After a disappointing and downright embarrassing loss to the New England Patriots this past Sunday, the Buffalo Bills are ready to travel across the country to take on the San Francisco 49ers. Many of the players acknowledge that the loss to the Patriots still stings, but they are determined to not let it affect their play this week. Bills fans are already deflated and it is only Week 5, so the Bills need to make something happen against the 49ers to bring back some hope.
Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who had a terrible performance against the Patriots, recognizes that both the team and the fan base need to move on from the loss. “We are ready to hit the practice field and go,” Fitzpatrick said. “I think it is human nature to still be disappointed about it. But we are professionals and we are going to move on.”
It is clear the Bills are ready to move on, but the big question is, are they ready to take on a team like the 3-1 San Francisco 49ers? The 49ers are a huge challenge with one of the best defenses in the league, which was on display as they shut out the Bills’ AFC East rival, the New York Jets, in Week 4 34-0. “They know what they want to do and they go for it,” Bills head coach Chan Gailey said. “They have the people to do it and they are doing a great job of controlling the tempo and controlling the game.”
San Francisco held the New York Jets to just 145 total yards on offense, caused three turnovers, and blocked a punt on Sunday. They 49ers defense is fifth in the league in total defense and fourth in points allowed (16.3 points per game). The Bills offense has struggled immensely in the past few weeks and these statistics work against them in every way. Bills wide receiver Stevie Johnson commented on the team’s daunting task of traveling to the west coast, recovering from jet lag, and taking on a strong NFC rival, saying, “It is not going to be easy; no one said it is going to be easy. It is going to be tough, but you know at the same time we look at it as an opportunity to elevate our status in this division and overall as a team.”
The 49ers are looking for their sixth straight home win over an AFC opponent and the Bills are attempting to end a five-game road skid against NFC rivals on Sunday. This just makes the game seem even tougher for the Bills. Johnson and his teammates believe they can bounce back and put their anger and frustration from their horrendous loss to the Patriots into the game against the 49ers. However, this is something Bills fans have heard for years. They are always looking to come back and prove there is still hope, yet they don’t ever quite seem to pull through.
The major issue when it comes to the Buffalo Bills is the mindset of the players and this is something Chan Gailey recognizes he needs to work on. The 49ers are a force to be reckoned with and Gailey knows there is no way they will come out on top if he doesn’t attempt to change how his players treat the game. He stated earlier this week, “I’ve got to work on the mindset of this team and creating a sense of urgency every snap of the game.” When comparing the Bills to other NFL teams, they frequently seem to lack the drive, the heart, and the energy on the field, and they needs to start with the coaching staff and the veteran leaders. They need only look across the field on Sunday and see the environment that Jim Harbaugh has created in San Francisco, turning a 6-10 team two years ago into last year’s 13-3 squad that was one game short of the Super Bowl.
Mental toughness is what the Bills need to show this week in order to come out with a win and show their fans they are putting everything they have into the game. Many believe the same old Buffalo Bills team showed its face on Sunday against the Patriots, but the Bills are looking to prove this wrong. They have added key personnel on offense and defense and now it is time for them to pull together as a team. After a devastating loss for the team and fans on Sunday, Gailey stated, “You cannot let things affect you that you do not have control over, we have no control over what has happened up until this point. It has happened and it is there. Now what are we going to do from here?”
Bills fans are looking forward to seeing whether the Bills can use their loss against the Patriots as fuel and motivation to get better, but we will all have to wait and see. Consistency is key and the Bills will show us on Sunday at Candlestick Park in San Francisco if they are headed in the right direction.
