NFL 2025-26 Season

[Phantom255x]

Chargers not playing Herbert this Sunday. The 1 seed was unlikely but now it's probably not happening at all.

Oh well. If NE wins Week 18, they secure the 2 seed and get at least two home games until the AFCCG (if they get there)

Yeah.  Nobody wants to go to Mile High for the playoffs, but I think that there's a good chance that the Broncos could lose before the conference finals.

Most likely looking at this then.

7) Chargers @ 2) Patriots
6) Bills @ 3) Jaguars
5) Texans @ Ravens/Steelers

I'm just praying Buffalo doesn't orchestrate a tank vs. the Jets and staying at 7 to face NE in the wild card instead of JAX. I love the potential Chargers matchup, a lot more than BUF/HOU

[Roy H.]

Chargers not playing Herbert this Sunday. The 1 seed was unlikely but now it's probably not happening at all.

Oh well. If NE wins Week 18, they secure the 2 seed and get at least two home games until the AFCCG (if they get there)

Yeah.  Nobody wants to go to Mile High for the playoffs, but I think that there's a good chance that the Broncos could lose before the conference finals.

Most likely looking at this then.

7) Chargers @ 2) Patriots
6) Bills @ 3) Jaguars
5) Texans @ Ravens/Steelers

I'm just praying Buffalo doesn't orchestrate a tank vs. the Jets and staying at 7 to face NE in the wild card instead of JAX. I love the potential Chargers matchup, a lot more than BUF/HOU

Does that benefit the Bills?

Either way, if I were Buffalo I'd rest Josh Allen.

[Donoghus]

Chargers not playing Herbert this Sunday. The 1 seed was unlikely but now it's probably not happening at all.

Oh well. If NE wins Week 18, they secure the 2 seed and get at least two home games until the AFCCG (if they get there)

Yeah.  Nobody wants to go to Mile High for the playoffs, but I think that there's a good chance that the Broncos could lose before the conference finals.

Most likely looking at this then.

7) Chargers @ 2) Patriots
6) Bills @ 3) Jaguars
5) Texans @ Ravens/Steelers

I'm just praying Buffalo doesn't orchestrate a tank vs. the Jets and staying at 7 to face NE in the wild card instead of JAX. I love the potential Chargers matchup, a lot more than BUF/HOU

Does that benefit the Bills?

Either way, if I were Buffalo I'd rest Josh Allen.

BUF will either have to go a path of 1) @Jacksonville, @ New England or 2) @ New England, @ Denver to get to the AFC title game.

I don't envy them.

There are a few other low percentage scenarios out there but one of the above two is most likely.

[Phantom255x]

Chargers not playing Herbert this Sunday. The 1 seed was unlikely but now it's probably not happening at all.

Oh well. If NE wins Week 18, they secure the 2 seed and get at least two home games until the AFCCG (if they get there)

Yeah.  Nobody wants to go to Mile High for the playoffs, but I think that there's a good chance that the Broncos could lose before the conference finals.

Most likely looking at this then.

7) Chargers @ 2) Patriots
6) Bills @ 3) Jaguars
5) Texans @ Ravens/Steelers

I'm just praying Buffalo doesn't orchestrate a tank vs. the Jets and staying at 7 to face NE in the wild card instead of JAX. I love the potential Chargers matchup, a lot more than BUF/HOU

Does that benefit the Bills?

Either way, if I were Buffalo I'd rest Josh Allen.

BUF will either have to go a path of 1) @Jacksonville, @ New England or 2) @ New England, @ Denver to get to the AFC title game.

I don't envy them.

There are a few other low percentage scenarios out there but one of the above two is most likely.

I think there's a decent chance regardless BUF is playing Denver in the divisional round. BUF is very likely the 6 or 7 seed and if they win the wild card, the 1 seed plays the lowest remaining unless if we think the Chargers (7 seed) win their game.

The 2 seed is likely facing the 3, 4 or 5 seed based on brackets (highest remaining seed) which means PIT/BAL/JAX/HOU

[SparzWizard]

Funny tho when I dropped by a Chargers forum, fans over there are not afraid of New England at all. In fact, they're always referencing to the 40-7 massacre they gave us in Foxboro last year, and also stating that the Pats have played the easiest schedule ever in NFL history.

I hope the Jets don't Jets their game, and in fact lose, so they can tank well.

[Donoghus]

Chargers not playing Herbert this Sunday. The 1 seed was unlikely but now it's probably not happening at all.

