Week 18: Pats at Bills, Sunday 1/8 1pm

[HopelessNJBuffaloFan]

I honestly do not think there should be any media availability this week for the Bills. Let them deal and grieve peacefully without a billion stupid media questions. "How do you feel after watching what happened to Damar"? Really??? You know it will happen. We have a game to play and i do not expect many of the Bills heads to be in the game and i do not blame them. What happen for that happens and I as a fan am totally ok with that. Never thought i would get to that point being the man who destroyed a new Razor over the first Jets game. My thoughts and prayers are with Damar's family and the Buffalo Bill's family.

[Heavy Kevi]

1 minute ago, BillsFanSD said:

Seriously, what kind of a person would say "If something bad happens to me, I want everybody else to shut their lives down too?"  Nobody ever says that.  Spouses don't want their surviving spouse to live the rest of their life in a state of mourning after they pass.  Why on earth would this situation be any different?  

 

People are making this out to be harder than it is.  Damar Hamlin is fighting for his life in a hospital.  For the rest of us, our life is still in front of us, and it's still ending one day at a time just like it was before.  Let's get on with it.   

 

I don't entirely disagree with this. But it isn't an "after they pass" situation. It's still somewhat "suspended" just like the game.

 

I, too, would want to get back to some day-to-day routines, get back to work, etc because that's the best way for me to move on. But not for everyone.

 

I also don't think it's unreasonable for them to want to see him come out of the coma and find out if he's going to survive. Just like Monday night, I imagine they don't want to be in some 2nd and 5 type situation, convert and celebrate on the field, while their teammate potentially dies that moment in a hospital bed. 

 

The NFL needs to do the right thing and put this game "week 19", and set a precedent of leadership and compassion while still protecting the integrity of the game and maintaining fairness for all the other league teams who are relying on this for seeding.

[Realist]

12 minutes ago, buffalobillswin said:

I can’t even imagine the team trying to focus on the next game but I’m sure they’ll try their best. 

I think it will be a good distraction for them. Difficult at first, but as the week goes on and they are in more and more of a routine it will get easier. That doesn't mean they forget about their teammate, just something to take their mind off it for a few hours at a time. 

[Process]

If the NFL declares the Bengals game a tie or no contest, who would get the 2 seed if Bengals win this week and we lose? If we would win the tiebreaker and chiefs beat raiders, this game would be meaningless.

 

And I absolutely would rest starters and let the pats win because getting them in round 1 of the playoffs is a dream matchup.

[Greg S]

Just now, Process said:

If the NFL declares the Bengals game a tie or no contest, who would get the 2 seed if Bengals win this week and we lose? If we would win the tiebreaker and chiefs beat raiders, this game would be meaningless.

 

And I absolutely would rest starters and let the pats win because getting them in round 1 of the playoffs is a dream matchup.

 

But what if the Raiders win and the Bills have a shot at the #1 seed?

[Process]

1 minute ago, Greg S said:

 

But what if the Raiders win and the Bills have a shot at the #1 seed?

Uh that's obviously different. That's why I included if the chiefs win...

[WotAGuy]

48 minutes ago, BillsFanSD said:

Seriously, what kind of a person would say "If something bad happens to me, I want everybody else to shut their lives down too?"  Nobody ever says that. 

I’m telling you, when I go, this board better shut down for at least a year. 

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

2 minutes ago, WotAGuy said:

I’m telling you, when I go, this board better shut down for at least a year. 

“Whatever happened to that wot a guy?”

 

”beats me.”

 

(long pause)

 

”anyway, so, should we fire Frazier or what?”

[Wayne Cubed]

47 minutes ago, JGMcD2 said:

I think the unique thing in this situation is the trauma associated with watching your teammate/friend need to be resuscitated with you standing there. 
 

If Damar had been in a serious accident away from the field, players would still be grieving, but it wouldn’t be as traumatic because they didn’t witness it. First responders, military, etc. are prepared to see traumatic life or death events… football players really aren’t. 
 

At some point they will “get on with it” but right now they have a lot to work through. 

 

Yea this is it.

 

I don't think anyone is saying, "pause your life until we know anything about Damar" but the reality is many of the players just witnessed somethin they may have neer seen before. They aren't prepared for it. This is about how they are handling things metally and are they in a good place to focus and move on with there jobs. I'm sure they will be able, it just isn't a switch for some people and takes a bit of time.

[Bills!Win!]

I’m perfectly ok with the bills losing against the patriots. The 3 seed seems so unimportant now. 

[wolfpack78]

16 minutes ago, Process said:

If the NFL declares the Bengals game a tie or no contest, who would get the 2 seed if Bengals win this week and we lose? If we would win the tiebreaker and chiefs beat raiders, this game would be meaningless.

 

And I absolutely would rest starters and let the pats win because getting them in round 1 of the playoffs is a dream matchup.

I ran the ESPN playoff simulator for this scenario and the Bengals hold the tie breaker over us and would be the #2.  Not sure what the tie breaker is that puts it in their favor because we would have same overall/conference/divisions records in this scenario.  Maybe winning % against common opponents?

[Kaenon]

1 hour ago, Greg S said:

Curious to see what the team/and or fans do at the stadium this Sunday? Something will be done to show continued support for Hamlin. 

Hamlin #3 T-shirts for every seat.

[Greg S]

1 minute ago, Kaenon said:

Hamlin #3 T-shirts for every seat.

