THE ROCKPILE REVIEW - Trust the Process - Bengals Over Bills

[Shaw66]

The Rockpile Review – by Shaw66

 

Trust the Process – Bengals Over Bills

 

Prepare. Play the game. Get a result. Prepare. Play the game. Get a result. Trust the process.

 

The Bills lost to the Bengals Sunday, 20-16. The approach was the same as in the four previous games: Play conservative offense, solid defense, stay in the game, win the second half.

 

Somehow, I’ve internalized the mantra: Trust the process. I don’t get excited watching the first half. I celebrate the good plays, but I don’t fret over the bad plays. AJ Green beats Tre’Davious White for 77 yards and a score? Don’t worry, trust the process. By the end of the half, the process had tied the score and the Bills had what they play for – a game they could win in the second half.

 

This time it didn’t work. The Bills had opportunities; they didn’t give the Bengals much in the second half, but the offense gained only 88 yards and repeatedly stopped itself with penalties or poor play. Just as in Carolina, the Bills could have beaten the Bengals, but they didn’t make the plays to win.

 

It was a close game. Both teams had some injuries coming into the game, and guys got banged up during the game. It rained for the entire game. Did the injuries and rain slow down the Bengals and give the Bills an edge, or did the injuries and rain make the Bills’ struggling offense struggle even more? Probably both. Did untimely penalties hurt the Bills or the Bengals more? Probably both.

 

It’s a loss. Prepare. Play the next game. Trust the process.

 

Here are some thoughts about the game:

 

1. Let’s start with Tre’Davious White. The long ball to Green was the biggest play of the game. Probably not the most important, but the biggest. Without it, the Bengals have only 246 yards passing, 7 yards per attempt instead of 8.7. Without it, the Bills win 16-13. But, of course, Green DID beat White, and it’s plays like that that make the difference in games.

 

White looked surprised that White went deep. He was playing the out-route and bit on the slightest hint that Green was about to break to the outside. Rookie mistake against a premier receiver. I wouldn’t be surprised if White was a little complacent after surviving Julio Jones last week. Green taught him that you NEVER can go to sleep on premier receivers. They always have one more move, one more gear, one more way to beat you.

 

We’re watching the education of an NFL cornerback. He was an honor student coming out of college, but he’s in graduate school now. He’ll be better next time, because he learned a lesson.

 

2. Charles Clay. In the run up to the game, it seemed obvious that the Bills passing game would feature Clay. Taylor’s had a lot of success throwing to Clay lately, and with Matthews out and Jones not yet NFL-ready, it figured that the Bills would be throwing to Clay. His injury was a big blow to the offense. O’Leary stepped up and made some nice catches, but he can’t be the downfield threat that Clay is.

 

3. Tyrod Taylor. All of Tyrod’s warts were on display in Cincinnati. He was ugly inaccurate on some easy throws. Was the weather in his head? Whatever, he has to make the easy throws.

 

Worse was his decision making. He waited in the pocket altogether too long. No way he should take six sacks for 27 yards. He took the Bills out of drives with those sacks. Watch the best QBs: they don’t wait in there that long. Watch Rodgers – if he doesn’t throw it in three seconds, he’s on the move. Taylor can escape and he can throw on the run; he needs to get out of there.

 

Taylor also needs to make decisions and let it fly. He’s always been cautious with the ball, and McDermott apparently is obsessed with limiting turnovers. But there’s a downside to being cautious: you never learn to make the tough throws.

 

Taylor’s problems were on display in the final drive. On first down, Taylor waited too long. He had a receiver 15 yards downfield, heading into open space on the left sideline. First, if Taylor knew his progressions and read the defense properly, he should have known his receiver would be open there. He should have been looking there.

 

Second, if Taylor didn’t have time to get the ball out to the open space, then he should have been on the move to buy the time he needed. Instead, he took the sack, leaving the Bills second and 15 instead of, at worst, second and 10.

