Derek Anderson: 'I wouldn't question the effort'
Derek Anderson started his first NFL game in nearly two years on Sunday, and he'd be the first person to tell you that the result wasn't ideal.
Anderson completed 65 percent of his passes in the 37-5 loss to the Colts.. The offense largely struggled in the contest, putting only three points on the scoreboard. The veteran signal-caller, however, didn't question his teammates' effort in the contest. While he realizes that improvements have to be made, he appreciates the offense's strong work ethic.
"I didn't think there was a lack of effort by any means," Anderson said. "Obviously I think we need to play a little harder at times and smarter, but I wouldn't question the effort.
"Coming out in the second half, we just tried to get some momentum. There was never a time when guys were bickering. We just came in the huddle and I said 'Let's do this one play at a time. You can only do it one play at a time.' It's cliché, but realistically that's how you build momentum. Overall, the energy was positive."
Zay Jones: 'Derek did a good job'
Though Buffalo's offense as a whole will try to quickly move past Sunday's outing, the unit's performance wasn't without its positives. Anderson made a few solid throws on the day, completing 20 passes for 175 yards.
Anderson got his receiving corps involved in the game. Kelvin Benjamin caught four passes for 71 yards, his best performance as a Bill. Sophomore Zay Jones reeled in three passes for 27 yards.
Jones thinks that Buffalo received a solid outing from its signal caller, especially considering that Anderson hasn't even been on the Bills' roster for two weeks.
"Derek did a good job," Jones said. "Probably the best that he could. I'm sure he'd want to do better. Everybody wants to do better. It's just frustrating when things just don't go your way."
Charles Clay still confident in Bills' offense
The Bills found themselves knocking on the door midway through the second quarter. Nearly in Indianapolis' red zone, Anderson connected with tight end Charles Clay on a short pass that would've set Buffalo up at the Colts' 13-yard line. Clay, however, fumbled the ball. Indianapolis recovered and capped off the subsequent drive with a touchdown.
"It's very deflating," Clay said. "They count on me in those situations to make that play and I didn't. I've just got to go back to work and prevent it from happening again."
Though Clay's confidence took a hit after the play, he still feels as though Buffalo's offense is capable of achieving greatness.
"We're capable of doing some really good things when we're all doing our job," Clay said. "In that situation they're counting on me to make that play. I didn't. Just got to go back to work. There's nothing I can do about it now. Just work on preventing it from happening again and be there for my team next week."
Lorenzo Alexander: 'We have to figure out how to make plays'
The Bills' defense struggled to contain Indianapolis' offense on Sunday. Andrew Luck completed 17 passes for 156 yards and four touchdowns. Marlon Mack constructed his best outing of the season thus far, running for 126 yards and one score.
The Colts finished the game with 376 net yards on a Buffalo defense that looked overpowered at times. Bills linebacker Lorenzo Alexander feels as though Indianapolis constructed a stellar game plan for the contest.
"Just feast or famine for us," Alexander said. "They came out and executed a great game plan. They were all over the board as far as their run game and we weren't able to get a bead on what they were doing. I thought they did a great job of switching it up. In the end we have to figure out how to make plays. Win on first and second down and get a team like that in third and long if we're going to give ourselves a chance.
Micah Hyde: 'Nothing went well'
The Bills followed up stellar defensive outings in Weeks 5 and 6 with a lackluster performance in Week 7. Though the team has past success to look to, safety Micah Hyde knows that the unit has to make adjustments moving forward.
"Everything went wrong," Hyde said. Can't make excuses. Just an awful performance by us. Doesn't matter what we did in the past few games, you're only as good as your last game and we just went out there and laid an egg. Nothing went well. Nothing at all. Couldn't stop the run, couldn't stop the pass, couldn't stop anything."
Jerry Hughes takes accountability in loss
Jerry Hughes took an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on an extra point attempt in the second quarter.
Hughes, however, feels as though his muted effort stretches further than his penalty. The defensive end took accountability in the loss.
