On the final meaningful play from scrimmage in yesterday's memorable game in Orchard Park, Mario Williams got enough of his fingertips on the ball to knock it out of Aaron Rodgers hand. It spun back and landed about 2 yards deep in the endzone and it looked it would sit there for a while since no one on the line of scrimmage seemed to know where it was. So, I went to the bathroom, brushed my teeth and when I returned to the TV, Rodgers was still looking for the ball around the 5 yard line. Packers running back Eddie Lacey finally picked it up, tried to advance it and was tackled just outside the goal line. The play resulted in a safety which gave the Bills an 8 point lead and, since Green Bay had exhausted its time-outs and the Bills would get the ball back again, the game was over.
Why a safety, then? After all, Lacey appeared to advance the ball out of the endzone before being tackled. NFL rules are complex by any standard and I had to look up the one which caused the play to be called a safety. In the last 2 minutes of a half (or on 4th down), a fumble by the offensive team can only be advanced by the offensive player who originally fumbled it (or by any player on the defense - obviously). Otherwise, the ball is deemed to be dead at the point of recovery. Lacey picked it up (recovered it) in the endzone. Dead ball at that spot. Safety. Only Rodgers could have picked it up and advanced it and he was still conducting an investigation as to the whereabouts of the ball around the 5 yard line. The rule exists to eliminate the possibility of the ball being intentionally fumbled to a team-mate who could then advance it. Think of those crazy rugby type final plays of the game with desperate lateral passing as the clock runs out. The rule prevents "fumbling" to a team-mate on such a play who could advance the ball. Anyway, strange play, strange call but great result. Terry Pegula approved of the play and the ruling.
If the Packers don't win the Superbowl this year (or don't get to the big game at all) Jordy Nelson will surely remember the ball he dropped in the 3rd quarter yesterday on which he would have likely scored. Deep in their own end and trailing the Bills 16-10, Nelson made a double move at the line of scrimmage and was wide open. Rodgers pass couldn't have been better but it hit Nelson's hands and bounced away. It seemed like a turning point in the game. Packers receivers had a few drops yesterday and Rodgers uncharacteristically missed some throws which he almost always makes. The Packers come to Buffalo only every 8 years and they're probably happy about that as they have never won in Orchard Park. Not once in 6 tries darting back to 1979. Mike McCarthy will surely have his team prepared for their next chance in 2022.
So, at 8-6, the Bills will not have a losing season - their first in 10 years. If they can win in Oakland next week, they can match 2004's 9-7 record, assuming that they will not win at New England in week 17. There is a logjam of teams at 8-6 and the 2 AFC wildcard spots are currently occupied by 9-5 teams so the playoffs are still extremely unlikely. But Bills fans have to be encouraged as their team has one of the best defenses in the league and possibly the best front 4. Questions that come to mind now include: Will the defense be as good next year? Who will play quarterback next year? Will Kiko Alonso return and pick up where his rookie season left off? Will CJ Spiller be on the team? With the Giants and Cowboys coming to Orchard Park next year, will they get a Monday night home game? I'm betting that they will - against Dallas.
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