ROCKPILE REVIEW - Oh, Well

[Shaw66]

It was Josh Allen’s worst game of the season, until it wasn’t. 

 

Allen had been stymied by the Cardinals defense for pretty much the entire game.  He threw perhaps his two worst interceptions of the season, one a poorly executed throw to Gabriel Davis in fairly tight coverage, a pass that if Davis had made the absolutely perfect play by stopping for the ball, he might have had a completion or interference penalty.  The other, a classic young QB’s mistake, failing to see Patrick Peterson dropping into coverage underneath Allen’s intended receiver.  Two critical mistakes.

 

Allen took what the defense was giving him pretty much all day, which is, after all, what he’s supposed to do.   He once again was great managing the pocket, taking no sacks, creating a couple of miraculous escapes, and making tough throws from tight situations.   In addition to the two interceptions, several of his throws were just a bit off target.  One of those throws, into the left flat late in the game, created the opportunity for Cole Beasley to make a great one handed catch for a critical first down on what looked like the game-winning drive. 

 

And then, with three and a half minutes left, Allen got the ball one more time.  Until then, he hadn’t played so badly to have lost the game, but he hadn’t done much of anything to win it, either.  The Bills had just completed a horrible, penalty riddled, drive to nowhere.  That’s when Allen did it again – another fourth quarter comeback drive.  He took control of the ball, the offense, and the game, running and passing the ball down the field, managing the huddle, managing the clock, managing the team.   It was popgun offense at times, four yards here, five yards there, dink, dunk, nice throws but nothing special.  Finally, BANG!!!  The touchdown pass that could be thrown by only a handful of NFL quarterbacks, the touchdown route and catch that could be run and made by only a dozen receivers. 

 

Allen to Diggs.   Touchdown!   Game over, but of course, it wasn’t.  The Bills defense needed one more stop; they played the last 39 seconds pretty much just as they had drawn it up.  In the end, Kiler Murray made an excellent play, the kind of play that only Murray and a handful of other quarterbacks, including Allen, make, and Andre Hopkins made the catch to win the game, the kind of catch that only a dozen or so receivers, including Diggs, make. 

 

In a sense, all that happened is that the game ended with three and half minutes left, and then for a few more minutes two of the best QBs in the league and two of the best receivers in the league put on a show for the entertainment of a national audience. 

 

Could the Bills have stopped the final play?  The Bills surrounded Hopkins with their three best defensive backs – Hyde, Poyer, and White, all four jumped, Hopkins was in perfect position to get his hands on the ball ahead of the others, and he didn’t let go.   In a perfect world, White doesn’t jump, stands his ground and, as Hopkins comes down with ball, White knocks it out of his hands.  The Bills were close, but just not quite perfect.

 

The Bills are a good football team, a quality football team.  So is Arizona.  They fought for 60 minutes.  Either team could have won.   Both teams delivered under pressure.  The Bills faded late in the third quarter and lost control of the game – had they put together a tight-60-minute performance, they could have won.   But Arizona can say pretty much the same thing about how they played.   When good teams play, it’s often the case that one team controls for a while, then the other controls.  That’s what happened.  The Cardinals were a little bit better.

 

It’s a tough loss for the Bills, because it tightens up the AFC East race, a tough loss in a game they could have won.  But it isn’t a disaster.   It proved to the Bills, again, that they can play and compete with anyone.  And the Bills aren’t done building and growing. 

 

Shout outs:

 

Edmunds played well.  Not perfect, by any means, but he was active, around the ball, making plays and making tackles. 

 

AJ Klein shone again.   I don’t know where that quickness came from – if I had to guess, Klein isn’t quicker, but he’s anticipating better.  He’s making a difference.

 

Cole Beasley caught about 27 short passes.   Man, what a security blanket for Allen. 

 

Diggs made his plays, too, and the touchdown catch was big-time, grown-man professional football.

 

The running game disappeared again, and the run defense did too.

 

The Bills kept Murray in check, more of less. 

