Is anyone else starting to feel this year's elimination more than "13 seconds" ???

[ShakAttack]

5 minutes ago, Freddie's Dead said:

No.  This was the third time we'd seen this particular movie, and the ending was nothing if not predictable.  13 seconds was a gut punch, because the enormity of McDummy's ***** up could not be understated.  It was the most embarrassing loss in Bills history.  Seeing it for the third time?  Meh.

 

Well, hopefully the team does not feel the same way.  Rather than "getting used to it" like us, I hope it adds more fuel to the fire than ever before.  I hope they are sick and tired of the narratives, sick and tired of the labels and I hope we prove them all wrong.  

 

I remember the first thought that crossed my mind when we had 1st and 10 at the KC 26 with 2:00 left to play and it looked like we would be in position to score a TD with very little time remaining on the clock and it was  "This is the chance to shut down ALL the narratives.  Bills can't beat KC in the big game.  Allen can't win a close playoff game.  Mahomes is unstoppable."   It was all right there.   And in that moment I wanted it badly.  It has stuck with me, and I hope it sticks with the team as well.  Because, you know, these are the things that separate KC from the rest.  And if we want to beat KC, we need to be on their level mentally, as well.

[ShakAttack]

2 minutes ago, BillsFanForever19 said:

 

Okay, I thought you were saying the new injuries we were dealing with in the Chiefs game were small. 

 

We only technically had Douglas on the field for that one. He probably shouldn't have been playing. Hard to say if he'd have been in better shape the following week.

 

Either way, what we would have had against Baltimore doesn't matter. We were completely unprepared personnel wise to line up against Super Mahomes and the Playoff Chiefs.

 

When we beat them in the Playoffs, we're going to need to be relatively healthy. We weren't even close. That's why this loss doesn't even sniff :13 in my eyes. Especially combined with the fact that :13 was us winning the AFC Title and going to the Super Bowl and it was logically speaking already ours.

 

 

True.  They did lose a couple key players during the game as well though, to be fair.  It did not balance it out, but it helped.  And we were moving on their defense effectively enough, which is why I thought we would get the job done at the very end (and score the TD with very little time on on the clock).  Especially because - despite the Bills struggles this season - how many times have we watched Allen go down the field late in the 4th quarter and score a TD, even in his worst performances, he always came through in those "gotta have it" moments at the very end (even if the defense was unable to hang on for him, like earlier in the year).  So, even though it was the "mighty KC" when I saw us moving the ball on that last drive that sucked 6 minutes off the clock,  the plan was obvious, and it was genius,  it seemed like we could all see what the Bills were trying to do and it was working... until suddenly... we went off script... and that was that.

[Beck Water]

No, not at all.  I thought "13 seconds" was our year....I thought we had the hosses, Josh was playing at a high level, and more to the point....we had the game won.

 

This year I was thrilled and surprised that the Bills got as far as they did, after the Week 5 Defensive Decimation that was the London Jax game, falling to 6-6, and needing to win their last 6 games to capture the #2 seed and the division. 

 

But when we lost everyone that we lost on D during the Pittsburgh game and then played KC on a short week, I was spinning a prayer wheel.  Bass was struggling the last month or so, so when it came down to him and a makeable kick I said "Ruh-roh" and shut my eyes.

 

Anyway, TL;DR I enjoyed the ride and had moderate expectations which were exceeded.

[John from Riverside]

Honestly, no
 

We went into that game, so banged up that even home-field advantage wasn’t enough to overcome

 

A lot of people want to say that the injuries were excuse you were playing so many backups that day Mahomes attacked us right where we pulled a player that we cut and then brought back in off of vacation over the middle of the field

 

Our only chance Was to outscore them, and we almost did

[Buffalo03]

1 hour ago, BobBelcher said:

Yeah, I know, a couple weeks have passed, but that's partially the point.

 

"13 seconds" probably took me a full month to get over, particularly with Allen playing the perfect game, but still coming up short, etc.

 

This year, I thought I had digested the game after only a couple days; I thought it hurt exponentially less 

 

The difference is, with this year's loss to KC, even though I did not obsess over it the way I did in 2021, when I did think about it, it would hurt more... and more... and more... as time went on.

 

That's because as time passed, it became more evident that this was an even greater missed opportunity than 2021.

