Patriots Pregame Thread Pre Game Thread - Pats @ Bills

[Patjew]

Our most productive WR this year.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Troy Vincent doesn't rule out postponement of Patriots-Bills game - ProFootballTalk

I have no respect for Troy Vincent. Anything that comes out of his mouth is sullied and oozes of ulterior motives. Unscrupulous f***k

 

[Triumph]

Troy Vincent doesn't rule out postponement of Patriots-Bills game - ProFootballTalk

What happens if the Pats tie Buffalo?

 

[moosekill]

Understood Monday night. But unfortunately people get hurt every day, and many people die, it is part of life. We all move on with our lives. Postponing this weekends game/games seems really extreme to me.

 

[Grogan14]

Absent Hamlin's passing, I think Buffalo and the league need to definitely say whether or not their intention is to play the game. Obviously they don't have to explicitly say "we're playing unless Hamlin dies" but they could say "it's our intention to play the game." Seems like they're sort of going through the motions with their team meetings and walk through while leaving open the possibility of eventually saying they can't do it. Their own vagueness probably isn't doing themselves any good either.

I can see why they want to hedge as long as possible until short term outcome for Damar is decidedly positive (as we hope)

 

[crawhammer]

What happens if the Pats tie Buffalo?

You mean if they cancel the game? Calling it a tie wouldn't effect the Patriots any more than calling it a no contest (no reflection in the record).

 

[GreenCow]

What happens if the Pats tie Buffalo?

Then Miami gets in with a win.

 

[PScottman]

That said, why are they talking about postponing the game against the Pats? Aren't football players supposed to be tough not just physically but mentally. A guy had a tragic accident (by all accounts) and isn't that when the team comes together and "wins one for the Gipper"' or Brian's Song style? I mean, people have been paralyzed for life on the field and they played on with no talk of forfeits and postponing games.

I mean, if someone at my workplace had a heart attack and had to be taken away in an ambulance, maybe (and that's a strong maybe) they'd cancel work for the rest of the day but not the rest of the week surely. These guys are contracted to play a sport and they should be expected to unless all 52 guys on the team want to forfeit.

Again, I'm not trying to be callous. I'm just trying to understand why the Bills wouldn't rally around this tragedy rather than trying to get out of playing the Pats (or Bengals for that matter).

Digging into comparisons a little - there's a lot of cultural similarities made (in the media and even internally within the NFL) between pro sports or sports teams in general and the military. Quotes like "We're going to war!" "I'm always going to be in this foxhole with my brothers." "We are going to take that field and fight until the last man standing", etc, etc are common amongst pro sports including the NFL.

In that context, from a military perspective, in wartime, death is part of the job. There is an expectation that when a comrade is taken away by the grim realities of combat, the rest of the unit will soldier on - often times having to bury sentimentality and their own emotional responses just to stay alive (because if they don't have that stability, bad things can chain reaction on the battlefield).

I'm not sure I buy the same for the Bills players. While the Gipper and Brian's Song are counter-cultural examples in their own right, I think they ultimately discount the de-motivational pressures an on-field incident like Hamlin's presents. To further the military comparisons, there are those that postulate that PTSD is a result of men and women having to bury/surpress and otherwise ignore very real human emotional and even physical responses to death and near death. This isn't to discount the military member's sacrifices, but instead contrast that to a VERY different environment (the NFL) which does indeed allow for, and even now encourages, those normal human responses to occur.

Everyone processes these events differently too. As we have stated multiple times - football is the ultimate team game where if even one cog in the machine isn't 100% the entire unit can suffer.

While the "win one for..." angle is sentimental and a continuation of the triumph of the human spirit perspective, it likely requires most of the Bills team to be able to suppress those same emotional and physical responses military members do on the battlefield (without the requisite training and experience).

 

[GreenCow]

Digging into comparisons a little - there's a lot of cultural similarities made (in the media and even internally within the NFL) between pro sports or sports teams in general and the military. Quotes like "We're going to war!" "I'm always going to be in this foxhole with my brothers." "We are going to take that field and fight until the last man standing", etc, etc are common amongst pro sports including the NFL.

In that context, from a military perspective, in wartime, death is part of the job. There is an expectation that when a comrade is taken away by the grim realities of combat, the rest of the unit will soldier on - often times having to bury sentimentality and their own emotional responses just to stay alive (because if they don't have that stability, bad things can chain reaction on the battlefield).

I'm not sure I buy the same for the Bills players. While the Gipper and Brian's Song are counter-cultural examples in their own right, I think they ultimately discount the de-motivational pressures an on-field incident like Hamlin's presents. To further the military comparisons, there are those that postulate that PTSD is a result of men and women having to bury/surpress and otherwise ignore very real human emotional and even physical responses to death and near death. This isn't to discount the military member's sacrifices, but instead contrast that to a VERY different environment (the NFL) which does indeed allow for, and even now encourages, those normal human responses to occur.

