball]

I don't like relying on "another team" to get me what I want.  If I don't have the 2 seed, and I want the 2 seed, I do what I have control of to get the 2 seed.  If we played after the Browns Steelers game, and knew we had the 2 seed wrapped up, I can see playing it safe.  If we rest our starters, we don't care about the 2 seed.  This is the way I see it.

1 minute ago, JMF2006 said:

I bet Josh and Company start the game and try to get a couple TD's.

 

With a lead and looking at the out of town scoreboard will determine how much they play.

I guess the follow up question to this opinion is, do you think our starters stay in if we and/or the Browns do not get a big enough lead?

[JMF2006]

1 minute ago, Pokebball said:

I don't like relying on "another team" to get me what I want.  If I don't have the 2 seed, and I want the 2 seed, I do what I have control of to get the 2 seed.  If we played after the Browns Steelers game, and knew we had the 2 seed wrapped up, I can see playing it safe.  If we rest our starters, we don't care about the 2 seed.  This is the way I see it.

 

Thats why the league set the final Sunday schedule after week 16.

 

Fairness for all.......I think they did a good job.l 

3 minutes ago, Pokebball said:

I don't like relying on "another team" to get me what I want.  If I don't have the 2 seed, and I want the 2 seed, I do what I have control of to get the 2 seed.  If we played after the Browns Steelers game, and knew we had the 2 seed wrapped up, I can see playing it safe.  If we rest our starters, we don't care about the 2 seed.  This is the way I see it.

I guess the follow up question to this opinion is, do you think our starters stay in if we and/or the Browns do not get a big enough lead?

 

It shouldn't take more than a half to get a pretty good lead if Josh dissects them like a laboratory frog

 

He has done it to just about every team since Arizona.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

2 hours ago, whatdrought said:

As someone said above, I expect they will put Josh in long enough to get the passing record, and to give Diggs a lock on the receiving lead. It also helps keep rust off, and it gives them a picture of the Dolphins if we end up facing them in WC week.

 

TBH, if they play Josh or Diggs in pursuit of personal records when they otherwise aren't trying to win, I think that would be short-sighted.

 

10 minutes ago, Pokebball said:

I don't like relying on "another team" to get me what I want.  If I don't have the 2 seed, and I want the 2 seed, I do what I have control of to get the 2 seed.  If we played after the Browns Steelers game, and knew we had the 2 seed wrapped up, I can see playing it safe.  If we rest our starters, we don't care about the 2 seed.  This is the way I see it.

 

This.  If the #2 seed is important and you want it, play for it.

If you want to save your starters, save your starters and don't worry about the #2 seed.

 

But don't half-ass it.

[wjag]

Chris  Simms speculated that they would play the starters. He said the decision would be made by Wednesday and executed by the team on Thursday and Friday.  Practice closed to press on Wednesday but opened later in week. I strongly suspect press knows and is keeping a lid on it. We’ll know soon enough.  Count me in the camp of pedal  to the metal. I think there is chance to hone play against a stout defense.   

Edited January 2, 2021 by wjag

[fergie's ire]

Bojorquez has 37 punts.  2.5 punts per game are needed to qualify for rankings.  Therefore, if he has 2 or fewer points, he does not qualify.  I know it is not a good reason to risk players being injured....but am I the only one who thinks it would be really cool to have a punter play the entire year and still not qualify?

[YoloinOhio]

 

[MJS]

1 hour ago, Freddie's Dead said:

Can't handle another 24 hours....PLAY THE GAME NOW!!!!

I'm the same. I'm so bored and just want them to play. I'm bored with all the threads on TBD and need another Bills injection.

36 minutes ago, wjag said:

Chris  Simms speculated that they would play the starters. He said the decision would be made by Wednesday and executed by the team on Thursday and Friday.  Practice closed to press on Wednesday but opened later in week. I strongly suspect press knows and is keeping a lid on it. We’ll know soon enough.  Count me in the camp of pedal  to the metal. I think there is chance to hone play against a stout defense.   

