Broncos 24, Bills 10: Buffalo Manhandled, Beaten Up In Pre-Season Loss

The Buffalo Bills got off to a quick start against the Denver Broncos. Aided by a fake punt converted for a first down by Brad Smith, the Bills drove 58 yards on 12 plays to take an early three-point lead on a Rian Lindell field goal. Then the team's top defensive unit got a stop, highlighted by a second pre-season sack from rookie Marcell Dareus.

It was all downhill from there. By halftime, the Bills trailed 14-3, having allowed two scores to Willis McGahee with a top defensive unit that played remarkably like the 2010 outfit. Chan Gailey mentioned at the break that his offensive line was "manhandled," which is still somehow an understatement: Ryan Fitzpatrick was hit hard early and often in this contest. Demetrius Bell, in particular, had a brutal evening trying to pass block against Elvis Dumervil and Von Miller.

Donald Jones went down in the first half when he was illegally hit high by rookie safety Rahim Moore; the injury appeared to be a head injury. On the first offensive play of the second half, rookie running back Johnny White was slammed to the turf by Mario Haggan, and was strapped down and carted off the field before being taken to a Denver hospital for further evaluation. Naaman Roosevelt hobbled off with an apparent ankle injury late in the game, and Arthur Moats was carted into the locker room from the sideline with a leg injury.

Tyler Thigpen hit Felton Huggins on a back-shoulder throw for a score in the fourth quarter, but the damage was done at that point. The sloppiness that permeated Buffalo's reserve units in Chicago reached the first units this weekend; this was about as ugly as it gets. Commiserate in the comments section, Bills fans.