Just Let Me Ramble a Bit Here...

by Ryan


Today is Tuesday, and I am already pumped for Sunday Night Football.

Seriously, I've never been more excited for a regular season game as I am right now, and we are five days away from it happening. I'm not even going to the game, and already I feel this buzz of excitement that has been unmatched in quite some time.

The question is, why?

No one has to remind Bills fans of the opponent's record, we all know what Dreamboat and company have in store for us. The reason for my excitement is that Dreamboat may not know what we have in store for them, and that may be reason enough to get excited.

The Bills will do one of two things on Sunday: either they will look as bad as they did against Miami and get blown out, or they will play the game of their lives and give the Patriots a bigger scare than they ever imagined. There is no in between.

The reason I feel this way is because we all saw what the Bills did on Monday Night. That was probably the best game they could have put forth (coaching excluded), and there was no possible way we were supposed to even get as close as we did. Of course the ending was as traumatic and horrifying as any fan can imagine, but that doesn't erase the fact that the Bills, undermanned and over matched, played their hearts out and fell just short.

So why does this matter against the Patriots? They are a team proven to be better than the Cowboys, and just about every team ever in the history of the world. (Hey, ESPN says it, it must be true...)

I think the fans matter. I think that crowd will be absolutely insane, and it may make the difference.

Now, I know fans have nothing to do with what actually happens on the field, but crowd noise certainly affects how an offense operates. It is the only thing we can contribute from the seats, and if anyone wasn't going to be up for a Bills/Pats game, the lights and stage of SNF should get them going.

The above is simply common sense, but it is still worth mentioning. We have played the Patriots twice on Sunday night since Dreamboat has set sail, and both times they were played in Foxboro. Playing this game in prime time at Ralph Wilson makes a huge difference.

I can't imagine this crowd will be quieter than it was against Dallas. In fact, based on the amount of venom Bills fans have for the Patriots, that place will be even louder. I still get chills thinking about how electric that crowd was for Monday Night, it may be hard not to do the same when that television shows the crowd.

Again, all this is a rambling rationalization for why I think we have a chance. The numbers are against us, the concensus is against us, and the rational part of me says Sunday will be a forgettable blowout. Still, there is the sports fan in me that hopes beyond anything else that we make it interesting, and the diehard in me says we have a prayer.

As this week moves along, that prayer is going to get more and more exciting. My profane self still says no, but still...

What if?