Here we are again on Monday faced with another tough loss, this time losing in OT to the defending champion Bucs, 33-27. Unfortunately, there were some critical calls/non-calls that had a significant impact on the end of the game and no one wants to see that. The only silver lining with that situation is that the game was in the spotlight and everyone got to witness the Bills get hosed by the officials, so there has been substantial blowback around the league. As egregious as they may have been, the Bills still had their chances and fought valiantly.
Getting down 24-3 at the half is not a good recipe for trying to win any game, let alone beating the defending champs and Tom Brady. There’s no point in sugar-coating it either, the Bills were getting their asses kicked in the first half. The offensive line was getting worked over constantly and the defense got cracked for another big run to put Buffalo behind the 8-ball early in the game. It got tough to watch there in moments as Josh Allen was running for life on seemingly every snap and the Bucs eventually cashed in their red-zone trips with vintage Brady.
In total, the Bills sent in 24-pass plays to only 3-rushes in the first half. As those who agree with me on game philosophy could have predicted, Allen made a bad decision under pressure and threw a pick inside the 2-minute warning of the first half. I’m still perplexed by part of the fan base that gets behind the megaphone that “throw the ball every play” nonsense. Those people got exactly what they wanted in the first half of the game, and the Bills were getting worked over physically and on the scoreboard as a result. If throwing it every down was a wise game plan, you would have seen that. The results speak for themselves.
It’s no surprise to me that the Bills’ offense improved drastically in the second half as they increased their ground attack. They only called 12-run plays but that’s four times what it was in the first half and, again, the results speak for themselves. Buffalo stormed the gates with 24 second-half-points, using spread formation run-pass-options, draws, and QB-designed runs to open up the offense. For the first time this season, I saw the team I was expecting to see born out of last year’s improvements. Yes, they still called 34-pass plays in the second half but, down by 21-points, that’s pretty much a throwing game script. What I liked was seeing the adjustments getting identified and implemented, and the team executing with drive and heart.
Because of their effort in the second half, after working their way all the way back to having a shot to win the game (or at least take the lead with 28-seconds left in the game), the refs had to come into play. Carlton Davis held/pass interfered with Stefon Diggs for at least the third blatant time without a flag. The penalty would have given the Bills the 1st down at the 1-yard line. Instead, they kick the FG and go to overtime, where they would be on the receiving end of a pass interference call in which Mike Evans initiated contact, reaching back to grab Levi Wallace. That’s something all Brady’s receivers get the benefit of the doubt on and Evans is notorious with OPI. A few plays later and Brady found Breshad Perriman on a crossing route in man coverage vs Tremaine Edmunds and the game was over.
It was a disappointing loss after a frustrating first half, but I’m proud of the team. I felt like the team we saw in the second half can beat anybody and it was the first time that I saw the real Bills all season. Dealing with the kind of adversity they were facing and doing it on the road against a team like the Bucs only to have the refs play a major factor in the outcome speaks volumes about how well the Bills played down the stretch in that game. It was their best football of the season and I think they found themselves in the trenches of that one as well.
The key to post-season success in the NFL is playing your best football late in the season and Buffalo is in a good position to do that now. They have to get there first and sitting in the No. 7 spot right now isn’t ideal, but they have four winnable games in front of them. If they play as they did in the second half vs Tampa, they will win all four of those games and ride that momentum into the playoffs.
Performance Grade: B- (If not for a bad 1st half, this would be an easy A)
The Bills head home for Week 15 to take on the Panthers. There are a lot of ties between these two organizations over the last several years so I know the Bills will be properly motivated to handle business. Carolina can be pesky, but they don’t really have their best weapon, Christian McCaffrey, available and they are dealing with QB struggles. It’s one week at a time now for Buffalo and that’s all they can do.
Thanks for reading! I still believe word of mouth is the best way to help, so if you enjoy what I’m doing, please tell somebody. Liking, subscribing, and sharing go a long way too. And, as usual, be well, stay safe, and Go Bills!