 

Third, if Taylor was unsure about that throw, well, some of that unsureness is because he never takes the chance to make that throw, so he never learns how to make it.

 

Two plays later, in desperation time, Taylor finally pulled the trigger, throwing the interception that ended the game. His receiver was surrounded by defenders, but that’s a throw good quarterbacks make. Throw it on a line, right at the numbers, and it’s a catch and the Bills are still in it. However, if in the first 59 minutes of games he doesn’t make that throw, then in the last minute of the game he’s no better than a rookie attempting that pass.

 

The Bills need to turn Taylor loose during the game if they want him to learn how to win games on the last possession.

 

4. Micah Poyer. Was I the only guy who was confident the Bills were fixed at safety when these guys signed? Wow. McDermott knew what he needed back there, and he obviously has found what he needed. Every week, always in position, always making the tackle, always making a play on the ball.

 

5. Sammy Watkins. I’ve been okay with the trade from day one, but is there any doubt that the Bills need a serious outside receiving threat? The game was pretty even, except the Bengals had Green and the Bills didn’t even have Matthews. Once Clay went down, no one believed that the Bills would hurt the Bengals throwing the ball. The Bills’ offensive line just isn’t good enough to carry the team.

 

6. Can Brandon Tate be what the Bills need? He has the quickness, the shiftiness to make defenders miss. Touchdown catch was pretty impressive. Later he showed little ability to get two feet in bounds, but still, he looks like a threat.

 

7. Nice to hear: One of the TV commentators giving the scores said the Bengals have won two in a row, the first against the Browns and this week against the Bills, a good team. When’s the last time you heard someone say THAT?

 

8. The Bills really needed to move the ball on their last series of the first half. They put together a nice drive then stalled, getting nothing on three plays. One more first down and Hauschka would have had a shot at a field goal. In games where points are hard to come by, that was a missed opportunity.

 

9. The Bills need more offense, and I’d have Taylor running more. When he rolls out, he should run it upfield some of the time. Force the defense to respect his running threat, maybe open up some throws. If defenses are committing an extra man to defend the read option, then design plays to take advantage of that commitment. He has as many rushing attempts in previous seasons, but it seems to me there are fewer designed runs.

 

10. I like McDermott. I like his approach – continuous improvement. Study, practice, execute. Trust the process. Of course, approach isn’t enough. Xs and Os are important. It’s already clear that he knows how to coach defense. Week after week, teams struggle to score against the Bills. If he knows defense that well, either he also knows offense or he can identify coaches who do. When he says they’ll continue to work and to improve, I believe him.

 

Bills can use the bye. The week off is good for Glenn, Gaines, Matthews, O’Leary and others. Maybe even Clay. Two more weeks of work can help the offensive line. Taylor and the receivers certainly can use the time.

 

3-2 is a decent start. That’s all. The measure of teams, as McDermott well knows, is November and December. We’ll see if the Bills can find some kind of offense by then.

 

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 day’s hard work and simple pleasures into love for a pro football team.

[Big Turk]

This team cannot overcome the amount of injuries to key starters that they have no replacements for right now...

 

the loss of Clay and Matthews REALLY hurts an already mediocre at best offense under Dennison. It's going to be tough sledding to win ANY game going forward without some better answers on offense...McBeane needs to scour the waiver wire and practice squads

[Shaw66]

This team cannot overcome the amount of injuries to key starters that they have no replacements for right now...

 

the loss of Clay and Matthews REALLY hurts an already mediocre at best offense under Dennison. It's going to be tough sledding to win ANY game going forward without some better answers on offense...McBeane needs to scour the waiver wire and practice squads

I don't think there's a lot of help out there.

 

My cousin always tells me that it's not just injuries, but the timing of injuries and the positions are critical. If the Bills lost Lawson and Hughes, it would hurt the defense as much as losing Matthews and Clay on offense.

 

The best hope is better play out of the offensive line, Taylor and McCoy. If they can do that, then O'Leary, Jones, Tate and Holmes will be enough. The Bills won't find better players bagging groceries somewhere.

