THE ROCKPILE REVIEW - Bills Win in Kansas City, 24-20

[Shaw66]

 

I’ve changed as a fan.  When I was younger, I would was very vocal while watching the Bills on TV, expressing joy or frustration or feelings of anger.  Now, I’m much more passive, and sometimes I even have a different take on what’s going on.

 

I used to “prepare” for games as the weekend approached.  I’d think about what the Bills needed to do to move the ball and to stop the opponent.  I don’t do any of that any more.  I just feel myself become increasingly anxious as the game approaches, even though I think I’m not thinking about the game.  The Chiefs being a big game, I think I became anxious earlier.

 

In Connecticut, CBS carried the Jets in the 1:00 slot, so I watched that game.  The Jets are very good. They really get after it.  And every time I switched to the Patriots, well, they were getting after it, too.  (That’s four games on the Bills’ remaining schedule that look tougher today than they looked a month ago.)  The game ran long, and I didn’t realize that the Bills already had started.  When the Jets game ended and CBS cut over to the Bills, Josh Allen had just hit Davis for the first first down of the game.  Somehow, I wasn’t upset that I’d missed a few plays.

 

At some point I realized I’d watched the first half, and then the third quarter, without much concern about whether the Bills would win or lose.  All that seemed to matter was whether the team was playing effectively against good competition, and the Chiefs are certifiably good competition.  I just wanted validation that the Bills were solidly competitive.  Then, when the fourth quarter came along, my focus shifted to winning the game.  In the end, the Bills checked virtually every box through three quarters, then won the game in the fourth. 

 

The Bills beat the Chiefs, 24-20.  It was an impressive display of football excellence.

 

At this point in the season, this a really good football team.  Championships aren’t won in October, so the Bills have a lot of work ahead of them in the coming couple of months.  Nobody is laying down for the Bills, and good teams continue to emerge.  Still, the Bills are doing special things. 

 

The Bills just execute.  Play after play, on offense and on defense, every guy knows his assignment and every guy executes.  Sure, the opponent gets their share of wins in one-on-one battles, but they don’t win because the Bills are making mistakes.  Each man is where he’s supposed to be, each makes the block or makes the tackle or applies the pressure or makes the catch. 

 

So, as the game moved from the first quarter through the second and then on through the third, I felt better and better.  No matter the outcome of this particular game, the Bills were showing they are the force that the preseason prognosticators said they would be. 

 

Then the time came to win the game, and the Bills seemed to say, collectively, “We’ve got this.” 

 

Down 20-17 with less than eight minutes to go, the defense forced a three-and-out.  The offense went on a twelve-play, 76-yard drive to go ahead 24-20 with a minute left in the game.  The winning touchdown drive, featured a solid catch by Diggs, a highlight-reel run and leap by Allen, and a sweetly executed sideline throw and an equally sweet catch by Knox for the score.  There was a feeling of inevitability to it all.  Of course the Bills would find a way, because, well, that’s what they practice. 

 

The defense came in and shut the door, with Miller forcing Mahomes out of the pocket and into the sights of Matt Milano.  Milano’s closing speed forced Mahomes to throw a bit wide of his mark, and Taron Johnson intercepted to end the game. 

 

Comments about some players:

 

The improvement of the D-line over last season is probably the biggest and most important change.  A guy as good Mahomes is going to get you sometime, but this D-line made his life miserable.

 

Tremaine Edmunds is a different hitter this season.

 

For once, the ground game wasn’t upside down.  Singletary outgained Allen, and he outgained the Chiefs. 

 

Isaiah McKenzie may be playing his way out of a starting role.

 

Interesting that Terrel Bernard and Siran Neal saw real playing time.  McDermott wants to be able to play different ways, and both guys offered the opportunity to give different looks to Mahomes and Kelce. 

 

James Cook saw the field on a few important plays.  Zack Moss didn’t. 

 

It’s not a bad time for the bye.  Those guys who scrambled to get back into the lineup for the Chiefs game now get some time to work themselves back to where they really want to be.  White perhaps gets an opportunity to work back in.  The team gets to take a breath before diving into the weekly grind of the meat of the season.  A breather that feels good, having gone 5-1 in what once had looked like the toughest stretch in the schedule. 

 

There’s a lot of work ahead, but for now, things look about as good as it could get.

