This game v. the Patriots feels like the most important game of the last 10 years

[JohnnyGold]

I have no idea why I feel this way, and just wanted to know if anyone else does?

(Full disclaimer: I live in the the Patriots market, and am surrounded by Patriots fans. Although I grew up in the era when the Dolphins were our biggest rival, to me, I will always hate the Patriots more than any other team in any other sport. Their fans are terrible, and in all honesty, the Giants beating the Patriots in the Super Bowl to ruin the 19-0 season is my greatest memory as a Bills fan.)

But, all hate for the Patriots aside, this game feels enormous.

A win would mean so much to/for the Buffalo Bills... off the top of my head:

*It would be the first 3 game win streak the Bills have had since the start of the 2011 season (3-0 start with wins over the Chiefs, Raiders and Patriots).

*It not only would put us at 4-2 in the division, but would also give the Bills a 4 game winning streak in the division AND would give Marrone a 3-0 record against teams he's facing for the second time.

*It would improve EJ's record as a starter to 5-5, with a 2 point loss to the Patriots, a 7 point loss to the Jets, and a 3 point loss to the Falcons.
(As an aside, I'm fully aware that some of our wins could have just as easily been losses).

*A good showing by EJ would mean that he essentially put up only 2 "duds" his rookie year--a game against Pittsburgh (coming back after 5 weeks out due to injury) and an absolutely inexcusably terrible loss in Tampa. Really though, if we're being optimistic, you could look at the Bucs game as his only bad outing of the season. Ill take those odds.

* A win over the Patriots to send them to 10-6 and us to 7-9 doesn't get us into the playoffs, but the Patriots aren't getting any younger (Brady), and we're not getting any worse. You would have to like our odds to close a 3 game gap next season, if EJ stayed healthy for the entire year.

* A win over the Patriots would also mean this, and it's perhaps the most important part. If the Patriots had missed that field goal against us week 1, they would finish 9-7, and we would have finished 8-8 with the tie breaker. That's the difference between us and them going into next season. 1 game... 1 game after a year where EJ was out for 6 games.

*The Bills have never (I believe) won in Gillette Stadium. A win there would at least get that monkey off our back going into next season.

* A Bills win coupled with either a Colts win over the Jaguars (likely) or a Bengals win over the Ravens (possible) means that New England is a wild card team. Which means the Patriots are going to be playing this game as if it were their playoffs. There will be no excuses if they lose to Buffalo, which would make a Bills win that much sweeter.

*This is a borderline nationally televised game--don't jump down my throat, I know it's not technically a prime time affair, but the entire NFL world will be watching to see what happens in both New England and Denver on Sunday afternoon, and there's a reason the league flexed it to 4:30. A game like this could serve notice that the Bills are a young team on the rise, a force to be reckoned with in the future. These are the kinds of wins that would get us the Thanksgiving game at Detroit next season (as opposed to the Dolphins). These are the kinds of wins that could get a Monday night game at the Ralph.

Now, after all that is said--being a life long Bills fan, I fully expect to be staring at my TV next Sunday at 7pm watching the Bills go through the motions in the fourth quarter at the wrong end of a 42-17 beat down.

HOWEVER--this is one of those moments. Perhaps more than any other game this season, this is a referendum on the current state of the Bills. I am amped for this game, big time. This could be the Jordan-led-Bulls-beating-the-Pistons-on-their-court moment that we've been waiting for for a decade and a half. It probably won't be: it'll probably be more Bills heart ache.

But for some reason, this time just feels different. I'm not thinking to myself "wouldn't it be nice if the Bills won this?"

I'm thinking to myself......



Bills 38
Patriots 7

[justasportsfan]

Re: This game v. the Patriots feels like the most important game of the last 10 years

I want EJ to go into next season KNOWING he sucks so both he and coaching seeks all the help he can get.

[trapezeus]

Re: This game v. the Patriots feels like the most important game of the last 10 years

I have no idea why I feel this way, and just wanted to know if anyone else does?

(Full disclaimer: I live in the the Patriots market, and am surrounded by Patriots fans. Although I grew up in the era when the Dolphins were our biggest rival, to me, I will always hate the Patriots more than any other team in any other sport. Their fans are terrible, and in all honesty, the Giants beating the Patriots in the Super Bowl to ruin the 19-0 season is my greatest memory as a Bills fan.)

But, all hate for the Patriots aside, this game feels enormous.

A win would mean so much to/for the Buffalo Bills... off the top of my head:

*It would be the first 3 game win streak the Bills have had since the start of the 2011 season (3-0 start with wins over the Chiefs, Raiders and Patriots).

*It not only would put us at 4-2 in the division, but would also give the Bills a 4 game winning streak in the division AND would give Marrone a 3-0 record against teams he's facing for the second time.

*It would improve EJ's record as a starter to 5-5, with a 2 point loss to the Patriots, a 7 point loss to the Jets, and a 3 point loss to the Falcons.
(As an aside, I'm fully aware that some of our wins could have just as easily been losses).

