What if the Bills refuse to play the Patriots?

[Mango]

1 hour ago, HOUSE said:

Not a chance that would be a PR nightmare,  HUGE

McD and Taylor forced the leagues hand once already. I support the team in doing what they feel is right in this moment. Playing or not. 

 

Let the league fine the Bills if that’s the road they choose to go. 

[That's No Moon]

If they refuse to play Sunday Terry will have his franchise revoked.

[Kiva]

5 minutes ago, BillsFanSD said:

The pandemic dramatically sped this process up, because we were all rightly concerned about the mental health of people who were socially isolated, jobless, dealing with home-bound kids, just dealing with having the world turned upside down, or whatever.   But I think this is being driven by social changes that were already in motion before the pandemic.  

 

I'm 50 so that makes me old, and when I say that these social changes are for the worse, people will understandably write that off as "old man yells at clouds."  On the other hand, I'm old enough to have experienced trauma and personal loss.  Everyone my age has done so.  Co-workers die, parents die, friends die, and the expectation has always been that you take a moment to grieve in your own way and then you move on.  This kind of psychological collapse was always reserved for the death of a child or spouse.  I can't wrap my mind around breaking down every time a colleague suffers a grievous injury.  At my age, I don't even have time for all that.   

Good post. You in San Diego ? 

[davefan66]

I am a RN who has been in my share of codes and have administered CPR many times.  As part of my job I have witnessed patients pass away.  Passing away that was expected, and sudden unexpected deaths.

 

I have had some trouble processing what I witnessed and I was not on the field watching a close personal friend go through what Damar did.  Receiving life saving medical action to bring him back. CPR, intubation and being shocked.

 

I wholeheartedly support the team in whatever decision they make.  They are grown men who will make a decision about playing this weekend based on the entirety of the teams input.  If they are not ready to play, that is their decision and no one has the right to say their collective decision is wrong.

 

 

[HOUSE]

The post title was what if the Bills refuse to play?

It was never about would the game actually be played

Somehow we got off topic 

[The Wiz]

1 hour ago, Limeaid said:

NFL would award the division to New England and Bills would be disqualified for playoffs.

Don't forget the comp picks.

[Beast]

3 minutes ago, Motorin' said:

 

You're pretending like what happened wasn't an emergency, and that an emergency isn't still ongoing. 

 

The Bills very well may be ready to play this weekend. But they may not be, and if they aren't, why in the world would that mean the whole league needs to fold? 

 

Apparently Burrow just said there are some Bengals players that don't want to play this weekend after witnessing a man die on the field.

 

If both the Bills and Bengals told the league they can't play this weekend, because of an actual emergency that happened to just them, why would the whole league need to fold?

 

The rest of the games get played. AFC North goes to the Bengals and the rest of the seeding is decided by win percentage.

 

 

 

So what about all the players in the league that witnessed it on television? Should they also be allowed not to play?

 

Again, like it or not, other teams are fighting for the playoffs and are depending on the Bills to take the field and put forward their best effort. Whatever effort that may be.

 

Life isn’t always fair. Ask the ER doctors and nurses that see children rushed in and die in their care…and then give care to the next person, and come to work the next day.

 

The factory worker who sees his workmate crushed to death and is expected to come back to earn a paycheck.

 

The firefighter that sees people burned to death, and then handles the next call.

 

The police officer that has his buddy shot to death on duty…and handles the their next call.

 

The Washington Redskins who take take the field 5 days after their teammate is murdered.

 

The NASCAR drivers that hope in their car and race the week after one of their comrades die on the track the week before.

 

Life isn’t fair sometimes. Right now it isn’t easy for the Bills and players around this league. But they will lace them up Sunday and crack the pads. It’s what they signed up to do.

[SCBills]

2 minutes ago, HOUSE said:

The post title was what if the Bills refuse to play?

It was never about would the game actually be played

Somehow we got off topic 

New England gets a W.  
 

We forfeit and take an L. 
 

Probably lose some of the good will around the country.. not that anyone here should care, but I’m just being real about it. 

[Nextmanup]

The game is going to be played.

 

I think there is an outside chance it get moves back, maybe to Monday night, but not much more than that.

 

It will probably take place on Sunday at 1pm.

 

 

[JDubya76]

2 minutes ago, Kiva said:

Our American culture is opposite of this though.  We rally when things get tough; always have, always will. 

And it still is because we can determine the difference between the real world and a game.

Listen, I’ve flown over the wreckage of airplanes in which friends of mine have died. I have watched people crash and die while I was behind them in sequence for landing. What did I do? Just kept on working because that’s what we do. Merica! 
 

