Insomniac Thespian Currency

by Ryan


Money is out again.

When this was announced, every member of the Roost exchanged text messages that all read something like this: "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO".

We all know the value of Marshawn Lynch. He is arguably the best player on the team, and the absolute rock of our offense. There are times you just have to laugh when he's handed the ball because you know someone is going to get run over.

Not being in the lineup in Jacksonville is going to be a big deal, but does his absence make this game not win able?

I, the eternal optimist, say of course not. Others aren't as positive. I actually talked to Jon about this very thing for at least an hour this week and I couldn't convince him that we could beat a 7-3 team, let alone the Jags. We actually went through what the Bills need to happen to make the playoffs and I couldn't get him to say we can win enough games to do that.

To be honest, it's going to be tough to win tomorrow. I'm still not solid on our run d, and if there was ever a team that relies on their run game it's Jacksonville. However, I certainly don't think this game is impossible, and even if we have Lynch on the shelf we have a shot.

Maybe I want to believe it because of the bigger picture. Amazingly enough, at 5-5 we are more than in the wild card race, even in the AFC. (If we were in the NFC we could be 8-2 and thinking about home field advantage...) And I know it's ridiculous to imagine a team with a dozen guys on IR making the playoffs, but we are more than capable of doing so.

Still, it would be a pipe dream at best. It may be a pipe dream I need, though. I still can't bring myself to call this season a throwaway year. I understand the ridiculous injuries we've had, and the quarterback situation is a train wreck, to the point that I literally have no opinion on the starter. However, we've seen some real heart out of this team, and flashes of a fun team to watch.

It may just be the frustration of missing the playoffs year after year, but I'm sick of a 16 game season. I know this team won't win the Super Bowl, but why can't we be excited about a team that could make some noise on Wild Card Weekend? In all honesty, I just want that chance.

I'm not going it say I'm aiming for mediocrity, but in this league it's good enough for a spot in the dance. All I know is that I'm tired of sub par, and for once we have a shot at a bit better.

Over the next six weeks we are going to see what this team is made of. This Bills season has been a play in three parts. Act One was the descent, capped off by the MNF game that could have killed their season. Act Two was the break even, the stretch of games against beatable teams. Act Three was last week, embarrassment on a national scale.

Act Four can be two things: The continuation of Act Three, or the test that proves this team is worthy of an extended season.

I'm not sure what will happen, but I'm not ashamed to say I'm excited about it.