What was your most frustrating season as a Bills fan?

[Buffalo Barbarian]

When Grego ruined our 3/4 defense and got rid of Ted best ever Washington.

 

The year we lost to the Steelers back ups to make the playoffs.

 

All of Juron because he made us the smurfs and was very uninspiring.

 

When i knew Fitz wasn't the answer.

 

When we drafted EJ because i knew he wasn't the answer.

 

When maroon quit

 

Rex's last year when i figured out what a terrible coach he was.

 

The last 3 have been the best since the glory years 

 

 

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

Isn’t the answer always last season? 

[Niagara Bill]

2008...the last full year of Dickie Jauron, the softest unemotional coach ever!!

 

I was so frustrated with his lack of intensity and the lack of intensity of the team I gave up season tickets after 18 seasons. Could not bear to watch clipboard any longer.

Jauron would say please to a prostitute, and have a signed document.

Marv was gentle, but intense, 

[BillsPride12]

1 hour ago, SirAndrew said:

This is exactly how I feel. I was a believer in those teams back in 03 and 04. I realized that most of our teams after that point didn’t have the talent to be competitive. None of the hot starts really fooled me, but 03 and 04 were real letdowns. Bledsoe felt like a legitimate QB, although he proved to be a bust here. After Bledsoe we started a bunch of guys who are backup level QB’s, and only fans who fooled themselves could have really believed in those guys. 

Bledsoe, Moulds, Travis Henry, Takeo Spikes, London Fletcher, Pat Williams, Sam Adams, Nate Clements, Lawyer Milloy.  It always felt like we had legitimate playoff caliber talent back then and it was in their earlier years of what the Bills playoff drought would become so I didn't feel like we were straight up cursed at that point.  I felt like that was going to be the beginning of the new Bills era....if only I knew what was to follow 

[muppy]

Bad Buffalo Bills seasons to me are like childbirth. I basically forgot the pain once they occurred, put it in the past,  and focus on the Baby (The Bills) and my enduring fandom for the team. I prefer not remember unpleasant events once they happen.. Better is hopefully learn from them and keep it movin'.  Same with bad games. I know there have been some real stinkers but if you asked me to give a top ten I'd struggle to come up with those either.  I also think my philosophy helps maintain some sanity in stressful times such as the bad Bills history we all hope are well in our teams past

 

Bills fan since 1973.

Edited May 2, 2020 by Margarita

[GunnerBill]

1 hour ago, Ethan in Portland said:

Pegula was responsible for the Rex Ryan hire not Whaley.  And no one really knows who owns the EJ pick. Was it Nix or Whaley. Whaley added a lot of talent to the team. His offense was top 10 in scoring and number one in rushing. Ryan destroyed a top 3 defense. I too was ok with the Ryan hire because I thought he was a good game day coach and for the most part he was. I like the Greg Roman hire. All Rex had to do was keep Schwarz and add a few wrinkles to the defense. Instead the moron decided to blow it up. His fate was sealed at that moment.

 

A good game day coach? He let the team chaplin make challenges!!

[Buffalo Barbarian]

26 minutes ago, Margarita said:

Bad Buffalo Bills seasons to me are like childbirth. I basically forgot the pain once they occurred, put it in the past,  and focus on the Baby (The Bills) and my enduring fandom for the team. I prefer not remember unpleasant events once they happen.. Better is hopefully learn from them and keep it movin'.  Same with bad games. I know there have been some real stinkers but if you asked me to give a top ten I'd struggle to come up with those either.  I also think my philosophy helps maintain some sanity in stressful times such as the bad Bills history we all hope are well in our teams past

 

Bills fan since 1973.

 

You must have huge time lapses in your memory then ?

 

 

[Buffalo Barbarian]

7 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

A good game day coach? He let the team chaplin make challenges!!

