THE ROCKPILE REVIEW - Now, That's What I'm Talkin' About&#

[stevewin]

- Was surprised by the number of Denver fans - and the number that were in the stadium for warmups was honestly larger than any opposing fan group that I can ever remember seeing. On a related note - for years the Bills have always warmed up on the far EZ opposite the tunnel - now they warm up in the tunnel side? (my brother surmised it was probably related to 'culture change' and 'Rex purge'...)

 

- Bruce Smith came out during warmups to calls of Bruuuuuuuce!. As we were going to our seats and walking the concourse suddenly there were calls of Bruuuuuuce! filling the air - and there he was - just a few feet from us walking through the common folk. He looked great and seemed to be having a good time - not sure he could have suited up at DE, but maybe TE

 

- Was funny on the visiting side club level, a ton of fans in seats in the sun around us decided to just go watch the game inside on TV in the AC

 

- This game was some kind of amazing bizzarro world where we did things other teams always do to us - drive with less than a minute left in the half to get the FG, make long FGs that matter, actually be the beneficiary of a crazy game-altering penalty, be the ones actually executing the soul sucking drive at the end to seal the game... It was amazing

 

- Shady didn't get off in the running game, but the couple receptions where he willed his way for 1st downs were amazing

 

- There was never any sense of panic when the offense started out slow - was good to see eventual adjustments and execution

 

- It was too bad Denver had that one outlier crazy 4 play drive complete with ridiculous long gain and stupid penalty

 

- Just felt the D needed to get a turnover and they would

 

- Was a great, fun game to be at for our annual game we take our Dad for his bday (83 yrs old!)

 

- So crazy to think we were 1 single pass completion from being 3-0

 

- Called it: https://forums.twobillsdrive.com/topic/196396-week-3-broncos-game-preparation-inactives-announced/?view=findpost&p=4552707

Edited September 25, 2017 by stevewin

[HappyDays]

QB is the exception. Pretty much gotta have a special QB.

I would define "special" as "makes plays that no other player at the position could make." Tyrod does that on a regular basis. At least once a game he makes a special play. Yesterday it was picking himself off the ground and running for a 1st. Shady does the same thing. Kyle Williams has been doing it for a decade.

 

The question with Tyrod is do his special plays make up for his inconsistency in other areas? A special player who can't make the routine plays consistently ends up just being boom-or-bust. Tyrod is only in the beginininf of his 3rd year starting, still developing IMO, so I think it's too early to know if he is a Super Bowl caliber QB. By the end of this season we should know.

[Real McClappy]

Nice Post Shaw and agree on many fronts.

 

Not worried yet about Jones. He will work the wrinkles out and show us his skills very soon. I can't find it remotely possible he magically forgot how to catch getting this far. It's a mind over matter thing, the "big lights" of the NFL will dim and he will burst out. Also, the more rapport with TT and his routes will def be a +.

Edited September 25, 2017 by Real McCoy

[Rico]

Thanks Shaw, another great read.

[It's in My Blood]

Posts like the OPs are a big reason why I don't feel the need to pay for The News.

 

Great job Shaw!

[Shaw66]

- Was surprised by the number of Denver fans - and the number that were in the stadium for warmups was honestly larger than any opposing fan group that I can ever remember seeing. On a related note - for years the Bills have always warmed up on the far EZ opposite the tunnel - now they warm up in the tunnel side? (my brother surmised it was probably related to 'culture change' and 'Rex purge'...)

 

- Bruce Smith came out during warmups to calls of Bruuuuuuuce!. As we were going to our seats and walking the concourse suddenly there were calls of Bruuuuuuce! filling the air - and there he was - just a few feet from us walking through the common folk. He looked great and seemed to be having a good time - not sure he could have suited up at DE, but maybe TE

 

- Was funny on the visiting side club level, a ton of fans in seats in the sun around us decided to just go watch the game inside on TV in the AC

 

- This game was some kind of amazing bizzarro world where we did things other teams always do to us - drive with less than a minute left in the half to get the FG, make long FGs that matter, actually be the beneficiary of a crazy game-altering penalty, be the ones actually executing the soul sucking drive at the end to seal the game... It was amazing

 

- Shady didn't get off in the running game, but the couple receptions where he willed his way for 1st downs were amazing

 

- There was never any sense of panic when the offense started out slow - was good to see eventual adjustments and execution

 

- It was too bad Denver had that one outlier crazy 4 play drive complete with ridiculous long gain and stupid penalty

 

- Just felt the D needed to get a turnover and they would

 

- Was a great, fun game to be at for our annual game we take our Dad for his bday (83 yrs old!)

