Ok on to Detroit....

[Solomon Grundy]

1 hour ago, Logic said:

If Ingram starts in place of Douglas instead of Elam, then Elam's goose is well and truly cooked.
 

 

"Everything's earned". Sean McDermott 

[atlbillsfan1975]

So McD can coach every DB up except the one he drafts in the first round…this just doesn’t make sense to me. 

[Big Turk]

1 hour ago, Toledo Bill said:

I'm afraid Rapp's style is going to contribute to him being injured frequently.

 

It's attributing to other Bills players being injured far more. Add Douglas to the long list of players Rapp has taken out from friendly fire.

 

Don't think I have ever seen anything like it in all my years watching football.  A player who is directly responsible for injuring so many of his teammates from reckless and often times completely unnecessary hits.

 

Although he has played very well this year, Bills may think it's not worth the added injuries he keeps adding every year he has been here and move on.

 

Edited 8 hours ago by Big Turk

[Doc Brown]

2 minutes ago, Solomon Grundy said:

"Everything's earned". Sean McDermott 

There goes all of Beane's leverage for the conditional 7th round pick in 2027 for Elam that Beane was going to try and pull off this off-season.

[Drey]

5 minutes ago, Simon said:

 

I'd guess that the linchpin is probably the Steelers/Ravens game.

Not sure what you mean. The specific scenario we're talking about is the Bills and Steelers both losing this week and winning all the rest of their games (including the Steelers beating the Ravens). In that case, they're both 13-4 with identical conference records and identical records vs common opponents.

 

So the #2 seed would come down to strength of victory. And that won't be determined until all the games are played.

[Big Turk]

13 minutes ago, Simon said:

 

I'd guess that the linchpin is probably the Steelers/Ravens game.

 

No it's not actually. I explained it better in one of the above posts.

 

Essentially all things being equal it will be very hard for the Steelers to eclipse us if we both go 3-1 and our loss is to the Lions.

 

If the Steelers lose to anyone other than Philly as one of those losses we would have the 2 seed due to better conference record.

 

If the Steelers lose to Philly, then we go to the 4th tie breaker because conference record and common games would be the same.

 

I don't know how strength of victory would shake out but I would guess Steelers would have that edge based on who they play coming up

 

Edited 8 hours ago by Big Turk

[Simon]

5 minutes ago, Drey said:

Not sure what you mean. The specific scenario we're talking about is the Bills and Steelers both losing this week and winning all the rest of their games (including the Steelers beating the Ravens). In that case, they're both 13-4 with identical conference records and identical records vs common opponents.

 

So the #2 seed would come down to strength of victory. And that won't be determined until all the games are played.

 

I assumed the Steelers beating the Ravens would give them the common opponents edge.

I guess that's why they say that about "assume".

[Big Turk]

2 minutes ago, Simon said:

 

I assumed the Steelers beating the Ravens would give them the common opponents edge

 

Nope. They lost to the Colts. 

 

The Bills will be 4-1 versus common opponents as long as we beat the Jets. Even if they beat the Ravens they would have the same common opponent record.

 

But Common Opponents is the 3rd tie breaker. Conference record is the 2nd.

Edited 8 hours ago by Big Turk

[Sweats]

I actually feel pretty good about this game against Detroit.

The Rams were healthy and can compete with anyone in the league and McVay is a wizard for figuring things out and making adjustments.

The Lions will be tough, but i think McD will have this team ready to go and actually, i really don't think JA will be the prime focus or have to play superman in this one.

 

It'll be close and this game will be a good barometer for where this team is at against the elites.

[HappyDays]

Kincaid and Coleman both should be back. I can't even imagine what this offense looks like at full strength. Hopefully they're ready to put up 50.

[Big Turk]

Just now, HappyDays said:

Kincaid and Coleman both should be back. I can't even imagine what this offense looks like at full strength. Hopefully they're ready to put up 50.

 

I don't think it will be as high scoring as people think and I also think our D plays their best game of the year.

 

They were embarrassed on National TV last week, they don't want that to happen again.

