Bills take impressive seven years of good vibes into otherwise dim bye week

Lots of doom and plenty of gloom surrounding the Buffalo Bills this week. With two sloppy losses, the team's Super Bowl train has been temporarily derailed by potholes of questions about their slumping receivers, defensive shortcomings and continued mistakes that have led to 19 penalties and five turnovers in two weeks.

In the last two weeks star quarterback Josh Allen has referred to his team as "piss-poor" and admitted to spending some sleepless nights fretting over a 4-0 start gone awry.

MORE: Once-immune Josh Allen and Buffalo Bills suddenly infected by turnover bug

"It's gonna eat at me the next two weeks," Allen said after last Monday night's loss to the Atlanta Falcons. "I mean, a lot of stuff to clean up."

While the 4-2 Bills take a much-needed break this weekend, there is optimism on the horizon.

As we noted earlier this week, head coach Sean McDermott has been pretty salty coming off a Bye week. Perfect, in fact, to the tune of 8-0.

And then there's the model of consistency established by the Bills since Allen's arrival. To wit: The Bills haven't lost three consecutive games during the regular season since Allen's rookie season in 2018.

MORE: Sean McDermott's eye-popping record coming off Bye gives Bills hope for quick rebound

That season they lost four straight in Weeks 6-9, but have avoided even a three-game slide in the ensuing seven seasons.

The Bills will try to extend that streak and break their two-game slide Oct. 26 at the Carolina Panthers.

After opening the season with 41, 30, 31 and 31 points in their 4-0 start, the Bills' offense has produced only 20 and 14 in their last two losses.

MORE: Is honeymoon over for Bills' rookie tight end Jackson Hawes?

"We've got to figure it out," head coach Sean McDermott said. "We've got to dive deep into what we're doing, how we're doing it, making sure we've got the right people in the right positions, and then the execution at the end of the day, we've got to start from ground zero and work our way back up."

Buffalo Bills' defenders giving chase to the Dolphins in 2018. | Bill Ingram / USA TODAY NETWORK

— Enjoy free coverage of the Bills from Buffalo Bills on SI —

More Buffalo Bills News:

Sean McDermott hints at potential post-bye boost to Bills' struggling secondary

Dion Dawkins shared wildly tone-deaf reaction to Bills' second straight loss

Joe Brady's stubborn play calls cost slumping Bills two weeks in a row

Bills officially install players' favorite upgrade in new Highmark Stadium