If you’ve been reading my posts here on Buffalo Wins, you’ll know that I’m a pretty optimistic person. That holds true for my life in general, but it’s been particularly helpful in my many years as a Buffalo sports fan. We’ve faced a lot of heartache and misery over the years with our teams, so it’s nice that I’m naturally positive, looking for a silver lining even in the most difficult defeats.
Well, that’s not going to happen much in this entry I’m afraid. That was one of the worst Bills games I’ve seen in quite some time, and that’s saying something. They are a terrible, terrible team right now and the joy many of us found in pulling for these underdogs early in the year has turned sour big time. All I can see now is a sorely untalented group of players who were even outmatched vs a poor Miami team. This is just not fun right now, is it?
I have no quick answers, except for getting some capable football players and depth in here, but that won’t stop me from analyzing this one at least a little. I’ll just make sure all sharp objects are nowhere near the keyboard here.
1st Quarter
What Happened
– Dolphins win toss but elect to defer. Bills start ball at 18 yard line.
– Bills drive down field to take a 3-0 lead on a 30 yard David Rayner field goal. Fred Jackson led the way with 11 yards rushing and 44 receiving. C.J. Spiller also had a 18 yard reception. Ryan Fitzpatrick and Stevie Johnson couldn’t connect on a 3rd and 2 pass down at the 12 yard line.
– Dolphins answer with a 87 yard drive, culminating in a 1 yard TD pass from Matt Moore to TE Anthony Fasano. Key plays were passes to Reggie Bush (19), Davone Bess (21), and Brian Hartline (19).
– Bills go three and out on next possession.
– Dolphins put it in the end zone again next time with ball as Bush runs in for a 5 yard score. He had 13 yards rushing on drive, but key play is 46 yard Moore to Charles Clay pass.
Commentary
That first drive gave us a real false sense of belief, didn’t it? I was sitting in my chair, figuring how we could go up two games after we get our revenge vs the Jets next week. Silly me. Ideally, that first time with the ball was how the whole game would go: Jackson making plays and being the focal point, and our offense just moving the ball at will. But when we failed on that third down conversion, it was a harbinger of things to come and a tough letdown. I’ve heard some say that Stevie should have made that catch, but it was a poor throw by Fitz, plain and simple. He’s just not hitting his receivers in stride right now, a complete 180 from the accuracy he showed just a month or so ago. Do I still think #14 is a good QB? Probably yes, but right now he just looks lost and lacking confidence.
Leave it to our defense to make Reggie Bush look like an all pro RB. And Matt Moore at QB? If they can’t stop players of this ilk, we are in deep trouble. Dolphins did pretty much anything they wanted to do in the early going on our defense, and I can’t sit here and pick on one player who was extra poor on that side of the ball for Bills. They were all atrocious.
2nd Quarter
What Happened
– Fitzpatrick intercepted by Dolphins Nolan Carroll to start 2nd quarter. Miami gets ball on Bills 23.
– ‘Phins capitalize on turnover with a Moore to Clay 12 yard TD pass, giving Miami a 21-3 lead. Daniel Thomas runs for 9 yards on 2 carries.
– Another 3 and out by Bills on next possession.
– Bills defense finally forces the Dolphins to punt when they get the ball back after 4 plays, which included a 10 yard offensive holding penalty.
– Yet another 3 and out by Bills and Donald Jones is injured on 1st down.
– Dolphins are unsuccessful on 2 consecutive possessions as a Nick Barnett sack forces a punt.
– Fitzpatrick is intercepted again, this time by Yeremiah Bell at Bills 24 and he returns ball to 4 yard line.
– Dolphins score again off turnover as Moore hits Bess for a 4 yard score. Terrence McGee injured on play and is lost for the season.
– Bills chip away at lead with a 56 Rayner FG as time expires, making it 28-6. WR/KR/QB Brad Smith was key player on drive with 3 catches for 35 yards.
Commentary
Not only were the Bills playing awfully, but their players were dropping like flies. I know there’s a lot of injuries around the NFL, but the attrition on the Bills over the last several seasons has been staggering. McGee and Jones weren’t lighting the world on fire with their play, but I shudder to think how we’ll look as we get further and further down on the depth chart at these positions. Buddy Nix failed miserably in stocking the reserves on this team, choosing instead to use his young draftees in hopes they could step in and make a difference. It’s not working.
