Tank the Pats game?

[BillsfaninSB]

If I recall correctly, Cinncy opted to rest starters last year against Cleveland and resigned themselves to the 4 seed.  That worked out well for them. 
 

Not saying the Bills should do the same but interesting case study.

 

I would prefer to win to defer KC as long as possible. 
 

Edited January 5, 2023 by BillsfaninSB

[buffaloboyinATL]

1 hour ago, WIDE LEFT said:

Not completely serious here but this does provide an interesting scenario. Assume the NFL is just going to cancel Bills/Bengals game. Assume KC  beats Raiders on Saturday. This would make Bills v Pats meaningless. If Bills lose, they still get 2nd seed; they would still have the  same 8-3 conference record as Bengals, but we win the second tie breaker, record against common opponents (Bills 8-3, Bengals 7-3). So a loss to Pats is meaningless - rest starters?  This would guarantee a 1st round playoff matchup against Pats. I have no problem with that.

Damar's father talked to the team yesterday, and in Josh's words, he "demanded" that they go out there and play for Damar. There is ZERO chance that they phone it in.  

[HOUSE]

It's the Patriots, the team destroyed us for 20 years

No freaking tank

[Alphadawg7]

1 hour ago, WIDE LEFT said:

Not completely serious here but this does provide an interesting scenario. Assume the NFL is just going to cancel Bills/Bengals game. Assume KC  beats Raiders on Saturday. This would make Bills v Pats meaningless. If Bills lose, they still get 2nd seed; they would still have the  same 8-3 conference record as Bengals, but we win the second tie breaker, record against common opponents (Bills 8-3, Bengals 7-3). So a loss to Pats is meaningless - rest starters?  This would guarantee a 1st round playoff matchup against Pats. I have no problem with that.

No idea why anyone would gives this a thumbs down or disagree.  Not only is it what we should do, it’s exactly what we will do in the event KC wins Saturday.

 

We wouldn’t rest starters the whole game, especially since they need to get them back on the field and feel the game again after the horrific events of Monday.  
 

But like we did against Miami, our starters will likely play part of, or all of the first half.  But they definitely wouldn’t be playing the second half.

 

KC loses, our starters are in for the whole game to try and secure the win and #1 seed.

[MAJBobby]

***** the Pats up. 
 

normalcy helps grieve. 
 

Beat them right off the field for #3

[UKBillFan]

3 minutes ago, Alphadawg7 said:

No idea why anyone would gives this a thumbs down or disagree.  Not only is it what we should do, it’s exactly what we will do in the event KC wins Saturday.

 

We wouldn’t rest starters the whole game, especially since they need to get them back on the field and feel the game again after the horrific events of Monday.  
 

But like we did against Miami, our starters will likely play part of, or all of the first half.  But they definitely wouldn’t be playing the second half.

 

KC loses, our starters are in for the whole game to try and secure the win and #1 seed.

 

Because the Bills would drop to third seed if Chiefs and Bengals win and they lose. Edit: On basis of strength of schedule when it comes to the Bengals.

 

Also, the rumoured neutral AFCCG field would only be on the basis that Monday's abandoned game could have otherwise affected the seedings. If the Chiefs win and the Bills lose then Monday's game wouldn't have any impact, even if the Bills had beaten the Bengals. We would have still finished second to them as we lost to the Pats.

Edited January 5, 2023 by UKBillFan

[BillsFanSD]

15 minutes ago, BillsfaninSB said:

I think it is impossible for it to be meaningless.

Do we even have any way of determining that?  I notice a lot of posts all of the sudden sound like the league made some kind of announcement on how playoff seeding is going to work, but I haven't seen anything definitive yet.

 

If they do just go by flat winning %, then you're probably right.  It's going to be hard for us to be tied with anybody after week 18 other than the Bengals of course.

Edited January 5, 2023 by BillsFanSD

[Big Blitz]

38 minutes ago, KDIGGZ said:

The better solution is...Dolphins lose (very likely with 3rd string QB) and Pittsburgh wins and then we play the Steelers which is equivalent to a bye

 

Pittsburgh is the last team I want to see.  
 

Rather Miami.  I think Tua’s season is over.  

[Codyny13]

Win every game in front of you. We don’t even know how the NFL is going to handle this situation. Play out this week to see where teams stand in the playoffs. We may see a Cinci and KC loss.

[Utah John]

There are conflicting posts in this threat about what happens if the Bills lose and the Bengals win, so both end up 12-4.  Some say the Bills win the tiebreaker and some say the Bengals do.  Does anyone know for sure?

 

If it could turn out that the Bills could fall to the 3 seed with a loss, they should play starters until a win is ensured.  Assuming higher seeds win, then 2 beats 7, 3 beats 6, and 4 and 5 don't matter.  Next week 1 plays 4/5, and 2 hosts 3.  Not looking forward to a return to Cinci.  Much better for Cinci to come to Orchard Park.

 

It's sad that both the Bills and Bengals beat the Chiefs head to head, and that neither has the chance to play a full schedule to try to get the top seed.