"You guys put so much emphasis on the penalty in the game that was clearly out of our hands, and we didn't (play) great football," Hughes said. "We didn't play great football today. I didn't tackle, I didn't make any plays, didn't get a sack, didn't force a fumble, didn't do anything, and it shows. So a penalty, we can sit here and talk about a penalty, but my lackluster performance was horrible. If our team is going to win games, I understand I have to get out there and make plays.
Game day photos from Week 7 of the 2018 season as the Buffalo Bills take on the Indianapolis Colts.
Buffalo Bills vs Indianapolis Colts game at Lucas Oil Stadium on October 21, 2018. Photo by Craig Melvin
Buffalo Bills at Indianapolis Colts, October 21, 2018 at Lucas Oil Stadium. Photo by Jeffrey T. Barnes
Buffalo Bills quarterback Derek Anderson (3) in pre game at the Buffalo Bills vs Indianapolis Colts game at Lucas Oil Stadium on October 21, 2018. Photo by Craig Melvin
Buffalo Bills at Indianapolis Colts, October 21, 2018 at Lucas Oil Stadium. Photo by Jeffrey T. Barnes
Buffalo Bills at Indianapolis Colts, October 21, 2018 at Lucas Oil Stadium. Photo by Jeffrey T. Barnes
Buffalo Bills vs Indianapolis Colts game at Lucas Oil Stadium on October 21, 2018. Photo by Craig Melvin
Buffalo Bills at Indianapolis Colts, October 21, 2018 at Lucas Oil Stadium. Photo by Jeffrey T. Barnes
Buffalo Bills at Indianapolis Colts, October 21, 2018 at Lucas Oil Stadium. Photo by Jeffrey T. Barnes
Buffalo Bills vs Indianapolis Colts game at Lucas Oil Stadium on October 21, 2018. Photo by Craig Melvin
Buffalo Bills vs Indianapolis Colts game at Lucas Oil Stadium on October 21, 2018. Photo by Craig Melvin
Buffalo Bills at Indianapolis Colts, October 21, 2018 at Lucas Oil Stadium. Photo by Jeffrey T. Barnes
Buffalo Bills at Indianapolis Colts, October 21, 2018 at Lucas Oil Stadium. Photo by Jeffrey T. Barnes
Buffalo Bills at Indianapolis Colts, October 21, 2018 at Lucas Oil Stadium. Photo by Jeffrey T. Barnes
Buffalo Bills vs Indianapolis Colts game at Lucas Oil Stadium on October 21, 2018. Photo by Craig Melvin
Buffalo Bills vs Indianapolis Colts game at Lucas Oil Stadium on October 21, 2018. Photo by Craig Melvin
Buffalo Bills at Indianapolis Colts, October 21, 2018 at Lucas Oil Stadium. Photo by Jeffrey T. Barnes
Buffalo Bills vs Indianapolis Colts game at Lucas Oil Stadium on October 21, 2018. Photo by Craig Melvin
Buffalo Bills at Indianapolis Colts, October 21, 2018 at Lucas Oil Stadium. Photo by Jeffrey T. Barnes
Buffalo Bills vs Indianapolis Colts game at Lucas Oil Stadium on October 21, 2018. Photo by Craig Melvin
Buffalo Bills vs Indianapolis Colts game at Lucas Oil Stadium on October 21, 2018. Photo by Craig Melvin
Buffalo Bills vs Indianapolis Colts game at Lucas Oil Stadium on October 21, 2018. Photo by Craig Melvin
Buffalo Bills vs Indianapolis Colts game at Lucas Oil Stadium on October 21, 2018. Photo by Craig Melvin
Buffalo Bills vs Indianapolis Colts game at Lucas Oil Stadium on October 21, 2018. Photo by Craig Melvin
Buffalo Bills vs Indianapolis Colts game at Lucas Oil Stadium on October 21, 2018. Photo by Craig Melvin
