Jump to content

What was your most frustrating season as a Bills fan?


Recommended Posts

The disappointment of losing to the Steelers backups at home with playoffs on the line was super frustrating. We also started 1-5 because we were running Henry more then McGahee. Prettty sure McGahee started during the W also when Henry was injured. Once the made the switch we went on a real run. 
 

I think Taylor’s first season was the most frustrating though, some of it having to do with be another 10 years into the drought. What hurt the most was we had about 4 or 5 games that we lost by a TD or less. At the end of those games when we needed the best play out of our QB we got his worst. I remember the Philly game the best, we were down by 3 and got two opportunities. I know we hardly moved the ball, not sure if we even got a first down on the drives. When the drives stalled they were both on 3rd down and both the same deep pass down the right side, the second one was intercepted. 
 

The KC game was pretty frustrating also. Sammy had a career 1st half and after some KC adjustments Taylor is terrified to throw in his direction. Also another game where we had the ball and couldn’t score at the end. 
 

When you finish 8-8 and have 4 losses decided by a ess then a TD it’s not hard to determine better play out of our QB late in games could of been the difference. I don’t expect to win them all but I expect to win a couple.  Just move the ball and give yourself an opportunity, but we couldn’t go anywhere in those situations. 
 

Allen might not be the most consistent but when the game is good on the line he plays his best football. We won a decent amount of games in the 4th quarter this year, we also lost a few where we were knocking on the door at the end and just couldn’t get in the end zone. A Hauska missed FG cost is the game in Cleveland as well. 

Edited by BananaB
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, JaCrispy said:

1990 hands down...

 

because it is so hard to get to that level...and to be that good and that close is the most crushing feeling ever...

 

Looking back over my 50+ years of being a Bills fan, I would choose 1990. The season itself was not frustrating; however, the end result was, in hindsight, the most frustrating of any season. That was the one year that, IMHO, the Bills were clearly the best team in football, had the best opportunity to win the Super Bowl, and should have won it.

 

1999 was my second choice. That team clearly had the talent to win the Super Bowl that year, and I believe they could have if they would have had consistently decent play at QB. I couldn't stand Flutie or Johnson.

  • Like (+1) 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Surprised it hasn't been mentioned, but 2012 really took the wind out of my sails as a fan, and I'm no youngster--I've seen it all (from the Super Bowl era on, at least.)

That year, I spent all offseason talking myself into the Bills chances. The year before was the 5-2 start, but Fitz had been injured in the game vs the Redskins in Toronto, so it seemed like there was a legitimate excuse as to why the wheels came off. The PREVIOUS year (2010) they had started 0-8, but went on such a nice run at the end of the season it felt like a young team coming together. Their hot start in 2011 seemed to be legitimate, and then they actually went out and made additions to improve the roster. Mario Wiliams! Dave Wansteadt to coach the D! 

I know it sounds ridiculous, but I was beyond excited for the season to start. Counting the minutes. I thought that team was going to go on a Cinderella run. 

Well, the details are a little fuzzy, but week 1 in the Meadowlands, I remember Fitz throwing a pick 6 about 3 minutes in, and we never recovered.
Losses to the Rams and the Titans at home stick out in my mind. 2 games we had to have, and just looked like absolute trash. 
It was so depressing to think that we were on the cusp of being an ACTUAL NFL team, but as the season wore on, I learned the value of having depth on the roster. We had none. 

The 2015 season wasn't that disappointing to me. I can't explain why, but I just absolutely LOATHED those teams. The roster construction drove me up a wall. It was like having 75,000$ worth of toys and living in a trailer park. Tyrod just wasn't a good QB. I saw it from day 1. He could scramble, he could "make plays", but he couldn't walk up to the line, check the d, audible out, exploit a weakness, and win when it mattered.

Haters aside, Josh Allen can actually do that. He just looks like an NFL QB, and it's fun to watch. Love the team we have now. To me, heartbreaking playoff losses hurt less than 6-10 campaigns. 

  • Like (+1) 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, BillsNutHawaii said:

 

I think our number one ranked defense that year would have challenged the Rams offense.  I really believe the Bills had a better than 50% chance of defeating the St. Louis Rams in that SB, had Buffalo advanced.  

 

I agree with this. Tom Jackson on ESPN (met him here in Cincy once, super nice guy) said on NFL Countdown that morning of the Titans game, "The winner of this game will be in the Super Bowl." He was right.

 

OP topic, most disappointing season? Geez.......it's like a Rolodex when you're a Bills fan. For me, I think it's gotta be a tie between 2004 and 2011, with 2003 honorable mention. Bledsoe played arguably his worst game ever against Pittsburgh's backups (and we were at home!); The fool's gold of Fitzy in 2011; 2-0 start (remember James Hardy in Jacksonville, RIP) and it just bailing out after then.

