ORCHARD PARK Coach Gregg Williams didnt need to be reminded how different the circumstances might have been.

One more victory the difference of, perhaps, stopping one of two Chad Morton kickoff returns for touchdowns in an opening-day overtime loss to the New York Jets and his Buffalo Bills wouldve still been in the playoff picture on Monday.

You always look back on little bitty things when it finally gets over and done with, Williams said. When you look back on the season, well see a play here or a play there, and it happens when youre close and you dont quite get in. Its always that way.

Frustratingly so for the Bills (7-8) who close out their season with a mean-nothing game against visiting Cincinnati this weekend after being eliminated from playoff contention with Sundays 10-0 loss at Green Bay.

And it hurts even more knowing that a win over the Packers would have improved the Bills playoff chances, considering many of the other AFC teams in contention lost their respective games last weekend.

The focus yesterday was us winning and doing our part, Williams said. And we didnt do our part, so its a moot point.

In a season in which they displayed much promise, rebounding from last years dismal 3-13 finish, the Bills were left pondering what could have been in what remains one of the most hotly contested AFC races in league history.

In retrospect, the difference can be narrowed down to as little as four or five plays that cost the Bills in the overall picture: Mortons two kickoff returns, including one in overtime, which sealed the Jets 37-31 victory on Sept. 8. Running back Travis Henrys fumble, which led to Chester McGlocktons 24-yard touchdown return in a 28-23 loss to Denver on Sept. 22. Quarterback Drew Bledsoe coming inches from hitting receiver Peerless Price at the Kansas City 3 with 4:14 remaining, only to be picked off by Eric Warfield, virtually sealing the Chiefs 17-16 win on Nov. 17.

And then came Sunday, a game in which the Bills turned the ball over six times and insist they came out on the wrong end of an officials call.

As he did immediately after the game, Williams maintained that the officials contributed to the outcome.

With the Packers clinging to a 3-0 lead midway through the fourth quarter, the officials ruled that Green Bays Ahman Green never had possession of Brett Favres pass when Green had the ball punched out at the Bills 12.

The play wasnt whistled dead and ruled an incompletion, until after Buffalos Nate Clements had scooped up the ball and appeared to have a clear path for the end zone. On the next play, Favre hit Donald Driver for a touchdown pass to seal the win.

Its a fumble, Williams said.

By ruling the pass incomplete, officials denied the Bills a chance to gain possession of the ball with a video review challenge. In comparison, had the officials called it a fumble, the onus wouldve been on Green Bay to challenge the call and potentially have it overturned. Television replays showed Green had both feet on the ground and was turning to run when he had the ball knocked loose.

Were all instructed that if (the officials) are going to err, (theyre) going to err on the side of having Green Bay challenge it and not us, Williams said.