Daboll & Allen vs. the Ravens

[transplantbillsfan]

I think some are being overly harsh in terms of Allen and especially Daboll vs. the Ravens.

 

Daboll

I generally understand the game plan and am fine with it.  And I've been a huge critic of his for the last 3 years.  But frankly, Josh Allen is the best player on the team and Diggs is the 2nd best player.  Our OL has been quietly spectacular at pass blocking all season and not very good at run blocking.  On top of that, we lost Moss last week, who was the better RB this season in an already below average RB corps.  Once Yeldon was activated and the fan-favorite from week 17 Williams became inactive, it was pretty obvious we were going to come out passing.  And you can argue that we shouldn't have called so many deep passes in the wind, but I think those shots ended up keeping the Ravens D honest and opened up the short to intermediate game, which was working well.  The winds obviously affected the deep passes just like they affected FG kicking, but I'd guess Daboll was in Allen's ear that misses on the deep passes are fine as long as they aren't picked.  And we were moving the ball fairly effectively in the 1st half against the best D I think Buffalo has faced all year and will face in the last game or (hopefully) 2 that they play.  Davis should have had a TD.  And the passing game in the first half opened up the run game a bit in the 2nd half, specifically for that first TD drive coming right out of the half.

 

I wish we could run the ball, too.  But I don't think we have the RBs or OL to do it very much.  Daboll didn't call a flawless game, but he called a pretty darn good game against a great D.  If I were to critique him--and this is a season long critique--it's that I think when he decides to commit a little more to the run, he goes to the well 1 or 2 times too often.  Yesterday at one point in the 2nd half Singletary got a good gain on 1st down and then we ran almost the same play on 2nd down and he was stuffed.  I understand the theory, but I think he should just count his blessings we got positive yardage and get the ball back in the hands of his most dynamic players.

 

 

Allen

 I think I covered some of it above, but I was actually impressed by him.  Yes he had another fumble, but this one wasn't really his fault the way it was against the Colts.  He was otherwise incredibly careful with the football.  I can't think of a single pass that was nearly intercepted, can you?  All of his deep passes that he missed were out of reach of absolutely anyone, including the pass to Diggs in double coverage that I think a lot of people were highly critical of.  I think I was expecting Allen to run the ball more, but there were a number of plays that looked like RPOs where he chose to pass instead of run or hand off and overall, they seemed to be good decisions.

 

In the end, that wind just wreaked havoc on the game, but that wind was precisely the reason we drafted Allen in the first place.  Other than those deep passes missed probably in part to the wind, Allen was fantastic in the short to intermediate passing game with some of his weekly "WOW!!!" passes like that one to Brown on the sideline that Al Michaels initially said was out of bounds.  Heck, he completed 62% of his passes in that wind even with those deep misses while playing with an absence of 2 of his favorite targets in Beasley and Davis.  He saw what our D was doing and did a good job in terms of finding a way to get a lead and then protecting that lead.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I honestly went into yesterday's game thinking that we'd lose.  I know that sounds bad, but I just thought the Ravens offense would be able to score against our D and that our offense hadn't seen a D as strong and intimidating as Baltimore's.  I was wrong and am so glad I was.

 

I won't doubt this team again.  I wouldn't predict a Super Bowl win, but this team is ABSOLUTELY more than capable of beating absolutely ANY team remaining in the playoffs in the AFC or NFC.  

 

Welcome back to the AFC Championship game, Buffalo!!!!

[Big Blitz]

Nope.  Not here.  

 

We played the best D in the NFL with zero threat of a running game in near impossible winds.  A defense that allowed 20 total points in 2 playoff games against 2 of the best offenses in the league.  

 

And 2 of our key WRs are banged up.  Davis is something to monitor this week.  Like you I didn't Iove our chances either bc every single matchup on paper-- including the weather that broke their way, favored the Ravens. 

 

 

The only QB and OC any objective "analyst" should be criticizing, reside in Baltimore.  

 

Edited January 18, 2021 by Big Blitz

[Big Turk]

That throw to Davis in the endzone should have been a TD. Put it right in his hands.

