(Perhaps) Unpopular Take: I have no expectations for the Bills going forward, and I’m ok with it.

[billybob71]

1 minute ago, Captain Hindsight said:

I’m really hoping to see Hamlin record a video that’s played before the game on Sunday 

that would be such an awesome thing, and i like your positive thinking my bills brother!!

[Briscoe89]

Bills fan here from Melbourne, Australia.  Followed the Bills since 1991 which is not easy to do from the other side of the planet... Don't underestimate the resiliency of professional athletes and from where they draw their motivation.  True - they are human like the rest of us are. Some, maybe all will be impacted for life by what they witnessed.   But they also walk a different path day in day out from the rest of us, and no matter what we think, know, guess at or speculate on, the drive and desire that the majority of these players draw on week in week out is something that the rest of us will never really be able to fathom nor rationalise.  Also - as a bit of a crude comparison - a few yeras ago we had a situation in our Aussie Rules league (our professional football league) where a particular clubs' coach was murdered mid week before a scheduled weekend game.  The players were given the option to play or not play that week.  They chose to play, and used the occasion to commeorate the coaches life and impact on them.  

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

I am going to remember what you all said and quote it back to you in the game day threads! 😁

[Steptide]

Assuming Hamlin keeps improving and pulls out of this, I can absolutely see the team rallying around this. There's 2 ways the rest of this season can go. They either mail it in and let this over take them, or they fight on and win the whole damn thing for Hamlin. I suspect the latter. This team is strong. While I don't know Hamlin personally (obviously) I suspect he'd want the team to fight on 

[Steve O]

1 hour ago, eball said:

There’s another thread that lists out what the community of Buffalo and the Bills have dealt with over the past year…it’s almost unbelievable the amount of tragedy, turmoil, and just plain bad luck that has befallen WNY and our favorite team — and none of it self-inflicted.

 

The Bills have to feel mentally exhausted.  They’ve had to overcome so much, and now this.

 

I’m happy with their 3rd consecutive AFC East title and big wins in big moments.  Josh is “the guy” and will  be for years to come, but the defense has been decimated by key injuries all season and when combined with the mental fatigue and trauma, I think it is just too much to overcome going forward.

 

I am proud of the team, the coaches, the fans, the community…proud to call myself a Buffalonian.

 

Go Bills.

 

Good post. I've been saying for years that you can divide life in to two categories, important stuff and unimportant stuff. As far as unimportant stuff goes, football is at the top of the list. But it is still in the unimportant stuff category. Yesterday is proof.

[MAJBobby]

I would FULLY support them if they bowed out the rest of the season and playoffs. 
 

no issue with them doing that if that became their decision. 

[dpberr]

I remember the 1989 Colorado Buffaloes college football team.  The starting quarterback, Sal Anuese, was diagnosed with an inoperable form of stomach cancer in March 1989.  There wasn't much modern medicine could do for the young man, but he showed up to games anyway.  He died in September 1989 shortly after the college football season had begun. He had attended the home game against the Illini just the week before.  

 

The team used the tragedy as a sense of motivation and purpose, to complete the entirely unexpected undefeated regular season, only losing to Notre Dame in the 1990 Orange Bowl.

 

I don't think the Buffs were as good, talent wise, as their record suggests, but they were a team on a mission.  They started beating on teams after Anuese's passing.  They beat Nebraska that year, a Cornhuskers team that had 20 players go to the NFL.

[Chugga]

At the end of the season the grieving I have is more about the loss of the team than it is the loss of the game.

 

I love “this team”.  Allen, Diggs, Oliver, Poyer, etc.

 

Whatever team we have next year won’t be this team.  We might lose Poyer, Singletary is likely gone.  Do we retain Lawson and Phillips?

 

Whatever happens I just want this team to get closure and go out giving everything they got.  No matter what happens this team played their heart out this year.

[ngbills]

I’m the opposite. Seeing the Bills play and come back from this is what I need. I don’t need to time to think and dwell. The sooner the season ends will only make things harder. We need a Super Bowl and a parade with Damar sitting on the float. 

[WEATHER DOT COM]

31 minutes ago, Steptide said:

There's 2 ways the rest of this season can go. They either mail it in and let this over take them, or they fight on and win the whole damn thing for Hamlin.

 

Not to be snide, but the most likely outcome if they play is they fight on and still lose. 

 

I am of the mindset the team will rally around Hamlin, but at the end of the day, a Super Bowl is not a given. 

[extrahammer]

I can understand that sentiment, I can, but as a fan I don't want them to go down without a fight. Maybe this all happened for a reason. But as it stands we're still the best team in the AFC, and we didn't come this far, and go through all this s*** to just lie down. 

 

But that's me. How the players process this and respond is the biggest thing, and I'll be appreciative no matter what. Respectfully. 

[Dan]

I haven’t read all this thread... so my sentiments may be misplaced or already spoken.  If so, you can sue me. 
 

But I must agree... this Bills’ season has been exhausting for fans and I’m sure it had to have been for the players... from the death of Dawson’s brother to Kim’s illness to the snow storms, injuries, and now Hamlin’s fighting for his life.  
 

