Is the Vikings game a "must win in your eyes?

[Historian]

I think the game is crucial, as another loss would put them at 3-4 with nine left...five of which are on the road.

Whaddya think?

[DesertFox24]

This game and the jets are MUST wins. We lose one of these game might as well stop watching.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

That December schedule is so awful and losing the tiebreaker with New England make basically our next 5 games must wins. If we roll into that Cleveland game with 7 wins, I think we're cooked.

[OpIv37]

The Patriots game was a must win and we already lost it.

[Meathead]

that was a division must win. this is a keep pace with the wild card teams must win

[The King]

We have to beat the teams we're better than. So yes. It's a must win. But Op is right. The Patriots game was the season changer. This game is just working towards a record that will hopefully generate some momentum and something to build on.

[Buffalogic]

Must win and should win. Bills teams of the past would lose this game. Let's see what the 2014 guys do.

[trapezeus]

I think the game is crucial, as another loss would put them at 3-4 with nine left...five of which are on the road.

Whaddya think?

I'm fully torn on this season.

I want them to win because:
1. i love watching the bills win
2. i think the talent is playoff worthy
3. i hate the pattern of continuously losing like this.
4. i don't want to hand a top 10 pick to cleveland as they are on an upswing with a guy a lot of us wanted to keep as a HC over marrone.

I don't care if they lose:
1. pegula shouldn't hvae any false impressions that this front office team has the right stuff and just needs a little more time. More failures than successes
2. Brandon is a snakeoil salesman, and i'm positive he made a great impression in the process of the sale. but i think pegula knows when public opinion is past the breaking point (see darcy) and will let bad people go and replace with capable ones. so i think brandon stays in his reduced role unless team falls apart.
3. a complete meltdown will probably result in a complete rebuild. and while i think this team has the ability to make the playoffs
a. i don't think they are designed to win much in the playoffs
b. repeat the playoff appearance
c. have a path to add missing pieces.
So to that extent, i think it's easier to let mario go, let kyle williams retire in 2-4 years and build around a good coaching staff and an evaluator group that gets it. I think that gives you the chance to be regularly playoff bound than the current team make up.

[Pinkerton Security]

To me, it is a must-win because if we lose, it will cement the fact that we are not a playoff caliber team. We are precariously leaning that way already, and if we do lose to a Vikes team that just isnt that good, we will completely topple into the no-mans land between cellar dwellers and playoff teams. We have enough talent to be a playoff team IMO.

[Mace]

We have to beat the teams we're better than. So yes. It's a must win. But Op is right. The Patriots game was the season changer. This game is just working towards a record that will hopefully generate some momentum and something to build on.

An extra helping of Yes, with some Yes on the side.

I figured the Pats game was the measure of how they can play with the big kids in the neighborhood, Chargers the big boys in the league, and so.

But they need to beat the middlin' and poor teams dependably like they need to be able to go mano-a-mano with anyone in their own house to show any progress. First comes before the second. I'll settle for any progress.

[Ed]

Right now this looks like the Bills easiest or most winnable game of the year, so to me that is a must win. An inexperienced rookie qb with a lack of talent on offense should be an excellent match up for our D at home. The betting line has been moving in favor of the Bills all week because it looks like it's now at -6. I don't expect them to be this heavily favored again for the rest of the season.

[RedEyE]

Pats game at home was the litmus test. To be relevant they need to win every division game going forward. But lose against the Vikes, again at home, and this team is well on its way to another losing season without a playoff appearance.

[trapezeus]

this is the pattern. grabbing a lead, having control of your destiny, squandering that, then relying on winning some games to get the WC, squander that, then look at how we can sneak in with help, squander that. with 3 weeks to go its best to lose out, that debate occurs, the bills go 2-1 and end up at 6-8 wins. and they remain f'd.

i really don't think there is much to see here. it's going to playout the way it has routinely has since 2000. The only hope is that a 8 win season isn't a great pick to surrender to cleveland, but low enough to make our second round selection impactful on day 1.

