My wife recently asked me why I haven't written anything in months. My reply to her, paraphrased: this was by far the most disappointing Buffalo Bills team, and season, that I have ever witnessed as a fan of the organization. I cared less. I watched fewer games. I wrote almost nothing. I gave up on this team the earliest I ever had before.
Why? What happened? There have been seasons during this 16-year playoff drought where the Bills have won only three games. They had nine consecutive losing seasons at one point. And yet, I wasn't as disappointed or frustrated then than I was this season.
I wanted to examine why. I wanted to see where it all started for me, for clarity, and perhaps I could help other fans that were in the same mental space as I was.
For me, it started in May when I voted for the over in my 10.5 regular season wins for the 2015 Bills poll. I was one of 2,486 fans who voted that the Bills would eclipse 10 wins. 65 percent of the fans that voted in the poll were convinced that this was an 11-win Bills team. Expectations were at an all-time high for many Bills fans, myself included.
We drank the proverbial Kool-Aid. We bought in to what Rex Ryan and the Bills were selling. If we had any doubt headed into the season, the team all but eliminated it by thrashing the AFC South champion and Super Bowl contender Indianapolis Colts on opening day.
It all started to come crashing down when the Bills were throttled once again by Tom Brady and New England in Week 2. Adding insult to injury, we didn't even come close to breaking the world record for noisiest stadium. It was all downhill from there, but the damage was done in the spring.
I'm curious, Bills fans: when did it begin to go south for you? I hate to open up old wounds, but I'm having trouble recuperating.