BY MIKE POLCE, CONTRIBUTING WRITER
This Sunday, The Minnesota Vikings beat the Buffalo Bills, 31-30. The game was an absolute slugfest between two of the NFL’s most dominant teams. The Bills had a 17-point-lead at halftime but a sequence of careless plays and an unbelievable catch by Justin Jefferson allowed the Vikings to stay in the game and win it in overtime.
Buffalo led Minnesota, 27-23, with 47 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. Buffalo stuffed Minnesota on fourth down, giving them the ball at its own 1-yard-line. All Minnesota had to do was not fumble in the end zone, and the game would be over. Even if they took a safety, the Vikings would still have to march down and kick a field goal. But Josh Allen fumbled the snap, and the Vikings recovered it, resulting in a Minnesota touchdown.
Miraculously, the Bills got the ball back and kicked a field goal to send the game to overtime. The Bills lost the coin toss, but their defense held the Vikings to a field goal, giving the offense an opportunity to win the game. All Buffalo needed was a touchdown. The Bills got the ball and instantly started driving down field. With one minute and 12 seconds remaining in overtime, Josh Allen led the Bills offense down to Minnesota’s 20-yard-line.
This was Buffalo’s opportunity to put the game away. Josh Allen dropped back into the pocket and threw a horrific pass into triple coverage, which was intended for Gabe Davis. Vikings cornerback, Patrick Peterson, intercepted it, putting an end to what most fans are calling, “The game of the year.”
The problem is that the Bills lost last year’s “game of the year” too. With 13 seconds left in the AFC Divisional Game vs. the Kansas City Chiefs, the Bills defense choked, allowing Kansas City to kick a field goal which sent the game to overtime. The Chiefs won the coin flip and scored on their first overtime drive, winning the game, 42-36. After the loss, Bills fans, and even Bills players tried blaming the overtime rules for the loss. They argued that the team who loses the coin flip should get a chance to score a touchdown if the other team scores on the first overtime drive.
At the ESPYS, Josh Allen displayed his displeasure with the overtime rules, saying, “You just end it in a way that makes sense, is fair, and gives everyone an opportunity to win.”
Fast forward a season and the Bills are still choking close games away, but what’s the excuse this time? The Bills had a chance to beat the Vikings, and Josh Allen threw a terrible interception to lose the game. The throw was reminiscent of 2018 Josh Allen, the guy who’s accuracy and decision making-issues were so bad, people were already labeling him a bust. Obviously, Josh Allen has improved his game and solidified himself as a top quarterback in the NFL, but he still has work to do and these close games prove it.
Since the beginning of the 2021 season, Buffalo is 2-9 in one score games. All six of Buffalo’s losses last year were one score games. I understand losing a few close games, but all of them? That is a major problem. Those losses prevented them from securing the second or third seed in the playoffs. Instead, the Bills claimed the third seed, and were forced to play the Kansas City Chiefs on the road in the divisional round. If they won one of those close games, the playoff game would have been in Buffalo, giving the Bills home-field advantage, which is huge in the NFL playoffs.
Buffalo fans, after twenty years of mediocre teams, I understand why you are excited that the Bills are finally good. I understand that you love Josh Allen and what he has brought to your franchise, but it is time to wake up because the Bills are underperforming. Buffalo has a real chance to win the Super Bowl this year. In fact, they are the favorites. But, it’s time to stop talking and start performing.
The window to win a Super Bowl is short. Buffalo has the perfect opportunity right now. They have the team capable of winning a championship, but these regular season games matter, and they can’t afford to lose six again this year. If they do, the season will likely end the same way.
So, support your team and your quarterback, but don’t be afraid of holding them accountable. Blowing a 17-point lead at halftime is unacceptable when you have the players like the Bills have, and Josh Allen’s game-losing interception in overtime was just as bad.
This team should not be content with a playoff berth, and neither should the fans. The Bills have never won a Super Bowl, and this is their time to change that. Neither the fans or team should be content with making the playoffs. Instead, the playoffs should be a means to what they can truly accomplish, a Super Bowl victory.
polcema20@bonaventure.edu
