Other than some injuries, is there anything NOT to like about last night?!?

[clayboy54]

33 minutes ago, Airseven said:

Bills remain completely inept on 3rd/4th down and short. 

as is your constant negative drivel.

[GunnerBill]

2 minutes ago, NewEra said:

Yes- Zack Moss. 
 

I went into this season hopeful that Zack Moss would make a Motor like jump going into year 3.  After 2 games, my hope has dwindled.  The only time I hope to see him carry the ball is in the 4th (or 3rd) quarter of a blowout.  

 

Yes I still think there is a role on this team for Zack but it is as a pass protector who can leak out and be a safe checkdown back or as a "closer" when running the ball. Why they insist on having he and Devin take a series each early in games when there is a clear gap talent wise as runners is bizarre to me. If you want to run the ball then run it with Devin save for giving him a blow here and there. Like if Devin has a 35 yard run and they want to send Moss in for a play and get a look they like to run again, fine. But Devin should be the lead back for this team. Use Cook for a small package of plays where you want to attack the edges (though he needs to show more burst) both in the run and pass game and use Moss as your conventional 3rd down back who stays in and pass protects for the most part. 

[Gugny]

38 minutes ago, Airseven said:

Bills remain completely inept on 3rd/4th down and short. 

 

Yeah, 3rd down conversions are a serious problem.

 

https://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/stat/third-down-conversion-pct

 

[Captain_Quint]

1 minute ago, Miyagi-Do Karate said:

 

The running game was bad. That said, Tenn is tough to run on and was bizarrely selling out to stop the run. But we regressed from week 1. We had a lot better run calls in week 1.  And we really need Cook to get going running the ball—can’t keep Him in the dog house forever. 

Agree on Vrables decision to stack the box. I think he kept a spy on Josh or something, because why else would you do that as Josh and Diggs play catch?

 

[FilthyBeast]

McDermott still concerns me and I fear it will be a bigger issue in a close game down the road, especially in the playoffs.

 

I'd also really like to know what Zack Moss has McD/Beane/etc that he's still on this roster and touching the football.

[ny33]

The o-line didn’t look 100%. 

[KHAN]

Time to invest some premium picks in the O-line. Every year is a patchwork of old vets and competitions between mediocre players. The short pass was our run game last night.

[ny33]

58 minutes ago, DCofNC said:

Nailed it.  
 

Adding on, this ONE WR injury points out what a lot of us have been saying, the illusion of WR depth all off season was/is a joke, there is none.  It’s Diggs and a bunch of nobodies.  Kumero exceeded my expectations, good game.

 

I stand by my original statement of Cook being a wasted 2nd round pick, he may be fine, but it was a bad pick for value, need and just the flat out obvious, the scouts on this team don’t know what a RB looks like. 
 

Really good game overall. Was really happy to see them stop selling out on the run after the first series and magically they were good all night.

There have been times when we needed them and were out bc of stupid usage.  You don’t know when wasting one will cost you a game.

Davis is far from a “nobody.”

[DrDawkinstein]

1 minute ago, KHAN said:

Time to invest some premium picks in the O-line. Every year is a patchwork of old vets and competitions between mediocre players. The short pass was our run game last night.

 

Well, that approach only won the Pats like 6 Super Bowls so it's tough to argue against.

 

But I agree we need to bring in some youth to the interior. Specifically, Center.

[Bruffalo]

I hate to be down on a single player but Moss doesn't look like he belongs with the rest of the offense. He's obviously a notch below. 

[Process]

12 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

Yes I still think there is a role on this team for Zack but it is as a pass protector who can leak out and be a safe checkdown back or as a "closer" when running the ball. Why they insist on having he and Devin take a series each early in games when there is a clear gap talent wise as runners is bizarre to me. If you want to run the ball then run it with Devin save for giving him a blow here and there. Like if Devin has a 35 yard run and they want to send Moss in for a play and get a look they like to run again, fine. But Devin should be the lead back for this team. Use Cook for a small package of plays where you want to attack the edges (though he needs to show more burst) both in the run and pass game and use Moss as your conventional 3rd down back who stays in and pass protects for the most part. 

It's truly, truly bizarre. 

 

It seems so obvious to every person on this planet but one. Really would love to know what McDermott is thinking when it comes to the RB usage. Will never understand.

