Was that our easiest playoff loss to take?

[Success]

1 minute ago, Realist said:

Because I think we exceeded expectations this season, it was easier getting over. However, from here on in, any playoff losses or God forbid missed playoff seasons are going to be excruciating. This season raised the bar considerably for the future.

 

Without doubt, and that's how it goes.

 

Hearing Pats fans talk over the past decade, the regular season became like preseason for them. When we were already talking about the draft in November, they were talking about how they might face in the AFCCG or SB.   I saw some this past season even be glad that they could get back to celebrating and feeling good about regular season wins.

 

[BuffaloBillies]

In my mind I only gave us about a 30% chance to win.

Then we score the first 9 points and I'm thinking... we have a great chance to win now.

But once a wheel starting falling off, I figured all 4 would come off soon - and they did.

So I ended up right where I started.

 

Not so much disappointed in the loss... more the way we were helpless out there.

For instance, AZ was a heartbreaking loss... but at least the Bills played a great game.

I'd take the AZ loss over the KC loss.

[LeGOATski]

For me, yes.

 

The Bills not only got over the playoff win hump, they won a 2nd playoff game. My expectations for the season were met. 

 

There's nothing about this loss that I regret, as a fan. They had a great year and just lost to the defending champs playing at their best.

 

This is now the next hump to get over: win a championship. 

[BMWR100RT]

I expected a close game. But the team looked in trouble walking out of the locker room. KC looked like they were ready to advance. We looked like deer caught in the headlights. I've never seen our team so unprepared. Also unable to make adjustments. KC didn't do anything that should have surprised us. Yes the first 9 were nice, but you could see on KC's next possession that they were the more poised team. We were whiffing on blocks on offense and tackles on defense without backing each other up. I put that on the coaches.

I also can't help but wondering if Josh can play in a noisy environment.

 

I would have gone into the off-season feeling better if we were competitive at least a little bit. That was tough. Hopefully the experience will help if they get this far next year.

[gobillsinytown]

Old guy Bills fan here.  The absolute worst loss in team history was the first Super Bowl.  I was at a party with about 20 people and we were all crying.  

I didn't think the team had much chance to win the other three Super Bowls, so those losses were much easier to deal with because I knew going in that they were completely out matched.

Since then I've learned to just appreciate the good teams when they come along. 

I thought they had a chance to win this game, but they would have needed a lot of things to go their way and that obviously didn't happen.

Sure it sucks to see them lose, but after 40 years I try to appreciate the good times more than get upset over the bad.

[BFLO]

Yes. 

 

The 90's SB losses and the music city illegal forward pass were soul crushing and I haven't recovered and never will. 

 

The Jax game was embarrassing and made it clear we had no business being in the playoffs and made me question if McD was a good enough coach. There was no expectation for future success after that game, if anything there was more doubt. 

 

The Texans game again made me question if we deserved to be there after a cream puff schedule, was McD good enough, and was Allen good enough. And again just like after jax I had more doubts than hopes. 

 

After that loss to KC I was already looking forward to the offseason and next year. There was no bitter disappointment or doubt anymore. Allen and McD have proven they are for real and can grow. Although the AFCCG stage was too big for them this year, they've gained that experience and will be able to handle it next time. 

[DabillsDaBillsDaBills]

This loss has been easy to get over, but I would say the Jaguars would be the easiest. 

 

2017 I was just ecstatic we broke the drought. That was a pretty mediocre Bills team that lucked into a playoff spot. While we had a small chance of beating  the Jaguars, we had NO chance to beat the Patriots in the divisional round (let alone make a SB run). 

 

This year I have a sour taste in my mouth that we were dominated so thoroughly, but the fact it was so lopsided makes the game easy to get over (I won't be tormented by "what ifs"). 

[Motorin']

21 minutes ago, RiotAct said:

I had an easier time with the loss to the Jags in 2018 - my whole mentality (and many, many others’ too i’m sure) was that it was cool to finally be back in the playoffs.

 

yeah, that was probably the easiest loss to accept. there were 0 expectations. 

[eball]

46 minutes ago, TheBrownBear said:

The 2017 Jax game was by far the easiest to take.  We had zero chance of advancing any further if we had won.

 

This Chiefs loss is on par with the loss to the Bengals in 1988.  Team on the rise who is outclassed on the road by a really good team.  

 

This is dead on.  I see so many parallels between this team and the '88 team.  I just hope we skip '89 and go straight to '90.

 

 

Edited January 26, 2021 by eball

[skibum]

Yes and no. The game itself was easy enough to get over. The Bills had no chance. But in the aftermath, the game exposed several weaknesses on the team that will need to be addressed to get over the hump. And when you look at the roster, cap, recent top draft picks, impending contracts for star players, etc. - it's hard to see how the team is going to improve next year. 

[Success]

3 minutes ago, skibum said:

Yes and no. The game itself was easy enough to get over. The Bills had no chance. But in the aftermath, the game exposed several weaknesses on the team that will need to be addressed to get over the hump. And when you look at the roster, cap, recent top draft picks, impending contracts for star players, etc. - it's hard to see how the team is going to improve next year. 

 

In the drought, we had massive changes that needed to be made, every season.  It was almost overwhelming at times how many units on the team had to be addressed.