 

I think the Sabres were wearing #3 t-shirts prior to their game last night. That would be a nice thing for the Bills to do.

[BillsFanSD]

59 minutes ago, JGMcD2 said:

I think the unique thing in this situation is the trauma associated with watching your teammate/friend need to be resuscitated with you standing there. 

Maybe, but this has happened before.  It's not unprecedented.  It's not even unprecedented with the Buffalo Bills (Kevin Everett).  It really is time to get on with it.  

[Dan]

I think the team is doing it right. No media today, walk through practice which says to me... lets get together and talk about this and see how everyone is while slowly getting our minds on football.  
 

The hardest part, as has been mentioned, is the waiting for news.   If Damar comes out of sedation and is showing signs of improvement this afternoon/evening we can all breathe a sigh of relief and continue praying while we get back to normal.   If the opposite happens... well I’m not going to think about that. 

[Logic]

Speaking just for myself, I'll say this:

I don't really care about this Sunday's game. I'm finding it really difficult to resume caring about football at this moment.

I know that's not everyone's experience, and I know that in times of hardship, it's helpful for many to turn to sports and entertainment as a sort of escape. That's obviously fine and normal. I also know that we all invest a lot of time and energy and emotion into following the Bills, and it's hard for many to just "flip the switch".

I don't begrudge anyone whatsoever for wanting to get on with the season and get back to cheering on our favorite team. Hell, I want to do that myself. Or at least I should say, I want to WANT to do that. But in reality, I just can't get there mentally right now. I can't put on my "fan hat" just yet and root for Tremaine Edmunds or Jordan Poyer to go out and lay a crushing hit on a Patriots player. I can't, in all good conscience, get excited about the idea of these 20-something kids swallowing their trauma, strapping on a helmet, and going back into the arena to play gladiator, 6 days after watching their brother's heart stop on the field.

Maybe my feelings will change if and when news comes out that Damar Hamlin is going to be okay. But right now, in this moment, it's hard to get back to wanting to watch this. That's just how I feel. I'm not judging anyone else for feeling differently. This is just where I'm at.

It sucks, and it hurts, and it's disappointing, but this is where I'm at.

 

22 minutes ago, ScottLaw said:

Yep. 
 

The best thing for the team is to focus on their job, work, and keep busy. It’s def not to sit around and feel bad for themselves. JMO.

Respectfully, I'm not so sure there's a "one size fits all" approach to what's best in times of processing trauma.

For instance, I find it helpful to focus on my job in times of hardship, as a distraction and a way of getting my mind off of things and staying busy. The key difference between me and NFL players, though, is that my job is not the very thing that caused the trauma that I'm trying to distract myself from to begin with.

In this case, "focusing on their job" means focusing on things like tackling or running through their opponent. It means, ultimately, focusing on partaking in the sport whose random, chance moments of violent impact resulted just two days ago in their teammate's heart stopping in front of their eyes. 

There are no easy answers here, and everyone process trauma differently.

Edited January 4, 2023 by Logic

[Warriorspikes51]

3 minutes ago, Logic said:

Speaking just for myself, I'll say this:

I don't really care about this Sunday's game. I'm finding it really difficult to resume caring about football at this moment.

I know that's not everyone's experience, and I know that in times of hardship, it's helpful for many to turn to sports and entertainment as a sort of escape. That's obviously fine and normal. I also know that we all invest a lot of time and energy and emotion into following the Bills, and it's hard for many to just "flip the switch".

I don't begrudge anyone whatsoever for wanting to get on with the season and get back to cheering on our favorite team. Hell, I want to do that myself. Or at least I should say, I want to WANT to do that. But in reality, I just can't get there mentally right now. I can't put on my "fan hat" just yet and root for Tremaine Edmunds or Jordan Poyer to go out and lay a crushing hit on a Patriots player. I can't, in all good conscience, get excited about the idea of these 20-something kids swallowing their trauma, strapping on a helmet, and going back into the arena to play gladiator, 6 days after watching their brother's heart stop on the field.

Maybe my feelings will change if and when news comes out that Damar Hamlin is going to be okay. But right now, in this moment, it's hard to get back to wanting to watch this. That's just how I feel. I'm not judging anyone else for feeling differently. This is just where I'm at.

It sucks, and it hurts, and it's disappointing, but this is where I'm at.

Well, this may help you feel a little better
 

 

[KHAN]

23 minutes ago, BillsFanSD said:

Maybe, but this has happened before.  It's not unprecedented.  It's not even unprecedented with the Buffalo Bills (Kevin Everett).  It really is time to get on with it.  

Was Kevin Everett in a medically induced coma on Wed. following the game?

 

SMH

[YoloinOhio]

 

[Airseven]

1 hour ago, BillsFanSD said:

Seriously, what kind of a person would say "If something bad happens to me, I want everybody else to shut their lives down too?"  Nobody ever says that.  Spouses don't want their surviving spouse to live the rest of their life in a state of mourning after they pass.  Why on earth would this situation be any different?  

 

People are making this out to be harder than it is.  Damar Hamlin is fighting for his life in a hospital.  For the rest of us, our life is still in front of us, and it's still ending one day at a time just like it was before.  Let's get on with it.   

They’re professionals. Their job is to play football. The game on Monday was suspended appropriately. Now move forward while a teammate receives high class medical care.

 

The people facing real trauma is Hamlin’s family. Not fans. Not media. The well-being of his teammates continues to be addressed in reasonable fashion.