Brad Smith may have made 3 catches on that last drive, but his kick returning is poor and he hasn’t had much of an impact at all on the offense (and has had key drops). That is turning out to be a uninspired free agent signing for sure. Thank goodness Nick Barnett offsets that a little, but it’s still not good enough. When we signed Smith, it seemed like a luxury signing in the same way the Spiller pick was a luxury draft choice, and that’s now coming to a depressing fruition for both of them. More on Spiller later here.
David Rayner can kick the ball far. One positive!
3rd Quarter
What Happened
– Dolphins receive 2nd half kickoff, but Bills D manage to hold after only 1 first down against.
– On next possession, Bills convert one first down on a Fitzpatrick to Chandler 20 yard strike, but then are forced to punt. Brian Moorman’s kick is then blocked by Chris Clemons and recovered by RB Lex Hilliard for the touchdown.
– Next time out, the Bills drive down to Dolphins 19 but Jason Taylor sacks Fitzpatrick on 4th and 14. Completions to Johnson (10), Naaman Roosevelt (12) and Chandler (2 for 16) highlighted failed drive.
– After 1 first down, Dolphins are forced to punt after turnover.
– Bills start ball at Dolphins 49 and move down the field, with a 16 yard pass to Roosevelt and 31 yards to Chandler. Quarter ends with Bills on Dolphins 2 yard line.
Commentary
The Dolphins were on cruise control at this point, and the Bills still couldn’t make that many plays. The offensive line is another position that is in shambles, and poor Andy Levitre was snapping that ball like a pee wee player was inserted in there. I hate to criticize the guy, for as well as he has done shuffling around the offensive line this season, but that was a joke. Amazing that Chan Gailey didn’t stop using the shotgun formation, necessity for a spread offense or no. I just hope Fitz isn’t carted off the field at some point by the end of the season.
A lot of times in the past during bad Bills games, one positive we could take was the excellent punting of Brian Moorman. He did kick well today, but the blocked punt, while not his fault, was yet another blemish. I’m grasping at straws, I know, but even the skinny track star couldn’t salvage this day. Oh, the horror, my friends.
4th Quarter
What Happened
– Bills cannot punch the ball in with drive started at end of third as they fail with 3 straight plays on 1 yard line. Fitzpatrick incompletion to Johnson ends it on 4th and goal.
– Bills add 2 points as Daniel Thomas is tackled in end zone for safety by LB Kelvin Sheppard, making it 35-8.
– Despite a 15 yard personal penalty on a head shot by S Tyrone Culver on Johnson, Bills offense stalls again.
– Dolphins go 3 and out on next possession.
– Tyler Thigpen replaces Fitzpatrick but has same level of success, another 3 and out.
– Dolphins and Bills trade futility for 2 more series before former Bills QB J.P. Losman makes his triumphant return.
– Miami converts 1 first down with J.P. in there before punting. Losman doesn’t throw a pass.
– Johnny White runs once for Bills as time mercifully runs out.
Commentary
Can’t believe I sat through that fourth quarter.
One positive, though, was Sheppard’s tackle for a safety. Let’s just hope that he and some other of these draft picks pan out, or we are in bigger trouble that it seems right now. Nix is betting hard on these youngsters that he’s put a lot of faith in and right now It’s not paying off. There’s only so much faith you can ask of Bills fans to be patient in the development of these players.
That was a major cheap shot by Culver on Johnson. It wasn’t one of those situations where he kind of got his head in there along with a shoulder – he led completely with his helmet and we’re lucky Stevie didn’t have a concussion.
General Notes
– It looked like Stevie was toughing it out while playing hurt the whole game, but the question does come up in a big way of whether he is a true #1 receiver. Does he need a true #2 threat or does he need a superstar #1 to take the pressure off of him? I truly do not know.
– The goal line play when Spiller basically just ran into a defender when he had an opening would have been comical if not for its shameful nature. I hope Fred is not hurt bad or this will not be a pretty situation for the running game.
– How about that pass Fitz threw to himself? Or was that a fumble? Were they trying to look like idiots?
– Miami basically punched the Bills in the mouth and had us crying for mercy. Dominated us physically up and down the field. Shameful. If you thought the Lucic hit on Miller was bad, just watch this game a few more times. Men vs boys out there.
– Not one difference maker right now on the defensive side of the ball, and I just wish Dareus would “wow” us again. We need it for a little hope. I still think on the offensive side of things that Fred is star, but you can’t do too much with limited chances.
Could things actually get worse? Maybe we shouldn’t ask that, as the wounded Bills, physically and emotionally, will take on a rested, angry Jets team. Hide the kids and cover your eyes.
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