The Buffalo Bills have a 6.2% chance of making the Playoffs so it’s hard to get up for their game against the Oakland Raiders today. Even if the Bills win, they need a lot of HELP from other teams (i.e., losing). Next week, the Bills face an even more daunting task: winning in Gillette Stadium against the New England Patriots. The Bills have never won there. How is your favorite NFL team going to do today? Are they in the Playoff hunt?
The Seahawks are in the most important game of the season at Arizona. I think they’ll win, but a couple of key injuries and the chance that Arizona’s starting QB will play makes it a tossup. Go Hawks!
Bob, I think the Seahawks have the Arizona game in the bag!
The 6-8 Saints take on the 5-9 Falcons in a game that, astoundingly, has playoff plications. If the Saints win, it means they win the NFC South, even if they lose next week’s game. However, should Atlanta win today, the teams will have identical records and Atlanta would have the edge because of wins in head-to-head matchups. Then everything would depend on next week’s game. It’s hard to believe the Saints still have a shot, but they could make the playoffs at 8-8–or even 7-9. Such is the wacky world of pro-football!
Deb, I’ll be rooting for the Saints today! Atlanta has some key injuries. The NFL loves this “down to the wire” Playoff drama.
I can’t understand the Saints, Deb. One week they look helpless at home against mediocre opposition and then they look [almost] like their old selves and win big on the road. I realize their defense has lost a lot of people but this is ridiculous. Tell them to snap out of it!
The Giants have been out of things for weeks and weeks. I’m not expecting great things in St. Louis today, other than from Odell Beckham, Jr.
Besides the Giants-Rams and Jets-Patriots we’re getting the Colts at Dallas. This could have been a big game but Mark Sanchez self-destructing in Washington took all the pressure off Romo and the Cowboys.
Go, Bills! 6.2% is better than zero.
Jeff, a Chargers loss would have helped the Bills’ slim Playoff chances. And, it looked good when I went to bed last night with the 49ers up 28-7. Imagine my surprise when I woke up to a Chargers 38-35 win in OT!
The Texans will be starting a QB they signed off the St. Louis taxi squad. Of course he was with the Texans before he was cut, but I’m not sure that will help. He was 0-8 as a starter with them. The Cowboys need a win against Indy. I’m rooting for them.
Bill, I’m stunned at all the injuries in the NFL. It’s a war of attrition to field a team with a few healthy bodies.
Unlike most of the rest of the country, I don’t get to see Colts-Cowboys, which should be a good game. Nope, like you, I get to see Bills-Raiders. I went against my usual hate-the-Raiders mindset a couple weeks ago and rooted for the Raiders to beat the Niners, even more deserving of a humiliating loss, and wonder of wonders, they came through and put a clown suit on Harbaugh. However, it’s back to normal this Sunday, and if I can manage to stay awake, I’ll be rooting for the Bills!
Art, the Bills-Raiders game borders on the meaningless. Harbaugh seems to have lost the 49ers, but Michigan sure wants him.
George, when I went to bed it was still 35-21 Niners. I couldn’t believe it when I saw the result.
The Giants have had more injuries than almost any other team this year. Can’t wait to see Odell Beckham play with Victor Cruz next season. I bet Eli is salivating at the thought already.
Jeff, the Giants are just a couple offensive linemen and a cornerback away from being back in the Playoffs. The Bills, on the other hand, need a Real QB.
I was wrong–the Saints can’t clinch the NFC South today with a win. They can knock Atlanta out with a win today, but Carolina is still in the hunt. Bottom line: the Saints have to win today and next week.
Deb, with Cam Newton’s back injuries the Saints are looking good!
Re: the NFC south, it’s a pity when a .500 or less team gets in the playoff, when better teams with better records are knocked out because of better competition in their division. It happened to Arizona last year and is going to happen to teams this year. Also playoff games with top team vs. lousy team equal fodder and easy win while other teams have to work hard. Bah.
Bob already said it for the Seahawks-Cardinals game. Go, Seahawks!
I can’t believe the Chargers came back. We turned it off at 21-7 and watched a movie.
Rick, I seem to remember the Seahawks making the Playoffs with a 7-9 record a few years ago.
You’re right, George, and I felt the same way about it then. Yes, they upset a team (New Orleans, I think), but they had no business being in the playoffs.
Wasn’t that why they started the whole baseball playoff system in the first place, at least partly because better teams were being left out? I remember one year Baltimore won 100 games and missed the playoffs because the Yankees won 102. Whoever won the West had a lot fewer wins.
Some years it just goes like that. But then, a wild card team can get on a roll and go all the way, as has happened in baseball a number of times since the current system has been in place. Better to get hot at the end of the season (like the Seahawks seem to be doing) than have the best record all season and falter at the end. One of the Giants’ Super Bowl wins over New England came in a year the Patriots went 16-0.
Jeff, whatever Playoff format the NFL comes up with someone will complain about it. Look at all the controversy over the College Playoff system!
The Saints appear to be well on their way to being out of it, again. Unbelievable.
Jeff, I can’t believe Atlanta could make the Playoffs with a win next week!
The Bills aren’t out of it yet. With Baltimore losing it is unfortunate San Diego won yesterday. Otherwise the Bills could be sitting at #6 by tonight. Of course there is the little thing about going into New England next week, but it isn’t over yet.
Jeff, the Bills are struggling with the Raiders. The last time the Bills won in Oakland was 1966!
The Bills need to step it up. And after three straight games allowing no touchdowns the Rams are not looking so good against the Giants. Odell Beckham just burned them for a second touchdown and was incredibly wide open down the middle, something that shuld never happen at this point.
And what happened to Indianapolis?
Jeff, the Bills will be officially eliminated from the Playoffs for the 15th straight year. If they couldn’t beat Oakland, they don’t deserve to be in the Playoffs! Obviously, Indy was “resting” their players after clinching their Playoff berth last week.
Well, back to waiting for next season–hopefully one without Rex Ryan!
Deb, I’ve never been a fan of the Ryans–Rex, Rob, or Buddy. The Bills need to find a Real Quarterback.
I thought the Bills drafted a real quarterback last year or the year before…
Rick, the Bills drafted E. J. Manuel who looks like he was a bust.
The Chiefs choked, like we expected them to, but I was thrilled to see the Cowboys throw off their “can’t win in December” mantle with several key wins this month, including the drubbing of the Indianapolis Colts.
Carl, the Chiefs still have a shot at making the Playoffs. The Cowboys look dangerous.
Seahawks 35 – 6 over Arizona. They look great, and it was a terrific game. Now they just have to beat the Rams and it’s home field all the way. Yay!
You said it, Rick. I was pretty sure we had it in the bag by halftime, and the Seahawk’s strong second half was the capper.