BUFFALO – After nearly two decades of neglect at the quarterback position, Josh Allen’s arrival into the Buffalo Bills’ starting lineup had many fans feeling hopeful that the organization has finally found its franchise signal caller.
However, after a rough first outing in the preseason “dress rehearsal,” in which Allen had little time to operate and was sacked five times, some fans are walking back on original prognostications of a Super Bowl victory as a stone-cold lock to a mere near-certainty.
“Look, the o-line is a little worse than I originally thought, but the pocket movement I saw in there? Elite,” said perennial season ticket holder Mark Burkhart. “I see a young Big Ben. How many Super Bowls does he have? Two? That’s a start.”
The fanbase, long noted for its rational, level-headed approach to the fleeting nature of the NFL news ticker, has taken recent struggles with a collective grain of salt. And while unaided by any tangible indications of probable success, including consistently sustained drives, convincing preseason wins, or a single regular-season NFL snap, the Bills faithful remain cautiously optimistic.
“14-2, 13-3, somewhere in there. But hey, that’s why they play the games,” said self-described Bills superfan Tim Swales. “Look, no one’s counting any Lombardis before they hatch. Even with a Super Bowl win this year, we’re still a few pieces away before we can start using the word ‘dynasty,’ okay?”
Buffalo’s preseason finale against the Chicago Bears is slated for tonight at 8:00 p.m.