Buffalo Beeeews Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 I, just as alot of diehard Bills fans, am elated over the 2-0 start. Just the same, I'm totally jacked about the Patriots game this Sunday and possibly ending "the streak". However, lets take a stroll down memory lane and some of the great starts that Buffalo has had since they last made the playoffs back in the '99-'00 season. 2003: The last time the Bills beat the New England Patriots was opening day, 2003...EIGHT years ago! We didn't just beat them, we embarrassed them! A team that was two years removed from beating the Rams in Superbowl XXXVI. 31-0!!! The next week, we went to Jacksonville and beat the Jags 38-17, and, that game really wasn't even THAT close! The following week, Donovan McNabb rolled the Eagles into Ralph Wilson Stadium and methodically beat the Bills 23-13. After that game, the Bills were 2-1...and were never the same the rest of the season, winning only four more games the rest of the year, finishing the season 6-10...and, oh by the way, the last game of the season was a loss to the Patriots, the game that began "The Streak"...31-0 in Foxborough. New England, the same team Buffalo "embarrassed" on opening day, went on to beat the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl XXXVIII. 2007: The Bills were fresh off a win vs. the Dolphins to move their record to 5-4. It was midseason, and the Bills were in the thick of the AFC playoff picture. J.P. Losman was actually starting to look the part of a franchise QB. Next up brought a tilt at home against Tom Brady, Randy Moss and the Patriots who were...10-0! The game brought such importance that it was "flexed" to the Sunday Night game in front of a national t.v. audience. Brady threw six TD's, three to Moss, and the Pats humiliated Buffalo 56-10 in front of the entire nation. The Bills finished 7-9, the Patriots went on to the Undefeated regular season, but lost to the Giants in Super Bowl XLII. 2008: Buffalo starts the season 4-0. Trent Edwards, while not lighting the world on fire, efficiently leads the Bills to their best start since 1992. Buffalo went on to play the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. At this time, the Cardinals were ok, but not great. Cards' SS Adrian Wilson came on a Safety Blitz, and Edwards was cuncussed. The Cardinals went on to romp the Bills. The following week, the Bills beat the Chargers at the Ralph, moving to 5-1. But, after Wilson's "kill shot", Trent Edwards, and the Bills, were never the same. The Bills lost 8 out of the last 10 remaining games, finishing 7-9. Arizona went on to participate in, and nearly win, Super Bowl XLIII against Pittsburgh. The moral of the story. When people say "The NFL is a marathon, not a sprint", that statement is spot on! Its pretty easy to start fast in the league, but very few teams in the league are able to sustain momentum through 16 games. And, those who do, typically go deep in the playoffs. As the season progresses, there is more game-film for teams to accumulate and study. Even IF the Bills end "The Streak" on Sunday, we can all feel pretty good about the 2011 version of the Bills, but regardless, the Buffalo Bills will have not made the playoffs, not won the AFC East, not clinched home-field, not won the Lamar Hunt trophy, nor won the ultimate prize...The Vince Lombardi Trophy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebandit27 Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 Thank you for this post...I'm sure most of us had no idea that any of this stuff happened. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malazan Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 You did see the several other posts on this before posting this, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Wei 44 Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 All true but why dwell on this stuff (and take so much time to write it up)?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJ (not THAT RJ) Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 All true but why dwell on this stuff (and take so much time to write it up)?! Because scab-picking is an Olympic sport for some people. Though they think it makes them realistic or something.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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