ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) -Take it from experience, Lee Evans could’ve written the book on `New and Imaginative Ways of Losing’ after his previous four seasons in Buffalo.
The receiver had just about seen it all, from close losses to blowouts to helplessly watching his team squander an eight-point lead in the final 20 seconds against Dallas a year ago. You name it, and the Bills would figure out a way to blow it.
Looking back on it now, Evans can’t help but smile and wonder whether there was a hard lesson learned out of such frustration. Maybe such education is showing up in a sudden propensity for big finishes in helping Buffalo (4-0) to its best start in 16 years.
“Really, honestly, I think it comes from the last couple of years of losing a lot of close games and learning from it,” Evans said Monday. “We’re having a lot of fun doing it.”
Louis. Buffalo trailed 14-13 before cornerback Jabari Greer returned an interception 33 yards for the go-ahead score, and sparked an 18-point fourth-quarter surge.
That, though, was nothing compared to a week earlier, when Buffalo scored 17 points in the fourth quarter to erase two nine-point deficits in a 24-23 win over Oakland. And the comeback run began with a 20-16 win at Jacksonville on Sept. 14, in which the Bills scored 10 unanswered points in final 4 minutes.
Add them all up and it’s no surprise the Bills are brimming with confidence and resolve as they prepare to play at Arizona (2-2) on Sunday.
“I think it’s done wonders for our confidence,” Greer said. “The way that we’ve come together as a team, I think it gives us momentum and gives us belief in ourselves to know we can win when the game’s not necessarily all in our control.”
The contributions have come from numerous players, starting with quarterback Trent Edwards, who has been near-perfect in the clutch. In the fourth quarter of each of the past three victories, Edwards has gone a combined 24-of-32 for 336 yards with three touchdowns, a 2-point conversion and no interceptions.
ay through last season.
The Bills have already scored 45 points in the fourth quarter this season after managing just 64 last year.
The defense has also done its part in the final 15 minutes. Besides Greer’s interception return, Buffalo has held opponents to 10 points and 12 first downs in the fourth quarter.
Don’t forget special teams. Rian Lindell’s 38-yard field goal as time ran out sealed the win over Oakland.
This is nothing like the 2007 Bills who twice lost on the final play of the game; or, in 2006, went 2-5 in games decided by three points or less; or have gone eight seasons without making the playoffs, the longest drought in team history.
Prior to this year, the Bills had not won four games before November since getting off to a 4-3 start in 2003.
“This is a fun team to be around because everybody plays together,” punter Brian Moorman said. “You have to play four quarters in this league and we’ve seen it in the past where we didn’t. And now we are seeing results of that.”
Just don’t ask the Bills how good they are.
“We still don’t feel like we’re anywhere near our potential,” Edwards said. “We’re going in the right direction. But we still have a lot left to give. So I don’t know how good we can be.”
The Bills remain cautious because they realize the only reason they’re earning credit for big finishes is because they’re falling behind early.
ed to start getting some big starts,” receiver Josh Reed said. “We can always improve on something.”
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