Offensive 'operation is broken' as Bills slip in power rankings

Adam Schultz

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Offensive 'operation is broken' as Bills slip in power rankings image

We know that the NFL is a week-to-week league, and it doesn't take much for a team to feel like they have the answers, only to be punched in the mouth, and right now, the Buffalo Bills have been dealt two haymakers.

After riding high at 4-0 and scoring 30 points at will, the last two weeks, against the New England Patriots and the Atlanta Falcons, the offense has stalled...and badly. A combined 34 points have been scored, along with a whopping five turnovers (just one in the opening month). Things have gone south.

For NFL.com's Eric Edholm, in his latest power rankings, has dropped Buffalo to No.4 while offering a harsh reality of where the offense is right now.

"The Bills are in second place in the AFC East -- gulp -- after their second straight loss, and they're frankly just not a disciplined team right now,” Edholm writes. “In a game where James Cook averaged more than 5 yards per run, the Bills scored 14 points and couldn't break 300 yards. The operation is broken.”

More: Bills lament lack of James Cook involvement late vs. Falcons

Bills must get offense right during bye week

With the plucky Carolina Panthers and then the Kansas City Chiefs up on the schedule after the bye, the Bills don't have it easy, and you could make the case that if the offense continues to play as it has, there is a real chance that they lose one, maybe both of those games.

Granted, they "should" handle Carolina, but with Rico Dowdle still running (after tearing apart Dallas) and the fact that the game is on the road, Buffalo has to be aware of this potential banana skin game.

Oh, then there is the small matter of the Kansas City Chiefs coming to Highmark Stadium.

So, there has to be a sense of urgency for the Bills, who could be in danger of wasting their blistering 4-0 start, all because the offense and, in part, the defense, too, haven't been up to standard.

The operation is broken, and it is up to Brady and the coaching staff to fix it.

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Adam Schultz

Adam Schultz is a freelance writer at The Sporting News. An Australian journalist with years of experience covering the Dallas Cowboys and the NFL, Adam has interviewed several high-profile athletes in Australia for various sites and brings a unique view on the NFL.