By Tim Graham
Two games seems like a small sample size, but it's one-third of the Buffalo Bills' division schedule.
The Bills today were smacked down yet again by the New England Patriots, this time 52-28 in Ralph Wilson Stadium. The Bills are 0-2 in the AFC East and have given up 100 points. They've lost by an average of 22 points.
"That was really embarrassing," Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick said. "We've got a lot of pride in this locker room, and right now we've got our tails between our legs. We got our butts kicked."
The Bills surrendered an appalling 580 yards and 33 first downs. That's with their sparkly new defense that looked so good against the Kansas City Chiefs and Cleveland Browns.
The Patriots showed they're in another class, much like the New York Jets did on opening day. The Bills lost that game 48-28.
"Unfortunately, we've been in this situation before," Fitzpatrick said. "But fortunately we've responded to this situation. We look at the film and we try to get better and move on, but it's just hard. This is the second division game, and we haven't come out and played well."
The Patriots scored six second-half touchdowns on six straight possessions with six different players.
"I don't like to play like that," Bills coach Chan Gailey said. "I don't think that's who we are. But that's who we were today. We can't sugarcoat it any way. But we're 2-2 today.
"You kicked dirt on us almost after the first game. Everybody was getting high after two, and everybody will kick dirt on us after this week. That's just the way it is."
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady threw for 340 yards and three touchdowns and ran another one in. He didn't get chased much and was sacked just once. Patriots running backs Stevan Ridley and Brandon Bolden rushed for over 100 yards and at least one touchdown apiece.
And that was without the Patriots' best offensive lineman, left guard Logan Mankins.
"To be honest with you, they whipped us," Gailey said. "That's the bottom line. They whipped us.
"They blocked us. We didn't get off blocks and get to the ball. ... They were making our corners make a bunch of tackles, and we missed entirely too many tackles."
Said Bills linebacker Nick Barnett: "Humiliated, disappointed ... All those words could work. That's it. I don't know what other words you can say ... man, pissed off. We'll let it eat at us for 24 hours and turn this thing around."