[Magox]

The offense isn't played in a vacuum, it's played with an awareness of what is going on in the context of the entirety of the game.  The way the Defense was playing, the offense did a fairly decent job of moving the chains and helping the field position game.  We also missed two field goal kicks and the winds totally took away our deeper pass game which allowed Baltimore's vaunted DB's to sit on the underneath stuff.

 

Considering the conditions they did what they needed to do to win

 

Edited January 17, 2021 by Magox

[CincyBillsFan]

3 hours ago, transplantbillsfan said:

I think some are being overly harsh in terms of Allen and especially Daboll vs. the Ravens.

 

Daboll

I generally understand the game plan and am fine with it.  And I've been a huge critic of his for the last 3 years.  But frankly, Josh Allen is the best player on the team and Diggs is the 2nd best player.  Our OL has been quietly spectacular at pass blocking all season and not very good at run blocking.  On top of that, we lost Moss last week, who was the better RB this season in an already below average RB corps.  Once Yeldon was activated and the fan-favorite from week 17 Williams became inactive, it was pretty obvious we were going to come out passing.  And you can argue that we shouldn't have called so many deep passes in the wind, but I think those shots ended up keeping the Ravens D honest and opened up the short to intermediate game, which was working well.  The winds obviously affected the deep passes just like they affected FG kicking, but I'd guess Daboll was in Allen's ear that misses on the deep passes are fine as long as they aren't picked.  And we were moving the ball fairly effectively in the 1st half against the best D I think Buffalo has faced all year and will face in the last game or (hopefully) 2 that they play.  Davis should have had a TD.  And the passing game in the first half opened up the run game a bit in the 2nd half, specifically for that first TD drive coming right out of the half.

 

I wish we could run the ball, too.  But I don't think we have the RBs or OL to do it very much.  Daboll didn't call a flawless game, but he called a pretty darn good game against a great D.  If I were to critique him--and this is a season long critique--it's that I think when he decides to commit a little more to the run, he goes to the well 1 or 2 times too often.  Yesterday at one point in the 2nd half Singletary got a good gain on 1st down and then we ran almost the same play on 2nd down and he was stuffed.  I understand the theory, but I think he should just count his blessings we got positive yardage and get the ball back in the hands of his most dynamic players.

 

 

Allen

 I think I covered some of it above, but I was actually impressed by him.  Yes he had another fumble, but this one wasn't really his fault the way it was against the Colts.  He was otherwise incredibly careful with the football.  I can't think of a single pass that was nearly intercepted, can you?  All of his deep passes that he missed were out of reach of absolutely anyone, including the pass to Diggs in double coverage that I think a lot of people were highly critical of.  I think I was expecting Allen to run the ball more, but there were a number of plays that looked like RPOs where he chose to pass instead of run or hand off and overall, they seemed to be good decisions.

 

In the end, that wind just wreaked havoc on the game, but that wind was precisely the reason we drafted Allen in the first place.  Other than those deep passes missed probably in part to the wind, Allen was fantastic in the short to intermediate passing game with some of his weekly "WOW!!!" passes like that one to Brown on the sideline that Al Michaels initially said was out of bounds.  Heck, he completed 62% of his passes in that wind even with those deep misses while playing with an absence of 2 of his favorite targets in Beasley and Davis.  He saw what our D was doing and did a good job in terms of finding a way to get a lead and then protecting that lead.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I honestly went into yesterday's game thinking that we'd lose.  I know that sounds bad, but I just thought the Ravens offense would be able to score against our D and that our offense hadn't seen a D as strong and intimidating as Baltimore's.  I was wrong and am so glad I was.

 

I won't doubt this team again.  I wouldn't predict a Super Bowl win, but this team is ABSOLUTELY more than capable of beating absolutely ANY team remaining in the playoffs in the AFC or NFC.  

 

Welcome back to the AFC Championship game, Buffalo!!!!

 

And let's not forget the bad slip by Singletery on a screen pass play that probably would have gone for 15 - 20 yards during the first half missed FG drive.

