Bills vs. Redskins: Buffalo Seeking First Toronto Win
by Brian Galliford on Oct 26, 2011 10:00 AM EDT
in Buffalo Bills News
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When the Buffalo Bills face the Washington Redskins this Sunday at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, they'll be taking the field at their home away from home for the fourth time since 2008 - and trying to win their first game in the stadium.
Buffalo is 0-3 in regular season action since reaching a deal with Rogers Communications to play one game per year north of the border in 2008. That year, the Bills lost a 16-3 game to the Miami Dolphins in which J.P. Losman started, the Bills accumulated just 207 yards of offense, and the team fumbled five times and lost two turnovers. It was a brutal affair.
Their game in 2009 - a 19-13 loss to the New York Jets - was similarly brutal. The Jets ran for 249 yards in the contest, while Ryan Fitzpatrick (9-of-23 for 98 yards and an interception) and the Bills could only muster 221 yards of offense. They also turned the ball over two more times.
In 2010, however, the team was far more competitive, even though they still dropped a 22-19 decision to the Chicago Bears. Three more Bills turnovers were the chief reason for the loss, but Fitzpatrick (31-of-51, 299 yards) and the offense (345 yards) were much better than the Toronto norm.
The Bills have not, however, ever lost a pre-season game in Toronto, registering wins over Pittsburgh (2008) and Indianapolis (2010). Let's get these trends going the other way, Buffalo.
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Sounds like a great product that we are providing Canada with…for those prices we put up some brutal displays.
I remember how quiet those games sound on TV
Circle the Wagons T-Shirts
Blue collar t-shirts, for blue collar fans.
by CircleTheWagonsTees on Oct 26, 2011 10:28 AM EDT reply actions
Those games sound like.....
Golf.
PodunkO - The great post ender!
by podunkowego on Oct 26, 2011 10:52 AM EDT up reply actions
The crowd
I feel the crowd will be a better this sunday. The better record will bring out some non bills fans cheering for them. Now it’s not gonna be the ralph, but could be like Metlife Stadium for a Giants game.
Jets should have beat us by even more that year.
Thats the game where Braylon Edwards let a ball hit him in the facemask, wide open, for about a 70 yard TD.
Fitz = M(C)²
"Lets Go Buff! a! lo!"
This series is not worth the money.
We dont spend near the cap, so why is there a need to make a little bit more money. Selling a home game is such a terrible idea. What is home field advantage worth? What would the Bills record be if we played the Oak or Pats game on the road. Home field advantage is something that shouldnt be underminded. The Bills will be and are relevant in Buffalo, no need to ship them to another Counrty.
Shun the non Billievers!
The cap isn’t a relevant benchmark precisely because we dont get there. It’s about our spending relative to revenues and this boosts revenues. Which means we have more money to spend on salaries.
It also is intended to help boost attendance at the Ralph by marketing the team in a different area and encouraging corporations or Canadians to get more invested in the team at RWS.
They paid a lot for this privilege, and the Rogers folks dont look to be getting a great return. It may very well be next time around its not worth it. But do far, our team hasn’t been good enough for it to matter. Just ended up helping draft position.
I have low expectations. But high hopes.
by greysquirrel on Oct 26, 2011 10:55 AM EDT up reply actions
intended to help boost attendance at the Ralph
I feel like this was spun in this direction to help shy away from the greed that this deal was made under. Sure it might pull some Canadians towards the Ralph, but I doubt that number is even relavent.
Im just not a fan of putting your team in a situation in which has less of a chance to win. Such as on the road in Toronto playing in a baseball field for a nuetral crowd.
Shun the non Billievers!
$$$$'s
Yes it is about money it is always about money. The Bills need money to stay
competitive. Toronto is an option that kills 2 birds with one stone—the
Bills make money and it is viewed as building a REGIONAL base with higher
population in which to pull.
There is no doubt that the fans of Buffalo are diehards and will always
attend the games whether the Bills are good or not. This is about building a
corporate base to support the team through purchasing luxury boxes,
advertising etc etc.
For the Bills to stay in Buffalo when Ralph passes every effort to
incorporate the region (including Toronto) must be made to entice a new
owner to stay.
What needs to be done is to make the game day experience in Toronto better
from what I have read from fans that have attended it is below average at
best.
.
"Football is NOT a contact sport - it is a collision sport.
Dancing IS a contact sport."
