Rapid Reaction - 10 Observations About Today's Game
10) From Greg Williams to Mike Mularkey to Dick Jauron to Chan Gailey to Doug Marrone and now to the Great Rex Ryan, Bills coaches of the past 15 years or so seem to have these stinker games where their teams mostly no-show big home games just after the national media starts to give them some love.
It's not hard to understand why Bills fans have adopted the phrase, "One hunderd times bitten, eternally shy."
9) Least penalized team in the league? I'd take least penalized team in the game. The Bills saw so much yellow in this game doctors at ECMC want to check them all for jaundice. Preston Brown and Jerry Hughes seem to have wagered a few Benjamins as to which one of them will break the all-time record for personal fouls in a season.
That said, the holding call on Urbik that nullified Tyrod's beautiful TD run was very ticky-tacky.
8) Speaking of Tyrod, I know he wants to prove to the world that he can be a pure pocket passer, but it is coming at the expense of him turning down some running opportunities that appear to have the potential to go for big gains.
The play where he was called for an illegal forward pass was a great example. He could have picked up 20 yards easy if he had tucked and ran.
7) Bradham just has to make that tackle on 3rd and short. Games are won and lost on simple plays sometimes and, quite simply, that missed tackle sank the Bills today.
6) If I'm not mistaken, the Bills have not successfully defended a 2-pt conversion this entire season. If I was an opposing coach I would go for 2 every time against Buffalo until they show they can stop someone.
5) What happened to the vaunted front four? They are probably the highest paid defensive foursome in the NFL, but they have been as invisible as Donald Trump's restraint in the face of a Megyn Kelly question.
Teams are somehow finding ways to neutralize what was supposed to be the greatest strength of this team. That has to change if the playoffs are to remain a real possibility.
4) After a couple of early drops, Charles Clay rebounded with a big game. He is the best TE this team has had going all the way back to the Keith McKeller, Pete Metzelaars days.
If Sammy ever comes back healthy, Clay will be even more dangerous.
3) I still am a Tyrod Taylor fan. He keeps his composure and always has his eyes down field. He put 14 points on the scoreboard that penalties brought back.
Whatever ails the Bills, it ain't the QB.
2) It's time to find out just how good of a coach Rex Ryan truly is. His team is ignoring the old Marv Levy axiom and they're playing dumb and they're playing dirty.
Fix the penalties and you'll fix the W column. That's all on Sexy Rexy.
1) The big picture is that it was an out-of-conference loss. The type you want to have if you have to take one.
The next five are all in conference and winnable.
Time to stop talkin' the talk and prove you can walk the walk.