For many Buffalo Bills fans, they thought this day would never come. For 17 years, Bills fans watched their team get shut out of the post-season. Buffalo made some good runs in 2004 and 2014 but just missed a playoff berth. Yesterday, Buffalo snapped the longest playoff drought in professional sports. Their 22-16 win, on the road, over the Miami Dolphins, and an Andy Dalton touchdown to Tyler Boyd on fourth down, with 40 seconds left in the game, sealed the Bills’ fate. The Cincinnati Bengals defeated the Baltimore Ravens and eliminated them from the playoffs. This gave Buffalo the sixth seed.

Bills fans around the country cried, cheered, and hugged, as their team finally snapped the playoff drought that hung over their head for almost two decades. Next Sunday, the Buffalo Bills will travel down to Jacksonville and battle the Jaguars and former head coach Doug Marrone. For a team that was expected to tank by many sports analysts, Buffalo is now taking a much- deserved wildcard ride.

Trusting the process worked

From the moment Sean McDermott became the Bills’ coach, the first-time head coach kept telling fans and players to trust the process. Putting faith in McDermott and GM Brandon Beane was tough. During the pre-season, the Bills watched wide receiver Sammy Watkins and cornerback Ronald Darby get traded for Jordan Matthews and E.J.

Gaines. Bills fans were losing hope. Marcell Dareus was shipped out in October. After Dareus left, the Bills had problems stopping the run and lost three straight games to the Jets, Saints, and Chargers. Nathan Peterman started the Chargers’ game and tossed five interceptions in the first half. Tyrod Taylor could not get Buffalo out of the mess when he replaced Peterman in the second half, but the team hung together for the rest of the season.

Buffalo won four out of their next six games, a snow bowl match-up against the Indianapolis Colts the highlight of the year. LeSean McCoy racked up 150 yards in that Buffalo overtime win that ended with his rushing touchdown in a foot of snow.

The Dolphins game was a much-needed win and the team pulled off yesterday. Tyrod Taylor set up the process right with a touchdown pass to a wide-open Nick O’Leary on Buffalo’s first series.

For the day, according to Pro Football stats, Taylor passed for 204 yards and no interceptions. Jordan Poyer sealed the victory when he picked off David Fales in the final two minutes of regulation.

Buffalo Bills fans go wild over playoffs

Bills fans could barely contain themselves when they found out Buffalo was in the post-season, especially on social media. Fan Andy Eick tweeted yesterday, “Words can’t describe what just happened for the fans of @buffalobills I’ve been waiting for this since I was a senior in high school. Got to experience it with family. What a memory!”

Kyle Williams gets his first touchdown

Just as emotional as the team win was Buffalo’s decision to get Kyle Williams into the game on offense.

On a first and goal, offensive coordinator Rick Dennison called a play for Williams. The 12-year veteran ran it into the end zone for a Buffalo score. The Bills’ players went wild, as well as fans witnessing his first touchdown. Williams is one of the most beloved players on the team. He said in a post-game press conference that the playoffs are only the beginning for Buffalo.

It is great 2018 beginning for the Buffalo Bills. The Bills playoff drought is finally over.

Happy New Year, Buffalo Bills fans. You deserve this win.
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED