Despite a rough season, the Bills’ QB is confident in his abilities.

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) – Drew Bledsoe is resigned to following up one of his most prolific seasons with one of his worst.

What remains unchanged is the Buffalo Bills quarterback maintaining confidence in his abilities.

“If I get to the point where I don’t believe I can get it done, I’ll come in here and tell you that and I’ll walk away,” Bledsoe said Wednesday. “I know I can make the throws and make the plays when they’re there.”

Problem is, that hasn’t been apparent on the field for Bledsoe in his 11th NFL season, and second with Buffalo.

A year after establishing 10 franchise records and finishing second in the NFL with 4,359 yards passing, Bledsoe’s numbers have declined significantly. That represents a major reason why the Bills (6-8), who host Miami on Sunday, are out of playoff contention and have failed to build off of last year’s encouraging 8-8 finish.

Bledsoe’s 2,663 yards passing through 14 games are almost 1,300 yards off of last year’s pace. Just as disturbing, he’s managed 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

With two games remaining, there’s a chance that the former No. 1 draft pick could finish under 3,000 yards passing for the first time since he’s started at least 14 games in a season. And, except for 2001 when he appeared in only two games, he’s never finished a season with fewer than 13 touchdowns.

“It’s been a disappointing season,” Bledsoe said. “From the standpoint of playing the way we needed to play to be effective, preventing some of the negative plays that put us in bad situations, I don’t know that I’ve been as effective doing that as I should have been.”

That was evident yet again in Buffalo’s 28-26 loss at Tennessee Sunday. With the Bills ahead 17-6 in the third quarter, Bledsoe fumbled as he was sacked from behind by Keith Bulluck. The Titans recovered on the Buffalo 18 and scored three plays later to spark their comeback.

It marked Bledsoe’s 12th fumble of the season, and eighth time in which the opposition has recovered the ball.

As difficult as it’s been, the blame can’t be fully laid on Bledsoe. The offensive line has been banged up as has top receiver Eric Moulds, who’s been limited for most of the year with a partially torn groin.

The Bills offense, unlike last year, has changed, geared more toward running the ball after the team traded away deep threat receiver Peerless Price and released fullback Larry Centers and tight end Jay Riemersma, two dependable pass-catchers.

Coach Gregg Williams noted several factors for Bledsoe’s troubles, including poor pass protection, poor route running and the quarterback’s failure to get rid of the ball quick enough.

“I don’t think it’s any one thing where you can just lay your hat on say, ‘This is what happened,”‘ Williams said.

Bledsoe said the most significant differences between this year and last are lack of production in converting third downs and the Bills inability to hit a big play.

Buffalo ranks 31st in the NFL, having converted just 30 percent of its third-down opportunities. Bledsoe has five times this season failed to complete a pass of 20 yards or longer in a game, and seven times failed to throw for 200 or more yards.

“I analyze my play and critique myself very heavily, and there have been some plays that I haven’t hit this year, there have been some decisions that have been poor decisions by me,” Bledsoe said. “But none of that has to do with ability or intelligence.”

Notes: TE Dave Moore (right hamstring) and OT Mike Williams (right knee) missed Wednesday’s practice and are listed as questionable. … The Dolphins (8-6) mark the third of Buffalo’s last four opponents to be coming off a Monday night game. The Bills won the previous two times, beating the New York Jets and Giants. … Sunday’s game is sold out, marking only the third time in franchise history and first since 1992 that the Bills have sold out all eight of their regular season home games at least three games in advance.

AP-ES-12-17-03 2014EST