Dunkirk Observer

‘Armed with more salary cap space than all but two other teams this offseason, Buffalo has what it takes to make some impact moves in free agency. Here’s a look at each position group on the roster and the decisions the Bills face as the offseason progresses.’

‘The other notable point from Sunday’s game is how the team responded to a dirty play by the Miami defense. As Allen was sliding down after scrambling for a first down, former Buffalo Bills linebacker Kiko Alonso lined up a cheap shot on a defenseless Allen. It was the third time in the past two seasons that Alonso has attempted a cheap shot to the head of a defenseless, sliding quarterback.’

‘The frustrating part for Bills fans on Sunday is that Buffalo never even felt like they had a chance from the minute the game began.’

‘But that doesn’t mean there weren’t mistakes.’

‘The Jets are not a good football team in this league. No team that loses to the Bills by 31 points should ever be considered good. Yet the Bills found a way to lose against a division foe by only four points for the second straight week.’

‘That play was the epitome of the Bills’ loss on Sunday. Allen used his athleticism with his legs to escape pressure — like he had to all game long — and just fell short of making it count when it mattered most. From the deep throw to Robert Foster that was overthrown by no more than three feet, to the throw behind Zay Jones in the endzone for what would’ve been an easy touchdown, to the missed safety that the Dolphins only avoided by the length of a football, the Bills had opportunity after opportunity fall just out of reach. Clay’s drop at the end was just the latest example.’

‘There is not a quarterback controversy in Buffalo. Josh Allen is the starter if he’s healthy. You don’t trade up into the top 10 in the draft to take a quarterback, just to give up on him in the first year for a journeyman on his sixth team in six years. Barkley likely claimed the backup job for the rest of the season with Sunday’s performance — at least he should have, anyway — but the starter’s job should obviously belong to Allen.’

‘The Bills scored one touchdown on Sunday, while the Bears scored two on defense. That’s not a misprint — the Bills really were responsible for more points for the Bears than they were for themselves on Sunday.’

‘Just when you think the Buffalo Bills have hit rock bottom, they surprise you in the worst of ways, all over again.’

‘The man responsible for figuring out how to successfully deal with the likes of Jerry Hughes, Kyle Williams and Tre’Davious White, among others, is Colts’ offensive coordinator and Jamestown native Nick Sirianni.’

‘Josh Allen mustered only 82 yards through the air in the game, with an interception. The offense was a mess — at least minus one impressive touchdown run by Allen on the Bills’ first drive. Allen deserves as close to zero credit for the win as a quarterback can earn in a victory — but don’t expect him to mind one bit.’

‘Allen showed why he belongs as the Bills’ starter on Sunday. He did things that Nathan Peterman just did not have the capability to do. Yes, the team’s problems still remain. The offensive line is still bottom five in the league, as are the wide receivers. If Allen had more time to pass or competent receivers who didn’t drop the ball as much as the likes of Kelvin Benjamin and others did, Allen’s numbers would only look even more impressive. The defense has the capability to play as good as it did on Sunday, but lacks the consistency to do so on a regular basis.’

‘Though the 31-20 result may not seem like it, when you consider the Bills outscored the Chargers in the second half 14-3, there’s at least some sense of optimism moving forward. Yes, Allen’s first touchdown pass as a Bills starter came in garbage time when the game was already decided. With the way the Bills played through the first six quarters of the year, you could’ve argued the entire second half was garbage time. However, there were still some bright spots for the Bills on Sunday.’

‘For some reason, Bills head coach Sean McDermott decided to put Peterman out there as the starter for Week 1. Apparently he forgot what happened the last time Peterman started a game by choice. The first time McDermott turned to Peterman last season, he threw five interceptions before halftime against the Los Angeles Chargers. This time wasn’t any better, as the Bills trailed 40-0 before finally turning to Josh Allen.’

‘Sure, Allen will have his ups and downs, like any rookie quarterback will. Allen will have moments like the fourth down play against Carolina in the first preseason game where he looked like he had no idea what to do with the ball. He will also have plays where he steps up in the pocket in the red zone and fires a pass to throw a receiver open, like he did with Rod Streater during Friday’s game in Cleveland. That being said, the way for a young quarterback to grow is by playing on the field during the game, not by standing on the sidelines, trying to figure what poster board to hold up with the correct cartoon character to symbolize what play the starter should call in a no-huddle offense.’