Arrow Up/Arrow Down: Bears at Bills preseason

Orchard Park, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - The Buffalo Bills lost, 33-6, to the Chicago Bears in their opening preseason game of 2024 on Saturday afternoon at Highmark Stadium.

Here are my first Arrows Up and Down of the new season, starting with the ones facing down after a loss:

ARROW DOWN:

Run game

The Bills got stuffed most of the afternoon, gaining a total of 77 yards on the ground and averaging just 3.0 yards per carry. Outside of quarterback runs, they totaled 36 yards and 1.89 yards per run.

QB - Shane Buechele

It looked like things were happening too fast for the Bills third string quarterback, who was sacked six times and threw a pick-six for a Bears score.

Pass protection

The Bills gave up eight sacks and the Bears were credited with an additional 11 quarterback hurries.

WR - Marquez Valdes-Scantling

With the Bills trailing just 6-3 late in the second quarter and running a two-minute offense to try and score, Valdes-Scantling dropped a pass right in his hands that might have resulted in a first down.

Penalties

The Bills committed 11 penalties for 75 yards. Far too many and too costly.

RB - Ray Davis

It was tough sledding for Davis when he was given the ball. Much of that was due to a lack of holes. But he also seemed to get stopped too easily on a couple of runs, finishing with five carries for two yards, a 0.4 yards per-carry average.

K.J. Hamler dropped kickoff

After the Bears' second field goal to make it 6-0, Hamler muffed the next kickoff. He picked it up and gained just two yards, forcing the Bills offense to start at their own 17-yard line.

Third down defense to start game

Over the Bears first two offensive drives, the Bills gave up a 3rd and 12, 3rd and 9, and committed a penalty on 3rd and 6 that gave Chicago a first down.

Outside runs on defense

The Bills gave up far too may yards on the edges. The Bears attacked the outside and were successful doing it.

Third down offense

The Bills were just 6-for-17 on third downs for the game (35.3%).

Red zone offense

The Bills had the ball inside the Bears 20-yard line twice and didn't score a touchdown either time.

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ARROW UP:

Early red zone defense

On the Bears first two drives, they got the ball to the Bills 12 and 13 yards lines, respectively. Buffalo's defense held and Chicago settled for a pair of field goals.

RB - Frank Gore Jr.

Gore ran seven times for 21 yards, breaking some tackles, and also caught three passes for 16 yards, finishing with a total of 37 yards from scrimmage, the most of any Bills player in the game.

WR - Khalil Shakir

"Mr. Steady and Reliable" was targeted three times and caught all three passes for 28 yards.

K - Tyler Bass

In a stiff wind, Bass connected on his only two field goal attempts of the day, from 24 and 49 yards.

Challenges

Bills head coach Sean McDermott does not have a good record when it comes to throwing the challenge flag, but he was 2-for-2 when he challenged a 3rd-and-11 completion in the second quarter and a 3rd-and-9 completion in the fourth quarter. Both were reversed in the Bills' favor.