Super Bowl or bust season kicks off new home with results that were anything but new.

For the better part of 4 quarters, the Bills and Chargers went back and forth with Buffalo holding a 2 point lead to start the 4th quarter 24-22. But, almost from the opening play the home team seemed out of sync, awkward and at times snake bitten in their new digs.

Day scored 2 touchdowns, rushed for 80 yards on 17 carries and added another 97 through the air but still seemed a step slow all day. Numerous times he missed plays he routinely made before his early last year.

The 200 million dollar dline was terrorized on the ground by a before average oline for more than a 150 yards by the young back Johns. The unit had no answers for the steady diet of crossing routes. No matter how many cover 2s or manual coverage nothing seemed to matter.

But it was the key moments where things outside of the Bills control impacted the outcome the most. There were critical drops in big moments like the dropped 3rd and 1 late in the game that led to the infamous 4th no pitch. A lack of reaction to a ball that should have been an easy interception but instead made it through for a Henry touchdown. A clear hold on Donald allowed the Chargers rookie QB the millisecond he needed to get off another touchdown pass. But the 4th and 1 play is another of those memorable moments in Buffalo sports futility.

Earlier in the game the Bills executed a fake FB dive perfectly for 18 yards, and smartly went back to the play for the key 4th and 1, but for whatever reason (*cough* predetermined outcomes *cough*) QB Mike Lawrie refused to pitch the ball and just stood there until he was tackled for a loss.

This one could come back to haunt a team that came into this season determined to get home field advantage. With a ton of rookie contracts coming up and aging veterans signed to help make a run, the time is now for the Bills to win their first super bowl, but if today is any indication the window might be already closed.

Up next: 49ers

The Backup Bills lose 26-20 to the Patriots. 

There was not much that could be expected going into this one with Lawrie, Day and McKinnon all sideline, but Peterman and the backup running backs did their best to make it interesting. The Bills jumped out to a 20-6 halftime lead that left the team shaking their head as it should have been much bigger. 

In the second half the Bills were shutout despite moving the ball up and down the field only to have hit stick fumbles end several drives in the redzone. The Bills defense was torched by Garrapolo after breaking Tom Brady's wrist. A late Patriots drive ended with the go-ahead touchdown instead of a game-changing interception due to a questionable pass interference call.  The Bills got a late fumble but were unable to score.

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It was clear when 5 sacks on the opening drive were not enough to stop 3rd and 19 or a 73-yard touchdown into triple coverage on 3rd and 29.

It was clear when the end of the first half came around and the Bills trailed by 7 with the ball and 2 minutes to go, plus the ball at halftime. But the game manufactured 3 straight errant passes on 3 straight wide open angle routes the 3rd of which was intercepted. The dolphins then immediately scored on one play to give them an insurmountable 2 score lead.

It was clear the Bills would not be allowed to win this game when they had 5 straight second-half possessions reach the red zone only for each drive to be undone by key errant passes to open receivers.

It was clear when the Bills scored a 1-yard touchdown to pull within 7 only to get a holding penalty after the runner was already in the end zone.

But it was crystal clear when Shaq Lawson made what should have been a game-changing strip sack and 3 different Bills attempted to pick it up as it bounced 20 yards back into the endzone where it was recovered on the fly by a CPU linemen who then juked a defender to avoid a safety and land at the one. The next play a 55 yard run with 4 pancaked Dline in the face of a run blitz and spotlight negated field position and  2nd and 30.

It was clear from the outset this game is a predetermined, rigged piece of shit that present unwinnable scenarios which amounts to blatant consumer fraud.

Fuck you EA, Fuck my stadium and FUCK the Miami Dolphins.

The Marcel and the Sheriff show once again receives bad reviews. 

With two franchise defensive tackles the run defense was suppose to be the strength of the 2018 Bills. As of week 5 that strength has yet to materialize against CPU teams. Once again the Bills front 7 was gashed, this time for almost 200 yards by Legarrett Blount. Time and time again he punched the Bills in the mouth like they were a lineman from Oregon. 

Kelvin Day was the lone bright spot for the Bills as he accounted for 225 of the 287 yards gained by the team. He had over 100 yards on the ground and receiving. The first Bills back to do that since Margarito Harrington. 

This team needs to find some heart and they better do it soon with the Lions on the horizon. They recently torched the Patriots with a new found big play run game. 

The next two games against the Lions and Jets before the bye week are must win games if this team expects to end the playoff draught this year. 

Defense records 7 sacks and 2 goalline stands, but the offense could never find its way.

There were high hopes for week 3. Earlier in the week, the Bills traded disgraced QB Tyrod Taylor and a couple of picks for two-star linemen to solidify the right side of the line. Brooks and Johnson were supposed to complete an Oline that would pave the way for 3 star running backs and give plenty of time for rookie QB Shawn Lawrie to find his way. 

The Packers weak front 7 and the superior offense provided the perfect opponent. The new line and stable of star running backs would control the game on the ground and keep Rodgers on the sidelines for long stretches of time. That didn't happen. 

Instead, it was the Bills defense that controlled most of the game. Time and time again they harassed Rodgers and forced field goals where previous Bills teams would have wilted. Two goalline stands and a Bills TD had the team up 7-6 late in the first quarter. But the thing with FG's is they start adding up if you kick enough of them. 

