We’ve been trying to catch up for the better part of 64 years now. The very first game the Jets — then known as the Titans — ever played was on Sept. 11, 1960. There were 10,000 people scattered about the 55,000-seat Polo Grounds that Sunday afternoon, the first pro football game played there since Nov. 27, 1955 (Giants 35, Browns 35), the first major-league game of any kind since Sept. 29, 1957 (Pirates 9, Giants 1).

That first game, with thousands of good seats available, the Titans cruised to a 27-3 victory over the Buffalo Bills thanks to two rushing touchdowns from Al Dorrow, 66 yards rushing from Pete Hart and 152 passing yards and a TD from quarterback Dick Jamieson. Don Maynard had four catches for 116 yards. The defense intercepted Bills QBs Bob Brodhead and Tommy O’Connell twice. The Jets would win again a month later, at Buffalo’s old War Memorial Stadium (even then nicknamed “The Rockpile”).

It was a fine way to start a long engagement with our friends to the north and the west. And it seemed in the moment that Buffalo might well serve as a fine little brother to their New York AFL rivals.

It didn’t quite work out that way. For much of the time since then, the Jets have channeled Fredo Corleone: “I’m your older brother and I was STEPPED OVER!”