CGB Spender curse continues for Bills
Every NFL fan base, for the most part, has had its share of misery.
Jets fans have gone 15 years without a playoff appearance, but if they’re old enough they remember Broadway Joe and the Super Bowl III guarantee.
Eagles fans had to watch 51 Super Bowls before their team won one. And now they have doubled that.
Packers fans have so many heartbreaking postseason experiences that would have just added to their four Super Bowls and league-best 13 NFL titles.
The list could go on and on. And then there’s the Buffalo Bills.
Bills Misery Continues
If memories of the four straight Super Bowl losses during the 90s had begun to fade there is the new misery of not even getting back to a Super Bowl despite chance after chance after chance.
This year looked to be the best opportunity for the Bills. Their personal boogeyman Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes wasn’t around. Neither was Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson or Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow. It was going to be Josh Allen against a bunch of kids (Buffalo was not going to face Aaron Rodgers and Pittsburgh).
Allen wasn’t just the AFC’s most experienced playoff QB; he was the best. Sure, as a wild-card team the Bills had to go on the road. But they were facing newcomers. Jacksonville had a first-year coach and a still unproven playoff QB in Trevor Lawrence. Denver had second-year Bo Nix under center. And Houston and this New England team were new to the dance as well.
This was Buffalo’s year.
Finally.
Until it wasn’t.
Heartbreak in Overtime
Saturday afternoon the Bills’ party ended the way it has every year with Allen and head coach Sean McDermott, a heartbreaking loss. This one to Denver in overtime, 33-30. The most shocking stat to come out of that game was that Allen is now 0-7 in overtime games. That’s a little hard to believe.
What wasn’t so shocking was the Bills decision to fire McDermott Monday morning.
Did some calls go against the Bills in the OT? Maybe. Since nobody knows what a catch is in the NFL anymore I’m not sure if Brandin Cooks caught that Allen pass or if it was intercepted.
All I do know is the Bills lost. Again. This time in OT. And there isn’t another fan base who has had more misery in its lifetime.
A Good Comparison
There are all kinds of comparisons being made for new Denver starting quarterback Jarrett Stidham, who has to take over Bo Nix (broken ankle) in the AFC Championship Game.
There is really only one.
Stidham, 29, in his sixth year out of Auburn. He has started four games in his NFL career, two for the Raiders in 2022 and two for the Broncos in 2023. He has not thrown a pass since 2023.
Jeff Hostetler was also 29 and in his fifth year out of West Virginia when he took over for an injured Phil Sims with two games left in the regular season for the Giants in 1990. Hostetler at that time had made just two prior starts one in 1988 and one in 1989.
Hostetler won the final two regular season games over the Cardinals and Patriots and swept through the playoffs with wins over the Bears, 49ers and the Bills in the Super Bowl.
Rest is Best
In three of the four games this past weekend one team had extra rest than its opponent all three rested teams won.
Denver and Seattle, both coming off byes, ousted Buffalo and San Francisco, while the Patriots beat the Texans, who had to travel off a short week.
Coaching Updates
Atlanta — Kevin Stefanski is the choice and it’s a good one. If QB Michael Pennix can get healthy he’ll have the right coach to develop him.
Arizona — Robert Saleh tops the Cards wish list, but the 49ers DC and former Jets head coach may have reservations after his experience with the Jets. Buffalo OC Joe Brady and Denver DC Vance Joseph are near the top of the wish list as well.
Baltimore — Chargers DC Jesse Minter is still the favorite.
Buffalo — This is going to be interesting. If the Bills want to stay the course and keep Josh Allen happy they could promote OC Joe Brady. If they go outside they may have their choice of candidates who would love to coach Allen.
Cleveland — The Browns are likely to go with an offensive minded coach and convince him to keep DC Jim Schwartz. Mike McDaniel, the former Miami coach, and Todd Monken, the former Baltimore OC, are possibilities.
Las Vegas — Tom Brady is very involved in the search and the hiring. Brian Flores was a long-time Patriots assistant and could be a good fit for the Raiders.
Miami — It looks like new GM Jon Eric-Sullivan might bring Packers DC Jeff Hafley from Green Bay with him.
New York Giants — It took some doing, but the Giants got their man in John Harbaugh.
Pittsburgh — If the Steelers can convince Flores to turn down Brady and the Raiders, he could land here. Saleh is another good possibility. McDermott followed Mike Tomlin as a safety in college at William and Mary, could he follow him as head coach here? Stay tuned.
Tennessee — Titans need a QB whisperer for No. 1 pick Cam Ward. Former Packers and Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy makes a lot of sense. Former Bears coach Matt Nagy is also in conversations.
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