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

[GolfandBills]

58 minutes ago, FrenchConnection said:

A lot of the "experts" are picking the Pats in this one due to the unknown of how the Bills will respond to the moment so there is that too. I'm just trying to explain a point spread that I agree is a bit low. 

Seems right to me.  Patriots usually don’t get blown out and they have a lot to play for.  

[Bob in STL]

My only concern regarding the Bills is not that they won't hit hard, more of it has to do with the preparation needed before hand. 

 

I think their less than normal preparation can be overcome by their talent and even more so by the home field.  Not having to travel saved them many hours of time that could be dedicated to more useful preparation - or even rest.  The home crowd will provide an advantage too, especially in Buffalo.  

 

 

[Beast]

1 hour ago, Georgia Bill said:

Normally at this stage in the season - with playoff hopes and seedings on the line - games reach playoff intensity with lots of physicality and hard hits.  No one knows if what happened to Damar is going to dampen some of that "hit 'em hard, make 'em pay" mentality or not.  Not only on the Bills, but other teams as well.   I could see the Patriots trying to hammer us with the run game early to see how tough the Bills will be.  Even if it takes us a bit to get going full force, I think we will prevail.  

Players, especially at this level, better be prepared for physical Play otherwise injuries will happen.

[Playoffs?]

Can we just get through this game without any key injuries?  Please?

[zow2]

Wouldn’t surprise me to see NE take an early lead. Our D tends to get gashed when they are totally amped up and not playing disciplined defense against the run. They over-pursue and miss tackles. Hope not, i expect the Bills to win the game.

[mannc]

18 minutes ago, GolfandBills said:

Seems right to me.  Patriots usually don’t get blown out and they have a lot to play for.  

Are the Pats in if they win?

[freddyjj]

4 hours ago, PatsFanNH said:

Ummm ya everyone knows Jones took a step back this year, in a vacuum you would say what YOU are saying. The problem is it isn’t in a vacuum and the problem is they are running an offense that the D for the first 12 weeks in the year were calling out the exact play they were running. How? Our OC are awful and never been OC before.. add in terrible o line play and well you get the mess which is this Offense.   Now give the O an actual OC and it still looks horrid, then you look at the players..  (I mean we have an OC who refuses to use Bourne on a regular bases.)

His 2 year comparison that they made was Trubisky.  Good luck with that 

1 minute ago, mannc said:

Are the Pats in if they win?

Yes 

46 minutes ago, Andy1 said:

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a regular season AFC East Bills game broadcast map look like this. 

Have to believe this game was considered as the SNF flex option as win and in for Pats and we need to win for 1 or 2 seed too.  Also the emotional appeal of the team playing for Damar. 

[Scott7975]

5 hours ago, PatsFanNH said:

Lmao you’re happy grammar police.. lol

Most rational fans know one thing about Hones. That is we don’t. Know anything because any potential growth was stunted by incompetent OC coaching.  (The owner agrees) now next year (fingers crossed) when we get a competent OC we will know one way or the other on Jones.  Anyone saying he is great or sucks is just giving what they are hoping for.. (FYI he had a GOOD year for a rookie last year he took an obvious step back this year.)

 

Yeah you all complained about McDaniels last year too and blamed him.  I sat here and told you McDaniels was a top OC in this league and he is.  You do got one thing right... your staff situation this year is a big clown show.  Belichick was in charge of that clown show.

 

There is no one more experienced in seeing a mediocre QB then Bills fans.  Allen is our first franchise QB since Jim Kelly.  As I keep telling you, we all know what ***** looks like.  But go on.  Keep believing.  Keep believing that Jones is going to keep up with Allen, Mahomes, Burrow, Herbert, etc.  All you'll have to do is build a team that takes up twice the cap space somehow.

38 minutes ago, Bob in STL said:

My only concern regarding the Bills is not that they won't hit hard, more of it has to do with the preparation needed before hand. 

 

I think their less than normal preparation can be overcome by their talent and even more so by the home field.  Not having to travel saved them many hours of time that could be dedicated to more useful preparation - or even rest.  The home crowd will provide an advantage too, especially in Buffalo.  

 

 

 

We also regularly play the Pats.  This team knows that team and vice versa.  I dont really think they got much less practice this week than any other either.  May have been a bit more distracted but they still got the days in.

[Don Otreply]

On 1/6/2023 at 12:20 PM, FrenchConnection said:

The type of fans who post on message boards are not necessarily reflective of the fan base as a whole.

This is very true, in fact it is the lunatic fringe that post on fan forums, just peruse any GDT on this forum and you will be given a first hand tour of the fringe, 😂

[EffKCChiefs]

44 minutes ago, Bob in STL said:

My only concern regarding the Bills is not that they won't hit hard, more of it has to do with the preparation needed before hand. 

