Straight Hucklebuck

Are fans really shocked that we're here?

Well this rigamarole competition they've done all Summer has left you with apparently two below average players that can play a half each. Can we say the same thing at WR?

I'd be surprised if you got more than a 6th for Knox.

That's a good point. And of course, by default, a Top 5 QB will elevate your team such that you're drafting lower in each round. Roster management does play a role in this. Again, the Von Miller contract. Drafting Boogie Basham when a DE was taken in Round 1.

Multiple calls today on WGR from fans saying we have a lot of talent at WR. Sal C just took a call from a guy that said Allen needs to push the ball to Gabe Davis more, he's open. Another caller that says "we have two stud Tight Ends" - do we? Knox is a stud? He's Dallas Goedert? Early in his career he caught a long one against the Patriots, and ran over people against the Bengals, had a long one against the Chiefs. But do other fans agree with this? I don't know. My feeling is if Davis, Sherfield, Harty, Shakir, Knox were high level starters, then they would just make plays easier. Harty has less than 1,000 career receiving yards, Sherfield has less than 1,000 career receiving yards even with 2023 added in. And we're talking about how much talent we have? Harty has 2021 where he was a nice sub-weapon in New Orleans. We can keep squeezing the stone for more blood, but I think Chris Simms is right, there was a reason some fans wanted a WR in the 1st Round the past two years. Bills haven't drafted a WR higher than 4th Round since 2017. Even if you factor in a 1st for Diggs, the last premium asset the Bills used was a 2nd on Zay Jones 6 years ago.

As Josh says, there are a bunch of OC's in the stands, and I'm sure Cover 1 and Joe Marino will rush in to defend Gabe's honor in the All-22 - he was open, that's a tough defense, Josh just didn't look his way, his wasn't the primary read. Blah, blah, blah. He MUST be on the field because he blocks well - in fact - Sal C just repeated this AGAIN on WGR right now. Our GM just gushes over how hard Gabe works. But yes, said this after the Jets game, skill position is average, and why Gabe can't be rotated for at all? Anyone signing up for 4-5 more years of Gabe Davis as your #2? What would happen if you took Gabe off the field and just put Harty in his place? Or run 11 with Diggs - Harty - Shakir - Kincaid? I don't know that it solves finishing on 1st half drives, but 4 catches - 27 yards the last two weeks for Gabe.

If it's not Diggs, where are the personnel answers? Throwing to Kincaid for 8 yards is loose and hanging out? I mean right now, I'm searching around, looks like more of the same lack of speed on this offense, so run the ball a little less, throw to Cook and Harty more? We'll be told all week about how Gabe Davis is untouchable and can't be taken off the field, so Harty will have to maximize his 19 snaps.

I'm sure the All-22 will say the Bills weapons are "fine" and Allen missed open reads all day. Look at the play-by-play, the Bills largely moved the ball in dinks and dunks. But the feeling I have is third game in a row where the offense/defense starts slow, and in the second half it's taking 10-15 play drives to get the ball into the endzone. 2nd Game in a row that your #2 WR is invisible.

Then DON’T freaking draft a rocket armed QB. Take away his running and give him journeyman WRs behind Diggs. Allen isn’t a perfect QB, but he completed 65% of his passes today and the average is 6.5 ypc. He is taking short stuff, came into this game 9th in check-downs and 30th in first read throws. 🤷🏻‍♂️

Waddle has fought injuries all season. Achane is the second best playmaker? Seems like it.

Where do they have to go for answers? Who is going to emerge from their role in the first 7 games and play a bigger part? Target Diggs 20 times a game? Less Knox, more 3 Wide? More Harty? Just never miss a block, drop a pass, or run a bad route again?

17/17 on throws less than 2.5 seconds. 10/24 on throws that took longer than 2.5 seconds. I think this team has largely been fine this year working smaller, steady gains, throwing short. Thanks for these play counts, I ball-parked 10-15 play drives, and we’re disappointed that a penalty or a couple penalties occur on drives that long? One thing the Bills could do better is get the play call in faster, how many times does the play clock run to 0 before the Bills get the snap off? Foxboro noise accounts for all of that?

Okay, but our players (listened to Morris and Knox and Allen) say the exact same thing: watching the tape and correcting mistakes. Of course film study is mandatory, but mistakes going to corrected once and for all after this weeks film sessions?

