‘Finally, and this might just be the most encouraging takeaway, Sean McDermott had a superior coaching game.’
Archives for October 3, 2022
Observations: Bills’ defense pitches second-half shutout in come-from-behind win over Ravens
‘“I always have faith in our defense and in our game,” Miller said. “We knew it was going to be rainy and it was going to be a little bit cold. We were just going to have to go all the way down to the last second. No way you can visualize it being like this, but we knew it was going to be a tough game. So, starting the second half, it just fell into exactly what we expected.”’
Ryan O’Halloran: Bad at beginning, Josh Allen shines late in winning duel against Lamar Jackson
‘Trailing by 17 points, Allen authored the biggest comeback of his pro career, helping the Bills score on four of their final five drives, running when he had to, showing patience when it was required and expertly managing clock and situation.’
Bills safety Jordan Poyer records two interceptions in return, has four in three games
‘“We missed him. He’s a game changer,” defensive end Greg Rousseau said. “He’s a first team All-Pro caliber player. Having him out there makes the biggest difference for us. I’m grateful that he’s back out there.”’
Three questions: Rating the Bills’ victory, the QB showdown and the run defense
‘The short-term implications are just as important. Keep in mind that the Bills are in the middle of a rugged early stretch of the schedule. If they can come out of it 4-3 after the home game against Green Bay, they are in good position for the AFC East division race and for playoff seeding in the AFC. If they’re 5-2, they’re in great position.’
Plays that shaped the game: Entire Bills defense rose up on Jordan Poyer’s big INT
‘“Tall defensive lineman with his hands up. I was trying to see around him to see where my guys were. But I saw Duvernay late. If I would have seen him right off the bat, that would have been a touchdown. The lineman had his hands up and was bull-rushing a little bit and got in my peripheral. So, I couldn’t really see what was going on and the play was breaking down. I tried to get back some more, but it was too late.”’
Bills 23, Ravens 20: How it happened, key plays, stars of the game
‘The Ravens reached the Bills’ 1-yard line in the final six minutes and had second-and-goal. But running back J.K. Dobbins was thrown for a three-yard loss by Milano. Two plays later, on fourth down, safety Jordan Poyer intercepted Jackson’s desperation heave in the end zone.’
Report Card: Bills made the necessary adjustments to outlast Ravens in slug fight
‘They eyeball test and the stat sheet continue to tell a much different story about the Bills’ running game. Buffalo finished with 125 yards on 25 carries – an average of 5.0 yards per attempt – but it was quarterback Josh Allen who again led the team on the ground. Allen had 11 carries for 70 yards and a touchdown. He’s the only player on the team with a rushing touchdown in the first month of the season. Allen’s running ability is a huge part of the offense, but it continues to be less than ideal that the “traditional” way of running the ball hasn’t been more impactful. An example of why that remains troubling: The Bills’ first four second downs featured this many yards to gain to achieve a first down: 9, 10, 10, 10. Being unable to run the ball on early downs is putting the offense in tough spots. Devin Singletary had 48 yards on 11 carries, with a long gain of 18 yards, while Zack Moss was limited to just 6 yards on three carries. Other than last week’s 43-yard run against the Dolphins, Moss has really struggled. A 7-yard run by Singletary and a 3-yard run by Allen to get a first down put the Bills in position to kick the game-winning field goal with no time remaining.’
Bills shake off miscues, roar back with 20 unanswered points to stun Ravens
‘Trailing 20-3 at that point in a game where the Bills really could not have played much worse, Allen fully recognized that this needed to be the drive of the game. The Bills could not leave the field down 20-3 with the Ravens getting the ball to start the second half, and 20-6 wasn’t going to cut it, either.’
Bills defense torments Lamar Jackson, superior coaching fuels gritty win over Ravens
‘Once again, without Allen’s 70 yards, which pumped the Bills final total to 125, the running game just isn’t effective. Now, it was actually a little better in Baltimore than it was in Miami, but there are just too many plays where nothing happens.’
‘Super soldier’ Josh Allen proves no lead is safe in comeback win over Ravens, Lamar Jackson (instant takeaways)
‘Allen was off the mark in the first half, but came surging back in the second half to lead the Bills to a critical AFC win over the Ravens. Buffalo scored 20 unanswered points after getting held to just a field goal in the first half. The Ravens scored their last points with 3:44 remaining in the second quarter.’
Lamar Jackson’s big mistake? Throwing at Jordan Poyer, who called his big play
‘“He’s an amazing player,” Johnson said. “The first (interception), I was covering my guy and all I see is the ball in the air and he right there. Just a great awareness play by him. Then the second one, Lamar is just scrambling and (Jordan) is just following the look of the quarterback and he made a mistake to throw it over there to (Jordan). He made the play.”’
Pay Poyer? Bills DB comes up clutch in win over Ravens (Report card)
‘Buffalo’s backs as a whole continue to struggle.’
Five Takeaways: Bills score 20 unanswered points, storm back to stun Ravens
‘Although there wasn’t much to criticize in terms of the Bills defense’s performance as a whole, it did have trouble slowing the Ravens’ running game at times, allowing Jackson, and RBs Dobbins and Justice Hill, each to break off long gains of 14 yards or more. Dobbins finished with a slim average of 3.2 yards per carry, but Jackson (6.6) and Hill (5.6) each finished with upwards of 5.5 yards per tote. With the continued absences of Ed Oliver and Jordan Phillips, the Bills had trouble owning the line of scrimmage, particularly throughout much of the first half. It will be critical that the Bills get those two players back sooner rather than later.’
Sullivan: Talented and resilient, these Bills have it all
‘But while you can sometimes judge a team’s competitive character in a tough defeat, it’s even more meaningful in a rousing, come-from-behind win. The Bills showed the resilience of a true contender, riding an inspired defense and the resourceful play of Josh Allen to victory.’