 

I think their less than normal preparation can be overcome by their talent and even more so by the home field.  Not having to travel saved them many hours of time that could be dedicated to more useful preparation - or even rest.  The home crowd will provide an advantage too, especially in Buffalo.  

 

 

Luckily its against a well known divisional rival and may not take as much preparation as other games. 

[Warcodered]

 

[Loyal BF]

21 hours ago, PatsFanNH said:

Playing DEVILS ADVOCATE. That still sticks it to the Bengals because if they had beaten you on Monday night and KC loses on Saturday they would be the #1 seed. Like you said no good way to do it. IMO they should have just stuck with the rule already on the books instead of letting their emotions get involved.. 

No need to play “devil’s advocate”.  My post was not meant to dismiss the fact that Cincy got the shaft too.

 

The most equitable outcome is that the Raiders beat KC today.  They almost beat them earlier in the year, when LV scored a TD to get within one point, and instead of kicking a FG for the tie, the Raiders failed in a two point conversion that would have put them ahead, 31-30....instead they lost 30-29.

 

IF KC gets the #1 seed this season, it will be like last year where the Titans got the #1 seed but were NOT the best team in the AFC.

 

KC has been flirting with losing to inferior teams for weeks now.  Letting Denver back into the game after taking a 27-0 lead, and eventually barely winning, by 6 points after Russel Wilson was knocked out of the game with 12 minutes left in the 4th Q.

 

They barely, by the skin of their teeth, “beat” lowly Houston, in freakin’ OT when their QB inexplicably literally handed the ball to KC after KC failed to score in their first possession in OT.

 

Playing against terrible Denver again, at home, they played extremely sloppy BAD football, barely squeaking by with a win by only 3 points.

 

And now, they are almost handed the #1 seed because of freak tragedy and the cancelling of game FOR THE FIRST TIME IN NFL HISTORY, that a game started, then postponed and never resumed.  

 

If there is ANY “football Karma” the Chiefs deserve to LOSE today.  I’ll be praying that they do!!!

[Captain_Quint]

Patriots suspended their punter (Jack Bailey) and rookie CB (Jack Jones). Both were injured recently but should be returning, until they were suspended on 12/31. Media just found out about it in the last day or so:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/musketfire.com/2023/01/07/patriots-suspensions-mean-players/amp/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[YoloinOhio]

 

[Loyal BF]

1 hour ago, GolfandBills said:

Seems right to me.  Patriots usually don’t get blown out and they have a lot to play for.  

Ummmm. 🤔

 

Except when the Bills beat the everliving CRAP out of them last year to knock them out of the playoffs.   It’s pretty clear that getting sent home for the year IS a “lot to play for”.

 

The 47-17 loss (and it was not as close as the score) was one of the worst embossments for Belichick in his career.  

[Beck Water]

24 minutes ago, Scott7975 said:

We also regularly play the Pats.  This team knows that team and vice versa.  I dont really think they got much less practice this week than any other either.  May have been a bit more distracted but they still got the days in.

 

I think the big disadvantage is the work that our guys normally put in on their own.  Players like Poyer and White and Jones and Oliver and Phillips and hopefully now Rousseau and Epenesa spend hours watching game film of the opponent, looking for anything that can give them an edge.  Same thing on offense.

 

Very hard to be focused and put that grind when you're shell-shocked and worried about your brother player. 

 

But transitioning to giddy with relief and joyful doesn't make focus any easier. 

 

We do play them, but teams still scout and self-scout for the latest tendencies.

[GolfandBills]

Just now, Loyal BF said:

Ummmm. 🤔

 

Except when the Bills beat the everliving CRAP out of them last year to knock them out of the playoffs.   It’s pretty clear that getting sent home for the year IS a “lot to play for”.

 

The 47-17 loss (and it was not as close as the score) was one of the worst embossments for Belichick in his career.  

Highly doubt Vegas cares about last years results 

[newcam2012]

1 hour ago, GolfandBills said:

Seems right to me.  Patriots usually don’t get blown out and they have a lot to play for.  

Their defense alone should keep them in the game. They have a fierce pass rush and they get turnovers that lead to TDs. 

 

They is little that the two teams don't know about each other. They get back RB Harris who didnt play the first game and is a Bills killer. That in itself makes the Pats formidable.

 

The Bills are the better team and should win the game. I expect the Bills to open it up more than the first game. I think Davis could get 2 TDs and Diggs has a nice game. 

[YoloinOhio]

 

[Loyal BF]