What are the top three worst losses in franchise history?

[Mikie2times]

1 hour ago, BullBuchanan said:

This doesn't even make my short list. It was a great game played by great teams. We lost and that sucks, but we didn't get the rug pulled out from under us by external forces or collapse in on ourselves. We just lost.

The MNF game to Dallas felt worse. Stevie Johnson drop against the Steelers felt worse. Losing against the Steelers backups and launching the career of Willie Parker felt worse. Watching our 5-1 season slip away was worse. MCM and Wide Right were WAY worse.

Wild Card or not that Bills team in the MCM was one of the best defenses we ever had at a time when that really meant something. It's very possible we make a SB run that year just as the team we should have beat did. I just can't rank 13 seconds ahead of MCM. At least with 13 seconds everything happened within what would be considered normal football. Even if it was incredibly unlikely. Much less shocking to me than seeing a throwback on a kickoff to the house. 

Edited January 26, 2022 by KzooMike

[SinceThe70s]

22 minutes ago, Success said:

I hate these threads - but get them.

 

It's easy for me:  wide right, MCM, 13 seconds.  In that order.

 

Gotta be playoff games. Dallas MNF was brutal, but inconsequential.  The 3 I named are all potential - and even somewhat probable - Lombardi's.

 

 

 

I didn't realize it until I read your post but wide right and 13 seconds were very similar for me. Wide right was the best Super Bowl I'd ever seen up until the miss and the 13 rollercoaster was an amazing ride up until the end. I came away from both massively disappointed yet wildly optimistic about the years ahead.

[Mikie2times]

5 minutes ago, billsfan714 said:

Superbowl 28 we actually had the lead at halftime.   Still never felt confident, knowing what they did to us before.

Underrated in it's misery because I think we all knew that was going to be the last one and most of us didn't really give the Bills a great chance. I think Dallas still wins even if Thurman doesn't fumble, but that was as much of a landslide play as I've ever seen. It's like everybody immediately knew when that happened, despite still having a lead, it was over.   

[Sandhill Mike]

6 minutes ago, RalphWilson'sNewWar said:

I tell ya…(funny just talking about this game in another post)

 

Super Bowl 27

Cowboys - 52

Bills -17

 

I was 10 years old.  I had went to the Greatest Comeback Game Just a few weeks prior.

 

Bills were making history in epic fashion as a Wild Card Team…and doing it with Kelly Injured.

 

I bought in to “Team of Destiny” based on how that playoff season went.  It was MEANT TO BE.

 

And then to show up at the Rose Bowl…and just get Slaughtered like that.  Pulverized AND Kelly got hurt again.

 

that whole magical playoff run to end in that way was just horrible.  They didn’t even belong on the same field with Dallas that day.

 

You knew…everyone knew…they owned the Bills and they were helpless to do anything.

 

😞

 

And can you believe we were up 7-0 after Tasker blocked that punt?  What a dreadful game.  At least Beebe ran down Leon Lett and ruined his celebration.

 

VaMilBill, I agree on those two regular season losses being memorable.  During Sunday's game, Romo was talking about how unbelievable it was to give up nine sacks (Cincinnati) and win the game.  All I could think was "yeah, like throwing five picks and winning the game".  I, too, despise Nick Folk to this day.  

 

The McKelvin fumble was VERY memorable as well... especially since it was the Patriots.  We HAD it.  I never want to see Leodis McKelvin again.

 

I'd also add the loss to the Steelers backups to miss the playoffs back in Bledsoe's day.  We didn't just lose, we got beat.

 

Wide right is hands down the worst, but I have to admit... I started my Bills fandom with a heartbreak playoff game followed by four straight Super Bowl losses.  After those years, the other losses sucked... but not like those.  As you point out, the blowouts were demoralizing while the bookend games were heartbreakers.

 

Everyone in the World wants to re-watch this weekend's game with the exception of some Bills fans (like myself).

 

I tell you what... many of us are seeing the Chefs as this obstacle that will keep us from the Promised Land... but I think their fans, just like the Chowder Heads, can see the writing on the wall... Josh Allen is for real... He's Mahomes in Roethlisberger's body.  I'm looking forward to the rematches with them next year.

 

This loss was tough for sure... but I think our Bills are going to get real good at breaking other fans' hearts sooner than later.

[Steptide]

The superbowls were the worst. You can't top those, especially 4 in a row. After those though - 

 

Music City Miracle. This whole game was just cursed from the start. Starting Johnson over flutie. Just a nightmare. 

 

Houston 2019 playoffs. 16 point lead blown. Then game goes to ot, and 2 players have Watson tackled and he somehow gets out of it and throws a pass down field to get in fg range. 