I would play them for the first half at least.

[BillsFan619]

5 hours ago, BillsMafi$ said:

Per Jeremy Fowler on sportscenter: Bills expected to play most key players

Man I hope so. We need to be playing for the #2 seed.

[BillsFan619]

3 hours ago, YoloinOhio said:

Well it depends how much the bills value the 2 seed. If they want it, they need to play the starters. The browns just closed their facility again today after a coach tested positive. They have 5 players out tomorrow. They have had maybe one real practice this week. There is no sure thing that the Steelers lose tomorrow. 

Without being ridiculous, I do hope they value the #2 seed.

 

I get that injuries could happen but the #2 seed is still valuable and important. It will impact who we play and it will assure us two home playoff games. The latter may not seem as valuable this year but one can’t underestimate what being in their usual routine in their hometown will be for a young team. Also, with no travel, less likely to accidentally catch Covid.

[finn]

3 hours ago, whatdrought said:

As someone said above, I expect they will put Josh in long enough to get the passing record, and to give Diggs a lock on the receiving lead. It also helps keep rust off, and it gives them a picture of the Dolphins if we end up facing them in WC week.

I don't think setting records or league leads will factor at all in McDermott's decision. He'll make his decision based on football, not vanity or bragging rights. For this reason, you play the starters so Allen reestablishes his connection to Brown, and, ideally, build a lead for Barkley (who's going to need it; did you ever see his career stats?) so we have take the two seed if Pittsburgh wins. I see him playing the starters for a quarter then sitting them down. But I don't see him putting them back even if Cleveland wins. That sends the wrong signal, that we're ducking the Ravens. 

[Penfield45]

Really interested to see how Brown comes back

 

man if we can get him rolling again, Beasley healthy and Stills all together for the wildcard round that would be essential 

 

let’s pray it’s nice weather in Buffalo next weekend 

[BillsFan619]

17 minutes ago, Penfield45 said:

Really interested to see how Brown comes back

 

man if we can get him rolling again, Beasley healthy and Stills all together for the wildcard round that would be essential 

 

let’s pray it’s nice weather in Buffalo next weekend 

Bro, the 4WR sets of those four would be insane. They have almost seemed unstoppable without brown or stills. Add them both, with a healthy Beasley, it gets me pumped just thinking about it.

 

Let’s go!!!

[Giuseppe Tognarelli]

14 hours ago, stevewin said:

What has to happen this weekend for Bills to be matched with Balt in first round - is it still possible?

The easiest way to look at it is this: the Bills or the Browns need to win. Otherwise, we are more than likely playing the Ravens. See attached for all scenarios.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

3 hours ago, Doc said:

Yeah but that assumes the Bills will play their starting defense the whole game.  And Barkley with the backup WRs is a loss for sure.

 

Last year week 17, the Bills defense had so much depth that we throttled the Jets starters for 3 quarters despite Bills offense giving away a fumble and a pick in the 3rd.  It wasn't until the 4th Q (and I think we were playing Isaiah McKenzie at CB by then) that they managed a TD then a 2nd FG off a 2nd Barkley pick.  Now the Jets did not have an explosive offense last season, but they were a 7-9 team with a mid-level D.

 

I'm not sure we're there this year on D, but I'm also not hella-impressed with the Tua-led Dolphins offense - maybe I'm wrong and I should be.

[YoloinOhio]

 

[Doc]

10 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

Last year week 17, the Bills defense had so much depth that we throttled the Jets starters for 3 quarters despite Bills offense giving away a fumble and a pick in the 3rd.  It wasn't until the 4th Q (and I think we were playing Isaiah McKenzie at CB by then) that they managed a TD then a 2nd FG off a 2nd Barkley pick.  Now the Jets did not have an explosive offense last season, but they were a 7-9 team with a mid-level D.

 

I'm not sure we're there this year on D, but I'm also not hella-impressed with the Tua-led Dolphins offense - maybe I'm wrong and I should be.

 

I'm not either, but their defense is good.  And their team overall is still better than the Jets were.