Watched the whole game at the cottage with my dad. He's not a big football fan but was a CFL fan, particularly in the 1950's and 60's. He has always said that the NFL produces far too many unwatchable games - usually either blowouts or punting competetions between offensively inept teams. He stuck through the whole game and was the first to say that it was exciting, thoroughly entertaining and deeply satisfying for the home fans. I went for a 15km mountain bike ride right afterward and felt almost a glow about the game, the team and my trip to Orchard Park next week.
Down 18 points in the third quarter, the Bills scored 21 straight and then answered two more Raider scores with touchdowns of their own to pull it out in thrilling fashion. The very last play of the game was a bit of an optical illusion for me as I was sure that I saw the Raider receiver make the catch but the Hail Mary was intercepted (and confirned by replay after I left for my ride) and Buffalo is 2-0 with the Patriots coming to town next weekend. It's fun, isn't it? To at least be in the hunt for something early on is a confidence booster for the team and its fans. It's been long enough without it. Let's enjoy it.
It was the kind of game that fans love and the kind that leaves defensive coordinators on both sides pulling their hair out as both offenses racked up the yards and points. The Bills showed great resilience in coming back from 18 down and twice more as well to take the lead for good. I haven't seen that for a long time. I saw something from CJ Spiller today which I haven't seen before - an explosive quickness on a couple of plays which shows me that maybe he's turned the corner. Great call by Chan Gailey when he lined up Spiller on the winning touchdown as a decoy for the play to Nelson. That's smart and creative play calling. We didn't see that kind of call during the Jauron years. The Bills front 7 looks like an NFL defence now. Dareus is a force. Kyle Williams is still a force and the linebackers look much better than last year. Merriman looks solid. Barnett looks solid too. And I think our quarterbacking is pretty good. Fitz is a free agent after this season and, based on the first 2 weeks, when he signs a new deal for next season, he may finally find himself out-earning some of his Harvard classmates. He seems like an easy player to like.
I will have some commentary on the Ontario election coming up soon but this week the football is what I'm excited about. The next game against the Patriots is the biggest home game the Bills have had since at least the 2008 game against the Chargers (which the Bills won to go to 5-1) and maybe since the Steelers game at the end of the 2004 season. We all know that it's going to be extremely difficult to beat them but let's, for now, just try to imagine that they could. It would have to be by a score of something like 28-24 or maybe 20-19 in rainy, windy conditions. Whatever. If they can somehow pull it out, get to Brady just enough, protect the ball, earn a turnover, outwork them, get a big special teams play - and shed the burden of 15 straight losses to this one team, then my dream and the dream of Bills fans everywhere of a 19-0 season will remain unblemished. And I should be able to sell those Christmas Eve Broncos tickets.
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