Sad Sack Bills revert to old ways

If it’s better to give than receive then the Bills are the most generous of all since they always give the gift of losing to make other teams feel better.

They leap, they fly, they run, they pass better by far than the Bills do... Who, the Jets? No everyone...! Even the cheerleaders.

As the 2012 NFL season started Sunday, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Tom Brady stood in contrast in spite of both being leaders of winless teams in the pre-season. Fitzpatrick, as the Buffalo Bills’ attempted to put together their first threat and Brady, as the far more respected, tried to return his team to its usual prominence. When the day was done, the contrast would be incredible.

Brady would lead the New England Patriots to a complete 34 to 13 victory over the Tennessee Titans in Nashville, while Fitzpatrick would struggle through a 48 to 28 defeat to the New York Jets at the MetLife Stadium.

Brady, as many would predict, was completely in command—taking his team from a slow start to a 21 to 3 second quarter command that grew steadily. He completed 23 of 31 aerials for 235 yards and connected for 2 TD’s. Fitzpatrick’s Bills’ were buried early, behind 21 to 7 and shortly 41 to 7; out of contention in the first half. The Bills could not blame replacement officials for their predicament. They had only themselves to blame. Rookie wide receiver Stephen Hill was among Jets QB Mark Sanchez’ six touchdown targets in a lopsided show.

The scenario was familiar to Bills’ fans as they looked at the onslaught that had developed in their all losing pre-season. Now they were about to lose their opener to a team who had not even scored a touchdown in New York’s pre-season schedule. Sanchez did not need relief from controversial Tim Tebow. He just kept burying the Buffalo defense.

Fitzpatrick, meanwhile, kept making mistakes and the Jets took advantage as the difference became 27 and then 34 points, (41 to 7) before Buffalo started coming back in the game’s late stages. The lead evaporated, first from 41 to 14, then 41 to 21, then 41 to 28 before the New Yorkers established the final 20 point spread. Sanchez completed 19 of 27 passes for 266 yards and 3 touchdowns. Tebow made his seasonal debut running out of the Jets’ wild cat formation, carrying 5 times for 11 yards in a limited role.

The Bills even regressed to their hobbling days of yesteryear, even losing running back Fred Jackson to another knee injury in the second quarter. He will undergo an MRI Monday. The Bills can only hope to find some semblance, of offense, perhaps behind C. J. Spiller’s example. The running back produced 169 yards in 14 carries in the opener.