2023 NFL Season Thread

[OutOfTheCube]

What a bizarre year that, with one game remaining, Buffalo's season can still end as either division champions or missing the playoffs entirely.

And with Pitts and Jax playing desperate to make the playoffs (and the Ravens resting starters) it will likely come down to our game either way. We'll see which Bills team shows up with that much pressure on (probably the bad version).

[KelVarnsen]

I want chaos this weekend.

And ties.

[SuperMatt18]

I could see the Bills missing TBH.

Jags should win, Steelers should win with Ravens resting guys, and Miami has been lights out at home (7-1) and the Bills not great on the road (3-4)

[Senator Clay Davis]

With how lame most of this season has been it would be fitting for the genuinely entertaining Bills to not make it and for the genuinely bad to watch Steelers to get in so they can lose to Miami by five touchdowns. Hopefully the Bills take care of business.

[Sylvanfan]

Every year you get teams playing someone who's out or playing backups for their playoff lives and still lose. Look at the Packers last year...Detroit with only pride still beat them. So pressure can get to teams.

Miami has a pretty ugly injury list and knows they're in the playoffs. Not sure which Baby Mama if any orchestrated the burning of Tyreeks house....but I'm not sure that the Dolphins in their current state can win this game unless the pressure really gets to Buffalo. Miami knows they have a bigger game ahead of them no matter what.

For teams like Chicago or Arizona, I think they're live to play spoiler this week. Even the Giants will like annoy the Eagles with how they play. I also think the Titans at home won't be a pushover for the Jags either.

[KelVarnsen]

Eagles are gonna be the 5th seed. They won't play starters for more than a half.

[ajr4013]

Oh I'm fully expecting Buffalo to lose in ridiculous and/or hilarious fashion but holding out hope the Ravens or Titans can pull it off. Vrabel seemed pretty pissed at his presser so hopefully that translates to the game. It also sounds like crap weather in Baltimore Saturday which could impact things.

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by KelVarnsen

Eagles are gonna be the 5th seed. They won't play starters for more than a half.

I think they keep an eye on the Cowboys and Commies game. If that game is close, than the Eagles have more desire to win. If Dallas is up 28-10 at half time, the backups are out.

[KelVarnsen]

Cowboys are gonna ride Dak so they can try make a case for him to be MVP. He gonna play all game.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

Every year you get teams playing someone who's out or playing backups for their playoff lives and still lose. Look at the Packers last year...Detroit with only pride still beat them. So pressure can get to teams.

Miami has a pretty ugly injury list and knows they're in the playoffs. Not sure which Baby Mama if any orchestrated the burning of Tyreeks house....but I'm not sure that the Dolphins in their current state can win this game unless the pressure really gets to Buffalo. Miami knows they have a bigger game ahead of them no matter what.

For teams like Chicago or Arizona, I think they're live to play spoiler this week. Even the Giants will like annoy the Eagles with how they play. I also think the Titans at home won't be a pushover for the Jags either.

Dolphins have a lot to play for though, and will have less pressure. Winning that game and having a home playoff game for rounds 1 and 2 vs losing that game and likely having to go on the road in round 1 is a big difference. Especially since losing that game could mean the Chiefs in the wild card round.

If the goal for the Dolphins is the Super Bowl then that game is important - going to be a lot easier path as the 2 seed compared to potentially being the 5 or 6 seed.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by KelVarnsen

Cowboys are gonna ride Dak so they can try make a case for him to be MVP. He gonna play all game.

they need to win, Commies will play their best to spoil it.

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

they need to win, Commies will play their best to spoil it.

I think Dallas meets them half way and choke a bit.

Commanders hate their home and play like it there.

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

Dolphins have a lot to play for though, and will have less pressure. Winning that game and having a home playoff game for rounds 1 and 2 vs losing that game and likely having to go on the road in round 1 is a big difference. Especially since losing that game could mean the Chiefs in the wild card round.

If the goal for the Dolphins is the Super Bowl then that game is important - going to be a lot easier path as the 2 seed compared to potentially being the 5 or 6 seed.

