So what makes a loss a "choke"?

[MikeInRoch]

Enough people are calling this week's loss a "choke". I don't agree. To me, a "choke" is if you lose after being in a position where you should win the overwhelming majority of the time. Being up 1 with 5 minutes left when your opponent has the ball doesn't really qualify.

You want to see a wonderful example of a choke, re-watch San Diego last night.

This team is perfectly capable of choking games away, and they have done it a lot lately. But I think calling this game a choke is a stretch.

[Night Train]

Re: So what makes a loss a "choke"?

Who cares what some posters are saying ? Look at it with your own perspective, either way.

They are applying the logic of past history. This team is 1 game into a whole new era, good or bad (to be determined).

[stuckincincy]

Re: So what makes a loss a "choke"?

Enough people are calling this week's loss a "choke". I don't agree. To me, a "choke" is if you lose after being in a position where you should win the overwhelming majority of the time. Being up 1 with 5 minutes left when your opponent has the ball doesn't really qualify.

You want to see a wonderful example of a choke, re-watch San Diego last night.

This team is perfectly capable of choking games away, and they have done it a lot lately. But I think calling this game a choke is a stretch.

Nor would I.

Both clubs battled and fro. A close score, not decided until near the end. It wasn't on my tv, but it was on tv elsewhere.

The folks outside of BUF got to see a decent NFL tilt. That's a plus.

[justasportsfan]

Re: So what makes a loss a "choke"?

choking is having the win in the grasp of your hands and then dropping it come crunch time ALA Stevie.

[trapezeus]

Re: So what makes a loss a "choke"?

the bills lost and fans are saying, "but we have moral victories"

The pats won and brady is saying "we have a long way to go to be better"

that pretty much sums up the difference between the bills and pats.

If t he pats lost that game, they'd say it was a choke. Regardless of the 10 points or needing to come back.

The bills lost and we are arguing if it was a choke or a different kind of loss? Is that how nuanced we've become as bills fans. we categorize our losses? "that was the good kind of loss."

[Pinkerton Security]

Re: So what makes a loss a "choke"?

the bills lost and fans are saying, "but we have moral victories"

The pats won and brady is saying "we have a long way to go to be better"

that pretty much sums up the difference between the bills and pats.

If t he pats lost that game, they'd say it was a choke. Regardless of the 10 points or needing to come back.

The bills lost and we are arguing if it was a choke or a different kind of loss? Is that how nuanced we've become as bills fans. we categorize our losses? "that was the good kind of loss."

I wouldnt say it was a good kind of loss, but plenty of people are criticizing the team for choking. They got beat, simple as that, and by a better team to boot. Does it make it better? No. But to me it doesnt make it worse either.

[better days]

Re: So what makes a loss a "choke"?

the bills lost and fans are saying, "but we have moral victories"

The pats won and brady is saying "we have a long way to go to be better"

that pretty much sums up the difference between the bills and pats.

If t he pats lost that game, they'd say it was a choke. Regardless of the 10 points or needing to come back.

The bills lost and we are arguing if it was a choke or a different kind of loss? Is that how nuanced we've become as bills fans. we categorize our losses? "that was the good kind of loss."

Well, the Bills players are not calling it a moral victory & Pats* fans are saying Brady was terrible in this game which he was. So yeah, Brady & much of that team has a ways to go to get better.

[better days]

Re: So what makes a loss a "choke"?

Nor would I.

Both clubs battled and fro. A close score, not decided until near the end. It wasn't on my tv, but it was on tv elsewhere.

The folks outside of BUF got to see a decent NFL tilt. That's a plus.

Not really. The game was only televised in the Buffalo & NE markets, so most of the Country did not see it unless they have Directv.

[pmoon6]

Re: So what makes a loss a "choke"?

the bills lost and fans are saying, "but we have moral victories"

The pats won and brady is saying "we have a long way to go to be better"

that pretty much sums up the difference between the bills and pats.

If t he pats lost that game, they'd say it was a choke. Regardless of the 10 points or needing to come back.

The bills lost and we are arguing if it was a choke or a different kind of loss? Is that how nuanced we've become as bills fans. we categorize our losses? "that was the good kind of loss."

Root for the Jets or Giants then. I've never read anything by you that was even remotely positive.

BTW, the Falcons, Ravens and Packers lost. Did they choke?

[Meathead]

Re: So what makes a loss a "choke"?

sometimes teams that totally dont deserve it win anyway cough jets cough. thats what a bills win would have been, a total flash of mother luckys ass to a team that bumbled its way through its first game under new everything

thank god at least ej wasnt part of that mistake brigade

[chris66]

Re: So what makes a loss a "choke"?

Well, the Bills players are not calling it a moral victory & Pats* fans are saying Brady was terrible in this game which he was. So yeah, Brady & much of that team has a ways to go to get better.

Dont know of any Pats fans that are stating Brady played terrible. he had a pretty good day. his one bad play was the fumble at Buffalo's one yard line

[gebobs]

Re: So what makes a loss a "choke"?

Root for the Jets or Giants then. I've never read anything by you that was even remotely positive.

Not all fans are the same as you, moonie. Some are glass half full and some are glass half empty. They all root for the team in their own way. You would think an old fart like you would have met a lot of both in all the years you've been a fan.

Be critical of my cynicism as I am of the pollyannas. But no sanctimony please, folks. We're all fans. The Bills might not win another game for the rest of my life and I would still never think of rooting for Atlanta *ptoooie*.

[OpIv37]

Re: So what makes a loss a "choke"?

A choke is being in a position to win the game but still managing to lose. It doesn't matter if the other team is favored or if it's a back and forth game.

The Bills had two chances to take time off the clock late in the 4th and failed to do it. Two first downs takes time off the clock and backs the Pats up, seriously reducing their chances to win. A FG forces them to need a TD, a TD puts the game out of reach. One less penalty on the Pats last TD drive and they have to kick a FG.

We were in a position where one less mistake likely wins the game, two less mistakes definitely wins the game.

That's why this was a choke.

[Scumbag College]

Re: So what makes a loss a "choke"?

Choke or not, the reason this loss was different was that the Bills went down 10-0 early and came back to hold a lead for most of the second half. In years past, when the Bills went down 10 against the Pats or any playoff team the wheels fell off and the next thing you know the Bills are down by 20+. Losing a game that you lead by 4 and 1 for most of the second half happens in the NFL. The team just needs to figure out how to close games out or hold on. I think that they'll get there soon.

[gr8slayer]

Re: So what makes a loss a "choke"?

This doesn't qualify as a choke to me, what the Chargers did last night was a choke. This was a lesser team sticking it to a far superior until the very end.