 

Those long shots put us in a great position to exploit a screen pass. And we had it set up perfectly as Singleterry just had to beat one guy on a cut back and it would have been a big gainer putting us in a first & goal. Instead he slipped down for a 2 yard gain. That was very disappointing to say the least.   A TD drive at that point would have put us up 10 - 0 late in the 2nd quarter.

 

 

 

 

[78thealltimegreat]

3 hours ago, transplantbillsfan said:

I think some are being overly harsh in terms of Allen and especially Daboll vs. the Ravens.

 

Daboll

I generally understand the game plan and am fine with it.  And I've been a huge critic of his for the last 3 years.  But frankly, Josh Allen is the best player on the team and Diggs is the 2nd best player.  Our OL has been quietly spectacular at pass blocking all season and not very good at run blocking.  On top of that, we lost Moss last week, who was the better RB this season in an already below average RB corps.  Once Yeldon was activated and the fan-favorite from week 17 Williams became inactive, it was pretty obvious we were going to come out passing.  And you can argue that we shouldn't have called so many deep passes in the wind, but I think those shots ended up keeping the Ravens D honest and opened up the short to intermediate game, which was working well.  The winds obviously affected the deep passes just like they affected FG kicking, but I'd guess Daboll was in Allen's ear that misses on the deep passes are fine as long as they aren't picked.  And we were moving the ball fairly effectively in the 1st half against the best D I think Buffalo has faced all year and will face in the last game or (hopefully) 2 that they play.  Davis should have had a TD.  And the passing game in the first half opened up the run game a bit in the 2nd half, specifically for that first TD drive coming right out of the half.

 

I wish we could run the ball, too.  But I don't think we have the RBs or OL to do it very much.  Daboll didn't call a flawless game, but he called a pretty darn good game against a great D.  If I were to critique him--and this is a season long critique--it's that I think when he decides to commit a little more to the run, he goes to the well 1 or 2 times too often.  Yesterday at one point in the 2nd half Singletary got a good gain on 1st down and then we ran almost the same play on 2nd down and he was stuffed.  I understand the theory, but I think he should just count his blessings we got positive yardage and get the ball back in the hands of his most dynamic players.

 

 

Allen

 I think I covered some of it above, but I was actually impressed by him.  Yes he had another fumble, but this one wasn't really his fault the way it was against the Colts.  He was otherwise incredibly careful with the football.  I can't think of a single pass that was nearly intercepted, can you?  All of his deep passes that he missed were out of reach of absolutely anyone, including the pass to Diggs in double coverage that I think a lot of people were highly critical of.  I think I was expecting Allen to run the ball more, but there were a number of plays that looked like RPOs where he chose to pass instead of run or hand off and overall, they seemed to be good decisions.

 

In the end, that wind just wreaked havoc on the game, but that wind was precisely the reason we drafted Allen in the first place.  Other than those deep passes missed probably in part to the wind, Allen was fantastic in the short to intermediate passing game with some of his weekly "WOW!!!" passes like that one to Brown on the sideline that Al Michaels initially said was out of bounds.  Heck, he completed 62% of his passes in that wind even with those deep misses while playing with an absence of 2 of his favorite targets in Beasley and Davis.  He saw what our D was doing and did a good job in terms of finding a way to get a lead and then protecting that lead.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I honestly went into yesterday's game thinking that we'd lose.  I know that sounds bad, but I just thought the Ravens offense would be able to score against our D and that our offense hadn't seen a D as strong and intimidating as Baltimore's.  I was wrong and am so glad I was.

 

I won't doubt this team again.  I wouldn't predict a Super Bowl win, but this team is ABSOLUTELY more than capable of beating absolutely ANY team remaining in the playoffs in the AFC or NFC.  

 

Welcome back to the AFC Championship game, Buffalo!!!!

