Just in time for the holiday season it’s back – that sense of internal rage you push down deep inside so you can continue to be a functional member of society. Outwardly you project an attitude of disappointment, sadness, even a twinge of anger, but inside it’s much different. Inside you have a bitter bile taste in your mouth, you feel like screaming in rage until you’re hoarse, and you feel like breaking something or inflicting pain.

The feeling you have based on the realization that, once again, the Bills will be spectators in the postseason. This year’s rage came later than normal – it’s been years since the Bills got to week 16 with any hope of the playoffs – perhaps that’s why the feeling I have right now is so strong.

Despite a Saturday night come from behind win for San Diego, the Bills were helped by early wins by Pittsburgh and Houston – that little glimmer of hope burned bright – could the Bills finally beat the odds on the positive side?

And so the Bills took the field in Oakland in the late game with playoff hopes still very much alive – until they turned into every Bills team you’ve had to endure over the past decade and a half.

Not only did the Bills crush your playoff hopes, they did it in spectacularly painful style. A week after beating one of the best teams in the NFL and shutting down the second Hall of Fame quarterback in as many weeks, the Bills were manhandled in Oakland.

Oakland may be better than their record shows, but there is no way the Bills should have been completely outclassed as they were on Sunday. Oakland had won two games all season. They have a rookie quarterback who should have been shut down by the same pass defense of the previous two weeks. The Raiders came into Sunday’s contest with the 32nd rated offense in the league and the 25th rated rush defense – you would think a team like Buffalo, with playoff aspirations on the line, would figure out how to capitalize on those rankings – but you’d be wrong.

Buffalo had their worst running game of the year, totaling a sickening 13 yards on 13 attempts for a healthy 1 yard average (hey, at least the math is easy). The longest run of the day was 4 yards and C.J. Spiller, fresh off an 8 week stint on IR finished the day with 4 carries for negative four yards (easy math again, -1 yard per carry).

You already knew the Bills offensive line, particularly the interior, was a weak link on the team, but just how weak was demonstrated on Sunday. A unit that played solid last year has more than regressed this year – the unit has gone into full retreat. That the line could open absolutely no running holes for Spiller, Fred Jackson, and Boobie Dixon makes you want to tear your hair out, but they were being thoroughly beaten physically – it was embarrassing.

But wait – there’s more. Not content with an impotent running game, the Bills relied on lots of short passes from Kyle Orton. Many of these passes were a result of Orton checking down after going through his reads, but many were also designed screens. Here’s the problem – the Bills can’t run screens because their offensive lineman can’t get out and block. Watching Craig Urbik release from the line and try and block on a screen pass is like rubbing a ghost chili on your eye – it hurts like hell and makes you cry. Many times he fell down or looked like he couldn’t find a man to block so no block was made (here’s a tip – block the guy who’s about to hit the ball carrier). Sometimes the screen came and not a single Bill besides the ball carrier was in the picture – there was just nobody to block. Lots of these plays went for little or no gains.

If you can’t run the ball at all and you need to rely on the arm of Orton to move the ball you’re in serious trouble. I’m not quite sure how we got excited about Orton – I suppose it was because he wasn’t named E.J. and did have a few decent early games, but’s he’s been downright horrible for weeks. Orton has become captain checkdown, Trent Edwards part deux. On Sunday he rarely threw past the line of scrimmage and when he did he was often off target. Fans complain the Sammy Watkins isn’t being utilized, but much of the time Orton can’t get him the ball – he doesn’t have the arm or the accuracy. When pressure comes Orton has little awareness of the situation and holds onto the ball way too long for a veteran (Reminds me of Rob Johnson - I guess the clock in his head runs slow). If Orton is the answer at quarterback I don’t want to know the question – I just want a constant morphine drip to numb me and handle the pain.

I really don’t know how much worse the offense can get. The Bills cannot move the ball most of the time. Sure, they might take advantage of a turnover and good field position, but if they take a kickoff and need to drive the field it’s going to be ugly. On Sunday the Bills had 14 offensive drives – 7 of those drives – a full half the times Buffalo had the ball – the Bills went 3 and out. Only 4 drives produced more than 32 yards – they were the only scoring drives the Bills had on the afternoon.

Let’s not let the Bills’ vaunted defense off the hook so easily for Sunday’s debacle. The Bills allowed two huge passes – 50 and 51 yards which both lead to touchdowns and killed any hopes of Buffalo having a shot. The letdowns weren’t confined to the air – although Oakland ranked dead last in the NFL in rushing offense they finished with 140 yards on the ground. Both Murray and McFadden had runs of 25 yards and McFadden averaged 6.0 ypc. Simply put, the Bills defense gave up big plays that allowed Oakland to put points on the board and when Buffalo could not move the ball themselves they were done.

And so another year without the playoffs. I’m not surprised, but I am ticked off. Buffalo always shows just enough to let you start thinking about things finally being better, but in the end they always find a way to crush your soul. If there’s a hell, Bills games are on TV on constant loop.

As the season ends there are more questions than answers – frustrating for fans. Orton is not the answer – he wasn’t worth $5.5 this season and he’s not worth that next year. We’ve seen what Orton can do and it’s not pretty – yet another backup quarterback the Bills thought could be a starter in the NFL. The Bills need someone who has the arm and the accuracy to make Sammy Watkins fulfill his immense potential.

The offensive line obviously needs to be improved, particularly the guard position – the Bills have too much talent at running back not to have any run blocking. With the guards playing so poorly I would think almost anything would be an upgrade at the position.

I’m really not sure what you do with Doug Marrone. I think coaching cost the Bills a few games this season – either by not having the team prepared (KC, Miami, Oakland) or by poor game planning and adjustments. I want to like Marrone, but he makes it so hard – 1 week after singing his praises for the victory over Green Bay the team gets destroyed by a two win team with nothing to play for – nothing to say other than pathetic.

And so in fitting style we have one last opportunity to get our fill of Bills football next week. If losing to Oakland was surprising and upsetting you’ll feel right at home when the Bills get the tar beat out of the in Foxboro, a place where they’ve never won. Even though New England has nothing to play for they’ll pound Buffalo into oblivion so we can go into the offseason with that sweet vision fresh in our mind – happy holidays, indeed.