"Colts-Bills was the game of the year" - NFL in 90

[BigDingus]

https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl-90-colts-bills-game-023135073.html

This feels like the most recognition the team has got in ages. Even when we're on win streaks to start off the season, the attention seem superficial. This time though people are still talking about this game like it's some all-time classic. I can't go online without seeing yet another meme made out of it, or another cool story that came from it (like Bills players helping fans who had cars stuck in the snow). 

Really entertaining to keep reading & watching more cool coverage of this game. Seems football fans around the country are just fascinated by it.

[GoBills808]

It was a spectacle for sure. It had the uniqueness factor going for it, but let's not pretend like it was good football or anything. I wouldn't want to sit through a game like that anymore than once every five seasons or so, personally.

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

The only one I hear gripe about it was Mike Golic Jr because the 2 missed FG's might cost AV a Half Million dollar bonus for reaching 90% rate at the end of the season.   He went from 95% to 88 Sunday. 

 

Well and Colts fans

[SoTier]

Kevin Kaduk got it right.  With all the NFL games looking like well choreographed productions, that game was special ...  an echo of earlier times  when the game of football was simpler ... and maybe more joyous.  The shots after Shady's TD of the Bills players in the end zone with snow showering down on the players and fans were cool, but the shot of Matt Milano making a snow angel after the winning TD was the best!  

Edited December 12, 2017 by SoTier

[MDH]

I swear the only ones who thought that was something special are the people who didn't sit through it in real time on TV. Watching some highlights of the game and calling it "special" isn't the same as watching the teams run it 3 straight times and punt over and over again (or 4 straight times and turn it over on downs.)

 

It was a brutal game to watch with three drives that had anything resembling excitement. Watch those 3 drives and you could get excited about how amazing that game was, watch all the others and you'd wake up, wipe the drool from your mouth and wonder if you missed anything.

[ndirish1978]

1 minute ago, MDH said:

I swear the only ones who thought that was something special are the people who didn't sit through it in real time on TV. Watching some highlights of the game and calling it "special" isn't the same as watching the teams run it 3 straight times and punt over and over again (or 4 straight times and turn it over on downs.)

 

It was a brutal game to watch with three drives that had anything resembling excitement. Watch those 3 drives and you could get excited about how amazing that game was, watch all the others and you'd wake up, wipe the drool from your mouth and wonder if you missed anything.

 

I'm gonna disagree. I enjoyed every minute of it (aside from the last 2 minutes of regulation, which I hated). 

[dave mcbride]

6 minutes ago, MDH said:

I swear the only ones who thought that was something special are the people who didn't sit through it in real time on TV. Watching some highlights of the game and calling it "special" isn't the same as watching the teams run it 3 straight times and punt over and over again (or 4 straight times and turn it over on downs.)

 

It was a brutal game to watch with three drives that had anything resembling excitement. Watch those 3 drives and you could get excited about how amazing that game was, watch all the others and you'd wake up, wipe the drool from your mouth and wonder if you missed anything.

I derived more enjoyment watching that game than any other Bills game I've watched this decade save for the victory over the Pats in 2011. It will go down as one of my favorite football viewing experiences ever. I loved that game. Everything about it.

[Utah John]

So much about the NFL is pre-calibrated.  The coaches know everything their players can and can't do, and just about everything the other team's players can do.  They figure out everything that's possible to do, and at the 90% level that's what happens.  It's the occasional mistake and the rare incredible play that make the difference.  If the Bills and Colts had played on a dry field, the Bills win 8 out of 10 times by 10 points. 

 

This was a game where there was a great equalizer.  Gore and McCoy were the only two who apparently had things figured out.  Everyone else was stumblin rumblin bumblin big guy. 

 

Anyway, I love it that there was a game when all the pre-packaging went out the window.  Two teams slugging it out, trying to impose their will.  I thought at halftime that if the Bills could get another TD and go up 14-0, the Colts would lose heart and the rout would be on.  But NP got hurt and there was no magic outcome.  And then the Colts went on that long drive and seemed to get fired up about their chances, and the Bills D could never make a key stop. 

 

And this is what football should be about.  Guys trying hard and digging deep for the courage and determination to impose their will on the opponent.  No cheap shots, no dirty play, just trying to play as well as possible.  I loved it.

[Steptide]

To be honest, the game was actually pretty boring up until the end of the 4th quarter and overtime. It was definitely fun to see a game in those conditions, but you have to admit it was pretty slow through 4 quarters 

[The Frankish Reich]

52 minutes ago, MDH said:

I swear the only ones who thought that was something special are the people who didn't sit through it in real time on TV. Watching some highlights of the game and calling it "special" isn't the same as watching the teams run it 3 straight times and punt over and over again (or 4 straight times and turn it over on downs.)

