For the Bills, a harsh reality set in – BOFA Sports

There may be no better time than now for Buffalo to win a Super Bowl title

Here are the Buffalo Bills, down 21-0 to the New England Patriots on a cold, snowy Sunday afternoon in Massachusetts. Maybe the enormity of the moment didn’t matter much at the time, but the perception from the outside looking in says that the window is closing, and the opportunity to seize the moment is slipping away before our eyes. See, Buffalo had been knocking on the door of at least appearing in the Super Bowl, only to see the Kansas City Chiefs (among other AFC peers) block them from breaking through. Conventional thinking says as long as the Bills have Josh Allen playing quarterback for them, the window for a title remains open, but as time goes by, Buffalo’s team is better than starting to catch up. In other words, opportunities are precious, and if one is missed, there is no guarantee another opportunity will come along. When the Bills saw what was in front of them, perhaps that thought crossed their minds, and they reacted like a team that understands what the moment requires.

Before getting into the details of what happens in the game, let’s look at the big picture. The Chiefs, who have appeared in at least the AFC Championship Game every year since 2018, are officially eliminated from playoff contention for the season. The Baltimore Ravens, who come in alongside Buffalo as the leading candidates to dethrone Kansas City, sit at 7-7, struggling to win a weaker-than-usual AFC North. Yes, teams like the Patriots and Denver Broncos (the Jacksonville Jaguars could be in the mix) are rising as new contenders, but the question of how viable they are could be loud. That brings us back to the Bills, who enter their second game with New England (the Patriots won the first contest 23-20 in western New York) at 9-4, needing a win to keep their hopes of taking control of the AFC East alive. Due to their numerous playoff injuries, it is reasonable to think that they are more tested than the new kids mentioned above, and their main competitors are in weak shape. This is the perfect scenario the Bills could have hoped for, and it seems almost futile, or at least more difficult to take advantage of the situation.

But sometimes, it’s forgotten that there are four quarters in a football game, and there’s still plenty of time left for Buffalo to finish. Never did they, as they were able to erase that 21-point deficit to take a 28-24 lead. New England running back TreVeyon Henderson broke off a 65-yard touchdown run to give the Pats the lead back, but the Bills would respond to land the final punch and cement a 35-31 win. Suddenly, the season (and perhaps the best remaining title opportunity) that seemed to be on the verge of collapse is alive and well for Buffalo. After a team wins, it’s natural to hear about what a team effort it was, but this is especially true in this case. Allen (who had 193 passing yards with three touchdowns) didn’t need to don the Superman cape, because they remembered they had James Cook to run the football (107 yards with two touchdowns). A kickoff return by Ray Davis put the comeback in motion, putting the Bills in position to quickly reduce a 24-7 deficit in the second half. Ultimately, the much-maligned defense held its own and held New England to just seven points after breaking out in the first half.

Currently, the Patriots are 11-3, within a game of Buffalo in the AFC East, but since they can’t get it done on Sunday, the pressure to maintain a lead could start to heat up. One thing in the Bills’ favor is experience in big games, and it was clear they were relying on that in this contest. Who knows? Buffalo may still be a wild card that must win three games on the road to reach the Super Bowl, but New England’s return serves as a reminder of just how dangerous they are. They may not have home court advantage, but it would be hard to find a team eager to welcome the visiting Bills for a finished playoff game, especially with the reigning league MVP on their side. Add in the urgency factor, combined with past heartbreak, and there may be a certain intensity that no one else can match.

During a title fight, there is always a turning point where things lock up. For Buffalo, this will be the moment if they are the last ones standing in February, and this appears to be the best opportunity to finally bring a championship back to their passionate fan base. Understanding that things are not going in their favor (especially the Chiefs and Ravens’ struggles) may have been what sobered up the Bills last Sunday. Maybe the team comes together to see a hard truth. Whatever happens, at least for now, Buffalo is aware of the opportunity before them, and it is imperative that they make a profit, as nothing is promised for the future.