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Thoughts on the Cusp of a Magical Season

ChevyVanMiller

By ChevyVanMiller
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ChevyVanMiller Veteran

ChevyVanMiller

Posted
Posted (edited)

Favorites.

 

That’s not a word that we’re comfortable with here in Western New York. We’ve been down so long that it feels like up to us. We wear the underdog cape like Wally Cox coming out of a phone booth and it has long since become our go-to attire once September rolls around and another NFL season takes flight.

 

But this season is different. Every day brings new proclamations from the national media that the team that we laugh, cry and bleed with 24/7, 365 days a year is that one that we’ve dreamed of having for decades, but feared might not ever come.

 

Josh Allen is the clear-cut MVP favorite. The defense is projected to be better than last season’s #1 ranked unit. The Bills are the Super Bowl favorite by such a wide margin that the Vegas oddsmakers have drastically lowered their potential payoff amounts hoping to push bettor’s money elsewhere - so far their efforts have been in vain.

 

Many in Bills Mafia, especially those whose fandom predates that moniker, are finding it difficult to embrace this newfound spotlight. We prefer the shadows. We like being overlooked and underestimated. After 17 years of futility we fully embraced our sports world Stockholm Syndrome.

 

Think of the iconic phrases attached to our football team - Wide Right, Homerun Throwback, 13 Seconds. An unholy trinity of football lexicon if ever one was assembled.

 

Like crosses we’ve carried those phrases, and the painful defeats they represent, long and far. Now, the newest hero to drape himself in the patriotic colors of our franchise has offered us a solution to this Draconian football hell that we’ve called home for so long.

 

“Bruh, f**k it, burn it all!”

 

Sweet liberation. Those six words, underscored by the two Super Bowl rings he wore as he uttered them, may be the most prophetic ever spoken on the Niagara Frontier. 

 

He’s right, burn it, burn it all. Trash your fears and recycle everything else. Those teams that suffered those defeats are not this year’s team. None of us are the same people that we were then. As S.E. Hinton said, “That was then, This is now.”

 

So lay those old crosses down and strike a match and set them ablaze. From their ashes a new phoenix will rise. One that brings tears of happiness, not sorrow. One that will serve vindication, not condemnation. One that just may render obsolete the oft heard prayer, “Please Lord, just one before I die.”

 

So mount up, Bills Mafia. This season is going to be one hell of a ride. There’s no guarantee that it will end with Lombardi, but the odds have never been better that it will. I’m proud to call you all my Bills’ brothers and sisters.

 

Feel the burn. Go Bills!

Edited by ChevyVanMiller
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zow2 All Pro

zow2

Posted
Posted

Just like the Sabres have won several October/November Stanley Cups,  I expect the Bills to win the September Super Bowl trophy by winning tonight. :)

 

So yeah, a W tonight would be great but it's all how they close out the season.. Can they do it in January/Feb when its do or die?  We shall see.  I'll echo the statement above and enjoy the ride.

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Greg S Veteran

Greg S

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Posted

Those first 7 games though are tough. 3 of the first 4 on the road. If they come out of this 5-2 or better we will be in great shape. 4-3 would be OK anything less is not acceptable. Still think the Bills floor/ceiling is between 11-13 wins.

 

at LA, TEN, at MIA, at BAL, PIT, at KC, GB. 

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dwight in philly Veteran

dwight in philly

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As an   8 yr old kid in 1960, i have been following this team with the same passion i have had since then.. , lived through it all.. and can honestly say , without any hesitation , the ending of last season hurt me more than any of the other heartbreaks.. been counting the days down so the new hope  of today, the new season, buries  the painful ending of last season.. 

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The Jokeman All Pro

The Jokeman

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1 hour ago, Greg S said:

Those first 7 games though are tough. 3 of the first 4 on the road. If they come out of this 5-2 or better we will be in great shape. 4-3 would be OK anything less is not acceptable. Still think the Bills floor/ceiling is between 11-13 wins.

 

at LA, TEN, at MIA, at BAL, PIT, at KC, GB. 

Let's beat LA tonight and worry about next week, next week. 

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Big Turk Hall of Famer

Big Turk

Posted
Posted (edited)

I feel the Bills learned last year that teams are going to give them their best shot every week and it took them a while for them to be mentally prepared for that on a week in week out basis. Saw in the Jags game a Bills team that was mentally checked out and thought it would be a cake walk...they were not prepared to get punched in the mouth from the opening snap. 

 

Similar to the Kelly led Bills surprisingly reaching the AFC Championship game against Cincy then struggling the next year before losing in the Divisional round against Cleveland in the Ronnie Harmon game. Same reasons, as Kelly discussed in his book. They needed to learn how to win when every team was gunning for them and how to mentally prepare for that level of intensity they were going to get every week. It took them a year to figure it out but they did.

 

We know what happened the next year. They steamrolled people.

 

I see the same thing happening with this team. They figured it out last year late and then continued it into the playoffs. 