Duffy Daugherty / Michigan State
there's another aspect rarely mentioned....
and that is that in the future, the NFL plans are to expand more overseas with more seasonal Whembley type games…. So the Toronto games already gives the Bills a “foreign” presence, meaning if by chance they are selected for a game in say, London, chances are they will be dubbed the “visitor”, and won’t effect their home schedule…
Brilliant move actually…
Optimistic??? Of course I am!! I'm a Bills fan, and as of right now, we are undefeated on the regular season!!!
Things are truly looking up!!!
I think the Bills playing a game in Toronto every year basically removes them from going over the pond to play.
The Bucs are considering making the London game one of their home games every year due to the revenue it generates—they get 60% as the home team.
.
"Football is NOT a contact sport - it is a collision sport.
Dancing IS a contact sport."
Duffy Daugherty / Michigan State
Correct me if Im wrong. But i belive it was stated that the Toronto games dont count as a foreign game, so they can stilll be selected. And I also thought it counted as a home game to both teams, keeping 8 at “home” and 8 away.
Shun the non Billievers!
From—http://www.thephinsider.com/2011/10/11/2484485/nfl-announces-extension-to-united-kingdom-games
NFL owners approved a resolution to continue the recent tradition of playing regular season football games in the United Kingdom. The new resolution allows for multiple games per season in various sites in the United Kingdom between 2012 -2016. The determination of the number of games, venues, and teams has been left up to the league.
However, the resolution does ask teams to volunteer to play in the UK, forfeiting a home game for the trip. There is no limit on how many times a team can volunteer over the five year span.
it counted as a home game to both teams, keeping 8 at "home" and 8 away.
One team has to be the road team and one has to be the home team.
.
"Football is NOT a contact sport - it is a collision sport.
Dancing IS a contact sport."
Duffy Daugherty / Michigan State
I agree
There’s no way the series was put together to help bring Canadians to the Ralph more. A handful of sterile games isn’t going to move people to start attending games of a team that they hadn’t previously gone to.
The series was done to generate guaranteed revenue, plain and simple. Maybe there would be some minor residual effects like a handful of new toronto fans buying gear or watching the team on TV, if possible. Obviously, the buzz in the city has been weak due to how bad the Bills have been.
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
by Kurupt on Oct 26, 2011 12:04 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
This!
And its lame that its based on revenue. George Wilson has already stated that it is definately not a home game there. Take away our competitive edge and a chance at playoffs…. to earn a few bucks that the team isnt in biting need of.
Shun the non Billievers!
Your missing the ultimate goal and that is to make the Bills as attractive as possible to a future owner. Incorporating Toronto regionally helps show the potential of a expanded fan base not to mention the guarantee of additional revenue.
I fully understand the frustration of the Bills losing a home game but at this point the bigger scope is doing everything possible to keep the team from moving. Which unfortunately includes playing a home game in Toronto.
"Football is NOT a contact sport - it is a collision sport.
Dancing IS a contact sport."
Duffy Daugherty / Michigan State
I happen to be in the group of people that think there are a handful of owners chomping at the bit to own an NFL team, and a few that are willing to keep the team here.
Shun the non Billievers!
You may be right, but no one knows for sure and if there are- who knows if they like or dislike the idea of a game in Toronto. Maybe it’s a selling point and if not they can change it when they own the team.
"Football is NOT a contact sport - it is a collision sport.
Dancing IS a contact sport."
Duffy Daugherty / Michigan State
You realize that they’re not getting cap money in this deal, right? They’re getting money money. Revenue. And revenue is never “not worth it.”
Editor-in-Chief, BUFFALO RUMBLINGS®
@BrianGalliford
by Brian Galliford on Oct 26, 2011 10:56 AM EDT up reply actions
There are also.....
A lot of the working poor season ticket holders and with the Toronto preseason game and this one it makes it affordable for some this way.
Go Bills!
PodunkO - The great post ender!
by podunkowego on Oct 26, 2011 11:09 AM EDT up reply actions
Agreed. This is my 5th year with season tickets. And Im not sad to see a preseason or game against the Redskins go, to save some money. But I would gladly pay for the game if I thought it gave the Bills a better shot at winning.
And charging game price tickets for a pre-season game is barbaric!
Shun the non Billievers!
And charging game price tickets for a pre-season game is barbaric!
