Memo to the league. Do we all have to schedule Buffalo in the first half of the season if you are going to give them a home-field night game?

The forward pass was foreign to New England when it was used against them on Monday night.

The Bills were handicapped by the wind but it was worse because their running game is pedestrian and the Pats ground attack is tailor-made for these conditions.

Even though Bill Belichick forbade Mac Jones from throwing the ball, the Pats earned a 14-10 victory that signals that they are the best team in the division again.

The Bills had a poor report card as the season spiraled out of control.

The Buffalo Bills fell to seventh in the playoff picture after a loss.

The Evil Empire is back and the Bills are looking up.

I had some quick thoughts on the disappointing outcome.

1. The Bills playoff chances are wobbling badly

Dec 6, 2021; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott walks the sideline in the first quarter game against the New England Patriots at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 6, 2021; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott walks the sideline in the first quarter game against the New England Patriots at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports

It's hard to believe that the Bills would be in this position when they left Kansas City after their big win.

If the Bills don't pull off an upset against the Buccaneers on Sunday, their record will go to 6-7 and they will be out of the playoffs.

We underestimated the Bills. Their flaws were hidden because of the easy schedule they've played this season, which included beating up on a bunch of tomato cans and only one impressive victory.

The Bills have lost every other time they have played a good team. It seems like the Bills are going to fall short of the expectations that were heaped on them before the season began.

2. The Bills couldn’t stop the run

New England Patriots running back Brandon Bolden carries the ball during the first half of a game on Monday, Dec. 6, 2021, at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York.
New England Patriots running back Brandon Bolden carries the ball during the first half of a game on Monday, Dec. 6, 2021, at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York.

If Hurricane Highmark hadn't been in the area, I wouldn't have predicted what was going to happen in the game. It wasn't hard to imagine what took place once the weather forecast became a reality.

In the first 50 minutes of the game, Jones only attempted one pass. It was amazing that the Bills knew the Pats were running on every play and still got manhandled. They didn't have to worry about a pass, yet the Pats ran through and around their defense at will.

December 7, 2021.

The Bills were overwhelmed by the New England offensive line, and their running back trio of Harris, Rhamondre Stevenson and Brandon Bolden did a good job of breaking big gainers.

The Bills lack of a running game was going to catch up to them. They had good luck with late-season weather and were able to keep throwing the ball, so it didn't matter last year. Their inability to run and stop the run killed them.

3. In defeat, Josh Allen showed he can play in the elements

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Gabriel Davis (13) hauls in a pass from Josh Allen for a touchdown with New England Patriots cornerback Jalen Mills (2) defending during the first half of an NFL football game in Orchard Park, N.Y., Monday, Dec. 6, 2021. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Gabriel Davis (13) hauls in a pass from Josh Allen for a touchdown with New England Patriots cornerback Jalen Mills (2) defending during the first half of an NFL football game in Orchard Park, N.Y., Monday, Dec. 6, 2021. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)

The way that wind was blowing was pretty impressive, even though the box score numbers would tell you otherwise.

Allen made a number of great throws on a night when it was difficult to be accurate.

He said it several days ago, the Bills drafted him first and foremost because of the cannon he has dangling off his right shoulder, and he put it to good use in this game. It wasn't enough to get the victory.

The Bills started the drive that came so close to winning the game after Allen's laser to Diggs. It would have been even better for Allen's night if he hadn't dropped passes and had a false start with two minutes to go.

The person can be reached at Maiorana@gannett.com. You can follow him on social media.

The article was originally published by the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle.

  • The report states that Sean McDermott and Heath Farwell disagreed on the final kick.

  • Jimmy Garoppolo is not going to be traded soon enough by the #49ers.

  • You can save with this hack.

  • Lady Gaga revealed in a recent Q&A that she pushed for a sex scene with Hayek in House of Gucci, but the scene was cut from the film.

  • Joey King is in a bra top. The actress works out four to five times a week.

  • A father and daughter visiting the park for the first time on Saturday enjoyed an exceedingly rare encounter with a wolverine, which their guide described as a period in which time appeared to have stood still.

  • The Commanders made a strong offer for Russell Wilson last week. What should fans think about that?

  • Maren Morris loves her post- baby body.

  • Nick Wright isn't ready to put the Celtics forward in the category of superstars. His reasoning is suspect.

  • One day, all it would take to get your point across would be 280 characters.

  • The exes of Rodgers and Woodley are moving closer to reconciliation. The couple who were previously engaged attended a wedding together over the weekend, according to Entertainment Tonight.

  • The Brian Flores lawsuit was one of the reasons why Patrick Graham left the New York Giants.

  • The Brown quarterback turned heads on and off the field during the combine. Here is how.

  • They saw that it worked. Almost every house in the neighborhood has it. I get a lot of thanks for my method.

  • There is a rumor of a mansion in Las Vegas owned by Davante Adams.

  • In an address posted on his account, the Mayor of Kyiv promised that his city would not go down without a fight.

  • Jimmy John is not an adventurous chain. Italian meat combo, turkey, roast beef, ham, and tuna are its basic sandwiches. It has been testing the water with limited-time options, like the Frenchie from a few years ago, and wraps, like last year's Chicken Caesar and Beefy Ranch.

  • AdHealthyGem
    • Why this Ad?
    • Go ad-free*

    Before you book your next cruise, look at these...

  • The Vikings have a good one.

  • NBC News anchor and host of the "Today" show, SAVANNAH GUERIN, pressed former Attorney General William Barr why he decided to include positive remarks about former President Trump in his 2020 resignation letter. During Barr's first live show, Guthrie said that he had national security concerns.

  • If the Bills trade Cole Beasley, what are the salary cap ramifications?

  • There is more to the Soviet space program than we know.

  • Bob Chapek, the CEO of Disney, told his staff that the company stands with its employees who are gay.

  • The Republican member of Congress tried to blame President Joe Biden for the invasion of Ukraine.

  • Kraven the Hunter is going to be starring in a movie. Everything we know about the movie so far. Nerdist published the post Everything We Know About the KrAVEN THE HUNTER Movie.