corta765 Posted April 16, 2021 Posted April 16, 2021 (edited) It’s the off season and I feel like having fun. I feel like each season and game has a defining moment symbolizing what went wrong or right. I’m going to start with 2010 and go forward to this season. Let me know what you think! Week 1 Home vs Miami, Loss 15-10: In the opening game of the season the Bills took on the Dolphins in a pretty non eventful game. That said Buffalo had the ball with a chance to win, but the drive stalled and on fourth down new head coach Chan Gailey intentionally took a safety playing for field position instead. That may have actually summarized his time in Buffalo. Week 2 at Green Bay, Loss 34-7: After sacking Trent Edwards LB Clay Matthew’s humped him as he got up. The Bills lost even when the clock was stopped. Week 3 at New England, Loss 38-30: A 35 yard TD pass from Brady to Moss put NE back in front for good and solidified the divide between the teams. Rookie CJ Spiller did have a beautiful 95 yard kick return TD return. Week 4 New York Jets, loss 38-14: A 41 yard pass from Sanchez to Braylon Edwards put the Jets up 17-0 on the Bills midway in the 2nd of a rain soaked affair. Week 6 Jacksonville, 36-20 loss: Down 30-20 with ten minutes to go the Bills go for it with a fake punt which Moorman only gets 1 yard needing 7 to give the ball back to the Jags. Buffalos defense was a sieve and the Jags get FG while burning the clock down. Week 7 at Baltimore, 37-34 OT loss: In a very entertaining game the Bills rally to force OT. In OT the Ravens pick up Bills TE Shawn Nelson despite him being stopped and Ray Lewis strips him with the Ravens getting the ball and then a GW FG. I’ll never understand how this was legal as Nelson’s forward momentum was stopped and the play should’ve been blown dead. Week 8 at Kansas City, 13-10 OT loss: The Bills were looking to end a six game losing streak and came oh so close at the end. With 1:17 remaining in regulation the Bills had the ball close to mid field and got to the KC 41 with a first down. Then it happened, Fitz Fitz’d. He threw an INT on first down to Chiefs Eric Berry despite being in FG range. This would be my first memory of us being bad Fitz’d. Week 9 home but at Toronto vs Chicago, 22-19 loss: In a relatively nondescript game like all the Toronto games the Bills score a TD midway in the 3rd quarter to make it 14-13 Bears. The Bears defense was quite good that year and blocked the extra point. That ended up being the difference as the Bears ended up going for two later on rather then kicking to tie. Week 10 vs Detroit Lions, 14-12 Win!: In an ugly rain soaked mistake riddled matchup Lions QB Shaun Hill throws for 300 yds on 50 attempts, but his last second TD drive fails as he can’t convert the 2 pt conversion. Week 11 at Cincinnati Bengals, 49-31 Win: Roaring back from down 21 pts the Bills see Drayton Florence pick up a fumble and go 27 yds for a TD. With all the momentum on the Bills side they keep going and stun the Bengals for their second win. Week 12 Pittsburgh Steelers, 19-16 OT loss: This moment may have been the apex of bad “Billsing” and snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Buffalo played the future AFC champs hard forcing OT. In OT Ryan Fitzpatrick throws a 50 yard bomb to a wide open Stevie Johnson streaking into the end zone which will win the game... and he dropped the ball which hits him dead in the hands. Week 13 at Minnesota Vikings, 38-14 loss: Bills LB Arthur Moats crushes NFL legend Brett Farve that he is knocked out of the game. The hit is so bad it ends Farves iron man streak as he has to miss the next game. Week 14 Cleveland Browns, 13-6 Win: Browns QB Jake Delhomme is hit by Moats and his pass misfires getting intercepted by Leodis McKelvin late in the 4th. The Bills run the clock out for their 3rd win. Week 15 at Miami Dolphins, 17-14 win: CJ Spilele gets a 34 yard punt return which helps the Bills get a 10-0 lead a rare multi score lead on the season. Buffalo never relinquishes for their fourth win. Week 16 New England Patriots, 34-3 loss: Patriots LB Gary Guyton forces a Fitzpatrick fumble on the Bills third possession. The Patriots drive down and score to make it 14-3 and Buffalo continues to keep turning the ball over and the Patriots keep scoring. Week 17 at New York Jets, 38-7 loss: Brian Brohm is the QB with Fitzpatrick injured and