Bills owner Ralph Wilson believed in Buffalo, but he lived in Detroit and the two cities forever held his heart. To have the Wilson era end with a 17-14 victory in Motown on a long field goal no less is a fitting end to his legacy in the NFL.
The Bills, behind a dominating defense and a second half rally led by Kyle Orton and Sammy Watkins, for the first time in Doug Marrone’s tenure came from behind on the road to win. At 3-2 the Bills now have back-to-back home games. The first against the Pats and then a trip to the Meadowlands against the Jets and expectations are soaring once again in Billsville.
Ralph Wilson forever shook his “cheap” moniker from thirty years ago when news broke this week that his 1.4 billion earned in the sale of the Bills would in large part be donated to charities in Buffalo and Detroit. That is for those who didn’t already feel Ralph had left the frugal tag behind after four consecutive trips to the Super Bowl and record salaries for Jim Kelly and Bruce Smith.
To have Mary Wilson and Ralph’s collective family attend the final game under his ownership, in his backyard and witness that 58 yard Carpenter field-goal clear the uprights is in so many ways poetic justice. A final nod to the man who bet on a renegade league 54 years ago and helped a rust belt city find a national identity.
The victory means the Bills have a fighting chance to enter their bye week in November leading their Division. Certainly the schedule has three opponents who Buffalo could be favored over, at least if Orton continues to ease into the Bills offense.
The win over Detroit could have easily gone the other way. The Offensive line again struggled and as a result so did the run game. The Lions kicker missed three field goals and two Detroit starters on offense left the game before the deciding final quarter. But Bills fans will take the win as a sign that Orton gives them something Manuel seemed to lack, a chance.
So next Sunday it will be a rockin Ralph Wilson Stadium and a nice pregame ceremony welcoming the Pegula’s as the new owners of the Buffalo Bills. Fans will be focused on the New England Patriots, but I doubt the glow from today’s win over Detroit will have dimmed in the heart of Mary Wilson as she looks upon the game ball presented to her after the last victory under her husbands banner.
Filed under: Koshinski's Korner
Tagged with: Buffalo Bills, Ralph Wilson
Sorry, comments are closed on this post.