Anyone else more low-key about this loss than you thought you'd be?

[Chicken Boo]

I'm 40 with 2 kids.  Whether the Bills win or lose, I still have to go to work this week. 

 

Wins are nice, but losses don't have the effect on me that they did 10 years ago.  

 

It's like the conversation Sonny had with C about Mickey Mantle in A Bronx Tale.  

[SaulGoodman]

Buffalo will get over the hump eventually. I’m sure Allen will win a SB if not multiple. Too bad the Bills aren’t in the NFC. They’d probably have multiple SB appearances already. 

[GottaRun]

Just numb to it all.  Our chances to win it all in our much loved old stadium feel like they are over.  Vet hell next season, some kind of rebuild the season after so that we are exciting again when the new stadium opens.  

[Nuncha]

Something felt different about this run, but the end result was the same.  Maybe next year Bills..........

[BeastMaster]

It's called acceptance 

 

Accept what this team is and what it will be as long as McDermott is the coach

 

Billieving in any other result besides playoff failure is completely delusional and just defies all logic and common sense at this point.

[TheyCallMeAndy]

It’s all in perspective to me after a challenging year in my IRL life. Takes more than skill to win the SB. Politics and luck are more of a factor than anyone will ever admit. I’m not angry we are out, I’m on to the next phase of my favorite hobby, the offseason. 
 

Allen isn’t any less elite, this team isn’t any less fun to watch. They’ll be in contention again next season. 

[Wayne Arnold]

7 hours ago, Success said:

Maybe a weird post - but I was both excited about this game, and dreading it.  I was excited because winning would have been euphoria - but I expected losing to be completely devastating.  As it always has been for me.

 

I'm actually shocked that I'm in decent spirits right now.  It's nothing like previous losses in high-stakes games.  I usually can't sleep, but I think I'll sleep fine tonight.

 

Trying to figure it out.  Do I just expect this kind of stuff now?  Just curious if anyone else has a similar thing going on....

 

 

Yep. I'm numb to it.

 

I also think this team sort of stunk all season and only reached this point because of Allen so I wasn't that surprised with a poor team performance against the defending champs.

 

I think a new coaching staff and overturning the roster would be the best strategy but I don't think Pegula is smart enough to do that so we'll keep seeing this happen over and over again - a team with flawed coach, mid roster and an elite QB making them relevant but always falling short in the end because you need more than just a great QB to reach the Super Bowl. 

[Teddy KGB]

Easy to tell it was a loss by halftime 

 

Pretty much no emotions, McD couldn’t have pulled it off even with the touchback 

[McBean]

7 hours ago, Success said:

Maybe a weird post - but I was both excited about this game, and dreading it.  I was excited because winning would have been euphoria - but I expected losing to be completely devastating.  As it always has been for me.

 

I'm actually shocked that I'm in decent spirits right now.  It's nothing like previous losses in high-stakes games.  I usually can't sleep, but I think I'll sleep fine tonight.

 

Trying to figure it out.  Do I just expect this kind of stuff now?  Just curious if anyone else has a similar thing going on....

 

After decades of following this team, I’m just legit numb to it all.

 

Nothing shocks or surprises me anymore with the Buffalo Bills. Nothing at all.

 

This organization is cursed. Been saying it for years.

[We'reWalking]

I am so grateful that I enjoyed all the ups and downs our team faced.  So happy I'm not a grown man crying over this lost season.   I understand the frustration with the injuries and how it sculpted the entire season.

 

Next year could be sweeter.  I see how hard some are taking it, and I just can't be disappointed.  While I had faith and hope the Bills may win, I also had the courage to accept reality that a Bills loss was more likely than a win, even with Home Field. 

 

Give your chestnuts a tug and let's get on to next season.

Edited January 22 by We'reWalking

[4th&long]

This team is *****, totally expected this. So it can’t hurt when you know it’s coming!

[Andrew Son]

1 minute ago, ScottLaw said:

7 punts forced the last 4 elimination games. It’s not just injuries.

Yet two stops late to set us up with the game winning drive.  
 

got the ball on the edge of the red zone down three with two minutes left.  What else could you ask for.

 

flip the script and put Mahomes in that situation and he tears our heart out.

[ALG1130]

1 hour ago, BuffaloBaumer said:

Winning the division will be even tougher next year, Burrow will be back, Chargers will have a legit coach, and the AfC will be tougher than ever. We hosted 2 home playoff games this year and that ain’t happening again…they blew it, plain and simple.