Oh well. If NE wins Week 18, they secure the 2 seed and get at least two home games until the AFCCG (if they get there)

Yeah.  Nobody wants to go to Mile High for the playoffs, but I think that there's a good chance that the Broncos could lose before the conference finals.

Most likely looking at this then.

7) Chargers @ 2) Patriots
6) Bills @ 3) Jaguars
5) Texans @ Ravens/Steelers

I'm just praying Buffalo doesn't orchestrate a tank vs. the Jets and staying at 7 to face NE in the wild card instead of JAX. I love the potential Chargers matchup, a lot more than BUF/HOU

Does that benefit the Bills?

Either way, if I were Buffalo I'd rest Josh Allen.

BUF will either have to go a path of 1) @Jacksonville, @ New England or 2) @ New England, @ Denver to get to the AFC title game.

I don't envy them.

There are a few other low percentage scenarios out there but one of the above two is most likely.

I think there's a decent chance regardless BUF is playing Denver in the divisional round. BUF is very likely the 6 or 7 seed and if they win the wild card, the 1 seed plays the lowest remaining unless if we think the Chargers (7 seed) win their game.

The 2 seed is likely facing the 3, 4 or 5 seed based on brackets (highest remaining seed) which means PIT/BAL/JAX/HOU

Yeah, my mind was ahead of my writing there and put in NE twice.  It's most likely @JAX/@DEN or @NE/@DEN

Neither route is a good one.

[Phantom255x]

Chargers not playing Herbert this Sunday. The 1 seed was unlikely but now it's probably not happening at all.

Oh well. If NE wins Week 18, they secure the 2 seed and get at least two home games until the AFCCG (if they get there)

Yeah.  Nobody wants to go to Mile High for the playoffs, but I think that there's a good chance that the Broncos could lose before the conference finals.

Most likely looking at this then.

7) Chargers @ 2) Patriots
6) Bills @ 3) Jaguars
5) Texans @ Ravens/Steelers

I'm just praying Buffalo doesn't orchestrate a tank vs. the Jets and staying at 7 to face NE in the wild card instead of JAX. I love the potential Chargers matchup, a lot more than BUF/HOU

Does that benefit the Bills?

Either way, if I were Buffalo I'd rest Josh Allen.

BUF will either have to go a path of 1) @Jacksonville, @ New England or 2) @ New England, @ Denver to get to the AFC title game.

I don't envy them.

There are a few other low percentage scenarios out there but one of the above two is most likely.

I think there's a decent chance regardless BUF is playing Denver in the divisional round. BUF is very likely the 6 or 7 seed and if they win the wild card, the 1 seed plays the lowest remaining unless if we think the Chargers (7 seed) win their game.

The 2 seed is likely facing the 3, 4 or 5 seed based on brackets (highest remaining seed) which means PIT/BAL/JAX/HOU

Yeah, my mind was ahead of my writing there and put in NE twice.  It's most likely @JAX/@DEN or @NE/@DEN

Neither route is a good one.

Yeah, it's gonna be hard for them even with Josh Allen to win 3 road games in a row, and then face a quality NFC team in the SB probably (SEA/SF/LAR/PHI, if I had to guess).

Like the 2023 Chiefs pulled it off in impressive fashion (ugh) but even they had a home playoff game in the wild card round (the -30 degrees wind chill vs MIA) before beating BUF + BAL on the road. BUF has to beat JAX/NE, DEN, and BAL/PIT/HOU, with 2 of those teams having ferocious defenses (DEN + HOU) and HOU's pass rush dominated them a month ago

[Phantom255x]

Funny tho when I dropped by a Chargers forum, fans over there are not afraid of New England at all. In fact, they're always referencing to the 40-7 massacre they gave us in Foxboro last year, and also stating that the Pats have played the easiest schedule ever in NFL history.

I hope the Jets don't Jets their game, and in fact lose, so they can tank well.

Yeah it's kind of funny. I think it's just the combination of lack of playoff experience for a lot of these teams not named Buffalo/Houston/Baltimore, and the fact that there's really no dominant team in the AFC IMO.

New England hasn't made a postseason in 4 years and a good chunk of the team hasn't played in a playoff game so understandably that's something to factor in. But idk, if I had to rank the AFC QBs who are likely in the playoffs, I feel like Maye would actually be #2 behind Josh Allen. In the playoffs that matters, with the second most important factor being defense particularly the pass rush which Denver and Houston definitely has.

