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Last weekend, our NFL insider, Geoff Lowe travelled to New York to see the Philadelphia Eagles take on the Buffalo Bills. He recounts his experiences.

An Eagle in Bills’ Territory

I’ve been to many Bills games in the past but this was different because I was cheering for, as one fan put it, “the wrong team.”

To make the situation even more uncomfortable, the Bills won. Strange because I’ve been to 16 Bills games and they’ve now won a total of 3 times.

Being a fan of the opposing team added a new element. Here are some of the observations I made in my new role at the Ralph.

It’s All My Fault

Anytime that a call or a play didn’t go the Bills’ way it was my fault.

At one point there was a questionable play that could have been pass interference against the Eagles. I even agreed.

A man in front of me turned around and yelled, “What the hell was that?!” I was surprised. “Why are you asking me?” He responded, “You’re wearing the wrong jersey!!”

I told him to go away, not in those exact words.

I was also the cause of any bad play the Eagles made which was a lot in this game. Michael Vick threw four interceptions and after every one Bills’ fans turned to point and laugh.

You Aren’t Alone

Everytime I left my seat for another beer or a bathroom break, I experienced a connection with strangers I’ve never felt before.

Passing each fellow Eagles fan, there was some type of respectful acknowledgement, whether it was a high-five, an Eagles handshake (which isn’t much different from a regular one), or a simple head nod.

It was actually comforting to leave the hostile environment where I sat, realizing there were others around the stadium going through the exact same thing.

Forget About History

I got separated from my two friends on our walk back to the car. Apparently it’s easier to abuse a lone duck than a group.

One guy was walking in the opposite direction, stopped me and yelled “HOW CAN YOU BE AN EAGLES FAN!?” like it was some type of hideous disease.

I calmly said, “How come the Bills haven’t made the playoffs in 12 years?” He told me to go away, not in those exact words, and continued on his way.

Tailgating: What A Pastime

Regardless of all the hostility that I faced during and after the game there was none during the tailgate.

Tailgating is a random and awesome thing to be a part of. Ralph Wilson Stadium, in the middle of suburban Buffalo, is surrounded by huge parking lots. When we arrived around 10:30 a.m. most were full.

People were drinking, throwing footballs, and barbequing anything you can think of. The people next to us were cooking ribs, steak, and hot dogs that you can only get in Syracuse (they tasted like regular hot dogs). We made chili and sausages. Manly stuff.

The only bad thing about tailgating? Line-ups at porta-potties. There is nothing worse than needing to go and having to hold the beer in for 20 minutes.

GO See An NFL Game

There is nothing comparable to the atmosphere at Ralph Wilson Stadium when the Bills are winning. This isn’t something that I’ve experienced too often but it really is incredible.

Almost 70,000 fans cheering, giving each other high-fives and hugs and singing “Let’s Go Buffalo!” There were times that I wanted to join in on the celebrations but then realized that the Bills were kicking my Eagles’ asses.

It makes me wonder why there are Bills games in Toronto. There’s nowhere to tailgate and barely any Americans make the trek to the Rogers Centre. Home field advantage is lost.

If you want to go to an NFL game, do it right. Get down to an NFL city. Go early. And make sure you’re not driving after. You won’t regret it.

-Post written by Geoff Lowe, journalism student at the University of King’s College, Halifax (@lowry1721)