ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Their record says the Bills are exactly where they were last season at this point … 4-2 and brimming with optimism under second-year coach Rex Ryan.
After an 0-2 start, Buffalo won four straight then headed to Florida where the Bills led the Dolphins 17-6 with a minute left in the third quarter. But Miami had an answer in running back Jay Ajayi who stampeded over Ryan’s defense for 214 yards on 29 carries en route to a 28-25 victory.
That stinging defeat began a three-game losing streak and Buffalo staggered home at 7-9, costing the coach his job a game before season’s end.
This year’s Bills are also 4-2, 12 points from being 6-0, thanks to a 9-3 loss at Carolina and a 20-16 defeat in Cincinnati.
But there’s a difference.
Ryan’s successor, Sean McDermott, preaches a “process,” as his recipe for success. He and general manager Brandon Beane have constructed a 53-man roster that has 29 new faces. And during Wednesday’s media day interviews, a number of the 24 players who returned from 2016 didn’t remember the Bills were 4-2 a year ago and running back LeSean McCoy and linebacker Preston Brown admitted as much.
However, reserve defensive tackle Jerel Worthy vividly recalled last season.
“We were 4-2 and I remember going down to Miami (and) letting it slip (away),” he said. “We’ve just got to learn from our mistakes.
“We expected to be 4-2 (this season) … we expect to have these adverse situations and understand that we can overcome them. We went down to Miami and had a chance to win in the fourth quarter, went out to Oakland, had a chance to win in the fourth quarter (38-24 loss) and at Seattle (31-25 defeat) the same. We want to come out on the top of those games this year … we want to overcome being 8-8, 7-9 (and) be 10-6, 11-5, and getting into the playoffs. Those types of games, like how we were able to come out on top last week (rallying for a 30-27 win), (are) definitely important for our success.”
One reason seems to be the attitude that McDermott has established … focusing on Buffalo’s roster being seen as loaded with nobodies and a general disrespect for the Bills around the NFL.
“I just think that’s probably more of what’s been said about these guys outside of this building,” he said. “What was said in preseason, where we’re tanking, all along we said we’re building a team and not tanking.
“I think that guys embrace that … they embrace that underdog mentality … that underdog role, and honestly, that’s how they approach every week. There’s guys that have been told they’re not good enough by other teams (but) I know this, I’ll take them on my team any day of the week.”
Of course, if ever there was a year not to tank (accept losing in hopes of getting a better draft choice) it’s this one given the extreme degree of equality in the league.
When asked about the danger of letting down after a big win like last Sunday’s, McDermott said, “When you take a step back big picture-wise, you say that’s the parity of the league. The positive side of (beating) Denver and Atlanta, that’s hard to do … win games back-to-back, sustaining success.
“The great part about it for us is, where we are and what we’ve done and what this team and this group of players have done, and these coaches … every week someone new is stepping up. I’m excited to see who steps up this week and that’s why the preparation, the process is so important. That you respect what it takes every week to get yourself where you need to be in order to put yourself in a position to win.”
He added, “The whole tanking thing was a response to a question I was asked so that’s not even in my vocabulary. When we see the parity around the league … you look after a game at the scores and every third score you’re like ‘Wow, man, I didn’t expect that.’ You’ve got to bring your A game every week.
Meanwhile, Brown conceded of the new attitude this season, “I didn’t even know we were 4-2 last year, I didn’t remember. (This season) I feel like it’s a different 4-2, but we’ve got to find ways to keep it going. We got to 4-2 last year and then lost a lot, so we’ve got to find ways to keep it going, not just win seven games.”
To which McCoy added, “We’re winning games and we’re not playing our best ball. That’s major, if we were playing our best ball, we might be winning games by bigger margins. So, it feels a lot different than last year.”
Why?
“I think a couple reasons,” McCoy said. “No. 1 is McDermott. He’s solid … he’s honest. What you see is what you get. He preaches and coaches this team thing, so everything we do here is like team-based. Off the field too; he approaches that same way … knowing your teammates, knowing about them.
“Another reason is that people doubted us so much, from the players we have here, or how many games we should win. We’re the only team together, more outside looking in. Seeing that, it’s like, we feel it, we hear it. It makes us more together.”
Of course, as with everyone familiar with the Bills, he heard the tanking talk.
“Because of the moves maybe.” he said, “ Like ‘Aw, they’re trying to tank’ … getting more (draft) picks. That’s how you look at it. As players, we come here every day for hours, trying to win. You hear the tanking word, so it can rub you the wrong way if you let it. You know how much hard work you put into it training, off-season working out, during the season, the hits, all the maintenance you have to do on your body. The tanking word can take it in a negative way.
“Players like us, we just want to win. We do a lot to be here; we’ve got families to take care of, so we put a lot of hard work and effort into this game.”
(Chuck Pollock, a Times Herald sports columnist, can be reached at cpollock@oleantimesherald.com)
