Wake Up Call for the Bills

-Coast

The Buffalo Bills got embarrassed by the Minnesota Vikings yesterday 38-14. They got outplayed in every single phase of the game and it wasn't even close. All of the weaknesses we all knew the Bills had came to fruition. The offensive and defensive lines were horrible, the linebackers were horrible, the quarterback played like backup, the running game didn't exist and the special teams was horrible.

The Bills offensive line played as bad of a game as I have ever seen in the league. I know, they were hurt by injuries but their starting left tackle played and I hope that this team doesn't think they are adequate at the position going forward with Demetrius Bell manning the position. Jared Allen was in Fitzpatrick's face all game. Allen is a top echelon defensive end and I want my starting left tackle to at least look like he belongs in the same league as him. Bell failed his biggest test of the season yesterday miserably.

The Bills rush defense was as horrible as it has been the entire season. Adrian Peterson and his bum ankle led the way to a team 210 rushing yard performance. The Vikings averaged 5.3 yards per carry. The Bills allow 170.9 yards per game. That is 25 yards worse than the 31st ranked defense in the league. 170.9 yards per game is better than only 2 teams since 2002, the 2008 Lions and the 2007 Colts. The Bills have an all time horrible rush defense and there has been little to no improvement during the season. The most troubling part about it is that much of the front 7 will look the same next year.

The Bills will bring back FA Paul Posluszny. Chris Kelsay isn't going anywhere. Kyle Williams is etched in and the Bills aren't getting rid of Dwan Edwards anytime soon. I have no problem with bringing back Poz and I like Edwards and Williams, but other than those three guys ugh? Kelsay needs to be cut. Torbor, Ayodele, Coleman...I mean, who are these guys? Stroud should get cut this offseason too. The Bills need 4 new starters in the front 7 and that isn't going to happen.

Fitzpatrick didn't have a good day. Yes, he was sacked only once, but Jared Allen and company were in his face all game. I have been a huge proponent of Fitzpatrick. I think he has done a good job this year and I think the argument that he is horrible has no merit. That said, he looked like a back up QB in the league yesterday and maybe that is what he is.

Leodis McKelvin had the worst 5 minutes of football I have ever seen. He got burned on a 50 yard bomb by Sydney Rice, fumbled the ensuing kickoff and then got called for pass interference in the end zone on the next drive on 3rd and goal. To make things even more embarrassing for McKelvin, he actually celebrated on an incomplete pass thrown his way later in the game. McKelvin had an interception later in the game off a deflection and he celebrated that play too. How dumb is this person? The Bills were losing by 31 points and McKelvin had the worst game a cornerback has played in a while and he is celebrating plays in the 2nd half? Give me a break. What a freaking embarrassment, holy crap.

So where is this team going to go the rest of the season? The Bills play the Browns next weekend. The Browns beat the Patriots and Saints this year, two better wins than the Bills have had in the past 7 years. The Bills go on the road to play Miami the week after that before they finish the season with New England and the Jets. Based on how things look right now, these two teams will be playing for the division. The Bills are looking at 4-12 at best, 2-14 at worst but most likely 3-13.

Will this be enough to get the first pick? Carolina finishes the season with the Falcons and Cardinals at home and then travel to Pittsburgh and to Atlanta. If they can somehow beat a terrible Cardinals team and get the Falcons backups in week 17, they could get to 3 wins, but that is the most they will get. I don't think that the Bungals or Lions will draft a QB so it depends on what happens with Carolina.

The Bills have a few things working against them. Carolina will have an easier strength of schedule than the Bills which is the first tiebreaker . Also, it is likely that the Panthers will have a new coach who will probably want his QB. The Bills only chance is to lose the rest of their games.