 

I will hold out hope that they are using early season games to try and showcase Moss for a trade. But that's definitely not it.

[zow2]

4 minutes ago, KHAN said:

Time to invest some premium picks in the O-line. Every year is a patchwork of old vets and competitions between mediocre players. The short pass was our run game last night.

True. But Brady has won a Super Bowl or two using that short pass- no running game plan.

[Beach]

3 hours ago, Simon said:

 

Preventing the delay of game by calling the TO with 1 second on the playclock enabled the Bills to still go for it on 4th/short.

Which resulted in a TD.

McD did nothing wrong there; it was just unfortunate timing with that moron jumping offside with .5 seconds left on the playclock.

ah, you are right.  i got it mixed up with the first half field goal.

[uninja]

2 hours ago, DabillsDaBillsDaBills said:

 

Pretty much this. 

 

Bit of a segue on #5 that our run game was atrocious. We padded the stats in garbage time, but I believe midway through the 3rd we had 16 yards rushing on 8 rushing plays by our RBs (JA had a legendary 10 yard scramble in the 1st). Singletary started the game with a 16 yard run, then our next 7 rushing attempts amounted to 0 yards. 

I think the Titans planned well for our run concepts and have the personnel to make running on them difficult. I’m sure if the pass game was sputtering they would have started running Allen and this would have opened up the run game. They just had crappy corners and Diggs was basically uncoverable all game. Why try to run when you’re just killing them through the air?

[Airseven]

The other issue is that the OL remains a problem. Bills took over the game when they abandoned the run entirely. That’s not sustainable long term.

[Dablitzkrieg]

9 minutes ago, Airseven said:

The other issue is that the OL remains a problem. Bills took over the game when they abandoned the run entirely. That’s not sustainable long term.

What?

[Heavy Kevi]

2 hours ago, MJS said:

The Bills went into the half 17 to 7. I'm not sure your argument holds a lot of water. Maybe you can say the 1st quarter was more even, but by the 2nd quarter they were beginning to run away with the game.

 

Running away with the game in the second?

 

Watch again. If Josh doesn't find diggs with 1 minute left in the half (on a play that was blown up but Josh magically found 14), they go into the half up just 10-7.

 

That's hardly running away with the game, or you have a very different definition.

 

It's ok to admit they were out of sorts in the first but still had an awesome game. My argument holds water just fine.

[BFLO]

1st & 10 at TEN 40
(3:18 - 1st) Z.Moss right end to TEN 40 for no gain (R.McCreary).
2nd & 10 at TEN 40
(2:40 - 1st) (Shotgun) J.Allen pass short right to S.Diggs to TEN 31 for 9 yards (T.Avery).
3rd & 1 at TEN 31
(2:10 - 1st) (Shotgun) Z.Moss up the middle to TEN 31 for no gain (Z.Cunningham).
4th & 1 at TEN 31
(1:18 - 1st) (Shotgun) J.Allen pass incomplete short right to Z.Moss (Z.Cunningham).
 

Giving touches to Zach Moss killed this drive. He’s sub-replacement level and shouldn’t touch the ball until garbage time

[KHAN]

27 minutes ago, DrDawkinstein said:

 

Well, that approach only won the Pats like 6 Super Bowls so it's tough to argue against.

 

But I agree we need to bring in some youth to the interior. Specifically, Center.

 

24 minutes ago, zow2 said:

True. But Brady has won a Super Bowl or two using that short pass- no running game plan.

All true. But also being able to run when you want to would be nice too.

 

The O-line had a stretch at the end of last season when Singletary was going off. The offense was unstoppable at that point. But the problem has been consistency. This thread is about how even though the Bills are really good, what could be better. The O-line could be better.

 

I guess we're at the point of picking nits.

[UKBillFan]

Watching the game back, our offense had it's struggles in the first half, outside of the series which resulted in touchdowns, and even then we had poor decision making from Josh where he was very nearly intercepted, followed by an illegal snap on the second down in the red zone before we went 17-7 up.

 

Have to wonder how much of that was down to the switch at centre (not blaming Van Roten as it isn't his main role); definitely saw some which weren't at the perfect height or trajectory. Some of it was definitely down to decision making.

 

Talk about hitting the ground running in the third quarter, though!