In a Hall of Fame career filled with scores of accolades and statistical milestones, Frank Gore set a new low. The Buffalo Bills’ loss to the New England Patriots on Saturday afternoon marked the first time in Gore’s career where he failed to log a carry. He was on the field a total of two snaps.
It took 15 years—225 games—for Frank Gore to be held touchless in a game. Let that sink in a moment. Fifteen years is a monumental amount of time for an NFL player. It’s half a generation in a person’s life. It’s even reasonable to expect that stat wouldn’t have appeared until he retired. But here it is, the fruit borne of a difficult loss in Foxborough.
In our snap-count notes write-up, we pointed out some clear personnel shifts that may have played into Gore’s lack of use. While that may help to explain things on paper, the greater want by fans and reporters will likely be the “Why?” Perhaps Gore would have seen carries if the Bills were in position to run clock and secure the ball in a four-minute offense.
In the wake of Saturday’s defeat there are sure to be many questions about what did and didn’t work for the Bills. It’s almost assured the lack of involvement for Gore will be a topic for which the media looks to find answers. The 2019 season for the Bills has already been filled with many great moments. For Frank Gore—Buffalo’s closer—he’s likely looking to close the Week 16 chapter.