Dan's Thoughts

The Buffalo Bills, a team in which I am a diehard fan of, lost another game tonight in the most improbable of ways.

For many minutes after the game, I sat quietly questioning whether this kind of loss was even possible. Questioning how I am going to sleep tonight. Questioning every single play in the game and every single player. Questioning whether the universe is actually against this franchise.

Seriously. The Bills have literally invented ways to lose. How many times can this happen before we turn the tide?

By now you know the story, I’m not here to talk much about the game. Bills fans know the misery all too well. It is almost masochist at this point to be a Bills fan. I want to assess the Bills franchise and their season going forward, this game is over, you move on like anything else in life. As Yankees manager Billy Martin once said, “When you’re a professional, you came back no matter what happened the day before.”

When the Bills scored on a Freddy Jackson touchdown with five minutes left, giving the Bills an 11 point lead, I started getting a flood of emails, texts, and calls. I ignored all calls (sorry to all), but read all the texts and emails. I responded to a few, only saying there was a lot of football to be played. Truth is, when Jackson scored, my Dad and I barely cracked a smile, we were already thinking what every other Bills fan was thinking, “How are we going to screw this up?”

My girlfriend called me right after the game, her flight jut landed and she was home. I accidentally ignored her call…actually twice (sorry J). I felt like an infant unable to raise my head, let alone check my iPhone (Which was dinging and chiming at an unprecedented rate). When I finally called her, I managed a meak, “Hey”, to which she just said, “Would you get over it? They suck!” Serious ouch, serious serious ouchies. But it is undeniable.

If you’re not a Bills fan, it is really hard to explain, there is nothing else in life like fan loyalty. If your car sucks, you buy a new brand. If you have a bad meal, you don’t go back to the restaurant. In sports, you’re stuck with what you’ve got, unless you’re some kind of jackass and change teams. But you can see from the outpouring of sympathy for Bills fans on Facebook and Twitter that people genuinely feel bad for fans of Buffalo. They’re like that car accident up ahead that you just can’t help but glance at when you drive on by. As Jay-Z profoundly noted, “People would line up to see the Titanic sinking.”

So the game is over, we lost. We all expected to lose. The line went from 10.5 to 13.5 today because so many people thought the game was a foregone conclusion (I took Buffalo with the +10.5 BTW). It was a terrible way to lose. Gut-wrenching. Heart-breaking. You pick your cliche.

But I’m going to try to offer some perspective. I’m someone who doesn’t get too high or get too low. The Bills just almost beat a team that many “experts” have winning the Super Bowl. If we play like we did last night, all season long, we have a legitimate chance at a Wild Card position.

"Yo Federer, I'm happy for you, but the Bills had one of the best losses of all-time!"

Some notes of interest:

For those calling for Leodis McKelvin’s head, please just stop. The guy is on the verge of superstardom in this league and can be one of the anchors of our defense for the next decade. Randy Moss was absolutely torching Terrence McGee all night and when the coaches FINALLY moved McKelvin onto Moss, he shut him down. He is a bonafide shut down corner and one of the league’s better returnmen. And you know what? I love that he took the ball out of the end zone. He was able to get out farther than the 20 and got the clock past the two minute warning, which would have given the Patriots a free timeout. He fumbled the ball, all on him, and he took blame. Don’t blame the coaches because someone fumbled, a fumble can’t happen, and that is all on him. So when McKelvin makes the Pro Bowl, remember you told him to die and wanted him to be cut. Perspective folks.

Shawn Nelson needs to be the every down tight end. He is a great blocker and has the ability to be a 40-50 catch guy.

Trent Edwards played the game he needed to. No mistakes, stellar accuracy, quick release, confidence in his receivers, and mobility in the pocket. Similiar kudos to Alex Van Pelt for wisely calling a game in which the Bills took what the Patriots would give them, it almost worked.

I know the seat was already warm, but Dick Jauron should be on a very hot seat now. If it was really his decision to cut Langston Walker, because he felt Demetrius Bell was ready to play, then he is simply an idiot coach and an even worse evaluator of talent. If the cut came from Ralph to clear money, fine, we’re no stranger to that. But the way it sounded was the Bills thought Bell was simply better at this point, and he was the worst player on the field. He allowed multiple sacks, was called for multiple holds, and pressure off his side constantly forced Trent to be on the move.

Reggie Corner is good enough already to be the #2 cornerback. Maybin looked game speed ready but needs to vary his techniques in the pass rush, way too predictable for a line as smart as New Englands.

Our offensive line looked great! Seriously, what a major concern lifted. If the line plays with that kind of intensity and strength every game, we’re going to surprise people this year.

Keith Ellison, while scrappy and determined, just simply lacks the physical tools to be an every-down player in the NFL.

Next week we get Tampa at home, I’ll be there, and I’ll like the Bills to beat down on a very bad Tampa team to get their record to .500 early. From there, it is a matter of how cohesive the offensive unit becomes and how healthy we stay on defense.

I know it is getting harder, but keep Billievin. When this team wins it all, and it is damn sure going to happen one day, you will enjoy it all the more knowing you were here for these tough times. In the NFL, there is no yesterday, we gave New England a hell of an effort, but let’s build on the positives and move on to what is ahead of us. Billieve.