First Half wasn't as awful as everyone is saying

[billsfan1959]

3 minutes ago, LABILLBACKER said:

The play on the safety and the back to back sneaks were poor calls. I had no problems with the rest other than some expected sloppy execution. We beat a quality division rival on the road down 16. And we survived 4 TO's. Clean that up with our D and we'll be alright. 

I'm not sure what play Daboll should have called on that safety. They were on their own goal line. The hole was there and Gore didn't hit it. 100% on Gore and it led to a 10 point swing. 

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

1 minute ago, Ralonzo said:

 

I would think if that was Duke and not Cole, the safety doesn't happen. And we also learned that Foster is a willing blocker but doesn't always know what his job is.

 

Wonder if that will be addressed in roster juggling along with the inevitable re-signing of O Captain My Captain, but that would require parting with one of the 15 tight ends or Conor McBlackmail.

 

I was thinking any WR is better than Cole blocking. Or make it a tight end instead of WR. 

[RememberTheRockpile]

6 minutes ago, billsfan1959 said:

I'm not sure what play Daboll should have called on that safety. They were on their own goal line. The hole was there and Gore didn't hit it. 100% on Gore and it led to a 10 point swing. 

There were 9 Jets in the box. Play action might have been a better call.

[Ralonzo]

6 minutes ago, Over 29 years of fanhood said:

 

I was thinking any WR is better than Cole blocking. Or make it a tight end instead of WR. 

 

The silver lining of that play is the left side of the OL and Smith just mauled the Jet DL + Adams.

[Nextmanup]

Let the rationalization threads begin! 

 

 

I guess this sort of thread makes more compelling reading than "Bills Struggle Like Hell to Beat Lousy Football Team in New Jersey".

 

 

[billsfan1959]

Just now, RememberTheRockpile said:

There were 9 Jets in the box. Play action might have been a better call.

And, yet, the hole was there. Blame Gore, not Daboll.

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

1 minute ago, Ralonzo said:

 

The silver lining of that play is the left side of the OL and Smith just mauled the Jet DL + Adams.

 

Line play looked good for the most part vs a stout front. 

[billsfan1959]

1 minute ago, Nextmanup said:

Let the rationalization threads begin! 

 

 

I guess this sort of thread makes more compelling reading than "Bills Struggle Like Hell to Beat Lousy Football Team in New Jersey".

It does make for compelling reading, outside of posts like this...

[Patrick Duffy]

Damn, I already stoked and ready for week 2 to hurry up and get here.

 

 

 

[ColoradoBills]

OK, I just got done watching the game again.  Rewound the pivotal plays too.

Josh (among some other in the first half) had some horrible plays AND some bad luck plays.

 

I got to say also that Josh was slinging the ball really good and the receivers were making some good catches too.

There was a whole lot of good things going on.

 

The whole off season almost everyone was saying that it's all on how JA performs is the most important question.

Josh Allen showed both sides of that question yesterday.

It seems Daboll gave him a lot of room to make decisions (looked like a number of audibles) and adjustments.

 

We are seeing a work in progress here and it seems (at least in the NYJ game) they are not going to baby JA's development.

That's fine by me.  For everyone trying to "grade" the O, one game is one game.

Next Sunday may be very interesting and should tell us more how this season is going to be played.

[RememberTheRockpile]

3 minutes ago, billsfan1959 said:

And, yet, the hole was there. Blame Gore, not Daboll.

False dichotomy.

[billsfan1959]

1 minute ago, RememberTheRockpile said:

False dichotomy.

Not really

[D. L. Hot-Flamethrower]

You know what's interesting everyone?

 

I keep hearing 4 Turnovers by JA = Sucks, terrible Josh, bad Josh, etc.

 

Just a quick cursory look at Tom Brady's career and his # of 4 INT games is approaching double figures, and this doesn't include fumbles!

 

The Bills haven't been and won't be turning it over 4x a game. Does that sound like something McD would accept?

[billsfan1959]

Just now, D. L. Hot-Flamethrower said:

You know what's interesting everyone?

 

I keep hearing 4 Turnovers by JA = Sucks, terrible Josh, bad Josh, etc.