The great thing about Merica! Is that we are tough, resilient but also compassionate and if a group of people don’t think that they can perform during an entertainment event I don’t feel that it’s in my right to denigrate  them for their choices.

 

Ultimately, I think this whole conversation is going to be proven moot because the bills are going to play on Sunday because they’re gonna do what they know and they’re gonna do what they love to get past a tough situation. Luckily for them they do, so all the tough Mericans! in this thread won’t have to call them kitty cats and further hurt their whittle feewings. Am I doing it right?

[Motorin']

Just now, Beast said:

So what about all the players in the league that witnessed it on television? Should they also be allowed not to play?

 

Again, like it or not, other teams are fighting for the playoffs and are depending on the Bills to take the field and put forward their best effort. Whatever effort that may be.

 

Life isn’t always fair. Ask the ER doctors and nurses that see children rushed in and die in their care…and then give care to the next person, and come to work the next day.

 

The factory worker who sees his workmate crushed to death and is expected to come back to earn a paycheck.

 

The firefighter that sees people burned to death, and then handles the next call.

 

The police officer that has his buddy shot to death on duty…and handles the their next call.

 

The Washington Redskins who take take the field 5 days after their teammate is murdered.

 

The NASCAR drivers that hope in their car and race the week after one of their comrades die on the track the week before.

 

Life isn’t fair sometimes. Right now it isn’t easy for the Bills and players around this league. But they will lace them up Sunday and crack the pads. It’s what they signed up to do.

 

You're right, everyone is and should be forced immediately back to work in each those situations. If you say so it must be true. 

 

They probably should have been forced to keep playing Monday night too. 

[somnus00]

1 hour ago, Limeaid said:

NFL would award the division to New England and Bills would be disqualified for playoffs.

Maybe we'd get one of their compensatory picks for the 2025 draft...

[Captain Hindsight]

I bet they would still win by 17

[Augie]

1 hour ago, WotAGuy said:

Dolphins are toast anyway, even if Teddy can play. Steelers still need to beat Browns as well. It sucks that the Bills’ decision on how to move forward impacts so many other teams.  I do think the Bills will go to any length to try and play, but honestly how much focus can they have if they do?

 

I got a call this afternoon from the Dolphins asking if I was available this weekend as backup QB. Don’t hate me, but it’s a huge payday for this guy. I got some stretching to do! 

 

 

.

Edited January 5, 2023 by Augie

[SCBills]

2 minutes ago, Motorin' said:

 

You're right, everyone is and should be forced immediately back to work in each those situations. If you say so it must be true. 

 

They probably should have been forced to keep playing Monday night too. 

Monday absolutely should not have been played.  If anyone believes that, they need to take a step back. 
 

Bills should play Sunday.  Maybe it’s not pretty.  Maybe some sit out.   But they should play.   In my mind, as a competitor, I’m honoring Damar Hamlin by doing so. 
 

I get that others have different views, and there’s probably different views on each team (as Burrow even alluded to)… but this is their chosen profession.   It doesn’t mean they need to continue in this profession.  I wouldn’t judge anyone if they choose to step away from this profession. 

[Beast]

7 minutes ago, Motorin' said:

 

You're right, everyone is and should be forced immediately back to work in each those situations. If you say so it must be true. 

 

They probably should have been forced to keep playing Monday night too. 

Nobody is forced back. One had the option to quit. Or do the job you knew you signed up for that has substantial chance of seeing or suffering serious physical injury or worse.

 

[bmur66]

Not playing the Pats is something that we shouldn’t be discussing now although it should be discussed in private by the right people. Remain positive.

[Paup 1995MVP]

1 hour ago, Success said:

It's not really fair or probably how we should be as a human race - but life & work go on, and they should definitely play the game on Sunday (imo).

 

As a human race, we never stop.  We always keep going forward.  Everyone suffers hardship and loss in their lives over time.  That is part of being a human being and living in the world.  When you pass, people maybe upset and care  that you are gone  and miss you.  But the world will keep going on and not miss a beat.   It was a freak thing that happened to Damar Hamlin.  Its upsetting sad and scary for all of us.  But football is a violent game.  The players all know that.  They can be upset.  But they still will need to focus on what they are paid quite well to do.  And that is to block out the distraction and be a baller for 3 plus hours this Sunday.  And keep doing that until they win the Super Bowl or are eliminated.  

[WotAGuy]

1 hour ago, Beast said:

Oh bull####. 
 

The Bills played the Redskins right after Sean Taylor was murdered.

 

I’m sorry. The Bills probably will have a difficult time focusing but, like it or not, they have a job to do and a league depending on them to do it.

 

How many Bills or Redskins saw Taylor die?

[HOUSE]

Oh oh, just heard the Bills are doing walk through practice only and it weds....not good