Los buffalo bills they will have to continue waiting to celebrate a championship of NFL; His 13-3 regular season was of little use, his aspirations froze after losing the divisional round game against the Bengals from Cincinnati.
Since its foundation, in 1959, they have hoped to win a championship ring (they only won 2 times in the old American Football League). Although they have been close, very close, it seems that this institution and the trophy Vince Lombardi they are separate things. They have never been able to lift it.
There are NFL franchises that have earned a place in history thanks to their exploits at key moments, others have been immortalized for their championships, and some are remembered for the stars who wore their jerseys. The Buffalo Bills are historic but not precisely because of their rings, they are remembered as the team that lost 4 Super Bowls in a row.
It was in the early 90s when the Bills dominated the American Conference (AFC), “they had no rival.” Until now they are the only team to win 4 consecutive conference championships: from the 1990 to 1993 season.
They became a dynasty that could never win the biggest game: the Super Bowl. Neither Jim Kelly (pitcher) or Thurman Thomas (running back), two of the most important offensive pieces in team history, could bring joy to the Bills Mafia.
Luck is not on your side. Some label them as the least fortunate team in the entire league, it is incredible that the same franchise has accumulated so many almost immediate setbacks. A Buffalo fan could be understood as someone who always tastes victory but has never tasted it.
The fans have been enthusiastic about this new crop of players led by the star quarterback, Josh Allen, who is positioned as one of the best in the league. Some believe that he will give them the first ring from him. However, not even this new air has been enough, the torment of the past seems to continue to take its toll.
The falls
In their first Super Bowl (XXV) they were measured at New York Giants. This confrontation is remembered for being one of the closest in history, there were no interceptions or fumbles, it was the kickers who determined the final score, 20-19 in favor of the Giants.
Matt Bahr put the Giants ahead with a field goal in the fourth quarter, for his part Scott Norwoodlmissed his 47-yard attempt and sealed Buffalo’s first big loss on the Tampa, Florida stage. Such was the impact that there was even talk of a curse with his name.
In the following season (1991) they still reached the Super Bowl with a 13-3 record (as in the most recent season). They won the AFC championship and left the Broncos of John Elway. They had a scary offense and that year’s brand new MVP, Thurman Thomas.
The appointment of the final game was in Minnesota and the rival in turn was Washington. The performance of the Buffalo QB was not the best, Jim Kelly intercepted him on 4 occasions. That brilliant campaign by Kelly was forgotten for failing at the last moment. They ended up losing 37-24.
In the Super Bowl XXVII edition, in 1992, the Buffalo Bills suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of the dallas cowboys. The final score was 52–17. With this, skepticism began to prevail among the fans, who apparently had already accepted the idea of not seeing their team succeed.
In their last try — so far — Buffalo was able to get revenge against Dallas. Everything seemed to indicate that 1994 was the good year. They were dominating until the first half, they went into halftime with a 13-point victorybut the past took its toll and they ended up coming back with 30 points.
The ghosts keep appearing.
After the failed attempts they were able to access the playoffs in 4 seasons until 1999, the year in which the remembered began Doug Flutie’s Curse. The former QB of the Bills commanded the fourth best offense of that season; however, he was benched for no apparent reason in the wild card game against Tennessee, they lost, and did not appear in the postseason again until 2017.
They put the playoff drought aside and started competing again, but those ghosts from the ’90s keep showing up. They have not returned to a Super Bowl, although they have been moments away from doing so. Its squad is competitive and worthy of championships, but in this sport everything comes into play, even superstitions.
A study of Researchscape of 2017 recorded that 35 percent of Bills Mafia fans believe that their actions influence the sporting destiny of the team.
They have caressed the triumph but it is still not for them. The drama and Buffalo remain one. In the 2019 wild card game they lost dramatically to Houston in overtime; in 2020, the Chiefs of Patrick Mahomes they took away the title of the American conference and the opportunity of a fifth Super Bowl; in 2021 they held a historic game against Kansas City in the divisional game, they lost in overtime 42-36. Now Joe Burrow He threw them out of the playoffs in his own house.
During the last few years, thanks to a new generation of players like Josh Allen or Stefon Diggs, the Bills returned to the leadership of the American Conference and the NFL. Maybe, and just maybe, one day all that stormy past will be a mere memory and not an inevitable sentence.
