1billsfan

That is the season ending play that everyone will remember from the 2014 season. Just like the dropped pass by Stevie in the Falcon game in 2013. Once it happened, we ALL knew the Bills don't come back from those kind of plays. It's also the play that's the beginning of the end of the Doug Marrone era IMO. The culture of losing is stamped on this team once again with this crushing defeat and Marrone was not chosen by the new owner.

This game is a must win. They are not going to go 5-2 with the rest of the schedule they have. Unless a fan thinks a 5-10% chance is a realistic chance. 9-7 won't get it done this year in the AFC. Even 10-6 might not get you in. The Bills have never won a game like this since the last year they went to the playoffs a decade and a half ago. If they do beat the Chiefs, they can honestly say they are still in the playoff hunt and they would show true mental toughness which this team hasn't had for a very long time.

Looking at the other teams vying for the wildcard spots and the schedules of those teams' remaining games, it's my opinion that the 2014 playoffs dream is over if they lose to the Chiefs. Of course it won't be "officially" over, but to lose to the Chiefs and still get to 10 wins they really would have to beat the Dolphins, Jets, Browns, Packers and Raiders the rest of the schedule (I'm assuming they won't beat the Broncos and Patriots). There's no way I see the Bills not stubbing their toes once in the Dolphins, Browns, Packers bunch of games. If they beat the Chiefs they're still in the playoff conversation. A loss and I see no playoffs and the writing on the wall that there will eventually be a new regime here in 2015. The margin of error is very slim in the AFC this year.

I don't recall Eli Manning or Russell Wilson ever having this very fiery, in your face style of leadership. Yet they've both won Superbowls. EJ Manuel needs confidence in himself that will only come with on the field, confidence bolstering performances. Only then will he be able to begin to command respect in the huddle. This respect can happen without the yelling or mean looks which is clearly not EJ's style at all. What he can learn from Orton's style is that while there's a time for being loose, once practice starts there's a stone cold seriousness in the task at hand when you're the starting QB and the captain of the ship.

If the Bills lose to the Chiefs they will have to beat the Dolphins, Jets, Browns, Packers and Raiders to get to 10 wins because we all know that the chances are great they will lose to both the Broncos and Pats. Also, the chances of them not losing one game against the Dolphins, Browns or Packers are slim IMO. This Chiefs game is one of those early November games that a loss will almost totally screw their playoff chances. The opportunity is there in front of them. This is a tough team but it’s a team they can beat at home. The intensity level should go up a few notches in this game. If it doesn't then they will need to find a new coaching staff.

I feel the same way. The Bills have looked like crap the last 5 games. They are lucky to be 4-3. I think the Bills are coming into a buzz saw situation which a young team with poor coaching won't be ready to deal with. The Jet players love Rex and this is the game they will throw everything at the Bills to win it for their coach. If the Bills had better coaching that could get their players up to match the intensity they'll face, then I'd pick the Bills. I just don't see that happening.

Buffalo had better be ready, because this will be a knock down, drag out bare-knuckle fight. I really question if the Bills have what it takes to win this game. I question this because of how flat they came out in the Pats game at home. The Bills have the team to beat the Jets, however there's a good chance that they won't be ready for how amped up the Jets will be to win this "last stand" game for Rex. The 1-6 Jets being favored over the 4-3 Bills tells me the oddsmakers feel the Bills aren't up for the challenge and they're begging people to bet on the Bills.

How sad is this topic. The Bills are 3-3, yet fans are seriously considering fire sale. Why? Because this team was intimidated and lost at home against a very average Pats team. Why trade good players away when you can just fire the head coach and OC and solve the 2 main problems with this team. Maybe promote Henderson or Pepper Johnson. I definitely wouldn't promote Schwartz, IMO he's treading water as far as his performance as our DC.

