Archives for October 2016

''“I tried to take off … and it just didn’t feel right,” he said. “I felt a little pain and I did what I had to do, so I came out. It was the smart thing to do. I didn’t reinjure anything or make it worse. That was the best thing. I just kind of felt it and it was kind of like a warning mentally.”'

'Miami’s go-ahead touchdown was a 12-yard run by Damien Williams with 3:56 left. He broke four tackles on a cutback to the weak side against a light defense in nickel personnel. Laremy Tunsil and Mike Pouncey double-teamed Leger Douzable at the point of attack. Douzable dove at Williams’ legs but couldn’t slow him down. Zach Brown was the linebacker on that side but got blocked on the second level by Tunsil.'

'In the first 58 minutes of the game, the Bills ran on 13 of 18 first-down plays. Those 13 runs produced 36 yards, and nine of the runs went for 3 or fewer yards. On the first-down pass plays the first 58 minutes, Tyrod Taylor was 4 of 5 for 101 yards. That included the 67-yard TD to Marquise Goodwin, a perfect play call against a Miami blitz.'

'The Bills' defense was horrific against the run. Not only did the Dolphins' offensive line consistently knock the front seven off the ball, the Bills' linebackers were nowhere to be found to fill cutback lanes through which Ajayi routinely exploded for long runs.'

'The Bills now are 1-2 in the AFC East and 1-3 in the AFC, which suddenly casts a different light on all of that hopeful playoff discussion in recent days.'

'That’s what the Bills needed against a Miami’s breakout runner, Jay Ajayi. The Bills needed the eight or nine disruptive plays in the backfield Dareus is supposed to be giving them.'

'When Tyrod Taylor hit Marquise Goodwin with a 67-yard bomb in the third quarter to give the Bills that 17-6 lead, I figured it was over. Turn out the lights, I tweeted at that point. No way Miami gets back in this one, the way the Bills' defense has been playing in the red zone.'

'Jay Ajayi showed what made LeSean McCoy so effective during the Bills’ four-game winning streak. He shredded the Bills for 214 yards rushing, giving him 200-plus yards on the ground in consecutive weeks. Miami’s offensive line wore down Buffalo, much the way Buffalo’s line did for McCoy during their turnaround.'

'Then there’s quarterback Tyrod Taylor. Yes, he was without his top two receivers in Sammy Watkins and Robert Woods. Yes, McCoy wasn’t right. Yes, the protection from his offensive line broke down far too often. But don’t franchise quarterbacks have to find a way? When the Bills got the ball back with 3:56 remaining in the fourth quarter trailing by four points, Taylor threw three straight incompletions. He just doesn't inspire much confidence in those situations.'

'Miami’s Jay Ajayi ran for 74 yards in the final quarter alone, giving him to 214 on the day – the second-most rushing yards the Bills had ever allowed (Ricky Williams had 228 yards in 2002). A late Bills touchdown made the 28-25 final score look closer than it was.'

'Running back Mike Gillislee made a great block on the play to give Tyrod Taylor time to throw, and he dropped a perfectly placed pass into Goodwin’s hands. To celebrate his touchdown, the former Olympian went to his favorite move: Reenacting a long jump.'

'Lerentee McCray got a hand on Matt Darr’s punt early in the second quarter that set up the drive. The Bills would’ve been backed up to their own 17 after Darr’s first punt, but a holding penalty forced the Dolphins to replay fourth down.'

'Miami took 7:28 off the clock on its 15-play, 79-yard opening drive but couldn’t punch it into the end zone as the Bills’ top-rated red zone defense held again, forcing a 36-yard Andrew Franks field goal. Running back Jay Ajayi had gains of 9, 10, 11 and 12 yards on the first drive.'

'Wide receiver Robert Woods is out for the Bills because of a foot injury. He was listed as doubtful. Defensive tackle Marcell Dareus is out with a hamstring injury, the third game he's missed because of that following a four-game NFL suspension. He has yet to make his 2016 debut.'

'Who knows what McCoy’s status will be moving forward, and if the Bills don’t have him available, or at least healthy, their three-game gauntlet that starts next week at home against New England, and continues with brutally tough road games at Seattle and Cincinnati becomes all the more daunting.'