5 Things We Learned About the Buffalo Bills in Their Loss to the Bengals

This is not the end of the world for the Buffalo Bills. 

I know Bills fans are angry, disappointed and a little confused with the direction of their team, but it's only one loss. 

I needed to start with these two sentences: This is the NFL. Things don't go your way every week. 

They just don't. 

With that being said, there are a few things worth noting from Buffalo's 23-20 loss to the Bengals...

The Refs

OK, I'm not going to incessantly gripe about the referees, but they played a major role in this one. 

I'm sick of national and local reporters and bloggers acting like you're an amateur fan or don't know the game if you blame the refs after a loss.

Maybe because I'd consider myself a fan/writer, I'm in the middle and have no problem with it.

Yes, the Bills weren't as crisp offensively and were shaky on defense, but let's be real.

The referee totally made up the Stevie Johnson incompletion. Period. 

There was nothing to initially call it incomplete. Obviously, we'll never know what would have happened, but that totally changes the game. 

To watch the replay on Johnson's "drop" and not overturn it, yet move the ball further on Dalton's third down dive will never make sense to me. 

In a "game of inches," those plays were huge.

I have no problem stating that. 

Hey Leodis, Make a Play on the Ball

He isn't the greatest cover corner in the NFL, but Leodis McKelvin isn't that bad—in coverage. 

However, the guy never makes a play on the ball. 

You know when you hear the term "ball skills" around NFL draft time when analysts are discussing the potential of cornerbacks and safeties?

Yeah, McKelvin has no ball skills.

I'll give A.J. Green a ton of credit on the few remarkable catches he made, but really, Leodis, get a clue. At least have some idea where the ball is. You have a lot of God-given talent. Use it. 

Why was he on Green in the first place?

Expect teams to pick on him for the rest of the year.  

Buffalo Needs to Wrap Up

Has the tackling been as bad as it was against the Bengals?

No way. 

Buffalo defenders were often in the right position to make impact plays, but either settled for arm tackles or were simply overpowered. 

There were too many screens and outside runs that should have gone for less than five yards, but ended with Cincinnati gaining big chunks of yardage. 

Jairus Byrd, a guy I praised for his stellar play and aggressiveness against the Raiders and Patriots, overpursued often and hardly made his presence felt against the run. 

He wasn't great in coverage, either. 

The defensive front got more pressure rushing three and four guys than we saw in the first three games, but Marcel Dareus, Dwan Edwards and Kyle Williams should have made more tackles behind the line of scrimmage. 

Too Much Passing?

We love watching the Bills spread it out and throw the ball frequently. 

Is that the best thing for Buffalo with Fred Jackson on the roster?

I'm not an advocate of Jackson rushing the ball 30 times a game, but there were many times (especially on third downs or deep in their own zone) when Chan Gailey was content with sending five wide receivers out there and chucking it deep. 

I'm the biggest Ryan Fitzpatrick fan, but we all know he isn't Peyton Manning-esque with his downfield accuracy. 

There's nothing wrong with being a pass-happy team, because I think the system, wideouts and Fitzpatrick are better than we think, but I'd rather have Buffalo methodically move the ball. 

Give Jackson more carries and—this may sound crazy—incorporate Spiller. 

Balance is key. 

Take a Deep Breath...

For as much as we shouldn't have believed the Bills were Super Bowl contenders after the first three weeks, don't bury them after this one. 

Yes, they should have won, but there are ups and downs in every season. Buffalo will win games they shouldn't and lose games they shouldn't. 

That's how it goes. 

Sometimes, the calls go your way (phantom David Nelson pass interference call against New England) and sometimes they don't (phantom Stevie Johnson incompletion). Sometimes you make big tackles and sometimes you whiff on them. Some weeks your offense is clicking, others it's not. 

Undoubtedly, the Bills deserve a drop in the "Power Rankings," but take it easy. 

Sure, we've seen it before from Buffalo. They haven't been to the playoffs in 11 years and started 2008 4-0. What does that have to do with anything? How many guys are on the team in critical positions from the team of three years ago?

Exactly. 

I'm not sold on the defense, but I honestly think Buffalo's offense will be able to outscore teams this year. 

Bills fans experienced a wake-up call today. Not matter what, it's important not to get too high after a win or too low after a loss.