It was the eight of January. A week removed from the hype of Y2K, and fans in Buffalo were excited for their wild card playoff game, despite the fact that Head Coach Wade Phillips had stabbed the fan-base in the back. Wade made the decision to start Rob Johnson over fan-favorite Doug Flutie.
I remember boxes of “Flutie Flakes” in nearly every home in the area, and Bills flags waving in the breeze. It felt alright to be a Bills fan, five years removed from dropping four straight Super Bowls. But on this day, the guy who got the team to the playoffs was on the sidelines.
It took a miracle for the Bills to find a way to lose that day. Watching the Titans celebrate after Frank Wycheck’s kick return lateral to Kevin Dyson ended any hope for a Bills playoff run.
The feeling I had after that game was like no other. That was the first time of the new decade that I had felt complete disgust with my favorite organization. I always felt that if Flutie would’ve gotten the start he and the Bills would’ve had the Titans in a situation where a miracle couldn’t even help. That’s when the questions started flowing.
How could Wade Phillips do this to us?
How could we as fans let this happen?
But of course, as time went on -and those same Titans lost the Superbowl by just a yard-the feeling of disgust started to fade away. Many fans remained at high spirit, knowing that it couldn’t happen again. Knowing, that deep inside, our franchise cared. They wouldn’t let us down.
“We’ll get ‘em next year” has been a theme in Buffalo since the early 90’s. It wasn’t new to hear it, but it hurt more to hear after that loss.
Time went on, a new coach arrived. Finally. The man who let us down in that game was gone… well at least one of them.
Gregg Williams, another defensive minded coach had given the fan-base new hope. Flutie was acquired by the Chargers, and Rob Johnson was our full-time starting quarterback. The 2001 season was upsetting to say the least. Games came, losses came, and faith was lost. One of the Bills three wins that year was in a blackout, failure to sell out the home stadium.
However, a few things happened in 2001. Rob Johnson revealed his deepest secret: he wasn’t a bad NFL quarterback, he was a horrible NFL Quarterback. Tom Brady emerged as the starter in New England after the Patriots shocking championship run. Drew Bledsoe was essentially on the market. Rumors swirled around Western New York. We didn’t want Rob Johnson, we wanted Drew Bledsoe. We wanted to feel that “Flutie Hype” again.
The team in that following season really seemed to turn things around. With a rejuvenated offensive line (false hopes about Mike Williams), and trading for Bledsoe, the fans once again had restored faith in Gregg Williams and the franchise. Bledsoe threw for 4,359 yards, and earned himself a Pro Bowl selection. Us fans felt that we were a good team again. Under Williams and Bledsoe we were back on top.
In a competitive division race, the Bills fell short at 8-8. It felt bad, but we had a new Quarterback and it sure beat 3-13.
“We’ll get em next year” was still the theme.
Next year came, and we didn’t “get ‘em.”
In fact, the Bills went 6-10, and missed the playoffs in 2003 for the fourth straight year.
Once again the head coach was gone. The front office brought in offensive-minded Mike Mularkey to be the head coach. Fan feedback was mixed on Mularkey, many taking the “wait-and-see approach. Things didn’t start well, as the Bills lost their first five games, and it looked a lot like the past few years all over again.
But then, the bills won eight of ten games and put together a playoff push, but fell just short at 9-7, losing to Pittsburgh’s second and third string team in a game that had the playoffs on the line. It was a horrible loss, and I felt embarrassed to be a fan. All signs pointed to J.P Losman being next season’s quarterback, after drafting him the previous draft.
Lee Evans was the bright spot in that first round of the 2004 NFL Draft.
Just like Rob Johnson, J.P Losman brought a Californian, pretty-boy flash to the position. Fans rallied behind him, although many didn’t know his name until the selection. But after sitting a year out, watching and learning from Drew Bledsoe, it was thought that Losman could get the job done.
That year the Bills, led by Losman, lost eleven games and failed again to make the playoffs.
Fans were calling for Mularkey’s head. They got what they wanted.
Mularkey ‘resigned’, and the head coaching job search was once again full-fire in Buffalo. Names arose, but ultimately it was Dick Jauron who as hired as the head coach. Wade Phillips, Gregg Williams, Mike Mularkey, and now Dick Jauron. Feedback was mixed, but once again we circled the wagons and rallied behind coach Jauron.
I can only summarize the Jauron era in Buffalo with one word: boring. The man was a walking statue with the worst strength and conditioning in the NFL. After countless heartbreaking losses-including three Monday Night meltdowns-, and too many injuries to name, four seasons passed and the bills were known as “best bet to go 7-9.”
