Another week, another blow out loss, and more serious injuries. That is the way it has gone over the first three weeks of the season for the Bills. It feels like they've played a whole season already after another horrible effort, this time the Patriots are the recipient of a one sided victory over the Bills, 38-7.
As has been the case the previous two losses, the Bills were dominated statistically as they gave up 485 yards and gained just 193 of their own while suffering three more big injuries. The gameplan was to listen to J.P. Losman and open up the offense and spread the field. That plan ended after the first play of the game when Losman was the victim of a cheap shot at the knees by Vince Wilfork. He was called for a roughing the passer penalty that cost the Patriots 15 yards and cost the Bills their quarterback for at least two games. Losman suffered a grade 1 sprained MCL on the play. He tried to stay in the game for two more plays but lost a fumble that led to the first Patriots points, a 24 yard field goal. It was the only time the Bills famed bend but don't break defense bent.
The defense would break the rest of the game as they gave up five straight touchdowns after the Bills had gained a 7-3 lead after one quarter. Edwards first offensive series in the NFL was an 80 yard drive in 12 plays to a never say die eight yard touchdown run by Marshawn Lynch. The rookie running back remains the lone bright spot for the Bills offensively as he had 74 yards on 20 carries. Nobody else did anything offensively after the touchdown drive as the Bills top four wide receivers combined for just seven catches.
Defensively they couldn't do anything once Tom Brady got hot, he threw just six incompletions the whole game. The Bills played without Paul Posluszny for most of the game after he broke his forearm in the second quarter. The Bills played a lot of two linebacker formations after Poz went out to no avail. The Patriots moved the ball at will scoring touchdowns on five of six possessions at one point including drives of 89 and 93 yards.
It could have been worse but the Patriots didn't try to score when they got down deep in Buffalo territory near the end of the game. They had mercy on the Bills, maybe they felt a bit sorry for them as well. It has been a disastrous start to the year with three losses and more injuries than I can remember this early in the year. They may get healthier after the bye week but by then it will be too late. It appears the Bills will be hopelessly out of it before the season hits the halfway point.
Here are our exclusive gameballs and goats from the Bills game against the Patriots:
