December 15th at Detroit is the Game of the Year

[DCofNC]

3 minutes ago, WotAGuy said:

Agree.
 

It will also be interesting to see how the network plays this game up beforehand. This is the time of year when both Fox and CBS have doubleheaders and the Bills-Lions game is up against the Steelers-Eagles.

 

Both are interconference games that will only have meaning independently for each team. Probably will be billed as two potential Super Bowl matchups. 

Let’s see if the Eagles and the Steelers are still considered SB contenders by then.   Something tells me the Steelers are going to need more than FGs to win games and the Eagles are perennial choke artists.   The Lions are awesome, the Bills just beat the team with the best record in the AFC, both have to be regarded as SB potential teams.  I don’t see that lasting for either team in PA, but I could be wrong.   If I had to guess, they will hype the ***** out of Bills/Lions bc all of PA is going to watch the Steeler/Eagle game anyway.

[Comebackkid]

18 hours ago, Jauronimo said:

I  just hope everyone makes it out of that game with their joints intact. 

Detroit was built for blowing out hapless schmucks.  They've been in close games against every quality opponent.  I'm not ready to crown them.  

they shouldnt be taking joints into the game...there are rules!

[Comebackkid]

9 hours ago, hondo in seattle said:

Some tv pundit (Simms?) said that when figuring out Buffalo's place in the NFL, you still have to consider the Ravens loss.

 

A bunch of analytic sites and power rankings now have the Lions as #1.  If we beat the Lions, the Ravens debacle would be forgiven & forgotten and the Bills would become the consensus #1.  

 

But ultimately all any of us wants is a Lombardi - beating the Lions in the regular season pales in comparison.  

theres always going to be teams u dont match up well against.    its pretty rare for buffalo to get blown out.   plus that was early in the season with

an all new cast.    sometimes tv pundits just need to talk less and pound sand more. 

 

one thing i will say about beating the chiefs is we know them very well..and vice versa..its like another division game for us.

[foreboding]

19 hours ago, QB Bills said:

I'd be surprised if the Bills pull that one out. And I don't really care too much if they do. Just stay healthy going into the playoffs and beat those guys in New Orleans Feb 9.

Nah, the Bills will remind the Lions of the good ole' Matt Millen days!

[78thealltimegreat]

22 hours ago, Mikie2times said:

As many of you recall, we met last on Thanksgiving day, 2022. We won that game by the slimmest of margins 28-25 with Allen going nearly the length of the field in seconds to set up a game winning field goal. Detroit had us on the ropes in that game. We were totally off balance on defense often seeing Detroit run the ball on third down regardless of  distance. They went 3 for 3 that day on 4th down conversions. It had that "escape" feel when it was over. It likely only went that direction as a result of Detroit getting too conservative at the very end, opting for a field goal in 4th and short vs going for it with a first down likely ending the game. 

 

Since that game the collective record of the two teams is 55-18. Detroit has a 1.5 game edge on us since then. We will be facing elite coaching, excellent power run game and rightfully, the current Super Bowl favorite. We will have aspirations of the #1 seed on the line as Detroit is far and away the hardest game left on our schedule. Detroit is also becoming a rather difficult place to play. It's pretty simple to me, if we really want to know how this team stacks up for a potential Super Bowl run you will know after that game. They can throw haymaker and have balance like the Colts, Bengals, Titans, and Ravens in the past, teams that were able to knock us out when so few can. They're very hard nose. Houston just beat the living crap out of them and they found a way. 

 

As all this relates to the timing of the KC game, well, massive win, clearly. They either round into playoff form, at which point I will have a hard time drawing any conclusions from it or they won't, at which point we have bigger fish to fry. Detroit being the biggest if we can eventually make it that far. I just don't see anybody in the NFC pushing them. Another side note, being from that area, a Detroit & Buffalo Super Bowl would be epic. I also imagine it would be a massive ratings draw. Already getting chills for this one. 

Look at the Lions schedule they clobber bad teams and then play nail biters with the better teams. See their games against the Rams, Cardinals, Texans, Bucs, Vikings, and even the Seahawks. They are a good team but quite frankly the bills player for player at several positions are better.

The Lions should definitely be favored but it wouldn’t shock me if the Bills walked into Detroit and won by at least a touchdown. 

[Chugga]

Trying my hardest not to channel my inner McDermott here but the goal is 1-0 every week.  For the Lions game to be the biggest game of the year we’ve gotta beat the 49ers first.  If we stumble at all in that game I think the narrative changes a bit.

[dollars 2 donuts]

On 11/20/2024 at 12:37 AM, julian said:

They could play well and still lose by 2 scores in their building, that’s how good they’ve been especially at home.

 

 I’m chalking this up as the Bills last loss, get outta Detroit healthy finish 14-3 and get the 1 seed.

I’ve had it as the hopefully last loss for a few weeks now.  I also was of the mindset that even though the Chiefs were undefeated at the time, 14-3 should be enough to do it with a victory over KC.

 

Nothing has changed. 
 

This chiefs team going 5-2 checks out.

 

[cle23]

17 hours ago, Kelly to Allen said:

No, they're not. 

 

They've a slightly better oline, although their interior is slightly overrated. The RB room is similar, Kincaid and Laporta are similar but Kincaid has more elite skills. Knox is better than any of the lions other tes. Shakir is a faster version of amon ra. Buffalo has better wrs outside that. 

 

Buffalo has a much greater QB who doesn't need a powerful running game to still be great. That has been proven over the years ad nauseum and was proven yet again vs the second best team in the NFL with the chiefs... Buffalo has better edges and can get an organic pass rush. The lions can't without hutch. Buffalo lbs are better especially with Milano back and anzalone hurt. CBS are even but Benford is the best right now and Douglas/ Elam have more experience. Lions have better safety talent 

 

 

 

QB - Allen is better than Goff, no doubt.  But Goff is also playing really well this year overall.  Rough game against Houston.  

RB - The running backs aren't that similar.  Davis is looking much better the last few weeks to make it closer, but Detroit's room is better.  They have the best 1-2 punch in the NFL right now.  Montgomery is Detroit's 2nd rusher, and he had 1 less yard rushing than Cook.  

WR - With Cooper now, Buffalo is probably a little better than Detroit, but it's all debatable. Saying Shakir is St. Brown but faster is laughable.  St. Brown had more yards last year than Skakir has had in a 2.5 year career, and that's with the better QB.

TE - Buffalo has a slightly better room overall, but Kincaid isn't better than LaPorta.  But Knox is better than anyone else that Detroit has.

OL - I agree that Detroit's OL is better.

DL - With Hutch hurt, I would agree that Buffalo is better on the edge, but Detroit added Za'Darius Smith, who is still above average.  He is especially good against the run.  For the interior, Detroit is better.

LB - I give Buffalo the edge here.  Even with Anzalone, Buffalo is likely better.  

Secondary - Buffalo probably has the CB edge, and Detroit has the S edge.  

 

As we all know, having the best players doesn't always mean the best team.  The teams overall are pretty close in talent, but I feel like Detroit is playing the best football right now.  Obviously Buffalo is playing great too.