[Bills fan since 87]

17 minutes ago, Big Blitz said:

 

Pittsburgh is the last team I want to see.  
 

Rather Miami.  I think Tua’s season is over.  

 

We'd roll Pittsburgh...Again.   Even if their D did/could slow us down their offense i trash.  Id take Pittsburgh 11 times out of 10

Edited January 5, 2023 by Bills fan since 87

[UKBillFan]

9 minutes ago, BillsFanSD said:

Do we even have any way of determining that?  I notice a lot of posts all of the sudden sound like the league made some kind of announcement on how playoff seeding is going to work, but I haven't seen anything definitive yet.

 

If they do just go by flat winning %, then you're probably right.  It's going to be hard for us to be tied with anybody after week 18 other than the Bengals of course.

 

True, though the most common consesus, albeit not officially announced is that Bills-Bengals will be deemed a no contest.

If so, the Chiefs will take the number one seed with a win over the Raiders.

The Bills will take the number two seed should they beat the Pats. If they lose, the Bengals will take number two should they defeat the Ravens on strength of schedule.

 

As per Adam Schefter the NFL is looking at two possibilities:

1) Number one seed gets to choose either home field advantage or a bye. Whatever they choose, the number two seed gets the other. Lose to the Pats with the Bengals beating the Ravens, and the Bills lose out on this.

2) AFCCG to be played at a neutral venue if the seedings of the competitors involved have been affected by the no contest. Lose to the Pats and the Bills would not have claimed the number one seed even with a win over the Bengals, so no reason for them not to go to Arrowhead instead.

Edited January 5, 2023 by UKBillFan

[BillsFanSD]

1 minute ago, UKBillFan said:

 

True, though the most common consesus, albeit not officially announced is that Bills-Bengals will be deemed a no contest.

If so, the Chiefs will take the number one seed with a win over the Raiders.

The Bills will take the number two seed should they beat the Pats. If they lose, the Bengals will take number two should they defeat the Ravens on strength of schedule.

 

As per Adam Schefter the NFL is looking at two possibilities:

1) Number one seed gets to choose either home field advantage or a bye. Whatever they choose, the number two seed gets the other. Lose to the Pats with the Bengals beating the Ravens, and the Bills lose out on this.

2) AFCCG to be played at a neutral venue if the seedings of the competitors involved have been affected by the no contest. Lose to the Pats and the Bills would not have claimed the number one seed even with a win over the Bengals, so no reason for us not to go to Arrowhead instead.

Thanks.  This helps a lot.

 

Obviously we play to win in that case.

[BillsfaninSB]

11 minutes ago, Alphadawg7 said:

Bills are locked in as 2 seed if KC wins.  Our seeding can not change if KC wins and the Bills vs Bengals game is a no contest.  So the Bengal comparison is irrelevant to this situation.  

If Bills lose and Bengals win the Bills are the 3 seed. 

[Saxum]

1 hour ago, DCbillsfan said:

Hopefully NFL will clear everything up before Saturday's games.  If it's meaningless for the Bills, I agree rest some of their starters on Sunday.

 

If it's meaningless for the Bills should escalate every member of practice squad assuming cap could afford it. 

[transplantbillsfan]

Sorry, but I'm 100% in this boat if the Bills and Bengals aren't making up their game and the Chiefs win on Saturday.

 

I understand the emotional reason to play the game, but as far as the seeding goes you're fighting at that point just with Cincy for the #2 or #3 seed.  Yes... I get that this matters a little, but does it matter as much as being healthier and better rested?

 

I gotta believe the teams know more, but if the Bills and Bengals are being left totally in the dark about the concept of making that game up, it's just ridiculously unfair to both teams.  Announce what will happen please.  Even if it's something like "the Bills and Bengals game is contingent upon the results of the Chiefs and Raiders game."  At least that way they know what they're playing for and that they still have a shot at the #1 seed.

[RiotAct]

15 minutes ago, Utah John said:

There are conflicting posts in this threat about what happens if the Bills lose and the Bengals win, so both end up 12-4.  Some say the Bills win the tiebreaker and some say the Bengals do.  Does anyone know for sure?

 

on WGR this morning they were saying the Bills win the tiebreakers in that scenario 

[Casey D]

1 hour ago, KDIGGZ said:

If Bills lose and Cinci wins then Bills would be 3 seed

No.  Both would be 12-4, but Bills would have tiebreaker.

[Generic_Bills_Fan]

Sounds like they want to play if you heard the press conference from today…they want to go out and win it for damar.  If they didn’t get the good news we heard today things would certainly be different 

[UKBillFan]

1 minute ago, Casey D said:

No.  Both would be 12-4, but Bills would have tiebreaker.

 

Which tiebreaker would it be?

Record would be the same, division record would be the same, conference record would be the same, no head to head to determine and, on strength of schedule, it's currently 0.496 for the Bills and 0.508 for the Bengals, but the Bengals are facing the sixth seed Ravens, who cannot fall any lower, and the Bills are facing the seventh seed Patriots, who cannot make up any places.