Tag: bills vs bucaneers

Bills have NFL’s worst record in one-possession games

Bills have NFL’s worst record in one-possession games:

The Bills have often made headlines over the last few seasons by being league leaders in various categories.

Whether being among the top clubs in turnovers, defensive points, or in individual player stats, Buffalo has stood out under head coach Sean McDermott’s leadership.

While 2020 was a breakout season that culminated with an appearance in the AFC Championship game, 2021 has had some growing pains.

Some of which has involved alternating wins and losses week to week, and some that has involved another inauspicious distinction the team may wish they didn’t carry.

Entering into Week 15, they have the worst win-loss record in games that are decided by a single possession.

Tampa Bay, New England, Indianapolis, Tennessee, and Pittsburgh have all edged Buffalo in close contests in which the winner is decided by a single score.

The Texans, Colts, and Eagles follow them in short order on that list.

The Bills have put up lopsided scores against average clubs, but have been challenged when it comes to overtaking opponents who have one-score leads late in games.

While it’s worth noting that the team’s offensive execution has directly attributed to these specific losses, it’s also worth pointing out that they were simply the result of missed opportunities during various stages and drives in those contests.

One of which, Sunday’s Tampa Bay matchup in particular, even included some suspect officiating practices that cost them the win in regulation then the game in overtime. A glaring issue that once again brings how the league office views such calls differently between big and small market teams (or in Tampa’s case, Tom Brady’s team.)

Nonetheless, one additional successful red zone drive, pass completion, touchdown, or field goal in those games could have changed the Bills fortunes and their overall win-loss record.

So while this is certainly not a distinction the team wishes to carry, it’s a hurdle they are more than capable of overcoming, and will need to down the stretch.

However, they will need to find the rhythm on offense, consistency in winning week-to-week, and execute when it matters most if they wish to make another run into the postseason.

They’ll have a chance to do just that, with games against the Panthers, Patriots, and Falcons up next on the schedule before the regular season finale against the Jets.

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Bills’ Sean McDermott, Levi Wallace weigh in on officiating vs. Buccaneers

#Bills’ Sean McDermott, Levi Wallace weigh in on officiating vs. #Buccaneers:

Bills players and coaches joined their fans in scratching their heads following some puzzling officiating in a Week 14 overtime loss.

Despite a big second-half comeback in which they came back from a 24-3 halftime deficit to tie the game at 27 and go to overtime, Buffalo would ultimately fall to Tampa Bay 27-33.

One of the calls in question was pass interference flag thrown while CB Levi Wallace was defending a pass to Bucs WR Mike Evans during that overtime.

Tampa Bay was at its own 16-yard line, and the penalty gave them 19 more yards and a first down.

Several plays after that, Buccaneers wide receiver Breshad Perriman would win the game on a 58-yard touchdown.

So what went wrong with the play?

Wallace himself was looking to answer just that question after the game.

“I mean, I think it’s a bad call,” Wallace said while addressing the media. “I don’t know. You have to ask the ref. I think I played it as good as I could have.”

Here is the play in question so you can see for yourself:

One can clearly see that it is actually Evans making the contact, which former NFL referee turned NBC rules analyst Terry McAulay noted.

In fact, when Evans notices that Wallace’s head isn’t turning to the ball, he pulls the CB to him in order to draw the flag.

McAulay also references a third-and-2 play that took place with only 28 seconds left in regulation, in which Bills QB Josh Allen threw a TD toss to WR Stefon Diggs on the left side of the end zone. While it was ruled incomplete, Bucs CB Carlton Davis clearly got away with no-call pass interference.

Given that the no-call on the Diggs play may have cost Buffalo the win, and that the miss-call on Wallace set up Tampa for what would be the game-winning score only a few plays later, it carries only more weight in the gravity of the loss.

“That’s something we gotta overcome,” head coach Sean McDermott said during his postgame press session.”At the end of the day, we have to overcome it because we can’t control it.”

While the HC declined to comment on the penalty specifically, he did speak to making the play itself.

“Underthrown balls are tough, “McDermott added. “We continue to try and teach it and make sure our technique is good. That is the part that we can control.”

When asked whether they felt those flags were going both ways in the game, safety’s Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer were not in the belief they did.

“I don’t know man,” Poyer said during their media availability.

The Bills will look to bounce back next week as they are set to host the Carolina Panthers.

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