 

It was a brutal game to watch with three drives that had anything resembling excitement. Watch those 3 drives and you could get excited about how amazing that game was, watch all the others and you'd wake up, wipe the drool from your mouth and wonder if you missed anything.

I disagree. My impressions: 1st quarter-most enjoyable start to a game in a long time. Just weird/unique. 2nd quarter: boredom overtakes novelty. A few yards and a puff of snow. Repeat. Then the McCoy runs and KB catches and I'm locked in again. 2nd half and OT: the best game I've seen this year. Like a scoreless pitchers duel from the 6th - 11th innings. Every play is critical because one mistake will likely doom your team. And then the mistakes happen (Tolbert fumble, McD punt in OT) but somehow we wind up on top. Perfection. If you love football, you loved this game. If you hated this game, you don't really love football. 

[Foreigner]

Made the point how great and entertaining it was in another thread (Yesterday 12AM) and it was

ridiculed by a few people. Sure a game can be great when Big Ben throws for over 500, but this

one will stick in the memory bank.

[dickleyjones]

I loved the game. Certainly wouldn't want the games to be like that every week, but I could watch one of those per year. Best bills game of the year so far, and it was against the lowly colts.

[Fadingpain]

1 hour ago, GoBills808 said:

It was a spectacle for sure. It had the uniqueness factor going for it, but let's not pretend like it was good football or anything. I wouldn't want to sit through a game like that anymore than once every five seasons or so, personally.

Agree.

 

I think people find it an interesting curiosity, especially if they didn't sit through the entirety of the actual game.

 

I was surprised at how many Bills fans in the GDT were really opposed to having to play the game under those weather conditions.  Not every football fan thought it was cool, for sure.

 

Don't worry about your once in 5 years thing....in reality, that is like a once in 40 year game. 

 

I guess we played a very similar game against the Bengals in the Rockpile in 1969.  That was the last one of these that actually impacted the Bills, at least in terms of ridiculous amounts of snow on the field, really bad visibility, etc.

 

 

[dave mcbride]

2 minutes ago, Fadingpain said:

Agree.

 

I think people find it an interesting curiosity, especially if they didn't sit through the entirety of the actual game.

 

I was surprised at how many Bills fans in the GDT were really opposed to having to play the game under those weather conditions.  Not every football fan thought it was cool, for sure.

 

Don't worry about your once in 5 years thing....in reality, that is like a once in 40 year game. 

 

I guess we played a very similar game against the Bengals in the Rockpile in 1969.  That was the last one of these that actually impacted the Bills, at least in terms of ridiculous amounts of snow on the field, really bad visibility, etc.

 

 

Don't forget this game! http://www.billsdaily.com/articles/thunder/ne2.html 

 

Vinatieri missed a kick that would have ended the game in regulation in that one too. He must hate the Ralph!

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

10 minutes ago, dave mcbride said:

Don't forget this game! http://www.billsdaily.com/articles/thunder/ne2.html 

 

Vinatieri missed a kick that would have ended the game in regulation in that one too. He must hate the Ralph!

the announcers said a number of times Buffalo has not been kind to him.

 

I am still trying to figure out how that one PAT kick that was clearly a foot out from the post (to the left on my TV) hooked back in for the try.  The must have been one hell of a gust of wind, 

Edited December 12, 2017 by ShadyBillsFan

[dave mcbride]

Just now, ShadyBillsFan said:

the announcers said a number of times Buffalo has not been kind to him.

 

I am still trying to figure out how that one PAT kick that was clearly a foot out from the post (to the left on my TV) hooked back in for the try.  The wind must have been one hell of a gust of wind, 

that wind was horizontal - you could see it in how the snow was moving. The same exact thing happened on his next kick - he just made the mistake of kicking it dead center. It would have been perfect in other conditions.

[Da webster guy]

I loved it, especially the fact that you could move around to any seat you wanted in the 2nd half.

 

We had front row upper deck, normally a killer seat but after the first quarter we noticed all the empties in the lower levels and slid down to even better seats because the viz was changing from decent to sketchy pretty fast..   My kids mostly stayed put but they had great lower seats anyway.

 

Kudos to the crowd for not hurling too many snowballs, we had a friend wearing a Colts jersey and he never took a hit.   

 

Another funny thing I havent seen mentioned here is the club seats were 99% empty.  Everyone was inside watching from the warmth, which is understandable I guess but if you were dressed properly like we were, there was no other place to be than out in the madness.   For those of you who stayed on the couch because the Bills don't have enough wins for your liking this year, you made a mistake.

[zow2]

Only in Buffalo man..  I can't imagine any other NFL city going through with that game, and weather forecast for lake effect.  It would have been preemptively postponed like the game in Philly a couple years ago (in the name of safety for the fans).  Maybe Green bay is another city it would've been played.