 

Just a quick cursory look at Tom Brady's career and his # of 4 INT games is approaching double figures, and this doesn't include fumbles!

 

The Bills haven't been and won't be turning it over 4x a game. Does that sound like something McD would accept?

Now you have gone and done it: Comparing Josh Allen to Tom Brady. That won't go unpunished...

[LSHMEAB]

The first half was AWFUL offensively; Disgusting. Dysfunctional. Disorganized. Chaotic. Terrible play calling. Poor execution. All of it.

 

Fumble. Interception. Punt. Punt. Fumble. Interception. End of half(That was our best drive).

 

But the Bills WON. I'm conditioned for these kind of threads when we lose; but when we win? I guess we really are moving up the ranks.

[Ralonzo]

48 minutes ago, BuffaloBill said:

 

OK on the last play in desperation the Jets gave up a fumble.  So you stand as technically correct at -3.  This fact does not erase that the Bills were -4 until the final second of the game.  I stand on my original point which was if you are -4 in turnovers (for 59 minutes and 59 seconds) you are most likely going to lose.  

 

Do you feel better now?

Better than I would if there had been no turnover on that play and the Jets scored.

[MJS]

Yeah, I was saying all game long that we were clearly the better team. Our defense dominated. Our offense moved the ball with regularity. I knew if we could stop shooting ourselves in the foot that there was a good chance of coming back.

[ColoradoBills]

13 minutes ago, billsfan1959 said:

And, yet, the hole was there. Blame Gore, not Daboll.

 

In retrospect, Hyde thought the punt would bounce into the endzone but there was 2 jet players around.

I bet he wishes he would of fair caught it at the 6.

[DCOrange]

3 hours ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

Agreed.  Lots to build on, and beats the he** out of straight 3 and outs.

 

 

I agree with this part.

 

 

But yeah, as for this take - I agree with the folks who are pointing out that you seem to be discounting the drives you don't like.

When you look at the 1Q drive results "fumble...int....punt...punt...." - I'm sorry, you don't get to call it a "strong drive" when it fizzles.

 

What you can say is, yes, there are positives to build on, and if the Bills can move forward and get out of their own way, they can win

 

What you can't say is that "The Bills controlled the game on offense".

 

I mean, seriously?  If the fan of another team we beat came on here, and their offense was consistently stalled by turnovers and penalty but he said "our team controlled the ball on offense...we marched it down the field until we didn't...." we'd laugh, right?

 

 

 

 

Sure, but we'd laugh because we don't care about the other team's next 15 games; we only care that we stole the first one.

 

Moving the ball on a consistent basis in week 1 is much more promising than a couple flukey turnovers are concerning.

[Shaw66]

I will chime here in here response to the OP and not in response to all of the well-done sub-discussions that are going on here.   It's interesting to hear so many people here debate finer points, like the game plan, Allen's particular throws.  Good stuff.

 

I think the OP's original premise is correct.   I was at the game, and I was unhappy about the situation as it developed through the first half (that is, I didn't like that the Bills weren't winning), but I wasn't unhappy with how they were playing.   They were playing fine, just making a few mistakes and getting a few bad bounces.  

 

I find I keep coming back to something Belichick said right after Atlanta collapsed in the Super Bowl.  He said something like "we weren't worried at halftime, because we were competitive on the field, we just weren't competitive on the scoreboard."   That's how I felt at halftime.  

 

When the Jets scored, I was worried a good deal, but I kept thinking the Bills were okay.   I admit, it was a little weird, but I kept thinking the Bills are built for this.   Then it was 16-3, Bills still hadn't gotten into the end zone, but I felt like it was starting.   Then it just unfolded.  The Bills didn't look like they were doing a lot different, except they figured out how to spring Singletary.  The press makes a big deal about Moses going down, but although that may have helped the Bills, I don't think it made that much difference.   The Bills just kept on executing, just like they had all game, maybe a little better.  The Jets didn't have an answer.   

 

So, yes, absolutely, the Bills were not as bad in the first half as people say.  They took control of the game on the field from the very beginning and never let go.  It was impressive.