ORCHARD PARK — It’s time for the Buffalo Bills and their fans to take a victory lap.

So let’s pick up where we left off eight weeks ago.

You, faithful reader of this column, recall actor Jon Voight’s portrayal of Franklin Roosevelt in the movie Pearl Harbor.

When Voight, playing Roosevelt, saw the beginning of a path to victory, some military leaders were understandably skeptical.

A determined commander in chief hoisted himself up through the strength of his shoulders and arms, struggled to get to his feet, solidified his composure, and gained his balance.

With determination, he said, “Do not tell me it can’t be done.”

Before this National Football League season even started, the usual naysayers–including, but not only, in the press–declared that this era’s window of opportunity for the Bills to win a Super Bowl was closing or had closed.

Eight weeks ago this column said that was baloney at the beginning of the season, and it remained so.

What the naysayers expressed wasn’t just defeat. It was capitulation.

This column eight weeks ago concluded that the Bills and the fans needed to join together and, with determination, say, “Do not tell us it can’t be done.”

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For that conclusion, this columnist received telephone calls from two friends.

One friend thought the comparison to World War II was overwrought. And it was, but so what? We’re allowed to have a little fun here.

Another friend–who in all likelihood wasn’t alone–was skeptical of the prospects for the Bills’ success this season.

Suppose that this column eight weeks ago had predicted that the Bills would go from 5-5 to 6-6 to 11-6, win the American Football Conference’s Eastern Division, and secure the No. 2 seed in the AFC playoffs.

You, faithful reader, would have been well within your rights to be skeptical too.

You also would have been well within your rights to say that this column should leave sports prognostications to the sports department, where the writers know what in the world they’re talking about.

After all, with the Bills at 5-5, most of the losses weren’t losses one would have predicted at the beginning of the season.

Although one also wouldn’t have predicted the Bills would be 10-0 after 10 games, a record of 5-5 didn’t seem to be in the cards either.

Furthermore, the Bills were 5-5 with the relatively easy part of the schedule behind them and the relatively hard part of the schedule remaining.

If the Bills had stayed on the same track, the team might well have finished the 2023 season without having a winning record.

Much less making the playoffs.

Much less winning the AFC East.

Much less securing the No. 2 seed in the AFC playoffs.

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But, oh, how the tides have turned.

The Bills won their last five regular-season games.

Having the No. 2 seed in the AFC playoffs means not only that the Bills’ first playoff game but also the Bills’ second playoff game–if the Bills win the first –will be in Orchard Park.

Yes, that matters.

You know that matters.

During this season’s playoffs, any game between the Bills and the Pittsburgh Steelers, Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns, Houston Texans, or Kansas City Chiefs will be in Western New York.

Yes, the Chiefs too.

Finally, the Chiefs.

After several games against the Chiefs in Kansas City, this time–this time–if it comes to that, the Chiefs will have to come to Orchard Park.

If Chiefs’ fans want to come here and do their tomahawk chops, they’re welcome.

They’re entirely welcome.

This time, though, the Bills’ Mafia will outnumber them.

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It’s never advisable to get ahead of oneself.

A game against any of those teams will be hard.

But let’s enjoy this week, Bills’ fans.

We’ve earned it.

Oh, how you know we’ve earned it.

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One more suggestion.

Winning one game in the playoffs will be great.

Winning two will be better.

Yet, if we win three, we must also win four.

The only sports-fan letter Randy Elf has ever written was to Marv Levy, who wrote back to express his thanks and to say that he liked the enclosed Winston Churchill poster so much that he had it framed and mounted on his office wall at the stadium.

(c) 2024 BY RANDY ELF