[HappyDays]

Last year the read option was a dangerous play for us, especially in the red zone. I cant figure out why we took it out of the play book, and seemingly replaced it with sweeps that rely on our below average OTs making a block. In general Tyrod isn't running this year as much as he did last year. Did they tell him to hold back? He needs to run more. It's another threat for the defense to keep an eye on and we're not exploiting that this year.

[Figster]

I think part of the problem with just turning Taylor loose to throw the football is the lack of chemistry with his WR's and when your formula for winning is protect the football and play good D its probably not happening in a one score game IMO.

 

Another thorough review

 

thanks OP

 

On a sideline side note - McD constantly preaching play smart football.

 

trust the process...

[Shaw66]

Last year the read option was a dangerous play for us, especially in the red zone. I cant figure out why we took it out of the play book, and seemingly replaced it with sweeps that rely on our below average OTs making a block. In general Tyrod isn't running this year as much as he did last year. Did they tell him to hold back? He needs to run more. It's another threat for the defense to keep an eye on and we're not exploiting that this year.

Actually, he's on track for more carries this season than either of the last two. But I think more of his runs this season are scrambles.

 

I have a theory that I hinted at. I noticed a couple of times last week that when Taylor ran what looked like zone reads, the defensive end always crashed on the running back, which is when Taylor's supposed to pull it back and run to the spot the DE would ordinarily fill. But when I looked, there was ANOTHER defender in the DE slot. I think what's happening is that defenses have adjusted to the zone read to shut down the QB option. We're not seeing teams run it as much this season as a couple years ago.

 

If I'm right, it means that there are opportunities. If that's what teams are doing, it's the equivalent of having a spy on the QB, and when teams do that they've taken a player out of the ordinary defensive flow. That guy filling the DE slot must be a linebacker or safety. So where is throw BEHIND that guy?

 

Last week, or was it two weeks ago, we saw Tyrod run around the right end, stop and hit Clay coming from the left end position. Was Clay filling the hole vacated by the linebacker?

 

I don't know. What I do know is that for two years we saw a dimension in Taylor's game that we're not seeing now. Especially with a weakened receiving corps, the Bills can afford to leave weapons on the sideline.

[Captain Murica]

This had the first Miami game of 2016 feel all over again. Game was a must win and still came up short. I like the HC and the direction theyre headed in but this had that familiar feel to it. Good teams dont lose games when theyre +3 on turnovers.

 

Im normally very positive. Today, just cant take anything positive from it. Defense played well but they let the one guy beat them that they shouldnt have let beaten them.

[Shaw66]

Actually, he's on track for more carries this season than either of the last two. But I think more of his runs this season are scrambles.

 

I have a theory that I hinted at. I noticed a couple of times last week that when Taylor ran what looked like zone reads, the defensive end always crashed on the running back, which is when Taylor's supposed to pull it back and run to the spot the DE would ordinarily fill. But when I looked, there was ANOTHER defender in the DE slot. I think what's happening is that defenses have adjusted to the zone read to shut down the QB option. We're not seeing teams run it as much this season as a couple years ago.

 

If I'm right, it means that there are opportunities. If that's what teams are doing, it's the equivalent of having a spy on the QB, and when teams do that they've taken a player out of the ordinary defensive flow. That guy filling the DE slot must be a linebacker or safety. So where is throw BEHIND that guy?

 

Last week, or was it two weeks ago, we saw Tyrod run around the right end, stop and hit Clay coming from the left end position. Was Clay filling the hole vacated by the linebacker?

 

I don't know. What I do know is that for two years we saw a dimension in Taylor's game that we're not seeing now. Especially with a weakened receiving corps, the Bills can afford to leave weapons on the sideline.

Watching Houston KC just now, and DeShaun Watson ran the read option. Collinsworth just said that when you crash the DE, someone has to fill in for him. In this case, the fill guy was too far away and Watson faked his way past the defender.

