The Buffalo Bills missed the Playoffs for the 16th season in a row despite the empty promises of Rex Ryan. There are rumors that “changes will be made” but Bills fans have heard it all before. If I were the owner of the Buffalo Bills, I’d be cleaning house. Everyone in the organization that has been around for 16 losing seasons would be looking for a New Job. But, that’s just me. How will your favorite NFL team fare today?
It befuddles me that certain teams can be so bad for so long. Not winning a championship (a la Cubs) is one thing, but not competing well nor making the playoffs for years and years is puzzling. Do owners just buy teams to fake out the fans while they settle for mediocrity so they can make money? The Bills, the Jets, the Lions. The Brewers, the Mariners, the Reds. Teams that just haven’t cut it at all for decades, though yes, a few of these have made a wee effort.
I just like to see new blood once in a while, and while not a Bills fan at all, would love to see them (and others) return to glory. One of the greatest feats in the history of sports is making four straight Super Bowls, despite losing em all. Nobody else has made even 3 in a row. The should win the damned thing one day, as should the Cubs, the Lions, the Padres, and any other team from cities starved of championships for decades. I can testify to the immense relief and satisfaction it brings, seeing the Giants and the Warriors succeed after 50+ and 40 years, respectively. Sorry for another tough year George. Wish you the best down the road, cuz I know the euphoria that comes with checking a championship off the bucket list in our older years after a lifetime wait.
Roy, I completely agree with you. But the Bills’ woes were the result of mismanagement: poor drafting, 8 coaches in 16 years, and bad decisions. The new owner of the Bills isn’t going to put up with a culture of Losing so plenty of changes will be made in the days ahead.
Who cares? The Redskins winning last night eliminated the Giants, who should have won their awful division handily. As for tonight’s game, it means a lot to the Vikings and I expect them to win at home. The Redskins will be eliminated in their first playoff game by the Seahawks or any other decent team they play. Just because they are now division champs doesn’t change the fact that they are a lousy team with an awful quarterback.
Roy, the Jets aren’t out of it yet (though it isn’t looking great). On the other hand, even if they beat the Patriots they could end up at 11-5 and still not make the playoffs while the Redskins and Texans (sorry, Bill) are in.
Jeff, no one picked the Washington Redskins to win anything this season. They were projected to finish last in the NFC East. But, I agree with you: I see them exiting the Playoffs quickly.
Speaking of teams that have been bad for so long, how ’bout them Cowboys? They’ve won 3 playoff games in the last 20 years, yet they’re still filling the stadium and making billions for Jerry Jones. Jones is one of the worst GMs in the NFL, if not the worst, but he’s a marketing genius. The Cowboys will never get to the Super Bowl again with him in charge. For that matter, they’ll never get past the first playoff game again if they ever get into the playoffs.
Jones is the Trump of the NFL.
Jeff, but Bill is right. Like Trump, Jerry Jones is a Marketing Genius!
Bill, it seems like yesterday when the Bills and the Cowboys were playing each other in Super Bowls. I miss those days!
Imagine how Jets fans feel. Yes, they did win a Super Bowl but it was Super Bowl III and they haven’t been close since. The one the Bills should have won for sure was the one against the Giants.
Jeff, woulda-shoulda-coulda have been in the Bills’ fans vocabulary far too long. I’m hoping the new owner of the Bills cleans house and builds a real Contender for the Super Bowl!
the chargers thursday loss to the hated raiders sealed their year. They had no chance in their division, though in another division, they might have made the playoffs. I fail to understand how a team (NFL and college) can make the playoffs with a losing season. Go Pack (and bills, just for you george)
Maggie, some Bills fans are hoping the Bills “run for the bus” and lose today against the Cowboys and lose next week against the Jets to get a better Draft Pick! Sadly, I think the Chargers will be packing their bags and moving to LA.
It’s the Seahawks vs. the Rams. Again. The Rams beat the Seahawks at hem earlier this year, and hopefully it’s payback time, but the team needs a running game and they are third string and worse there. If Baldwin can’t play this could be a loss. The defense needs to be in shut-down mode and score points. They need to sack Foles. I hope they win because I don’t think they will next week against the Arizona Cardinals. Fortunately, the Seahawks are in as a wild card team regardless.
The best game of the day – which we won’t get here – may be Cardinals – Packers.
Rick, we get the Cards vs. Packers game. I’m starting to believe that the Cardinals might win the Super Bowl!
We’re getting Cards-Packers too, probably because the Giants are playing tonight in Minnesota.
Jeff, if the Jets beat the Bills next week, I think they make the Playoffs! It was great to see the Jets beat the Patriots!
The now-eliminated-from-playoff contention Saints take on the Jaguars today. I doubt I’ll even bother to watch.
Regarding the thread above regarding ownership, etc., I find that many teams have just transcended the win-loss dynamic. Going to the game, buying the team merchandise, and being part of the [insert name here] overrides whether or not a team is winning. Certainly I expect the Superdome to be wall- to-wall black-and- gold today, even with an injured Drew Breese and a no-hope end of season just a week away.
Deb, even with weather conditions dreadful today at Ralph Wilson Stadium, faithful Bills fans showed up to watch a sluggish 16-6 victory. I’m sure the Saints will be back on-track next season.
Let’s hope both our teams play well in the Futility Bowl today George and no one gets hurt. I will, of course, cheer for the Cowboys and probably be disappoionted!
Scott, the Cowboys hung in there most of the game. That long run for the winning TD clinched the game for the Bills.
I was a Seahawks fan for many, many years when they were mediocre at best. I had season tickets to the Chargers when they were a two-win team. As a kid, it seemed like the Rams, though not bad, were always getting beat up by the 49ers and Vikings. I still support “my team” win or lose, but it’s nice when they have good seasons, make at least the first round of the playoffs. That should be enough, though it isn’t in this all-or-nothing environment. It’s important to remember that there are just 32 teams and each one has a lot of the best players and coaches in the game. I think the differences between teams comes down to attitude from the top down, the draft and the coaching.
With a good owner and coach, Seattle seems to consistently get a lot out of lower draft choices, walk-ons, undrafted free agents and cast-offs. Oakland did the same thing when Madden coached there. New England does it now, as does Pittsburgh and more lately Arizona. On the other hand, look what’s happened to San Francisco, a collapse from Super Bowl team to also-ran in just a few years.
And sometimes, even when a team gets really good, there’s another team that’s consistently just a little better. An example of that is San Diego and New England. For a while the Patriots knocked the Chargers out of the playoffs every year, though those were good Charger teams.
Attitude at the top, the draft and trades, and coaching. That’s what makes a great team great, a poor team poor.
Rick, you certainly have captured the importance of a “Culture of Winning.” The Bills have been mired in mediocrity for 16 years because the former owner didn’t care about the team on the field as long as the seats in the stadium were full. The loyal Bills fans have put up with a lot during this losing streak.
Yes, it was very satisfying seeing the Jets upset the Patriots, though it was not a total shock. I don’t know what Belichick was thinking, giving away the ball at the start of overtime.
Rick, the Seahawks better wake up in the fourth quarter because right now the Cardinals look pretty unbeatable. They are making the Packers look bad.
Jeff, rumors are swirling that the NFL might “flex” the Jets vs. Bills game and move it from a 1 PM kickoff to a 4:30 or 8:30 kickoff.
The Seahawks looked terrible today. They have a lot of injuries, but many teams do. I’m pretty disappointed in their play today.
The Giants got blown out!
Rick, the Seahawks will be a force in the Playoffs.