 

- So crazy to think we were 1 single pass completion from being 3-0

 

- Called it: https://forums.twobillsdrive.com/topic/196396-week-3-broncos-game-preparation-inactives-announced/?view=findpost&p=4552707

Steve -

 

This is great. Thanks.

 

Yes, a ton of orange in the stadium. It was like the Steelers had changed colors. But all those orange people weren't very loud very long.

 

Didn't see Bruce.

 

Also right about the visitor side. I sit on the Bills side, and I could see a LOT of empty seats, so I knew people had fled for the clubs.

 

And most importantly, it WAS fun to see a game where all those things that the other teams usually does to the Bills were now being done by the Bills to the other team.

I would define "special" as "makes plays that no other player at the position could make." Tyrod does that on a regular basis. At least once a game he makes a special play. Yesterday it was picking himself off the ground and running for a 1st. Shady does the same thing. Kyle Williams has been doing it for a decade.

 

The question with Tyrod is do his special plays make up for his inconsistency in other areas? A special player who can't make the routine plays consistently ends up just being boom-or-bust. Tyrod is only in the beginininf of his 3rd year starting, still developing IMO, so I think it's too early to know if he is a Super Bowl caliber QB. By the end of this season we should know.

I agree he's still developing and I haven't given up hope. But he isn't special yet, and his running doesn't make him special. It adds something, but it's a one dimensional addition. Rodgers scrambles and he's a threat to throw it to any eligible receiver anywhere downfield. That's special. Tyrod scrambles, and if the defense is paying attention he's a threat to gain no more than 15 yards.

 

He needs to be special with his arm. He could become that, but he has to get better in the pocket to be that guy.

[Stank_Nasty]

The Rockpile Review by Shaw66

 

Now, Thats What Im Talkin About! Bills Beat Broncos

 

Well, well, well what have we here? That looked like a real, honest-to-goodness football team at New Era Field, and for the first time in a long time Im not talking about the visitors.

 

The Bills handled the Broncos Sunday in workmanlike fashion, 26-16. Most of the rest of the football world might have called it a boring game, and its true, the Bills are playing a boring brand of football. But isnt it GREAT!!?

 

Sean McDermott hasnt said it in so many words, but Ive come to suspect that hes a devotee of Bill Belichick methods. McDermott admits he studies regularly, and he has a library full of notebooks to prove it. He must have spent some time studying Belichick, because Belichick is the best and thats what McDermott wants to be.

 

The evidence is in how his Bills team plays. Do your job already has become a cliché, but isnt it obvious thats what the Bills are about? Learn you job and do your job; everything else will take care of itself. If the coaches do their jobs studying the upcoming opponent, preparing the game plan and communicating the plan to the players, and if the players do what theyve been taught, good things happen.

 

Do your job has been on display since the start of the season, and the Broncos game was the latest and best example. The Broncos are not without their flaws (most notably their quarterback), but they are a good team. They have a good, maybe excellent, maybe even great, defense. They have a solid offensive line, good running backs, dangerous receivers. The Broncos are a good team. And the Bills just went to work against them. Every quarter, every down, do your job. The Bills didnt make a lot of spectacular plays; they just made a lot of good plays because they did their jobs.

 

The Bills style of play helps explain why Sammy Watkins is in Los Angeles. We all love the spectacular play, the kind of plays Sammy makes. McDermott and his GM believe it isnt necessary to make those plays to win games, and they certainly dont want to base the long-term fortunes of the team on those kind of plays; when youre built to win by getting explosive plays from explosive players, what happens when you lose the players to retirement, free agency or injury? McDermott and his GM seem to believe its a better, more sustainable strategy, to have good coaches and good players doing their jobs, every day, every week, every year. Like Bill Belichick.