In the same week that Marrone blew it against the Pats, it was reported that the new owner will be bringing in a real name NFL consultant. That Pats loss made him a lame duck IMO because I doubt the players trust him any more. It's tough enough trying to beat an NFL team, but to have your head coach making decisions like using Watkins as a decoy? Makes you wonder if he's drawing a paycheck form the Pats too. This reminds me of the Dick Jauron years. I think the Bills lose to the Vikings and Jets the next two weeks and it becomes clear Marrone's gone because the team has quit on him.

I just get the sense that Marrone blew his career with the Bills with that pathetic, non-threatening game plan against the Pats. It's like he handed over his manhood to hoodie before the game. "Hey Mr. Belichick, I see you got Revis! Great get sir! Well since you're so great and obviously know what you're doing, I I I'm obviously not going to challenge you with Watkins. Yeah, we did give up two first round picks for him but geez...you're the Patriots and that's Revis! The best bet for us is to try to trick you because in the end, we obviously just don't believe in the guy we gave up two first round picks for when it comes to going against the toughest team in our division. We're the Bills, we teach our players it's best to run from challenges. Well good luck Bill, I I I mean Mr. Belichick!" I'm done with him. I can only imagine what the players feel like.

The players might be officially done with Marrone because of what happened in the Pats game. There's a chance they no longer respect him as a head coach. If that's the case, he'll never get that back. This Viking game just might be the beginning of the end.

Excellent column with the list of questions. The most furious question is why Watkins was used as a decoy. A two first round picks price of a WR used as a decoy? A see a train wreck coming because that Pats game had seriously deep issues that lead to players not having any faith in their bosses.

Marrone's lost this team. IMO what happened was that his players saw him bring the same tired and predictable game plan against Belichick and the Pats, they went three and out, and for all intents and purposes were beaten before Brady even got the ball. I think they feel betrayed by Marrone and that when their biggest battle was there right in front of him, he was timid and folded under the pressure. The Detroit game will probably be the team's last real gut check performance this season until Marrone's fired. He's incompetent and his players know it. I see them getting blown out by the Vikings and the Jets. That's what happens when teams check out on a head coach they don't believe in.

Other than QB, the Bills have much better talent on their roster than the Pats. The Bills had no business treating the Pats as if they were the train coming down the tracks of past meetings during their glory days. If the Bills had Chip Kelly as their HC they would own the Pats this year.

Don't kid yourself. The Pats are not an upper echelon team. The Bills simply played stupid and afraid like they always do against Brady and Belichick. It was embarrassing how easily they gave in to their fear of the Pats. If this was a true "measuring stick" Pats team the Bills would have been crushed by 40 points with that performance. At least this embarrassing loss will be a gain since the new owner now has a real reason to fire Marrone and find a real NFL head coaching staff.

The Vikings and Jets have much better coaching and these teams will be much better prepared than the Bills will be. The Jets will have 10 days to prepare for their game. We now know that these are the same ol' Bills. These same ol' Bills will fold against the Vikings because they are a mentally weak bunch who will do what they did in Tampa last year. Pull a "no show" after a really tough loss and make a rookie look like Johnny Unitas. Then they will be intimidated by the Jets and Rex Ryan because they are the same ol' Bills who get intimidated by the Jets and Rex Ryan. This team hasn't looked good since the Dolphin game. That was a long time ago.

I was talking about the biggest problem on the field. The whole team played like crap except for a couple of players. But Orton's turnovers definitely got the momentum rolling for the Pats which they never relinquished. It's inexcusable when you're playing the Pats at home to do that. It was his performance that hurt the team the most. The biggest problem period with the Bills is the coaching. I had such high hopes for Marrone, but he coaches scared. Yesterday was it for me regarding this coaching staff. This team has talented players and they failed to show up and perform against the fading Patriots in a battle for the division lead. I fully expect that there will be a brand new regime next year and I expect that it will be lead by an established NFL coaching staff. A lot will depend on who the consultant will be. If it's Accorsi then I could see the Bills hiring Tom Coughlin if the Giants let him go at the end of this year.

