'I Feel Terrible!' Bills K Tyler Bass Reacts to Critical Miss vs. Chiefs
Buffalo Bills kicker Tyler Bass eyed his target, look down, and charged.
A few seconds later, Bass was the villain, prompting a wave of silence inside a crowded Highmark Stadium filled with shocked members of Bills Mafia.
Bass's 44-yard field goal sailed wide right. Had he connected, the Bills would've knotted the scoreboard at 27 apiece with less than two minutes to play.
Instead, Bass missed, and the Kansas City Chiefs picked up a first down two plays later, cementing a 27-24 victory Sunday night and earning the right to play in next week's AFC Championship game.
Buffalo Bills place kicker Tyler Bass (2) walks off the field after missing what would have been a game tying field goal in a 27-24 loss to the Chiefs in the divisional round.
Credit: © Jamie Germano/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK
"I feel terrible," Bass said postgame. "I love this team, and it hurts. This one hurts bad. I've got to do a better job."
The Bills, led by quarterback Josh Allen, put together a 16-play, 54-yard drive that took nearly seven minutes off the clock. For a moment, it appeared Buffalo would have a chance to throw a knockout punch at Kansas City.
Instead, back-to-back incompletions from Allen set the stage for Bass's game-tying attempt. Facing left-to-right wind, Bass eyed his target and trusted the line he hit during pre-game warmups.
Reid Ferguson's snap was good, as was Sam Martin's hold. Bass' kick wasn't.
"Ultimately, it's completely on me," Bass said. "Got to do a better job of getting through to my target. Got to do a better job of playing it a little bit more left when you have a left-to-right. I've been here long enough to know that you have to do that."
In Monday's wildcard victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, Bass made just one of three field goal attempts. He hit his first try against Kansas City, a 27-yarder that capped the game's opening possession.
Prior to his late miss, Bass had made all five of his kicks Sunday, as he was four of four on extra points in addition to his early chip shot.
Bass said his confidence was high, as he had a good week of practice after making a couple of adjustments. His mind was in the right place, and so were his first five kicks - but the one that ultimately mattered most wasn't.
Still, the Bills' season didn't come to a close just because of Bass - just ask Allen, who consoled the fourth-year kicker as they trudged off the field together.
"I wish it wouldn't have been put in that situation," Allen said. "You win as a team, you lose as a team. One play doesn't define a game, it doesn't define a season. I know people are going to be out there saying that.
"We've got to be there for him, because again, we execute a couple plays prior, probably singing a different tune right now."
Bass finished the season by hitting 82.8 percent of his field goals, ranking No. 28 league wide. He'd eclipsed 87 percent in each of the previous two years.
It's a frustrating finish to a statistical regression for Bass, who's now at the forefront of Buffalo's third season-ending loss to Kansas City in the last four years.
As Allen said, there were several other factors - but Bass's miss will ultimately be what's remembered most. He was supported and consoled by teammates afterwards, providing a fitting representation of the Bills' locker room.
But now, Buffalo's done ... and Bass is left heartbroken.
"We've got a special bond in this building," Bass said. "I'm forever grateful to be a Buffalo Bill. I'm disappointed. It hurts."
