The lowlights easily outnumber the highlights for Buffalo’s 2012 season -- a year that saw the Bills’ NFL-worst playoff drought stretch to 13 years. For that reason, the Bills are embarking on yet another coaching search -- on Wednesday they were in Arizona to interview former Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt and Cardinals defensive coordinator Ray Horton. 

Before a new coach is named, however, there’s still some time to examine the wreckage from this past season.

Here’s a look at Buffalo’s best and worst moments from 2012.

Highlights:

  • Week 2 blowout win vs. Kansas City -- Following the worst possible start to the season -- an embarrassing 48-28 defeat to the New York Jets -- the Bills bounced back by trouncing the Kansas City Chiefs, 35-17, at home. Optimists had the chance to believe that maybe the Bills needed a week to get their offense in gear following the victory. Instead, though, it just turned out that the Chiefs were one of the few teams in the league worse than the Bills.
  • OT win vs. Arizona -- The Bills were poised to fall to 2-4 in Week 6 against Arizona before DT Alex Carrington gave Buffalo some new life; Carrington blocked Jay Feely’s 38-yard field goal attempt in the closing seconds and the Bills went on to win in overtime. The win appeared to give the Bills some much-needed momentum, though that didn’t last very long.
  • Primetime win over Miami -- Ralph Wilson Stadium is electric in primetime, and Week 11 against the Miami Dolphins was no exception. While the game was hardly a showcase of the sport -- the Bills held on for a 19-14 win in a drab affair -- it was one of the few times Bills fans could enjoy their team at home in a fun Orchard Park environment.

Lowlights:

  • Back-to-back blowout road defeats -- Buffalo stumbled out of the gates in Week 1 against the New York Jets, but the wheels truly came off in horrible defeats in Weeks 4 and 5 to New England (52-28) and San Francisco (45-3). The Bills were outclassed in both games and their defensive deficiencies were thrust into the spotlight. These losses showed just how far the Bills were -- and still are -- from competing with the league’s best.
  • Last-second loss to New England -- For all of Buffalo’s problems in recent years, the Bills have put up some valiant efforts on the road against the rival Patriots. They did once again in Week 10 but came up short in the end. The Bills pushed the Patriots to the limit before a last-minute interception in the end zone ended their comeback. The final play was a source of controversy and an indictment of ex-coach Chan Gailey. Ryan Fitzpatrick’s final pass was intended for rookie WR T.J. Graham, who made the wrong route adjustment. In the days leading up to the game, Gailey said that Graham wasn’t ready for more playing time due to his learning curve with the offense. So why exactly was he in there at such a critical time?
  • Another humiliation in Toronto -- The Bills in Toronto series has been anything but a success as far as on-field performances go, but this one takes the cake. The Bills were blown out of the water, 50-17, by Seattle in Week 15. As disappointing as Buffalo’s season had been up until this point, this was the game that signaled that the end was near for Gailey and his staff.


For more updates on the Bills follow correspondent Mark Ludwiczak on Twitter @CBSSportsNFLBUF and @MarkLud12.