THE ROCKPILE REVIEW - Feast

[Hapless Bills Fan]

6 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

I have a friend who often shares with me his tickets about three rows behind the Bills bench at MetLife.  It’s great to watch the game from that perspective. A few things I saw:

 

1. There always seems to be conversation going on between a coach and a player or two.  They’re looking at tablets and discussing something the Jets were doing and how to attack, why something didn’t work the last time on the field, something where the Bills will have an opportunity.  Or players are talking among themselves about what just happened or should happen next time.  Special teams, especially.  It seemed like Taiwan Jones and Matakevich and McKenzie and others were talking about technique a lot.

 

Great writeup as usual, @Shaw66

 

A couple things I'm curious about if you don't mind questions:

-What were Josh Allen's interactions on the sidelines?  Does he mostly sit looking at a tablet, and is he talking to Ken Dorsey/another assistant or just Webb?

Does he go along the sidelines talking to OLmen or other players?

-On TV Allen seemed pretty frustrated after the third series, which involved an OH penalty against Dawkins and ended with a sack by Shaq Lawson.  Was that just a momentary thing, or did it take him a while to rein it in and start looking at the tablet?

 

-There hasn't seemed to be any commentary about it, but on the TV broadcast it looked as though McKenzie mis-judged the ball on the Jet's 3rd punt (early in the 2nd Q, Bills 4th offensive series).  Our possession started from our own 4 yd line after he let the ball bounce, but it was strange, he didn't look like he was waving it off, and he moved forward as though he thought that's what he needed to do.  Could you tell what was going on there and what happened on the bench afterward?

 

Again, thanks for providing all the on-site color commentary

 

 

[GETTOTHE50]

Loved the Diggs bit, and I chuckled on the jets first down bit.

[ganesh]

8 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

 

 

The Bills are 6-3 and have one of the best records in the AFC.  Their playoff fortunes will depend on the team they become over the next eight games.   It’s a process.   They still need a better running game, and they need to be able to move the ball against defenses that are better than the Jets put on the field yesterday.  The Colts come to Orchard Park next week, fighting for their playoff lives.   They will be a better test for the Bills.

 

GO BILLS!

Great write up.

 

The Colts came into Orchard Park in the last year playoffs and almost won the game.  They will be a much tougher opponent especially with how Taylor is playing.   This is the game for the Bills D to bring on the heat.  We are going to be missing Star and Tremaine probably.   This is a tough opponent indeed.

[Shaw66]

2 hours ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

Great writeup as usual, @Shaw66

 

A couple things I'm curious about if you don't mind questions:

-What were Josh Allen's interactions on the sidelines?  Does he mostly sit looking at a tablet, and is he talking to Ken Dorsey/another assistant or just Webb?

Does he go along the sidelines talking to OLmen or other players?

-On TV Allen seemed pretty frustrated after the third series, which involved an OH penalty against Dawkins and ended with a sack by Shaq Lawson.  Was that just a momentary thing, or did it take him a while to rein it in and start looking at the tablet?

 

-There hasn't seemed to be any commentary about it, but on the TV broadcast it looked as though McKenzie mis-judged the ball on the Jet's 3rd punt (early in the 2nd Q, Bills 4th offensive series).  Our possession started from our own 4 yd line after he let the ball bounce, but it was strange, he didn't look like he was waving it off, and he moved forward as though he thought that's what he needed to do.  Could you tell what was going on there and what happened on the bench afterward?

 

Again, thanks for providing all the on-site color commentary

 

 

Man, you're making me feel stupid for not paying more attention to the bench!   I gotta say, I didn't look all that much.   This morning I realized I saw McDermott on the sideline only once or twice during the entire game!

 

I didn't see Allen much, either.    Part of the reason is that we were behind the side of the bench where the defense was sitting.  We were on about the 40, so the offense was about 20 yards away to the left, and my eyes rarely fell that way.  One time I saw him make a point of walking over to the offensive line - they all were standing together on the sideline - I think the Jets were about to punt, and it seemed like he came over just to say something like, "okay, lets go."  It was pretty low-key.   

 

I didn't see Allen when he came off the field after that particular series.   I have to say that whenever I looked at Allen, he seemed calm.  So, if he was upset on the sideline after that series, I'd guess it was momentary.   When Allen had the run that was called back, it was just to our right - we had a great view as he took off up the sideline.   I watched him for some emotion as he was coming back to the team after the hold had been called, and he showed nothing.   He looked like a guy going back to the huddle, getting ready for the next play.   Didn't shake his head, didn't make any gestures.   And after the sack, although I didn't see him on the sideline, he seemed pretty matter-of-fact as he got up off the ground.  I remember thinking at the time that he may have been thinking, "well, after the penalty, wasn't likely we'd get the first down."   All through that series, he seemed like he was just accepting what happened and moved on to the next play. 

