Most Buffalo Bills fans had given up hope that the team could make the postseason prior to Week 16 because too many things needed to happen. Well, all of them happened except a Bills win.
The Bills were in position to take care of their part. They were leading the Miami Dolphins late on Saturday to secure their part in the process. Miami kicked a long field goal to tie the game and send it to overtime. Then Dan Carpenter missed a potential game-winner in the extra frame and the Dolphins used another field goal to beat Buffalo for the second time this season, eliminating Buffalo from a playoff berth.
Here is what happened in the other games.
The Texans won, but Tennessee lost
The best case scenario for Buffalo would have been if both AFC South teams lost. That didn’t happen but the Bills got enough help in the early game on Saturday.
Who would have thunk it? Doug Marrone did it - he finally helped the Bills. The Jacksonville Jaguars’ interim head coach went into his bag of tricks and pulled out a win in his first game and helped Buffalo survive another week in the process.
The Houston Texans win against an undermanned Cincinnati Bengals team hardly came as a surprise. In Week 17, the Bills would have needed the Texans to beat a Marcus Mariota-less Tennessee a week from now.
The Bills also received help in the AFC South when the Oakland Raiders beat the Indianapolis Colts, pushing them to eight losses. Something Buffalo would have needed.
We were still worried about Baltimore
A silver lining to the Bills loss was that the Christmas Day game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens became for pleasure and not for playoffs. Pittsburgh took care of Baltimore, though, so it would have been a Merry Christmas for Bills fans.
Week 17 help
Buffalo still would have needed help in Week 17 but it wouldn’t have been crazy:
- Buffalo Bills over New York Jets
- New England Patriots over Miami Dolphins
- Houston Texans over Tennessee Titans
- Cincinnati Bengals over Baltimore Ravens
- Oakland Raiders over Denver Broncos
All five games would have needed to go Buffalo’s way. Now, they are all worthless. Until next year, Bills fans.