Finale a win-win situation for Buffalo

By Connor Byrne  |   Friday, December 28, 2007  |  Comments( 71 )

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For the eighth straight year, the Buffalo Bills will not partake in the NFL's postseason. Only perpetually hapless teams Detroit and Arizona, neither of which has made the playoffs this decade, have been able to match the Bills' futility since the new millennium began.

Despite the fact the Bills' game in Philadelphia this weekend doesn't seem to mean anything for either team (both are 7-8), the former actually does stand to gain something no matter what the final outcome is.

If the Bills manage to break their two-game losing streak and win their finale against a fairly decent team that has won back-to-back contests over NFC playoff contenders, they would finish a season with at least eight victories for the first time since 2004. That year, the Bills began 3-6 but ended 9-7, just missing out on the playoffs. Since that promising campaign, though, Buffalo has finished the past two seasons 5-11 and 7-9, respectively.

It's arguable how much a Week 17 win would mean to the Bills: Some would say it has absolutely no bearing on anything, while others might believe it indicates progress going forward into the offseason and 2008. Oftentimes, though, when a team ends a season well, its success carries over into the next year. Take Green Bay, for instance, which began 2006 a horrid 4-8, then won four consecutive games and finished the year a respectable 8-8. And some -- including Packers coach Mike McCarthy -- believe the team's .500 finish from '06 has played a big part in its 12-3 mark this season.

Furthermore, keep in mind that eight NFL teams finished 8-8 last year, and five are either in the playoffs or have a chance to get in. Playoff-bound teams Green Bay, Pittsburgh, Jacksonville and the Giants were each .500 last season; meanwhile, 9-6 Tennessee -- a member of the even-Steven club in '06 -- is one triumph away from earning the AFC's sixth and final wild-card spot.

While winning this weekend could boost morale for down-and-out Buffalo going forward, a loss might actually help the team more. Presently, the Bills are slated to pick 15th in next April's draft, but they would probably move up a few slots if they were to lose to the Eagles. For a not-so-highly talented team with a lot of holes to fill and double-digit draft choices, having higher picks in every round would be quite beneficial. With a win, the Bills would pick no worse than 19th overall; a loss, however, would guarantee them anywhere from the 11th to 15th selection.

Therefore, while 8-8 would earn the Bills some much-needed respectability and possibly help a youth-laden team's mind-set entering 2008, going down for a third straight time wouldn't necessarily be too damaging for the franchise.

Even if the actual game's outcome doesn't go their way, then, the Bills truly can't lose in Week 17.

Prediction (season record: 13-2) - Eagles 27, Bills 17.

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CommentsComments: 71  |  Sign Up  View all comments
No.1
No Longer Doomed to be a Bills Fan		10:03 AM
12/28/2007
Losing to the Eagles will simply add more convincing evidence for the conclusion that the Bills are mired in mind-bending muck of...
No.2
ddd		10:27 AM
12/28/2007
I want the Bills to play well, be competitive, and give us hope for next year. By the same token, a win does nothing but hurt...
No.3
Nate		10:29 AM
12/28/2007
Personally I feel a win Sunday would be meaningless in the long term. If the Bills were in the middle of a winning streak it...
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