Does playing for Home Field next week add incentive or just more pressure?

[zow2]

Buffalo is a really good road team. but IF they win at KC, i’d rather play Cinci at home for sure. I think it matters.  And with the cold, wind, etc… Josh has proven this season he can play well through that. 

[Comebackkid]

i would say its really a non factor.   

[Boatdrinks]

Adds huge incentive imo. The Bills goal was to host the AFC title game this time. They now have that opportunity in front of them for the taking. They’re looking at a situation where 3 of their last 4 contests before the ultimate game would be played in Orchard Park. It’s their time! 

[Jerome007]

Non-factor. How can there be more pressure than you lose you go home, or incentive to move closer to the SB?

 

As fans though, it's an incentive! I of course 100% wanted the Bills to win. But to play the conference championship in front of home fans? Wow. 

 

And well, no GB, no Titans, no Chiefs (hopefully!)... the road to the SB is more open than ever!

[Southern_Bills]

Good rallying cry so to speak, let's get back to Buffalo. 

 

I would stop short of saying it adds pressure, the team that kept them out of the SB is across the field. From the GM down knows this is who they have to beat, not sure you could somehow make it mean more to them.

[MJS]

It's only a problem if the team is mentally weak. And if they are mentally weak, it doesn't matter anyway.

Edited January 23, 2022 by MJS

[Locomark]

No impact because both teams are playing with home field on the line. 

[Buffalosouth]

I don't think these guys should feel any added pressure. If anything the potential of punching the ticket to a Super Bowl in Buffalo should give them a little more juice to get that home game.

[T master]

I think there is enough to worry about just in the prep for the Chiefs there may now be some thought on it but i'm not really sure if that will be in the fore front of the players minds they are just worrying about getting a win no matter how they can get it and the rest will take care of it self !! 

[stinky finger]

I suspect both teams have taken notice and I can't help but think this is an added boost.

 

Also, please include me in any apologies moving forward.

[shane nelson]

if there is more pressure playing at home, god help us.  The SB is a lot more pressure.  I do think we learned a lot last year, we will find out by the end of the day.  Go Bills

[Wizard]

Focus on the game today!  However, it is obvious hat both pressure and incentive would cross the minds many of players and coaches.

 

Let's go Buffalo!

 

[Nihilarian]

1 hour ago, KzooMike said:

Did you see Josh's post game after New England? It wasn't an act. He really didn't care what just happened. After a year of being a Super Bowl contender and taking everybody's best shot. An AFC championship loss. Two straight playoff losses. We are dealing more with a team who understands how hard it is to get to the Super Bowl and is no longer content in just making the playoffs. I hope no more lessons need to be learned. It doesn't appear like it right now. Josh was so cold blooded last week after that stunning performance. 

This!

 

I think the entire team knows that the only thing that matters now... is beating the Chiefs!!

 

They might give it a passing thought that it would be nice to play the AFC Championship at home. But their focus has to be on beating KC. 

 

I hope Josh and the team plays as well as they did last week.

[UKBillFan]

No difference for me; we have to beat the Chiefs either way so anything else is a distraction. And we've had issues at Highmark this year (in terms of performance, all of our poor ones have come at home, Jags aside) so not sure how much of an advantage it could be.

 

We need to beat the Chiefs, then the Bengals to make the Super Bowl. That's the only thing that's important.

[ALLEN1QB]

Personally i think seeing the path to the Superbowl run thru your home field is a huge motivator!!!

[BigAl2526]

I think Cincinnati's win has little impact on the Bills' attitude today.  Sean McDermott has instilled a "one game at a time"" approach, and players have really bought into it.  

[Jerome007]

37 minutes ago, BigAl2526 said:

I think Cincinnati's win has little impact on the Bills' attitude today.  Sean McDermott has instilled a "one game at a time"" approach, and players have really bought into it.  

Yep. But players are humans. They know that if they win, the next game is at home, and let's face it, with an opponent that doesn't come with the same "aura" as the Chiefs, GB, Tennessee, etc. But they have to win THIS game regardless.

[ALLEN1QB]

I am just really pissed off all these years of misery all I had to do was put a sweet potato in my pocket geeezzzz

[SydneyBillsFan]

I think beating the Chiefs is incentive enough. Don't think the home game adds much to the motivation levels. 

[RyanC883]

4 hours ago, Nextmanup said:

I think the "Perfect Game" or "Saturday Night Massacre" against New England changed how I think about home games, in that Josh Allen did not seem excessively nervous.

On the contrary, he was ultra-dialed in and pumped up--super focused--as was almost the entire team, and they delivered a team performance for the ages.

 

If they can get up to that level of focus again, home field will be to our advantage I think.

 

How much it impacts the game is not NEARLY as much as fans would like to believe though.

 

 

 

bills have never won a road playoff game with McD or Allen.   I don’t think it adds pressure in a bad way.