Kalil's chance to fly under radar evaporates

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. – Embattled left tackle Matt Kalil came within one second of being less embattled left tackle Matt Kalil. Or at least temporarily overlooked left tackle Matt Kalil.

"If we win this game, we're not getting the same interview," Kalil said after Bills receiver Sammy Watkins caught a 2-yard touchdown pass with one second left to beat the Vikings 17-16 at Ralph Wilson Stadium.

But the Vikings didn't win the game and, therefore, all of the warts that would have been overlooked were exposed after the Vikings fell to 2-5. And, yes, some of those blemishes showed up on the familiar face of Kalil, who was penalized twice for 15 yards and played a role in Bills defensive end Jerry Hughes notching 1½ sacks, including a turning-point takedown deep in the red zone in the fourth quarter.

"We all worked our butts off as an offensive line to step it up after last week, and I thought we did that," said Kalil, referring to the eight sacks in the 17-3 loss to the Lions. "I thought I had a solid game in pass protection. I can always get better in the run game a little bit. But if we win this game, everybody is praising us. It just comes with a loss."

Although it was the defense that blew the lead — allowing a fourth-and-20 conversion with 1:27 left — it was the offense that put the defense in a bind when it settled for a field goal despite having first-and-goal from the 7-yard line with 13 minutes, 35 seconds left in the fourth quarter.

It was Hughes who blew past Kalil through the gap next to left guard Charlie Johnson to drop quarterback Teddy Bridgewater for a 7-yard loss on that first-and-goal.

"It was just a miscommunication," Kalil said.

"I'm reading inside gap and working back outside," Kalil said. "I have to see the film."

The Bills attacked the other side on second-and-goal. Tackle Marcell Dareus executed a stunt to the outside, looping around right tackle Phil Loadholt for a 9-yard sack.

"It wasn't anything we hadn't seen before," Loadholt said. "They executed a game, and we didn't pick it up. No excuses."

On third-and-goal from the 23, offensive coordinator Norv Turner played it safe with a running play so the Vikings could settle for a 33-yard field goal and a 16-10 lead with 11:45 left.

"I wasn't nervous at all because of the defense we have," Bridgewater said. "But I do understand that field goals don't win games."

"Bad decision by me," he said. "There was a run-pass option. I should have just left the run on. I was overthinking things."

A lot of good was overshadowed in the loss. The six sacks and four takeaways by the defense, the 158 yards rushing against the No. 1 run defense and Kalil's chance for a break from being a punching bag locally and on Pro Football Focus, which ranks him as the worst tackle in the league.