 

maybe McDermott should let the chaplin makes his

 

 

[TheyCallMeAndy]

2016 was emotionally defeating, after all the big talk and hot air from Rex Ryan, after being close to making the playoffs. That's been the only year where I felt burnout. I watched every game and supported the team, but that year I probably talked, thought, and watched the least amount of football in my life. No social media, no message boards. 

 

Then they hired McD

[billsfan89]

2015 was insanely frustrating because the one major hole on the roster was thought to be QB and possibly Oline but InCog and a good rookie year from Miller fixed that and Tyrod was a serviceable QB. 

 

But it was the defense that regressed massively from a top 3 unit despite having a "defensive guru" as a head coach. Had the defense just been upper midlevel they probably would have won 10 games and competed for a wildcard spot. Had the defense stayed the same if would have been an 12 win season. 

[Maine-iac]

The year we lost to the Steelers back ups (Willie Parker's coming out party) and missed the playoffs was pretty disappointing.  Starting 5 and 2 and beating the Pats and then falling on our faces was right up there for modern era futility also.  Going back (as far as I personally can remember), when Harmon dropped the TD pass vs the Browns was a let down but I was still happy with that season.  Just was hoping to keep going in the playoffs that year.

[thronethinker]

2000 for sure. That D would have won the Super Bowl, but they blew it onj a ***** basic kickoff return. 

[Nihilarian]

14 hours ago, Doc Brown said:

All of these but I'll add 2008 after starting 5-1.

a) It wasn't just the Bills starting 5-1 that season. thinking the Bills have an honest shot to win the division and get into the playoffs!  It was also going 2-8 after those first five games. 

 

b) It was also watching Trent Edwards getting hammered to the ground and concussed in Arizona. Basically that one play ended his career as he came back from that severe concussion far too early. While the Bills won the very next against SD, Edwards was just never the same after this. 

 

c)  That game also showed the NFL world how inept the Bills OC (Turk Schonert) and offensive lines were! The Bills also learned backup QB JP Losman was worthless. 

 

d) The biggest thing in my view, was that Patriots QB Tom Brady was knocked out for the season in the first regular season game. The only backup QB the Pats had was a guy who had never started a game while in college. That's right, he was a backup QB at USC and completed 20 of 33 attempts for 192 yards his entire college career. 

 

So, here i'm thinking the Bills have a solid shot to take the division and get into the playoffs as the Patriots are DONE! ...yea right!

 

The Patriots didn't win the division that season as they finished the same as the Miami Dolphins 11-5 and the Phins won the tiebreaker. 

 

The Bills had very potent run game with Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson along with receivers Lee Evans, Josh Reed. The thing was that Lynch was usually making his yards with three defenders on his back and Jackson almost always made the first guys miss. That passing offense with OC Schonert was a complete mess.

 

Anyone else recall that week 15 Jets game in which the Bills were losing until Lynch turned into a power machine that the Jets D simply couldn't stop. The Bills rushing 32 rushes for 187 yards, 2 TD's. Lynch was just tearing it up...the Bills with the 2nd half lead all the way until 4:20 in the fourth quarter, Lynch 4 yards, Lynch 5 yards, Lynch 3 yards FIRST DOWN, Lynch 5 yards TIMEOUT by the NY Jets who's linemen were panting like dogs with their hands on their hips...

 

Suddenly, Bills OC Turk Schonert has a brainfart and has Losman drop back for a pass... sacked for -11 yard loss, FUMBLED, returned for a TD by the Jets who went on to win 31-27. Talk about a frustrating loss...

 

WAIT, there's more. Week 17, in Buffalo, in a freaking windstorm at the Ralph. 50-60 mile an hour winds so the team with the best run game should win this. +Should have been Buffalo right? Lynch and Jackson better than Sammy Morris and LaMont Jordan right?  Ehhhhnt, The Patriots ran the ball 47 times to Buffalo 35.