*A good showing by EJ would mean that he essentially put up 2 "duds" this year--a game against Pittsburgh (coming back after 5 weeks out due to injury) and an absolutely inexcusably terrible loss in Tampa. Really though, if we're being optimistic, you could look at the Bucs game as his only bad outing of the season. Ill take those odds.

* A win over the Patriots to send them to 10-6 and us to 7-9 doesn't get us into the playoffs, but the Patriots aren't getting any younger (Brady), and we're not getting any worse. You would have to like our odds to close a 3 game gap next season, if EJ stayed healthy for the entire year.

* A win over the Patriots would also mean this, and it's perhaps the most important part. If the Patriots had missed that field goal against us week 1, they would finish 9-7, and we would have finished 8-8 with the tie breaker. That's the difference between us and them going into next season. 1 game... 1 game after a year where EJ was out for 6 games.

*The Bills have never (I believe) won in Gillette Stadium. A win there would at least get that monkey off our back going into next season.

* A Bills win coupled with either a Colts win over the Jaguars (likely) or a Bengals win over the Ravens (possible) means that New England is a wild card team. Which means the Patriots are going to be playing this game as if it were their playoffs. There will be no excuses if they lose to Buffalo, which would make a Bills win that much sweeter.

*This is a borderline nationally televised game--don't jump down my throat, I know it's not technically a prime time affair, but the entire NFL world will be watching to see what happens in both New England and Denver on Sunday afternoon, and there's a reason the league flexed it to 4:30. A game like this could serve notice that the Bills are a young team on the rise, a force to be reckoned with in the future. These are the kinds of wins that would get us the Thanksgiving game at Detroit next season (as opposed to the Dolphins). These are the kinds of wins that could get a Monday night game at the Ralph.

Now, after all that is said--being a life long Bills fan, I fully expect to be staring at my TV next Sunday at 7pm watching the Bills go through the motions in the fourth quarter at the wrong end of a 42-17 beat down.

HOWEVER--this is one of those moments. Perhaps more than any other game this season, this is a referendum on the current state of the Bills. I am amped for this game, big time. This could be the Jordan-led-Bulls-beating-the-Pistons-on-their-court moment that we've been waiting for for a decade and a half. It probably won't be: it'll probably be more Bills heart ache.

But for some reason, this time just feels different. I'm not thinking to myself "wouldn't it be nice if the Bills won this?"

I'm thinking to myself......



Bills 38
Patriots 7

I agree with the bolded part above. if the bills win this game, it's huge in terms of shaking off those terrible games against atl and tampa. but it will hurt that one win there and we might have been in the playoffs or two wins there definitely got us into the conversation.

but if EJ really struggles on the road, it really cements in my mind that the bills need another QB who is going to push him. if he plays really well, then i will be somewhat ok with him bringing him and thad in as the only options next year.

i definitely don't think the bills will be in blowout mode. because the pats have a magical way to turn things around in the second half when playing at home. it's almost like someone is sending them the plays that hte opposition is running....oh wait, that's exactly whats happening.

[GingerP]

Re: This game v. the Patriots feels like the most important game of the last 10 years

Your math is off. The Pats already won 11 games. They already won the division, they can't be a wild card.

I disagree, I don't think this is as big a game as you are making it out to be. Granted, it would mean a lot for the Bills to beat the Pats at any time, but it doesn't change anything this year, and next year will be a new year either way.

[Mr. Pink]

Re: This game v. the Patriots feels like the most important game of the last 10 years

This game is absolutely meaningless.

[trapezeus]

Re: This game v. the Patriots feels like the most important game of the last 10 years

This game is absolutely meaningless.

it can be seen that way. but if the bills beat a good team on the road and EJ looks like an NFL quarterback, then we can talk about high ceilings, etc. And we can get back to looking at drafting pieces needed to get us better like OLB and OL as opposed to considering a QB if there is one there when we pick.

if he blows, then EJ looks like a guy who can compete against the weaker half of NFL teams, but struggles against the best. he'll essentially be losman but who isn't as unnecessarily cocky. and to pass on a high level talent that could be better than EJ would be like passing on rodgers and cutler because we had losman.

To that extent this game is important in gauging him what uphill battle the bills need to fight. and beating the pats in foxboro will mean the pats are going into the playoffs at an alltime low. and the idea of brady losing in the first round of the playoffs brings me untold joy.

[Mr. Pink]

Re: This game v. the Patriots feels like the most important game of the last 10 years

it can be seen that way. but if the bills beat a good team on the road and EJ looks like an NFL quarterback, then we can talk about high ceilings, etc. And we can get back to looking at drafting pieces needed to get us better like OLB and OL as opposed to considering a QB if there is one there when we pick.

if he blows, then EJ looks like a guy who can compete against the weaker half of NFL teams, but struggles against the best. he'll essentially be losman but who isn't as unnecessarily cocky. and to pass on a high level talent that could be better than EJ would be like passing on rodgers and cutler because we had losman.

To that extent this game is important in gauging him what uphill battle the bills need to fight. and beating the pats in foxboro will mean the pats are going into the playoffs at an alltime low. and the idea of brady losing in the first round of the playoffs brings me untold joy.