 

So I say design plays with the right options for Taylor.

This had the first Miami game of 2016 feel all over again. Game was a must win and still came up short. I like the HC and the direction theyre headed in but this had that familiar feel to it. Good teams dont lose games when theyre +3 on turnovers.

 

Im normally very positive. Today, just cant take anything positive from it. Defense played well but they let the one guy beat them that they shouldnt have let beaten them.

Loss was all on the offense. I'm a big believer in coaching, but I don't think the Bills are putting enough talent on the field to do much on offense. That's why I think they have to use Taylor more. He and McCoy are the only elite skill guys on the field, and if you take Taylor's legs from him, then you have only one elite player.

[HappyDays]

I just said this in another thread and I liked it enough to indulge myself here - With all the changes we're making on a week to week basis (Ducasse over Miller, Dareus at 2nd team, constant churning of the bottom of the roster, etc.) I think McDermott is treating this season as a mulligan. He wants to figure out what he has here. His first priority is 2018, not 2017. This makes sense in context of the Sammy trade too. All his decisions are about next year, and whatever happens this year is just gravy.

[transplantbillsfan]

Nothing about playcalling or our seemingly inept running scheme?

 

We have one of the best RBs in the NFL and had what worked as a great run blocking scheme last year and now Dennison has implemented a scheme where our OL is constantly pushed 3-4 yards into the backfield leaving Shady no room.

 

Didn't the announcer say something about Shady having the 2nd or 3rd most runs for negative yards in the NFL so far?

 

That's just pathetic.

 

And I think it's part scheme and part playcalling.

 

 

I'm fine with 3-2. We all would have been happy with that at the start of the season. And we haven't played a bad team, yet. Hell, the Jets are 3-2.

 

Regroup for the bye and come back to protect home field.

[Shaw66]

I just said this in another thread and I liked it enough to indulge myself here - With all the changes we're making on a week to week basis (Ducasse over Miller, Dareus at 2nd team, constant churning of the bottom of the roster, etc.) I think McDermott is treating this season as a mulligan. He wants to figure out what he has here. His first priority is 2018, not 2017. This makes sense in context of the Sammy trade too. All his decisions are about next year, and whatever happens this year is just gravy.

I think that's correct, but I'd put it differently. I think he's doing everything he can to win this season with what he has. At any position where one guy is performing clearly better than the backup, the backup isn't playing. But at any position where a guy is not getting the job done, McD isn't giving the benefit of the doubt. So Kyle Williams plays over his backup, because Kyle PLAYS better than his backup, while Dareus doesn't play over HIS backup because Dareus is either injured or in a funk and just isn't playing well enough to deserve to be out there.

 

Similarly, Miller must be underperforming.

 

A couple of weeks ago someone asked a series of questions intending to get McD to say that Peterman would start. McD said ti's a competition at every position, so the reporter asked if Peterman might start soon. McD almost laughed at him His body language said the competition isn't even close. If McD were playing for next year, Peterman would be on the field. The day Peterman starts is the day you'll know that McD has bigen up on this season.

 

I think for McD it's the exact same job as it is for a high school coach: Someone gives him a collection of players, and tries to win games. He said it after the game today - he's always evaluating and he's rethinking what he's doing to do based on his evaluation.

[HappyDays]

If McD were playing for next year, Peterman would be on the field.

I don't agree with this. McDermott needs to know after this season if Tyrod is worth sticking with. His starters are his starters, it's his depth players/fringe starters that he's been churning. I think McDermott knows how important the QB position is so he's not gonna mess around. We're not tanking but if a decision comes down to win in 2017 or win in 2018 he's going to pick 2018. Starting Peterman now doesn't win him anything. By 2019 he'll start making decisions for the now.

[Shaw66]

Nothing about playcalling or our seemingly inept running scheme?

