Week 10: Bills Get Big Home Win 14-3
Defense stifles high powered KC attack.
by Steve Saslow
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The Bills were outplayed in every statistical category. The Chiefs had a 3 to 2 advantage in yards and a 22 to 9 advantage in first downs. The Bills had the one advantage that matter, on the scoreboard. The defense forced four turnovers, including three interceptions as they shined in the 14-3 win over Kansas City. It was the best game played by the team all year and the offensive effort was led by a wayward young quarterback.
It was a defensive struggle throughout. The Chiefs took a 3-0 lead with a first quarter field goal on their third drive. They were driving for more when Green fumbled the ball and Jeff Posey returned it 46 yards to the KC 12. The Bills were in business and had the momentum when apparent disaster struck. On the next two plays Willis McGahee and Kelly Holcomb were hurt. On Holcomb's injury, he fumbled the ball back to KC. He would not return, but McGahee did.
The Chiefs seemed to have the momentum and would mount a drive that would end in a missed field goal, one of four in the game by both sides as the windy conditions played havoc on the kicking game. J.P. Losman decided that he would turn the anger from his demotion into a positive when he got back on the field, and he did. His first series in over four games went seven plays for 66 yards, ending with a 33 yard touchdown pass to Lee Evans. It was the first of two touchdown passes from Losman to Evans and the drive was keyed by a 28 yard pass to Josh Reed.
The Bills now had the momentum and after a Angelo Crowell interception led to a missed Rian Lindell field goal, the teams went into the locker room with the Bills leading 7-3 at the half.
The defense would continue its domination in the second half. Despite letting Larry Johnson run wild for 132 yards the defense made the big plays when they had to. Rashad Baker, playing for the injured Troy Vincent, picked off a pass and returned it to the Chiefs 27. Two plays later Losman found Evans again for a 29 yard touchdown, as Evans made a nice catch in the end zone to give the Bills a 14-3 lead.
That would be the final score as both teams missed opportunities as the game wound down. Both kickers would miss another field goal and Terrence McGee would pick off the third pass of the game for the Bills. The defense gave up yards, but came up with big plays as they recorded six sacks to go along with four takeaways. The gave up the least amount of points since the 2003 opener as they dominated the game, something that was needed in the original blueprint for when Losman was in the game.
Losman took a huge step forward, coming off the bench because of injury was a blessing in disguise for the kid. He didn't have time to think, and he just played and played well. His development seemed to grow from his time on the bench, now the question is, should he start? The team has momentum and it comes with Losman in the game, they may want to continue to build off of this win. That means it may be time to keep Losman in the game, while they battle for a shot at the playoffs.
Here are our exclusive gameballs and goats from the Bills game against the Chiefs: