THAT'S why they play the game!
For those on my f-list who may not be well-versed in the goings on this Sunday, allow me to present my own dramatic re-enactment for your entertainment. I think it would go a little something like this:
The Buffalo Bills went into the locker room at halftime down 21-3 to the Raiders, a score that's usually what goes on the board at the END of the game, not midway through.
Suddenly, one of the Bills' players looked up and said "Wait a minute, you guys! We're playing FOOTBALL!"
"D'oh!" another replied, smacking his forehead, "I've been playing table tennis all day! No wonder we're behind!" The other players all chimed in with what sports they thought they were playing which were obviously not football at all and came to the decision that maybe all of them should start playing football in the second half.
Thus decided, they headed out into the second half, took the ball and strolled down the field for a touchdown.
The Raiders took the ball themselves then, but the Bills tapped them on the shoulder and shouted "HEY! LOOK OVER THERE!" and while they were distracted stole the ball for another touchdown.
They then returned the ball to the Raiders, but refused to let them go anywhere until Oakland gave the ball to Buffalo, another touchdown.
All of the sudden the score was 21-24 Buffalo. At this point the Raiders' monocles all collectively popped out and they spat out their tea and shouted "I say! This just isn't done!" before taking the ball and getting a touchdown of their own. (28 - 24)
The Bills grabbed the ball back, shouting "Hey! give it back, it's ours!" and getting another touchdown. (28-31)
To which the Raiders responded "No way! We had it first!" Touchdown. (35-31)
With time running out on the clock, the Bills realized that since it was coming down to the wire and they were playing a team in black jerseys (well they were white, but the Raiders' colors are black and silver) that they were probably in an uplifting sports movie and thus had to make it as dramatic as humanly possible. So they set it up with 18 seconds left on the clock in a fourth and one giving them exactly one chance to win the game. (The "go or go home" clause.) Luckily, quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick had read the script carefully and managed to get the ball in the end zone for a final touchdown.
BUT WAIT! They did the job too well, there's still time on the clock! Could it be the Raiders are the heroes of this sports movie after all? Buffalo is quite good at blowing games in the last second, could all the heroics have been for nothing? With only one second left on the clock, the Raiders throw a Hail Mary* into the end zone. The ball is caught...
...by Buffalo. INTERCEPTION! BILLS WIN! (35-38)
There were a couple of amusing points to the day, too.
I liked the Raiders' coach trying to challenge one of the Bills' touchdown rulings. There's a rule in place this year that every touchdown gets reviewed without a challenge, so it had already been reviewed beforehand. The refs charged them a timeout and a 15 yard penalty basically just for wasting everybody's time. I just can't figure why he made that mistake. Sure, that rule is new this year, but they make a big deal about stopping the game to review touchdowns each and every time. I'm not sure how he forgot. When he threw the challenge flag, I was just like, "can he do that?" No, no he cannot, haha!
Also the final second interception was reviewed (mistakenly) for 10 minutes after the game had ended. At which point the ref went out into a mostly empty stadium with both teams and most fans already gone to confirm the Bills win. Haha, he looked so lonely!
Next up the Bills have the Patriots...which they will lose. There's really no arguing it, the Patriots are one of the best teams in football, while everyone's shocked that the Bills have 2 wins. But as long as they make a show of it, there's no shame in losing to the Patriots and in a way, we've already won. Why? Because while talking to the press after their win this weekend, the Patriots' head coach commented that he wasn't celebrating the win much as they had to get ready. They have a "tough one" coming up. It means they're taking the Bills seriously, which pretty much crushes any chance that the Bills could slip by them, but getting one of the best teams in the game to take you seriously? That's a pretty high compliment.
But please, please stop shortening his name to "Fitz"...it's really awkward.
*Basically launching a ball into the end zone in desperation and praying for the best.
The Buffalo Bills went into the locker room at halftime down 21-3 to the Raiders, a score that's usually what goes on the board at the END of the game, not midway through.
Suddenly, one of the Bills' players looked up and said "Wait a minute, you guys! We're playing FOOTBALL!"
"D'oh!" another replied, smacking his forehead, "I've been playing table tennis all day! No wonder we're behind!" The other players all chimed in with what sports they thought they were playing which were obviously not football at all and came to the decision that maybe all of them should start playing football in the second half.
Thus decided, they headed out into the second half, took the ball and strolled down the field for a touchdown.
The Raiders took the ball themselves then, but the Bills tapped them on the shoulder and shouted "HEY! LOOK OVER THERE!" and while they were distracted stole the ball for another touchdown.
They then returned the ball to the Raiders, but refused to let them go anywhere until Oakland gave the ball to Buffalo, another touchdown.
All of the sudden the score was 21-24 Buffalo. At this point the Raiders' monocles all collectively popped out and they spat out their tea and shouted "I say! This just isn't done!" before taking the ball and getting a touchdown of their own. (28 - 24)
The Bills grabbed the ball back, shouting "Hey! give it back, it's ours!" and getting another touchdown. (28-31)
To which the Raiders responded "No way! We had it first!" Touchdown. (35-31)
With time running out on the clock, the Bills realized that since it was coming down to the wire and they were playing a team in black jerseys (well they were white, but the Raiders' colors are black and silver) that they were probably in an uplifting sports movie and thus had to make it as dramatic as humanly possible. So they set it up with 18 seconds left on the clock in a fourth and one giving them exactly one chance to win the game. (The "go or go home" clause.) Luckily, quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick had read the script carefully and managed to get the ball in the end zone for a final touchdown.
BUT WAIT! They did the job too well, there's still time on the clock! Could it be the Raiders are the heroes of this sports movie after all? Buffalo is quite good at blowing games in the last second, could all the heroics have been for nothing? With only one second left on the clock, the Raiders throw a Hail Mary* into the end zone. The ball is caught...
...by Buffalo. INTERCEPTION! BILLS WIN! (35-38)
There were a couple of amusing points to the day, too.
I liked the Raiders' coach trying to challenge one of the Bills' touchdown rulings. There's a rule in place this year that every touchdown gets reviewed without a challenge, so it had already been reviewed beforehand. The refs charged them a timeout and a 15 yard penalty basically just for wasting everybody's time. I just can't figure why he made that mistake. Sure, that rule is new this year, but they make a big deal about stopping the game to review touchdowns each and every time. I'm not sure how he forgot. When he threw the challenge flag, I was just like, "can he do that?" No, no he cannot, haha!
Also the final second interception was reviewed (mistakenly) for 10 minutes after the game had ended. At which point the ref went out into a mostly empty stadium with both teams and most fans already gone to confirm the Bills win. Haha, he looked so lonely!
Next up the Bills have the Patriots...which they will lose. There's really no arguing it, the Patriots are one of the best teams in football, while everyone's shocked that the Bills have 2 wins. But as long as they make a show of it, there's no shame in losing to the Patriots and in a way, we've already won. Why? Because while talking to the press after their win this weekend, the Patriots' head coach commented that he wasn't celebrating the win much as they had to get ready. They have a "tough one" coming up. It means they're taking the Bills seriously, which pretty much crushes any chance that the Bills could slip by them, but getting one of the best teams in the game to take you seriously? That's a pretty high compliment.
But please, please stop shortening his name to "Fitz"...it's really awkward.
*Basically launching a ball into the end zone in desperation and praying for the best.