Bills Forth-Quarter Drive Historically Dominant - Athletic article

[BADOLBILZ]

2 hours ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

What if I told you our success percentage 3rd down and 1-3 yds to go...was exactly the same, rush or pass?

33 rush attempts, 18 pass attempts

We're also 3 for 3 at 4th down rushing and 2 for 3 on 4th down passing

 

I know what you mean...we are a pass-driven team with a lot riding on Allen.  But we actually do run a bit more than people think, and are a bit more successful than given credit - about 40% of our non-penalty offensive plays are run plays.   It's just divided up more between games than within games.

 

That said - we lean on Allen a lot in the run game too.  Allen is almost 1/3 of our run game.

 

So we're riding Allen all the way - arms AND legs.

 

But lately our D has stepped up Big Time so we'll hope that continues.  Up to 15th in points allowed which is huge after where we were halfway through the season

 

And that 4th Q drive was beautiful to watch

 

 

 

 

 

The Bills had success on that last drive because they didn't limit themselves to running the ball.

 

It wasn't just ground and pound........Allen dropped back to pass on 7 of the 12 plays prior to the two kneel downs.

 

He ended up scrambling for yards a couple times and one of the drop backs resulted in a Morse holding call.

 

It was an excellent display of offensive football but long drives are not new under McDermott they were critical in Jauron-balling their way thru the 2017 season.

 

Among the many long drives was an 18 play drive against Atlanta and another 18 play drive against Jax in the wildcard game.   

  

[Hapless Bills Fan]

42 minutes ago, BADOLBILZ said:

The Bills had success on that last drive because they didn't limit themselves to running the ball.

It wasn't just ground and pound........Allen dropped back to pass on 7 of the 12 plays prior to the two kneel downs.

He ended up scrambling for yards a couple times and one of the drop backs resulted in a Morse holding call.

 

I think your memory may be off a bit. 

The play split was 4 pass attempts (Allen scramble called back for 1st and 20, followed by 3 passes) then  8 consecutive called runs prior to the kneeldowns.  The called runs included an Allen sneak on 3rd and 1, and a called Allen bootleg on 2nd and 12.

 

42 minutes ago, BADOLBILZ said:

It was an excellent display of offensive football but long drives are not new under McDermott they were critical in Jauron-balling their way thru the 2017 season.

 

Back in 2017, we had like the #4 rushing attack in the league and extended rush-heavy drives were a norm for us.

 

That, um, has not been the case this season so far, to put it mildly.

 

The Athletic article asserts:

You have to go back seven years to find a longer game-ending drive versus an opponent that made the playoffs. Over the past five years, Buffalo’s coup de grace is 70 seconds longer than the next closest example. Since 2000 (as far back as analytics database Radar360 tracks drive information), Buffalo’s final possession ranks 10th-longest against a playoff opponent, with two games on the list happening in the postseason. But the drive ranks fifth against a playoff defense that also rated among the top 10 in yards allowed.

Pittsburgh is first in points allowed, third in yards allowed and first in takeaways.

 

That's stat-wrangling above my paygrade so I take them at their word that it's remarkable.

 

 

[Rubes]

I’m pretty sure I remember watching every second tick off of the clock, too.

 

[machine gun kelly]

I know but that 2pt. Conversion defense.  That will be the death of us if not for that backup QB problem. 😂🤣😭

 

All kidding aside, one sign of a great team is being able to put the nail in the coffin at the end of a game just putting together a long drive.  On the contrary, we are the best 4th quarter comeback team in football.  Before that game the Steelers were 1st and 3rd in both parameters in defense, and the week before the 49ers were 6th in defense.  It just is so reassuring to know we can stand toe to toe with any defense in the NFL.  Keeps reminding me the only team to stand against us is the Chiefs.  The way our defense is playing now, I think we have a chance.  Not a lock, but exciting and I’m confident in the next two games.  Now can the Steelers just stub their toe against the Colts in 10 days.

[BADOLBILZ]

1 hour ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

I think your memory may be off a bit. 

The play split was 4 pass attempts (Allen scramble called back for 1st and 20, followed by 3 passes) then  8 consecutive called runs prior to the kneeldowns.  The called runs included an Allen sneak on 3rd and 1, and a called Allen bootleg on 2nd and 12.

 

 

Back in 2017, we had like the #4 rushing attack in the league and extended rush-heavy drives were a norm for us.

 

That, um, has not been the case this season so far, to put it mildly.

 

The Athletic article asserts:

You have to go back seven years to find a longer game-ending drive versus an opponent that made the playoffs. Over the past five years, Buffalo’s coup de grace is 70 seconds longer than the next closest example. Since 2000 (as far back as analytics database Radar360 tracks drive information), Buffalo’s final possession ranks 10th-longest against a playoff opponent, with two games on the list happening in the postseason. But the drive ranks fifth against a playoff defense that also rated among the top 10 in yards allowed.

Pittsburgh is first in points allowed, third in yards allowed and first in takeaways.

 

That's stat-wrangling above my paygrade so I take them at their word that it's remarkable.

