Location: New Era Field, Orchard Park, NY
Regular season records: Buffalo (2-7), Chicago (5-3)
In a nutshell:
Buffalo's offense showed signs of life late, but ultimately, a first half deficit of 28 points would prove to be too much to overcome in the 41-9 loss. The Bills dropped their Week 9 contest with the Bears by a score of
The offense struggled throughout the majority of the loss, not putting up their first points until the second half. Nathan Peterman was asked to throw early and often on Sunday, completing 31 of 49 passes for 189 yards. He also threw three interceptions.
LeSean McCoy rushed for 10 yards on 10 attempts.
Buffalo's defense largely containing Chicago's offensive playmakers. The team held running back Tarik Cohen to just six offensive yards.
Mitchell Trubisky completed just 12 passes on the day. The Bills held the dual-threat passer, who entered the game with 296 rushing yards on the season, to just one yard on the ground.
With the loss, the Bills fell to 2-7 on the season.
How it went down:
- Chicago set up shop deep in Buffalo territory after an unnecessary roughness penalty tacked an extra 15-yards onto a Tarik Cohen punt return. A 26-yard completion to Trey Burton got the Bears into the red zone, and Jordan Howard ultimately capped off the drive with a one-yard touchdown run, giving Chicago the lead early in the second quarter (7-0).
- Bears' linebacker Roquan Smith forced a Jason Croom fumble midway through the second quarter. Safety Eddie Jackson recovered the fumble and took it to the end zone, a 65-yard scoop and score that gave Chicago a two-possession lead (14-0).
- Leonard Floyd intercepted a Nathan Peterman pass on Buffalo's 18-yard line with less than four minutes remaining in the first half. He strolled into the end zone to give the Bears a three-score advantage (21-0).
- A 38-yard punt return by Cohen set the Bears up at Buffalo's 23-yard line with less than one minute remaining in the second quarter. On the second play of the series, Howard ran the ball in from 18-yards out to increase the Bears' lead to 28 after the extra point (28-0).
- The Bills drove down the field on their opening series of the second half. Peterman completed seven passes on the drive, constructing a 12-play, 52-yard series that stalled out deep in Chicago territory. Stephen Hauschka was true from 41-yards out to give the Bills their first points of the game (28-3).
- The Bears got into field goal range early in the third quarter off a Phillip Gaines defensive pass interference penalty. Buffalo's defense stood strong with its back against its own end zone, holding Chicago to a Cody Parkey field goal (31-3).
- A Kyle Fuller interception gave Chicago possession of the ball in Buffalo territory. After two rushes and an incomplete pass, the Bears settled for another field goal (34-3).
- The Bills took 7:52 off the clock in the fourth quarter with a 15-play, 75-yard drive that resulted in Buffalo's first touchdown of the day. Nathan Peterman fell into the end zone from one yard out to give the Bills their first score. Buffalo's two-point conversion attempt was thwarted (34-9).
- A Gaines pass interference penalty gave Chicago a fresh set of downs on the two-yard line. Mitchell Trubisky quickly found Trey Burton in the back of the end zone for a score (41-9).
Subplots:
- WR Terrelle Pryor made his Bills debut on Sunday.
- Rookie OG Wyatt Teller played in his first NFL game on Sunday.
- TE Logan Thomas caught seven passes on the day, a career high.
- LB Julian Stanford recorded a strip sack in the first quarter, notching his first career sack and forced fumble on the same play.
- Stanford also led the team in tackles on the day, recording eight.
- The announced attendance for the game was 68,749.
- Inactive for the game were QB Derek Anderson, QB Josh Allen, LB Tremaine Edmunds, OL Ike Boettger, OT Conor McDermott, WR Cam Phillips, and DE Trent Murphy.
Up next:
The Bills will meet their second AFC East foe of the season in Week 10 when they take on the Jets at MetLife Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