[imbondz]

The Pats game took the wind out of me excitement-wise for the season. We need to string some wins in a row for me to be excited about the season again. Can't handle being on the 1 win, 1 loss, 1 win, 1 loss train we've been on

[EDS]

I think the game is crucial, as another loss would put them at 3-4 with nine left...five of which are on the road.

Whaddya think?

I think they have to win at least one of the next two games if they want to make a serious run at the playoffs.

[trapezeus]

it would be interesting to get an article of 32 GMs assessing the other teams each week. and all the GM has to say is "upswing,downswing or Neutral" based on:

1. the previous week's game
2. YTD performance of the team.

their identities would be hidden and it would just be an idea of which teams keep other GM's up at night.

On this basis, i dont think the bills would fair very well

[justasportsfan]

When you're in the same division as the NFLs baby the cheatriots, every game is a must win.

[jimmifli]

Playoff teams typically lose 6 or fewer games. We've already lost three. So we only have three losses left.

I guess we could go 7-2 the rest of the way. But I'd feel better about our chances of going 6-3. Especially with Den, GB and NE on our schedule.

[Night Train]

Yes...because we usually suck when playing the Jets in NY.

[casdhf]

We will destroy the Vikings. Pillaging their QB and stealing their crops, well ball in this case. Utter annihilation.

[yordad]

Yep. A must win. Cuz if the Bills lose they officially suck.

[Luisito23]

if we lose, it will cement the fact that we are not a playoff caliber team.

LOL, they're not though, so why try to fool anyone?

[Mahdi]

If we lose to Minnesota then we are most likely out of the playoff race. Main reason being that there is too much competition for the wild card.

Chargers, Chiefs, Browns, Steelers, Ravens, Bengals... All those teams are close to us or better in record.

[chris66]

Not a must win. its an out of conference game, but Bills cant afford more than 5 conf. losses. 1st wc tie breaker is conf record

[imbondz]

If we don't beat the Vikings, then we're worse off than we thought

[ServoBillieves]

Every game is a must win.

[YardRat]

It isn't a litmus test game by any means, but I would agree with Hist's op that it is crucial. I do not like the prospects of going into NY before the bye anyway, and that was before they lost their sixth in a row to NE and acquired Harvin. NY really isn't as bad as their record, and this has all the makings of a 'break the schneid' game on their turf. I don't expect a win there atm any more than I do against GB or Denver, to be honest. I can stomach 4-4 going into the bye, but if they drop to Minny and the Jets and go into the bye 3-5 (1-5 in their last six games), that certainly does not bode well for the rest of the season.

[Generalissimus Gibby]

I think the game is crucial, as another loss would put them at 3-4 with nine left...five of which are on the road.

Whaddya think?

Absolutely important. Look I knew the Pats were going to catch fire again because they normally start off slow in September and early October and then get rolling, and well by and large they have. As such, I had no illusions about the game. I thought they'd lose by about 10 to 15 and well no **** they did. Now getting back to Minnesota, far more important than falling below .500 since last season, is the fact that the New England can either be an abberation that gets this young team to get fired up and play with anger or the Pats loss could be the annual wheel and tire sale that causes the Bills wheels to fall off. The way I see it, the next six games are very winnable, and if we want anything at all out of this season we really need to go at least 4-2. It starts with Minnesota. We come out half dead and emotionless and lose then its curtains on this season. We come out and thump the Vikes then this season could still be saved.

[Mace]

It isn't a litmus test game by any means,

I think it is though, we should win games against teams like this at home and if we can't we just can't think this team is going anywhere.

The game is crucial to the season if you want good things from it, but it's a litmus test for middling, unfortunately.

[feldspar]

Every game is a must win.

So the Bills have to go 13-3?

[Mace]

So the Bills have to go 13-3?

For the love of God 8-8 or 9-7, we lose 50% of must wins anyway and there are so many more this year.

[Fletch]

Man, the tone sure has changed here since just a few weeks ago.

If everyone had been posting like this back then everyone would be calling everyone else a troll and worse.

Funny how that works.

