Bills and the standings... playoffs and draft

[X-Era]

I looked at the playoff situation because I'm a Bills fan which means I'm also a sadomasochist.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/standings/_/type/playoffs/sort/conferenceRank/order/false

Turns out the Jets who we just beat are in the drivers seat of the 6th wild card spot at this point at 5 and 5. We are in this as of now.

But the biggest thing I noticed is a cup half full or empty kind of thing...

At .586 we have the toughest strength of schedule by far. We would win any tie-breaker (based on just that) in the AFC.

American Football Conference
CONF RK	AFC	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	SOS	SOV
1	Denver	9	1	0	.900	3-0-0	5-1-0	.465	.440
2	Indianapolis	7	3	0	.700	3-0-0	5-2-0	.485	.507
3	New England	7	3	0	.700	3-1-0	4-2-0	.480	.423
4	Cincinnati	7	4	0	.636	2-2-0	5-3-0	.486	.493
5	Kansas City	9	1	0	.900	1-1-0	6-1-0	.422	.370
6	NY Jets	5	5	0	.500	2-2-0	2-5-0	.476	.451
7	Miami	5	5	0	.500	0-2-0	4-3-0	.480	.471
8	Oakland	4	6	0	.400	1-2-0	4-3-0	.485	.275
9	Tennessee	4	6	0	.400	0-3-0	3-4-0	.515	.425
10	Pittsburgh	4	6	0	.400	1-1-0	3-4-0	.480	.463
11	Baltimore	4	6	0	.400	2-2-0	4-4-0	.490	.439
12	Cleveland	4	6	0	.400	2-2-0	3-4-0	.515	.405
13	San Diego	4	6	0	.400	0-2-0	2-5-0	.455	.463
14	Buffalo	4	7	0	.364	2-2-0	3-6-0	.586	.525
15	Houston	2	8	0	.200	1-1-0	2-4-0	.574	.400
16	Jacksonville	1	9	0	.100	1-1-0	1-5-0	.624	.400

The downside is we will be at the bottom of any tied record at the end of the year as far as draft order goes. We are within 1 win of a whole host of other teams. We sit at 7 right now but could drop all the way to 15. We have a tougher strength of schedule than any of the NFC teams as well.

The current draft order looks like this:

http://www.bucsnation.com/pages/nfl-draft-order-2014

1	JAX	1 - 9	86 - 76
2	MIN	2 - 8	87 - 75
3	HOU	2 - 8	87 - 73
4	ATL	2 - 8	87 - 72
5	TB	2 - 8	91 - 69
6	STL via WSH	3 - 7	83 - 79
7	BUF	4 - 7	81 - 77
8	PIT	4 - 6	78 - 84
9	CLE	4 - 6	80 - 82
10	BAL	4 - 6	81 - 81
11	TEN	4 - 6	81 - 80
12	OAK	4 - 6	85 - 76
13	STL	4 - 6	87 - 74
14	SD	4 - 6	88 - 74
15	NYG	4 - 6	89 - 73
16	GB	5 - 5	73 - 89
17	MIA	5 - 5	80 - 80
18	DAL	5 - 5	83 - 79
19	CHI	6 - 4	75 - 87
20	ARI	6 - 4	81 - 76
21	SF	6 - 4	80 - 81
22	NYJ	5 - 5	77 - 83
23	CAR	6 - 3	77 - 84
24	DEN	9 - 1	77 - 83
25	PHI	6 - 5	77 - 83
26	CIN	7 - 4	75 - 85
27	DET	6 - 4	71 - 91
28	CLE via IND	7 - 3	78 - 84
29	NO	8 - 2	78 - 81
30	NE	7 - 2	76 - 86
31	SEA	10 - 1	70 - 89
32	KC	9 - 1	74 - 88

I could easily go cup full with this... The Bills are playing meaningful games in December. They could make a run. We play ATL, TB, and Jax. The last two games against the Fins at home and the Pats in NE (but in a game where they likely rest their starters). I'm hopeful to see them rip off several wins and be in contention at the end of the year for the final playoff spot.

And if (and probably when) we don't make it in we may end up picking in the middle of round 1. I like that spot for 3 of the guys I'd most like to see us land at this point:

Khalil Mack, OLB, Buff
Sammy Watkins, WR, Clem
Eric Ebron, TE, UNC

[TacklingDummy]

Re: Bills and the standings... playoffs and draft

Did you take into consideration the Bills have the 2nd weakest schedule remaining?

[TacklingDummy]

Re: Bills and the standings... playoffs and draft

The jets and Miami are not making the playoffs.
What 4 win team is?

[X-Era]

Re: Bills and the standings... playoffs and draft

Did you take into consideration the Bills have the 2nd weakest schedule remaining?

It's a good point. I did not.

- - - Updated - - -

The jets and Miami are not making the playoffs.
What 4 win team is?

I'd go with experience and say either Pitt or Bal. But we win the head to head with Bal.

[RedEyE]

Re: Bills and the standings... playoffs and draft

I think the only viable way the Bills get into the playoffs is by taking the division. Of course that means pretty much winning out the rest of the season, going 4-2 in the AFC East and needing the rest of the division to implode just a little more. I could see the Bills taking the next 4 out of 5 but it won't be easy as they technically only have 1 home game left on the schedule, unless you count the Toronto game, which most of us have a difficult time doing. The Bills have been a bad road team.

Outside of that snow-balls chance in hell, other than being mathematically eliminated, it just won't happen. Too many conference losses.

[ghz in pittsburgh]

Re: Bills and the standings... playoffs and draft

Playoff is a pipe dream this season. Sorry have to say that.

[Generalissimus Gibby]

Re: Bills and the standings... playoffs and draft

Nope, I'm actually going to say --especially because the next four are winnable -- we need to try to win out and see if we can get some lucky breaks and stumble into the playoffs. If we win out --even if we aren't going to the dance in January -- and run the table beating everyone (including the Pats in a place we haven't won at since I was a senoir in High School) left on it and finish 9-7, then I say do it. We have to show that we are never out. 9-7 is the only acceptable thing for this team to do.

[Forward_Lateral]

Re: Bills and the standings... playoffs and draft

This team reminds me so much of the 9-7 Mularkey coached team that it isn't funny. Start off slow, won a bunch of games in a row to put themselves into position to make the playoffs. All that's left for this team to do is win a bunch of games, lol.

[Generalissimus Gibby]

Re: Bills and the standings... playoffs and draft

This team reminds me so much of the 9-7 Mularkey coached team that it isn't funny. Start off slow, won a bunch of games in a row to put themselves into position to make the playoffs. All that's left for this team to do is win a bunch of games, lol.

Certainly the easiest schedule we've had since September of 08.

[Scumbag College]

Re: Bills and the standings... playoffs and draft

I think one of the 4 or 5 win teams wins out and gets the last Wildcard spot. A bunch of those teams play each other multiple times and, barring any ties, would knock each other out.

[coastal]

Re: Bills and the standings... playoffs and draft

Aside from the Pats... I see the Tampa game as the toughest remaining.

[bleve]

Re: Bills and the standings... playoffs and draft

Talking about draft position before Thanksgiving sucks. But, unfortunately for a Bills fan, it's tradition.

[Skooby]

Re: Bills and the standings... playoffs and draft

Talking about draft position before Thanksgiving sucks. But, unfortunately for a Bills fan, it's tradition.

Our position always ends up being bent over.

[imbondz]

Re: Bills and the standings... playoffs and draft

torture thread

[BertSquirtgum]

Re: Bills and the standings... playoffs and draft

My balls itch.