I thought all week long that a Bills win at New England would be incredible. This is because of the fact that, well, the Bills never beat New England in New England. It's also because the Bills have not looked up to trading punches with any of the good teams they have faced in 2012. Really, they've gotten pounded twice and just sort of put down last week at Houston.
Make no mistake, this was no work of art. There were about a million penalties, some of them dubious calls at best. The defense still has holes everywhere, most notably at linebacker.
Yet every time this game teetered on the brink of getting out of hand, the Bills offense found a way to stay in it. Fred Jackson fumbled the ball away on the New England one yard line and still, they got the ball back right away after an actual stop by the defense. Heck, it was even a three and out and within a couple of plays the Bills we right back in the end zone.
The defense stiffened again at their own nine yard line, holding the Patriots to a field goal that left the game in the hands of Fitzpatrick and a frantic final drive.
Incredible was in play and maybe, just maybe, the Bills could win a game that had the potential to change the course of their season.
This is what football, and in particular, Bills football does to you. I believe we often think of the Bills building up your hopes in the off season with whatever moves have been made in the form of free agents and draft picks. Games like this one against New England remind me that the Bills can build up hope and crush it just in the course of a three hour game.
So there they are, down six points with the clock ticking down, sitting at the New England fifteen yard line. Fans likely by the thousands are hoping for this incredible, maybe season changing road win.
Then, just like that, an errant pass after a great day from Fitzpatrick and hope is gone.
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