Same old story as Bills drop to Chiefs 30-22

The Buffalo Bills found another way to lose in what has become their typical fashion in dropping to the Kansas City Chiefs 30-22 Arrowhead Stadium this afternoon.

Missed opportunities, turnovers, miscues and missed challenges were the story in this one, as the Bills gave away a game they were in control of, damaging their playoff chances in the process.

With the loss Buffalo falls to 5-6, dropping to 10th in the AFC, while the Chiefs take firm control of the last playoff spot.

The biggest story of this one was head coach Rex Ryan and his inability to use his challenges correctly.

With the Bills dominating late in the second quarter, Alex Smith stepped up and delivered a 37-yard pass to Jeremy Maclin on what was ruled a completion on the field.

Looks on replay show that the ball clearly touched the ground before Maclin established possession, but Ryan decided the timeout wasn’t worth the risk.

The Chiefs scored on the very next play to cut Buffalo’s lead 10-7.

Later in the game, a clear Robert Woods drop (very similar in nature to the Maclin catch) was challenged by Ryan, who lost it easily.  He then decided to not challenge a Chiefs first down on which it appeared Alex Smith was short of the first, along with not challenging what anyone with two eyes thought was a Chris Hogan catch, who appeared to take multiple steps with the football.

Late in the fourth, another challenge was wasted, when Ryan threw the flag on a Tyrod Taylor run in which he was clearly short of the first down.

The other big story of the game was Sammy Watkins play, as he was dominate in the first half, before completely disappearing in the second.

Watkins showed his elite playmaking ability, hauling passes away from defenders in coverage throughout the first half in racing out to six receptions for 158 yards and two touchdowns.

The Bills went into the tunnel 16-14.

The second half?

Watkins was targeted just once in the second half (it was incomplete) and the Bills managed to put just 6 more points on the board in the 30-22 loss.

How a player who was catching passes in double coverage in the first half received just one target in the second is beyond me.

Even if the safeties were playing 35 yards downfield, there has to be ways to get Watkins the ball on screens and crossing routes, just like every other team with a top receiver does throughout the league.

To stick with the same old theme, another unwanted, late round running back in Spencer Ware (6th round, 194th overall in 2013) gashed the Bills defense for 114 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries.

While the Bills did sort of successful shut down Travis Kelce (four receptions for 69 yards and a score), Jeremy Maclin went off to the tune of nine receptions for 160 yards and a touchdown of his own.

For the Bills, it’s back to the drawing board as they now have to leapfrog over teams in the AFC playoff race.

It’ll be a quick turnaround, as Buffalo faces another must-win game when they return to Ralph Wilson Stadium next Sunday to take on the Houston Texans (6-5).

The Bills need to bounce back quick if they want to end their 15-year playoff-less drought.

And it all starts with their coach.