At least the Bills didn’t get shut out.
Aside from that, there was nothing positive to take away from this debacle against the previously 1-5 Colts.
The front seven was owned all game by the Colts offensive line and the offense continued to find new and painful ways to not score (looking at you Charles Clay).
If you are a fan of pain, read on.
Stock Up: 2019 Draft
If you were still holding out hope for this year, jump on the draft position bandwagon now. With the Bills 2-5, with a Monday Night Massacre coming up in seven days, the season is done for all intents and purposes.
The Bills need to turn their attention to young players and an important 2019 offseason, that can be bolstered by trading away “assets” like Kelvin Benjamin. LeSean McCoy is also a candidate to be traded for picks and/or players, if he’s not hurt.
Stock Down: Matt Milano and Tremaine Edmunds
Buffalo’s young linebackers had been playing at a high level the past few weeks, but as is the case with all young players, there are peaks and valleys.
Against the Colts, the valley seemed more like the Grand Canyon.
Andrew Luck toyed with the duo, moving them with his eyes, resulting in countless wide open receivers.
Their work against the run wasn’t any better. While the defensive line didn’t do Milano or Edumunds any favors (more on that in a second), both backers were found out of position or caught in the masses while Marlon Mack (126 yards at 6.6 yards per carry), Nyheim Hines (47, 9.4) and Jordan Wilkins (46, 7.7) had their way.
The only good part of this performance for these two is that as young players, McDermott and Leslie Frazier can do a lot of teaching from it.
Stock Down: Bills defensive line
What happened to the havoc the Bills defensive line had been causing the past few weeks? After a strong start (scoreless first quarter), the Buffalo defense sprung hole after hole until the whole thing collapsed.
There was virtually no pressure on Andrew Luck who was sacked zero times on his way to 4 TD passes. As if that weren’t bad enough, the Colts owned the line of scrimmage, opening up gaping holes for its three-headed running back monster.
Considering that Mr. Perfect (Tom Brady) is on tap next, the defensive line had best find its swagger real quick.
Stock Down: Brandon Beane
This has been a long time coming but after another dreadful offensive performance, at some point the man who puts the team together has to get some blame.
For all that he has done right building an above average defense, Beane deserves just as much blame for the shortcomings on the other side of the ball.
First of all, going into the year with a second-year quarterback with an interception problem and a raw rookie as the only two bodies in the QB room was a big mistake. The Bills tried to address this issue by bringing in Derek Anderson, but it was too little, too late as the journeyman signal caller was thrust into a start 10 days after signing.
Beane also turned a blind eye to the receiving corps, which aside from the emergence of Zay Jones the past few weeks and a solid showing by Benjamin today, has been abysmal. When you couple the league-worst pass catching unit with the quarterbacks the Bills have, you end up with the type of performance we all suffered through Sunday.
Unfortunately, unless Beane makes a bold move (which to his credit he isn’t afraid of doing) this type of performance will continue to be the norm, rather than an aberration.