The playoff drought will hit 20 years

[chris66]

I've been watching NFL football for well over 45 years, and I can't think of any other incarnation of any team that was so closely and consistently tied to accusations of cheating. Sure there was the occasional rambling of Al Davis hiring spies, or the 'controversy' of Shula being the only coach on the competition committee and !surprise! Miami was always at the top of the list for least penalized...but nothing like the Patriots over the last 15 years. In the same vein, I've never seen one team, with basically one player being the only factor as far as continuity, remain so successful, for so long. It just doesn't happen without other influences being part of the equation.

That's because the qb position in college ha become so bad that quality passers aren't coming out on a regular basis. Think about it. guy comes in gets red shirted for his 1st year plays 2 seasons then goes on to the nfl. He now can't play from behind center or read a defense. He is a in the shotgun 1 read player. They can get by for a couple of seasons and if they can't transition to be an actual qb they fade away like Kap and RG3. That's why most teams are so inconsistent.

The last of the true qb's are Eli and big Ben and they are in their mid thirties

[YardRat]

That's because the qb position in college ha become so bad that quality passers aren't coming out on a regular basis. Think about it. guy comes in gets red shirted for his 1st year plays 2 seasons then goes on to the nfl. He now can't play from behind center or read a defense. He is a in the shotgun 1 read player. They can get by for a couple of seasons and if they can't transition to be an actual qb they fade away like Kap and RG3. That's why most teams are so inconsistent.

The last of the true qb's are Eli and big Ben and they are in their mid thirties

Horse****. Although I certainly won't disagree with the premise that college football is ruining the QB position, never before has a player been able to sustain the same level of success even back when 99% of the QB's coming out of school were 'pro' style. Granted, the rule changes have certainly had an impact on longevity and statistics, but not so much that a single team with one player can sustain dominance over such a long period of time.

[chris66]

Horse****. Although I certainly won't disagree with the premise that college football is ruining the QB position, never before has a player been able to sustain the same level of success even back when 99% of the QB's coming out of school were 'pro' style. Granted, the rule changes have certainly had an impact on longevity and statistics, but not so much that a single team with one player can sustain dominance over such a long period of time.

Look at all the bad teams in the nfl. The nfl has never been this bad at the qb position. Nevermind all the bad head coaches. A top qb and coach combo can go a long way in today's game.

[swiper]

And you suffered through Lou Saban! Oh the terror.

[YardRat]

Look at all the bad teams in the nfl. The nfl has never been this bad at the qb position. Nevermind all the bad head coaches. A top qb and coach combo can go a long way in today's game.

Not as far as unmitigated cheating with impunity, obviously.

[Jan Reimers]

I can only say I'm disappointed again, and at my advanced age, I'm simply hoping to see the Bills in the playoffs one more time. It seems that there are always just enough negatives to keep us from succeeding, despite our advances that look so promising.

It gets very discouraging after all these futile seasons. I really don't see it happening this year, either.

[trapezeus]

The results with the lack of talent and the gifts in every game are the reason a lot of people don't buy it. 6 super bowl appearances because of one coach who sucked and one 6th round qb makes no sense. Players come in as junk and get made into Allstars? They leave and become junk again? The pats are doing things that no other team is doing. Hence their outlier status vs the spread at home. It's unusual for the history of the game. And to have newbie fans like Chris66 say that comments like this hurt the actual fans of football is idiotic.

They were going to move in the 90's. So not accurate that they've been relevant since 1993. They may have gotten Bledsoe but Kraft looked to move the team. And hen he won, and his regionalized team for an area known as lovable losers because the fans they hated the most.

[chris66]

The results with the lack of talent and the gifts in every game are the reason a lot of people don't buy it. 6 super bowl appearances because of one coach who sucked and one 6th round qb makes no sense. Players come in as junk and get made into Allstars? They leave and become junk again? The pats are doing things that no other team is doing. Hence their outlier status vs the spread at home. It's unusual for the history of the game. And to have newbie fans like Chris66 say that comments like this hurt the actual fans of football is idiotic.