 

This team is out for blood this year and to make a statement and I don't see anyone or anything getting in their way of doing that.

 

Allen is at his best when the stage is the biggest and the lights are the brightest and it's his time to shine.

Edited by Big Turk
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Airseven Veteran

Airseven

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The team is being overhyped and overrated. I expect another regular season similar to last year which is fine. Winning record (11-6), likely division champs, but plenty of inconsistency especially from Allen. Factor in a weak OL and defense prone to struggle against quality QBs. The playoffs are wide open in the AFC. Bills vs. the field - bet the house on the field. 

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davefan66 Veteran

davefan66

Posted
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Different feeling this year with how we ended last year. Truly felt we would have won the SB if we had beaten the chiefs.

 

Felt last year we could go all the way, and didn’t want loses, but they could happen.  This year?  Winning most is expected and needed for home field.

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Wayne Arnold Veteran

Wayne Arnold

Posted
Posted
10 minutes ago, Airseven said:

The team is being overhyped and overrated. I expect another regular season similar to last year which is fine. Winning record (11-6), likely division champs, but plenty of inconsistency especially from Allen. Factor in a weak OL and defense prone to struggle against quality QBs. The playoffs are wide open in the AFC. Bills vs. the field - bet the house on the field. 

 

People don't want to hear it now but it's true.

 

The Bills fan in me can't fathom being a Super Bowl favorite and expecting it to actually happen.

 

There will be struggles. I'm hoping that the struggles occur in the middle of the season but not enough to lose the division. But enough that everyone writes them off. And then they go on a hot streak leading up to and through the postseason.

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Augie Hall of Famer

Augie

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, SoCal Deek said:

One week at a time, people! 

 

It’s not often we have the chance for Overreaction Fridays!

 

It’s a long season, let’s peak at the right time. Never too high nor too low over a single outcome, that is my advice. Sometimes I struggle to heed my own advice, but I try. I’m much better than I used to be.    :)

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Greg S Veteran

Greg S

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Posted
17 minutes ago, Airseven said:

The team is being overhyped and overrated. I expect another regular season similar to last year which is fine. Winning record (11-6), likely division champs, but plenty of inconsistency especially from Allen. Factor in a weak OL and defense prone to struggle against quality QBs. The playoffs are wide open in the AFC. Bills vs. the field - bet the house on the field. 

 

Beane did address the DL this offseason with more than Miller. I expect the Bills to be tougher at the LOS which should (hopefully) mean they will be better against the run. I also expect a better pass rush. This defense probably won't finish with the #1 ranking again but they will be better than last year's defense which was a paper tiger. We need Tre back ASAP. Our secondary will have their hands full tonight no doubt as well as against other good passing teams. Beane has to address the OL this offseason no matter how the season plays out. Allen covers up for them with his scrambling ability to avoid the rush. It should be a fun ride. There will be highs and lows this season like every year but Bills should be the favorites to come out of the AFC. As long as injuries don't play a factor but that applies to everybody.

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mjt328 Veteran

mjt328

Posted
Posted

To be honest, this level of attention is making me a little nervous.

It's totally new territory.  As a fan of this team, I'm too used to disappointment.

 

Yesterday, all of the NFL Network announcers picked us for the Super Bowl.  Not a typo.  Every single one of them.

Even in the 90s, we were generally overshadowed by the 49ers and the Cowboys in yearly predictions.

 

With that said... I agree with Von Miller.  Burn it all.  Forget about the past.  This is a different team.

The Patriots were losers for most of their first 40 years.  Before Brady/Belichick, they were 0-2 in Super Bowls and had a grand-total of 7 playoff wins in their entire franchise history.  Now they are above the Packers, Steelers, Cowboys and 49ers as the top franchises in the sport.

 

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Big Turk Hall of Famer

Big Turk

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Wayne Arnold said:

 

People don't want to hear it now but it's true.

 

The Bills fan in me can't fathom being a Super Bowl favorite and expecting it to actually happen.

 

There will be struggles. I'm hoping that the struggles occur in the middle of the season but not enough to lose the division. But enough that everyone writes them off. And then they go on a hot streak leading up to and through the postseason.

 

There are struggles every year for every team

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BuffaloBill Hall of Famer

BuffaloBill

Posted
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I do not know that I have ever had higher expectations than what I do this season - yes, I was a fan before and during the SB run.

 

In my mind the only factor that may put a bullet in the season is injury.  If the Bills remain healthy there is every reason to believe this will be their year.

 

Go Bills!!!!

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nosejob RFA

nosejob

Posted
Posted
5 hours ago, ChevyVanMiller said:

Favorites.

 

That’s not a word that we’re comfortable with here in Western New York. We’ve been down so long that it feels like up to us. We wear the underdog cape like Wally Cox coming out of a phone booth and it has long since become our go-to attire once September rolls around and another NFL season takes flight.

 

But this season is different. Every day brings new proclamations from the national media that the team that we laugh, cry and bleed with 24/7, 365 days a year is that one that we’ve dreamed of having for decades, but feared might not ever come.

