By: Joe Augsburger-Sharpe (Billievers Talk)
As the 2019 regular season comes to a close, the Buffalo Bills find themselves in unfamiliar territory. Sure, this is the 2nd time in 3 seasons under Coach McDermott that the Bills are heading to the NFL Playoffs..... Yet it is also only the 2nd time this century, which is getting ready to turn 20 years old, that the Buffalo Bills fan base will have something to really cheer for come playoff time.
Even though this is the 2nd time in 3 seasons the Bills have made the playoffs, I don’t think I am the only Bills fan who can admit, this time it feels different. This time, instead of waiting to see if Cincinnati could upset the Ravens to get us in, we had our playoff spot locked up with two weeks to go in the regular season.
(Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
So, shortly after the Buffalo Bills playoff spot was locked up, I took to Twitter to find out from BillsMafia themselves, just exactly how it feels to know our Bills are going to the playoffs. A lot of the responses I received, including @TCBILLS_Astro, wrote about the process when he said, “For me, making the playoffs is the gauge that indicates your team’s course is set in the right direction again. Long-term. It’s the visible sign of McDermott’s more-invisible process.” @ColonelCrackerz simply wrote, “It…It’s great. It is the process. #TrustTheProcess We are on track…”
While some wanted to talk about the process, others wanted to talk about the change in culture. @Taylor_Degeorge wrote, “To change a culture you need to become accustomed to being in the playoffs. That way when you get there the stage isn’t too big. This is a huge step to changing the mindset of not only the team, but the fans as well! #GoBills.” Whether it be “The Process” or it be a change in culture, to some fans, like @DarrellF29 it is easily put, “To me…It simply means that the Bills are finally heading in the right direction.”
No matter if you think it is culture, process, or both, Bills fans can all agree that this front office, and this coaching staff are beginning to make BILL-IEVERS out of us all again.
This is something @JoeNels48803147 speaks directly to when he writes, “It directly means I can still Billieve that Buffalo is going to the Super Bowl, this won’t be the last time, that Buffalo is going to the Super Bowl…”. The Super Bowl, of course, is the main objective of all NFL teams, and that is something that the Bills and their fan base should not lose sight of. This is something that @ReissNot mentions in his reply, “One bridge to cross. Win Wild-Card, Divisional, Conference and Super Bowl bridges to go.”
Before we start looking too far ahead, however, some Bills fans want to take time to acknowledge that it has been 20 years since the Bills have had a double-digit winning season, and it is time for some fans, especially the younger fans, to enjoy it. @PChase814 writes, “An entire life of psychotic fandom during the Dark Ages patiently waiting for a chance at greatness has finally paid off, and I have zero f***ing clue what to do with myself or how to process this emotionally.” He is not the only one not sure how to process the emotions, as @S-RoonToon tweets, “Too many fans (like me) born during the Super Bowl dynasty, this winning feeling is still virtually new. We’ve heard the “glory stories”, but still are unable to feel it. We might be able to finally get a glimpse.”
With the Bills getting ready to play the Houston Texans on Saturday, we are all excited to see if this team can make a playoff run. However, after watching the Patriots fall to the Dolphins on Sunday, we can’t all help to think what @BertFromTarn says when asked what this means when he says, “One step closer to retaking the AFC East and get back to past glory.” The idea of being on the top of the AFC East again is something we all dream about, and hopefully Bills fans will get to know that feeling again soon as well. However, for now, let us sit back and enjoy some Buffalo Bills playoff football!
Thanks to everyone on Twitter who either responded to my tweet directly on Twitter, or retweeted it for others to see, or who reached out to me over the past few weeks to give me your take on what making the playoffs means to you. In the article, I simply put the Twitter name for the people whose responses I used. Again I want to thank everyone for your responses and as always GO BILLS!
Comments