JAX is probably the most balanced team on both sides of the ball out of the AFC hopefuls, but they also aren't dominant on either side.

Buffalo will rightfully be regarded because they have Josh Allen and lets face it, they have a ton of playoff experience unlike most of the field in the AFC including the coaches. If you're LAC, New England probably is the team you want instead of BUF and also Houston who just beat them and destroyed their O-Line, but NE fans like me also feel the same way about LAC 

[SparzWizard]

Funny tho when I dropped by a Chargers forum, fans over there are not afraid of New England at all. In fact, they're always referencing to the 40-7 massacre they gave us in Foxboro last year, and also stating that the Pats have played the easiest schedule ever in NFL history.

I hope the Jets don't Jets their game, and in fact lose, so they can tank well.

Yeah it's kind of funny. I think it's just the combination of lack of playoff experience for a lot of these teams not named Buffalo/Houston/Baltimore, and the fact that there's really no dominant team in the AFC IMO.

New England hasn't made a postseason in 4 years and a good chunk of the team hasn't played in a playoff game so understandably that's something to factor in. But idk, if I had to rank the AFC QBs who are likely in the playoffs, I feel like Maye would actually be #2 behind Josh Allen. In the playoffs that matters, with the second most important factor being defense particularly the pass rush which Denver and Houston definitely has.

JAX is probably the most balanced team on both sides of the ball out of the AFC hopefuls, but they also aren't dominant on either side.

Buffalo will rightfully be regarded because they have Josh Allen and lets face it, they have a ton of playoff experience unlike most of the field in the AFC including the coaches. If you're LAC, New England probably is the team you want instead of BUF and also Houston who just beat them and destroyed their O-Line, but NE fans like me also feel the same way about LAC 

Yup I would take the Chargers in a heartbeat between BUF/HOU/LAC. Playing your division rival 3 times in a year is tough. Playing the #1 defense in the NFL is tough. Give me the more balanced-watered down option. I guess the only concern is coaching; Jim Harbaugh has a lot of deep-playoff and championship experiences in his belt and that will prepare the Chargers handily.

[Neurotic Guy]

With Herbert sitting on Sunday and the bye all but lost, does Vrabel consider sitting some starters?

[SparzWizard]

With Herbert sitting on Sunday and the bye all but lost, does Vrabel consider sitting some starters?

If the Pats still want at least two home games in the playoffs (knock on wood if we get far), then they should still play the starters, depending on circumstances.

Jacksonville will not be losing to Tennessee, who also should not think about winning games (tanking). We'll definitely find out by the late afternoon as JAX/TEN play in the early game.

[Phantom255x]

With Herbert sitting on Sunday and the bye all but lost, does Vrabel consider sitting some starters?

If the Pats still want at least two home games in the playoffs (knock on wood if we get far), then they should still play the starters, depending on circumstances.

Jacksonville will not be losing to Tennessee, who also should not think about winning games (tanking). We'll definitely find out by the late afternoon as JAX/TEN play in the early game.

I was going to say, if TEN miraculously pulls off the upset then NE is basically locked into the 2 seed. In that case, they might consider it for a few guys who probably need it. Or maybe even decide to play the starters just 1 quarter.

I don't think Trey Lance is gonna pull off any magic at Denver lol

[SparzWizard]

With Herbert sitting on Sunday and the bye all but lost, does Vrabel consider sitting some starters?

If the Pats still want at least two home games in the playoffs (knock on wood if we get far), then they should still play the starters, depending on circumstances.

Jacksonville will not be losing to Tennessee, who also should not think about winning games (tanking). We'll definitely find out by the late afternoon as JAX/TEN play in the early game.

I was going to say, if TEN miraculously pulls off the upset then NE is basically locked into the 2 seed. In that case, they might consider it for a few guys who probably need it. Or maybe even decide to play the starters just 1 quarter.

I don't think Trey Lance is gonna pull off any magic at Denver lol

But ofc, DEN/LAC plays in the late game, same time as NE/MIA...and if NE has a shot at the 1-seed, why not play the starters ya know (at least limited minutes) 

While it should be a no-brainer win for Denver, some things to consider...they almost lost to a 3rd-string QB last week. And a lot of their wins have been iffy. Again, a no-brainer win for Denver but ya never know lol Trey Lance.

[SparzWizard]

And I thought the Rams were a surefire win tonight...they are getting crushed in Atlanta. Down 21-3 but Falcons about to make it a 28-3 lead.

 

[Phantom255x]

Stafford with an awful first half. Maye MVP watch?