ORCHARD PARK - Should the Bills' offense continue regressing at this pace, receiver Lee Evans is concerned it'll be 2007 all over again.
And that's not good, considering how Buffalo's bumbling attack muddled through most of last season to finish 30th in the NFL.
“We're in a situation now where we've kind of gotten to that point,” Evans said after practice Wednesday. “And now we've got to pull ourselves out of it. We certainly have the people on this team to do it, and the character on this team to do it, so it's just a matter of doing it.”
Injuries, inconsistent line play and a sudden rash of turnovers have conspired to turn a once-efficient unit which helped the Bills get off to a 4-0 start, into an offense that's lost its poise and finish. Buffalo (5-3) has dropped three of its past four and is suddenly in jeopardy of falling behind in a tightly contested AFC East race with a game at division rival New England (5-3) on Sunday.
“It's definitely been frustrating. But I think the biggest thing is that we know we're better than that,” Evans said. “A lot of it is due to some self-inflicted wounds. Once we get out of that rut, then I think we'll be a lot better off.”
Everything seemed to be clicking in Buffalo's first four games, when the offense scored 10 touchdowns - half its total of last season (not including returns) - while Trent Edwards produced three consecutive fourth-quarter comeback victories.
Not much has gone right since.
Turnovers have been the key concern. After the Bills committed five turnovers (three fumbles and two interceptions) in their first four games, they've managed 11 turnovers (seven fumbles, four interceptions) over the past four. Edwards has been particularly inefficient of late, having thrown three interceptions, lost two fumbles and given up a safety in his past five quarters.
“I've made some questionable decisions,” said Edwards, whose three turnovers last weekend led to the Jets scoring 10 points in New York's 26-17 win. “We weren't making those mistakes early in the season, and that's why we were going in that direction. Now we are going in the other direction because of making those mistakes.”
It doesn't help that he's missing No. 2 receiver Josh Reed, who's out indefinitely with an ankle injury. Another problem is Edwards is not getting much protection from a line that has given up 23 sacks - three fewer than the Bills did all last season. And Buffalo's running attack has suddenly stalled, coming off a game in which it managed 30 yards, the 10th fewest in team history.
“You've got to be your own worst critic, and we're not exactly playing up to the level that we could,” right tackle Langston Walker said. “But the great thing about this sport is that every Sunday, you get to go out and prove your critics wrong.”
Just don't ask running back Marshawn Lynch to account for what's gone wrong, because he's not talking. Lynch continues to decline comment because he's unhappy with the negative media coverage he attracted during a prolonged police investigation into a hit-and-run accident he pleaded guilty to in June.
Lynch has scored six touchdowns, one short of his rookie output last year, but he's yet to break 85 yards rushing in a game.
First-year offensive coordinator Turk Schonert defended the run game, noting it was averaging 102 yards prior to last weekend. He instead laid the blame on an assortment of mental errors: From turnovers, missed blocks to Edwards not having time to find open receivers.
“I feel like we let two games get away,” Schonert said. “We should've had 400 yards offense last week. But because of mental errors and mistakes, we didn't get it done. We should've had a lot more points, too. We left them on the field, and that's what's disappointing.”
He was referring to how the Bills came away with no points during three trips inside the Jets' 20, with one of those drives ending on an interception return for a touchdown.
“If we just kick those three field goals, that's nine points and they don't get seven,” Schonert said. “Do the math. We win. It's not so hard.”
The Bills, of late, have certainly made it look that way.
“We're in a situation now where we've kind of gotten to that point,” Evans said after practice Wednesday. “And now we've got to pull ourselves out of it. We certainly have the people on this team to do it, and the character on this team to do it, so it's just a matter of doing it.”
Injuries, inconsistent line play and a sudden rash of turnovers have conspired to turn a once-efficient unit which helped the Bills get off to a 4-0 start, into an offense that's lost its poise and finish. Buffalo (5-3) has dropped three of its past four and is suddenly in jeopardy of falling behind in a tightly contested AFC East race with a game at division rival New England (5-3) on Sunday.
“It's definitely been frustrating. But I think the biggest thing is that we know we're better than that,” Evans said. “A lot of it is due to some self-inflicted wounds. Once we get out of that rut, then I think we'll be a lot better off.”
Everything seemed to be clicking in Buffalo's first four games, when the offense scored 10 touchdowns - half its total of last season (not including returns) - while Trent Edwards produced three consecutive fourth-quarter comeback victories.
Not much has gone right since.
Turnovers have been the key concern. After the Bills committed five turnovers (three fumbles and two interceptions) in their first four games, they've managed 11 turnovers (seven fumbles, four interceptions) over the past four. Edwards has been particularly inefficient of late, having thrown three interceptions, lost two fumbles and given up a safety in his past five quarters.
“I've made some questionable decisions,” said Edwards, whose three turnovers last weekend led to the Jets scoring 10 points in New York's 26-17 win. “We weren't making those mistakes early in the season, and that's why we were going in that direction. Now we are going in the other direction because of making those mistakes.”
It doesn't help that he's missing No. 2 receiver Josh Reed, who's out indefinitely with an ankle injury. Another problem is Edwards is not getting much protection from a line that has given up 23 sacks - three fewer than the Bills did all last season. And Buffalo's running attack has suddenly stalled, coming off a game in which it managed 30 yards, the 10th fewest in team history.
“You've got to be your own worst critic, and we're not exactly playing up to the level that we could,” right tackle Langston Walker said. “But the great thing about this sport is that every Sunday, you get to go out and prove your critics wrong.”
Just don't ask running back Marshawn Lynch to account for what's gone wrong, because he's not talking. Lynch continues to decline comment because he's unhappy with the negative media coverage he attracted during a prolonged police investigation into a hit-and-run accident he pleaded guilty to in June.
Lynch has scored six touchdowns, one short of his rookie output last year, but he's yet to break 85 yards rushing in a game.
First-year offensive coordinator Turk Schonert defended the run game, noting it was averaging 102 yards prior to last weekend. He instead laid the blame on an assortment of mental errors: From turnovers, missed blocks to Edwards not having time to find open receivers.
“I feel like we let two games get away,” Schonert said. “We should've had 400 yards offense last week. But because of mental errors and mistakes, we didn't get it done. We should've had a lot more points, too. We left them on the field, and that's what's disappointing.”
He was referring to how the Bills came away with no points during three trips inside the Jets' 20, with one of those drives ending on an interception return for a touchdown.
“If we just kick those three field goals, that's nine points and they don't get seven,” Schonert said. “Do the math. We win. It's not so hard.”
The Bills, of late, have certainly made it look that way.
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