Oh no, Buffalo.
In the first of the Buffalo Bills’ four straight Super Bowl losses, Scott Norwood missed a would-be winning kick wide right.
And now, unfortunately, in the annals of Bills franchise history, Tyler Bass has joined Norwood as a kicker who pushed one out and to the right with everything at stake.
FINAL: The @Chiefs are back in the AFC Championship! #NFLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/CXDHLZ3SRh
— NFL (@NFL) January 22, 2024
"Wide Right"
Super Bowl XXV#Giants 20, #Bills 19
January 27, 1991 pic.twitter.com/gbWpyOAm3E
— Kevin Gallagher (@KevG163) January 27, 2023
WOOF. Tough day for the haters who think Travis Kelce is too distracted by Taylor Swift, or those who are simply sick of seeing the international pop megastar at football games, having a good time, being relatable and so forth.
I said last week that once I saw T-Swift in that customized No. 87 Kelce jacket, it’d be the protective totem against any kind of alleged Swiftie curse. Sunday’s outcome only proved my point. Kelce had five catches, 75 yards and two touchdowns.
This had the makings of a classic Patrick Mahomes-Josh Allen duel that could’ve gone into overtime, just like the 42-36 thriller at Arrowhead Stadium from two years ago in the Divisional Round.
Alas, Bass’ kick ended the suspense with a thud, as the Chiefs took the air out of the football, ran it down Buffalo’s throat for two plays with Isiah Pacheco, and took knees in victory formation the rest of the way.
Jim Nantz was savage on that wide right call, though!
"Wide. Right. The two most dreaded words in Buffalo have surfaced again." – Jim Nantz 🏈🎙️ pic.twitter.com/iidtMBVueY
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 22, 2024
…And everyone else couldn’t help but pile on a bit.
WIDE RIGHT?!?! pic.twitter.com/XeVOQdWa6b
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) January 22, 2024
Bills fans seeing yet another field goal go wide right pic.twitter.com/ndFXtKkgeg
— Jasmine (@JasmineLWatkins) January 22, 2024
Bills fans hearing “WIDE RIGHT” to end their playoff chances pic.twitter.com/DRdOdfmYxb
— King of Phinland🐬👑 (@KingOfPhinland) January 22, 2024
Nantz hits the “wide right, the two most dreaded words in Buffalo” so casually and it’s the PERFECT thing to say. So so so so so good.
— Shane Bacon (@shanebacon) January 22, 2024
Bills fans watching another field goal go wide right pic.twitter.com/Iz4bZ7CAbn
— Josiah Johnson (@KingJosiah54) January 22, 2024
Bills Mafia when they hear wide right again pic.twitter.com/fFEj6oxM2j
— Not Robert Griffin (@Pseudo_RGIII) January 22, 2024
Wide Right 2: Wider Right
— Dave Rappoccio (@DrawPlayDave) January 22, 2024
Scott Norwood telling Tyler Bass to miss wide-right pic.twitter.com/ePisg6BbVe
— dogwood maple (@dogwood_maple) January 22, 2024
Wide Right pic.twitter.com/ZiThYZysWE
— Games With Names (@gameswithnames) January 22, 2024
It ended with wide right but it started with Diggs’ whiff right. pic.twitter.com/CUam6hWJA1
— Frank Isola (@TheFrankIsola) January 22, 2024
Game on the line:
Tyler Bass: pic.twitter.com/JjQ9C34P2y
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) January 22, 2024
Tyler bass with a chance to tie the game : pic.twitter.com/yWxzcnunJw
— Shannonnn sharpes Burner (PARODY Account) (@shannonsharpeee) January 22, 2024
Bills fans DO NOT blame Tyler Bass… deep down you KNOW even if he made it, Mahomes was just going to rip your heart out in even more excruciating fashion.
— nick wright (@getnickwright) January 22, 2024
…Even when all the Bills Mafia self-hating crowd who slams themselves through on-fire tables could resort to was chucking snowballs at opposing Chiefs players…
All those snowballs were wide right 😭 pic.twitter.com/erEwe2NFol
— BrickMuse (@BrickMuse) January 22, 2024
The Bills really had their chances. Several downfield heaves by Allen, including two in particular to Trent Sherfield and Stefon Diggs, were very catchable but were dropped. As a result, Allen, who rumbled for two rushing TDs and threw for another, averaged only 4.8 yards per pass attempt on 39 throws. Not exactly the explosiveness or efficiency you’re looking for out of your superstar QB, but again, can’t put it all on him in the slightest.
Tyler Bass will be the scapegoat for Bills fans’ latest round of Pain Olympics. Tough to have to wait a whole 365 days to hopefully get to this position in the postseason again. Buffalo will be hard-pressed to ever face Mahomes’ Chiefs at home again. It might happen once every five years or so. Maybe you get one or two more shots at them in your house during Allen’s prime. Tough sledding indeed.
If Mahomes drags this KC team to the Super Bowl, it’ll be so demoralizing for the rest of the AFC in particular. The conference is stacked with quality quarterbacks and formidable teams. Every single year he’s started full-time, Mahomes has made it to the AFC Championship Game. It’s just absurd. With how young and strong the Chiefs’ defense is overall and how much room the offense has to improve from this season’s showing, it sure feels like Kansas City isn’t going anywhere any time soon. More nightmare fuel for Buffalo, I’m afraid.