 

 

 

Patriots mnf in 2009. I put this above the Dallas mnf because we were beating them all game. If I remember correctly, the bills gave up like 14 points in the last minute and a half. Crushing loss

 

Steelers 2004. Had the playoffs handed to us on a silver platter and couldn't beat back ups 

 

Dallas Mnf 2007. Our offense was absolutely putrid that night, but the defense and special teams were amazing. Unreal they gave up an on side kick with like a minute left. 

 

There's actually quite a few other games i can think of in the drought era that were heart breakers, but just weren't very significant. The Browns mnf game comes to mind. 

 

Lastly, Sunday night will sting for a very long time. I don't know where to put it yet, but right now it's definitely one of the worst 

 

I know the op asked for the top 3, but there's many many more than 3

Edited January 26, 2022 by Steptide

[MJS]

29 minutes ago, hondo in seattle said:

Pick three of the Super Bowls at random.  

Agreed. To get to the Superbowl just to lose. That's way more impactful to me than a divisional round game.

 

Heck, last year getting to the championship game just to lose by multiple scores was more impactful for me.

[billsfan714]

1 hour ago, VaMilBill said:

I wanted to take a survey of all you Bills fans to get an idea of what was the top three worst losses in franchise history for you as a fan. When I say worst, i mean it should take into account all factors including how painful, how unexpected, how consequential, etc. the loss was. 

 

I wanted to canvass and get a baseline for how painful this past loss was in terms of Bills misery. 
 

for me, I’m 30 years old so I didn’t really become a bills fan until the Losman years. I know about the 89 loss to the browns in the playoffs as well as wide right and music city miracle. 
 

In my opinion, since I’ve been a fan, the worst losses have been:

 

1) 2022, Bills vs Chiefs loss in divisional round of the playoffs. We all know what was on the line. Win, and we had a good shot to win the SB.  Not only that, but we protect the legacy of the 90’s Bills by ensuring KC doesn’t get to another SB and threaten 4 in a row. If KC gets 4, then it is more impressive because of the SB win they have. In addition, the way we lost was absurd and really will leave a taint on this franchise and team for at least the next 5 years, minimum. 
 

2) 2007: Bills lose to Dallas 25-24. Bills were huge underdogs in this game. It was the first MNF game Buffalo was hosting since 1994. Dallas was playing lights out all season. None of us expected the Bills to win. The defense and ST played lights out, Trent was meh, and we found ourselves in great position near the end. Then we snatched defeat from the jaws of victory and Dallas recovered an onside kick and Nick Folk kicks the winner. I’ve always despised Nick Folk since then. 
 

3) 2009. Bills lose to Patriots on MNF 25-24. This one stung because again, Bills were big dogs. Tom Brady was still fresh off of his torn ACL recovery and a lot of us was hoping he would never be the same. Bills had been rocking all night. Aaron Schobel had the pick six. Defense had two 4th down stuffs. Then McKelvin, inexplicably returns the ball out of the end zone and fumbles. Couple of plays later Patriots score and we lose. Painful. 
 

honorable mention is the Pittsburgh loss where Stevie blamed God. That sucked because Pittsburgh was so good and we sucked. But Fitz was beginning to earn our love. 
 

Curious to hear what the old timers think. 

By the time of the McKelvin fumble, as an older person, it was almost funny at that point.  You become conditioned for it, waiting for it, and BAM it happens.   Like how can a team do the dumbest things and lose.   As I said many times, Im a transplanted WNYer surrounded by Steeler fans.   I watched the immaculate reception live in the 70s, Bens tackle against the Colts after Bettis fumbled,  James Harrisons 100 yd int return and Santonio Holmes end zone catch against the Cards in the superbowl, just amazing clutch plays.    I started referring to our players as anti-clutch.   I dont use the word choke.   It is amazing how different these 2 franchises are.  I love my Bills til the day I die, but damn it is amazing, approaching wonder and awe, when you need  someone to step up and F%$k something up, at a crucial time,  somebody on the Bills will find a way.   Now I can add a coach to that lore.

Edited January 26, 2022 by billsfan714

[Niagara Dude]

Just now, billsfan714 said:

Not holding a lead with 13 seconds left, kicking off, is not a collapse in on ourselves?

This was by far the worse of the 3,    your feeling really good thinking we finally got over the hump and will be playing at home to go to the Super Bowl.  After Allen did it again I started calling for a squid or pop up kick even before Bass lined the football up.  Then after it went way past the end zone I just started to focus on not giving them anything easy on first play.

