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Heading into the Buffalo Bills’ Week 6 game against the Kansas City Chiefs in Missouri, Bills Mafia is a very confident bunch. It’s amazing what a blowout victory at home against an inferior opponent can do for confidence. Among those asked, 97% of Bills fans are confident the team is headed in the right direction. That’s up 14% from a season low of 83% in Week 5.
It’s uncertain what the team would have to do to earn the confidence back of the missing 3%, who were on board with the rest after Week 1’s thrashing of the Los Angeles Rams. Maybe 3% of people really dislike the fact that offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey doesn’t actually like to run as much as many predicted during the preseason. Maybe some people just want to burn it all and start the season over. Whatever it is, you can’t help but feel bad for those who still aren’t confident in the team’s direction.
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Fortunately, there’s an epic showdown set to take place late on Sunday afternoon. Call it what you want, but don’t call it any other ordinary week. Not for the Bills, and certainly not for Bills Mafia.
Earlier this week, we asked Bills fans to weigh in with who they think is the team’s biggest rival. Recency bias reigns supreme—72% of fans believe the Kansas City Chiefs are the Bills’ biggest rival. This makes sense when considering the current team. But what about lifelong fans, whose fandom dates back to the aughts or the 20th century? That’s perhaps where the 14% of votes each for the Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots come into play.
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I was surprised the Tennessee Titans didn’t get more “love” in this poll (1%). Dating back to their days as the Houston Oilers, there are epic and timeless battles. Who can forget “The Comeback,” while also forgetting the week prior Buffalo lost 27-3 on the road to those same Oilers. Or “Home Run Throw”—you know the game. If nothing else, that Wild Card loss on the final play should have served as a perfect reminder why anything can happen with 13 seconds left in regulation. Plus, there’s the far more recent 4th & Goal. I would have expected the Titans to land more votes.
I really want to know what the other 1% thinks. But it doesn’t matter. It’s (un)officially Rivalry Week, Bills Mafia!
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