CINCINNATI — The Buffalo Bills entered their prime-time matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals holding an early playoff spot in the AFC.
Another inconsistent offensive performance in a 24-18 loss Sunday night dropped the Bills (5-4) out of postseason position — and gave them more regular-season losses already than they had all last year.
Still, Sean McDermott isn’t concerned about the confidence level of his team.
“These guys are invested,” the Bills coach said. “It’s tough to win in the NFL. When you go up against a good football team, you have to do things right. We didn’t do enough things right tonight to win.”
And it cost the Bills a chance to tie the Dolphins for first place in the AFC East after Miami lost to Kansas City earlier Sunday.
It was a rematch of last season’s AFC divisional playoff round when the Bills, who went 13-3 in the regular season, lost 27-10 to the Bengals. This one got off to an encouraging for the Bills, who drove 85 yards in seven plays on their first possession. A 2-yard touchdown run by Josh Allen tied it at 7.
But Allen, who has thrown an interception in each of his past five games, and the Bills’ offense couldn’t keep up with the Bengals’ resurgent offense and a healthy Joe Burrow.
Cincinnati Bengals safety Nick Scott (33) makes a hit on Buffalo Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid (86) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 5, 2023, in Cincinnati. Kincaid fumbled the ball on the play and Scott recovered the ball. Credit: AP/Darron Cummings
“We’ve got to continue to coach and continue to play and play hard,” McDermott said. “You have to find ways to win. It starts up front on both sides of the ball. Right now, it’s too inconsistent.”
The Bills haven’t gotten much production from the receiving corps outside of Stefon Diggs and tight end Dalton Kincaid.
On Sunday, Diggs and Kincaid combined for 167 of the Bills’ 258 yards receiving.
“Last week, we spread the ball around and tonight not as…
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