I disagree. 1. KC demonstrated a general inability to stop the running game, so with 2nd and 3rd and two at the KC 3 yd. line, Hackett calls two pass plays. Bills settle for a field goal. 2. Bills ball, 4th and 6 INCHES. Bills don't punt or run a play. Instead, they try to create an error. Which they did...from their own offensive line. Six @*(&^ inches! 3. 1st and ten on the KC 15 yard line. 3 passes to the end zone followed by a 4th down attempt to get the 1st down. Again, what happened to the running game? What happened to moving the markers?
Fumbles happen, but this game turned on scaredy-cat, questionable, and finally, desperate coaching calls. Marrone promised Buffalo a first class NFL staff, then brought a nervously ultra-conservative college OC. I don't think Doug helped his cause with the Pegulas.
Honestly, this is the first game I didn't mind the offensive playcalling. Sure there will always be playcalls that people will disagree with in every game but just because the plays didn't work doesn't mean they were bad calls.
I agree, retrospectively, that we should have run more in the red zone but Orton, on 3 seperate drives, missed TD throws to open guys. He has to hit those. If he hits just one we probably win.
IMO, the loss falls on the fact that this team, while very talented, has not turned the corner yet. In a huge game, against a team Buffalo is better than and dominated the entire game, they find a way to lose. This is the first game this year where the thought "same old Bills" crossed my mind and not due to lack of talent but the inability to win a big game combined with the ridiculous fashion in which they found a way to lose it.
I never once felt we would lose that game until McKelvin fumbled the punt mid-4th quarter. We were the better team. KC couldn't score and it was only a matter of time, the way our offense was able to move the ball outside of the red zone that they either scored to put it away or the defense makes a big play to seal it.
Bryce Brown played great but gets stripped on a freak play that takes away 7 points and gives KC the ball. McKelvin fumbles to give KC life in a game where they were severely outmatched. Kyle Orton played his worst game as a Bill with his inability to make basic throws in the red zone. They found a way to lose. They have not figured out how to win a big game. SD, NE and now KC.
It's now make or break time. Given the cluster of of 5-4, 6-3 teams in AFC fighting for a WC and our gauntlet in the final Quarter, Buffalo probably has to go 3-0 in the these next 3. All winnable games with 2 against WC competition to get us to 8-4 before we play at Denver, Green Bay, at Oakland and at NE. Luckily everyone we're competing with also has tough schedules given the parity of the AFC.
Do I have confidence Buffalo can win these next 3? Not yet, they have given me no reason to believe they can win a big game. They get another chance Thursday in what looks like an elimination game between Buffalo and Miami.
