The longest playoff drought goes back 15 years to 1999 as that was the last time the Buffalo Bills were in the playoffs.
Fifteen long, painful, and losing seasons: that just about sums it up in as few words as possible.
On Sunday another Buffalo Bills season came to an abrupt, abysmal, and disappointing end. The NFL’s longest active playoff drought was assured to stay in tact for at least another year as the Buffalo Bills (8-7) fell to the Oakland Raiders (3-12) in Santa Clara, California at the O.Co Coliseum. The final score was of 26-24. Bills Quarterback Kyle Orton threw for 342 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions as the Bills comeback effort fell short.
“It just breaks your heart, you know. You sit there and put it all into it for a long time and you really don’t do it for anybody but yourselves and for the guys next to you in the locker room. We still have one game to go and we’ll play as hard as we can and try to get a win,” said Orton following Sunday’s disappointing loss. Certainly when you’ve gone this long and you’re right there and you have a chance and you put it all on the line and you don’t come through, it stings. It hurts.”
Those are the two words that sum up this years season in a nut-shell.
It stings, and oh boy does it hurt.
The stars were all aligned for the Bills to have a shot at the NFL’s second season if they won. They received boat loads of help from the Texans as they pulled off the 25-13 upset over the Ravens and the Steelers defense proved to be too much for Jamaal Charles and the Kansas City Chiefs as the Steelers went on to win by a score of 20-9. The Bills, as you could probably now figure out, needed the Chiefs and the Ravens to lose. They got the help they needed. They just didn’t get the win they needed to stay in the thick of things in the AFC playoff chase.
Like I said, the stars were aligned. And then the Bills decided to fade to black in Oakland’s black hole.
For a 2-12 team, Oakland had a raucous crowd on hand as the NFL announced a day prior that no team in the NFL would move to Los Angeles, California for the 2015 season. This proved to be of much delight in Oakland as the fans had numerous signs draped over the field walls saying “Stay in Oakland.”
Yes, Oakland and Buffalo were two teams in talks earlier this season to possibly relocate. Obviously we all know that Terry Pegula and his “One Buffalo” campaign would keep the city’s beloved Bills in town long term, but the Raiders didn’t know their fate until this weekend.
The Buffalo Bills defense has been extremely sound of late.
Until yesterday.
Rookie Derek Carr led a star-studded performance for the Raiders. Carr threw for 214 yards and 2 touchdowns on the day for Oakland. They key stat in Carr’s line: no interceptions.
The Bills defense that allowed no touchdowns and forced four interceptions the previous two weeks against Hall of Fame Quarterbacks, Peyton Manning (Broncos,) and Aaron Rodgers (Packers,) was embarrassed by a team that has struggled all year to get the ball in the end zone and points on the board.
Many coaching decisions will be discussed in the upcoming weeks. Why did Doug Marrone decide to punt on 4th-and 1 from midfield? Why did we abandon the run? Why were the Bills running so many designed 1-yard short passes?
The Bills were down 19-17 with under ten minutes to play in the game when the 4th and 1 came into question.
Question, Doug Marrone: How the heck do you punt on 4th and 1 with your season on the line in the fourth quarter with under 10 minutes to play?
Honestly, fans. Blame it on the coaching. Don’t blame it on the team. This teams “got it” according to Bills captain Kyle Williams. It just doesn’t seem like the coaches are on the same page as the players.
Guess we will just have to say “maybe next year” for the 15th straight season. Sigh.
Yes, it is depressing to see the team not in the playoffs for another year. But look at the bright side.
The Bills have 8 wins for the first time since 2004, they swept the NFC-North as they defeated the Bears, Lions, Vikings, and Packers, the defense has established themselves as an elite wrecking crew and one of the best in this league, and we found out that we have something really special in rookie sensation Sammy Watkins.
Time will tell with where this team ends up in the coming years, but at least we know one thing: The Bills will stay in Buffalo.
Another season without playoffs, but at least we have another season with our beloved Buffalo Bills.
This season may have not been our time, but hopefully our time is soon to come.
As always, Billieve.
Michael Loffredo 