They were going to move in the 90's. So not accurate that they've been relevant since 1993. They may have gotten Bledsoe but Kraft looked to move the team. And hen he won, and his regionalized team for an area known as lovable losers because the fans they hated the most.

Victor kiam wanted to move the team to st louis in 93. Kraft owned the stadium and wouldnt let him out of his lease thats how kraft ended up with the team

[Mr. Cynical]

I just hope that they get some success this year to legitimately build on. Last year was the first non-losing season in forever, and if they at least go 9-7 this year, it starts to chip away at the Culture of Losing. I realize close only counts in hand grenades and horse shoes, but still...if you want to attract talent for the *right* reasons (i.e., joining a winner, not an ATM), who are really committed to the game, you have to have a Culture of Winning. I don't know that Rex will be the HC to get them there, or even if the current roster will be 50% in tact. But if as a brand and a team they can start to put together back to back winning seasons, and legitimately contend into December, only good things will happen.

The absolute bottom line (that we all know) - you cannot win in this league without a franchise qb. Period. So until that happens, all we can do is hope they show up and compete and not be a joke.

Now, that said, I'm the first one to throw the chili or smash the remote when I see them screw up during a game. If I see one more f$#!% quick slant to f*&*! Welker/Edelman/Amendola/insert 175lb white guy for another f^*#% first down I'm going to smash more than my remote. So my patience is admittedly paper thin, and I just wish Brady and Belichick would sail off into the sunset already.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

Hey. I'll be the first to admit we are an arrogant fanbase. That happens when your team has been on top for 20 years. If the internet and social media was around in the 80s and early 90s people would have hated the 49ers as well.

Arrogance in a fanbase is one thing. The Spurs, Lakers, Red Wings, Yankees, etc all have arrogant fanbases. What makes Boston fans impossibly annoying is their insistence that somehow they're better fans then everyone else, coupled with a mile-wide persecution complex. Pats fans will complain about the refs after a double-digit win, let alone a loss. Hell, after the Pats likely beat the Broncos tomorrow, they will probably ***** that the commentators talked about Manning too much from the bench.

No, the Patriots were an afterthought since their inception. Boston was always a baseball town and with the success of the Celtics and Bruins, hockey and basketball. It was only in the last 14 years that New England actually supported the Patriots en masse. Probably you as well. Bandwagon from the git go, so stuff your 49ers comparison because they actually did it on the field with no help, no tuck rule, no Deflategate, no spying, nothing to tarnish their championships. The 49ers were never hated except maybe within their division. The rest of us just enjoyed watching them play.

The 49ers didn't have their hands clean either. They were serial cap cheaters.

[Mr. Pink]

The 49ers didn't have their hands clean either. They were serial cap cheaters.

Or the fact that Jerry Rice used stick um, he openly admitted to it after he retired. Stick um was illegal.

Or that Joe Montana admitted that his offensive lineman sprayed silicon on their shirts...until they got caught.

No team is innocent when it comes to cheating.

[kscdogbillsfan1221]

Not sure where you're coming from, but most of us suffered through the 1-15 Rod Rust season as well as the 2-14 Hugh Millen, Scott Secules years. Crappy owners like the Sullivan's and Victor Kiam.

couldnt find one patriots fan before 2000, now you are everywhere. Could barely find a patriots jersey at a bills patriots game 14 years ago. Now, there are a ton.

So yes, the vast majority of you are front running, ass wiping douchebags. With a city populated mainly by d'@@headed a holes.

So brady fits right in

[Albany,n.y.]

You whiners remind me of California Chrome's drunk owner after his horse lost the Belmont Stakes. He said he'd never see another Triple Crown winner in his lifetime & the very next year there was one. So, that might just mean Buffalo Bills Super Bowl 51 Champions.

[Albany,n.y.]

couldnt find one patriots fan before 2000, now you are everywhere. Could barely find a patriots jersey at a bills patriots game 14 years ago. Now, there are a ton.

So yes, the vast majority of you are front running, ass wiping douchebags. With a city populated mainly by d'@@headed a holes.