 

Jauron's "Tampa two" supposedly really good defense was never very good as he never did find the linebackers needed to run it properly. Jauron's choices for offensive coaches were clearly his downfall as his defenses were merely mediocre, his offenses with some decent talent at RB, WR his choices for offensive coaches were bad, bad, bad.  

 

A very frustrating season indeed!        

[Nihilarian]

3 hours ago, Ethan in Portland said:

Pegula was responsible for the Rex Ryan hire not Whaley.  And no one really knows who owns the EJ pick. Was it Nix or Whaley. Whaley added a lot of talent to the team. His offense was top 10 in scoring and number one in rushing. Ryan destroyed a top 3 defense. I too was ok with the Ryan hire because I thought he was a good game day coach and for the most part he was. I like the Greg Roman hire. All Rex had to do was keep Schwarz and add a few wrinkles to the defense. Instead the moron decided to blow it up. His fate was sealed at that moment.

Russ Brandon told the Pegula's to not let Ryan out of the building. Which in my view, was a very strong endorsement for Rex, by him. The Pegula's were intrigued by Ryan and his boasting.  Whaley could have said no and I'm sure they would have listened. This was Brandon who didn't want DC Jim Schwartz as HC, although he had earned a shot for HC with that #4 overall defense and #1 pass rush, #1 sacking team in the NFL. 

 

Rex Ryan was a mistake on so many levels and as first time NFL owners i'm pretty sure the Pegula's relied on the opinions of those people still at the helm of the team. 

 

 

The EJ pick was all on Doug Whaley as he went and personally scouted him. 

 

"I was an integral part in the drafting process of EJ Manuel," Whaley said on NFL Network's "NFL Total Access" on Thursday. "I was the person that handled the draft process and setting up the board."

 

The Bills finally seem pointed in the right direction. It now falls on Whaley's hand-picked franchise quarterback to end the longest active playoff drought in the NFL.

 

https://www.buffalobills.com/audio/whaley-on-manuel-and-scouting-at-senior-bowl-12494888

[Doc Brown]

15 minutes ago, Nihilarian said:

a) It wasn't just the Bills starting 5-1 that season. thinking the Bills have an honest shot to win the division and get into the playoffs!  It was also going 2-8 after those first five games. 

 

b) It was also watching Trent Edwards getting hammered to the ground and concussed in Arizona. Basically that one play ended his career as he came back from that severe concussion far too early. While the Bills won the very next against SD, Edwards was just never the same after this. 

 

c)  That game also showed the NFL world how inept the Bills OC (Turk Schonert) and offensive lines were! The Bills also learned backup QB JP Losman was worthless. 

 

d) The biggest thing in my view, was that Patriots QB Tom Brady was knocked out for the season in the first regular season game. The only backup QB the Pats had was a guy who had never started a game while in college. That's right, he was a backup QB at USC and completed 20 of 33 attempts for 192 yards his entire college career. 

 

So, here i'm thinking the Bills have a solid shot to take the division and get into the playoffs as the Patriots are DONE! ...yea right!

 

The Patriots didn't win the division that season as they finished the same as the Miami Dolphins 11-5 and the Phins won the tiebreaker. 

 

The Bills had very potent run game with Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson along with receivers Lee Evans, Josh Reed. The thing was that Lynch was usually making his yards with three defenders on his back and Jackson almost always made the first guys miss. That passing offense with OC Schonert was a complete mess.

 

Anyone else recall that week 15 Jets game in which the Bills were losing until Lynch turned into a power machine that the Jets D simply couldn't stop. The Bills rushing 32 rushes for 187 yards, 2 TD's. Lynch was just tearing it up...the Bills with the 2nd half lead all the way until 4:20 in the fourth quarter, Lynch 4 yards, Lynch 5 yards, Lynch 3 yards FIRST DOWN, Lynch 5 yards TIMEOUT by the NY Jets who's linemen were panting like dogs with their hands on their hips...

