Reflecting on the 2014 Bills Packers Game & How Far We Have Come

[HOUSE]

5 hours ago, corta765 said:

With Sundays game approaching against the Pack and the first home game vs GB since 2014 it brought me back to that Sunday 8 years ago, what it is like as I attended, and how far we have come since then:

 

The 2014 season was a wild and I mean wild year. Ralph died, Jim got cancer, Andre went to the Hall, Jim beat cancer, and the Pegula's became the front runners and eventual new owners basically all before the season started. The team itself lost Kiko for the season due to his knee, added Sammy, and there was some optimism for a better season as the defense had shown some teeth the year prior and EJ had flashed some potential. 

Well fast forward to the GB game the Bills were "in the hunt" although in a better way then normal at 7-6 with a great defense and better then normal outside chance to get the wild card. The offense has transitioned as EJ failed out for Kyle Orton who sometimes could do some things in the passing game. The running game wasn't great as Spiller was out for the year at this point so it fell on Freddie who was injuried at times and Bryce Brown. On the flipside this was probably the second best Packers team over the last decade (2011 15-1 tops) as they were leading the league in scoring as Rodgers won MVP and was loaded in skill players. The defense was stout enough and Micah Hyde had 221 yds in punt return yards (MICAH!). The Bills actually limited Peyton Manning's Broncos the week prior to just 24 pts the week prior, but I distinctly remembered heading into that week that no one gave Buffalo much of a chance. Additionally Buffalo had not played meaningful late season game since 2007 against CLE so it was a foreign feeling to have any emotion in a game this late in the year let alone maybe have a playoff shot. For us drought kids (34 now) this was like the first real time as an adult to have a Bills team be remotely competitive so it meant something regardless of how small that something was. Still it was kind of like hopefully Buffalo is competitive and will see Rodgers at the height of his powers which is neat.

 

I went to the game and we sat section 223 I believe. It was the first time I ever felt at the stadium that energy people talk of when something cool or good maybe happens. My father said during the 80s and 90s when the team started to rise and was good you could tell it had a different feel in the crowd. By this point I had been to enough games to understand the difference and my brother in law who saw the 34-31 upset of the Pats in 2011 said it felt like that day. For a wintery type day the weather actually wasn't too bad. The game itself felt like something out of a movie as things started going Buffalo's way forcing GB to punt and then holding the Packers to a FG. You could tell the crowd really started to buy in that this could be a day on Marcus Thigpens 75 yd punt return and the place was bedlam when that happened. The second half went Buffalo's way as Rodgers got picked twice by Bacarri Rambo with the second INT killing a 12 play Packer drive that was going to at least put the Pack within 3 or allow them a 1pt lead. Instead Buffalo then scored a FG to go up 19-10 and put the screws to GB mid 4th quarter. One thing that is not talked about enough despite how well the Bills D played it the Jordy Nelson dropped deep pass. On the drive which Rambo got his second INT Rodgers found Jordy Nelson deep dead to rights which probably would've been a TD... but he dropped the ball. If ever there was a sign things were going Buffalo's way that was it. Still as Bills fans how many times during that past decade and half had we lost in games to good teams late despite everything seemingly go our way. I think that is why on the final Packer possession it was so loud and out of control until the fumble/safety finally happened to ice the game. At the time that was loudest I can remember the stadium when Mario Williams force fumbled Rodgers to clinch the win. Also Mario Williams was a beast all day, in general I consider him more of a success and have good thoughts then bad. You could feel the relief exude in the stadium that the upset had been pulled and the parking lot after had more people stay to celebrate then I could remember in my time going.

 

Of course the Bills flopped the following week to kill their playoff dreams, but it was a fun season compared to the prior 10 years. Looking back on how everything has changed to now it is really wild. The Bills offense was honesty not very good then and didn't deserve to win, yet now we run a juggernaut and have a god at QB. I don't take that for granted. The hype and excitement leading to that game/annoyance we were not primetime has given way to regularly being in the national spot light and the hype just always being at mach 5. If you told most fans in the stadium that day where things would stand this coming Sunday jaws would drop for all of these things. The fact Rodgers never made it back to SB also is pretty wild as watching him at that point the guy was so damn good.

 

That game to me though has always been the demarcation point of the Bills finally emerging from the wilderness in the national landscape. Subsequent years the team gained attention prominently Rex/Shady etc.., broke the drought in 2017, and then all the good stuff since Josh came. But for me that was the first snowball that helped to slowly create the massive run roiling today and was a really cool moment in time.

You are an excellent writer, Kudos

[GunnerBill]

I called us winning that game in the build up on this very forum. That Green Bay team while explosive was a bit soft and the 2014 Bills defense hit people in the mouth. Folks always refer to the Jordy Nelson drop and of course they got a lucky break on that play but people forget how well they played Rodgers. 17/42 for 185 yards in a year where he was voted MVP. If that Nelson play had hit the Packers might have gone home with a win but it would have been one they barely deserved. 

 

The 2014 team should have broken the drought and while people often go to the Oakland game the next week I still go to the Kansas City loss as the pivitol moment. Oakland had actually hit their stride down the stretch and went into that game habing beaten the Chiefs and 9ers in their previous 2 home games. Carr was coming around as a rookie and they were actually showing signs of life as the team that would ultimately make the playoffs in 2015. While disappointing that loss was not the Billsy screw up some people remember it as. 

 

The game that blew our season was the darn Chiefs at home. Totally outplayed them and lost. Bryce Brown fumbling through the endzone at the goalline. Jamal Charles going 39 yards for a TD on 4th and 1. McKelvin coughing up a punt to gift them their 2nd touchdown and even then having 1st and 10 from the Chiefs 15 for a game winning touchdown and the idiotic playcalling of Nathaniel Hackett calling basically 4 consecutive corner fades into the endzone that all went incomplete. Rarely will you see a team beat itself in the NFL quite as well as the Bills did that day. 

