Winners Never Quit and Quitters Never Win

By Grant W. | Monday, September 28, 2009 | ( 5 )

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While the moments of lameness by the Bills in their loss to the New Orleans Saints last Sunday are too numerous and painful for a diehard fan to list in a single article, there is one that stands out that could arguably be considered the definition of this Bills team.

Losing with 1:45 seconds left in the game, Dick Jauron decided to punt the ball.

Granted the Bills were down by 20 at that point. And the offense, who had been doing their best impression of the zombies in the Night of the Living Dead for most of the game, had actually digressed even further in the preceding three plays and probably would have turned it over on downs. But that decision not to even try says so much about what kind of coach Dick is.

Dick is a likable loser. Always has been always will be. And in some situations that wouldn’t be so bad. The problem is he's a cancer who is killing the team I love. Now he’s not alone in his quest to destroy this once proud franchise (cough, cough), but he is the catalyst who is speeding it on its way to oblivion.

What was the point of the punt at that moment? Was he trying to keep the point spread below what he had wagered? Did he have to use the bathroom after drinking gallons of his own tears shed in self pity? Or has his game clock management gotten so bad he thought there was another quarter to play?

Winners always think they can win a game right up to the moment the final gun sounds. Winners always think they can thread the needle and make the impossible pass. Winners always think they can force the turnover at the most important times. Few if any of the players on the Bills think like this.

Just as with most of his time here in Buffalo, in that moment Dick told his team and the whole world it’s okay to lose and a win is not worth giving everything you have. You see this attitude everyday the Bills play. From receivers who drop passes to linemen who line up offside, from mental errors to lack of effort. But seldom is anyone on this team ever called out in a meaningful way for poor play or bad actions. And seldom is there a sense of urgency and demand for greatness. Just once I would like to see someone publically bencned, if for no other reason than to send a message to the rest of the team that lameness will not be tolerated.

Men who think they can and men who think they can’t are both right. With that one play it was pretty clear what Dick thinks.

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