THE ROCKPILE REVIEW - Smokin'

[NoHuddleKelly12]

Thanks much OP, this writeup has to be one of your best ever!  

[LABILLBACKER]

4 hours ago, Beast said:

I'm convinced those hits at the end of the game were a direct payback from late in the AFCCG where KC was getting very chippy with the Bills.

Exactly....for Okafor's nonsense. I have a feeling all these commercials Mahomes makes are going to his head. And when Kelce calls it a career you're going to see Andy struggle. This 9 player DL rotation is an absolutely BRILLIANT strategy by Sean. Knox is shinning. Daboll is starting to throw to his RB's. Even Tremaine is stepping up his game. Star is complimenting Ed. We're going to boat race Tennessee and give a big BIRD to their dead owner. 

[GETTOTHE50]

This has been your best game review since I can remember. A good mix of personal experience, highlights, and flashbacks with bits of simple, but effective wisdom and fun.

[LDD]

Pretty great write up, as usual, but this one had some extra cheddar!  I'm sooooooooo glad that you spent a bunch of time on this defense.  It was SPECTACULAR last night!  The look on Mahomes face was PRICELESS. Our defense held the most highly touted offense in the NFL over the last three years in check the entirety of the night.  And when they moved the ball our young gun made a huge play.  Super Bowl contenders don't really contend with no defense.  We have one.  We're contending😀

[Don Otreply]

Damn nice write up Shaw66, I was a bit nervous at the start of the second half, but the interception and what followed was just awesome!

 

Go Bills!!!

[Bookie Man]

Bills are a wagon

[Turbo44]

This review was great but could have been twice as good…..

[HappyDays]

The Chiefs really have not been a great team this year. All the advanced stats said we were better, and just looking at the rosters we are so much deeper across the board. The only reason we would have lost is if we psyched ourselves out and tried too hard to win the game instead of just playing and trusting our style against an inferior opponent. This game wasn't about slaying the dragon, it was about recognizing that we are the dragon and living up to that standard.

[Shaw66]

10 hours ago, HappyDays said:

The Chiefs really have not been a great team this year. All the advanced stats said we were better, and just looking at the rosters we are so much deeper across the board. The only reason we would have lost is if we psyched ourselves out and tried too hard to win the game instead of just playing and trusting our style against an inferior opponent. This game wasn't about slaying the dragon, it was about recognizing that we are the dragon and living up to that standard.

Hey, Hap, there's much truth in what you say, but perception is reality, and fans (and players) always tend to view last year's top teams as this year's dragons.  Beating the Patriots last season was the same thing.  Sure, the Pats weren't the old Pats, but beating them twice and taking the AFC East title from them was an important symbolic accomplishment.  Beating the Chiefs the other night was the same.  

 

And as I said, there's always another dragon around the corner.  The Chargers, for sure, maybe the Titans, maybe the Ravens, maybe the Browns.  And yes, part of it is learning to be the dragon.  Breathing fire and all is great, but you don't really strike fear in anyone unless you have the killer instinct.  Sunday night, we saw it.  The fourth quarter touchdown drive was what real dragons do.  

[Bleed Bills Blue]

Nice...reads like a book you can't put down!

[Buffalo Junction]

22 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

 

One last thing about the defense:  Rousseau.  Football at its very core is about territory: can you attack their territory and can you defend yours?   The best coaches say, for example, that the offense needs to attack vertically and horizontally, because if you can threaten to attack all over the field, you spread the defense and everything gets easier. 

 

On defense, the better you can defend territory, the easier defense gets.  It’s the point about Edmunds that so many people seem to miss.  Edmunds is valuable because the combination of his size, including his wingspan, his quickness and his speed allows him to cover a much larger part of the center of the field than the average middle linebacker.  Throwing over him and dropping the ball into the middle zones is difficult if not impossible.  He makes it hard to find crossers, because of his unique physical skills, and that helps the entire defense, because the offense has less territory to attack. 

 

Rousseau looks like another Edmunds, and he is.  He stays on his feet, and he can run.  The result is that he is excellent shutting down the run game to his side of the field, and he’s almost equally valuable trailing plays to the other side.   But the point about defenders taking away parts of the field with their size was best demonstrated on his interception.  Mahomes learned, and other quarterbacks are learning, that throws to the right flat are not the gimme outlet passes they’re used to making.  Rousseau is so tall and has such great reach and athletic ability that he makes it difficult to get balls around or over him and still connect with the receiver.  

