The Bills have been mathematically eliminated from postseason contention in one of the more haunting nosedives in recent memory.
Buffalo blazed a trail of fire through early autumn, starting 5-2, but six straight losses have quieted the roar of a community in love with their team. The long-suffering nature of the Bills faithful is not lost on coach Chan Gailey.
"I totally understand," Gailey told the team's official site. "If I were in their shoes ... I'm a big Braves fan, so I've been through it a lot of years. I do understand that part of it."
Except that it's Buffalo's trials in the '90s -- when the team lost four straight Super Bowls from 1990 to 1993 -- that comes closer to what Braves fans have suffered amid a long history of playoff defeats.
The Bills will miss the postseason for the 12th straight season, officially eliminated with last Sunday's 37-10 loss to the Chargers, but Gailey sees hope in the early fireworks.
"We didn't get there this year, but I do believe we can get there," Gailey said. "I believe we have the personnel people upstairs in place to get it done. I think we've got the coaches that can get it done. I think we've got the things in place. We've just got to keep building. We're obviously not there, but we showed of a glimpse of what we might be earlier this year."
It raises the question: Where do the Bills faithful reside in the pecking order of hard-luck NFL fan bases?