So brady fits right in

I was at Buffalo Wild Wings in Santa Ana California last Monday & it was a heavy NE crowd, many in Pats gear. I bet not one of them gave a rat's behind about the Patriots before Brady arrived. Meanwhile I was the lone Bills rooter there with my over 40 years of being a Bills fan.

Also-I was at the Chiefs/Chargers game last Sunday-KC did nothing, just let the Chargers beat themselves. So anyone who is afraid of KC doesn't know Jack (as in the former name of the Stadium where I saw the weakest 30 point win ever)

[Mr. Pink]

I was at Buffalo Wild Wings in Santa Ana California last Monday & it was a heavy NE crowd, many in Pats gear. I bet not one of them gave a rat's behind about the Patriots before Brady arrived. Meanwhile I was the lone Bills rooter there with my over 40 years of being a Bills fan.

Also-I was at the Chiefs/Chargers game last Sunday-KC did nothing, just let the Chargers beat themselves. So anyone who is afraid of KC doesn't know Jack (as in the former name of the Stadium where I saw the weakest 30 point win ever)

Of course not.

Go back 20 years ago and you saw Cowboys fans everywhere. 30 years ago 49ers fans everywhere.

Who gave a crap about the Cowboys between Staubach and Aikman? Who gives a crap about the 49ers since Steve Young? Who gave a crap about the Steelers between Bradshaw and Roethlisberger? Hell who, outside of Buffalo, gives a crap about the Bills since Jim Kelly?

Singling out a team on fan support is as ridiculous as thinking the Pats are the only team that cheats.

[OpIv37]

Of course not.

Go back 20 years ago and you saw Cowboys fans everywhere. 30 years ago 49ers fans everywhere.

Who gave a crap about the Cowboys between Staubach and Aikman? Who gives a crap about the 49ers since Steve Young? Who gave a crap about the Steelers between Bradshaw and Roethlisberger? Hell who, outside of Buffalo, gives a crap about the Bills since Jim Kelly?

Singling out a team on fan support is as ridiculous as thinking the Pats are the only team that cheats.

Can't really speak for those other teams but I completely disagree on the Bills.

I moved to Northern Va in 2002 and Baltimore in 2011. That's a two-team market a 400 mile drive from Buffalo. Despite 2002-now being a pathetic era of Bills football, I still see people with Bills stuff on their car or wearing gear several times a week. There are 2 Bills Backers bars in Northern Va, one in DC and one in Baltimore that are packed every week. And I'd say at least 75% of the time I wear Bills gear, another fan says something to me, and we have a conversation about the team so I know they still care.

And not so much in Baltimore, but Bills fans always make a strong showing when we play the Redskins at FedEx.

Granted, this is anecdotal evidence, but I can tell you the Bills have a strong following in a two team market far from WNY because I see it all the time.

[sudzy]

I use to say "I'd like to see the Bills win a Super Bowl in my lifetime." Now, I'm thinking "I'd like to see the Bills be good enough to make the playoffs again."

[BillsOwnAll]

I love how pats fans complain about being the refs "screwed" them with that whistle, imagine getting 40 yards when it shoulda been a replayed down.. Must be nice..they get every big little call all games.

[justasportsfan]

I haven't seen a lot of Pats fans old enough to remember when they sucked. Now you see a lot of young ones.

Still a lot of bills fans young and old all over. Even a lot of young ones who never saw the bills when they wee winners

[pmoon6]

I haven't seen a lot of Pats fans old enough to remember when they sucked. Now you see a lot of young ones.

Still a lot of bills fans young and old all over. Even a lot of young ones who never saw the bills when they wee winners

I think it's kind of a legacy thing.
My Dad was a Buffalo Fan when we had a team in the AAFC. When they folded he liked the Browns. He became a Bills/Browns Fan with the inception of the AFL. Baseball was the game back then, but because of his interest in pro football, I liked it too.

As much as I hate what the NFL has become, I will probably always watch the Bills because of childhood memories and the connection both my Father and I had with the team. My Son is the same even though he never lived in Buffalo.