 

So, there the defense sits after game 5, on the top of the league in yards per game and points per game.  Spectacular! 

 

Both of these guys (Epenesa too) are shrinking the zones for the other players on defense. It’s a part of how the pass defense looks improved without changing the scheme or secondary players. I’m not going to be surprised at all if there ends up being a pick six from a DB or LBer when a QB tries to float one over Groot or Epenesa.

[Shaw66]

Just now, Buffalo Junction said:

Both of these guys (Epenesa too) are shrinking the zones for the other players on defense. It’s a part of how the pass defense looks improved without changing the scheme or secondary players. I’m not going to be surprised at all if there ends up being a pick six from a DB or LBer when a QB tries to float one over Groot or Epenesa.

Shrinking the zones is exactly what I've tried to describe.  Great phrase.  Edmunds shrinks the zones for everyone around him, and Rousseau is doing it in the flat.  And you're right, Epenesa plays that way, too. n

 

[Chandler#81]

@Shaw66 Excellent job!

Thanks!

[From Roc to Ky bills fan]

As always Shaw, thank you

[Ralonzo]

22 hours ago, Pokebball said:

IMO, Rousseau is already there. Yeah OK, perhaps premature, but dang what a draft pick our front office made, yet again.l

 

What was the quote from that necro-bump on April’s pre-draft thread? Something about, in a draft year like this one where players couldn’t/didn’t play, the better front offices in the league have a chance to significantly out-perform the dross and steal some players who would have been on the radar in normal years.

[Ayjent]

Shaw good observations.  One thing that really struck me after the game was the demeanor of the team.  As much as I know they really wanted this one and it meant more than the 4th win and the 5th game, there was something really sincere about the focus that this team has that came through in the post-game interview with Josh.  It's like the sting of the Pittsburgh loss and any air that the team had thinking they've arrived and it will be easy was an early and necessary lesson that they took to heart. 

 

They can't ride this victory for too long before getting down to business.  Tennessee beat them up and stole their lunch money last year.  I am actually glad that this is their next opponent because they have to focus on the Titans and demonstrate that they can beat a circus act offense followed by the polar opposite physicality of the Titans' offense.  I think the Offense is due for a consistent showing where they can dominate a game and the Defense can rely on the Offense to hold the water. 

 

So far this season they have played very complimentary football.  While there is no question in the outcomes of the games they've won, as you pointed out, there seems to be a much higher ceiling and feeling that the Offense is still in a cocoon waiting to fully emerge.  You see glimpses of it, but Diggs hasn't really gotten consistently going, Davis hasn't been as involved, and Beasley has been enigmatic.  You know all of these guys can get white hot and be a huge part of the offense on any Sunday.  They've found consistency in the run game when they need it, and I think inserting Brown on the OL and moving Ford out of it has been an all around good move - I'd like to see them utilize Brown's athleticism more because the guy is a freak of nature with his speed and power and he could definitely help in the screen game.

[Billsfan1972]

6 hours ago, Ayjent said:

Shaw good observations.  One thing that really struck me after the game was the demeanor of the team.  As much as I know they really wanted this one and it meant more than the 4th win and the 5th game, there was something really sincere about the focus that this team has that came through in the post-game interview with Josh.  It's like the sting of the Pittsburgh loss and any air that the team had thinking they've arrived and it will be easy was an early and necessary lesson that they took to heart. 

 

They can't ride this victory for too long before getting down to business.  Tennessee beat them up and stole their lunch money last year.  I am actually glad that this is their next opponent because they have to focus on the Titans and demonstrate that they can beat a circus act offense followed by the polar opposite physicality of the Titans' offense.  I think the Offense is due for a consistent showing where they can dominate a game and the Defense can rely on the Offense to hold the water. 