 

Josh Allen is the clear-cut MVP favorite. The defense is projected to be better than last season’s #1 ranked unit. The Bills are the Super Bowl favorite by such a wide margin that the Vegas oddsmakers have drastically lowered their potential payoff amounts hoping to push bettor’s money elsewhere - so far their efforts have been in vain.

 

Many in Bills Mafia, especially those whose fandom predates that moniker, are finding it difficult to embrace this newfound spotlight. We prefer the shadows. We like being overlooked and underestimated. After 17 years of futility we fully embraced our sports world Stockholm Syndrome.

 

Think of the iconic phrases attached to our football team - Wide Right, Homerun Throwback, 13 Seconds. An unholy trinity of football lexicon if ever one was assembled.

 

Like crosses we’ve carried those phrases, and the painful defeats they represent, long and far. Now, the newest hero to drape himself in the patriotic colors of our franchise has offered us a solution to this Draconian football hell that we’ve called home for so long.

 

“Bruh, f**k it, burn it all!”

 

Sweet liberation. Those six words, underscored by the two Super Bowl rings he wore as he uttered them, may be the most prophetic ever spoken on the Niagara Frontier. 

 

He’s right, burn it, burn it all. Trash your fears and recycle everything else. Those teams that suffered those defeats are not this year’s team. None of us are the same people that we were then. As S.E. Hinton said, “That was then, This is now.”

 

So lay those old crosses down and strike a match and set them ablaze. From their ashes a new phoenix will rise. One that brings tears of happiness, not sorrow. One that will serve vindication, not condemnation. One that just may render obsolete the oft heard prayer, “Please Lord, just one before I die.”

 

So mount up, Bills Mafia. This season is going to be one hell of a ride. There’s no guarantee that it will end with Lombardi, but the odds have never been better that it will. I’m proud to call you all my Bills’ brothers and sisters.

 

Feel the burn. Go Bills!

Post of the year!....Bruh

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TFBillsfan Veteran

TFBillsfan

Posted
Posted

Expectations are thru the roof and even though it’s the first regular season game, I’m as nervous as if it’s a playoff game. (Deep breath’s) As a long time Bills fan , I’m trying to enjoy the ride knowing this team can compete with anyone. The pieces are in place to make it happen. To the team, stay hungry, stay healthy and  go get yours! However, I know winning won’t be easy. I hope and pray this is the year!!!!

 

LETS GO BUFFALO!

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TheBrownBear Veteran

TheBrownBear

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Wayne Arnold said:

 

People don't want to hear it now but it's true.

 

The Bills fan in me can't fathom being a Super Bowl favorite and expecting it to actually happen.

 

There will be struggles. I'm hoping that the struggles occur in the middle of the season but not enough to lose the division. But enough that everyone writes them off. And then they go on a hot streak leading up to and through the postseason.

Naw, get outta here with that junk.  I think we go 20-0 with a point differential of +450.  Wouldn't be surprised to see Keenum throw for 2000+ yards in garbage time.  😜

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Kwai San Veteran

Kwai San

Posted
Posted (edited)
2 hours ago, Big Turk said:

Allen is at his best when the stage is the biggest and the lights are the brightest and it's his time to shine.

 

Dunno how he does it but dang if this ain't true!!!

 

2 hours ago, Airseven said:

The team is being overhyped and overrated. I expect another regular season similar to last year which is fine. Winning record (11-6), likely division champs, but plenty of inconsistency especially from Allen. Factor in a weak OL and defense prone to struggle against quality QBs. The playoffs are wide open in the AFC. Bills vs. the field - bet the house on the field. 

 

I bet you are a load of fun at parties.....

Edited by Kwai San
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Rigotz Veteran

Rigotz

Posted
Posted

I'm trying my best not to think about the expectations or put any undue pressure on the season and just enjoy it.

 

We have a young franchise QB and several other young studs. This won't be our only year.

 

My intent is to enjoy it. Nothing more or less.

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Patrick Duffy All Pro

Patrick Duffy

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, Airseven said:

The team is being overhyped and overrated. I expect another regular season similar to last year which is fine. Winning record (11-6), likely division champs, but plenty of inconsistency especially from Allen. Factor in a weak OL and defense prone to struggle against quality QBs. The playoffs are wide open in the AFC. Bills vs. the field - bet the house on the field. 

 

While the Bills are getting a bit hyped by the media all the other teams know that the team with the biggest target is the defending Champs Rams.

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ColoradoBills Hall of Famer

ColoradoBills

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, Airseven said:

The team is being overhyped and overrated. I expect another regular season similar to last year which is fine. Winning record (11-6), likely division champs, but plenty of inconsistency especially from Allen. Factor in a weak OL and defense prone to struggle against quality QBs. The playoffs are wide open in the AFC. Bills vs. the field - bet the house on the field. 

 

image.png.f1d2c4d315c09ee48c3932c4f099b3cb.png

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