throws a pick six 6 minutes into the 2nd quarter to Jets CB Marquice Cole. Few fun factoids on the season: -The Bills played three overtime games and lost all three. That is the most OT games they’ve played in the last 11 years. -The majority of Bills home games were played in awful conditions. With 5 of the 7 games in Buffalo (screw Toronto it was not a home game) having rain or wind. -In the last 8 games the Bills went 4-4 after at starting 0-8. However after going 4-2 they got blown out 72-10 in the last two games. -Against the Bengals the Bills scored 49 pts, in their other three wins combined they scored a total of 44 pts. PSA: Please appreciate our offense that exists currently. -This was the last season with the NFL blackout rule so it was possible to not see some Bills games. Edited April 16, 2021 by corta765 2
CLTbills Posted April 16, 2021 Posted April 16, 2021 That Lions game was the first game I took my (then girlfriend) wife to! We were living in Ohio at the time so we went to the Bengals game the next week as well. Bills were 0-8 at the time and won the 2 in a row that we went to. l remember that Bengals game because we were getting our butts KICKED and then came roaring back in the 2nd half. It was a fun one.
Brennan Huff Posted April 16, 2021 Posted April 16, 2021 I had totally forgotten that we started 0-8 that season. I must have blocked it from my memory
corta765 Posted April 16, 2021 Author Posted April 16, 2021 13 minutes ago, CLTbills said: That Lions game was the first game I took my (then girlfriend) wife to! We were living in Ohio at the time so we went to the Bengals game the next week as well. Bills were 0-8 at the time and won the 2 in a row that we went to. l remember that Bengals game because we were getting our butts KICKED and then came roaring back in the 2nd half. It was a fun one. Haha yea the Bengals game was wild and fun. It was the one legit good and fun game that season. I went to the Dolphins home opener, Jets rain blowout, and Pats snow blowout. All were miserable for different reasons. The Pats game we went to tailgate we sat 200 level for $35 for two tickets. I remember that morning buying an 18 rack of Coors at 6:45 with the purpose of drinking all that by start of game haha 1 minute ago, Brennan Huff said: I had totally forgotten that we started 0-8 that season. I must have blocked it from my memory I remember people were legit angry they won games because Cam and Luck were potentially there and they needed a QB badly. Fitz fooled them like he has everyone on being a true starter (not hate at Fitz I loved him he just wasn’t a franchise guy). 2
SirAndrew Posted April 16, 2021 Posted April 16, 2021 (edited) Awesome topic, I find it very interesting. Does anyone remember if the third game of the season against the Pats was the first Fitz start that season? I know he started games in 2009, but 2010 solidified him as starter. I’d consider that a pretty big turning point. I was never the biggest Fitz guy, but I can’t believe Gailey started Edwards that season. I knew Gailey was a joke the minute that happened. Everyone knew Edwards wasn’t the future before the start of 2010. Edited April 16, 2021 by SirAndrew
corta765 Posted April 16, 2021 Author Posted April 16, 2021 20 minutes ago, SirAndrew said: Awesome topic, I find it very interesting. Does anyone remember if the third game of the season against the Pats was the first Fitz start that season? I know he started games in 2009, but 2010 solidified him as starter. I’d consider that a pretty big turning point. I was never the biggest Fitz guy, but I can’t believe Gailey started Edwards that season. I knew Gailey was a joke the minute that happened. Everyone knew Edwards wasn’t the future before the start of 2010. Yep week 3 NE started and everyone’s general reaction was it’s about time and wow the offense is just bad not historically awful. Gailey walked into an awful situation as the team had little talent, ownership was a major ?, and they had no QB answer. He wasn’t even the teams first choice which was Cowher. I think he started Trent to see if anything was salvageable and then moved from there. To me his major mistake was not pining to draft a QB any of his years there. 1
NewEra Posted April 16, 2021 Posted April 16, 2021 If Stevie would’ve caught the ball we may have drafted Julio, Watt, Patrick Peterson or AJ green.
