Buffalo did its part last week. Asking the rest of the NFL to cooperate apparently was a little too much.
Still, the Bills head into Week 3 with two wins and a chance to add another against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday. That’s the assignment that matters most. Everything else is us being helpful — whether the teams involved appreciate our very temporary support or not.
We’re three weeks into this, and our rooting interests already need a reminder: We don’t want every AFC team losing every week.
Some of them need to win just enough to stay away from the best players in next year’s draft.
The exception, of course, is the AFC East. The Patriots, Jets, and Dolphins can keep losing. We’ll live with the consequences.
For everyone else, there’s an order to this. Buffalo wins first. Division rivals lose. Then we want wins from teams the Bills have beaten to help their strength of victory, followed by wins from other Buffalo opponents to build strength of schedule. When none of those apply, we want the AFC leaders coming back toward the middle of the standings and the struggling teams winning their way out of premium draft position.
These are rooting interests, not predictions, and absolutely none of them require us to like the teams we’re choosing. Which is good, because you’ve probably already noticed who Miami plays this week.
_____________________________________________________________________________
AFC EAST
Buffalo Bills over Los Angeles Chargers
We wanted the Chargers to win last week. This week, they’re visiting Buffalo, so that arrangement is over. The Bills have an opportunity to get to 3-0, and nothing happening elsewhere makes up for letting that opportunity get away. Go Bills!
Jacksonville Jaguars over New England Patriots
Before anyone brings up the fact that Buffalo plays New England twice, yes, we know. That’s why the division rule comes before strength of schedule. Jacksonville gets our support, and the Patriots get another week of us wishing them absolutely nothing good.
Detroit Lions over New York Jets
Detroit can help us twice here. Buffalo already beat the Lions, so a Detroit win adds to the Bills’ strength of victory while handing the Jets a loss. We spent last Thursday rooting against them, but this is a very good week to get back on Detroit’s side.
Kansas City Chiefs over Miami Dolphins
Yes, again. But this week, you don’t even have to listen to a lengthy explanation about Buffalo’s schedule. Kansas City is playing Miami, and our division rule settles it. You can spend the entire game complaining about the Chiefs and still want the Dolphins to lose. We’re capable of both.
_____________________________________________________________________________
The rest of the AFC
Houston Texans over Indianapolis Colts
Houston, we need you to start holding up your end of this arrangement. Buffalo already has the win over the Texans. Now we need Houston to collect some wins of their own so that victory can help the Bills in a tiebreaker later.
Pittsburgh Steelers over Cincinnati Bengals
Neither team is on Buffalo’s schedule, so this one goes to the standings. Cincinnati has started 2-0, while Pittsburgh is 1-1. Give the Steelers the win and bring the Bengals back to the middle of the pack. We don’t need Cincinnati building an early cushion while we’re busy worrying about everybody else.
Cleveland Browns over Carolina Panthers
This is where our draft-position rule gets some work. Neither team is a Buffalo opponent, and Cleveland isn’t leading its division. Let the Browns collect a win that could eventually move them away from a premium pick, while the Panthers take the loss. If somebody is going to come out of this season with access to the best available talent in next year’s draft, we’d prefer that somebody live in the NFC.
Tennessee Titans over New York Giants
Same principle. The Titans are winless, and neither team is on Buffalo’s schedule. We don’t need Tennessee spending the entire season working toward the top of the draft. Give the Titans a win and leave the Giants a little closer to that particular prize.
Las Vegas Raiders over New Orleans Saints
Here’s where the order of our rules matters. We could make an argument for wanting an AFC loss, but Las Vegas is on Buffalo’s schedule, and New Orleans isn’t. For now, that strength-of-schedule benefit gets the Raiders our support. If the conference race gives us a more pressing reason to root against them later, we’ll adjust, but we aren’t there yet.
Baltimore Ravens over Dallas Cowboys
Baltimore is another Buffalo opponent, so we’re sticking with the schedule benefit here, too. There will probably be plenty of opportunities to root against the Ravens before this is over. This week, we want them beating Dallas. Nobody said following our own rules would always be pleasant.
Los Angeles Rams over Denver Broncos
Buffalo plays both teams, which means we get the same strength-of-schedule benefit either way. Denver won its division last season, so this is a chance to apply our rule about bringing those teams down a peg without giving up anything on the schedule side.
_____________________________________________________________________________
NFC vs. NFC games
Green Bay Packers over Atlanta Falcons
The Packers are on Buffalo’s schedule, and the Falcons aren’t. That gives us a straightforward assignment for Thursday night without needing to consult the standings, think about the draft, or argue with ourselves. Go Pack Go.
Minnesota Vikings over Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Minnesota gets the same treatment. The Bills play the Vikings later this season, so we want them adding wins whenever Buffalo isn’t the opponent. Tampa Bay doesn’t give us that benefit. Go Vikings.
Chicago Bears over Philadelphia Eagles
Last week, I let my irritation with the Bears’ offense comparisons help settle a pick between two Buffalo opponents. This week, only Chicago is on the Bills’ schedule, so I have to put that aside. We’re rooting for the Bears. After all, having rules means being held to them.
San Francisco 49ers over Arizona Cardinals
San Francisco has opened 2-0, while Arizona is 1-1. With no direct Buffalo schedule benefit available, we’ll give the win to the 49ers and leave the Cardinals closer to the better pick.
_____________________________________________________________________________
So, yes, we’re asking some AFC teams to win and others to lose while making a few exceptions for Buffalo’s schedule. We want help now, useful tiebreakers later, and fewer opportunities for struggling conference opponents to solve their problems next April.
If that sounds a little selfish, you’ve understood the assignment.
Go Bills!
