For weeks now, many fans have concluded that sooner or later, the other shoe was going to drop on the Bills when it came to being competitive. They played so close against so many teams, but soon enough, it was going to catch up to them. Well, today was that fricken day. Just a awful, AWFUL performance today. Nothing went right. Normally, I’d give you a hits and misses list, but there was no way I could make a list of positives after today’s game. Just piss pour. If you want me to give you a bottom line about this game, it goes back to what I told the Vikings blogger last week: “This game is going to be about the offensive and defensive lines, and I think the Vikings are just too dominant on both fronts.” Today proved that notion. Anyways, here’s the rest of the slaughter list:
-I think after today, we really need to rethink a couple of things regarding this roster. For one, the offensive tackle situation isn’t solved. I know D. Bell has had a better season, but I’d rather have the Bills move him to right tackle and either draft or sign a legit LT. Bell just doesn’t have the skills to match-up against the likes of Jarred Allen. It became a joke after a while at how Bell was getting abused by Allen. Bell just doesn’t handle the speed rush very well. Again, it’s only his 2nd season as a starter, but I think the Bills still need another lineman. BTW, how crazy was it that Fitz was sacked only once today? Could have sworn the Vikings set the sack record after seeing how Fitz was abused all day.
-I know this seems to be the perfect game for all the Fitzpatrick haters to come out in droves and beg for the team to lose out in order to draft Andrew Luck. Yes, I’m in no position today to stick up for Fitz, as he played very poorly. Now, there are a number of things that factored into his performance. For one, the Bills offensive line got pushed around all day. Say what you will about the Vikings, but that defensive line is fricken awesome. Of course, it didn’t help that we had Andy Levitre playing center due to injuries. Anyways, you still have to give Fitz crap for his performance. He missed a couple of throws, one that was towards the end of the game when he missed a wide open Lee Evans for a touchdown. Also, I think if you really want to get Fitzpatrick to look like hot garbage, it’s by putting constant pressure on him. We all know that Fitz can be erratic, and by putting pressure on him, it will obviously make him hurry his throws. If you hurry Fitzpatrick, it seems like he tends to misfire his throws. The Vikings were the perfect match-up because they really don’t have to blitz all that much because their front four can easily get pressure on the QB-
-I’m so sick and tired of hearing these D-broadcast teams from CBS. Really, Kevin Harlan? Poz is a rising star in the NFL? Chris Kelsay plays defense for the Vikings? My goodness. If you want to make a list of 10 reasons why it would be awesome for the Bills to compete for a Super Bowl; losing these crappy broadcast teams would make that list. Even Harry Neale thinks they suck-
-What ever happened to those two strength and conditioning coaches that Gailey hired in the offseason? You remember them? Everyone was talking about how the TV was gone from the weight room, they were going to change their lifting reps and chew their Flintstone vitamins. Well, all of that was for not, as the Bills continue to be snake bitten by injuries. Just take a look at the offensive line. Who the hell are those guys now? I think we can start putting the blame on the players for just not being good enough to handle the wear and tear of the NFL.
-So the Bills get four interceptions and we lose the game by 24? Yuk. BTW, we really stink when it comes to playing first half football. On the season, the Bills have been outscored 182-105. I’ve given Gailey a ton of credit for being a great play-caller. However, you gotta put some of the heat on the coach for not preparing his team prior to games. I mean, how many times can the Bills get credited with halftime adjustments? Next week, can we get a lead after the 1st quarter, please?-
-I know we are going to hear a lot about Andrew Luck and Cam Newton for this week. Fine. However, I would not have any problem with the Bills using all their draft picks on defense-
-I can’t recall a player having a worst first quarter than Leodis McKelvin. He was BRUTAL! I know that CBS had a stat up saying that he had given up 31-yards in the passing game by the end of the first, but it seemed like it was 200. On the Sidney Rice bomb early in the 1st, if McKelvin looks back for the ball, he intercepts that pass. Then you get the pass interference call and a couple other pass breakdowns. Oh, and the guy has completely fallen apart on special teams. Hell, the dude can’t even catch a kickoff anymore. I don’t know what to do with the guy. I’ve said that McKelvin has the talent to be a shutdown corner, but he needs to study film or develop his technique. I’ll say this, he’s lucky that he’s surrounded by a number of first round blunders, because he hardly gets as much of the blame as those guys do-
-If you want compliments, I got three players for you: Arthur Moats is probably the best rookie so far from the 2010 Bills draft class. Hell, he made that list squarely on the possibility of ending the Brett Favre streak/saga. He was the one pass rusher who constantly pressured Jackson (More on him in a bit) and showed quickness around the edge that we haven’t really seen this year-
-Congrats to David Nelson for scoring his first NFL touchdown. I’ve liked Nelson this year, as he really gives the Bills that big target over the middle that they have missed over the years (You’d like your tight end to be that guy, but we don’t believe in the TE). Plus, when you have a undrafted guy, it makes it more sweeter to see him succeed-
-Oh, and Drayton Florence had a nice game as well, picking off Jackson twice and returning one of the picks for six. It has been a nice season for Florence, who will be entering free agency, and you have to wonder if the Bills may decide to resign him. Terrence McGee can’t stay on the field and Leodis McKelvin hasn’t come close to evolving into a 1st rate corner that the Bills had envisioned. Overall, Florence has been the most consistent corner on the team-
– I probably should have mentioned this earlier, but to see Tarvaris Jackson shred the Bills defense was just pathetic. I know when you look at the numbers, they don’t seem that bad, as Jackson was 15-22 for 187 yards with two touchdowns and three picks. However, the QB averaged over 12-yards a completion and for him to come off the bench and not take a meaninful snap in two years, really shows you how bad this defense is. Oh, and lets thank our lucky stars that Adrian Peterson was coming into this game hurt, or he would have gained 250-yards. Like I’ve said all year, after Kyle Williams, this defense is piss pour and needs a makeover, especially on the front seven-
-Lastly, the Bills just don’t have enough talent yet. You see that Vikings team we just played? I don’t care what their record says. If the Bills are the best 2-10 team in the last ten years or whatever, then just place the Vikings in that same category as far as being better than their record. Top to bottom; the Vikings are a more talented football team. Gailey has done a lot when it comes to making chicken s#$t into chicken salad, but when you go against that sort of talent, coaching them up will only take you so far.
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