Similar Scenes, Same Ending for Buffalo Bills
Cheer up: the Bills might’ve lost on the last drive or in overtime. The possibility of conceding a score on a drive Kansas City ended up using to burn time means the souls of Buffalo fans would’ve merely been shredded a few minutes later. Offering a glimpse of possibility before the inflicting the brutality of reality is team policy, which we’ve known for at least half a century.
Choking it away in a new old way combines the familiarity of what’s already happened with a slightly new take. A new way to devastate their fans was reminiscent of an old one. You didn’t even thank them for the throwback.
A touchback only stirred false hopes. Reversing the initial result of a rather eventful play took overcoming the call on the field and the sense Buffalo never, ever gets a break in a cruel and uncaring universe. I remember when I was foolish enough to believe existence was taking a first step toward balance. I never learn, but can you blame me? There’s no other way to get through the years than believing everything turning out wrong will change.
Picking up on a bad vibe feels much more natural. The sense it was over in the moment is something those afflicted try to disregard, which is like trying to dodge the Grim Reaper. But this particular club’s fans could tell it was over. A failed fake punt felt like true doom. Sean McDermott thought he was writing a script for a sequel to the Kurt Warner movie starring Damar Hamlin. He’s not a producer in multiple senses.
There was only one thing worse than the early field goal fest, namely not making one. A low-scoring affair with long stretches of fruitless snaps went just like everyone predicted. Relentlessness eventually kicked in, as this round was always going to be about outscoring in the poetic sense. A sudden jolt led to a even more abrupt stop.
At least Josh Allen won the winter race to Wegmans. Cannoli dip is a treasured trophy that’s nonetheless etherial. Another squandering of virtually superhuman plays is a recurring theme during the Allen era. I guess the franchise has stepped up from having nothing squandered.
The distraction Allen provides from his own throwing is self-contained. Three Chiefs thought one Bills quarterback would run during a particularly telling example. A play where he finally slid before a dirtbag got away with a late hit shows why he usually doesn’t bother.
The lack of other contributions is thorough. Not supporting a generational quarterback has been a disturbing Bills habit from ownership down. Now, unlikely candidates join in by not helping out. Stefon Diggs could’ve stayed on the field after the loss to watch replays of his drop.
Buffalo’s defense finally took the high scoring narrative to heart when their foes needed it most. They couldn’t tackle or cover, but they played sweetly otherwise. A warped line couldn’t get things straight.
You can’t blame injuries for losses, I note as I bring them up. The next Bills linebackers on the depth chart were Takeo Spikes, Billy Buffalo, Josh Allen, and the 50/50 drawing winner. You might have had a shot if they yelled to the crowd, which is why it’s imperative to wear a jersey to the game.
Coaches were one turned ankle away from installing a 5–1–5 system improvised during a commercial starring various members of that very game’s opposition. Crushing devastation has a precedent in other sports, too, as long as the team is based in Buffalo. Fielding anyone they could find to stop foes is reminiscent of the Sabres playing with the franchise’s 10th defenseman in 2006 during the last era when they were good. History doesn’t care that you’re sick of it repeating.
There are no more chances in case that unsparing reality hasn’t settled in yet. Football squads are quite limited in opportunities if you seek an example to motivate avoiding squandering.
Results are so rare in a league where the finalists play 21 games that it doesn’t take too many to form a narrative. Any journalist seeking an easy story about what’s coming will explain you need three of something to claim it’s a trend. In the NFL, those may be the only examples.
A sport where the postseason is best-of-one magnifies each opportunity. Peyton Manning couldn’t overcome the narrative that his career was defined by the inability to beat that one smug cheater until he quashed it the only way he could, namely by winning. And the theory didn’t truly disippate until he prevailed in the playoffs. Buffalo can’t stop bingeing a soft reboot.
The quarterback deserves every bit of attention as long as he’s playing on his own. It only seems that way with the Bills. The existence of teammates makes the story revolving around the most notable player unfair. Of course, that doesn’t matter. The position that draws excessive acclaim also brings disproportionate blame. Allen is going to be dogged by the lack of playoff wins against that one guy despite his efforts to win singlehandedly.
There are more than five senses. Ask Bills fans who can perceive doom. Endless training allows us to know when our hearts are going to get ripped out again. It’s too bad they grow back so quickly. Enduring the same cruel story isn’t easier even if it’s told slightly differently. It’s a new year with the same crushed fans. You can make the case that every season is distinct. But results are uncannily consistent for each.