I was hoping we had finally see the worst of this season and could just focus on football.  But that’s just not the case.   Parts of me just want this season over so we can all reset.  But, other parts, think of what the Bills mean to me and my family.  So i want them to find a way to play on... And continue the never ending quest for a championship that in many ways is more than just a sports championship.  When we watch the Bills play its more than a sport. I think of my mom, my sisters, my childhood dreams.  Its more.  
 

So I don’t want the season to end. But then again I never want it to end.   I support this team and the players for who they are, what they represent in my heart and in my soul.  
 

If they lose a close game in KC or forfeit the season to mourn a friend, I’ll still support them.   Winning and losing isn’t as important as the family this team inspires; its not as important as the lives it brings together.  One day we’ll have our championship... but for today; I’d be happy to have our Bills family whole again.  
 

praying that it will be

[ToGoGo]

We shall overcome. And we will win the Super Bowl. This year. 

[eball]

1 hour ago, Royale with Cheese said:

I’m feeling optimistic about Hamlin.  Its just pure gut but I’m feeling he pulls through.  

 

This tragic event I feel will bring the Bills closer and man, they’ll play their hearts out for Hamlin.

 

1 hour ago, ScottLaw said:

If anything this is what I see coming out of the unfortunate accident to Hamlin. Really can’t see this team throwing in the towel on the season… they will use it  as just more added motivation to get there IMO.

I love what you guys are saying and I’m not by any means saying or predicting the Bills will pack it in. I’m simply saying that with all they’ve been through I am at peace with the season without further expectations. 
 

[BullBuchanan]

27 minutes ago, ScottLaw said:

How are they cursed? Because Hamlin suffered a freak injury playing football?

 

It super unfortunate but people think we are “cursed” because this happened along with other coaching/player failures of the past? 
 

Ridiculous.

it's not likely that people think we are cursed because of Hamlin, no. The Bills have a track record of negative highly impactful variance going back quite some time - colloquially referred to as luck. Taken together one could think that this string of events will keep occurring. It doesn't have to mean that any of it's related for it to exist.

[HOUSE]

I am losing my warped sense of humor now. 

But the mods will be happy 😊 

[Steptide]

17 minutes ago, WEATHER DOT COM said:

 

Not to be snide, but the most likely outcome if they play is they fight on and still lose. 

 

I am of the mindset the team will rally around Hamlin, but at the end of the day, a Super Bowl is not a given. 

You're right I agree. But there's still something to be said about gojng out and fighting after all that's happened. If they lose in the playoffs, are any of us really gonna be THAT mad? I mean we can't be. But we as bills fans will all come together for however far this team takes us. At the risk of sounding selfish, I think I speak for alot of bills fans when I say we need this team to push on...... This is all assuming Hamlin continues to improve 

[JohnNord]

2 hours ago, eball said:

There’s another thread that lists out what the community of Buffalo and the Bills have dealt with over the past year…it’s almost unbelievable the amount of tragedy, turmoil, and just plain bad luck that has befallen WNY and our favorite team — and none of it self-inflicted.

 

The Bills have to feel mentally exhausted.  They’ve had to overcome so much, and now this.

 

I’m happy with their 3rd consecutive AFC East title and big wins in big moments.  Josh is “the guy” and will be for years to come, but the defense has been decimated by key injuries all season and when combined with the mental fatigue and trauma, I think it is just too much to overcome going forward.

 

I am proud of the team, the coaches, the fans, the community…proud to call myself a Buffalonian.

 

Go Bills.

 

To be honest, it makes you re-evaluate  what’s really important in life.  We get so wrapped up into the Bills and worry about winning a Super Bowl, but yesterday reinforces what’s really important in life

 

[dollars 2 donuts]

2 hours ago, eball said:

There’s another thread that lists out what the community of Buffalo and the Bills have dealt with over the past year…it’s almost unbelievable the amount of tragedy, turmoil, and just plain bad luck that has befallen WNY and our favorite team — and none of it self-inflicted.

 

The Bills have to feel mentally exhausted.  They’ve had to overcome so much, and now this.

 

I’m happy with their 3rd consecutive AFC East title and big wins in big moments.  Josh is “the guy” and will be for years to come, but the defense has been decimated by key injuries all season and when combined with the mental fatigue and trauma, I think it is just too much to overcome going forward.

 

I am proud of the team, the coaches, the fans, the community…proud to call myself a Buffalonian.

 

Go Bills.

 

 

One of your best, eball.  Thank you.

 

 

[bmur66]

I wrote this and was going to delete it and probably should have but anyways here are my thoughts:

This is my team and I am with them no matter how they decide to face the remainder of this season. With that being said, these guys are football players. It’s probably all they have ever wanted to do. They have great leaders in Coach McDermott, Frazier and probably many others. They seem to be a close team and the events of this season may have brought them closer. They have Josh Allen and other incredibly talented players. Damar may come out of this OK. We can keep praying for him. Soon they will know more about his health status. The Buffalo Bills will all have to look deep into themselves and make their own decision.

Edited January 4, 2023 by bmur66