 

There wasn't a time when I thought Allen needed to get his emotions in check, but I wasn't watching him a lot.   

 

I don't recall the punt at all, but I also don't recall ever thinking that McKenzie misplayed a ball.  I did, however, have a different reaction to McKenzie.   I've never thought he has good hands, and in the pregame, the wideouts ran a drill that really surprised me.  It was simple, but a little tricky to describe.   A coach, the thrower, is standing on the sideline at, say, the 42.  The receivers lined up out of bounds on, say, the 45, just a couple yards from the thrower.  One by one, they'd run at maybe 80% speed, five yards along the 45, then make a 90 degree cut up-field, take a few steps toward the fifty, and look back at the thrower.  The thrower delivers a medium speed ball, just a 7-yard pass.  Diggs, Sanders, Beasley caught every one with their hands.  McKenzie caught two in a row against his body.  It was intentional.   I was amazed that after all this time in the NFL he hasn't drilled himself into making hands catches.   

[Ayjent]

13 hours ago, Jrb1979 said:

I won't be surprised come next Monday there is a new team in first place in the AFC East. The Colts are going to be a lot tougher game then people here think. 

I think the loss to the Jags was just the humble pie they needed to refocus and get into championship form.  The Bills spent much of the first half of the season seeing if they could get certain aspects of their offense working with very mixed results.  The running game is just pedestrian, and although I don't want to blame the backs too much, I think it is equal parts the line, the backs and the scheme.  Nobody fears the Bills running game, but I think they have wrinkles to pull defenses horizontal that can open things up in the run game between the tackles, like the McKenzie motion sweep.  I sometimes wonder if Antonio Williams is the back the Bills should bring back on the active roster to run tough to bring some variety to the run game.  Sometimes its more about how the talent meshes with the scheme and we've seen enough of Moss and Singletary to know its inconsistent results.  I like the way Moss has power but IMO he looks for too much contact rather than daylight.  Singletary is probably their best back bc of his vision, receiving and shiftiness but I just can't help but feel that RB is the spot this Offense needs to keep on tinkering with until they find something more consistent.  Breida is pretty fast, but I don't think he is a player they can rely on for blocking in pass protection, and you know that fumble is not sitting well with the coaching staff.

 

I also think that putting Ford back on the bench with Brown and D. Williams on the right side is a huge upgrade.  Ford unfortunately just doesn't have it, and I thought it was his opportunity to lay claim back to his starting position and it would help the run game if they focused on running right.  Neither happened and the line was an absolute sieve with him in there both running and passing.

[Shaw66]

2 hours ago, Ayjent said:

I think the loss to the Jags was just the humble pie they needed to refocus and get into championship form.  The Bills spent much of the first half of the season seeing if they could get certain aspects of their offense working with very mixed results.  The running game is just pedestrian, and although I don't want to blame the backs too much, I think it is equal parts the line, the backs and the scheme.  Nobody fears the Bills running game, but I think they have wrinkles to pull defenses horizontal that can open things up in the run game between the tackles, like the McKenzie motion sweep.  I sometimes wonder if Antonio Williams is the back the Bills should bring back on the active roster to run tough to bring some variety to the run game.  Sometimes its more about how the talent meshes with the scheme and we've seen enough of Moss and Singletary to know its inconsistent results.  I like the way Moss has power but IMO he looks for too much contact rather than daylight.  Singletary is probably their best back bc of his vision, receiving and shiftiness but I just can't help but feel that RB is the spot this Offense needs to keep on tinkering with until they find something more consistent.  Breida is pretty fast, but I don't think he is a player they can rely on for blocking in pass protection, and you know that fumble is not sitting well with the coaching staff.

 

I also think that putting Ford back on the bench with Brown and D. Williams on the right side is a huge upgrade.  Ford unfortunately just doesn't have it, and I thought it was his opportunity to lay claim back to his starting position and it would help the run game if they focused on running right.  Neither happened and the line was an absolute sieve with him in there both running and passing.

I agree about all of this.  

 

The Bills have to figure out how to an effective horizontal running game, because when their focus is simply between the tackles, they just aren't good enough.   The line creates only the tiniest of seams, and the backs are neither powerful enough to bull through nor quick enough to slither through.  If they can get back to threatening wide with the jet sweeps and perhaps Allen taking it outside occasionally, that threat will make life a little easier for the linemen to get angles and open up more room in the middle. 

 

And although I haven't studied the individual linemen, it just seems obvious that the line play is much better with Brown at tackle and Williams at guard.