  • Like (+1) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2003 is a great choice. We’ve had worse teams, but that was the most frustrating imo. I thought we had a really good defense and a decent QB (Bledsoe) who was good enough to take us to the playoffs. Many of us were wrong about both, and we should have seen it coming from the second half of Bledsoe’s 2002 season.

2004 isn’t being mentioned, but the loss to the Steelers backups that season was an all time low. That season started out so poorly before we made a run in the second half of the season led by McGahee. It was one of the more exciting second halves of a season I remember. Missing out on the playoffs was tough that year. I never really got frustrated during the Fitz/Gailey years, or Edwards/Jauron years because my expectations were non existent. 

Edited by SirAndrew
  • Like (+1) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

When they hired Rex Ryan, which I thought from day one was a stupid move. I could hardly watch them under him, the undisciplined play, the way he destroyed the defense, his ego and awful press conferences. It still makes me cringe. 

  • Like (+1) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, Seasons1992 said:

 

I agree with this. Tom Jackson on ESPN (met him here in Cincy once, super nice guy) said on NFL Countdown that morning of the Titans game, "The winner of this game will be in the Super Bowl." He was right.

 

OP topic, most disappointing season? Geez.......it's like a Rolodex when you're a Bills fan. For me, I think it's gotta be a tie between 2004 and 2011, with 2003 honorable mention. Bledsoe played arguably his worst game ever against Pittsburgh's backups (and we were at home!); The fool's gold of Fitzy in 2011; 2-0 start (remember James Hardy in Jacksonville, RIP) and it just bailing out after then.

 

“Like a Rolodex..... “ .... perfectly stated - PERFECT!  

And with regard to Tom Jackson’s statements, Bill Parcells was on that show too and said basically said the same thing.  it was the beginning of the playoffs and for the AFC he predicted the Bills would make the SB.  But I stand by my earlier post, worst Bills season for me as a fan (or any season of any sport ) is the Bills of 1985.  

 

 

 

 

  • Like (+1) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's a toss up between the music city  miracle and the year that Bruce Smith got the flu and wasn't able to play in the playoffs against the Steelers. We had Bryce Paup and Smith that year and probably could have advanced to the Superbowl with a healthy Smith. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, eball said:

2016 for me.  3/4 through the season I wrote a letter to the Pegulas that I would not be renewing my season tickets (after 27 years) and implored them to fire Rex and remove Brandon from all football operations.

 

You were late on the bus. In the days when we used to have signatures on our posts around here I made mine "fire Rex" after the Jags London game in 2015. The man was a freaking moron. 2016 was like slow creeping death to me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1975 - All three Buffalo teams were really good and the Bills got off to a 4-0 start including a win vs. the Steelers who had thrashed them in the playoffs. I think that 1975 was OJ's best year, better than the 2,003 yard season because he had over 1,800 yards and set the NFL for TDs in a season (and had over 400 yards receiving). Jim Braxton had over 1,100 yards from scrimmage. Their offense was unstoppable but their defense couldn't stop anyone, especially in the 2nd half of the season. 

 

I was 13-14 years old, and when they started out 4-0 and beat Pittsburgh I thought they had a chance to go all the way. Then they lost to a bad Giants team on Monday night and of course lost to Miami the week later and the season headed south.

 

Watching McAdoo win another scoring title and the MVP (and the Braves having the 3rd best record in the NBA) and the Sabres make it to Stanley Cup helped a lot but that Bills season will always be a huge disappointment. I thought all 3 teams had a chance to win a championship that year. 

  • Thank you (+1) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2010 (by a mile)

 

Started the season 0-8.  Starter was benched.  Owner Ralph Wilson went on the record saying Buddy Nix he one job, Find a QB in the Draft.

 

Then what happened?

 

Fitz went 4-4 final 8 games.

 

Buffalo finished 4-12.  Dropped to 3rd Overall in Draft.  Missed out on Cam Newton.  Drafted Marcel Dareus.  Did Buffalo Draft a QB...nope!

 

proably the most frustrating part was having to read on sites like this all the “FOOTBALL EXPERTS” say that Fitz was the guy and all he needed was more time with Gailey.  WOW!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice question, how much time do you have...

 

 

Go Bills!!!

  • Haha (+1) 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, JaCrispy said:

1990 hands down...

 

because it is so hard to get to that level...and to be that good and that close is the most crushing feeling ever...

 

Same. Beat the Raiders 51- 3. That team was loaded.  

  • Like (+1) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...