It Shouldn’t Be This Difficult

Bills are embarrassed on the road by hapless Miami Dolphins team, 30-13.

Normally in my Bills recaps, I had planned on sticking to the same format week in and week out. The Good, The Bad, My Take. I also try to focus on the one game from that week. It works because, even in massive wins and terrible losses, I can apply each of those statements without too much trouble. This time, I’m not putting anything good in here. They simply don’t deserve it. And I would have to look way too hard to find anything that I can feel positive about from that one. And I’ll also be speaking more to the general feeling of where this team is at this season. Because I think this game against the Dolphins is a direct result of the team’s weaknesses.

The Bills took a game that should have been an easy win, and made it look significantly more difficult than it needed to be. In my preview of this game, I mentioned that the Bills should roll if they avoided the trap. They didn’t. They looked woefully unprepared, unengaged, and uninterested. On a day that the New England Patriots continued to win, and a day that the Bills should have easily kept pace, they instead laid an egg.

The Offense

I can’t believe how difficult things look on offense. An offense that employs the reigning MVP, a top three quarterback, and likely a 1-of-1 style player ever in league history, can’t pass the ball. Especially considering heading into the game, their running game has looked like a top two unit in the league –as James Cook should’ve been in the offensive player of the year conversation heading into the day. The fact that they can’t pass the ball under those conditions is not just surprising – it’s criminal.

They look slow. The receiving corps are made up of guys that had mild success in their past lives. The success that these players have had was typically a result of a better option being on the opposite side of the field that freed them up to make plays. Sure would be nice for the Bills to have something similar. But never fear, another mild success story in Gabe Davis should be returning soon. Or Josh Palmer. And save me from the Jaylen Waddle to the Bills conversation. Beane tried. I get it. I’ve tried at things in the past that I’ve been unsuccessful at too, and it resulted in no longer getting paid to do it.

I’m not necessarily advocating for his job, here. But there needs to be results. There needs to be accountability for wasting the prime of a player who might be the greatest football player in league history. There needs to be something. It shouldn’t be this difficult.

The Defense

I don’t have a ton to say about the defense to be honest. The secondary still looks improved compared to early in the season. But the run defense…woof. Blame it on injuries. Blame it on size. Blame it on anything. The Bills cannot stop the run.

This is how they lost to the Atlanta Falcons – which looks like an equally bad loss, by the way. And this is how they lost to the Dolphins. It’s an abysmal performance by a defense that has never had issues like this in the McDermott era. It’s something that needs to be figured out, and if it’s not, the Bills will not be going very far this season, and definitely won’t be hosting a playoff game. It shouldn’t be this difficult.

Coaching

I have a huge problem with coaching. I’ve had a huge problem with coaching for years. I’m going to preface this by saying, I don’t think we have a bad staff. I think McDermott is a good coach. But I think he has a ceiling. And that ceiling does not result in the Buffalo Bills winning their first ever Super Bowl. If they decide to keep rolling with him, I totally understand it. And honestly, it’s totally justifiable. But if the goal here is to win a Super Bowl, I just don’t think he can get us there. He’s too careful. Too conservative. And too bullish on doing things “the right way” than doing what works.

Wasting a reigning MVP is unforgiveable. Whether you want to blame that on McDermott, or offensive coordinator Joe Brady, I could listen to arguments for each. But it’s very clear that – whoever is responsible for the decision – the Bills do not prioritize putting the ball into the hands of one of the best players in the league. It’s malpractice of the highest form. Someone needs to be held accountable, and it’s probably going to start with Joe Brady.

Defensive coaching has been an issue as well. McDermott, regardless of what he says, had taken away play-calling duties from defensive coordinator Bobby Babich. And this is just a symptom of a bigger issue. If you have remove play-calling, you likely don’t have the right guy. It shouldn’t be this difficult.

What Now?

Overall, this sounds like the sky is falling. But they’re still 6-3. Still, more than likely, going to make the playoffs. But don’t appear as if they will be hosting a final playoff game in the old stadium like many fans had hoped. They definitely don’t look like they have a shot at the one-seed anymore. And I struggle to continue to see Super Bowl aspirations this season.

I hope they can figure something out. As of now, it doesn’t look good. They look like a wildcard team at best. And one that could very easily get bounced in the first round. I don’t have all, or really any, of the answers – but I hope they do. Because, honestly, it shouldn’t be this difficult.