Entering the 2021 season, the Buffalo Bills had immense promise. Despite falling early to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 1, fans’ hope did not waiver. The Bills quickly came charging back to win four straight games in dominating fashion. Their most notable win took place in Week 5 against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.

After losing the 2020 AFC Championship Game to the Chiefs last year, Buffalo entered the game with a vengeance. The Bills’ convincing 38-20 victory meant two things: the Bills were back and better than last year and they meant business. Coming off of winning their first AFC East title since 1995 in 2020 as well as making their first AFC Championship appearance in 27 years, it seemed 2021 could finally be the year that the Bills took it all the way.

But this past Sunday really put a damper on things. In an AFC East battle, the Bills suffered a detrimental 14-10 loss at home to the now 9-4 New England Patriots.

The loss to the Patriots on Sunday signified the end of the Bills’ season-long reign as the top team in the AFC East. As the Bills, now 7-5, settled into their new second-place position, the vacant spot at the top was quickly filled by none other than the Patriots. At this point in time, it is highly unlikely that the Bills will win their division. As a result, their postseason games will be played on the road, making the journey through the AFC playoffs and to the Super Bowl very difficult.

On the heels of the Week 14 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, things are not looking good. Right now, if you are a Bills fan, you have to be scratching your head wondering how it all went so wrong, so quickly. Let’s dive in.

This far into the season, the Bills should be in their prime, playing at the highest level they have all season. There should be little to no kinks to work out. No sloppy penalties or fouls. The Bills should have coasted their way into the playoff season. But none of this is the case, and here is why. Buffalo’s play since Week 6 is, quite frankly, unacceptable given the talent they possess. Yes, they have won games, but winning against the Miami Dolphins, Houston Texans, or New York Jets really doesn’t prove much of anything. At the end of the day, the Bills are unable to compete and win against high-caliber teams. This was painfully evident on Sunday.

Unfortunately for both teams, the game quite literally took place in the midst of a Buffalo windstorm, which all but eliminated the passing game and forced it into a running match. And, where the Patriots were able to pivot and capitalize on the run, the Bills could not, and it cost them the game and their title. From a defensive perspective, the Bills were unable to stop the run game despite knowing who the Patriots were and having ample time to prepare for it. The Bills’ complete lack of a run game exposed how truly one-dimensional the offense is, relying solely on the passing game and the talent of Josh Allen to win.

It’s clear that to beat the Bills, teams must shut down the passing game. As we trudge deeper into playoff season, the ability to run the ball will be crucial in launching a successful Super Bowl run. The Bills are struggling to do that and have little time to adjust. It seems to me that the once-promising Super Bowl contenders are no more.