Graham article in The Athletic shows just how good our D was today

[transplantbillsfan]

https://theathletic.com/1444151/2019/12/08/bills-going-to-feel-good-about-sleeping-tonight-despite-losing-to-ravens?source=shared-article

Baltimore’s pinball-machine offense (first in points and rushing yards, second in total yards) experienced unprecedented frustration:

• Fewest yards (257, 164 below average).
• Second-fewest first downs (18, seven below average).
• Third-fewest plays (59, eight below average).
• Fewest rushing yards (118, 90 below average).
• Second-lowest yards per carry (3.6, 2.0 below average)
• Fewest rushing first downs (six, six below average).
• Tied for second-lowest passing yards (139, 74 below average).
• Third-lowest yards per pass (5.3, 2.5 yards below average).

 

Since 2000, the Bills — and we’re talking some bad teams — had a .619 win percentage when limiting opponents to no more than 257 yards and 18 first downs.

 

Jackson completed 16 of his 25 throws for 145 yards and three touchdowns. He ran 11 times for 40 yards, ending a streak of nine games with at least 60 rushing yards.

 

The Ravens led the NFL in explosive plays coming into Sunday, averaging 6.1 runs of at least 10 yards and 1.4 passes of at least 20 yards. They had two such runs and one such pass Sunday.

 

The Ravens hadn’t punted more than three times in a game and totaled only six punts over their previous five games. Sam Koch kicked it away seven times.

 

....

 

Alexander explained how McDermott labels performances on a four-square chart: play well and win; play well and lose; play poorly and win; play poorly and lose.

 

“Today we played good, but we lost,” Alexander said. “It’s not like they outmatched us and we don’t belong on the field with them.”

 

Calm confidence was evident in Buffalo’s postgame den. No sense of panic or peril was evident like in the Cowboys’ locker room Thanksgiving night.

 

 

 

 

I really think that little tidbit from Lorax is pretty revealing.

 

McDermott DOES preach moral victories to his players, at least to some degree.

Edited December 9, 2019 by transplantbillsfan

[wvbillsfan]

Buffalo walked off the field really believing they will see them again. Love the confidence. 

[SirAndrew]

Great information. Today was a huge moral

victory for the defense imo. It reconfirmed they can shut down the best. I’m ok with preaching the moral victory to the defense, let’s just hope the same isn’t said for the offense. 

Edited December 9, 2019 by SirAndrew

[BillsFan130]

Played really well. Kind of makes it even more frustrating the Bills lost today because of that.

 

If offence plays even half descent and Josh hits on a few more of those throws, Bills most likely win.

 

Predicted a loss so all in all not horrible but just disappointed in the Offence

[Lurker]

7 minutes ago, transplantbillsfan said:

I really think that little tidbit from Lorax is pretty revealing.

 

McDermott DOES preach moral victories to his players, at least to some degree.

 

I'd call that simply keeping everyone level-headed.   

 

Teams like the Cowboys and Browns seem to be in emotional tailspins all the time.   The Bills guys play exactly the opposite and you can't discount that approach as being something bad.  Good on McD.   

 

Now just get them to the next level...

[Aussie Joe]

Our man JA needs to step up in these big games and not waste these efforts from our D...

 

Second time this year after the Pats game that a lot of good play has been squandered..

 

Still... lots to be happy about on that side of the ball..

[Mark Vader]

No doubt at all that this was a defensive game.

 

Key drops and poor pass protection really hurt us today on offense.

 

Despite all of that, our defense gave us chances to stay in it. We had a real chance of sending it into overtime.

 

Not taking anything away from the Ravens, their defense played as good as ours, and they earned the win.

[Vod Kanockers]

The only difference between Buffalo and Baltimore is their RPO offense. Baltimore has very short read and throw options, where as Buffalo is trying to turn JA into an actual QB that will withstand the test of time and gimmicks. I’ll be patient. 
 

Baltimore has very well designed short passing options which allowed LJ to thrive. Kudos to GR for making that happen. Solid short term plan. While BD has gone the long route as far as development, I still wouldn’t mind seeing some of these short “gadget plays” incorporated into the red zone offense.

[clearwater cadet]

oline was really bad today.  Wr dont seen they can win 1 on 1 in man.

[MJS]

The real difference was the pressure they got on Allen (including the forced fumble deep in our own end that led to a TD for them).

