Back in 2003, the Buffalo Bills opened their season with a 31-0 thrashing of Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. That year, Buffalo finished 6-10, while New England went 14-2 en route to a Super Bowl win. In Week 17 that season, New England provided perfect symmetry to the season by beating the Bills 31-0.
In Week 3 this season, the Bills spotted the Patriots a 21-point lead before erasing it and winning 34-31. That win ended a 15-game losing streak to New England that began with the aforementioned 31-0 loss. Today, the Bills finished their season 6-10, while the Patriots are 13-3 and legitimate Super Bowl contenders. The symmetry still exists, too, as the Pats spotted the Bills a 21-point first-quarter lead before scoring 49 unanswered points en route to a 49-21 win.
The first quarter was exciting - dominant, even - and the rest of the game was total garbage, and an outcome everyone could see coming a mile out. After a 5-2 start, the Bills closed their season 1-8 - and now an off-season of change begins. Time will tell whether or not the amount of change will be sufficient to engender feelings of 2004, the one time in the last 12 years when the Bills have sniffed the playoffs.
Leave your thoughts on this season-ending loss, and the season in general, in the comments section.