10 points came off Orton turnovers in the first half. In the NFL momentum is king and Orton gave liftoff to the Patriots in a home game that was the most important game in the last 10 or so years for this franchise. To say Orton wasn't the biggest on the field problem yesterday is to be in denial. Other Bills players may have had much worse games, but other players don't play by far the most important position on the field.

Disgrace? A project QB that was developed by Marrone and Hackett, two guys who have no business being in charge of developing project QBs, is what the real disgrace is. At least Manuel will have another chance to make a first impression with a real coaching staff (Holmgren?) that knows what they're doing. Marrone and Hackett blew their chance when Belichick made them his bi@#ches today. Manuel's a young guy, he actually has a valid excuse for sucking because a lot of QBs sucked early in their career and eventually made a name for themselves.

Totally ridiculous. Orton is only slightly better than Manuel right now. Those two turnovers that Orton made in the first half got the Pats' rolling. There's no denying this. If you're impressed by passing stats, then yes Orton blows Manuel away. However, turnovers are the most important stat and Manuel seemed much better than Orton at protecting the ball. I'm ok with watching Orton start a couple of more games, but if this definition of a journeyman QB thinks he can get away with making killer turnovers and keep his starting job over a 1st rd selected QB who had a decent win/loss record then he's got another thing coming.

No reason to throw EJ under the bus because he didn't play. Marrone and Hackett got their chance with Orton and blew it today. They had their two 1st rd picks price tag Watkins and decided to not throw him the ball against Belichick. They're in over their heads and it sucks that Manuel was ever coached by them to begin with.

Bye Bye Doug Marrone. This was your one shot to show that you belong at the grown ups table and you failed miserably. I can not wait till the new owner brings in a real NFL head coach. This team spent two first round picks on Sammy Watkins and they did not use him in the first half against their biggest rival? Not only that, this entire team was not ready to play today in the biggest game in the last 10 years against the one divisional team that has used them like toilet paper for more than a decade. This isn't on Hackett, this horrific loss goes to the head of this stinking fish of a team. I'd immediately fire Doug and promote Swartz if I were Pegula.

The Bills have never challenged the Pats during the more than decade long Brady/Belichick era. That psychological wall is still there. The Pats have always relied on the Bills being at a disadvantage mentally and there has always been a feeling of inevitability of a Pats win in this matchup. If the Bills do win this game, that wall will officially be broken down. If they don't, they may never get another shot at the Brady/Belichick era with the stakes so high because it does look like their time in NFL history is drawing to a close. It's crazy to think what a win against the "riding high again" Pats would do to the psyche of this team and it's fans. When was the last time the Bills had a season that mattered? That video of the MCM looks so old now. A win this weekend against the Pats wakes up a long dormant franchise like nothing else could. The atmosphere should be incredible before the game. As bad as this team has looked the last three games, I have a feeling that them pulling out an improbable win against Detriot was a sign that they aren't the same Bills and that wall is coming down this weekend.

I think one aspect about this game that won't be talked about but should be is that there are a LOT of young players on this team who know nothing about the Pats' Brady/Belichick decade long dominance of the Bills and it's psychological effects that still has a firm grip on this organization and it's fans. Heck, even our "old" starting QB probably doesn't know or even care very much about the pathetically sad history of this matchup. This is a good thing because it's more about business this week than something personal. These young Bills players will however get a super rare chance to beat a legendary team they grew up watching as boys, beat them when they are playing at their best and beat them in a game that matters for the division lead. Unlike past Bills teams, I think that this promising young and talented team will be very motivated to win this game.

This. I expect Orton to actually throw to Watkins at least 10 times. The problem with this team wasn't running the ball enough. It's that it was becoming clear defenses started to be aware that Watkins wasn't going to get the ball (EJ?Hackett?) and it began choking the running game. Orton knows what a supreme talent like Watkins can do to a good NFL defense.