We do not have any running game like at all...This was the 6th top ten pass defense in row Josh has faced..considering he single handedly beat the Colts last week to get them to this point he should get no criticism at all

Edited January 18, 2021 by 78thealltimegreat

[batmanfreek]

One thing I give Allen props for is getting rid of the ball. If nothing is there and pressure is coming, he doesn’t hero ball it and does the smart thing. Mostly that is. Takes what is given and gets rid of it if nothing is there. 

[Mr. WEO]

3 hours ago, Big Turk said:

That throw to Davis in the endzone should have been a TD. Put it right in his hands.

 

Catchable but not that easy a catch...

 

Josh also overthrew an open TD down the sideline.  

[Charles Romes]

With devilish winds and no running game, they put their full trust in the arm of their young superstar every play and he delivered the victory. Incredible.  

[Shaw66]

3 hours ago, Big Turk said:

That throw to Davis in the endzone should have been a TD. Put it right in his hands.

Davis wasn't ready for prime time. 

[NewEra]

37 minutes ago, Mr. WEO said:

 

Catchable but not that easy a catch...

 

Josh also overthrew an open TD down the sideline.  

Agreed on the throw to Davis.  Catchable, but it was closer to his fingertips than his hands. 
 

the throw down the sideline to a wide open Diggs hurt.  The wind wrecked that pass 💯.  In normal conditions, that pass goes for 7 imo.  It was an overthrow....but I wouldn’t put that on his throw, more on the wind.  He didn’t adjust accordingly but it’s tough to gauge that

 

more and more I pray that we build a retractable roof stadium.  We may build a better run game with time, but as long as we have allen and Diggs, driving the ball downfield will be out bread and butter.  The wind will always derail the long pass game, no matter how strong the QBs arm

[Big Turk]

28 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

Davis wasn't ready for prime time. 

 

Luckily he was against the Colts the week before.

[GoBills808]

That throw to Davis hit him in both hands

[Solomon Grundy]

4 hours ago, Big Turk said:

That throw to Davis in the endzone should have been a TD. Put it right in his hands.

Think TD Jesus would’ve caught it??😎

[DrPJax]

4 hours ago, transplantbillsfan said:

I think some are being overly harsh in terms of Allen and especially Daboll vs. the Ravens.

 

Daboll

I generally understand the game plan and am fine with it.  And I've been a huge critic of his for the last 3 years.  But frankly, Josh Allen is the best player on the team and Diggs is the 2nd best player.  Our OL has been quietly spectacular at pass blocking all season and not very good at run blocking.  On top of that, we lost Moss last week, who was the better RB this season in an already below average RB corps.  Once Yeldon was activated and the fan-favorite from week 17 Williams became inactive, it was pretty obvious we were going to come out passing.  And you can argue that we shouldn't have called so many deep passes in the wind, but I think those shots ended up keeping the Ravens D honest and opened up the short to intermediate game, which was working well.  The winds obviously affected the deep passes just like they affected FG kicking, but I'd guess Daboll was in Allen's ear that misses on the deep passes are fine as long as they aren't picked.  And we were moving the ball fairly effectively in the 1st half against the best D I think Buffalo has faced all year and will face in the last game or (hopefully) 2 that they play.  Davis should have had a TD.  And the passing game in the first half opened up the run game a bit in the 2nd half, specifically for that first TD drive coming right out of the half.

 

I wish we could run the ball, too.  But I don't think we have the RBs or OL to do it very much.  Daboll didn't call a flawless game, but he called a pretty darn good game against a great D.  If I were to critique him--and this is a season long critique--it's that I think when he decides to commit a little more to the run, he goes to the well 1 or 2 times too often.  Yesterday at one point in the 2nd half Singletary got a good gain on 1st down and then we ran almost the same play on 2nd down and he was stuffed.  I understand the theory, but I think he should just count his blessings we got positive yardage and get the ball back in the hands of his most dynamic players.

 

 

Allen

 I think I covered some of it above, but I was actually impressed by him.  Yes he had another fumble, but this one wasn't really his fault the way it was against the Colts.  He was otherwise incredibly careful with the football.  I can't think of a single pass that was nearly intercepted, can you?  All of his deep passes that he missed were out of reach of absolutely anyone, including the pass to Diggs in double coverage that I think a lot of people were highly critical of.  I think I was expecting Allen to run the ball more, but there were a number of plays that looked like RPOs where he chose to pass instead of run or hand off and overall, they seemed to be good decisions.

