Heartbroken Bills enter uncertain off-season
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. After Wide Right and Music City Miracle, the Buffalo Bills begin the off-season adding a new entry into their history of playoff heartbreak: 13 seconds.
That’s how much time separated the Bills from securing the next step in their Super Bowl aspirations. Instead came a stunning 4236 overtime loss at Kansas City in a divisional playoff game on Sunday.
It didn’t take long for the secondguessing to begin.
One question was whether the Bills should have kicked off into the end zone and instead force the Chiefs to return the ball to potentially eat up some of the remaining seconds. A bigger concern focused on how the NFL’s top-ranked defence turned into a sieve, allowing the Chiefs to score twice in the final 1:54 in regulation before losing on the opening drive of overtime.
An emotionally drained coach Sean McDermott declined to get into specifics: “There’s things we talked about and we can just execute better, and that starts with me and goes all the way around.”
While centre Mitch Morse declined to point fingers, safety Jordan Poyer accepted responsibility.
“Man, offence did everything they had to do,” Poyer said. “Defence, we had to go out there and make a stop, weren’t able to do it. It’s just a tough feeling.”
What lies ahead?
■ The Bills have 14 players eligible to become unrestricted free agents, headed by defensive ends Jerry Hughes and Mario Addison, defensive tackle Harrison Phillips, cornerback Levi Wallace, and receivers Emmanuel Sanders and Isaiah McKenzie.
■ Buffalo is estimated to have $11 million (U.S.) in salary cap space available, according to Spotrac.com, plus opportunities to free up additional room. One option is releasing receiver Cole Beasley, whose production decreased. Another is signing linebacker Tremaine Edmunds to a long-term deal after picking up his fifth-year option a year ago.
■ Aside from the roster, the coaching staff faces potential changes with offensive co-ordinator Brian Daboll and defensive co-ordinator Leslie Frazier attracting interest to fill head-coaching vacancies.