[sodbuster]

12 minutes ago, zow2 said:

Only in Buffalo man..  I can't imagine any other NFL city going through with that game, and weather forecast for lake effect.  It would have been preemptively postponed like the game in Philly a couple years ago (in the name of safety for the fans).  Maybe Green bay is another city it would've been played.

I was actually surprised they didn't put the game on pause when the lightning and thunder started. 

[hondo in seattle]

I watched it at home and thought it was a lot of fun.  To me it was one of the most memorable and interesting games of the year.

 

Part of the appeal I suppose was the nostalgia value.  The game reminded me of the snowy sandlot games I played growing up in Cheektowaga.  

[Buffalo_Gal]

I loved it! (But I didn't have to play in it or watch from the stands.) Very memorable.

And, it made me very glad I live north of Buffalo.

Edited December 12, 2017 by Buffalo_Gal

[Royale with Cheese]

I hate games like Sunday.  I like to see world class athletes at their best and not conditions that limit them severely.  I like conditions where you can actually play full football and not limited to only running the ball and anything over 30 yards for a FG is a crap shoot.

 

Its just a personal preference.

[plenzmd1]

13 minutes ago, sodbuster said:

I was actually surprised they didn't put the game on pause when the lightning and thunder started. 

we heard the thunder, never saw any lighting though. Thunder Snow is freaking even more awesomer!!!

[1st&ten]

Well one nice thing, there wasn't a lot of Penalties.

[May Day 10]

I thought it was refreshing and unique.  Wasnt over officiated.  Every inch wasnt contested and disputed via coaches challenges and replays.  It was a throwback.  Some of the most extreme conditions ever.  It was a spectacle.

 

Obviously, nobody wants or expects that to happen every week... and most likely it will never happen again

[dulles]

16 minutes ago, May Day 10 said:

I thought it was refreshing and unique.  Wasnt over officiated.  Every inch wasnt contested and disputed via coaches challenges and replays.  It was a throwback.  Some of the most extreme conditions ever.  It was a spectacle.

 

Obviously, nobody wants or expects that to happen every week... and most likely it will never happen again

I think that was what made the OPI on the two point conversion so ridiculously surprising - they basically gave everyone full permission to hold all game long, then they called a massively delayed ticky-tack foul on a game-changing score.  I was incredulous.  It was like "Just give it to 'em" in reverse!

3 hours ago, ShadyBillsFan said:

The only one I hear gripe about it was Mike Golic Jr because the 2 missed FG's might cost AV a Half Million dollar bonus for reaching 90% rate at the end of the season.   He went from 95% to 88 Sunday. 

 

Well and Colts fans

He only needs to go 5-5 through the rest of the season AND he gets to kick in a dome much of the season.  He'll be ok.

[eball]

My only thought while watching the game was how fun it looked, and I think the players felt it too.  This was like being a kid again and playing in the snow.

[Just in Atlanta]

So epic. I fully expect some Sam Spence music behind it soon.

 

 

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

1 hour ago, hondo in seattle said:

I watched it at home and thought it was a lot of fun.  To me it was one of the most memorable and interesting games of the year.

 

Part of the appeal I suppose was the nostalgia value.  The game reminded me of the snowy sandlot games I played growing up in Cheektowaga.  

 

1 hour ago, Buffalo_Gal said:

I loved it! (But I didn't have to play in it or watch from the stands.) Very memorable.

And, it made me very glad I live north of Buffalo.

 

1 hour ago, Royale with Cheese said:

I hate games like Sunday.  I like to see world class athletes at their best and not conditions that limit them severely.  I like conditions where you can actually play full football and not limited to only running the ball and anything over 30 yards for a FG is a crap shoot.

 

Its just a personal preference.

 

I just read that the game was the 2nd highest rated viewers in a decade.  

 

 

Highest rating was 46.9 on December 16, 2007 at Cleveland

 

 

46.7: Second-highest TV rating for a Bills game since 2000 (according to Buffalo News)

 

8: Inches of snow that fell between 12 noon and 4:00 pm during Sunday’s Bills-Colts game.

[Beast]

It was fun because we won.

 

I don’t remember enjoying losing that snow game at Cleveland.

Edited December 12, 2017 by Binghamton Beast

[Real McClappy]

This goes down as one of my favorite Bills games of all time!

 

I was told by MAJBobby that White hated the game?

 

Snowball fight sack was also funny

 

 

 

Edited December 12, 2017 by Real McCoy

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

If that’s is I hate it dance I’d love to see his happy dance.  

[BADOLBILZ]

2 hours ago, dave mcbride said:

Don't forget this game! http://www.billsdaily.com/articles/thunder/ne2.html 

 

Vinatieri missed a kick that would have ended the game in regulation in that one too. He must hate the Ralph!

