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Bills Bounce Back, Led by Spiller’s 123 rushing yards

By Jim Baker

After Sunday’s home opener at Ralph Wilson Stadium, it’s clear that the Bills are NOT the NFL’s worst team. C.J. Spiller, who accumulated most of his week-ago yardage after the New York Jets cemented a rout victory, rolled up 123 yards and 2 touchdowns in Sunday’s 35 – 17 victory over Kansas City.

Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick fired two touchdown passes including a 49-yard score to Stevie Johnson and completed 10 of 19 aerials for 178 yards and two scores. Spiller, in a post-game news conference, said he’d been challenged by injured running back Fred Jackson to put the team on his back, "When that comes down from the leader in our room, you have to step your game up. I was ready to go today."

It was an important win for the Bills after much off-season hype about their playoff chances being much improved and coming off last week's embarrassing blowout by the Jets.

The Bills had appeared in danger of owning the league’s worst team record after dropping all four exhibitions and their season opener. But the return home enabled them to get healthy against the 0-2 Chiefs. Spiller was outstanding and gave the Bills a reliable first-string running back after the picture looked shaky. The Bills also had staunch defense with five sacks, two by Kyle Williams.

Dwayne Bowe scored both touchdowns for KC in the first half but could not inspire the Chiefs to much more as they began with a 0-2 record for the sixth times in seven years. The Bills started smartly taking the 21 - 0 half time lead before the Chiefs connected on a field goal. The Bills led by 35 – 10 before the Chiefs salvaged some form of respectability by scoring the last two touchdowns.

The game marked the debut of Johnny White for the Bills who lost David Nelson for the season in the loss to the Jets. Running back Fred Jackson was lost for three games during that defeat, which is why Spiller’s emergence is so important.
The Bills play next Sunday against the Cleveland Browns in Cleveland at 1 p.m.

 

 

Niagara Falls Reporter www.niagarafallsreporter.com Sep 18 , 2012