don_of_manhattan Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 This past Sunday's game against the Jags was significant, not only because the Bills showed they now know how to win against a tough team, on the road, but because it is another classic game between two good teams. Remember the playoff game against the Jags in December 1996 (still mad over that one), which was the first home playoff game lost by the Bills; the Doug Flutie bootleg on the last play of the game; the shellacking we gave them down in Jax in October 2001 (I remember the date because it was the week my youngest daughter was born and I watched it with her sleeping next to me while my wife got some sleep), etc. These two teams have played some great games over the last decade or so and, quite frankly, better than the games against the fish. I only hope it is a sign of things to come. I haven't been this excited about a win in a long time. don_of_manhattan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dean Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 The games have been incredibly close, and usually fairly well-played. Doesn't have the feel of a rivalry to me, though. In J-Ville, they barely notice the Bills, except for the week before and a day or two after, the game. A real rivalry involves two teams whose fan base cares about the other team throughout the year, IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkady Renko Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 The games have been incredibly close, and usually fairly well-played. Doesn't have the feel of a rivalry to me, though. In J-Ville, they barely notice the Bills, except for the week before and a day or two after, the game. A real rivalry involves two teams whose fan base cares about the other team throughout the year, IMO. Yet the fact that we are even talking about a rivalry with a team like Jacksonville reminds me of how fluid rivalry's are. Why are the Colts and Patriots rivals when they play in different divisions? Because they have been good and have played each other just about every year since realignment. I still maintain that the Bills should have gone to the AFC North during realignment in place of Baltimore. The rivalries would start anew and fans of each team could easily travel to the other's games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MRW Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 Cross-division rivalries develop when two teams are both top contenders and play in a decisive late-season tiebreaking game or in the playoffs. We're not there yet with the Jags (largely because the Bills have been bad to mediocre for so many years). There's certainly the possibility that things could shape up that way if the Jags keep the core of their team together for a few years and the Bills deliver on the promise they're showing this year. But who knows, maybe it will be Buffalo vs. San Diego year after year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dean Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 Yet the fact that we are even talking about a rivalry with a team like Jacksonville reminds me of how fluid rivalry's are. We are talking about a rivalry because someone on a message board posted it. I have seen NO indication that anyone in the Bills organization, the Jags organization or any legitimate sports media that even a hint of a rivalry exists between these two teams. The fact that we are talking about it means nothing, if we are all saying it isn't there. REAL rivalries take a long time to build and are built on HISTORY. They can't just be manufactured. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Vader Posted September 17, 2008 Share Posted September 17, 2008 While the Bills and Jags have played some very competitive games against each other, it is difficult to classify it as a rivalry. It would be if they were constantly fighting over the AFC Championship year after year, but that's not the case. A better example of a cross division rivalry today would be Colts-Patriots. Let's also not forget the Cowboys-49'ers during the mid-90's. Now that was a rivalry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dean Posted September 17, 2008 Share Posted September 17, 2008 While the Bills and Jags have played some very competitive games against each other, it is difficult to classify it as a rivalry.It would be if they were constantly fighting over the AFC Championship year after year, but that's not the case. A better example of a cross division rivalry today would be Colts-Patriots. Let's also not forget the Cowboys-49'ers during the mid-90's. Now that was a rivalry. Exactly. But, those rivalries are built on repeated head-to-head BIG games, usually playoff games. Once one (or both) teams fade from greatness, those rivalries calm down quite a bit. Inter-division rivalries are there whether the teams are great or suck. They play each other tough (usually) year after year, year after year, year after year. You think about, talk about, B word about your real rivals, all the time, whether or not your team is playing them, that week. It would have been a shame, IMO, had the NFL decided to break up those long-time rivalries by moving the Bills to another