All in all, the Packers kicked 6 field goals. But it was the one TD they scored on a fluke (GLITCH/PREDETERMINED) interception that sealed the game. Packers were up 12-7 with 7 minutes to play when a 2nd and 10 screen pass bounced right off the facemask of rookie HB Kelvin Day, then went forward over 3 oblivious Bills players, where it landed perfectly in the hands of savvy veteran Clay Matthews who wisely had his back to the entire play. Two plays later the Packers went up 19-7. The offense finally found a little rhythm in the passing game, when Brock Osweiler had to come in for Lawrie who was injured on the interception.  But rookie WR Linton's touchdown from Brock Osweiler was too little too late.  

 

Draft Recap

Stars: 8

Fast: 17

Players Rated 80 or higher: 17

Highest Rated Player: 84 CB Donte Jenkins (Bills)

Best Talent Added

Eagles: 2 Stars

Jets: 2 Stars (HB, )

Panthers: 2 Stars

Bills: 1 Star (LG), 2 Fast (MLB, QB)

Chargers: 3 Fast

Best Off-Season Moves (Most rookies over 70/80)

Jets: 18/1

Titans: 10/1

New England: 9/1

49ers: 9

Eagles: 9

Position Breakdown

QB: 7 players ≥ 75 [Best: 79 - Grant Lawrence (SF), Shawn Laurie (Buf)]

HB: 2 ≥ 80 [Best: 81 - Curry Flanagan (AZ), Tyrone Boulware (Jets)]

TE: 3 ≥ 75 [Best: 76 - CJ McGarrahan (LAC)]

FB: 3 ≥ 75 [Best: 80 - Sergio Garcia  (ATL)]

C: 3 ≥ 75 [Best: 80 - Frank Kimrin (LAC)]

LT: 2 ≥ 75 [Best: 81 - Ace Glass]

RT: 6 ≥ 75 [Best: 78 - Chuckie Veal (JAX)]

LG: 3 ≥ 75 [Best: 80 - Rakkim Clark (JAX)]

RG: 3 ≥ 75 [Best: 78 - Reilly Schraeder (JAX)]

WR: 2 ≥ 75 [Best: 82 - Rashaud Barber (BAL)]

RE: 1 ≥ 75 [Best: 82 - Jorvante Knox (DES)]

DT: 4 ≥ 75 [Best: 82 - Watts Alexander (AZ)]

LE: 2 ≥ 75 [Best: 80 - CJ Sloan (TB)]

LOLB: 2 ≥ 75 [Best: 81 - Roland Fisher (NYG)]

MLB: 1 ≥ 75 [Best: 79 - Quinton Hunter (BUF)]

ROLB: 2 ≥ 75 [Best: 83 - Myke Irvin (TEN), Lawrence Giguere (CAR)]

CB: 7 ≥ 75 [Best: 84 - Donte Jenkins (Bills)]

SS: 5 ≥ 75 [Best: 78 - Mike Everett (MIA)]

FS: 1 ≥ 75 [Best: 76 - Lawrence Eugene (LAC)]

Masters faces the music after Bills pull 3-13 disappearing act on season.

After back to back blowouts midway through the season the entire Bills organization went radio silent. No more coach and player post game sessions, no more locker room interviews, nothing. 

Well it was a nice reprieve from covering this god awful organization, but all good things must end and the silence from One Bills drive ended today. Unfortunately still no word on when the playoff drought will end. Coach Masters even used the tried and true clichés of "these aren't my guys" and "I've only been here for one of those seasons" to explain why he didn't feel at all connected to the previous 16 years of futility. 

All in all the Coach said everything we expected someone in his position to say, the team sucks, it can't go forward with Tyrod on the roster and Shady has checked out. If the Coach has his way more than 2/3 of the roster will not see opening day. I agree with him that it should be more. 

So here we are again, at the end of 18 straight years with no playoffs and we're looking at total roster upheaval and a massive rebuild. 

Our only hope is the Saviour arrives in this draft class....

Coach delivers message to his QB through media after ugly loss.

If last week Coach Masters was so disgusted with his team after they were blown out at home he refused to hold a post game press conference, he had to be equally disgusted in himself when he appeared briefly in front of the media, undressed himself and his QB then refused to answer any questions.

To his credit, with what few words he did provide he took responsibility for costing his team a game that was there for the taking. It was clear early on the defense was dialed in and Shady was a threat on every attempt, instead of giving him the ball 30 times and playing defense Masters got impatient. He made the absurd decision to fake a punt deep in his own end with the game still 7-6. It failed and the snowball didn't stop until it was 24-6. How his team responded from there was the real story, for the second time in three games they rallied around their coach and inspire of their quarterback to claw their way back into the game. But every time they did, that treacherous Tyrod threw away opportunity after opportunity. 8 times he was intercepted. If the Bengals game was his Patrick Roy moment, then this was his Tin Cup meltdown on the way to infamy and hopefully obscurity.

While Coach Masters was honorably the first to admit what everyone already knew, the 4th down call cost his team the game, he had to be beaten into submission to finally concede what everyone else has known for a long time. Tyrod 'Willie Beamen’ Taylor, the antithesis of what Coach Masters needs to run his offense, cost his team the season.

“Tyrod Taylor is done in Buffalo,” the Coach bellowed 7 weeks overdue and just moments before he stormed off without taking questions. So Tyrod is the first to walk the plank, how soon after before the under used and over paid Shady takes the plunge?

Jets/Bills toilet bowl 2 is next on the tire fire tour, how many more advances before the combine stats are released?

- Larry Sulkivan Lead Columnist