 

Suddenly, Bills OC Turk Schonert has a brainfart and has Losman drop back for a pass... sacked for -11 yard loss, FUMBLED, returned for a TD by the Jets who went on to win 31-27. Talk about a frustrating loss...

 

WAIT, there's more. Week 17, in Buffalo, in a freaking windstorm at the Ralph. 50-60 mile an hour winds so the team with the best run game should win this. +Should have been Buffalo right? Lynch and Jackson better than Sammy Morris and LaMont Jordan right?  Ehhhhnt, The Patriots ran the ball 47 times to Buffalo 35.

 

Jauron's "Tampa two" supposedly really good defense was never very good as he never did find the linebackers needed to run it properly. Jauron's choices for offensive coaches were clearly his downfall as his defenses were merely mediocre, his offenses with some decent talent at RB, WR his choices for offensive coaches were bad, bad, bad.  

 

A very frustrating season indeed!        

Thanks for the memories   I'll never forget that Chargers game when the power went out and all you could see in the restroom was the light from the cell phones.

 

One thing I'll add is I remember that season in retrospect is we beat teams early one we thought were better than they really were at the time early on.  We dominated the Seahawks in the opener who were a five years in a row playoff who ended up finishing 4-12.  Then we won at Jacksonville who was 11-5 the year before that finished 5-11.  We squeaked by a bad Raiders team and dominated a horrible Rams team on the road.  

[Straight Hucklebuck]

2009 was atrocious. Trent Edwards was our starting QB again, Dick Jauron started his 4th season as our Coach, TO was signed to sell tickets and Russ Brandon was our GM.
 

Russ Brandon and the Jason Peters trade, Ralph had to cancel a halftime presentation because he didn’t want to be booed, the 6-3 loss to Cleveland, the McKelvin fumble, the Saints game where their coaching staff said that the Bills offense was never going to score and TO saying he is just going with the plays that are called, Eric Wood breaking his leg, the Miami beat down, the game in Tennessee where Bud Adams was flicking off Bills fans.

 

The 2010 offseason was the worst I’ve ever seen, but in 2009 the Bills have never felt more like a fake NFL team. 

 

 

Edited May 3, 2020 by Straight Hucklebuck

[BillsPride12]

8 hours ago, Straight Hucklebuck said:

2009 was atrocious. Trent Edwards was our starting QB again, Dick Jauron started his 4th season as our Coach, TO was signed to sell tickets and Russ Brandon was our GM.
 

Russ Brandon and the Jason Peters trade, Ralph had to cancel a halftime presentation because he didn’t want to be booed, the 6-3 loss to Cleveland, the McKelvin fumble, the Saints game where their coaching staff said that the Bills offense was never going to score and TO saying he is just going with the plays that are called, Eric Wood breaking his leg, the Miami beat down, the game in Tennessee where Bud Adams was flicking off Bills fans.

 

The 2010 offseason was the worst I’ve ever seen, but in 2009 the Bills have never felt more like a fake NFL team. 

 

 

Those were the worst years of the Drought in my opinion.  I didn't pick them for this topic because at that point I had no expectations for this franchise 

[Meatloaf63]

On 5/2/2020 at 7:47 AM, 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...

This, that team was hands down better than the Giants, but Levy got out coached big time. Levy didn’t have the guts or brains to tell Marchibroda or Kelly to run Thurman till the Giants went back to their base defense. Ridiculous, horrible mistake, forever changed how that team should have been looked at...

[BillsFanSD]

Put me down for 2008.  6-1 start, 7-9 finish.  Plus we extended Jauron which just put an exclamation point on the total absence of any hope for the future.

[SoCal Deek]

I’d like to see the list of the LEAST frustrating season. For me, it had to be the drought ending finish. I still remember running around the house screaming like a little kid when Dalton hit that pass on New Years Eve! I couldn’t have cared less what happened in Jacksonville the next week. I was still smiling from ear to ear. 

Go Bills