conference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catholic Guilt Posted September 17, 2008 Share Posted September 17, 2008 Doesn't have the feel of a rivalry to me, though. In J-Ville, they barely notice the Bills, except for the week before and a day or two after, the game. In J-Ville they hardly recognize the Jaguars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dean Posted September 17, 2008 Share Posted September 17, 2008 In J-Ville they hardly recognize the Jaguars. It's funny because it's true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobblehead Posted September 17, 2008 Share Posted September 17, 2008 A real rivalry involves two teams whose fan base cares about the other team throughout the year, IMO. Unfortunately, and IMHO, Nobody in the AFC East gives a bunch of craps about Buffalo, especially throughout the year. I absolutely, without question think we belong in the AFC North, with Baltimore taking our place in the East. Miami, NE, and NYJ would care about Baltimore more than us, and I without a doubt believe that Pitt, Cleveland (!) and Cinci would care more about Buffalo then Miami, NE and NYJ does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dean Posted September 17, 2008 Share Posted September 17, 2008 Unfortunately, and IMHO, Nobody in the AFC East gives a bunch of craps about Buffalo, especially throughout the year. I absolutely, without question think we belong in the AFC North, with Baltimore taking our place in the East. Miami, NE, and NYJ would care about Baltimore more than us, and I without a doubt believe that Pitt, Cleveland (!) and Cinci would care more about Buffalo then Miami, NE and NYJ does. So, as a Bills fan, you are more concerned about the fans in other cities than those in Buffalo? Fans in Buffalo REALLY care about the Fins, Pats* and Jets. Would you dispute that? Who cares what the other fans think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRH Posted September 17, 2008 Share Posted September 17, 2008 Some of us still think the old AFL rivalries are worth keeping. I'm not old enough to remember the AFL itself, but I am old enough to remember when we and the other former AFL teams were still considered interlopers on the snobby NFL scene. I know Cleveland and Pittsburgh are geographically closer (and socioeconomically more similar) to us, but I still love the feeling of an old-time original AFL matchup. That's why I didn't really care when the Colts left the AFC East. I get why people younger than me (I'm 39) don't understand this at all. But tough sh--. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobblehead Posted September 17, 2008 Share Posted September 17, 2008 Fans in Buffalo REALLY care about the Fins, Pats* and Jets. Would you dispute that? No, but you said "A real rivalry involves two teams whose fan base cares about the other team throughout the year". I was agreeing with you. I'm just taking it further and offering a solution, as much as my not being Roger Goodell can allow anyways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew in CA Posted September 17, 2008 Share Posted September 17, 2008 I don't think it's a rivalry yet- we'd need some more consistent big time games. Yet, I'll always hate them for the '96 playoff win at Rich. Kelly's last game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UConn James Posted September 17, 2008 Share Posted September 17, 2008 Unfortunately, and IMHO, Nobody in the AFC East gives a bunch of craps about Buffalo, especially throughout the year. I absolutely, without question think we belong in the AFC North, with Baltimore taking our place in the East. Miami, NE, and NYJ would care about Baltimore more than us, and I without a doubt believe that Pitt, Cleveland (!) and Cinci would care more about Buffalo then Miami, NE and NYJ does. Like BRH posted, geographically and socio-economically closer.... and yet, when I think about it, all in all, I'm happy we stayed in the East. I'm happy that we didn't have to adapt midstream to a different sub-conference brand of football and following the style of play in the North, if we make the playoffs, we'd be pretty beat up (esp. RBs). Old rivalries have shifted a bit. Sorry, but the Pats* are our #1 rival now, especially per the Dean's definition of it being a rivalry every day, every week. Look at the posts here. It's always Pats*-hate. Been building steadily since the late '90s, while the Miami one's been on the steady decline in that same period. Can't really remember the last time a Dolphins-hate thread was started when we weren't w/in ~ one-two weeks of playing them. I'm not sure we have any intra-conference rivalries, either. Things like that kind of slow down when you haven't been good in a while... same reason why not much was lost when Arizona moved out of the NFC-East. I'd say the Jags or Denver are the closest possibilities, but nowhere near 'rivalry.' Yet. Give it time, especially as we improve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jarthur31 Posted September 17, 2008 Share Posted September 17, 2008 The games have been incredibly close, and usually fairly well-played. Doesn't have the feel of a rivalry to me, though. In J-Ville, they barely notice the