 

Here are some guys did their jobs against the Broncos, and some other thoughts about the game:

 

1. EJ Gaines and TreDavious White. Being an NFL cornerback is one of the toughest and loneliest jobs in the game, especially on days when youre matched up against guys like Emmanuel Sanders and Demaryius Thomas. Those guys can play. White and Gaines didnt, couldnt, stop them, but they contained them. They gave up some completions, but they didnt give up a lot of yards after the catch. They were always around the ball and they made good, sure tackles. They gave up 170 yards passing to the two studs, but they kept both of them out of the end zone. It was a workmanlike job by each of them.

 

White had his rookie moments, once when he seemed to take the wrong drop into his zone and allowed a 20 yard completion, and once where Sanders beat him long and White recovered to make the tackle and force the incompletion when the Bills challenged the ruling. On both plays it appeared that White misunderstood his assignment. To his credit, he kept at it, doing his job, making plays. In particular, the recovery on the deep ball to Sanders was a great athletic effort that gave his coach a chance to get the call reversed.

 

2. LeSean McCoy. CMon, Shady, have the common decency respect either the flag or your teammates by not stretching during the national anthem. Still, talk about a man who does his job! Play after play he pounded into the Denver defensive front, looking for any opportunity to make a play. Some backs would have quit by the fourth quarter, but not McCoy. On the final drive, after Von Miller gave the Bills a second chance, Shady converted two critical third downs, first with several nifty moves to get 7 yards on a third and 6 reception, and then with pure determination getting 2+ yards on third and 2. If Shady werent Shady, the Bills would have punted, Millers blunder would have been forgotten, and the Broncos would have had the ball with six minutes left, down 7. Instead, the Bills got the field goal, and the next time the Broncos had the ball, they were down 10 with three minutes left. That drive, and Shadys plays, ended the game.

 

3. Stephen Hauschka. You think maybe its a good thing to have a guy who can hit long-range threes like Steph Curry? Goodness. And by the way, watch him when he kicks those long ones. He looks like a guy whos just doing his job.

 

4. Preston Brown. The wheels need to be turning in Brandon Beanes head, wondering what hes going to do about the fact that his middle linebacker is not Luke Keuchly. Browns a solid player, a do-your-job kind of guy, but the persistent rumors are true: pass defense isnt his thing. It looked to me like his drops are late and therefore not deep enough. He isnt disruptive in the passing game. Nice player, and he does a lot of good things, but Im guessing the Bills will be looking for an upgrade.

 

How about Brown getting held on the Charless touchdown run? He was tackled from behind. That was about the worst bad call of the day, along with the ruling that the Sanders catch wasnt a catch. The other calls, the pass interference, the hit out of bounds, the roughing the passer? Each was marginal, but the players know that if they do those things, theres a risk theyll get called. It happened, move on, do your job.

 

5. Zay Jones. Anyone else starting to worry that Jones doesnt have the hands to be a reliable pizza delivery guy, let alone an NFL wideout? Sorry about that sausage and double cheese pie, maam. Let me help you with those paper towels. Andre Holmes was the guy whos supposed to have the bad hands, and Zays making Holmes look like genuine threat. It takes a while for most rookie receivers to work their way into productive roles in NFL lineups, and maybe Zay just needs time, but Im starting to worry.

 

6. Tyrod Taylor. To throw a bone to the Tyrod-detractors, Tyrod looked indecisive in the pocket on several plays. It didnt give me a good feeling. Still, I will not argue with 20-26 for 213 yards, 2 TDs and no INTs. Dare I say it? He did his job. You say you want 28 completions and 300 yards? I hear you, but its pretty clear that isnt Taylors job.

 

Throw to OLeary wasnt bad, was it? Finding Matthews on the same drive was pretty. Touchdown to Clay was excellent play design and execution. Scrambling, going down to a knee, getting up and scrambling for a first down was okay, too.

 

Its okay if the Bills keep Peterman on the bench for another week, dontcha think?

