Thoughts on the Cusp of a Magical Season

[ChevyVanMiller]

Favorites.

 

That’s not a word that we’re comfortable with here in Western New York. We’ve been down so long that it feels like up to us. We wear the underdog cape like Wally Cox coming out of a phone booth and it has long since become our go-to attire once September rolls around and another NFL season takes flight.

 

But this season is different. Every day brings new proclamations from the national media that the team that we laugh, cry and bleed with 24/7, 365 days a year is that one that we’ve dreamed of having for decades, but feared might not ever come.

 

Josh Allen is the clear-cut MVP favorite. The defense is projected to be better than last season’s #1 ranked unit. The Bills are the Super Bowl favorite by such a wide margin that the Vegas oddsmakers have drastically lowered their potential payoff amounts hoping to push bettor’s money elsewhere - so far their efforts have been in vain.

 

Many in Bills Mafia, especially those whose fandom predates that moniker, are finding it difficult to embrace this newfound spotlight. We prefer the shadows. We like being overlooked and underestimated. After 17 years of futility we fully embraced our sports world Stockholm Syndrome.

 

Think of the iconic phrases attached to our football team - Wide Right, Homerun Throwback, 13 Seconds. An unholy trinity of football lexicon if ever one was assembled.

 

Like crosses we’ve carried those phrases, and the painful defeats they represent, long and far. Now, the newest hero to drape himself in the patriotic colors of our franchise has offered us a solution to this Draconian football hell that we’ve called home for so long.

 

“Bruh, f**k it, burn it all!”

 

Sweet liberation. Those six words, underscored by the two Super Bowl rings he wore as he uttered them, may be the most prophetic ever spoken on the Niagara Frontier. 

 

He’s right, burn it, burn it all. Trash your fears and recycle everything else. Those teams that suffered those defeats are not this year’s team. None of us are the same people that we were then. As S.E. Hinton said, “That was then, This is now.”

 

So lay those old crosses down and strike a match and set them ablaze. From their ashes a new phoenix will rise. One that brings tears of happiness, not sorrow. One that will serve vindication, not condemnation. One that just may render obsolete the oft heard prayer, “Please Lord, just one before I die.”

 

So mount up, Bills Mafia. This season is going to be one hell of a ride. There’s no guarantee that it will end with Lombardi, but the odds have never been better that it will. I’m proud to call you all my Bills’ brothers and sisters.

 

Feel the burn. Go Bills!

Edited September 8, 2022 by ChevyVanMiller

[LeGOATski]

Enjoy the ride.

[HOUSE]

The Jets could sneak in there...

[zow2]

Just like the Sabres have won several October/November Stanley Cups,  I expect the Bills to win the September Super Bowl trophy by winning tonight.

 

So yeah, a W tonight would be great but it's all how they close out the season.. Can they do it in January/Feb when its do or die?  We shall see.  I'll echo the statement above and enjoy the ride.

[muppy]

@ChevyVanMillereloquent hermano. I agree with you 100%. 

 

**plans on taking my own advice** and remain calm until kickoff lol

 

yeah right .... I'll try. hard 🙂......its just the beginning Im buckled in 🙂

 

GO BILLS!~~!

 

 

Edited September 8, 2022 by muppy

[Beast]

Been waiting eight months for this. 

[foreboding]

Well written soliloquy! Go Bills!

[Ralonzo]

[Greg S]

34 minutes ago, HOUSE said:

The Jets could sneak in there...

 

Winnipeg does have a good team.

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

Thoughts

 

People will go crazy 😜 (no matter what the outcome)

 

People will complain about Tremaine endlessly 

 

People will overhype statistics 📊 

 

SOS DD. 

LOL

 

17-0 

 

ok 15-2 

 

Edited September 8, 2022 by SlimShady'sSpaceForce

[Mark92]

This is the team we have been waiting 30 plus years for.  Enjoy the ride.  

[SoCal Deek]

One week at a time, people! 

[Greg S]

Those first 7 games though are tough. 3 of the first 4 on the road. If they come out of this 5-2 or better we will be in great shape. 4-3 would be OK anything less is not acceptable. Still think the Bills floor/ceiling is between 11-13 wins.

 

at LA, TEN, at MIA, at BAL, PIT, at KC, GB. 

[Mickey]

My thoughts are that it is not a magical season, yet. I am more focused on the here and now, after so many months I finally get to see the most entertaining team in the league play football again.

[dwight in philly]

As an   8 yr old kid in 1960, i have been following this team with the same passion i have had since then.. , lived through it all.. and can honestly say , without any hesitation , the ending of last season hurt me more than any of the other heartbreaks.. been counting the days down so the new hope  of today, the new season, buries  the painful ending of last season.. 

[Toledo Bill]

1 hour ago, Mark92 said:

This is the team we have been waiting 30 plus years for.  Enjoy the ride.  

60 years 😀

[LABILLBACKER]

Embrace the dominance. Burn these teams down.  

[The Jokeman]

1 hour ago, Greg S said:

Those first 7 games though are tough. 3 of the first 4 on the road. If they come out of this 5-2 or better we will be in great shape. 4-3 would be OK anything less is not acceptable. Still think the Bills floor/ceiling is between 11-13 wins.

 

at LA, TEN, at MIA, at BAL, PIT, at KC, GB. 

Let's beat LA tonight and worry about next week, next week. 

[Big Turk]

I feel the Bills learned last year that teams are going to give them their best shot every week and it took them a while for them to be mentally prepared for that on a week in week out basis. Saw in the Jags game a Bills team that was mentally checked out and thought it would be a cake walk...they were not prepared to get punched in the mouth from the opening snap. 

 

Similar to the Kelly led Bills surprisingly reaching the AFC Championship game against Cincy then struggling the next year before losing in the Divisional round against Cleveland in the Ronnie Harmon game. Same reasons, as Kelly discussed in his book. They needed to learn how to win when every team was gunning for them and how to mentally prepare for that level of intensity they were going to get every week. It took them a year to figure it out but they did.

 

We know what happened the next year. They steamrolled people.

 

I see the same thing happening with this team. They figured it out last year late and then continued it into the playoffs. 

 

This team is out for blood this year and to make a statement and I don't see anyone or anything getting in their way of doing that.

 

Allen is at his best when the stage is the biggest and the lights are the brightest and it's his time to shine.

Edited September 8, 2022 by Big Turk

[ddaryl]

Until we actually get the monkey off our backs I'm going to be a nervous nelly. SO much expectations with this team. 

Every game is a big game this year..