Last time Bills won 2 in a row going into bye week?

[JohnnyGold]

1995!

Wow.

The 95/96 season, which, if you recall, is also the last time the Buffalo Bills won a playoff game.

That year, they hit the halfway point of the season 5-3, and finished 5-3, good for a 10-6 record, division championship, and a home playoff game against Miami. The Bills won that playoff game 37-22, then went on to lose to the Steelers in Pit, 40-21.

Unbelievable that it's been that long since the Bills were able to put together back to back wins going into a vacation.

Have things changed in Buffalo? This is more of a subjective question than an analysis of the Bills reality. But consider... do the Bills have something to play for this year? In the past 20 years, have they been "checking out" ahead of their vacation. Is this Bills team different? Are they "all in", so to speak?

Maybe it's nothing... maybe it's just another useless stat in a game, league and world full of useless stats.

But maybe it points to something deeper... after all, doesn't this team FEEL different than the last 20 iterations?

[OpIv37]

It's an uphill battle to make up a game and a tiebreaker against NE, especially with the brutal Dec schedule.

But we are in the thick of the WC hunt and the div crown is not outside the realm of possibility. The players have to know that they have a real shot for once.

That KC game is crucial- can't afford another AFC loss to a potential WC competitor.

[Forward_Lateral]

It's an uphill battle to make up a game and a tiebreaker against NE, especially with the brutal Dec schedule.

But we are in the thick of the WC hunt and the div crown is not outside the realm of possibility. The players have to know that they have a real shot for once.

That KC game is crucial- can't afford another AFC loss to a potential WC competitor.

I agree, coming off a bye week following a huge win on the road. Anything less than a victory would be deflating. I'm not big on "must win" games, but I think that game will be as close to it as it gets.

[OpIv37]

I agree, coming off a bye week following a huge win on the road. Anything less than a victory would be deflating. I'm not big on "must win" games, but I think that game will be as close to it as it gets.

I'm looking at it from a pure numbers standpoint. Chiefs are 4-3 and have the Jets next so it's safe to assume they'll be 5-3. Denver is going to win that div so the Chiefs and Chargers will be in the WC hunt. We can't afford to give the Chiefs a game up and a tiebreaker on us. We already have SD with the same record as us and the tiebreaker.

[sukie]

I understand the whole 2 in a row going into the vacation meme... I still have fresh memories of the monumental post 5-1 collapse.

[better days]

I understand the whole 2 in a row going into the vacation meme... I still have fresh memories of the monumental post 5-1 collapse.

Battered wife syndrome.

[trapezeus]

that watkins trade rearranged my normal thinking.

normally, this kind of season, i would rather the bills tank so they get better talent to fill in some gaps.

but the watkins trade made me want to give cleveland the worst pick possible. that means winning. and if we win ugly or pretty, we are winning. i'm fine with one hit wonder season since we get no benefit from losing.

i know this team isn't as good as the 5-3 says. I don't mean that from a typical bills fan view. but of the other 5-3 teams in the AFC, we have a harder road to maintain the streak and stay ahead of baltimore, pitt, san diego and unfortunately houston since we lost to them.

i kind of see the point extrapolating the remaining 8 games, but mostly don't. the bills are really in a take care of yourself and don't think about the others until they are due.

one injury to a star can change everything. maybe matt sims walks in for a hurt vick and makes the jets a short term powerhouse.

all we know is KC is next up and that win matters a lot.

[YardRat]

normally, this kind of season, i would rather the bills tank so they get better talent to fill in some gaps.

I've never been able to relate to that kind of thinking, especially considering what a crap shoot the draft is right from the very first pick. If anything else, at this point in the season it should be pretty evident that a team doesn't have to completely tank to replenish and improve the roster.

What I find funny, and this isn't directed at you trap, are those who want the team to lose to get a higher first round draft pick, and then when there is no first-rounder, want the team to lose to get rid of the coach, or GM or whoever. If Buffalo does continue to progress, what's the next reason that some will hang their hat on for wanting the team to lose, other than they just can't stand to see them win?

[ublinkwescore]

All of our games are must win as long as we can still take the number one seed in the afc. And they are all must win until this team is no longer permitted to play.