 

7. Sean McDermott. Maybe this offense will grow into a more diversified attack and start putting up more yards and more points, but its pretty clear that at least for now, this is run-first, run-the-clock offense that is going to take what it can get and count on the defense to keep games close and win it in the end. That last drive, the only drive that started in the fourth quarter, proves the point. About 15 plays total 4 passes, and all of them ultra-safe. McDermott was perfectly happy to run the ball, run the clock and when necessary send his defense on the field. He was rewarded when his offense held the ball and got the field goal. Last week, so long as he was within one touchdown, he didnt believe it was necessary to open up his offense. Its conservative, to say the least, but its hard to argue with his results so far.

 

Fake punt? No problem, do your job.

 

8. The crowd. The parking lots I saw were full, as usual, and once again they were pretty quiet before the game and, surprisingly, even after the game. A lot of the raucous rowdiness is gone, and I miss it. But in the stadium on Sunday, the crowd was back into it. A lot of noise on most of the Denver offensive plays. Better yet, there were a couple of those special moments, moments that havent happened much in the past several years, when the place is rocking, the noise is LOUD and persistent and then, somehow, a few seconds before the snap, it clicks up to another level. The noise doesnt go up gradually; it just steps up to a level that seconds before didnt seem possible, a level that feels like the beams and girders must be shaking. Really cool, and its gotta be the heads of the visitors.

 

9. The heat was brutal. After one play late in the game-clinching drive, Richie was standing still, about five yards beyond the line of scrimmage. He looked like he was ready to fall over and cause a 5,1 quake. Finally he walked back to the huddle. A couple minutes later, at the two minute warning, both Hughes and Williams raised their hands and walked to sidelines, begging for a blow. Thats one reason McDermott kept using his timeouts at the end of the game. His best players were spent.

 

10. The lines. It was a war, for all four lines. The Bills offensive line struggled to get anything in the running game and did a decent job giving Tyrod some space to work in. The Broncos offensive line struggled similarly, because the Bills front was aggressive all day long. Every yard was hard earned. One big difference was QB mobility when his line got Siemian in trouble, bad things happened to him.

 

The Bills might be able to stay in the game with any team in the league. Well find out next week in Atlanta.

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

The Rockpile Review is written to share the passion we have for the Buffalo Bills. That passion was born in the Rockpile; its parents were everyday people of western New York who translated their dedication to a full days hard work and simple pleasures into love for a pro football team.

reading #8 and recalling it literally gave me chills and made my arm hairs stand on end.... there were times yesterday where I must admit I actually stayed quiet before the snap just so I could soak in what you just mentioned.

 

my mom isn't really a football fan but has always watched and paid attention to the bills becuz of my love for them. my wife and I took her to her first game yesterday and she just smiled ear to ear the whole time. when we were done she said there were very few events in her life that gave her that many chills and overpower her senses and emotions like that game did. really cool really fun day to share with her.

 

lots of cocky broncos fans there yesterday. you would have thought they were already the AFC champs after last weeks beat down of dallas if you paid attention to the media..... what a satisfying game to be in attendance

[Mat68]

Here's why I'm worried: Good pass receiving hands is something that I don't think can be taught very effectively to athletes at this age. It can be taught to six year olds, and if you drill them from six to 12, they'll have good hands forever. (Same, by the way, with a baseball swing. Kid plays little league on up, by the time he gets to high school it's very difficult to change his swing.)

 

So here's Zay Jones. Played four years of college football, and caught a ton of passes. Played in high school no doubt. He's a developed pass receiver. A guy with great hands, like Sammy, catches that TD throw on Sunday. A guy with just good hands catches the throw that he missed over the middle a little later.

 

It shouldn't have anything to do with being a rookie. He's been catching all kinds of footballs his entire life, and now he fails to catch three balls in two games in the NFL.

 

Maybe it's just jitters, but it's easy for just jitters to turn in a phobia that he can't get over.

 

Or maybe he just has bad hands.

 

How many games like this are you going to watch before you say he's a problem? I'd say about 2 more games. If he doesn't start actually catching balls he should in the next couple of games, I'm really worries.

