The Misses List: Bills vs Patriots for week 16

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-Obviously, we all know that you can’t turnover the ball seven times in an NFL game, especially against the Patriots. However, what made these turnovers even more maddening was that they really weren’t what the Pats were doing, but how we kept shooting ourselves in the foot. Ryan Fitzpatrick can’t carry the ball like a loaf of bread and then do a hydroplane on the turf when fumbling the football. Fitzpatrick can’t try a shovel pass when the defender is draped all over him for a sack. CJ Spiller can’t muff a punt in the 4th quarter. Besides the self-inflicting wounds in the turnover department, what made them even more annoying was how the majority of them took place inside the Pats 35-yard line. If you count the two drives where the Bills turned it over on downs, the Bills drove the ball 5 times inside the Patriots 35-yard line and only came away with 3 points. Those drives ended in the following: Field goal, Fitzpatrick fumble, turnover on downs, turnover on downs and interception. You have to get touchdowns against the Patriots, not field goals and especially not turnovers (Click “read more” for the rest)

-Do I need to even bad mouth Paul Posluszny? OK, I’m going to go about it in a different manner. You see, I see Poz as kind of a poor man’s version of Shane Conlan. If you guys don’t remember Conlan, he was kind of an overrated linebacker who came out of Penn State, but was lucky enough to play with the likes of Bennett, Talley and Smith. Now, because he was surrounded with superior talent, the Bills only needed Conlan to do one thing, try and stop the run. Now, here’s the key: The Bills would never, ever play Conlan on passing situations, not just because he couldn’t cover (Like Poz), but because they had guys like Talley and Bennett who were athletic enough to cover backs and tight ends. To me, that’s a major problem with Poz. The Bills are relying on him to become this Conlan/Bennett type of linebacker and he’s not good enough for that. If the Bills elect to resign Poz, they need to get another linebacker inside to help him out. Think Takeo Spikes in 2003-

-I mentioned Fitzpatrick in the opening and yes, he may have had his worst game on the season. He just didn’t look comfortable back there and it wasn’t like the Minnesota game, where he was beaten to a bloody pulp by a superior defensive line. Fitz had time today and there were just too many throws in which he short-armed it or overthrew his intended targets. Dare I say, he looked like JP Losman. Overall, I think Fitzpatrick put too much pressure on himself today. You can tell he was forcing balls and trying to do too much on his two fumbles-

-I’m not really going to kill Chan Gailey for the decision to pass on three straight plays at the end of the Bills first drive. Look, if the Patriots decided to go big up front after the Bills scorched them on the first couple of running plays, then the next thing to do is throw the football and make them pay. Hey, if Stevie Johnson gets his little toe inbounds, we aren’t questioning the strategy. It was a good call for the Bills to decide to do that. I guess the reason why this makes the misses list, is because Johnson has to do a better job in keeping his feet inbounds-

-This just in: The Bills can’t stop the run. Now, if you want me to analyze why they can’t…it’s actually quite simple. When the Bills are playing against quarterbacks the likes of Chad Henne, Jake Dehlomme and Shaun Hill, during games in which the defense allowed less than a 100-yards rushing, it makes it easier for them to just concentrate on just stopping the run. These Quarterbacks aren’t going to beat you and there’s no reason to respect them. However, when they have to go against the likes of Brady, Big Ben, Matt Cassel and Joe Flacco, the team is screwed. The offenses can do whatever they want, as the Bills have to repsect either aspect of their opponent’s attack. You can’t play with 8-men in the box against Brady, because he’s going to burn your ass. As I’ve said all along, the defense needs 2-3 new players on the front seven-

-Memo to drunk Bills fans in the parking lot: I know it sucks to have to sit in line to use the bathroom and yes, when people take 5 minutes inside, it can be a tad, bit annoying. However, when I’m only in there for 30 seconds and at about the 27th second mark, the door flings open and some douche with sunglasses on (of course, there’s no sun in sight, fonzie) says to hurry up, maybe the next time, instead of me cussing you out and getting in your face a bit, I’ll show you what Queens/Amherst, NY is made of. Trust me, I’m not a nerdy blogger and I will kick your ass :)-

-Memo to Chris Kelsay: This ain’t the Jersey Shore, and fist pumping when you finally sack Tom Brady in 31-3 game is totally uncalled for. Get with it, dude-

-I still wonder what the Bills defense would have looked like if Shawne Merriman didn’t hurt himself 15 minutes into practice-

-How about the Patriots first offensive play of the game when Gronkowski was about 15 yards away from the nearest defensive player and if Brady didn’t short arm the throw, it would have been a 70-plus yard touchdown reception- 

-The Patriots are just too. damn. good-

-BTW, when people mention Brady as the best QB that has ever played this game, realize, that unlike players like Montana, Marino, and Manning, the Michigan product has to play the majority of his games in a cold, weathered climate. I assure you, QBs would rather throw the ball on a balmy, 75 degree day rather than in New England during a blizzard-

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