 

We have one of the best RBs in the NFL and had what worked as a great run blocking scheme last year and now Dennison has implemented a scheme where our OL is constantly pushed 3-4 yards into the backfield leaving Shady no room.

 

Didn't the announcer say something about Shady having the 2nd or 3rd most runs for negative yards in the NFL so far?

 

That's just pathetic.

 

And I think it's part scheme and part playcalling.

 

 

I'm fine with 3-2. We all would have been happy with that at the start of the season. And we haven't played a bad team, yet. Hell, the Jets are 3-2.

 

Regroup for the bye and come back to protect home field.

I don't talk about playcalling. I don't know anything about playcalling, and frankly I don't think other than coaches and veteran QBs know anything about it, either. I think when announcers say that a call was a great playcall all he's really saying is the play was the right play for the defense that was called. But the coach didn't know what defense was called; if a different defense had been called, that play might not have worked at all. I'm not convinced that there's a whole lot of skill in playcalling.

 

Play design and offensive design is a different story. The Bills had a lousy game plan today - they had very few plays that worked. That's on Dennison. As I've said, I think they make a mistake by not using Taylor's skills more. That's on Dennison (and maybe McD.)

 

A lot was made about Dennison doing outside zone blocking and the Bills having featured inside zone blocking last year. But the reports are that last year the Bills used outside zone blocking as much as anyone last season. I think the failing of the running game is what happens with everyone who has success doing something for a couple of years - the league figures out how to stop it. They watch film, they see what works on defense and they use it. It's the offense's job to adapt. But if you're running game is getting stopped, usually the solution is to get better passing. Right now, the Bills don't have great weapons to use to get better passing.

[Shaw66]

This had the first Miami game of 2016 feel all over again. Game was a must win and still came up short. I like the HC and the direction theyre headed in but this had that familiar feel to it. Good teams dont lose games when theyre +3 on turnovers.

 

Im normally very positive. Today, just cant take anything positive from it. Defense played well but they let the one guy beat them that they shouldnt have let beaten them.

I can't get too upset about the Green touchdown. The guy is a great player. When Watson beat people long, we didn't sit around here saying the opponent shouldn't have let Watson beat them. We said he was a great player making plays.

 

No team plays perfect defense every play, every game, and you have to give credit to the talents of your opponent. Especially when you have a rookie on him, you have to expect to get whacked a bit.

 

McDermott isn't going to double cover him all day long. He won't skew his regular defense like that. He's going to expect all of his players to make plays, and sometimes they'll fail. White made a mistake on the play.

 

Frankly, I wish they'd turn Tyrod loose as much as they do White. Let Taylor make some mistakes, instead of telling him that under no circumstances is he to throw an interception.

[Figster]

I can't get too upset about the Green touchdown. The guy is a great player. When Watson beat people long, we didn't sit around here saying the opponent shouldn't have let Watson beat them. We said he was a great player making plays.

 

No team plays perfect defense every play, every game, and you have to give credit to the talents of your opponent. Especially when you have a rookie on him, you have to expect to get whacked a bit.

 

McDermott isn't going to double cover him all day long. He won't skew his regular defense like that. He's going to expect all of his players to make plays, and sometimes they'll fail. White made a mistake on the play.

 

Frankly, I wish they'd turn Tyrod loose as much as they do White. Let Taylor make some mistakes, instead of telling him that under no circumstances is he to throw an interception.

Protect the football, yes, but under no circumstances is probably not the kind of pressure the Bills or any OC/HC puts on their QB in my humble opinion.

 

Taylor is careful with the ball because thats how he approaches the game IMO.

[yungmack]

Actually, he's on track for more carries this season than either of the last two. But I think more of his runs this season are scrambles.

 

I have a theory that I hinted at. I noticed a couple of times last week that when Taylor ran what looked like zone reads, the defensive end always crashed on the running back, which is when Taylor's supposed to pull it back and run to the spot the DE would ordinarily fill. But when I looked, there was ANOTHER defender in the DE slot. I think what's happening is that defenses have adjusted to the zone read to shut down the QB option. We're not seeing teams run it as much this season as a couple years ago.

