The Buffalo Bills were hoping the return of EJ Manuel meant a spark in the team. The Bills once again find themselves struggling at 3-7 following a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The offense struggled throughout most of the game, leaving players frustrated with the direction Buffalo is heading.
The Bills will look to get back on track against the New York Jets in a Sunday matchup, but they might have to do so without one of their star players. Wide receiver Stevie Johnson left Sunday's game early with what is being reported as a groin injury. He left in the fourth quarter after recording 48 yards on three passes.
"I just don't know right now," Johnson said, via the team website. "I need to get more work done, then we'll find out later in the week. [The groin injury] probably feels a little worse. It's one of those seasons where it seems like you get hurt on everything. It sucks. I'm probably doing more than I've done any other season, and I'm still having these wild injuries. It's happening on plays where we get positive yards. It's no fluke-type deal. It's just football."
Johnson is not just frustrated with his overall health, he is frustrated at the struggles facing the Bills. The team has lost five of their last six games, leaving many players trying to find answers. Johnson says he is not pointing any fingers, but the offense is just not moving the ball.
"I'm just frustrated," said Johnson. "I'm not discouraged by anybody on the team. It is a loss. It's very frustrating. My frustration level is a 10. When you're losing games nobody should be happy. It doesn't matter who is at the helm. We have got to be able to come together as a team. It's not on one person or a couple players. This is a team game. We need to figure it out. We moved the ball but not enough. This is a step back because we got the loss. We are another week behind."
Johnson may not be pointing any fingers, but it was clear the quarterback struggles played a large part in the team's loss. Manuel returned after missing a month with a knee sprain. He completed 22 of 39 passes for 155 yards, including a touchdown and an interception. He denied that he felt any rust in his anticipated return, but noted that the pace of the game was a struggle. Manuel was sacked three times and never looked like the explosive playmaker he was in September.
"I felt like I've come too far, as far as what I've learned, not just physically, but also mentally. I'm not going to let a performance like this or a loss or anything take me down. I'm going to continue to try to get better and stay positive and move forward to next week," Manuel said.