 

The Bills need to go at least 2-2 in the third quarter of the season.  They’re 1-1, with a bye, then the Chargers and the 49ers.  3-1 is within reach, which would get them to 9-3 and in a position to end the season with a solid run and a good playoff seeding.  A lot of big football games between now and the playoffs. 

 

It won’t be easy.  The good news is that the Bills have Josh Allen. 

 

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.

 

 

Edited November 16, 2020 by Shaw66

[Aussie Joe]

Shaw... Are you always optimistic?

 

Its a good way to go through life..

[wvbillsfan]

7-3. Tough schedule. 
I’d love to see this oline get healthy and stay healthy. That will be a difference maker. 
 

Defense is coming around. I like where we are going. 

[Joe Ferguson]

Bass showed us we now have a reliable kicker. I'll be confident that he'll give us a game winning kick in the playoffs or even the Super Bowl.

[Shaw66]

1 minute ago, Aussie Joe said:

Shaw... Are you always optimistic?

 

Its a good way to go through life..

No, I'm not.   

 

But the Cardinal clearly are a good football team.   When the Bills started their final drive, I said to my wife that the Bills are good, because the three and out they forced to give Allen one more chance was the same kind of gutsy play we've seen from McDermott's teams for three years now.   The Bills are good, and they're getting better.   Most important, they have a big-time quarterback.   

 

The final play ripped my heart out.   But I'm optimistic because the team is good.  

Just now, Joe Ferguson said:

Bass showed us we now have a reliable kicker. I'll be confident that he'll give us a game winning kick in the playoffs or even the Super Bowl.

Yeah, I forgot to include Bass.   Really solid.  Bojo, on the other hand, has to go.  

[Generic_Bills_Fan]

Just now, Shaw66 said:

No, I'm not.   

 

But the Cardinal clearly are a good football team.   When the Bills started their final drive, I said to my wife that the Bills are good, because the three and out they forced to give Allen one more chance was the same kind of gutsy play we've seen from McDermott's teams for three years now.   The Bills are good, and they're getting better.   Most important, they have a big-time quarterback.   

 

The final play ripped my heart out.   But I'm optimistic because the team is good.  

I might be too optimistic but I think if mitch morse plays that game we win comfortably

[CSBill]

Your title expresses my feeling about the game. It took a miracle play to beat us. This team can play with anyone. On to the Chargers.

9 minutes ago, wvbillsfan said:

7-3. Tough schedule. 
I’d love to see this oline get healthy and stay healthy. That will be a difference maker. 
 

Defense is coming around. I like where we are going. 

 

Agree with both points.

[Figster]

19 minutes ago, wvbillsfan said:

7-3. Tough schedule. 
I’d love to see this oline get healthy and stay healthy. That will be a difference maker. 
 

Defense is coming around. I like where we are going. 

Despite the very painful loss I also like where we're going. 

 

Thanks OP for keeping it real. Its hard to be to upset with anyone in particular. Josh had an off day yet came through at crunch time. D defended Murray well IMO. A couple of bounces went our way. A little Murray magic beat us in the end. 

 

When I looked at the 3 games coming up on the schedule. Pats, Seahawks and Cards. Ithought to myself , If Buffalo wins 2 I'll be happy. Can't say I'm happy right now. On the other hand, I'll take the 2 out of 3.

 

My hats off to the mighty mouse... 

Edited November 16, 2020 by Figster

[PromoTheRobot]

The Josh-led offense "sucked" their way to 30 points. I'll take that level of suckage any day.

[BillsCuse]

I agree.   The defense made a key 3 and out to even give the offense a chance.  Then the offense drove down the field and scored a clutch TD that should have won the game.  That last play sucked and I still can't believe it.  However, that play is extremely low percentage.  The loss sucks for The Bills record for sure, but for future games I feel better about our comeback than theirs.

[Mr. Wonderful]

Team not built to succeed in the playoffs.  Have to be able to run and stop the run in the cold.  Still very confident they win the division and might even win a playoff game but faults will be exposed and need to addressed in the off-season.