 

I don't see that here. We're closer to KC than we think - it's just a few upgrades here & there.  Just improving the running game and getting more pass rush will work wonders toward making us more balanced, which is what we need to be.

 

And I have 100% confidence in Beane. I'm can't wait to see what he does this offseason.

 

[B-Large]

I’d be feeling better had it been a close affair down to the end... and that isn’t any revelation...  but it wasn’t really even competitive.... that’s gonna linger for quite a while.

 

Good news is we got a dose of what the next gear looks and feels like, and that will go a long way.  
 

just something about getting physically bullied for 60 minutes... tough to digest. 

29 minutes ago, BuffaloBillies said:

In my mind I only gave us about a 30% chance to win.

Then we score the first 9 points and I'm thinking... we have a great chance to win now.

But once a wheel starting falling off, I figured all 4 would come off soon - and they did.

So I ended up right where I started.

 

Not so much disappointed in the loss... more the way we were helpless out there.

For instance, AZ was a heartbreaking loss... but at least the Bills played a great game.

I'd take the AZ loss over the KC loss.

helplessness.  That’s the perfect way to describe Sunday.  Ick. 

[Jauronimo]

This one was much easier to swallow than last year.  Buffalo just blew it in 2019.  They had every opportunity to win and didn't seize victory.  They made so many mistakes.  This compounded by the officiating and I was in a state of disgust and anger for days afterward. 

 

Sunday, we got completely outplayed on both sides of the ball.  Just no answers.  Offense was struggling to put points on the board and defense got no stops.  There is nothing to look back on and ask what might have been.  Maybe if our WRs aren't all hurt we lose by one score since we only forced one defensive stop.  That game plan needs to be burned.

[Like A Mofo]

I might be in the minority on this, but losing in the AFC Championship is worse then the Super Bowl. Now we have to hear all about KC vs TB for two weeks and we were close to being in Tampa, one game away. I can't listen to any of it.

[clayboy54]

Going back to the preseason, most were saying that anything less than a playoff win would be a disappointment despite the rough looking schedule.  I get that we looked like world-beaters at times this year, and I would've liked to see them in the SB too, but the Bills more than exceeded expectations from back before the season. Anyone who doesn't see it that way is likely still influenced by the incredible growth this team took during the season.

 

It was a great year to be a Bills fan.

[Success]

1 minute ago, Like A Mofo said:

I might be in the minority on this, but losing in the AFC Championship is worse then the Super Bowl. Now we have to hear all about KC vs TB for two weeks and we were close to being in Tampa, one game away. I can't listen to any of it.

 

Nothing to me would be worse than losing our 5th SB to TOM BRADY, after 2 weeks of the media talking about his record against the Bills over 2 decades.

 

I would have had to spend weeks in church, just looking to the heavens and asking what terrible things I had done in previous lives to warrant such an outcome.  I'd probably cope by creating a state of denial about the whole concept of football, like "There's another league beyond the MLB, NHL and NBA?  Are you sure?"

 

[st pete gogolak]

1 hour ago, TheFunPolice said:

I wasn't that upset, because as much as it sucked to see, the Chiefs are other worldly. 

 

The Super bowl won't even be close. Enjoy watching Brady get crushed!

 

 

 

Yup. #1 and #4 were there for the taking. The Cowboys fully expected to lose in #4 (for the Bills) because Aikman was so concussed he didn't know the plays. But by then the team was so tight, waiting for the crushing mistake. The pressure was enormous to win.

 

That's what makes the chiefs even more dangerous.  there's no "yeah, but" anymore. A super team like that that is tight and also confident and plays loose is pretty close to unbeatable. 

 

 

I always wonder how the two Cowboy Super Bowls would have turned out if we had Charles Haley and Thomas Everett and the Cowboys did not.  Bruce Smith on one side and Charles Haley on the other.  Thirty years later still have no idea why the 49’ers would trade Haley, not only within the conference but to their main rival within the conference.  Could have cost them a Super Bowl appearance or two.

[Jauronimo]

27 minutes ago, eball said:

 

This is dead on.  I see so many parallels between this team and the '88 team.  I just hope we skip '89 and go straight to '90.

 

 

This year was '88.  2019 was the Ronnie Harmon drop again and again and again:  Brown can't tap his toes on the sidelines, Knox and Ford can't pick up a block, Bills give up 3rd and 18 to Taiwan Jones, then Milano and Neal can't wrap up Watson.

 

We are moving in proper sequence this time around.

Edited January 26, 2021 by Jauronimo

[All_Pro_Bills]

I didn't take the loss to the Chiefs too hard.  Mainly because the Bills offense didn't play their "A game" in either of the previous 2 playoff games against the Colts and Ravens.  Although I have to also say the defense had a decent outing against the Ravens.  To me it seemed like this team was just out of gas playing a very tough regular season schedule and getting to 13-3.  Against the Chiefs Sunday they just seemed flat in every way imaginable.

 

What would have devastated me beyond recovery would have been advancing to the Super Bowl and getting beat by Brady one more time.  That guy just has our number or made a deal with the Devil to always beat the Bills.  I just couldn't bear to go through that so when Tampa beat Green Bat earlier the thought of that match up in two weeks was in my head.  

 

 

Edited January 26, 2021 by All_Pro_Bills

[Matt_In_NH]

Jacksonville was not hard for me to take.