 

In the end, that wind just wreaked havoc on the game, but that wind was precisely the reason we drafted Allen in the first place.  Other than those deep passes missed probably in part to the wind, Allen was fantastic in the short to intermediate passing game with some of his weekly "WOW!!!" passes like that one to Brown on the sideline that Al Michaels initially said was out of bounds.  Heck, he completed 62% of his passes in that wind even with those deep misses while playing with an absence of 2 of his favorite targets in Beasley and Davis.  He saw what our D was doing and did a good job in terms of finding a way to get a lead and then protecting that lead.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I honestly went into yesterday's game thinking that we'd lose.  I know that sounds bad, but I just thought the Ravens offense would be able to score against our D and that our offense hadn't seen a D as strong and intimidating as Baltimore's.  I was wrong and am so glad I was.

 

I won't doubt this team again.  I wouldn't predict a Super Bowl win, but this team is ABSOLUTELY more than capable of beating absolutely ANY team remaining in the playoffs in the AFC or NFC.  

 

Welcome back to the AFC Championship game, Buffalo!!!!

Isn’t saying  “ I won’t doubt this team again “. , followed immediately by “ I wouldn’t predict a Super Bowl win” , actually an oxymoron or doubting the team again!?  😀. Just thinking you are either part of circling the wagons or you are outside the circle!  Can’t straddle the line my friend as a true believer, after waiting a quarter of a century to experience how it feels to know your team has a legit chance to finally hoist the Lombardi! Finally putting the phrase “ wide right” to rest so there will never be another generation.of Bills Mafia who cringe at that phrase!   Don’t doubt, don’t go into the game thinking “ we’d lose”!  I was around for all 4 SB losses , plus much more.heartbreak over 35 years, and I can tell you this is how it feels to be an all in fan for a legit WINNING , SB bound Bills team at the beginning of our next dynasty, the next 4 in a row AFC CHAMPIONSHIP COMPETING CLUB BECAUSE WE HAVE OUR FRANCHISE QB!

 

So if you mean “ I won’t doubt this team again” , then help circle those wagons and don’t doubt this team again!  😀👍🍸💪🏻

[Buffalo716]

1 hour ago, NewEra said:

Agreed on the throw to Davis.  Catchable, but it was closer to his fingertips than his hands. 
 

the throw down the sideline to a wide open Diggs hurt.  The wind wrecked that pass 💯.  In normal conditions, that pass goes for 7 imo.  It was an overthrow....but I wouldn’t put that on his throw, more on the wind.  He didn’t adjust accordingly but it’s tough to gauge that

 

more and more I pray that we build a retractable roof stadium.  We may build a better run game with time, but as long as we have allen and Diggs, driving the ball downfield will be out bread and butter.  The wind will always derail the long pass game, no matter how strong the QBs arm

It also derails the other team's long passing game. And Allen can mitigate it better than any quarterback in the world.

 

Brady played outside in New England 20 years and he has every record basically

 

 

[FireChans]

6 hours ago, transplantbillsfan said:

I think some are being overly harsh in terms of Allen and especially Daboll vs. the Ravens.

 

Daboll

I generally understand the game plan and am fine with it.  And I've been a huge critic of his for the last 3 years.  But frankly, Josh Allen is the best player on the team and Diggs is the 2nd best player.  Our OL has been quietly spectacular at pass blocking all season and not very good at run blocking.  On top of that, we lost Moss last week, who was the better RB this season in an already below average RB corps.  Once Yeldon was activated and the fan-favorite from week 17 Williams became inactive, it was pretty obvious we were going to come out passing.  And you can argue that we shouldn't have called so many deep passes in the wind, but I think those shots ended up keeping the Ravens D honest and opened up the short to intermediate game, which was working well.  The winds obviously affected the deep passes just like they affected FG kicking, but I'd guess Daboll was in Allen's ear that misses on the deep passes are fine as long as they aren't picked.  And we were moving the ball fairly effectively in the 1st half against the best D I think Buffalo has faced all year and will face in the last game or (hopefully) 2 that they play.  Davis should have had a TD.  And the passing game in the first half opened up the run game a bit in the 2nd half, specifically for that first TD drive coming right out of the half.