Bills, except for the week before and a day or two after, the game. A real rivalry involves two teams whose fan base cares about the other team throughout the year, IMO. I wouldn't say Bills fans care about Doll Fans; except on gameday. Then we pray we murder the snot outta them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Vader Posted September 17, 2008 Share Posted September 17, 2008 So, as a Bills fan, you are more concerned about the fans in other cities than those in Buffalo? Fans in Buffalo REALLY care about the Fins, Pats* and Jets. Would you dispute that? Who cares what the other fans think? I do'nt know Dean. I've talked to many Bills fans about the division rivalries and most of them talk about the Dolphins being the biggest and only rivalry they have. The Patriots have become a rivalry only recently, due to the Pats success. When it comes to the Jets, the fans tell me there is no rivalry with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CFLstyle Posted September 17, 2008 Share Posted September 17, 2008 Like BRH posted, geographically and socio-economically closer.... and yet, when I think about it, all in all, I'm happy we stayed in the East. I'm happy that we didn't have to adapt midstream to a different sub-conference brand of football and following the style of play in the North, if we make the playoffs, we'd be pretty beat up (esp. RBs). Old rivalries have shifted a bit. Sorry, but the Pats* are our #1 rival now, especially per the Dean's definition of it being a rivalry every day, every week. Look at the posts here. It's always Pats*-hate. Been building steadily since the late '90s, while the Miami one's been on the steady decline in that same period. Can't really remember the last time a Dolphins-hate thread was started when we weren't w/in ~ one-two weeks of playing them. I'm not sure we have any intra-conference rivalries, either. Things like that kind of slow down when you haven't been good in a while... same reason why not much was lost when Arizona moved out of the NFC-East. I'd say the Jags or Denver are the closest possibilities, but nowhere near 'rivalry.' Yet. Give it time, especially as we improve. The Bills/Dolphins rivalry is only quiet right now because it's been a while since both teams have been playoff calibre at the same time. You can say the Bills/Pats* have a rivalry, but in all honesty to me, they don't. They havn't had any big games for a while, and for the longest time it's just been the Pats* beating up on the Bills. I thought it might have been more interesting when Bledsoe came to Buffalo, having played for the Pats previously, but it didn't, we still got beat around. Say what you want about our fans hating the Pats*, but take a look around the league - it's like this for any NFL fan. Talk to fans of other teams. I grew up just outside of Toronto, and now I live in Ottawa, and not being in an NFL city, or country for that matter, everyone cheers for different teams. BUT, no matter who I talk to, if they're not a Pats* fan, then they hate the Pats*. To me, it's not a rivalry between the Bills and the Pats*, it's a rivalry between the Pats* and the other 31 NFL teams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheChimp Posted September 17, 2008 Share Posted September 17, 2008 Unfortunately, and IMHO, Nobody in the AFC East gives a bunch of craps about Buffalo, especially throughout the year. I absolutely, without question think we belong in the AFC North, with Baltimore taking our place in the East. Miami, NE, and NYJ would care about Baltimore more than us, and I without a doubt believe that Pitt, Cleveland (!) and Cinci would care more about Buffalo then Miami, NE and NYJ does. That would effing ROCK!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SouthernMan Posted September 17, 2008 Share Posted September 17, 2008 Unfortunately, and IMHO, Nobody in the AFC East gives a bunch of craps about Buffalo, especially throughout the year. I absolutely, without question think we belong in the AFC North, with Baltimore taking our place in the East. Miami, NE, and NYJ would care about Baltimore more than us, and I without a doubt believe that Pitt, Cleveland (!) and Cinci would care more about Buffalo then Miami, NE and NYJ does. Sore subject with me. I have to comment. I think the NFL blew it when they realigned. If it were setup more geographically similar to college conferences, huge rivalries between divisional opponents would have emerged very quickly. I would have said forget the current NFC/AFC arrangement. The NFC, which was spawned from the original NFL league, has always had the bigger cities. For this reason, FOX has a bigger audience (TV revenue). I'd have it as East and West and with divisions that look like this: Buffalo, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Detroit NYJ, NYG, Philadelphia, New England Miami, Jacksonville, Tampa, Atlanta Washington, Baltimore, Carolina, Tennessee Chicago, Green Bay, Indianapolis, Cincinnatti New Orleans, Houston, Dallas, Arizona Kansas City, St Louis, Minnesota, Denver San Diego, Oakland, San Francisco, Seattle Did they listen to me? NOooooooo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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