SirAndrew Posted April 16, 2021 Posted April 16, 2021 27 minutes ago, NewEra said: If Stevie would’ve caught the ball we may have drafted Julio, Watt, Patrick Peterson or AJ green. Buddy Nix probably would have just reached for some obscure guy who ended up being drafted in the second or third round. 1
Chandler#81 Posted April 16, 2021 Posted April 16, 2021 Knock Knock -who’s there? Owen -Owen who? Owen Eight
Buftex Posted April 16, 2021 Posted April 16, 2021 5 hours ago, SirAndrew said: Awesome topic, I find it very interesting. Does anyone remember if the third game of the season against the Pats was the first Fitz start that season? I know he started games in 2009, but 2010 solidified him as starter. I’d consider that a pretty big turning point. I was never the biggest Fitz guy, but I can’t believe Gailey started Edwards that season. I knew Gailey was a joke the minute that happened. Everyone knew Edwards wasn’t the future before the start of 2010. I wouldn't be too hard on Chan for that particular thing. Edwards was a draft pick, the team was dismal, and very challenged. At that point, the cult of Fitz wasn't quite a thing...he was a journeyman, on his third NFL team in 4 years. As you recall, Chan didn't just bench Edwards in favor of Fitzpatrick, he outright released him after his miserable week 2 performance. That was pretty ballsy, in my opinion. I wish I could find the actual quote, but I will have to paraphrase...when asked during the week how he could release Edwards, after only 3 weeks earlier naming him his starter, and saying he saw great things for Edwards, Chan said something to the effect of: "Trent is a helluva good kid, smart, and a team player. As a the coach, I have to see what I can get out of a guy with those qualities....but then when the performance doesn't live up to that, I had to let him go, because I wasn't sensing it was going to improve....there was a body of work that goes with that final conclusion. And Trent is such a good guy, I was afraid if Fitz was struggling some Sunday along the way, I would be tempted to put Trent back in. That wouldn't be fair to the Buffalo Bills...we need to make progress, not tread water. You just can't stick with something that clearly isn't working. That's the point I felt we were at." In two decades of miserable football, Gaily, for me, was one of the highlights. Maybe not the greatest head coach, but the Bills were, at the very least watchable. 2
AdamTheBillsFan Posted April 16, 2021 Posted April 16, 2021 I was at the Baltimore game. My dad worked in BLT at the time and got awesome seats through his employer. Despite the outcome it was a really cool environment. Lots of people very nice to me and my dad and brother despite our bills gear, one guy even bought me a beer just because I was wearing my Kelly jersey.
corta765 Posted April 17, 2021 Author Posted April 17, 2021 8 hours ago, Buftex said: I wouldn't be too hard on Chan for that particular thing. Edwards was a draft pick, the team was dismal, and very challenged. At that point, the cult of Fitz wasn't quite a thing...he was a journeyman, on his third NFL team in 4 years. As you recall, Chan didn't just bench Edwards in favor of Fitzpatrick, he outright released him after his miserable week 2 performance. That was pretty ballsy, in my opinion. I wish I could find the actual quote, but I will have to paraphrase...when asked during the week how he could release Edwards, after only 3 weeks earlier naming him his starter, and saying he saw great things for Edwards, Chan said something to the effect of: "Trent is a helluva good kid, smart, and a team player. As a the coach, I have to see what I can get out of a guy with those qualities....but then when the performance doesn't live up to that, I had to let him go, because I wasn't sensing it was going to improve....there was a body of work that goes with that final conclusion. And Trent is such a good guy, I was afraid if Fitz was struggling some Sunday along the way, I would be tempted to put Trent back in. That wouldn't be fair to the Buffalo Bills...we need to make progress, not tread water. You just can't stick with something that clearly isn't working. That's the point I felt we were at." In two decades of miserable football, Gaily, for me, was one of the highlights. Maybe not the greatest head coach, but the Bills were, at the very least watchable. When I was writing up my 2011 moments I reflected how I wish that team broke that drought. They were close but didn’t have enough depth once the injuries started. Chan made that offense farrr more functional then it should have been. They also lost a few games that really swung their chances.
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