Edited November 16, 2020 by Mr. Wonderful

[Buftex]

As heart wrenching as that loss was, I too feel pretty good about where this team is.  There were a lot of positives to take away from the effort today. Bye comes at a good time.  Plenty of football left.

[Figster]

37 minutes ago, Mr. Wonderful said:

Team not built to succeed in the playoffs.  Have to be able to run and stop the run in the cold.  Still very confident they win the division and might even win a playoff game but faults will be exposed and need to addressed in the off-season.

Does this belief hinge on one successful hail mary? The reason I ask this is because had Buffalo won the game I think allot of people start looking at Buffalo differently. (Including Bills fans)

 

I'm not saying your wrong...

Edited November 16, 2020 by Figster

[Shaw66]

31 minutes ago, Mr. Wonderful said:

Team not built to succeed in the playoffs.  Have to be able to run and stop the run in the cold.  Still very confident they win the division and might even win a playoff game but faults will be exposed and need to addressed in the off-season.

It's not playoff time yet.  McDermott is still building his team.

 

But I agree with the fundamental point.   Running and stopping the run is pretty fundamental to winning, and those are clearly the Bills weaknesses.  

 

As someone said, if they had Morse, and Feliciano, running probably would look better.  

 

If Beane had one do over, I'd bet that it would be that he would have found a a big guy to play the 1-tech.  

[Special K]

4 minutes ago, Buftex said:

As heart wrenching as that loss was, I too feel pretty good about where this team is.  There were a lot of positives to take away from the effort today. Bye comes at a good time.  Plenty of football left.

 

I honestly would have been more down about the loss if the Bills failed to score on the final drive and lost it that way. The fact that the Bills could be down that many players on D, play as bad in the second half as they did, and still take the lead with 34 seconds to go is a sign of a good team with heart that has learned how to make plays in the clutch.

 

Losing a game on a 1 out of 100 chance play made by a future Hall of Fame WR....all you can do is tip your cap to him, and move forward, heal up over the bye week and approach these last 6 games with confidence.

 

Go Bills!!

[Success]

Great write-up, and the thread title sums it up.  It's a bummer, but it's not any kind of huge setback.  We're in 1st place in the AFCE and still have an undefeated record in the division.

 

The upcoming schedule is tough, but we have a bye to get healthy & gear up for a good stretch run. I thought Allen was out of sync all day - he never found his groove until the very end, and that might have just been more "4th quarter Josh" than any kind of groove.  He really is clutch.

 

We're in the thick of a tight division race in mid-November, and have the advantage. I'll take that any ol' day.

 

[Simon]

5 minutes ago, Success said:

I thought Allen was out of sync all day - he never found his groove until the very end

 

The Cards were playing a lot of pre-snap games in the Front7 and I think it was making Allen hesitant.

Almost every single time he made a mistake it was the result of him holding the ball an extra half second.

I appreciate his patience and don't mind him looking for big plays but more often than not I want to see him trusting his read and getting the ball out on time.

[RiotAct]

I got all confused without seeing “ ROCKPILE REVIEW:” in the thread title

[Figster]

3 minutes ago, Success said:

Great write-up, and the thread title sums it up.  It's a bummer, but it's not any kind of huge setback.  We're in 1st place in the AFCE and still have an undefeated record in the division.

 

The upcoming schedule is tough, but we have a bye to get healthy & gear up for a good stretch run. I thought Allen was out of sync all day - he never found his groove until the very end, and that might have just been more "4th quarter Josh" than any kind of groove.  He really is clutch.

 

We're in the thick of a tight division race in mid-November, and have the advantage. I'll take that any ol' day.

 

Josh really is clutch, Diggs, Beasley, all clutch.

 

I personally want to see more production from the TE position. On off days QB need big play from the TE security blanket IMO.

 

(On days like today I wish Duke Williams was on the football field)

 

 

[Simon]

1 minute ago, Figster said:

I personally want to see more production from the TE position.

 

I've reached the point where I don't care if we see more production there.

I just want them to stop being a net negative most weeks. Being invisible would be an improvement at this point.