[Captain Hindsight]

My dad talked me out of going to that game because I had some exam that week. He said they are going to lose anyway you should study

 

still haven’t forgiven him

[BigDingus]

That defense was something special. We're pretty solid at pressuring the QB now, but if we had the 2014 D's production, we'd be unstoppable.

[buffaloboyinATL]

22 hours ago, The Firebaugh Kid said:

Here it is: https://brightroomy.com/buffalo-bills-country-stadium-sport-5-panel-canvas-art-wall-decor/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw--2aBhD5ARIsALiRlwB-jP1SLpeKBBffauB8SOzpeWx4OYWZQCurRjifwdc29goeQEbjkNwaAoCnEALw_wcB

 

 

That is awesome! My wife would never let me hang that in the living room, I’d be lucky if I got the garage.

[JohnBonhamRocks]

Went to this game with my kid brother and had an absolute blast! Mario Williams strip sack of Rodgers for the win? The highest of highs!
 

Then we turned the corner onto the street we parked on to find all the cars had been towed because the weather had knocked down the No Parking signs earlier. A lot of angry people including out-of-towners trying to get their cars back from the Town of OP that evening. Quite a swing in mood.

[ComradeKayAdams]

22 hours ago, MJS said:

Yeah, that was a fun game. So much optimism for that team, and then Rex came in and destroyed everything.

 

But it all worked out, in the end. Things happened a certain way that allowed McDermott to come in and change everything. Now, the Bills are the class of the NFL. The team is in good hands with a good coach, a good GM, and a top 3 QB. And our success is literally the blueprint many other teams are trying to follow now.

 

I just wonder how many hall of farmers we will be adding when this era is over...

 

We’re already up to two!

 

1. Josh Allen (California cantaloupe farmer)

2. Von Miller (Texas chicken farmer)

[Nextmanup]

20 hours ago, damj said:

What a great game, especially watching it from free box seats

The lack of these ticket stubs in the years ahead will suck.

 

This all electronic crap is crap.

 

 

[Augie]

23 hours ago, The Firebaugh Kid said:

Here it is: https://brightroomy.com/buffalo-bills-country-stadium-sport-5-panel-canvas-art-wall-decor/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw--2aBhD5ARIsALiRlwB-jP1SLpeKBBffauB8SOzpeWx4OYWZQCurRjifwdc29goeQEbjkNwaAoCnEALw_wcB

 

 

 

I’ve got some holes to fill in the man cave. This just may be the answer! Does the field look kinda red? Is that me? (I really am a bit colorblind in some parts of the spectrum.) 

Edited October 29, 2022 by Augie

[Doc]

Shouldn't we be reflecting on the 2018 game and how far we have come?

[Augie]

7 minutes ago, Doc said:

Shouldn't we be reflecting on the 2018 game and how far we have come?

 

Not for me. I was there, and just the thought of that makes me want to throw up a little. But you are right, the transformation has been nothing short of amazing!  Beane is a wizard! 

 

 

 

.

Edited October 29, 2022 by Augie

[Another Fan]

The defense gave a Herculean effort that day.  I think that's part of why they lost the next week in Oakland.  Flying across the country and being gassed.  

 

 

Interesting though under the new playoff format Buffalo would have made it in 2014.  They were the # 7 seed.  

[GunnerBill]

3 hours ago, Another Fan said:

The defense gave a Herculean effort that day.  I think that's part of why they lost the next week in Oakland.  Flying across the country and being gassed.  

 

 

Interesting though under the new playoff format Buffalo would have made it in 2014.  They were the # 7 seed.  

 

Were we in 04 as well? If so then under this format the drought would have been a decade.

[damj]

On 10/29/2022 at 11:21 AM, Nextmanup said:

The lack of these ticket stubs in the years ahead will suck.

 

This all electronic crap is crap.

 

 

Agreed. I've hung on to this stub for 8 years and the lanyard it came on. Now I'm using it for my game pins

[corta765]

On 10/28/2022 at 11:06 PM, GunnerBill said:

IThe 2014 team should have broken the drought and while people often go to the Oakland game the next week I still go to the Kansas City loss as the pivitol moment. Oakland had actually hit their stride down the stretch and went into that game habing beaten the Chiefs and 9ers in their previous 2 home games. Carr was coming around as a rookie and they were actually showing signs of life as the team that would ultimately make the playoffs in 2015. While disappointing that loss was not the Billsy screw up some people remember it as. 

 

The game that blew our season was the darn Chiefs at home. Totally outplayed them and lost. Bryce Brown fumbling through the endzone at the goalline. Jamal Charles going 39 yards for a TD on 4th and 1. McKelvin coughing up a punt to gift them their 2nd touchdown and even then having 1st and 10 from the Chiefs 15 for a game winning touchdown and the idiotic playcalling of Nathaniel Hackett calling basically 4 consecutive corner fades into the endzone that all went incomplete. Rarely will you see a team beat itself in the NFL quite as well as the Bills did that day. 

 

100%. I remember thinking Chiefs game gives us the space we need as the game at MIA who was playing better and we played TNF is never easy (home team wins like 70% of the time). That Bryce Brown fumble hurt but the Charles TD into the McKelvin fumble was the killing stretch. Listening to it on the radio you could feel things get tight on the TD and you knew once McKelvin fumbled that was it. That was maybe the most frustrated I was after a game in the drought days as you knew it had a major impact and we were not good enough to overcome that type of loss. I agree Oakland was a bummer, but the D was spent and also banged up by the end of the game.