Moment Proves Too Big For Bills

Feel free to overanalyze Sunday’s stunning Buffalo Bills loss anyway you like. You can blame perilous, game-altering mistakes. You can blame the offense.  You can do what’s progressively become the in-thing to do—pin it solely on the shoulder of Nate Hackett and Doug Marrone.

But here’s the bottom line— is Buffalo’s latest loss really that stunning? The Buffalo Bills lost to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, 17-13 mainly for the same reason that’s now 14 years running. They took the field in a potential season-defining game, and the moment flat-out got too big for them.

Time and time again through the years, they crumble when so much is on the line.

Yes, the loss still leaves the Bills at 5-4 and with seven games left to play, still very much alive in the AFC playoff race, at least taking the mathematical approach.

But let’s be real here. Entering play the AFC featured 11 teams with a record above .500.  The Bills are now the only team among those with four losses in the conference. They’re now 2-4 against the AFC, and two of those losses have come at home to San Diego and Kansas City.  In other words, they essentially can kiss most playoff tiebreakers goodbye.

Seeking to improve to 6-3 for the first time since 1999; the last time the Bills made the playoffs, the Bills dominated Kansas City the majority of the afternoon in front of a rabid Ralph Wilson Stadium crowd

Domination especially rung true when the Bills were on defense.  The unit hunted and sacked Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith six times (three by Marcell Dareus), held the Chiefs to just 2-of-12 successful third down conversions, allowed a mere 14 first downs all afternoon and forced a turnover in Kansas City territory.

Factor in the Bills offense outgaining the Chiefs by nearly 100 yards, generating seven more first downs--- and it should’ve concluded with an anxiety-free Buffalo victory.

But as is almost always the case in a Bills game carrying significant importance, they gagged it away against an opponent appearing poised for an early run to the bus.  Rather than put the Chiefs away the Bills let them linger, and ultimately paid the price.

Already up at halftime, 10-3 in on the strength of a 25-yard Kyle Orton to Chris Hogan touchdown pass on Buffalo’s opening drive of the game, running back Bryce Brown was just steps from the end zone and a 17-3 Buffalo lead early in the third quarter before having the football punched away by Ron Parker. The ball squirted through the end zone and tight end Scott Chandler couldn’t fall on it, allowing the Chiefs a touchback.

Sandwiched between Brown’s gaffe was Buffalo driving twice within the Kansas City 10-yard line but not mustering more than 21 and 26 yard Dan Carpenter chip shot field goals.

In all the Bills offense had the ball four times inside the red zone—and produced all of six points.

Despite all the mistakes and missed opportunities, the Bills still led after three quarters, 13-3.

That dissipated quickly in the fourth when the Chiefs scored two touchdowns in a 4:31 span.

Facing a third-and-16 from their own 46, Smith connected with Dwayne Bowe for 15 yards.  Needing a yard on fourth down the Chiefs went for it and Smith faked an inside dive before pitching the ball far outside to Jamal Charles, who galloped untouched for a 39-yard touchdown after Bills defensive end Manny Lawson got fooled inside.

Blunder by Lawson aside, it was a gutsy call for the Chiefs that worked out.

“Once I saw the defensive end crash and I saw the O-Line in front of me and I had saw one free safety, all I had to do is make a move and I saw the end zone. It worked out perfect.” Charles told reporters.  “Coach coached it out well and it worked.”

Charles was bottled up in the first half but still finished with 98 yards on 15 carries.

Buffalo then faced a fourth down and one on their next possession.  They lined up to go for it, but rookie tackle Seantrell Henderson committed a false start penalty and Buffalo punted.

The Bills defense held and Kansas City would punt on their next possession—which suddenly proved to be Buffalo’s undoing.

Leodis McKelvin fielded Dustin Colquitt’s punt, was hit by Albert Wilson and fumbled just before his knee hit the ground.  Anthony Sherman recovered it for the Chiefs at the Bills 26 and two plays later Smith scrambled past a fooled Lawson (again) down the left sideline for an eight-yard score and the Chiefs first and only lead of the game.

It was all they’d need. Buffalo moved the ball impressively down to the Kansas City 15 with less than three minutes to play, but Orton threw four incomplete passes to the end zone.

Orton completed 28-of-48 passes for 259 yards and a touchdown without a turnover, but wasn’t sharp in the red zone when the Bills desperately needed the points.

“They’re a good defense, don’t take any credit away from them.” Orton told reporters post-game.  “We missed a couple opportunities.  I missed a throw to [Chris] Hogan.  A couple of missed opportunities, which when you’re playing a good football team, usually comes back to haunt you.”

Three of his four incompletions down the stretch were intended for Sammy Watkins.  The rookie receiver was questionable up until game time with an injured groin.  Watkins made it through unscathed but wasn’t effective, catching just four passes for 27 yards.

The Bills defense had one more opportunity to get the Bills a final realistic shot at a game-winning drive, but on third and eight Smith found Travis Kelce for 13 yards.

On the play Bills defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz only rushed three defenders—a surprise considering the Bills pressured Smith into sacks and hurried throws all afternoon.

And with that, yet another opportunity to show the league the Bills are legitimate playoff contenders was left squandered, almost exclusively by their own doing.

"I think that, at the end of the day, when you make those mistakes or you don’t take advantage of some of the opportunities that you have, that’s what happens when you play a good football team.” Bills head coach Doug Marrone said after the game. “We’ve got to keep our focus and preparation to get ourselves better in that. Then, when we do, that will change the results. That’s the key."

The Bills don’t have much time to get over it.  They travel to Miami Thursday night for a prime time showdown in what’s become an absolute must-win if they want to even entertain realistic playoff hopes down the stretch.

“We worked hard to get to a point where we had the ability to win this game, being the first game of the third quarter,” Marrone said. “We’ve lost an opportunity. I think that, in the position we’re in right now, tomorrow it’s going to be hard for me to talk about this game because we’re leaving here, walking across the street and going to work on Miami.”