Not sure about barbaric, but it is insulting to the customer.
by PineWoodsBillsFan on Oct 26, 2011 11:30 AM EDT up reply actions
I Like Bar B Que
"Football is NOT a contact sport - it is a collision sport.
Dancing IS a contact sport."
Duffy Daugherty / Michigan State
I Like Barbie....
Optimistic??? Of course I am!! I'm a Bills fan, and as of right now, we are undefeated on the regular season!!!
Things are truly looking up!!!
I like Bordellos
"Football is NOT a contact sport - it is a collision sport.
Dancing IS a contact sport."
Duffy Daugherty / Michigan State
Panties....
Is my favorite word.
PodunkO - The great post ender!
by podunkowego on Oct 27, 2011 10:48 AM EDT up reply actions
Is giving up a possible win worth it? I would hope not. Even though Im sure all the business men at OBD might look at it a little differently.
Shun the non Billievers!
They’re not “giving up” anything – they’re playing a game elsewhere for more than double their usual per-game profit. You may not think it’s worth it, but I guarantee you the Buffalo Bills do.
Editor-in-Chief, BUFFALO RUMBLINGS®
@BrianGalliford
by Brian Galliford on Oct 26, 2011 11:27 AM EDT up reply actions
I refuse to believe “giving up” everything that comes with playing a home game is worth it. I wonder how past coaches and players truely feel.
I just hate to see our opponents being cheered durring a “home game”.
Shun the non Billievers!
I don’t know how recently you’ve been to RWS, but our opponents get cheered there, as well – by thousands upon thousands of people.
Editor-in-Chief, BUFFALO RUMBLINGS®
@BrianGalliford
by Brian Galliford on Oct 26, 2011 11:52 AM EDT up reply actions
I've been to around 50 games.
As recently as 2.5 weeks ago. I know the big teams that come around always have a lot of fans. But there is absolutely no denying that Buffalo is the home team. Especially as of late.
Shun the non Billievers!
It makes even more sense going forward
The salary cap floor goes to up, I believe, either 95% or 99% of the cap, so teams will have to spend in the next two years. Extending this series could also help defray the costs a bit of updating/modernizing the Ralph, although I don’t know if that applies with Erie Co. owning the stadium.
I agree that losing a game and the potential home field advantage of it stinks, but its one way a team like the Bills can attempt to compete with the likes of the Pats, Jets, Cowboys, Redskins and other big spending teams. If the team raised the price of every ticket , say 15%, to increase revenue to keep that 8th game in Buffalo, how many fans are going to go right along with that? How many will feel alienated or take it as a slap in the face? Who knows, but if this series doesn’t continue, the team may have to do something big like that…
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
by Kurupt on Oct 26, 2011 11:01 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
The 0-Fer streak
Will come to a crashing end this week as the Bills pummel the beat up Skins…
.
"Football is NOT a contact sport - it is a collision sport.
Dancing IS a contact sport."
Duffy Daugherty / Michigan State
NE winning streak over the Bills.Bills winning streak over Bengals.Bills regular season losing streak in Tor?
.
When the job is finished no one remembers how long it took, just how well it was performed.
by Buffalo for Eternity on Oct 26, 2011 11:02 AM EDT reply actions
I like your thinking.
.
When the job is finished no one remembers how long it took, just how well it was performed.
by Buffalo for Eternity on Oct 26, 2011 11:27 AM EDT up reply actions
Yes!
I tried to recommend bflo. For etern. Reply above and something went kerflooey. Anyhoo, good reply above.
PodunkO - The great post ender!
by podunkowego on Oct 26, 2011 11:15 AM EDT up reply actions
Hey what happened to your “Go Bills!”?
It is one of the constants in life I NEED to make sense of this cruel world.
.
When the job is finished no one remembers how long it took, just how well it was performed.
by Buffalo for Eternity on Oct 26, 2011 11:28 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I hope we....
Come out like gangbusters and really hit them hard. I wanna see some energy out there.
Go Bills!
PodunkO - The great post ender!
Go Bills!
There it is.
All is well.
.
When the job is finished no one remembers how long it took, just how well it was performed.
by Buffalo for Eternity on Oct 26, 2011 11:30 AM EDT up reply actions
accidential victory
It’s 0 to 0 late in the forth quarter. Beck throws it and hits a offensive lineman’s head and lands in the hands of Dareus. Lindell hits the fieldgoal off the cross-bar but it still goes in. Time expires, buffalo ends the Toronto losing streak. The canadian crowd boos anyway.
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