 

That Patriots game was more memorable as someone who attended it because the roads were absolute chaos afterwards..........much of the snow came late or after the game......it had pretty much stopped at the end of the game this past Sunday so the municipalities were able to get roads cleared.   

 

Conditions were worse watching that Pats game too...........it was brutal windy and sleet flying in your eyes.........very few people hung around to watch the end........we were in the lower bowl and could just move up and down the field with the team.

 

That was the last time the Bills and Pats were in the same league........it's been sweepsville ever since.

 

I think a lot of the snow drama in this game Sunday was due in great part to the Dolphins game last year where the grounds crew used tractors with rotary brushes mounted on the front to clear snow off the field..........and accidentally swept most of the cushioning pellets off the field in the process.

 

They probably could have kept the field relatively clear if they used those tractor brushes again but apparently haven't worked the kinks of that process out yet.

 

 

 

 

[BADOLBILZ]

4 hours ago, MDH said:

I swear the only ones who thought that was something special are the people who didn't sit through it in real time on TV. Watching some highlights of the game and calling it "special" isn't the same as watching the teams run it 3 straight times and punt over and over again (or 4 straight times and turn it over on downs.)

 

It was a brutal game to watch with three drives that had anything resembling excitement. Watch those 3 drives and you could get excited about how amazing that game was, watch all the others and you'd wake up, wipe the drool from your mouth and wonder if you missed anything.

 

 

 

I've found most of McDermott season one to be an unwatchable, boring, self-inflicted re-boot of Jauron Ball...........but at least this time there was actually a reason for being conservative aside from simply playing scared as McD is so inclined to.

 

Add in a brisk pace of play,  very few penalties and the victorious outcome and it was fun to watch.

 

The three white knuckle games.........Carolina, Atlanta and KC.........all left me wishing I could have those 3 hours of my life back.    

 

Just unwatchable, clinical barf-ball.

 

I am praying that this team goes all-in on improving the passing game this offseason..........I can't sit thru another year of Jauron Ball.

 

Need some players that can force McD to poke his head out of his shell.     Too many built-in excuses with these lumbering WR's.

[KD in CA]

8 hours ago, ShadyBillsFan said:

The only one I hear gripe about it was Mike Golic Jr because the 2 missed FG's might cost AV a Half Million dollar bonus for reaching 90% rate at the end of the season.   He went from 95% to 88 Sunday. 

 

Geez....sure hope he can still feed his kids!

[Punching Bag]

7 hours ago, BigDingus said:

https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl-90-colts-bills-game-023135073.html

This feels like the most recognition the team has got in ages. Even when we're on win streaks to start off the season, the attention seem superficial. This time though people are still talking about this game like it's some all-time classic. I can't go online without seeing yet another meme made out of it, or another cool story that came from it (like Bills players helping fans who had cars stuck in the snow). 

Really entertaining to keep reading & watching more cool coverage of this game. Seems football fans around the country are just fascinated by it.

 

Yes he mentioned the Colts' kicker (being an ex NE Cheater) but neglecting to mention the Bills kickers including some tremendous punting. 

[Heavy Kevi]

And just think.... With a dome it would have been just another forgettable playoff elimination.

 

Long live winter games in outdoor stadiums!

[Punching Bag]

27 minutes ago, Shotgunner said:

And just think.... With a dome it would have been just another forgettable playoff elimination.

 

Long live winter games in outdoor stadiums!

 

Thats right - Bills would not have won without snow conditions.  

[Heavy Kevi]

1 minute ago, Limeaid said:

 

Thats right - Bills would not have won without snow conditions.  

 

I thought I would give the snow the benefit of the doubt...

 

It was the star of the day, after all.

[BigDingus]

9 hours ago, ShadyBillsFan said:

the announcers said a number of times Buffalo has not been kind to him.

 

I am still trying to figure out how that one PAT kick that was clearly a foot out from the post (to the left on my TV) hooked back in for the try.  The must have been one hell of a gust of wind, 

 

Didn't they say he was 11 of 21 all time kicking in Buffalo? I believe they said that when he was lining up for the 43 yard extra point, but they were referring to FG's.

So make it 11 of 22 now (as I assume they included the one he missed earlier). Adam Vinatieri being a 50% FG kicker in Buffalo is pretty nutty to think about. He either just has bad days playing here, or he just has the worst luck ever & always ends up playing us in terrible weather.

 

2 hours ago, Shotgunner said:

And just think.... With a dome it would have been just another forgettable playoff elimination.

 

Long live winter games in outdoor stadiums!

 

Yeah, that's pretty much the gist of what the guy in the video is saying without specifically mentioning a dome. Basically saying the game looks too sterilized & perfect all the time, and the presentation is so doctored up it hardly resembles the game as it used to be.