The Buffalo Bills find ways to lose to their fans. They did it in the closing seconds and overtime of their game against the Vikings.
With less than a minute left in the game, Buffalo stopped the Vikings on a 4th down goal line quarterback sneak, only for the Bills to turn around and give the Vikings the lead.
The roar of the Buffalo crowd after that fourth-and- goal stop was that of a fans who had just secured their biggest win of the season. The home crowd fell into the depths of torment that have plagued this franchise for years after just a few minutes.
A game the Bills led 27-10 late in the third quarter was then allowed to become a roller coaster ride of emotion for Buffalo fans, in which they came out on the losing side again. If you live in Buffalo, you are well aware of how quickly things can go wrong when leading with seconds remaining.
Everyone remembers the 13-second miracle by Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in the playoffs last year. The game was won byKC, 42-36. The finality of that one meant the end of Buffalo's season, but if you're a player, coach, or fan of the Bills, this loss to the Vikings likely brings back memories of the playoffs.
The heartbreaking losses have always found the Bills. There was a game called the Music City miracle. During the 1999 playoffs, Buffalo came out on the wrong side of a game against Tennessee. The game's final scoring play is controversial because of how close it was to being a forward pass. The refs upheld the call and Tennessee beat Buffalo 22-16.
If you want to go further back, there are four consecutive Super Bowl losses for the Buffalo Bills, led by Jim Kelly. There were three Super Bowl appearances that weren't close. In the first game, Buffalo lost on the foot of kicker Scott Norwood, who missed a field goal attempt that would have won the game.
The Bills and Vikings have both lost four Super Bowls in the last 10 years. The Bills lost four in a row and the Vikings lost four in a row. The Broncos have lost four Super Bowls. In the 70s and 80s, they were defeated.
These Bills fans know how it feels to have a victory within their grasp only to have it snatched away at the last second. The last two minutes of the fourth quarter and overtime for the Bills and Vikings in Week 10 were some of the most exciting we have seen this year. The game of the year is being called by some.
Buffalo came into the season as a Super Bowl favorite, but they will need to figure out how to better close teams out in tight games. Heading into the playoffs, late-game execution will be important for the Bills. Buffalo allowed Dalvin Cook to rush for more yards than they normally give up. Cook gained more than 100 rushing yards per game. He ran for a 67-yard touchdown late in the third quarter that gave Minnesota the lead.
The sting of the loss will likely take a long time to abate.
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