Buffalo Bills Overcome Obstacles They Placed
Peacock was Saturday’s big winner, as football fans feel compelled to sign up for games that don’t seem like they should be competitive. A surprisingly close outing causes a chain reaction leading to finally seeing that John Wick miniseries even if I don’t think John Wick is in it. A must-win and a should-win was just not an easy win. The Buffalo Bills complicate everything, including the simplest playoff scenario.
With dreams relegated to possibly finishing the season, the Chargers fielded a replacement team. Meanwhile, the side that hasn’t been eliminated from postseason contention looked like it was on strike. Why doesn’t life unfold like it’s supposed to in our plans? Griping about disappointment is partially justified when the Bills show up for their gig later than Madonna.
They’re not the only team to teach about dreams not coming true: the Sabres were supposed to start thriving when they got a multibillionaire fan who claimed he wanted to spend at will. I wonder if there’s a connection. Buffalo fans switching from football to hockey only sounds like a joke in 2023.
Show up late like your football heroes. Mortifying first quarters stubbornly remain Buffalo’s way. Ken Dorsey’s ghost has still not been busted. The real spirits still haunt the Bills sideline. Terry Pegula refused to pay Bill Murray.
The one thing better than resiliency is not having to constantly demonstrate it. The Bills begin by flaunting a lack of resolve to prove it doesn’t define them. Playing to the level of competition is Sean McDermott’s signature.
Considering how many times he’s led ostensibly superior squads to losses, I guess we should be grateful for a stressful win against the team notorious for results like they acted blasphemously in the Old Testament. Even the Chargers forget they’re in Los Angeles. McDermott keeping his team in the playoff picture despite frequently looking unprepared and underwhelming is not as impressive as it first appears.
Alleged playoff contenders sure didn’t look like it. There are better ways to fight stereotypes. They could have lived up to the roster’s potential and scored early instead of back-to-back-to-back punts in a deranged warping of Tom Emanski’s accomplishments. The defense joined in by conceding ground like they were trying to help Easton Stick produce a movie about his story.
A measly one-play drive really hurt the time of possession battle. I guess parts of it turned out more valuable on balance, like when Gabe Davis scored. Long drives tend to spur wins, which makes the exceptions worth cherishing.
Opposing fans with end zone seats wear Bills stuff hoping Josh will give them the ball from an inevitable rushing touchdown. Buffalo’s best back is of both the quarter and running variety.
Compared to Allen, my Christmas mood swings seem level. Even his most diehard fans can’t defend an interception per outing. I know, as I am one. It’d be one thing if he could’ve thrown into tight coverage way downfield off his front foot. There are degrees of insane risk.
A little more protection would keep the quarterback from throwing while dashing to avoid being throttled. The offensive line didn’t hold up when they needed to hold it down. Congratulations to Mitch Morse for getting noticed. Conversely, avoiding the spotlight by not getting penalized has its limits. Dion Dawkins stopped on the play where Josh evaded pressure and stayed stopped through the sack at their own goal line’s verge. Such efforts aren’t quite as charming as his introduction.
It’d have been better to unveil how awesome Stefon Diggs is earlier. Focusing on the most obvious truth might have kept the game from being close. But figuring out he’s really good late into the final quarter was the second-best option.
The Bills played a home away game during the same week the Sabres played an away home game. Having the crowd on their side in a stadium even farther from Buffalo than Orchard Park should’ve provided a thorough boost. But the Bills frustrated their fans in a foreign venue even as they kept divisional crown-wearing dreams alive.
Differentiating between the two types of results should be easier. Frustrating wins are as common this season as fulfilling ones. This year’s edition has gotten to the point where tense aggravation becomes the identity.
Technical victories are treated just like any other ones by the league. But wondering if wins containing an unnerving quantity of small losses wear out even the most annoying optimists.
Completing the task is admirable no matter the struggles faced while doing so and perhaps even because of them. The Bills found a way to achieve their goal during a wholly necessary triumph. Yet scoring more despite playing below their potential feels like getting away with something. Reaching the postseason would be both an admirable achievement and pointless if they continue waiting to arrive until halftime.