 

If I'm right, it means that there are opportunities. If that's what teams are doing, it's the equivalent of having a spy on the QB, and when teams do that they've taken a player out of the ordinary defensive flow. That guy filling the DE slot must be a linebacker or safety. So where is throw BEHIND that guy?

 

Last week, or was it two weeks ago, we saw Tyrod run around the right end, stop and hit Clay coming from the left end position. Was Clay filling the hole vacated by the linebacker?

 

I don't know. What I do know is that for two years we saw a dimension in Taylor's game that we're not seeing now. Especially with a weakened receiving corps, the Bills can afford to leave weapons on the sideline.

 

Fully agree with this. I remain puzzled by whatever it is that Dennison's trying to accomplish.

[It's in My Blood]

This had the first Miami game of 2016 feel all over again. Game was a must win and still came up short. I like the HC and the direction theyre headed in but this had that familiar feel to it. Good teams dont lose games when theyre +3 on turnovers.

 

Im normally very positive. Today, just cant take anything positive from it. Defense played well but they let the one guy beat them that they shouldnt have let beaten them.

Agree...except this wasn't a must win. We'll make up this AFC loss via the Fins and/or Jets and most likely a split with the Pats.

 

I'm down about the loss, but I'm still very confident in this team and it's potential this year. The bye week came at exactly the right time.

[Figster]

Fully agree with this. I remain puzzled by whatever it is that Dennison's trying to accomplish.

Create passing lanes for the '6 foot 1 Taylor as the opposition tries to eliminate them in my humble opinion yung,

 

easier said then done...

[BadLandsMeanie]

Hey Shaw. I'm glad you went to last weeks game rather than this one. Even the weather was better last week.

 

3 thoughts:

 

1)I am mixed up. I thought McD was "Respect the Process". The 76ers are "Trust the Process"

 

I have seen writers and press saying McD is about Trust the Process. But I can't find an actual instance of a quote from McD saying trust the process. Did he say that, do you know?

 

I think if the team was rallying around the wrong quote this week that may have effected their performance just enough to lose this one.

 

2) We are 3-2. Last year at the time we were 3-2. (but with less draft picks in the bank)

 

3) It is way too soon for me to make a judgment on Zay Jones. But it is not too soon for me to get uneasy and superstitious about Zay Jones.

 

Our 2nd round picks have been unlucky lately. None are with the team.

 

Reggie Ragland
Ronald Darby
Cyrus Kouandjio

[Buffalo Bills Fan]

I don't talk about playcalling. I don't know anything about playcalling, and frankly I don't think other than coaches and veteran QBs know anything about it, either. I think when announcers say that a call was a great playcall all he's really saying is the play was the right play for the defense that was called. But the coach didn't know what defense was called; if a different defense had been called, that play might not have worked at all. I'm not convinced that there's a whole lot of skill in playcalling.

 

Play design and offensive design is a different story. The Bills had a lousy game plan today - they had very few plays that worked. That's on Dennison. As I've said, I think they make a mistake by not using Taylor's skills more. That's on Dennison (and maybe McD.)

 

A lot was made about Dennison doing outside zone blocking and the Bills having featured inside zone blocking last year. But the reports are that last year the Bills used outside zone blocking as much as anyone last season. I think the failing of the running game is what happens with everyone who has success doing something for a couple of years - the league figures out how to stop it. They watch film, they see what works on defense and they use it. It's the offense's job to adapt. But if you're running game is getting stopped, usually the solution is to get better passing. Right now, the Bills don't have great weapons to use to get better passing.

Shaw I think bills ran all types of run schemes. Islo, power, draw man, zone with Roman designs he is best creating run schemes. Plus Watkins helped out made d way loose then to stack the box. Gillisiee sorry phone makes it hard. Perfect combo to McCoy different style. I understand lots in off season these two moves are head scratches