[Harold Jackson]

5 hours ago, fergie's ire said:

They have a QB who will throw interceptions WHEN pressured. If not pressured he will pick you apart with like 80% completion rate. Our d line needs to be better. 

Kind of a water is wet remark said of/ true of basically every QB since 1955.

 Goff will fail. 

Teams that are this explosive in regular season run into a wall in playoffs. For Some it's not till SB but Detroit won't get that far. GB almost had them.

 

 

[stevewin]

1 hour ago, Logic said:

 

Agreed.

This is absolutely, 100% the final chance Elam is going to have with this team. 

The thinking has been that they've kept him because he had a really good Summer, and the only reason he hasn't been playing is that he didn't beat out Benford or Douglas. Okay, well....Douglas now appears set to miss a game. Soooo....

I have understood Elam's being gameday inactive up until now because Ingram plays special teams and Elam really doesn't. But special teams aren't what we need this Sunday if Douglas is out -- good cornerback play is.

If they really, truly feel that undrafted Ja'Marcus Ingram is the superior option at boundary corner, then why is Elam even still on the roster? If he can't get on the field for special teams OR defense, then why use a roster spot on him? Is he really SO bad that they won't even use him on defense in a game against a non-conference opponent when they already have a playoff spot sewn up?

I, too, will always give the benefit of the doubt to the coaching staff when it comes to DBs, but this Elam stuff is madness.

 

It's also weird because I've seen things where Elam and Benford are super tight - support each other, do extra work together etc.   Seems like Elam works hard and gets along

Edited 7 hours ago by stevewin

[Patrick Duffy]

Just now, Big Turk said:

 

It's attributing to other Bills players being injured far more.

 

 

Yes, it's beyond the point that it became a frustrating issue because it's been an ongoing occurrence. Obviously it happens once in a while, but this many times with the same player involved is concerning

[HappyDays]

4 minutes ago, Big Turk said:

 

I don't think it will be as high scoring as people think and I also think our D plays their best game of the year.

 

They were embarrassed on National TV last week, they don't want that to happen again.

 

I don't know. The only offenses we've played this year that were fully healthy and capable of elite production were Baltimore, Miami, and LA. We saw how those games went for our defense. I don't think it's a matter of the players just digging deep and finding a way. I think there are fundamental issues with the talent and the scheme that get exposed by talented offenses.

[ExiledInIllinois]

1 hour ago, The Jokeman said:

If Pittsburgh beats KC and we end up tied with them we fall to the #3 seed. 

Bills are tied right now with Pittsburgh. Right now, Bills win tiebreaker:

 

(Bills) Wins tie break over Pittsburgh based on strength of victory.

 

Does that some how change with other tiebreakers later on??

 

https://www.espn.com/nfl/standings/_/view/playoff

[Not at the table Karlos]

1 hour ago, zow2 said:

 

They have no choice.  If the D gets torched all day in Detroit and can't slow them down?  then just pack up the season and get ready for the draft.

They don’t have a choice in the playoffs either and they still aren’t good. The scheme and players can be beat by balanced teams or good qbs. Happens every year. 

[Simon]

6 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

I don't think it's a matter of the players just digging deep and finding a way. I think there are fundamental issues with the talent and the scheme that get exposed by talented offenses.

 

I agree and think the root cause of the problem is McDermott's limited flexibility.

[Solomon Grundy]

23 minutes ago, Sweats said:

I actually feel pretty good about this game against Detroit.

The Rams were healthy and can compete with anyone in the league and McVay is a wizard for figuring things out and making adjustments.

The Lions will be tough, but i think McD will have this team ready to go and actually, i really don't think JA will be the prime focus or have to play superman in this one.

 

It'll be close and this game will be a good barometer for where this team is at against the elites.

I'm more worried about Gibbs and Montgomery 

[Ethan in Cleveland]

34 minutes ago, atlbillsfan1975 said:

So McD can coach every DB up except the one he drafts in the first round…this just doesn’t make sense to me. 

I think he still leads the team in playoff INTs.

Give the kid a chance.