[YardRat]

I don't think the tone has changed as much as you would like to believe...most posters had the team right around the .500 mark, plus or minus a game, and have stuck with that consistently.

[Frenchman]

Indeed it is a must win game for sure! Come on Bills!

[JohnnyGold]

"Must win game" is a term that has been invented by popular culture/sports media and applies to a concept that doesn't really exist.

In practical terms, a team is going to win X amount of games, and lose Y amount of games. The path to get to X could be losing 6 in a row, and then winning 10 in a row. Or winning 10 in a row, then losing 6 in a row. Or any variation there of.

Buffalo is going to win a certain amount of games by the end of the season. Whatever that number is, it has been predetermined by the talent acquired during the offseason, the gameplans installed by the coaches, the offensive and defensive schemes, and the opponents that they are scheduled to play against. Statistically, you are watching a movie, not a reality TV show. The results are determined, and your emotional involvement impacts very little.

The only game that should pack the sucker punch in the gut is the one which *officially* eliminates the team from the playoffs... generally, the 8th loss. Despite the fact that the Bills are in a drought of epic proportions right now, on average, over the last 14 years of ineptitude, the Bills were not dealt their 8th loss until week 14. That might not mean much, in the grand scheme of things, but consider it like so:

*you are remembering the final results of previous seasons (missing the playoffs)
*because of what you have seen over the past 14 years, you have been conditioned to think that the bills are eliminated far, far earlier than they actually are (week 14, the average week the bills receive their 8th loss) is still 7 football games away, and a bye week!
*one of these years, the bills will win 9 games and make the playoffs
* on the year that happens, their 7th loss might come in week 7, or it might come in week 17

Just enjoy the ride bro.

[BertSquirtgum]

I think the game is crucial, as another loss would put them at 3-4 with nine left...five of which are on the road.

Whaddya think?

Yes. If these bums lose this game, it will all be on coaching and I can see them losing the next three in a row after that. Then, if, they are 3-7, the season is pretty much over with like usual. This game is a must win or the teams confidence will be totally gone if it isn't already. I don't think many of today's players respond well to the old school ******* coach approach.

[Bunion]

Not just a win, a win by 10+. On paper, our D nullifies all of their offensive strengths, and their D is nothing special. The DL should be booking flights to Hawaii after this game, and Orton should have 350+ and 3 TDs.

[Historian]

I just think that the margin for error gets that much smaller,if you don't pick the low hanging fruit.

That's not to say we can't beat the Packers, or the cheaters in New England, it's just that it puts that much more pressure on them to do so.

[THE END OF ALL DAYS]

If it's a must win then you can be pretty sure the Bills will loose it

[Meathead]

We will destroy the Vikings. Pillaging their QB and stealing their crops, well ball in this case. Utter annihilation.

as a nordic american i am offended by this stereotypical depiction

white people are not characters for your amusement

[justasportsfan]

If the bills lose, its time to call for Marrones head

[notacon]

The Patriots game was a must win and we already lost it.

That was exactly what I was going to say.

Losing to the Pats, at home, and looking pretty ****ty on both offense and defense, has sealed the Bills fate for this season.

The chances of the Bills winning in NE, if the playoffs are on the line, is almost nil. The only way the Bills get in the playoffs is winning the AFC East. That will take, probably, 12 wins because the Pats will most likely go 11-5 (at the worst) and own the tie breaker over the Bills.

So...it's irrelevant what the Bills do against Minny. It should be a win and all the fan boys will start lamely crowing that we are going to make the playoffs...hogwash!

The Bills are not going to come even close to the playoffs. I don't think they will even reach .500 with Mr. Mediocrity Orton at the helm.

[The Jokeman]

Yes, as you need to beat teams that you're supposed to beat.

[sudzy]

The Patriots game was a must win and we already lost it.

If you want to make the playoffs in the AFC East you have to beat the Pats and the Bills laid an egg. So no, the Vikings are not a must win. But, it's a game that if you lose, the Brown will be drafting in the top ten even though they'll be competing for the AFC Central title.

[Figster]

yes, its a must win IMO