Bison Droppings, Commentary

How Soon We Forget Buffalo Bills’ Emotional Challenges

Featured Photo Credit: © Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports via Imagn.com, LLC.

I realize it doesn’t fit the news cycle.

Media focus appears to have moved on past the post traumatic issues players for the Buffalo Bills are experiencing after watching Damar Hamlin be resuscitated on the field only a couple of weeks ago. After narrowly defeating the Miami Dolphins 34-31 on Sunday at Highmark Stadium, some analysts couldn’t wait to weigh in with every stat imaginable lamenting Buffalo’s ‘barely beating the Dolphins’ performance.

How about these stats for you: 19-21, 32-29, 34-31.

Those are the scores for the three games these two teams played this season. Eight points decided the season between them. There was no blow out. There was no humiliating loss. There were simply two divisional rivals who know each other well playing a wild card game with wounded rosters, albeit for different reasons.

Mike McDaniel proved to be a savvy play caller during his rookie season as a head coach. When Miami gets their quarterback situation figured out they will present a regular problem for the Bills. The New York Jets will be right there with them in the AFCE, so it will be a highly competitive division moving forward. There’s little or no time for Buffalo to ‘take a breather’.

Photo by © Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn.com, LLC.

The amount of concern shown for the mental heath challenges Buffalo Bills players will face as a result of the tragedy that unfolded on January 2 in Cincinnati was heart warming in the aftermath of the tragedy. But those of us who worked with people experiencing post traumatic stress knew the real question would be how much concern there would be a couple weeks down the road when things can still be very dicey for many victims.

Consequently, it came as little surprise the media is back to focusing on Josh Allen’s interceptions or poor decision making against the Dolphins on Sunday. However, it was also obvious to me as I watched the game Allen appeared pensive on the sidelines when the camera panned in his direction. The entire sideline didn’t look like a team cheering each other on during a playoff game.

What I see watching Josh Allen during press conferences or on the field/sidelines right now is a young man carrying a heavy mental load at a time when his ‘mentals’ should be focused on destroying their next opponent.

Josh wears his mental state “on his sleeve”, as is frequently stated. It’s not difficult to see the emotional load he is carrying right now and it is likely weighing heavily on him. He understands his leadership role as the leader of his team. He knows what’s at stake in the moment. He believes it’s on him to make it happen. I think that’s why he gets caught playing hero ball by throwing a bomb instead of a five yard pass.

Sometimes we forget about the human behind the face mask, most notably in this situation is the guy who was holding his hands to his head while watching his teammate Damar Hamlin struggle for his life receiving CPR exactly two weeks ago.

There is a period of time when the emotional exhaustion after an experience like this requires a rest period for most people to recalibrate.

How are these players, particularly Allen, supposed to recalibrate while going on an NFL playoff run?

That is precisely why I’m calling foul for focusing only on analytics of the Buffalo Bills’ performance against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. While they barely defeated Miami in terms of score, they were clearly the more talented team on the field because the Dolphins had a mile-long injury list.

Photo by © Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports via Imagn.com, LLC.

While some may also choose to blame Ken Dorsey for whatever play-calling atrocity they deem fit, I’ll happily die on the hill that this Bills team is also experiencing emotional exhaustion right now. And just like what happens to anyone experiencing post trauma symptoms, life goes on… and they have to suck it up instead of being given time to recalibrate before reentering life in a functional manner.

Imagine being Josh Allen’s ‘thought bubbles’ for a moment.

Josh knows he did not perform up to his standard and stated as much to the media right after the game. This was not the look of a man ready to bring on the next opponent. Allen looks more like a guy who needs a vacation before he would be ready to win the hardest three games in a row he’s ever faced.

Real life precludes the ability to control for these types of situations for anyone experiencing post trauma symptoms. The only thing Josh or anyone can do is rest their mind when they can and pace themselves as much as life will permit. The right prescription for healing varies among individuals.

If the fan base is looking for the best way to support this Buffalo Bills football team, from my point of view it would be to cheer them on like mad as we always do… but do so with the understanding they are carrying a much heavier emotional load than just preparing for the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, January 22 at Highmark Stadium. Healing from psychic trauma takes longer than the average news cycle.

Editor’s babble: I hope as the week goes on we begin to see a transition in Josh’s face from the guy who seems to be carrying it all to the guy who is on the cusp of living his lifelong dream of winning a Super Bowl championship. Same for all of us. Find me on Twitter @RobynMundyWYO.

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11 thoughts on “How Soon We Forget Buffalo Bills’ Emotional Challenges”

  1. Excellent take. I worry about Cinci being the next opponent and all the emotions that will bring. Wish they were playing anybody else. Josh’s face and eyes say it all. We need to keep the prayers coming for all our guys.

    • I’m sure that the Cincinnati team is probably dreading this also. After all, they experienced that tragic scene along side our Bills. Let’s pray for all those involved on January 2.

  2. Thank you for saying this. Yes, the news cycle has moved on from Damar but I cannot believe the team has. Imagine standing there thinking, “this could have been me” as they did CPR. If the Bills go all the way this season, it will be because of stellar play but also because they were able to figure out a way to be at peace with what happened. Maybe that is through counseling, maybe through prayer. They are a strong force together and I think (hope) they can do it.

  3. Thank you for this. I tell the hundreds of armchair GMs this and they just laugh. How soon people forget, or never even thought about it.

  4. I believe they are still suffering the trauma. And the injury that happened to Josh Allen’s elbow couldn’t have healed that quickly. The time out of other injured players, Covid, blizzard etc. I think they are pretty amazing men.

  5. We as fans who root for this team, understand and agree that they are under extraordinary emotional stress. So the way we can help is by sending our love and support because anything this team can accomplish after watching what happened on the field with Damar, is extraordinary. Go Bills. You are loved no matter what happens next.

  6. Well written and I totally agree. Let’s demonstrate our love for the team by showing them our love, forgiveness and understanding. You’ve got this guys and we’ll love ya no matter what.
    Go Bills!

  7. WIN LOOSE TIE BILLS FAN TILL I DIE! They never get the recognition they deserve! We are 14 – 3 PEOPLE! Tough teams will be in the play offs HELLO THE MEDIA SUCKS!💙❤️🏈

  8. Emotions after trauma are real. It takes time to heal and get better. The best thing we can do for the team right now is to pray that they can focus on the game and then get the mental health treatment they need.
    Damar Hamlin is being treated medically. The emotional wounds of his teammates…not so much! Please pray for them and coach!

  9. You’d think the media would understand when, every time a player got injured this past week, the first thing running through your mind was “are they going to get up?” I don’t know how the players can possibly compartmentalize what they witnessed 2 weeks ago with the pressure they are under every day of this playoff series? We’ll just keep supporting them and having their backs from the stands (and the couch.) It’s all we can do.

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