 

• We were at home against KC.
• There was no Cincy in the playoffs.
• We got uncharacteristic breaks during the game.  The Hardman fumble was something that never happened for the Bills.  
• We were in the best position to do exactly what you'd think we would want to do after spending two years waiting to have this opportunity again(!!!) We were doing precisely what we must have learned from "13 seconds" which is kill the clock and give Mahomes as little time as possible if/when he ever does get the ball again.   8 minutes remaining when we start the drive at our own 25, and before you know it, had it down to 2 minutes left at the KC 26.  Diggs is running by himself wide open for an easy catch that would almost certainly continue this pace, but Shakir is open in the end zone too, and that's the decision Allen would make in that moment. Writing that out is painful.  Ugh.   Anyway, it's old news, right?  Yeah, and that's the point.  As it becomes increasingly clear that we missed an even bigger opportunity, thinking back on this game is associated with an increasingly sh*t feeling as well.
• And then, once the Ravens lost with apparently the "same old Lamar" it was very clear to me.

 

This should have been the year of the "Berman Special" (SF vs Buffalo).

 

It's a strange feeling, because, unlike 2021, it is not something I necessarily dwell on, but when it does come up and I flash back to the dreadful  2nd and 9 play, I want to go punch a wall. 

 

It's also a strange feeling because, also unlike 2021, I am already looking forward to the next season with anticipation and excitement (in 2021, I wasn't ready yet, and I was turned off by all the hype and expectations for the Bills going into the year; I did not think it would help us at all). 

 

Anyway, the real question is where does Allen go from here?  How did Allen take this loss in comparison with years past?  Does this add more fuel to the fire (like we all hope) so he works his ass off wanting a Super Bowl more than ever?  Or does this have some cumulative effect where it becomes exhausting after a while, after telling himself, "We are going to get better from this" over and over, only to find himself right back to where he started at the end of the day?  I get the impression that Diggs feels something like this.  And I really hope Allen never gets to that point, because we need him to be as hungry as ever.    Side note...let's get him that young dynamic WR in 2024.  Anticipation of a "rebooted" young offense is what has me amped up already for 2024  (something I did not feel nearly as much after 2021).

 

Basically...from my "fan" perspective, I now know this year has made me want it even more because it ultimately hurts more and also served as a reminder that our playoff window is always open, unlike last season where we got smacked around for four quarters and went into the off-season looking like a broken team which had people not only betting on the window being closed, but predicting the 2023 Bills would miss the playoffs altogether.

 

I just hope the Bills feel the same.  And I hope they use that feeling to drive them next season.  The loss to Cincy seemed to have an unhealthy residual effect on the team, but I hope this latest loss to KC just pisses everyone off.   

 

 

No way. 13 seconds took me a long time to get over. I was over this loss to the Chiefs within a couple days. Maybe it's because I've learned to not get my hopes up. But I've been over it for a while

[BillsFanForever19]

1 hour ago, BobBelcher said:

 

 

True.  They did lose a couple key players during the game as well though, to be fair.  It did not balance it out, but it helped.  And we were moving on their defense effectively enough, which is why I thought we would get the job done at the very end (and score the TD with very little time on on the clock).  Especially because - despite the Bills struggles this season - how many times have we watched Allen go down the field late in the 4th quarter and score a TD, even in his worst performances, he always came through in those "gotta have it" moments at the very end (even if the defense was unable to hang on for him, like earlier in the year).  So, even though it was the "mighty KC" when I saw us moving the ball on that last drive that sucked 6 minutes off the clock,  the plan was obvious, and it was genius,  it seemed like we could all see what the Bills were trying to do and it was working... until suddenly... we went off script... and that was that.

 

1st and 10 with 2:42 seconds left on the clock on the Chiefs 27. I can't remember how many time outs KC had left, if any. This is where things started to go sideways.

 

Regardless of how things were going to that point, we'd have had to play every play perfectly for almost 3 more minutes, more if they had timeouts. Inside the Red Zone, where getting yards would have been harder. 

 

Then we'd have had to either score a TD on the last play or trust Bass to hit a FG as time expired. Which was not a given, guy missed a 27 the week before.

 

With how quickly they were scoring when there was no urgency, the way our Defense was performing, and with :13 in mind - leaving any amount of time on the clock and we still could have lost.

 

Long story short, the plan "working" for 6 minutes or however long it was is great. But it's the final 3 that would have been really, REALLY tough - even if we hadn't gone off script. It's not like we for sure had it even if the last two plays didn't happen.

Edited February 1 by BillsFanForever19

[Peace Frog]

No guarantees we would've beat Cincy then or Baltimore now.

