Saturday's Game

[RCow]

After reading post game stats, drive summaries, etc on CBSsportsline the Bills/Colts gamed looked like a complete disaster.

 

I turned on the NFLTV telecast Sunday night with trepidation b/c I did not want to watch a pasting.

 

However, I was surprised. Besides special teams the team didn't play all that bad. The defense was stout. After the Clements fumble they held, the blocked punt was not against the D, the first TD was really one big play on an unusual 4th down on the Bills' 42 (besides you'd have to expect one big Harrison play a game though I did wonder were the safties were) the long KR led to the other FG. Overall the Defense played well against a good offense.

 

The first team offense didn't do nearly as bad as the stats indicated. I thought Bledsoe played very well. The one sack I remember was not his fault, I recall two of his three incompletes in the first half were spikes and he made good decisions. McGahee ran OK but clearly doesn't have a burst at the line yet and not making cuts to find the hole. Wills is still open field fast but not yet start stop fast. By far the biggest weakness was from Sullivan's LT spot. Just seemed his man beat him every play and Bledsoe knew he didn't have time from his backside. All breakdowns appeared to come from the left side, though on more than one occaision the Bills didn't pick up on a blitz (on the one sack and at least two runs).

 

WR: all played well but where's Evans, is he having touble getting off the line? He's clearly fast but perhaps not physical enough? Just didn't see him much. Would like at least one bomb to see what he can do.

 

OLine - would like to see them together, they clearly missed their best lineman on Saturday so his return is encouraging. Same with Travis -- who certainly didn't lose his job.

 

Special teams - oy vey. Clements muff not a team problem but not sure he should return anyway. Reed and McGee should be fine. Blocked punt - couldn't tell what happened. Long KR - nice run but looked like they lost containment after they forced the blocking to the sideline. (Wire looked like a guilty party). However, it looked like many new faces on ST after two weeks of "starters." Perhaps they wanted to give a few guys the chance to show something (hint: didn't work).

 

Overall: the return of Jennings and Travis may change things. The Defense is still solid (though Milloy's absence hurts) and hopefully they'll have the best players on ST come opening day. Expect to confirm my worst fears Sunday night but in the end I felt a lot better.

[Kelly the Dog]

Pretty good review and I agree with most of it. Although it has been covered here in a lot of threads, the answers to your questions are that Evans was wide open deep on two plays designed for him, the bomb that was thrown terribly by TB that was intercepted, and the flea flicker. Both were easy touchdowns.

 

You're also right that the OL was hurting mainly from Sullivan, who would be #3. And the rest of them played pretty good. There were numerous reserves on the long KR, especially Jonathan Smith and McKenzie, who both played it awful.

 

Wilis is clearly not ready, although I think he will be in a month or two when he builds up strength and speed and confidence. Travis likely would have gained a lot more yards with those plays.

 

The defense was stout. How much can one complain about three turnovers, scoring one TD themselves, and giving up only 13 points to the Colts starters when one drive started at the Bills 20, one drive at the Bills 12, and the one big play was a 4th a 2 bomb which I believe the Colts likely punt from the 41 in a real game up by a few points.