The final margin may have been close, but the Bills 20-13 loss to the Patriots once again featured critical penalties and poor clock management. "These types of mistakes are beyond tiresome. And you have to wonder how much is on coaching at this point in the season," said analyst Matt Sabuda.
During WBFO's Beyond the Playbook, Sabuda did give credit to the Bills defensive performance which consistently harassed quarterback Tom Brady throughout the game.
"The defensive scheme was fantastic. I dare to say that it might even be a turning point that will be difficult for other teams to plan against in the future."
Though the Bills' record falls to 5-5, Sabuda believes there is still hope for the team to break its long playoff drought.
He points to a series of mathematical simulations conducted by the New York Times.
"According to the Times simulator, based on nearly 20,000 simulations, if the Bills go 9-7 with a loss to the Patriots but beat the Chiefs next week, their playoff chances reach an astoundingly high 77 percent," Sabuda said.
"I know Bills fans are down after last night's loss, however the Bills are still alive, but next week's (against the Chiefs) game is of the utmost importance."