[90sBills]

1 hour ago, BobBelcher said:

 

Well, hopefully the team does not feel the same way.  Rather than "getting used to it" like us, I hope it adds more fuel to the fire than ever before.  I hope they are sick and tired of the narratives, sick and tired of the labels and I hope we prove them all wrong.  

 

I remember the first thought that crossed my mind when we had 1st and 10 at the KC 26 with 2:00 left to play and it looked like we would be in position to score a TD with very little time remaining on the clock and it was  "This is the chance to shut down ALL the narratives.  Bills can't beat KC in the big game.  Allen can't win a close playoff game.  Mahomes is unstoppable."   It was all right there.   And in that moment I wanted it badly.  It has stuck with me, and I hope it sticks with the team as well.  Because, you know, these are the things that separate KC from the rest.  And if we want to beat KC, we need to be on their level mentally, as well.

I completely agree with you about this being the best opportunity. It was all set up perfectly. At the 2 minute warning I was thinking this is it. They’re going to finally do it. That drive was masterful up to that point. Then came the throw on 2nd down. Just like that it looked bleaked. Wasted opportunity. The AFC was wide open this year. 

[Aussie Joe]

Build a bridge and get over it 

[Buffalo_Stampede]

I feel all of them equally.

 

 

[Westside]

Nope

[BillsMontreal]

Not like the 13 seconds for me.

 

That game, the drive Allen and the offense made to score at 13 seconds should be part of history.  We should give that drive a name like -The Drive- of Elway, or something like that.  Beating that Chiefs team in their stadium like that was just awsome. 

Losing a game when you take the lead with 13 seconds left is almost once in a lifetiime. It happen to us.

 

When we lost this year, it was like: i knew.  I root, i hope during the game, but i had the worst feeling after the game: i knew, i was not surprise.

To say the truth, i am still impress by Allen and the offense. They were on the field for almost 40 minuts against that defense!

We blew it, in a situationnel football moment again.  After the two minuts warning, it wasnt the same offense suddenly.

 

Then, two teams (bengles-chiefs) scored at will in our stadium in the playoff. Thanks for the breaks we had and our offense always on the fieild for that game. It could be worst than that.

 

At the end, the best team win.  Those Chiefs are hard to play because they never lose a game by themself. 

Most of the team, like the Bills, have their moment where they seems lost in a situationnel football moment. Not the Chiefs, not that often.

I guess it is all about their Elite coaching staff.

 

We're not that far. It could happen with Mcbeanne with some lucks, some breaks. Beane never hide what he wants: being competitive each year and, after that, we never know.

I would like to see him say: i'm gonna do whatever i can to give Allen and this team all they need for a SB.  I know it will not happen, but i know we'll be competitve. 

 

 

 

 

 

[bmur66]

Does getting kicked in the nuts hurt worse than getting a fingernail ripped off?

[DaBillsFanSince1973]

keep looking ahead...why look back and keep reliving the past?

 

 

[machine gun kelly]

13 seconds gave me hope with the team in Gabe’s 4 TD’s, and Allen’s lights out performance.  Critical coaching errors at the end squarely placed the blame on McD, the ST Coach, and Levy Wallace.  You can’t blame Bass as he did what he was told to do.

 

This game Allen again played very well, but we made critical errors.

[JerseyBills]

After seeing Bal it hit me hard cause I feel we win that game and are on to a SB. sucks but I'm surprisingly not that bummed out, 13 seconds, even last year and 2020 , I can't even listen to sports or go on twitter and see anything football related but I was more just numb to it this year

 

I just feel great about this team going forward , especially with Brady as OC, after 13 secs we all knew Dabol was gone

 

Edited February 1 by JerseyBills

[Doc Brown]

There's nothing quite like going from pure elation to utter despair and 13 seconds fit that description.  That was tougher to deal with.  Plus, we wasted a great Josh Allen playoff performance with a relatively healthy team who was peaking at the right time.

[Bill from NYC]

13 seconds was worse for me because it was monumental. Even non Bills Fans will look back at that debacle and be amazed at how a team could give away a game in that manner. 

To this day it is hard to understand. I suppose that to get the answer I would have to ask McDermott.

[Ethan in Cleveland]

Both losses feel like the Bills are four plays away from two SuperBowl wins. 

[BuffaloBillyG]

5 hours ago, Peace Frog said:

No guarantees we would've beat Cincy then or Baltimore now.

People seem to glaze over this fact. At the time I felt we would have beat Cincinnati. In retrospect after seeing the Bills matchup with the Bengals in 2 full games since I have absolutely no reason to believe they would have won that AFCCG.