Buffalo Bills at Indianapolis Colts, October 21, 2018 at Lucas Oil Stadium. Photo by Jeffrey T. Barnes
Buffalo Bills at Indianapolis Colts, October 21, 2018 at Lucas Oil Stadium. Photo by Jeffrey T. Barnes
Buffalo Bills at Indianapolis Colts, October 21, 2018 at Lucas Oil Stadium. Photo by Jeffrey T. Barnes
Buffalo Bills at Indianapolis Colts, October 21, 2018 at Lucas Oil Stadium. Photo by Jeffrey T. Barnes
Buffalo Bills at Indianapolis Colts, October 21, 2018 at Lucas Oil Stadium. Photo by Jeffrey T. Barnes
Buffalo Bills at Indianapolis Colts, October 21, 2018 at Lucas Oil Stadium. Photo by Jeffrey T. Barnes
Buffalo Bills at Indianapolis Colts, October 21, 2018 at Lucas Oil Stadium. Photo by Jeffrey T. Barnes
Buffalo Bills at Indianapolis Colts, October 21, 2018 at Lucas Oil Stadium. Photo by Jeffrey T. Barnes
Buffalo Bills at Indianapolis Colts, October 21, 2018 at Lucas Oil Stadium. Photo by Jeffrey T. Barnes
Buffalo Bills at Indianapolis Colts, October 21, 2018 at Lucas Oil Stadium. Photo by Jeffrey T. Barnes
Buffalo Bills vs Indianapolis Colts game at Lucas Oil Stadium on October 21, 2018. Photo by Craig Melvin
Buffalo Bills vs Indianapolis Colts game at Lucas Oil Stadium on October 21, 2018. Photo by Craig Melvin
Buffalo Bills vs Indianapolis Colts game at Lucas Oil Stadium on October 21, 2018. Photo by Craig Melvin
Buffalo Bills vs Indianapolis Colts game at Lucas Oil Stadium on October 21, 2018. Photo by Craig Melvin
Buffalo Bills vs Indianapolis Colts game at Lucas Oil Stadium on October 21, 2018. Photo by Craig Melvin
Buffalo Bills vs Indianapolis Colts game at Lucas Oil Stadium on October 21, 2018. Photo by Craig Melvin
Buffalo Bills vs Indianapolis Colts game at Lucas Oil Stadium on October 21, 2018. Photo by Craig Melvin
Buffalo Bills vs Indianapolis Colts game at Lucas Oil Stadium on October 21, 2018. Photo by Craig Melvin
Buffalo Bills vs Indianapolis Colts game at Lucas Oil Stadium on October 21, 2018. Photo by Craig Melvin
Buffalo Bills vs Indianapolis Colts game at Lucas Oil Stadium on October 21, 2018. Photo by Craig Melvin
Buffalo Bills vs Indianapolis Colts game at Lucas Oil Stadium on October 21, 2018. Photo by Craig Melvin
Buffalo Bills vs Indianapolis Colts game at Lucas Oil Stadium on October 21, 2018. Photo by Craig Melvin
Buffalo Bills at Indianapolis Colts, October 21, 2018 at Lucas Oil Stadium. Photo by Jeffrey T. Barnes
Buffalo Bills at Indianapolis Colts, October 21, 2018 at Lucas Oil Stadium. Photo by Jeffrey T. Barnes
Buffalo Bills at Indianapolis Colts, October 21, 2018 at Lucas Oil Stadium. Photo by Jeffrey T. Barnes
Buffalo Bills at Indianapolis Colts, October 21, 2018 at Lucas Oil Stadium. Photo by Jeffrey T. Barnes
Buffalo Bills at Indianapolis Colts, October 21, 2018 at Lucas Oil Stadium. Photo by Jeffrey T. Barnes
Buffalo Bills at Indianapolis Colts, October 21, 2018 at Lucas Oil Stadium. Photo by Jeffrey T. Barnes
Buffalo Bills at Indianapolis Colts, October 21, 2018 at Lucas Oil Stadium. Photo by Jeffrey T. Barnes
Buffalo Bills at Indianapolis Colts, October 21, 2018 at Lucas Oil Stadium. Photo by Jeffrey T. Barnes
