Buffalo Bills 6, Chicago Bears 10: Second-half open thread

The Buffalo Bills can’t get out of their own way against the Chicago Bears today, trailing 10-6 against their opponent at halftime. A game that seemed like an easy win is instead putting the team back on their heels amid frigid conditions at Soldier Field.

Buffalo’s really suffered in field position today, attributable to poor tackling in the kicking game and poor returning decisions by running back Nyheim Hines. An interception by Josh Allen in the end zone, with a healthy return by rookie cornerback Kyler Gordon, also contributed to the cause.

• Chicago’s drive starts: CHI 36, CHI 42, CHI 34, BUF 38
• Buffalo’s drive starts: BUF 29, BUF 34, BUF 2, BUF 34

Adding to their special teams woes, Tyler Bass missed an extra point on Buffalo’s only touchdown, and he missed a 38-yard field goal attempt in the final minute of the half.

It’s not like the Bills’ offense is struggling all that badly: the team has 10 carries for 94 yards, and Allen is 7-of-12 for 89 yards and a touchdown. But situationally, they keep screwing up. Allen misread the Bears’ defense on one deep throw, leading to that interception on a promising drive. Another drive started with a botched snap and didn’t get any better. A drive that seemed like a promising two-minute drill stalled out in the red zone, with three straight incomplete passes while the running game was clicking.

Buffalfo’s defense allowed Chicago to march down and score an easy touchdown drive at the opening of the game, featuring a 28-yard David Montgomery run, a 20-yard Byron Pringle catch and a wide-open Dante Pettis closing the drive in the end zone. But outside of that, they clamped down: the Bears are only gaining 4.2 yards per play, and they’re 2-of-6 on third down.

The two differences in this game are Bass’s missed extra point, and the sequence that led to the Bills punting from their own four-yard line, which set up the Bears in position for a field goal that extended their lead.

The Bills, who deferred to start the game, will receive the opening kickoff of the second half. They need to quit making mistakes and tighten up their quality if they don’t want to waste a winnable game against the Bears.

Here’s your open thread for the rest of the game. Go Bills!