We hear this every year, and every year all these AFC teams make splash signings, get new coaches etc and when it gets to the playoffs, it's usually a combo of Allen, Mahomes and Burrow/Jackson as the last three standing. 

[TheFunPolice]

this is what you're going to get with McDermott. And he has a lifetime contract here. So, you can't get too mad.

 

All you can do is hope the Chiefs and Bengals lose in the wild card round to someone else and you get a run of the Dolphins, Texans and Browns to get to the Super Bowl. 

[ALLinALLEN]

Used to it by now. It's a shame it's gotten to this point but here we are. Losers, before the AFCCG every year. 

[T master]

7 hours ago, Aussie Joe said:

Christ .. I hate it 

 

I'm with you brother ! I thought the last drive they would go down & score and it would be on to next week & i would have expected next week to be the game if any that they lost & because they beat KC earlier in the season i thought they could do it again .

 

But I think the injuries were just to much . Not to be a excuse but when your all pro's go down then the guys brought in that aren't all pro's go down and are playing less than 100% the team was not 100% either . Most here will lay it all at McD's feet & call for him to be fired because a situation warranted a fake punt but there was a lot more than that that lost this game  . 

 

I don't think this year given the injuries that they would have made it much further anyway and think if healthier it could have been different . Depth players in the NFL are great but they aren't starters .

[TheBrownBear]

Yes.

 

This is what the psychological and emotional response looks and feels (or "doesn't" feel) like after demoralization is complete.

 

 

[BuffaloMatt]

I feel the same way. Other years I felt that we had the team to win it all. This year with injuries I felt that they were playing above their heads. Still sucks, but not as bad.

[BillsFan4]

I feel just the opposite. I feel like this is the loss that broke me…

 

I really thought this was the year they would beat the chiefs, and now I kind of feel like they never will, at least as currently constructed.

 

Right now, between the Bills always breaking my heart and the Sabres reverting back to a bottom of the league team, I feel like I can’t do this “Buffalo sports” stuff anymore. Chances are I’ll feel differently come next season, but right now I feel like I need to step away for a while. It’s gotten to the point where I don’t really even enjoy watching the Bills play anymore. I just feel nervous all game.

 

I also kind of feel like McDermott has taken this team as far as he can, so until something major changes I’m not sure what the point is in getting my hopes up.
 

 

Edited January 22 by BillsFan4

[The Frankish Reich]

8 hours ago, Success said:

Maybe a weird post - but I was both excited about this game, and dreading it.  I was excited because winning would have been euphoria - but I expected losing to be completely devastating.  As it always has been for me.

 

I'm actually shocked that I'm in decent spirits right now.  It's nothing like previous losses in high-stakes games.  I usually can't sleep, but I think I'll sleep fine tonight.

 

Trying to figure it out.  Do I just expect this kind of stuff now?  Just curious if anyone else has a similar thing going on....

 

I'm with you here.

It seems to be a requirement in these situations to say how long you've been a Bills fan. For me, 50 years. First game at the Rockpile. Seen it all.

The older I get, the more I think about whether following the Bills was enjoyable. Not whether they win or lose in the end (since they never win in the ultimate end), but more like one of those old 1970s posters: it's a journey, not a destination.

 

The journey: a really interesting season. I started with fairly low expectations. A lot of people expected kind of a down year. Then it started great. Then reality hit when Milano and Tre went down. Missing the playoffs? Yeah. It's happening. Then the win streak. Watching the Bills dominate the Cowboys - manhandle them - was the highlight for me. A different Bills offense. Allen going all late career John Elway on us, depending on the run game. James Cook growing into prime Dalvin Cook. Didn't see that coming.

 

Then the Chiefs regular season game. Are you kidding me? The pivotal call - Toney lined up offside - goes in our favor and wins us the game? Then Allen turns it on. Playoff Josh. Put the ball in my hands and I'll win it for you. Beat down of the Dolphins to win the division. Huge plays: Sherfield's catch at the back of the end zone. I've never seen that done better. Shakir emerging as a big play guy. Could it be that this is our year after all? The snow. The delayed playoff game. Didn't bother us at all in the end.

 

And a great game to end the season. Yeah, once again we almost did it. Not quite 2021, but a helluva ride. Entertainment value 9 out of 10. (Frustration value 6 out of 10.)

 

Ahh, to be a Bills fan.