Everyone processes these events differently too. As we have stated multiple times - football is the ultimate team game where if even one cog in the machine isn't 100% the entire unit can suffer.

While the "win one for..." angle is sentimental and a continuation of the triumph of the human spirit perspective, it likely requires most of the Bills team to be able to suppress those same emotional and physical responses military members do on the battlefield (without the requisite training and experience).

A+ post.

 

[crawhammer]

I can see why they want to hedge as long as possible until short term outcome for Damar is decidedly positive (as we hope)

It's Wednesday, 5:00PM. When are we calling this game? Buffalo's not feeling up to it Sunday morning.

I think we all understand the game will be cancelled if Hamlin passes between now and Saturday. There haven't been too many significant updates on his condition but the little we're getting is mostly positive. The team is helpless to do anything regarding his condition, so in the interim they should honor their teammate by preparing to play the game he loved. I'm willing to bet that's what Damar would want.

 

[Stu Pidassle]

In addition to the Military, first responders and other dangerous professions, the expectation to move forward in the face of adversity is part of everyone's life. Today there were two equally tragic situations where people died at work. I am sure that their co-workers will be expected to do their job with only basic support from management and no outpouring of love from the media and general public. I am glad that Hamlin and the NFL is getting the support they deserve, I just wish that every day people got the same treatment. One take away from this should be to enjoy life, you never know what will happen next.

Tire Employee Shot
Park City Employee Killed in Lift Accident

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

You mean if they cancel the game? Calling it a tie wouldn't effect the Patriots any more than calling it a no contest (no reflection in the record).

yes it would

No contest means the game never happened and the record is 0-0 for that day.

A tie is treated like half a win and half a loss, so in essence the record is 0.5-0.5 for that day.

With a win in their game, Miami would take the 7th seed.

 

[XLIX]

yes it would

No contest means the game never happened and the record is 0-0 for that day.

A tie is treated like half a win and half a loss, so in essence the record is 0.5-0.5 for that day.

With a win in their game, Miami would take the 7th seed.

While true, the irony is that the Patriots percentage stays .500 whether it is a tie or a no-contest.

 

[TheBeers]

The most logical scenario I've seen is: No changes this week, all games are played. Bengals/Bills is resumed next week only if it has seeding implications. Playoffs get pushed 1 week eliminating the extra week before SB.

 

[crawhammer]

yes it would

No contest means the game never happened and the record is 0-0 for that day.

A tie is treated like half a win and half a loss, so in essence the record is 0.5-0.5 for that day.

With a win in their game, Miami would take the 7th seed.

What I said is accurate. Cancel the game = no contest = the Patriots aren't any better or worse than their current 8-8.

I didn't say anything about Miami in that particular post. But I already said elsewhere, if the Patriots don't play their last game then Miami would control their own destiny (and Pittsburgh after them).

 

[Fuzz]

Its great that people are being sensitive about this situation, but if the Bills choose not to play next week, thats a decision they make for themselves. Bereavement leave, even for family members, is very rarely more than 5 days. We've seen many NFL players play within days of their parent/sibling dying. Thats not to say that that should be the expectation. In an ideal world, everyone should be free to take as much time as they need. Unfortunately, thats just not possible in a world of schedules and responsibilities.

 

[TheRainMaker]

I would be shocked if the Bills played this weekend unless Hamlin is in stable condition and can breathe on his own.

 

[jimnance]

Postponing this weekends game/games seems really extreme to me.

Too f'n bad

 

[jimnance]

Its great that people are being sensitive about this situation, but if the Bills choose not to play next week, thats a decision they make for themselves. Bereavement leave, even for family members, is very rarely more than 5 days. We've seen many NFL players play within days of their parent/sibling dying. Thats not to say that that should be the expectation. In an ideal world, everyone should be free to take as much time as they need. Unfortunately, thats just not possible in a world of schedules and responsibilities.

Wrong. NFL has said the decision to play the Patriots on Sunday will be primarily up to the Bills,their players and coaches especially. Probably the,way it should be.
So no,it's not a decision they make for themselves. Jeez get a freakin' clue.

 

[crawhammer]

I would be shocked if the Bills played this weekend unless Hamlin is in stable condition and can breathe on his own.

You realize they don't work in the ICU? I mean they can't do anything about his condition. He seems to be making slight progress so hopefully that will continue or accelerate. But either way, preparing to play the game to the best of their ability or sitting around waiting on every minor update isn't going to change anything for Hamlin. He's in the care of medical professionals. Football players play football. It'll probably do them some good returning to their normal game-preparations as much as possible.