 

I wish we could run the ball, too.  But I don't think we have the RBs or OL to do it very much.  Daboll didn't call a flawless game, but he called a pretty darn good game against a great D.  If I were to critique him--and this is a season long critique--it's that I think when he decides to commit a little more to the run, he goes to the well 1 or 2 times too often.  Yesterday at one point in the 2nd half Singletary got a good gain on 1st down and then we ran almost the same play on 2nd down and he was stuffed.  I understand the theory, but I think he should just count his blessings we got positive yardage and get the ball back in the hands of his most dynamic players.

 

 

Allen

 I think I covered some of it above, but I was actually impressed by him.  Yes he had another fumble, but this one wasn't really his fault the way it was against the Colts.  He was otherwise incredibly careful with the football.  I can't think of a single pass that was nearly intercepted, can you?  All of his deep passes that he missed were out of reach of absolutely anyone, including the pass to Diggs in double coverage that I think a lot of people were highly critical of.  I think I was expecting Allen to run the ball more, but there were a number of plays that looked like RPOs where he chose to pass instead of run or hand off and overall, they seemed to be good decisions.

 

In the end, that wind just wreaked havoc on the game, but that wind was precisely the reason we drafted Allen in the first place.  Other than those deep passes missed probably in part to the wind, Allen was fantastic in the short to intermediate passing game with some of his weekly "WOW!!!" passes like that one to Brown on the sideline that Al Michaels initially said was out of bounds.  Heck, he completed 62% of his passes in that wind even with those deep misses while playing with an absence of 2 of his favorite targets in Beasley and Davis.  He saw what our D was doing and did a good job in terms of finding a way to get a lead and then protecting that lead.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I honestly went into yesterday's game thinking that we'd lose.  I know that sounds bad, but I just thought the Ravens offense would be able to score against our D and that our offense hadn't seen a D as strong and intimidating as Baltimore's.  I was wrong and am so glad I was.

 

I won't doubt this team again.  I wouldn't predict a Super Bowl win, but this team is ABSOLUTELY more than capable of beating absolutely ANY team remaining in the playoffs in the AFC or NFC.  

 

Welcome back to the AFC Championship game, Buffalo!!!!

EXCUSE ME?

 

Excuse me?

 

EXCUSE ME?

 

There has only been ONE Bill. ONE. In team HISTORY. Who has been quietly spectacular.

 

And you know EXACTLY who it is.

 

@Gugny

[NewEra]

26 minutes ago, Buffalo716 said:

It also derails the other team's long passing game. And Allen can mitigate it better than any quarterback in the world.

 

Brady played outside in New England 20 years and he has every record basically

 

 

The other teams don’t rely on the long passing game like we do.  We have literally zero running game.   Teams can just sit on the short pass game and it’s a wrap.  

[Big Turk]

2 hours ago, 78thealltimegreat said:

We do not have any running game like at all...This was the 6th top ten pass defense in row Josh has faced..considering he single handedly beat the Colts last week to get them to this point he should get no criticism at all

 

Honestly I am not even sure we can say that because Daboll never really gives it a chance to get into rhythm. Maybe he feels that Allen gives us a much better chance to not lose yards on a play since usually the worst thing that will happen is an incomplete pass versus us maybe losing 2 or 3 with a carry. 

 

I don't have an issue with it. In good conditions it doesn't matter if a team knows we are going to throw it all the time, they likely won't be able to stop it.

[FireChans]

11 minutes ago, NewEra said:

The other teams don’t rely on the long passing game like we do.  We have literally zero running game.   Teams can just sit on the short pass game and it’s a wrap.  

good. Running is lame.