Niagara Falls, NY – Happy Monday. I’ve tried to avoid being the guy who talks about all the football teams because I don’t watch as many games, but I have the Monday shift, it is football season, and now with no baseball or World Cup to distract me, it’s time to get into football. So today’s topics will be Buffalo’s football team, and a review of the New York State teams over the weekend.
Be Good, Do Good, God Bless. GO BILLS!!!
I thought this was some Tim Russert saying or something, but nope—it is what Josh Allen said when he won the MVP last year, minus the “GO BILLS” part. I’ve seen it plastered all over the city on lawn signs and t-shirts, and I couldn’t figure out where it was coming from. Yesterday, I had the good fortune of helping out my friend and working their kettle corn stand at Buffalo Fall Fest. As you can imagine, it’s one of those outdoor markets where you can buy a bunch of trinkets and get your face painted and all of that. What amazed me was just the amount of Bills apparel and paraphernalia. You had the red jersey in different shades, you had the White Winter Soldier jersey, you had the classic blue jersey. 85% of them were Josh Allen, but you saw a couple of Dion Dawkins and Keon Coleman. But you also had t-shirts and singlets that were talking about the Bills; one had “Beauty and the Beast” but with the Bills, saying the Bills were the beauty of the East, and just so on and so on.
I have often joked about how Buffalo’s relationship with the team is similar to Alabama football and Alabama, but it really is. I guess this is what it’s like with a small-market team where they really only have one or two pro teams. I’m sure people in San Antonio are crazy about the Spurs, and Portland loves their Trail Blazers; I know Cleveland is deeply in love with their Browns regardless of how bad they’ve been. But you forget the small-market nature and how much the team’s identity is locked into the football team. And this is why the owners can hold the cities hostage about “build me a new stadium or I’ll leave.” We mainly saw the St. Louis Rams go back and forth before becoming what the LA Rams are now. So I walked away with a whole new appreciation for small-market football teams and what they mean to their small cities.
NYS Football Recap
This was a tough weekend for New York State football. All three teams lost, and in very different ways. Let’s get into it.
NY Jets
This team is regressing. Somehow, with the Dallas Cowboys missing three to four of their first-choice offensive players, the Jets really couldn’t mount a passing attack nor stop their run game. There was another costly fumble which killed a long drive. But it’s not so much the fumble, because when it occurred the Jets were just down 10-3 with a little over 2 minutes left in the first half. Dallas went on to score with a little time left. They kicked off to the Jets, and the Jets couldn’t even manage a first down to run out the clock and at least go into the half. So the Jets punted, and then the Cowboys somehow ripped off a 60-yard run in one play, putting them at the 2-3 yard line with 15 seconds left, and of course they scored. Just like that, it was 24 to 3 and the game was essentially over. The Jets did manage some late scores to salvage the scoreline, but at that point, the game was over. I don’t know how long they can keep going like this, but something needs to drastically change, or else Aaron Glenn might be a one-and-done coach, which would be harsh. But there’s no progress week to week to make you think that the team is at least trending in the right direction after five games. They’re actually getting worse each week, which is just a “wow” kind of thing to say.
NY Giants
I’ll hold off on that parade for Jaxson Dart. After one game against the underperforming Chargers, who just lost again, Giants fans were dreaming of getting on a roll, but then lost this weekend and crashed back to reality. The Giants’ offense struggled against a very good defense, and Dart looked every bit the rookie quarterback in his second game. He wasn’t terrible, but he definitely looked a bit overmatched. That might be the Giants not having their left tackle and trying to figure out how to get the offense rolling, but yeah, they don’t look like they’re going to be having a great season.
Buffalo Bills
The one New York team that looks like it was going to be having a great time, and still could. They were the only undefeated team left in the NFL, but that ended last night in New England. The Patriots, at home, showed an incredible amount of fight, but also it’s a division game so you know records don’t matter as much. The Patriots and the Bills traded blows with a couple of punts, but it was really until the last two drives in the fourth quarter. The Bills, being the Bills, overcame a whole half from earlier in the game where they were down 3, traded blows, and eventually came back to tie the game with just over 2 minutes left. Everybody was hoping the defense could make a big stop or a sack, but it didn’t happen. The Patriots were able to drive down the field and get close enough for a field goal, which was kicked and was good with 15 seconds left, and that was the game. The Bills will be fine; they’re definitely going to win the AFC East. The question is, can they keep up their strong performances from earlier and do enough to win and feel the vibe all the way throughout? Because if they can do that, I think they’ve got a chance at the Super Bowl.
Come back tomorrow for the always overwhelmed, Ben Whitney.
