Rocky Landing

A couple thoughts: #1. A lot of hay was made over the offseason about how important team continuity would be, especially in the beginning of the season. I think the Bills D is suffering from that lack of continuity to a degree. Our D-line, and LBs are not performing, and it's putting a lot more pressure on the backfield. #2. Absolutely agree we are deficient at one tech, and that was sorely exposed vs the Rams. #3. Good point about TOP. I would add that vs. Miami, Fitz did an amazing job of getting the ball out fast. That was by design. With the Edmunds, and Milano injuries, we played press man, pressured Fitz on the edge, and kept him in the pocket. This allowed our D backfield to move in and help protect the weakness in midfield, and placed the Miami offense squarely on Fitz's ability to make quick completions. It more or less worked, but "Good Fitz" sure did show up that game, and kept Miami moving the chains. #5. Run vs. Jets? No we didn't! Our RBs combined for 41 yards that game, and most of Allen's rushing yards were not on design plays.I know that game strategy was by design, but I felt like a weakness at RB was exposed. Love Motor. Not sold on Moss, or Yeldon. We need a better #2RB. #7-10. Between Taron, and Siran (and hopefully with Norman's return?) I don't think nickelback is the concern here. Our reliance on a 4-2-5 formation is really exposing our weakness at LB more than anything, as well as our weakness at one tech (as you pointed out). After Milano, and Edmunds (who still seems below 100%) we are thin indeed, Klein, sold as a run-stuffer, has not delivered. Dodson has had some nice plays, but I'm not sure he isn't much better than backup quality. He's certainly not top-tier. Our biggest concern on defense, IMO, is the linebacker corp.

I thought they were called Pats* fans?

My brother sees them in Boston all the time.

I felt the same way about Neal. He seems like a beast, and plays with intensity. I was also intrigued that they switched his designation from safety to CB this season-- I interpreted that as an indication that he would see time as nickel CB, a role he filled last season when Taron Johnson went down. It does seem to me that Johnson has been playing well this season. I know a fair amount of fans have lamented Johnson missing some tackles on Henderson in the Rams game. I have a hard time faulting him too much for those tackles, as Henderson was afforded an enormous door into the secondary on far too many plays. If the secondary are making so many tackles on the RB, the problem is not with the secondary.

If the RB is consistently getting tackled in the secondary, then the D-line is failing to stop the run. The Rams O-line owned our D-line on run plays. Henderson had massive holes to run through all day long. I also think the reliance on nickel defense has a lot to do with our lack of depth at LB. Klein was sold as a "run stuffer," but has that been the case so far?

I suspect that Robert's first kick return (42 yards) may have resulted in the Rams kicker being instructed to boom the rest through the back of the end zone.

Nsekhe is a great rotational player, but I question if he has the speed for run downs. Certainly he doesn’t have the speed of Dawkins, nor the stamina. I also wouldn’t write off Spain just yet. Maybe I missed it, but I haven’t heard a complete or authoritative explanation yet for his benching. For all I know, it may have been a matchup concern with Donald, but I do trust this coaching staff. I think if you were actually standing in front of them with your “suggestion,” their answer would be: “What the hell do you think we’ve been doing?”

I suppose it’s certainly possible. I was never really keyed in to Winters specifically. I just noticed that Allen had adequate protection for most of the game, with the exception of parts of the fourth quarter when Donald was playing with a fury. Truly, that guy looked like an angry grizzly in the fourth quarter, and if the biggest knock on Winters is that he occasionally got owned by Aaron Donald, we perhaps shouldn’t complain too much. But you’re right, there may certainly be things I missed. Really, as it was his first start as a Bill, in an already gelled unit, I would expect him to be the weakest link.

Nsekhe came in for Dawkins, and yeah, he was solid. I remember shortly after we acquired him last year watching an interview with him. He talked, in very technical terms, why he feels more comfortable, and is better at playing LT, rather than RT. I wish I could remember where I saw the interview, but I thought of that when I went back and rewatched his play in the fourth quarter. The O-line never missed a beat when Dawkins went down. I feel like this unit is starting to gel, again. Williams has been a solid upgrade, and I don't really have any complaints about Winters, either. Pass protection has been great, but run blocking has not been stellar. But it seems to me that they have been getting incrementally better from week to week at that. They afforded Motor, and Yeldon some nice holes through a stout Rams D-line.

Blocking ability is debatable, and hopefully, Knox would continue to improve in that category. Kroft's hands are certainly more reliable-- that's inarguable. But, equally inarguable is that Knox's YAC is superior to Kroft's. Be that as it may, Kroft would seem to be the better all-around TE at this moment. But, I'm not giving up on Knox's potential. If he gets the drops under control, he could develop into a top-tier TE, IMO.

Williams has been a clear upgrade at the position. I think (and hope) that with the addition of Williams, and now of Winters, and the shifting around of players, the O-line needs to gel a little bit more, and the run game will improve. EDIT: Continue to improve.

Maybe we could trade with the Raiders for Peterman?

Yes, he did.

What a great game! BOTH teams clawed their way to the finish. A few quick thoughts: After Stephon Diggs, Daryl Williams was our best offseason acquisition. He has been a solid upgrade.. The O-line held up against a good D. The weakest link on the O-line today was Winters, although considering he was up against Donald, we really shouldn’t complain. Speaking of Donald, he was on fire in the second half, playing with a rage. But, did anyone else notice that once Joseph-Day went down, his production dropped? Kroft straight up did his job. In Diggs TD reception, he ran around Ramsey like he was a maypole. For the few plays he was in, Yeldon did great. But, I still feel like we’re missing a legit #2 RB. Lee Smith was valuable today. The media often refers to the “trio of wide receivers” in Diggs/Brown/Beasley. From now on they should refer to the “quartet of wide receivers” in Diggs/Brown/Beasley/Davis. There were points when the Rams O-line absolutely dominated our D-line. Henderson had enormous holes to run through, and that’s not on Edmunds (although he wasn’t great against the run either). Allen’s nickname should be “Fire and Ice.”

Yes, Donald owned Winters for much of this game. But, it should not go unnoticed that when Joseph-Day went down, Donald's production went down as well. That D-line is built around Donald.

I'm fine with a bad call here and there. But, the fact that it was upheld is beyond the pale.

There were periods of play where the Rams O-line dominated the D-line in the run game. That needs to be fixed.

Infuriating that somehow Allen has an interception on his record.

Allen is Fire and Ice. Amazing. Came back to beat the Rams and Refs!

Allen is FIRE and ICE!!!

Please, McD/Daboll, don't take your foot off the gas!

Oooh, top ranked guard by PFF. Color me envious!

I'd say the odds aren't bad he gets another TD reception tomorrow.

That's charming.

We'll see. My thought is that with the amount of pressure Allen will be facing up the middle-- not just from Donald, and Joseph-Day, but from Kiser, as well-- that there will be far fewer 4, and 5 WR sets than the previous two weeks. And, with our lack of depth at RB, I think 10 personnel is unlikely. I'm not sure Yeldon will even be active. I assume Lee Smith will be. But to date we've seen a lot more of Gilliam than either of those guys. He was signed as a FB, and he may be the guy they view as more of a HB.