 

I agree either you are a natural pass catcher or you are not. At the same time great catches requires supreme concentration. I can not speak for everyone I can only speak for myself. I am willing to write most or all of the the issues Zay is going through as being a rookie. In the preseason he showed off good hands and an ability to make and adjust to passes in the air. So what changed? To me not knowing anything beside from what I read and see, he looks like he is in his own head too much. He is trying to run the perfect route, read the field the same way the Qb is . In any sport or really any profession when you are reacting and thinking about what you are doing your going to be less efficient and even the areas that are considered your strengths will suffer. With Zay coming from lower level college football there was always going to be an adjustment. During OTA's and TC he should off all the physical and mental tools required to being a good WR. Now he has faced 2 very good defenses and probably the best secondary in football. The speed of the game has sky rocketed up he doesn't seem to be blown away by it, he seems to be a little tentative. I believe on film he will see he is and he is winning his matchups and now he just needs to let go a bit and play. Some very good WRs have struggled catching the ball after coming out of small programs I dont think he will become these guys but TO and Jerry Rice had a similar start.

[oldmanfan]

Here's why I'm worried: Good pass receiving hands is something that I don't think can be taught very effectively to athletes at this age. It can be taught to six year olds, and if you drill them from six to 12, they'll have good hands forever. (Same, by the way, with a baseball swing. Kid plays little league on up, by the time he gets to high school it's very difficult to change his swing.)

 

So here's Zay Jones. Played four years of college football, and caught a ton of passes. Played in high school no doubt. He's a developed pass receiver. A guy with great hands, like Sammy, catches that TD throw on Sunday. A guy with just good hands catches the throw that he missed over the middle a little later.

 

It shouldn't have anything to do with being a rookie. He's been catching all kinds of footballs his entire life, and now he fails to catch three balls in two games in the NFL.

 

Maybe it's just jitters, but it's easy for just jitters to turn in a phobia that he can't get over.

 

Or maybe he just has bad hands.

 

How many games like this are you going to watch before you say he's a problem? I'd say about 2 more games. If he doesn't start actually catching balls he should in the next couple of games, I'm really worries.

If you're talking about the deflection that Holmes caught it was a little high and behind him. Tough catch. Don't recall the other one. The one against the Panthers would have been a very tough one. He also made a tough one against the Jets.

 

He caylught I think more balls than any WR in college, or close to it. That would not have happened if his hands were an issue. So relax. And two more games won't change my mind either way.

[Jasovon]

We looked like the Patriots yesterday, methodical and in control with a clear plan. That score before the half may just have convinced me this is a different Bills team.

[Shaw66]

I agree either you are a natural pass catcher or you are not. At the same time great catches requires supreme concentration. I can not speak for everyone I can only speak for myself. I am willing to write most or all of the the issues Zay is going through as being a rookie. In the preseason he showed off good hands and an ability to make and adjust to passes in the air. So what changed? To me not knowing anything beside from what I read and see, he looks like he is in his own head too much. He is trying to run the perfect route, read the field the same way the Qb is . In any sport or really any profession when you are reacting and thinking about what you are doing your going to be less efficient and even the areas that are considered your strengths will suffer. With Zay coming from lower level college football there was always going to be an adjustment. During OTA's and TC he should off all the physical and mental tools required to being a good WR. Now he has faced 2 very good defenses and probably the best secondary in football. The speed of the game has sky rocketed up he doesn't seem to be blown away by it, he seems to be a little tentative. I believe on film he will see he is and he is winning his matchups and now he just needs to let go a bit and play. Some very good WRs have struggled catching the ball after coming out of small programs I dont think he will become these guys but TO and Jerry Rice had a similar start.

I agree with you. All I'm saying is that his development could go the other way. James Hardy showed a lot of promise and literally collapsed under the pressure and the bright lights. Not saying that will happen, but it could.

 

Zay's got some work to do.

If you're talking about the deflection that Holmes caught it was a little high and behind him. Tough catch. Don't recall the other one. The one against the Panthers would have been a very tough one. He also made a tough one against the Jets.

 

He caylught I think more balls than any WR in college, or close to it. That would not have happened if his hands were an issue. So relax. And two more games won't change my mind either way.