I'm basing this on the rosters and who's available. Right now Buffalo have to show up and win to get in. The Dolphins don't have pressure, but the starters may be a bit cautious knowing that they are in the playoffs no matter what. They'd like to win, but the upside of dying on this hill lacks.

Realistically the Dolphins want to win a playoff game. They're like the 2015 Chiefs trying to snap a long drought and become a perennial playoff team.

The Bills...they want to get to the Superbowl. Now this Bill's team does not do anything easy, but they have won 4 in a row with their back against the wall. I don't think they blow this game. But if they're in before it's played, than I think they too will be far more cautious in the game.

[Sidney Crosby's Hat]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

I'm basing this on the rosters and who's available. Right now Buffalo have to show up and win to get in. The Dolphins don't have pressure, but the starters may be a bit cautious knowing that they are in the playoffs no matter what. They'd like to win, but the upside of dying on this hill lacks.

Realistically the Dolphins want to win a playoff game. They're like the 2015 Chiefs trying to snap a long drought and become a perennial playoff team.

The Bills...they want to get to the Superbowl. Now this Bill's team does not do anything easy, but they have won 4 in a row with their back against the wall. I don't think they blow this game. But if they're in before it's played, than I think they too will be far more cautious in the game.

If the Titans win, the Dolphins choice would likely be win and face the Bills at home again next week or lose and face the reeling Chiefs -- though on the road. I wonder if they are extra cautious in that case.

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by Sidney Crosby's Hat

If the Titans win, the Dolphins choice would likely be win and face the Bills at home again next week or lose and face the reeling Chiefs -- though on the road. I wonder if they are extra cautious in that case.

Yeah, but if you start playing that game you also think stuff like do we want to go to Baltimore and play the Ravens off a bye if we win?

If you can, you play to get the higher seed and the home game. The Chiefs still hosted 2 AFC Championship games as the 2 seed, and being at home in the Division round would be preferable.

I can't remember too many games where one team might need to win, but the other is in, but could fall in seeding to end the season. There have been games like Seattle and San Fran to end 2019 season where both were in and the winner took the Division. But that was for the 1 seed and a bye too so both teams did play their guys.

I think Miami will try, but if the game gets away from them in the first half the white flag could come out. But the Bill's have not really played well as road favorites this year, so it could be close. If both teams are in, I think they play their guys, but will be very mundane game plans.

Years ago the Packers and Vikings had a game like this and Minnesota won to get in and A.P. got to 2000 yards with 34 carries and 199 yards. But it took everything out of the Vikings to get that win. The next week they had to play and Minnesota had to play Joe Webb at QB and lost by 14 points. The Packers did fall from the 2 seed to the 3 seed, lost the bye, and lost to S.F. the following week.

[Weitz]

I just hope the Steelers lose.

[ajr4013]

Holding out hope Pitt chokes as they haven't exactly looked great for most of the year (before these last two wins they had losses to Arizona and New England and got spanked by Indy). Almost all of their wins have been one score games so hopefully that luck runs out too.

Also looks like Lawrence could be a GTD and not to cheer for injuries but obviously would be a big blow to Jacksonville if he was out.

[Robbob]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

There's no doubt Allen got confused. We all know he got the players mixed up on that play. He's human and it's totally understandable that with everything going on at the time that he saw Decker report and didn't double check the number on his jersey and simply assumed it was Skipper again and the Lions got screwed. It's happened and can't be changed. The problem is him and the league doubling down and failing to admit the mistake that looks bad. How can you have faith in the system when there is no acceptance of mistakes made? It's essentially Trump levels of accountability.

Tripled down on it when they release the video as a reminder and blamed the Lions.

[MoneyGuy]

What are the Packers’ chances of slipping into the playoffs? Slim, I’d imagine.

[Spurs]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

What are the Packers’ chances of slipping into the playoffs? Slim, I’d imagine.

Win and they are in

And they are playing the Bears who they should beat anyways but moreso because the Bears have no reason to want to win this game.