 

So far this season they have played very complimentary football.  While there is no question in the outcomes of the games they've won, as you pointed out, there seems to be a much higher ceiling and feeling that the Offense is still in a cocoon waiting to fully emerge.  You see glimpses of it, but Diggs hasn't really gotten consistently going, Davis hasn't been as involved, and Beasley has been enigmatic.  You know all of these guys can get white hot and be a huge part of the offense on any Sunday.  They've found consistency in the run game when they need it, and I think inserting Brown on the OL and moving Ford out of it has been an all around good move - I'd like to see them utilize Brown's athleticism more because the guy is a freak of nature with his speed and power and he could definitely help in the screen game.

That is what I keep saying.  They've been good, not great.   Heck only 26 passes vs. KC.  300+ passing only 2X's.  Davis not showing a leap (may be injured), Beasley has had 1 good game and Diggs behind his 2020 #'s.  Knox & Sanders have performed.    

[ColoradoBills]

On 10/11/2021 at 3:09 PM, billybrew1 said:

I wonder if there is any chance of signing Star for one more year? For some reason, I don't think he gives us a discount if he decides to play again....And I don't think we can pony up like he has been accustomed to being paid.

 

Star is under contract through 2023 due to the Opt-out last year.

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/buffalo-bills/star-lotulelei-12294/

[Shaw66]

13 hours ago, Ayjent said:

Shaw good observations.  One thing that really struck me after the game was the demeanor of the team.  As much as I know they really wanted this one and it meant more than the 4th win and the 5th game, there was something really sincere about the focus that this team has that came through in the post-game interview with Josh.  It's like the sting of the Pittsburgh loss and any air that the team had thinking they've arrived and it will be easy was an early and necessary lesson that they took to heart. 

 

They can't ride this victory for too long before getting down to business.  Tennessee beat them up and stole their lunch money last year.  I am actually glad that this is their next opponent because they have to focus on the Titans and demonstrate that they can beat a circus act offense followed by the polar opposite physicality of the Titans' offense.  I think the Offense is due for a consistent showing where they can dominate a game and the Defense can rely on the Offense to hold the water. 

 

So far this season they have played very complimentary football.  While there is no question in the outcomes of the games they've won, as you pointed out, there seems to be a much higher ceiling and feeling that the Offense is still in a cocoon waiting to fully emerge.  You see glimpses of it, but Diggs hasn't really gotten consistently going, Davis hasn't been as involved, and Beasley has been enigmatic.  You know all of these guys can get white hot and be a huge part of the offense on any Sunday.  They've found consistency in the run game when they need it, and I think inserting Brown on the OL and moving Ford out of it has been an all around good move - I'd like to see them utilize Brown's athleticism more because the guy is a freak of nature with his speed and power and he could definitely help in the screen game.

AJ -

 

Several comments about this.  Brown first.   I'm sure they're going slow with Brown.  First thing they want him to do is stand in there and make the blocks on the guy lined up in front of him.   You do see him roaming around, following plays, pushing the pile, but I haven't seen him much on plays designed for him to pull and seal a guy.  I think that's coming.

 

As for the receivers emerging, I think it's very much week to week - how does Daboll want to attack the defense, and how is the defense playing the receivers?   I suspect, but can't say I really know, that Diggs is getting double a lot, and when he's doubled, Allen is looking elsewhere.   I think Sanders has been feasting on the opportunities that Diggs is creating in that way.   Plus, I wouldn't be surprised if they're not trying to save Beasley.   He had the injury late last season, and he seemed to be playing on pure guts.   I think they'd prefer to get to January and have him ready to slice and dice teams with the his short game, when yardage is generally tougher to come buy.  I can't say I know that for sure, but we do know that McDermott has a very good understanding of how long the season is.  

 

And I agree about Tennessee.   This a game for McDermott to show that he is a master-class coach, given the differences in the challenges the Chiefs present and the Titans present.  The Titans, of course, have to be looking at what the Bills did the Chiefs and scratching their heads about how to stop the offense that seems to be emerging.   On defense, I think the dline is likely to be looking forward to the challenge.   Groot and Boogie will be wired, no doubt.  And Oliver seems to come alive with consistent, attacking defense (maybe because Star has freed him up).   It will be a real challenge.   A win will set up the rest of the schedule for the Bills. 

[Chaos]

On 10/11/2021 at 1:19 PM, Beast said:

I'm convinced those hits at the end of the game were a direct payback from late in the AFCCG where KC was getting very chippy with the Bills.

The chiefs are a dirty team.