A Short Open Letter: To the Buffalo Bills

Seriously?

Seriously?

There is no way you just lost that game.

Super Bowl XXV.

Six turnovers. Two defensive touchdowns. One kickoff return for a touchdown.

Seriously?

And still you let them nearly tie the score in the last minute.

Music City Nightmare.

But redeemed yourself by stopping the two-point conversion.

Only to let them grab the on-side kick.

The season opener against the Jets.

And even when the officials upstairs sided with you and said T.O. didn't catch that pass, you decided not to cover the little dump-off pass that had killed you all night.

Not once, but twice.

Jacksonville season opener.

And then you had the audacity to call a timeout and force us, your fans, to watch the game winning kick twice.

How many ways can you lose in one fucking game?

The blown 24-3 4th quarter lead against Miami two years ago.

Over the years I've slowly distanced myself from getting so emotionally involved in games that I have no direct influence upon. And yet watching that home crowd going absolutely berserk for a 1-3 team, seeing our depleted defense play like a Super Bowl contender, and having confidence in a quarterback for the first time since--who, Flutie?--how could I not get wrapped up and think we deserved to win?

Even the Denver season opener just four weeks ago.

How many teams have made their fans say that it would have been better to let the opponent score the tying two-point conversion with twenty seconds left and go to overtime?

Worse, how many teams have made their fans say, with :20 left, after just stopping the opposition's two-point conversion attempt, "this game still isn't over. I remember that Titans game."

Yes I remember it. But tonight, I didn't think I would have to remember it.

As I will now also have to remember this game, not as one of those sweet shining moments that gives us reason to hope and to hang in there and root for a team hoping to rebuild, but as a part of that ever increasing list of utter disappointments we saw coming but failed to believe would actually happen.

I feel like I've got to keep my friends on suicide watch. I can't even imagine what it's like at the stadium now.

That's enough for now.

No, that's enough for good.

-nait