 

Boom,  Hill wide open and goes for 19 yards.  Both Romo and Nance started saying the Chiefs may still have a chance.   The Bills then called a time out  and I just figured they would just hold or tackle Chief players because even new rules allow you to do it once.  When they lined up I could not understand why Bills defenders were so far off the line and just crossed my fingers that they would not complete the pass. BOOM again,  Kelce wide open in the open field for 25 yards and by this time both Nance & Romo were now convinced the Chiefs were going to tie this game up and they did.

 

Other events were one play, this was 3 consecutive cluster-fk moron thinking plays.  We blew 3 plays in a row and after KC won the coin toss I knew it was over. Within mins I went from planning a ECF'S game to reading scouting reports on possible college players we could draft.  

[billsfan714]

11 minutes ago, KzooMike said:

Underrated in it's misery because I think we all knew that was going to be the last one and most of us didn't really give the Bills a great chance. I think Dallas still wins even if Thurman doesn't fumble, but that was as much of a landslide play as I've ever seen. It's like everybody immediately knew when that happened, despite still having a lead, it was over.   

Yeah the air left the team and the room after the fumble, again you wait for it....and BAM, it happens.

[Repulsif]

SB28

when I saw the int by Nates Odomes and then the camera on the Bills leaving at halftime with a closeup on Marv Levy determined, i thought this is it, we are gonna win this one, finally !

 

MCM

I was trully devastated for some time. After the fieldgoal i said these guys can't loose now... impossible...

 

13 seconds

It was 4am here and my wife wokeup twice because of my screamings. She went to see on tv the 'comeback * 2 by the Bills offense' then said it's ok they won, time to go to bed, and she went.

When I joined her after the game ended, she asked 'so ?' then 'what??' 'you kidding right'

She doesn't know a thing about football but she was utterly disguted

 

There are other game I could elaborate but those were the closest for me to win a SB

I doesn't count SB25 as it was my 1st football game on tv and had a preferance for the Giants, only team with 49ers I knew by the time)

[DuckyBoys]

fact we have some many contenders speaks volumes to the level of grasping defeat from the jaws of victory the Bills have mastered  This last one takes the cake  Not sure I can watch another season of the bend dont break defense McDermott seems to favor

[JLO]

There's a reason this exists:

 

 

 

[Mikie2times]

8 minutes ago, DuckyBoys said:

fact we have some many contenders speaks volumes to the level of grasping defeat from the jaws of victory the Bills have mastered  This last one takes the cake  Not sure I can watch another season of the bend dont break defense McDermott seems to favor

Even 10 years into your fanhood, let alone 30 or 50, no Bills fan thought it was over when we scored. Despite how inevitable it seemed, I barely celebrated. We have just found ways to render our fan base emotionally paralyzed that would make the plot to Saw seem like a touchback.  

[Nextmanup]

46 minutes ago, JaCrispy said:

Wide Right, 13 Seconds, and Music City Miracle- in that order...

This is my 3 in the right order too.

 

 🙌

 

 

[Futilebreadmachine]

I'm a little bummed with Sunday's results but to be honest my main emotion now is  I'm stoked.  We have a damned stud at the most vital position in Josh Allen and some killer role players.   I'm fired up for what they do next.

[Buffalo Boy]

Wide right 

First Dallas SB

Second Dallas SB

[Rick 'r Mortis]

1 hour ago, billsfan714 said:

Older person here:

 

Wide right, 13 seconds, MSM.   I dont get how anyone would have MSM ahead of this one.  MSM was a wild card card, Rob Johnson at QB, that team was never going to win the superbowl.   I got over that pretty quick and still dont think it was forward.   Wide right and 13 seconds, those are superbowls slipping through your fingers.

Yeah didnt Tasker block a punt, and then they wheels absolutely came off, had hope for about 8 minutes.

Yep. MSM sucked. But when you look at that Bills team, they weren't going anywhere. The manner in which they lost was just crazy.

 

For me, I'd honestly put the 27-30 loss to the Jags on my list.

[Freddie's Dead]

SB XXV, SB XXVI, SB XXVIII.

[VaMilBill]

27 minutes ago, KzooMike said:

Even 10 years into your fanhood, let alone 30 or 50, no Bills fan thought it was over when we scored. Despite how inevitable it seemed, I barely celebrated. We have just found ways to render our fan base emotionally paralyzed that would make the plot to Saw seem like a touchback.  

BBFS. People say it should be gone after the last few years, but it will always exist in the back of our minds whether we like it or not. 
 

totally agree with you 

[Futilebreadmachine]

5 minutes ago, Rick 'r Mortis said:

Yep. MSM sucked. But when you look at that Bills team, they weren't going anywhere. The manner in which they lost was just crazy.

 

For me, I'd honestly put the 27-30 loss to the Jags on my list.

Oh dear god I'd somehow forgotten about that one. Wasn't that their first home loss in the post season?