Another heart-wrenching MNF loss

Get your popcorn ready??? The Bills fans may have had plenty of popcorn on hand, but by game's end, they were definitely choking on the kernels, much like the team choking on the field. 

The Bills had their first victory against the Pats in 12 games right in their grasp. With 2 minutes to go, the Bills were leading by 6 and receiving the kickoff after the Pats had just scored.

Leodis McKelvin took the kickoff 2 yards deep in the endzone and instead of going the safe route and taking the touchback, he decided to run it out. Critical mistake! That mistake cost the Bills the game as he fumbled the ball and the Pats recovered. Give that kind of opportunity to the Patriots and Tom Brady and they are going to leap on it. That they did as the Pats came from behind with two late touchdowns to beat the Bills 25-24. It was yet another heartbreaking ending for the Bills.

The Bills have only to look in the mirror to see who to blame for this loss. Sure, they played probably their best game in years, a hard-fought, gut-wrenching battle in the trenches. But when it was over and done with, it were all the mistakes, both on offense and defense that led to their demise. And this is even before considering the costly fumble by McKelvin that gave the ball to the Pats on the Bills 31 with 2 minutes to go.

It is tough being a Buffalo Sports fan. When the Bills and Sabres have been in the champion game or series, they find a way to blow it. The fans would love to have another chance, even to be in the playoffs again after 10 years of missing them.

Monday night's game is yet another example how the Bills found another way to lose. The Bills losing streak to the Patriots is 12 games and counting. Whether the Pats will break the old Dolphins winning streak of 20 straight against the Bills is questionable, it certainly seems like a decade since they have had success against the Pats.

There is a big controversy with the Buffalo sports media as to whether McKelvin should have downed the ball for a touchback when he fumbled his kickoff return. Some say that it was smart to try to waste some time on the clock by running it out, while others are blaming him for losing the game for the Bills. McKelvin says that he would do it again.

"I chose to bring it out because that's me," defended McKelvin. "If I had another chance 100 times, I would probably do the same thing. The only thing I've got to do is hold on to the ball."

"I got hit and tried to cover it up the best way I can. Unfortunately, it didn't turn out my way. And the next time I get the opportunity I'm going to hold onto it and just make a better decision."

The offensive line, starting 3 rookies, had some good and lots of bad in their first game. Too many holding, illegal procedure calls that wiped out great gains. Defense also had it's miscues. In the end, the Bills shot themselves in the foot again and need to eliminate most if not all their mistakes from this point on if they want to finally have a winning season.

TO a No Show?

This was definitely a game worthy of a hot bag of buttered popcorn. The only drawback was that the main popcorn man was popped out. He only had 3 balls thrown to him and made 2 catches. If Trent Edwards would only throw more downfield, maybe Terrell Owens would have made a big difference in this game. Alas, TO was mostly left out of the game plan and that did the Pats a big favor.

Now the Bills must find a way to get Owens back into the game plan before he starts complaining about not getting the ball.

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