Dick Jauron went 7-9 in each of his three complete seasons as Bills head coach. Quarterbacks Losman, Edwards, and Fitzpatrick were recycled throughout Dick’s term. And a splash signing of Terrell Owens brought the only excitement. Dick was finally canned in November of the 2009 season. The Bills finished the season 6-10 under interim coach Perry Fewell, and once again the job search was on.
However, the theme in Buffalo was no longer “We’ll get ‘em next year”, and it hadn’t been for a while. Somewhere between Marv Levy and Dick Jauron we had lost that feeling. We, as a fan-base, have fallen into a dark hole. One that can not be escaped as faithful fans, and can not be avoided. When Sunday’s roll around, the Bills will still play, and the fans will still watch.
This “never-say-die” attitude that Buffalo fans possess only fueled Ralph Wilson and the Bills’ front office into pulling their next trick on the fans. Oh yes, this was Ralph’s final hurrah, his best trick yet.
Mr. Wilson explained to his fanbase that he wanted to win. He promised he’d get the next hiring right. He’d be patient, bring in some football-minds and sort this mess out. He was sick of losing, and we were too.
We once again rallied behind the franchise, and put up Billboards to bring in a big-named coach. The fans wanted Bill Cowher, or Mike Shannahan. Ralph did too, right? Apparently. They hired Buddy Nix as General Manager, and quickly started the interview process. We brought in a youthful, highly-thought-of coordinator in Leslie Fraizer. We had Cowher, Shannahan, and Schottenheimer on the mind.
This time we weren’t going to end up with a Dick Jauron. Nope, this time was different.
Days came, weeks passed, and the rumors of the vacant Bills head coaching spot were running amuk. But still the question remained.
Who would lead the Bills in 2010, this new decade of hope? Who would remove us from the dark hole we’ve been in for a decade?
And then, on the eighteenth day of the new decade, the news started to break. The Bills had their man.
It wasn’t Leslie Fraizer, Bill Cowher, or any of the other candidates the fans were hoping to hear.
Ralph had really put some planning into this one. This was his guy. This was the man who would turn the franchise around.
The man?
Chan Gailey.
We’ll get ‘em next year.
Shane Campbell is a college student in the Buffalo, New York area. He has a passion for all sports, and covers the NFL for Pete Prose. 
Flutie didn’t play that game? Didn’t know that. I remember watching some of the game and I was always under the impression that Flutie played but I guess my memory is incorrect.
This is very disappointing, Espically when you heard the General Manager say it really does not care what the fans think……
Interesting thing for the G.M. to say really shows that this team cares about it’s fan base
Maybe we the Fans should show him the same consideration
Yeah, it was a huge controversy in Buffalo leading up to that game. And to mac, I think Nix was using that stance on things to make it look like all he cares about is winning games. Although it’s a cliche approach, it’s better than Brandon’s previous approach.
You just summed it up perfectly! We had the chance to change the face of the franchise and we missed. I am not saying that Gailey isnt a good coach but we have wanted more since the 4 Super Bowls.
We have been steadfast in our faith to be let down time and time again. This is a “Sad Day” for me and for my beloved Bills. We will constantly be at the bottom with moves like this. The media and fans alike will never even begin to respect us as a team…
Proof positive of the short sightedness, tunnel vision and poor memories of many of us Bill’s fans.
Flutie sat out that Titan’s game because as the season went on, true to form, the same reason that he was perennial back-up, is because the more he played, the worse he got.
Rob had just led the dismantling of the Colts, the week before, and had shown some flashes of good quarterbacking leading up to that game.
And again, the last time Johnson stepped off the field, the Bills were ahead on the scoreboard.
The controversy was based on the Buffalo Sheeple and their incessant feeding off of the media tit.
-Job Security, and the lack of it in the UFC. ANd how he would rather stay fighting in Pride.
Might be in the wrong spot there Dorian.
Good story Shane!!! As fans of football (not necessarily of the Bills) it seems we could make better decisions on what direction the team should go and what the greatest needs are. And we scratch our heads when they make no sense…. I can recall a great QB by the name of Dan Marino who would have had a super bowl ring if the team wasnt so one dimensional, and we had one of the best coaches ever…… Scratching my head right now!!!
I’m not a Saints fan but am kind of glad they won the Super Bowl what do you guys think I’m asking in different blogs with different posts peoples opinions thanks