Tyler Bass laments missed FG after Buffalo Payments’ loss

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — The kick initially regarded prefer it was headed by the uprights. Then, it sharply modified route with the 11-13 mph winds in Orchard Park serving to the ball go up and to the precise, away from the upright.

The missed 44-yard area purpose by Buffalo Payments kicker Tyler Bass left 1:43 on the clock for the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs, the ball on the Chiefs’ 34-yard line and a three-point lead.

“Finally, it is fully on me. I’ve bought to do a greater job of getting by to my goal,” Bass stated. “I’ve bought to do a greater job of taking part in it a bit bit extra left when you could have a left to proper [wind]. I have been right here lengthy sufficient to know that it’s important to try this. You realize, I used to be trusting my line that I had in warmups. Hit an excellent ball, nevertheless it did not work out. I really feel horrible, you already know? I really like this staff and it hurts. This one hurts unhealthy. Yeah, I’ve bought to do a greater job. Completely on me.”

Bass completed the common and postseason along with his lowest area purpose share in his four-year profession (76.5%). Coach Sean McDermott stated after the sport that they’ve “full confidence” in Bass. The coach additionally pointed to protection and particular groups not taking part in the “approach we wanted to.”

The sphere purpose try can be simply one other what-if second for the Payments in a recreation filled with possibilities and a wide range of extra game-changing moments that ended with extra of the identical. For a third-straight season, the Payments’ 12 months ended within the divisional spherical of the playoffs with the 27-24 loss at house to the Chiefs and prolonged the staff’s file vs. Kansas Metropolis with Patrick Mahomes at quarterback within the postseason to 0-3. One other postseason, one other loss for Buffalo to Kansas Metropolis.

“I want [Bass] would not have been put in that state of affairs,” quarterback Josh Allen stated. “You win as a staff, you lose as a staff. One play does not outline a recreation. It does not outline a season. I do know persons are going to be on the market saying that. We bought to be there for him as a result of once more, we execute a few performs prior, most likely singing a unique tune proper now.”

Bass’ kick was joined by two incompletions from the Kansas Metropolis 26-yard line main as much as the kick on a 16-play, 54-yard drive that led to no factors. That features a second-and-9 play that noticed vast receiver Stefon Diggs open as he ran throughout the center of the sphere, however Allen focused Khalil Shakir deep as he was pressured by defensive sort out Chris Jones. Add to {that a} drop by Diggs on a protracted go downfield on the primary play of the ultimate drive.

The what-ifs for the Payments additionally lengthen to an offensive strategy that noticed the Payments not having an offensive play longer than 18 yards, solely the second time in Allen’s 103 profession begins, together with playoffs, that the Payments had zero performs acquire 20-plus yards in a recreation (Week 5, 2018). Allen averaged 0.7 air yards on 26 completions with 24 coming inside 5 yards of the road of scrimmage. Since 2006, solely two quarterbacks have accomplished 20-plus passes in a recreation and averaged fewer air yards on their completions.

Allen completed the sport finishing 26 of 39 passes for 186 yards and a landing, along with dashing for 72 yards on 12 carries and two dashing scores. There have been no turnovers or sacks. The Payments owned the time of possession (37:03), however as an offense solely produced seven second half factors.

“Dropping sucks,” Allen stated. “Dropping to them, dropping to anyone at house sucks.”

Defensively, the Payments gave up two touchdowns on the Chiefs’ first drives of the second half, and the large performs made their mark. The Chiefs had a season-high eight performs that gained 20-plus yards. Accidents performed a job on protection, however the unit was unable to pressure a turnover — one thing that it has taken pleasure in doing with takeaways a signature of a six-game profitable streak that the Payments got here into the sport with (recorded no less than one in 5 of the video games). The protection additionally allowed tight finish Travis Kelce to get unfastened, catching 5 receptions for 75 yards and two touchdowns. The protection serving to pressure a fumble out of bounds by Mecole Hardman after a failed pretend punt by the Payments on a Damar Hamlin carry proved to not be sufficient to be a game-saver.

“Simply comes down to creating the performs that come your approach, making the tackles and doing all of your job,” defensive sort out DaQuan Jones stated. “A few of these performs, we weren’t doing that and so they uncovered us.”

An offseason with huge selections and query marks awaits the Payments after one other AFC East title — one which had a 4% likelihood of taking place, per ESPN Analytics, when the Payments had been 6-6 after Week 13. One other likelihood for the franchise’s first Tremendous Bowl title will wait one other 12 months.

“I am extraordinarily dissatisfied. I imply, you place a lot time into this,” McDermott stated. “We put a lot time right into a season, not to mention this recreation, and the preparation for it, and to return out and to not carry out the way in which I would hoped we might’ve, it is extraordinarily disappointing and irritating and it is a sort of state of affairs in our enterprise the place you bought to spend the entire offseason serious about it, nevertheless it drives you tougher, if that is even attainable to drive somebody tougher, drives you tougher to return again subsequent season and proceed to work at it.”