 

 

 

 

My bad.   My point was that they didn't just plow thru them handing the ball off for 80 yards though.   They had to pass their way out of a first and 20 to start with and had to use their QB as a runner to extend the drive.   

 

Long drives help shorten the game but they don't necessarily say a lot about the quality of the offense(obviously see 2017 Bills).........the Raiders had a 20 play drive tonight against LA Chargers and they then had a 14 play drive to start OT that burned thru almost 7 minutes of clock before the Chargers called a timeout on 3rd down.  

 

It was a good drive by the Bills but it's one of those cases where someone tried too hard to put it into a perspective that made it look like something astonishing.    That Steeler defense is pretty beleaguered......especially the LB corps....... and as a whole they haven't been playing like a playoff team for many weeks.     The Bills took care of business against a team that's really in a rut........not unlike the Bills were in that Tennesse/KC portion of the season.  

Edited December 18, 2020 by BADOLBILZ

[Nihilarian]

That last drive would have been great against any good team. That last drive wasn't against a creampuff team. 

 

The thing is, the Bills did that against the #1 overall defense in the league. #1 in points allowed #3 in yards. The #1 defense for INTs, #2 sack leader in TJ Watt. #2 in passing yards allowed.

 

Buffalo rolled over them like a 20 ton road grader...just awesome to behold! 

 

 

[GunnerBill]

35 minutes ago, Nihilarian said:

That last drive would have been great against any good team. That last drive wasn't against a creampuff team. 

 

The thing is, the Bills did that against the #1 overall defense in the league. #1 in points allowed #3 in yards. The #1 defense for INTs, #2 sack leader in TJ Watt. #2 in passing yards allowed.

 

Buffalo rolled over them like a 20 ton road grader...just awesome to behold! 

 

 

 

I knew you'd love that drive. I actually thought of you as they were running it. 

 

I really am not worried about our run game at this point. I was the first 6 weeks because they couldn't run it other than with Allen. They don't need to run it a lot. This is a team with a top 5 QB they should be throwing it and throwing it a lot. They need to run it just enough to keep a defense honest and frankly since the second Jets game they have been able to do that. 

[ganesh]

13 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

How about the Giants beating the VIkings 41-0 in the playoffs AND holding the ball for the last 12 minutes!   That's incredibly. 

 

And the Giants in Super Bowl XXV,  ground out a 7 1/2 minute drive at the beginning of the 4th quarter sucking the air out of the Bills defense and more importantly keeping Kelly on the sidelines....This was huge because in  a total 20 minutes of a a60 minute game, the Bills offense had 371 yards in that game.....That drive was HUGE

[BritBill]

It was that good a drive I recorded it to watch every time my missus goes up to bed before me.

[Shaw66]

1 hour ago, ganesh said:

 

And the Giants in Super Bowl XXV,  ground out a 7 1/2 minute drive at the beginning of the 4th quarter sucking the air out of the Bills defense and more importantly keeping Kelly on the sidelines....This was huge because in  a total 20 minutes of a a60 minute game, the Bills offense had 371 yards in that game.....That drive was HUGE

Thanks.  I'm sure I needed that. 

[wjag]

Here is a different spin on the playoffs that most people don't think about.  As I was looking at the injury report for the Broncos this week, both of their running backs are questionable.  The result of a long season where they have been principles in the offense.   The wear and tear has been adding up.  While Buffalo is a pass first team, the strength of the running backs in Pitt's game fourth quarter was obvious.  They looked fresh.  Could it be the Bills will enter the playoffs with the least wear and tear on their backs and therefore, have the strongest, freshest backfield for the stretch run?  That drive had to scare the bee jee bees out of teams when it could be Moss or Singletary or Allen (sneaking or bootlegging). 

[nucci]

I watched it again. It was pretty incredible

[BearNorth]

I agree, the RB's have relatively low mileage on them this season.  Josh however, who is also a dangerous rb, has only missed 8 snaps.

 

I also think that if his injured arm holds up, Milano has fresher legs now than he usually does this late in the season, his game is based on speed.

 

 

[NoHuddleKelly12]

19 hours ago, Seasons1992 said:

"I did that!"

 

 

Who knew the Macarena has been rediscovered by millennials? 

[Mat68]

4 hours ago, wjag said:

Here is a different spin on the playoffs that most people don't think about.  As I was looking at the injury report for the Broncos this week, both of their running backs are questionable.  The result of a long season where they have been principles in the offense.   The wear and tear has been adding up.  While Buffalo is a pass first team, the strength of the running backs in Pitt's game fourth quarter was obvious.  They looked fresh.  Could it be the Bills will enter the playoffs with the least wear and tear on their backs and therefore, have the strongest, freshest backfield for the stretch run?  That drive had to scare the bee jee bees out of teams when it could be Moss or Singletary or Allen (sneaking or bootlegging). 

Possibly.  However, I would not want Buffalo to change what got them to this point.  What stopped Buffalo from advancing last year was they didnt score enough points.  I would hate for them to take the ball out of Allens hand under the old adage you have to establish the run.  As well as they ran the ball on Ne it played right into the game they wanted.  The only style of game they could compete in.