A Bills fan checks off her last NFL stadium as Bills Mafia turns Las Vegas into a home game

Kristen Ruesch has followed the Buffalo Bills around the country for 21 years. On Sunday in Las Vegas she finally ran out of stadiums.

A trip years in the making

Ruesch started the quest when she moved to New York City and her best friend moved to Chicago. Instead of visiting each other's cities the two decided to meet up at Bills road games. Some years that meant one trip. Some years it meant five.

Eventually she had 10 stadiums left and decided to map out the rest. Allegiant Stadium should have come off the list years ago when the Bills played their first game there. Fans were not allowed inside during the pandemic so the final box stayed empty until this weekend.

"Everybody's been awesome," she said. "Lots of Bills Mafia congratulating us, cheering us as we walk."

Blue and red all over the Strip

She had plenty of company. Bills fans packed bars and tailgates all weekend for the team's first game in Las Vegas with fans in the building. A welcome party on Friday led into a Saturday pregame bash with former Bills receiver Stevie Johnson. A sold-out tailgate just west of the stadium set the tone on Sunday.

Johnson was not surprised one bit. "The vibes are high and Bills Mafia always travel," he said. He explained that in Buffalo the Bills are everything to the community and the fans show it by following the team wherever it goes.

A road game that sounded like home

Inside the stadium most of the crowd of 62,618 wore blue and red. Bills fans got loud on Raiders third downs as if they were back in Orchard Park. A chant of M-V-P rang out after an improbable Josh Allen touchdown pass in the third quarter.

Allen noticed. He said the turnout at the last two road games has felt like a home crowd. "It really does, it feeds us and we play better when we can feel that energy coming," he said.

The Bills held on for a 33-30 win. For one fan from New York the score was a bonus. She finally has the full set.