 

Gotta get that cleaned up. The oline needs to do better. Allen needs to throw the ball away a little bit more. The OC needs to realize what's happening and dial up the short, quick passing game, screens, etc to handle the pass rush.

[transplantbillsfan]

1 hour ago, MJS said:

The real difference was the pressure they got on Allen (including the forced fumble deep in our own end that led to a TD for them).

 

Gotta get that cleaned up. The oline needs to do better. Allen needs to throw the ball away a little bit more. The OC needs to realize what's happening and dial up the short, quick passing game, screens, etc to handle the pass rush.

 

OC was a predictable idiot today.

 

I don't know why he went away from all of the pre-snap motions considering it's been a staple of our offensive success.

[ganesh]

4 hours ago, MJS said:

The real difference was the pressure they got on Allen (including the forced fumble deep in our own end that led to a TD for them).

 

Gotta get that cleaned up. The oline needs to do better. Allen needs to throw the ball away a little bit more. The OC needs to realize what's happening and dial up the short, quick passing game, screens, etc to handle the pass rush.

We keep saying the short quick pass...they didn't exist yesterday with the way our OL played.   When everyone is covered and the running lanes are choked, you are in for a long day.  The Bills played poorly upfront...or rather the Ravens played great on defense.   The difference in the ball game was that our Defense gave away 3 TDs while theirs restricted it to 3 FGs....

[colin]

To me the biggest difference between Baltimore and buffalo on O is that Baltimore can pass and run block (which is helped with their disguise, I can count on three fingers the number of run plays we executed vs Baltimore which I didn't know were runs as soon as we lined up) and they have large targets.

 

The one armed catch that Knox made was a perfect ball that came down in a place where only he could catch it.  Smaller wrs need horizontal space to get open, we need at least one other guy who can be open while covered because our online and scheme just doesn't create large enough windows for ja at this point in his career.

[Utah John]

The O line was overwhelmed.  I think Cody Ford is really struggling at RT and the rest of the players are trying to compensate.  There have to be some hot reads available for the times when other teams bring pressure.  The hot read can't be Josh Allen evading three guys and throwing it away while running for his life.

[Phil The Thrill]

6 hours ago, Mark Vader said:

No doubt at all that this was a defensive game.

 

Key drops and poor pass protection really hurt us today on offense.

 

Despite all of that, our defense gave us chances to stay in it. We had a real chance of sending it into overtime.

 

Not taking anything away from the Ravens, their defense played as good as ours, and they earned the win.

“Key drops and poor pass protection hurt us”..... as did really bad play from the QB.  Funny how that last part was left out

1 hour ago, colin said:

To me the biggest difference between Baltimore and buffalo on O is that Baltimore can pass and run block (which is helped with their disguise, I can count on three fingers the number of run plays we executed vs Baltimore which I didn't know were runs as soon as we lined up) and they have large targets.

 

The one armed catch that Knox made was a perfect ball that came down in a place where only he could catch it.  Smaller wrs need horizontal space to get open, we need at least one other guy who can be open while covered because our online and scheme just doesn't create large enough windows for ja at this point in his career.

Right but smaller receivers can get open vertically.  Josh needs to give them a better chance to make a long catch.  This was the difference in the game IMO

[GunnerBill]

The Bills D is for real. All those that were worried earlier in the season about a defense that was just feasting against bad offenses.... well we have just played the top 2 offenses in the league and we are still 3rd in yards per game and 2nd in points per game.

 

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

12 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

The Bills D is for real. All those that were worried earlier in the season about a defense that was just feasting against bad offenses.... well we have just played the top 2 offenses in the league and we are still 3rd in yards per game and 2nd in points per game.

 

 

As I've said all year, they're like butter: smooth and unctuous.

 

Love this defense, LOVE this defense.

 

[billsfan714]

Leslie Frazier doesn't get enough credit on this board.

[Big Turk]

Bills need one win against anyone in their next 3 games and they are in the playoffs.

[GunnerBill]

1 hour ago, billsfan714 said:

Leslie Frazier doesn't get enough credit on this board.

 

This. 100% this. When the D has a bad day Frazier gets blamed. When it consistently limits good teams McDermott gets all the credit. Frazier was a terrific hire, not only a defensive guy but as a sounding board for Sean. I am a big believer in first time Head Coaches having a guy who has been a Head Coach in a coordinator role or assistant HC role to lean on. Frazier is perfect in that role because he doesn't seek the limelight, he isn't flashy, but the defensive gameplans are consistently excellent.