Well, my doubly cursed NFL fandom continues. As many of you know, besides being a never-say-die Vikings fan, I have been a faithful member of the Bills Mafia going back to even before they played in four-straight Super Bowls — losing all four of them.

As it has been well-established, Minnesota Vikings fans are recognized as one of the “most miserable” bunch of fans in the entire NFL. We’ve been so close so many times only to have our hopes dashed somehow. There’s Gary Anderson’s one and only fieldgoal miss of the entire season in the 1998 NFC Championship Game — allowing the Atlanta Falcons to tie the game and eventually win it in overtime. Then, there’s “Bountygate” against New Orleans (which also can be attributed to Brett Favre’s boneheaded interception).

And those are just the two most infamous examples. We could also add getting blown out by Philadelphia in the NFC Championship following the “Minneapolis Miracle.” Or how about the year we were knocked out of the playoffs on the last play of the Arizona Cardinals game — a touchdown catch that would have been incomplete based on today’s rules. 

For all of those “agony of defeat” moments for the Vikings, ironically Buffalo Bills fans can recite eerily similar examples. Theirs also includes an infamous missed fieldgoal attempt (“wide right” in Super Bowl XXV). 

Speaking of tough losses that would not have happened under today’s rules, there’s the catalyst for the change in playoff overtime rules, when Buffalo lost to Kansas City in the 2021 AFC Divisional playoff game in overtime when the Chiefs took the opening drive in overtime for a touchdown, ending the game with the Bills’ offense not touching the ball in overtime.

Of course, the playoff game that still haunts members of the Bills Mafia to this day is the illegal forward pass that is dubbed “The Music City Miracle.” 

Now, however, Buffalo fans have a playoff defeat that might very well overshadow that terrible call in favor of the Tennessee Titans. This time, though, it isn’t one bad call from the officials, but at least two, if not three. Yes, by the letter of the rules, the two pass interference calls could be considered legitimate when looked at in a vacuum. But, considering those two were the only PIs called the whole game, it makes throwing the flag in overtime seem rather dubious.

Those two calls would never have happened, though, if it wasn’t for the pass catch by Brandon Cooks that wound up being called an interception.

Next season, the Vikings will host the Bills in a regular season game, and if all goes according to plan, I will be at that game, primarily rooting for the Vikings while also hoping it will be a “Super Bowl preview.” At least that way, the curse will be guaranteed to be broken for one of my teams.

BILL STICKELS III is editor of the Isanti-Chisago County Star. He can be directly reached at 651-407-1245, through our main office number at 763-689-1181, ext. 156 or editor@countystar.com.