No one circles the wagons like the Buffalo Bills.
That old saying hasn’t been used in the right context in over a
decade. It has been 12 years since the
Buffalo Bills last made the playoffs and their 48-28 opening day loss to the
New York Jets isn’t going to help end that drought.
"We're not going to go around like the sky is falling," said
Bills head coach Chan Gailey. "I'm not going to do that. I'm not going to
let them do that."
Falling behind by as many as 34 points, 41-7, the Bills failed to stop
the Jets offense or get any pressure on quarterback Mark Sanchez as he threw
for 266 yards and 3 touchdowns while the offense as a whole gained 384 yards
including 10-14 on 3rd down
.
The game wasn’t the only thing the Bills lost Sunday as they watched
running back Fred Jackson and wide receiver David Nelson leave with
injuries. Jackson was diagnosed with a
strained LCL and will miss anywhere from 3-8 weeks and Nelson will miss the entire
season with a torn ACL in his knee.
A sluggish start by Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick dug them into a
hole they couldn’t get out of. He knows
he will have to bounce back next week from his three interception
performance. “For me, you move on and shake it off. It is the same with the great
game,” said Fitzpatrick. “You gain some
momentum from that stuff, but next week there is a new challenge out there.
There is a new team and that is part of the great thing in the NFL. You are
able to put it behind you and go to the next one.”
For the Jets, this win was gratifying in part because of all the
criticism they took during the offseason.
Sanchez was pleased with his team’s performance but knows to keep it in
perspective. "It's a great win,
there's no doubt about it," Sanchez said. "But, we've got lots of
work to do."
Rookie wide receiver Stephen Hill ended the game with 89 yards
receiving and 2 touchdowns while Jeremy Kerley caught the other Jet
touchdown.
Also, for those unaware, Tim Tebow plays for the New York Jets now…
Tebow was in on select plays as he rushed for just 11 yards and ran the wildcat
a handful of times so most headlines may read Tebow Leads Jets to Big Victory.
Much was made after the game on Bills defensive end and offseason signee
Mario Williams. Williams complained
after the game about Jets left tackle Austin Howard using his hands illegally
to his face throughout the game.
"Pass blocking doesn't consist of illegal hands to the face just
about every play,” said Williams. “You’re
getting off the ball and getting punched in the face, literally — not by
accident — just about every other time, and that’s a penalty, last time I
checked, unless they changed it with the new CBA or something. Last time I
checked, that’s a penalty."
For a man who is making $100 million dollars to whine about a player
who four weeks ago was on the practice squad is like a grown adult complaining
about a 1st grader taking their lollipop. It just doesn’t happen.
Rodney Harrison caused a stir in Buffalo as well Sunday night on NBC
Sunday Night Football when he said he felt bad for Mario Williams. “They're
not very good," Harrison said. "They don't have a franchise
quarterback. The Patriots will always dominate that division. The
Jets will always be second. My point here is, you go out and get a $100 million
deal, wouldn't you have taken $80 million and gone somewhere where you could
have been competitive every week? I think this is a huge mistake for Mario
Williams. Mark my words, he will get lost in the shuffle. He will probably fall
off the face of the earth."
Through all of the negativity,
if the Bills end up making the playoffs this will all is irrelevant. If not, what excuses will they make then?