I will agree if they win people can talk up EJ like he's gonna be great. Win or lose though really makes no bearing on what EJ is gonna end up being next year however. And I'm sure the franchise isn't going to base their offseason moves on if they beat the Pats or not. Plus with roster turnover among other things there is no gaining momentum to carry over into next year either.

The only meaning this game really has is to make people feel good that they beat the Pats and finished 4-2 in the division for 2013. They could just easily go out next year and go 2-4 in the division or 5-1 next year regardless of what happens Sunday.

I don't get why people tie so much importance to a game that has virtually zero impact on anything when it comes to the actual team.

[The Jokeman]

Re: This game v. the Patriots feels like the most important game of the last 10 years

This game is absolutely meaningless.

I disagree if EJ wants to win the locker room and Marrone wants to instill that this team is heading in the right direction I think not getting blown out is vital to this team's development. A win be even better especially because the Patriots need to win and if we could some how spoil that, come away with a 4-2 division record might give this team something we've really lacked in recent years which is real hope that everything we're building toward might have meaning next season and a good reason to have Byrd stick around and a few more UFAs join us. I'll admit in the past I've been like you and felt that we aren't heading somewhere yet with the way this D has played at times this year. The long drives that EJ put up in the game against the Jaguars to win makes me thing maybe just maybe we've got something to be proud about again and it's been a long time for me to feel this. The last time was during the Gregg Williams' era.

[JohnnyGold]

Re: This game v. the Patriots feels like the most important game of the last 10 years

I disagree if EJ wants to win the locker room and Marrone wants to instill that this team is heading in the right direction I think not getting blown out is vital to this team's development. A win be even better especially because the Patriots need to win and if we could some how spoil that, come away with a 4-2 division record might give this team something we've really lacked in recent years which is real hope that everything we're building toward might have meaning next season and a good reason to have Byrd stick around and a few more UFAs join us. I'll admit in the past I've been like you and felt that we aren't heading somewhere yet with the way this D has played at times this year. The long drives that EJ put up in the game against the Jaguars to win makes me thing maybe just maybe we've got something to be proud about again and it's been a long time for me to feel this. The last time was during the Gregg Williams' era.

This. This times a million.

People saying "this game is meaningless". I couldn't disagree more. Are we going to win the super bowl this year? No. Are we going to get a wild card this year? No. Are we even going to finish .500 this year? No. So in that sense, yes, this game is "meaningless".

But look deeper. A win and EJ played .500 ball as a starter, and some of the losses were winnable games. And some of those wins were quality wins: Dolphins (2x), Ravens, Panthers, and (theoretically) the Patriots.

If we can go on the road, and beat the Patriots, in a game that they absolutely have to win, then even objectively you will have to look at the Bills next year and say "they might win the division". How is that not exciting? I'm not talking about "momentum"--that doesn't exist. I'm talking about this game being a look at does this team have enough to compete to win the division next year?

If EJ goes into foxboro and wins this game, that answer is a yes. And for some reason, there are MANY bills fans that seem to want this answer to be a no. That kills me. This is as close as we've been in a very long time. A big win this Sunday and we're for real. A big win this Sunday and next season is going to be fun. Why are there people in this fan base that insist on wallowing in misery.

Yes: If EJ plays terribly, he may not be the answer, and we may be far away from the promised land.

But if EJ plays well, it means we have a team in place that can go into a top 3 NFL team's stadium, and win (what is for them) a playoff game.

This is a huge game for the future of the Buffalo Bills.

[The King]

Re: This game v. the Patriots feels like the most important game of the last 10 years

This game is about respect. The Bills haven't had it for years. The only way to get it is to go in and take it. Beat the best at home with a ton on the line. When the Bills can do this consistently then we've turned the corner.

[BertSquirtgum]

Re: This game v. the Patriots feels like the most important game of the last 10 years

I want EJ to go into next season KNOWING he sucks so both he and coaching seeks all the help he can get.

I want him benched again for the Pats game. Let the Thadiator beat the Pats.

[BertSquirtgum]

Re: This game v. the Patriots feels like the most important game of the last 10 years

This game is absolutely meaningless.

98% of your posts are meaningless.

[Oldbillsfan]

Re: This game v. the Patriots feels like the most important game of the last 10 years

I hope the Bills beat em and they lose a first rd bye. Im in Pats country and people laugh at the Bills. Id love to see that change starting on sunday

[trapezeus]

Re: This game v. the Patriots feels like the most important game of the last 10 years

I think a team who saw a qb have a real game in a big moment would say, "we don't need to be so concerned." if it's his regular body of work, the bills have to be thinking BPA no matter what in the first round and if it's a qb, it's a qb

[Lexwhat]

Re: This game v. the Patriots feels like the most important game of the last 10 years

This game is extremely important to the Pats. They are playing for a free bye week and an automatic Home game in Round 2 of the playoffs. The playoff picture will be drastically different if the Pats lose this game.

The Bills winning a Road game like this (which I doubt they can) would mean a lot to me, and I'll be convinced that Doug Marrone truly has the ability to turn this team around.