Most times they moved the ball (steadily). They had a steady diet of 6, 7, 4, 8 yard gains. But it is laborious. There is an occasional Cook 22 yard run, or 18-yard bullet to Diggs.

9 penalties for 46 yards. So if that was 5 for 25 would that be good enough execution? Allen was 27/41 - 65% today, so the answer is he needs to be at 70% - 75% ? I agree with the offensive line getting mauled in the first half. So that’s execution. I guess we have to keep rolling Gabe Davis out there 95% of the time. Does it pass to the logic test that Diggs gets the ball over and over, but Davis manages 1 catch and it’s Josh/Dorsey’s fault? They just call bad routes for him, but not Diggs? Congratulations Bills you have finally broken Allen down to where he never runs anymore. He tried once and got tripped for 2 yards. When they were desperate they did call Allen’s number (not a sneak) in the red zone once.

No playmaking man. Everything is excruciatingly hard. And I love the media now crying. This is exactly how they wanted Allen and the offense to play. They're running the ball, Allen is checking down, Allen is not running designed or improvisation, I guess they can throw their hands up for 1 INT, but there are no chunk plays. It now requires 10-15 play drives to score. Where are the answers on the roster or what plays are need to be called? More motion would solve all of this?

17 for 17 on throws under 2.5 seconds. 10 for 24 and 1 INT when throws came over 2.5 seconds.

It will be interesting to see our film guru’s with the ideas on how to extract more playmaking from the offense. I think we need more than Joe Marino and Erik Turner telling me that we just need to execute better. Is it the way our WRs run routes, is it the scheme, is the offensive line, is it Allen regressing? If it’s multiple things, then this game requires that we put the causes in order so we can address.

And can’t blame Elam today. Pharaoh Brown ate our lunch for 2 long ones. Demario Douglas killed us. Benford on the penalties today, and Dane was a step late. But today, it was also Taron Johnson. To your point, just naming the entire secondary.

I thought it looked like it was going to be a long day early on, but the Bills D stiffened I thought on runs up the middle as the game went on. I don’t remember Stevenson or Elliott really dominating much past the first two drives.

And even if you get those answers, the end result is he plays all time and it’s doesn’t work. Either he can’t separate, or separate quickly enough, Allen doesn’t look his way, he’s running the same routes over and over, he can’t run short/agile routes, he’s a one trick pony, he’s not fast, whatever it is, at this point there is no salvaging that he can’t be your #2 because he can’t be counted on.

There was no pass rush today. I “saw” Von out there a few times, but I didn’t notice one football play that he made. Epenesa was pushed wide or past the pocket. I didn’t notice Rousseau. Floyd had one play where he came back to the ball (Jones) and knocked it loose. But for all we heard about the Patriots offensive line, they won the day pretty easily. Jones had to move off his spot one time in the first half.

I just don’t know where the answers are going to come from offensively. I’ve said it, tons of other Bills fans have said it, you’re getting nothing out of Gabe Davis. Whatever it is, he’s running the same routes, his separation is lacking, Allen isn’t looking his way, he’s 4 catches for 27 yards the last two weeks. That’s your #2 WR. Schopp was saying they ran the ball too much. I didn’t feel that watching the game. Allen had 40 pass attempts, there were 17 rushes to the backs. Offensive line got dominated in the 1st half. So you put that all into a blender and what do you have? I think Harty has earned more playing time. I think Knox is non-existent and was surpassed by Kincaid today. Does that lead to more 11 personnel, and less 12? At some point can anyone spell Gabe Davis sometimes? Does he have to play 95% of snaps because of blocking? I just think their isn’t much playmaking beyond Diggs, we’re clearly searching. Last point - THIS IS EXACTLY HOW THE MEDIA HAS WANTED THE BILLS TO PLAY. Josh is “taking what the defense gives”, we’re running the ball more, Josh isn’t running anymore designed or scrambles, and what does it look like? We need 18-play drives of paper cuts to get into the end zone. It’s just nickel and diming all the way down the field now.

- Offensive line was worked in the 1st Half - 2nd half there was no pass rush whatsoever. 3rd straight game where I didn’t notice Von at all. - For Cover 1, not sure why Gabe Davis has to play 95% of snaps, I’m told blocking, but again looks like we are desperate for play making.

Got some tempo going on that drive. Harty with the play of the drive on 2nd-long. Cook is the obvious MVP today.