Rex Ryan expected to take the Buffalo Bills to the playoffs in 2015. His team fell short, officially being eliminated from postseason contention with a 35-25 loss to the Washington Redskins.
It was another disappointing week chalk full of errors and penalties.
While Ryan has verbally shouldered the blame for consistent poor performances throughout the season, following Sunday's defeat star receiver Sammy Watkins emphatically stated that players must take ownership of their poor play.
"We need to forget about anybody's feelings," Watkins told the Buffalo News' Tyler Dunne. "We need to call people out. If I'm doing something wrong, call me out. If the line is doing something wrong or messing up, call them out. If the defense is doing something wrong, the defensive line, the secondary, call it out. Because at the end of the day, we're doing it to win, not to get on somebody and make them feel bad. We're grown men. This is our job. We get paid millions and hundreds of thousands of dollars. Forget the money. You've got to go out there each week and play for the guy next to you.
"Once we get to that point and realize that you could get fired the next day -- and make it known. Hey, this is your job. If you're not going to do your job, cut him. It needs to be a business. And I think once we get to that, we need some nasty coaches. If they're not doing their job, get them out of here. If I'm not doing my job, step to me and get me out of here."
There should be a roster flux next season in Buffalo, specifically on a disappointing defense where players like Mario Williams are clearly disgruntled with their role in Ryan's offense.
Watkins repeatedly said Sunday players shouldn't fault coaches, the front office or anyone else for a lost season. He pointed the finger of blame squarely at the men in pads.
"I think everybody needs to look at themselves in the mirror -- forget the coaches," Watkins said. "It's not the coaches' team. It's the players' team. And we've got to take over as players."
