Who do you want in round 1?

[Billl]

31 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

Better than the Bengals?  

 

Is Denver's defense the reason?  

Denver has a bunch of guys who can get to the QB.  They lead the league in sacks by a wide margin, and they’ve got an elite CB on the back end.  I’m not a fan of Payton’s, but he’s got postseason experience as well.  They’re no joke.

[GunnerBill]

13 minutes ago, Billl said:

Denver has a bunch of guys who can get to the QB.  They lead the league in sacks by a wide margin, and they’ve got an elite CB on the back end.  I’m not a fan of Payton’s, but he’s got postseason experience as well.  They’re no joke.

 

I think most of the people wanting Denver are looking at it in that McDermott has a pretty good record vs rookie QBs. Even the couple of times he has lost to them it was the New England wind game where Jones threw 3 passes and the loss in Jax to Lawrence where we didn't give up a touchdown. 

[D. L. Hot-Flamethrower]

I like a Denver matchup for us (which is the most likely). Our Offensive line will at least stalemate and likely win against their strength in the defensive front. I also feel like Surtain is less valuable against a team that spreads it around on offense. On defense for us, they don't have a scary offense to deal with and a rookie QB coming to Buffalo.  Having said that we beat Miami as well in cold weather, but it's a divisional matchup I'd prefer to avoid. Cincy ain't making it and I'd prefer not to have to deal with their offense. All is good .

[Breakout Squad]

25 minutes ago, Billl said:

Denver has a bunch of guys who can get to the QB.  They lead the league in sacks by a wide margin, and they’ve got an elite CB on the back end.  I’m not a fan of Payton’s, but he’s got postseason experience as well.  They’re no joke.

That’s true. I’ve changed my mind I want the Dolphins. Long range weather forecast says the temp will be in the teens for the 1st playoff game. No way the Fins beat us in OP. 

[BullBuchanan]

Miami would be the best option given our record against them. I'm legit concerned about a Cinci matchup. Burrow will torch this defense, so Allen will have to go blow for blow and if that happens the game comes down to coaching, where I give Cinci the edge.

[GunnerBill]

2 minutes ago, BullBuchanan said:

Miami would be the best option given our record against them. I'm legit concerned about a Cinci matchup. Burrow will torch this defense, so Allen will have to go blow for blow and if that happens the game comes down to coaching, where I give Cinci the edge.

 

I agree a Cincy - Bills game comes down to a shootout because neither D is any good. But I give the Bills a strong coaching advantage.

[stlbills13]

Cincy is my least desirable opponent. That defense is terrible but Burrow and those WR's will keep them in any game. But I just don't see it being Cincy. The Chiefs may play the starters for a bit against Denver (I wouldn't play them at all personally) but they won't play the whole game. Denver is at home and desperate and they should win. Even if they don't, the Jets have quit on their season for 2 months and the Dolphins will beat them. Cincy's road to getting in is just too difficult. 

 

Miami is probably 2nd for me. We own them but I just don't love facing a divisional team. But get Tua and co in the cold and that probably neutralizes any familiarity aspect. 

 

Denver has a legit defense. But as others have said, Surtain is neutralized given how our offense runs. Josh can help negate a good pass rush and we have a very solid offensive line. I'm a believer in Bo Nix but I'll take my chances with a rookie QB on the road in the cold in January. Benford can shut down Sutton and then what do they have beyond that?

[BillytheKid]

I don’t care. The Bills will destroy all 3 of them in Buffalo. 

[stlbills13]

Not a first round game, but I'll predict that Ravens at Bills is the best game of the entire playoffs in terms of actual football. I might even say those are the two best teams in football. 

[Reks Ryan]

1 hour ago, Billl said:

Denver is the best team in that group by a significant margin. 

Did you notice that they lost to the Bengals 2 days ago?

[Success]

I'd go Denver, then Cincy, then Miami.  

 

Even though we have dominated the Phins in recent years, they have played us pretty tough at times, and division games are weird.

 

[Billl]

16 minutes ago, Reks Ryan said:

Did you notice that they lost to the Bengals 2 days ago?

Did you notice the Bengals have 8 losses?

[CincyBillsFan]

3 hours ago, Eastport bills said:

Bengals are a dangerous team right now. They’re a long shot because they crapped all over themselves in September. With Burrow, Brown, Chase, Higgins and Gesicki, they can beat anyone. Too bad the lowly Dolphins play the Jets, who have checked out mentally. No sympathy for Cinci though.

I don't get the fear of the Bengal's.  If the game was in great weather conditions here in Cincinnati it would likely be a shootout and it would be a tough game for sure.  But the game is in OP and the weather at best will be poor (windy & cold). 

 

Also check out who the Bengal's have beaten in the last 4 games:  Cowboys, Titans, Browns & Broncos.  Two of the teams had back-up QB's, one had a TO machine at QB and the other had a rookie. 

[GoBills808]

easy answer Fins

 

they're potentially down their starting QB and we are 9-1 over the last 10 games vs them

[L Ron Burgundy]

3 minutes ago, CincyBillsFan said:

I don't get the fear of the Bengal's.  If the game was in great weather conditions here in Cincinnati it would likely be a shootout and it would be a tough game for sure.  But the game is in OP and the weather at best will be poor (windy & cold). 

 

Also check out who the Bengal's have beaten in the last 4 games:  Cowboys, Titans, Browns & Broncos.  Two of the teams had back-up QB's, one had a TO machine at QB and the other had a rookie. 

That last playoff game has us all paranoid.  And nothing will change it short of Burrow not playing.

[CincyBillsFan]

1 minute ago, L Ron Burgundy said:

That last playoff game has us all paranoid.  And nothing will change it short of Burrow not playing.

Agree but IMO the results of that last playoff game are the icing on the cake why I think this team will come out with their hair on fire against the Bengals.

 

 

[L Ron Burgundy]

Just now, CincyBillsFan said:

Agree but IMO the results of that last playoff game are the icing on the cake why I think this team will come out with their hair on fire against the Bengals.

 

 

I would hope so.  It's weird the games we come out flat.  

[Augie]

14 minutes ago, Billl said:

Did you notice the Bengals have 8 losses?

 

I’m hesitant about teams who are peaking late. They are dangerous. I’d like to be one of those teams, but we need some magic on defense.

 

The playoffs are largely about matchups. Being built to beat the Chiefs makes sense, but it’s not much help against the Ravens or the Bengals. You need all kinds of luck, and that includes health and good matchups. 

 

.

Edited December 30, 2024 by Augie

[KOKBILLS]

I've watched a lot of all 3 teams this year...

 

Division familiarity or not I think the Fish would be by far...and I mean considerably the easiest game... 

[CincyBillsFan]

1 minute ago, Augie said:

 

I’m hesitant about teams who are peaking late. They are dangerous. I like to be one of those teams, but we need some magic on defense. 

Given who they've beaten and how they beat them I'm not sure I would call their 4 game streak "peaking".  It's a nice win streak and it's kept them alive for the playoffs but it's not like they beat the Vikings, Ravens and Chargers in this run. To me the Bengals are an average team that has beaten three bad teams and one average team in their 4 game winning streak.