Yes, tough catch. Second one he missed, also high, was easier. Got to him quicker than he expected. The ball against Carolina, he misplayed.

 

Any way you look at it, you don't see many NFL receivers fail to make two tough catches in a row, let alone three. Remember that two weeks ago plenty of people said Clay should have caught that ball on the goal line because NFL receivers are expected to make those catches. Clay's miss was the same degree of difficulty as both of Zay's yesterday.

 

Not trying to make a big deal about it. It's just what I thought yesterday when I saw those two plays. Most everyone else on the field was performing, and Zay wasn't helping.

[Mat68]

I agree with you. All I'm saying is that his development could go the other way. James Hardy showed a lot of promise and literally collapsed under the pressure and the bright lights. Not saying that will happen, but it could.

 

Zay's got some work to do.

 

It is a slippery slope. Its only been 3 weeks but I have more confidence in this coaching staff and older players in the Wr group will get him going than years past. I don't expect it to be gradual one of these games he is going to just go off. Hopefully, it is this weekend in ATL.

[smuvtalker]

Fantastic write-up, and thank you Shaw!

 

But let me ask you a question regarding your worry for young Zay. While I share some of your fear regarding the rookie, I am more inclined to believe the NCAA all-time receptions leader is still destined for great things. However...

 

Do you feel that the drop vs Carolina(I'm personally in the camp that more blame goes on TT), has somehow affected his psyche to the point it has set him back even further in his developmental process? I mean, this is the guy with arguably the surest hands in the draft, and now routine catches are glancing off his hands. I'm just saying that sometimes things happen to us that permanently change us either for better, or sometimes they permanently ruin us...i know that may seem a bit extreme, but I've seen it happen before...what do you think?

[Heathcliff]

We looked like the Patriots yesterday, methodical and in control with a clear plan. That score before the half may just have convinced me this is a different Bills team.

And when we hit that FG, Denver's coach was caught on camera saying the MF word............ LOL

[Shaw66]

Fantastic write-up, and thank you Shaw!

 

But let me ask you a question regarding your worry for young Zay. While I share some of your fear regarding the rookie, I am more inclined to believe the NCAA all-time receptions leader is still destined for great things. However...

 

Do you feel that the drop vs Carolina(I'm personally in the camp that more blame goes on TT), has somehow affected his psyche to the point it has set him back even further in his developmental process? I mean, this is the guy with arguably the surest hands in the draft, and now routine catches are glancing off his hands. I'm just saying that sometimes things happen to us that permanently change us either for better, or sometimes they permanently ruin us...i know that may seem a bit extreme, but I've seen it happen before...what do you think?

I just think it's possible. You want the guy to bounce back when something like that happens. That tells you he's putting it behind him. Instead of having a bounce back game, he missed two more. Now, granted none of them was an easy catch, but all three were catchable.

 

Now he has to bounce back from two games. He does have the support of his teammates and coaches and all that, but he's the one who has to start catching the ball. I think he will, but I'm worried.

[SoCal Deek]

Shaw

 

Excellent summary and spot on with the Do Your Job theme.

 

The team's personality is completely transformed from the Clown Show that we saw the last two years.

 

One stat that highlights the point...The Bills have surrendered ONE extra point thru three games! ONE!

[DaBillsFanSince1973]

nice write up Shaw66...GO BILLS!!!

[GETTOTHE50]

We looked like the Patriots yesterday, methodical and in control with a clear plan. That score before the half may just have convinced me this is a different Bills team.

 

the score before the half was awesome. i hope it becomes more of a thing

[billsfan1960]

Nice write up.

 

Hope the Bills are like Sherman marching through Atlanta on Sunday. Go Bills.

 

I especially enjoyed the throw and catch to/by O'Leary.

[transplantbillsfan]

Nice post, Shaw.

I'm going to say this: I've pretty strongly taken the position that a great coach and good or even average players is much more preferable than a good or average coach and great players.

We heard all offseason about how this team lacks talent. Suddenly the narrative is going to change if Buffalo keeps winning that certain players who were otherwise average before are great talents.

I just think McDermott's vision and "Do your job" and "trust the process" culture is really impacting this team in such a great way.