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

 

The Rockpile Review is written to share the passion we have for the Buffalo Bills. That passion was born in the Rockpile; its parents were everyday people of western New York who translated their dedication to a full day’s hard work and simple pleasures into love for a pro football team.

 

 

[ganesh]

> A breather that feels good, having gone 5-1 in what once had looked like the toughest stretch in the schedule. 

 

I think this is the biggest take away at the bye.  When the schedule came in, most of the fans were resigned to a 3-3 (and some even a 2-4) record with road losses to Super Bowl Champion (Rams),   a tough nut to crack (@Ravens) and obviously the marquee road game at the Chiefs.   Surprisingly, the Bills dominated the first one and willed their way on the other two to three well earned victories...

 

Of course, as you have mentioned,  now the games against New England and the Jets don't appear to be a gimme...which means the schedule remains tough.   

 

The Bills should rest and recover in the bye week for the belly of the schedule.  This bye has come at the right time for 

• White to ease into the lineup
• recovery time for Oliver, Knox and Brown
• opportunity for Benford to heal from the fracture and for Poyer to recover from all his illness (He is becoming a legend in terms of this)
• Well earned rest for the beat up bodies of Allen, Diggs Miller and the OL
• Some soul searching for Moss and Cook.  They need to step up.

[Saxum]

4 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

 

For once, the ground game wasn’t upside down.  Singletary outgained Allen, and he outgained the Chiefs. 

 

Interesting that Terrel Bernard and Siran Neal saw real playing time.  McDermott wants to be able to play different ways, and both guys offered the opportunity to give different looks to Mahomes and Kelce. 

 

 

Singletary was hurting them in passing game and in running game and blocking well.  He I am sure made Thurman (who has been talking to him each week) proud.

 

Siran Neal played in playoff game last year and he made a difference this year.   

Travis Kelce was looking where he was and I am sure some the hits still hurt.  Maybe he needs to play the enforcer of defense.

[buffalo2218]

Shaw, I can relate to how I watch games. I used to be very vocal in my younger days. Today, I'm quite a bit relaxed. Now what's going through my head is a COMPLETELY different story, not enough hail marys can be said for my thoughts. The only time I reacted was when Taron sealed the game with a pick. I'm very proud of the whole team, and seeing Josh get totally boned on that no call for tripping had me red faced for the remainder of the game. Good write up as always Shaw, thanks again

[Peace Frog]

I feel like after today's games, some of our wounded warriors could rest up during the bye AND not see the field against Green Bay.  That team is a shell of its former self.

[CSBill]

4 hours ago, buffalo2218 said:

Shaw, I can relate to how I watch games. I used to be very vocal in my younger days. Today, I'm quite a bit relaxed. Now what's going through my head is a COMPLETELY different story, not enough hail marys can be said for my thoughts. The only time I reacted was when Taron sealed the game with a pick. I'm very proud of the whole team, and seeing Josh get totally boned on that no call for tripping had me red faced for the remainder of the game. Good write up as always Shaw, thanks again

 

With you @Shaw66 and @buffalo2218. We must be about the same age, time gives perspective. I felt good about this game going in. I did work right up to kickoff. And for 3 quarters it was, "this is good, we are proving we belong." Then the anxiety started to build, but with the Josh 16 yard'er and the TD to Knox (by the way, how can you not feel so good for this guys and all he has been through the past few months) I was remarkably calm--thinking, "yeah, this is a Bills team like no other, we got this." And like you, no big emotional reaction until the Taron interception, and then a loud and joyous  arms in the air like I was at the stadium "YES!"

 

Yeah, we old people have waited to long not to enjoy every second of this run.

[RangerDave]

5 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

For once, the ground game wasn’t upside down.  Singletary outgained Allen, and he outgained the Chiefs. 

I can't remember.  When was the last time a Bills RB had a 100 yard game?

[Simon Says]

6 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

 

I’ve changed as a fan.  When I was younger, I would was very vocal while watching the Bills on TV, expressing joy or frustration or feelings of anger.  Now, I’m much more passive, and sometimes I even have a different take on what’s going on.

 

I used to “prepare” for games as the weekend approached.  I’d think about what the Bills needed to do to move the ball and to stop the opponent.  I don’t do any of that any more.  I just feel myself become increasingly anxious as the game approaches, even though I think I’m not thinking about the game.  The Chiefs being a big game, I think I became anxious earlier.

 

In Connecticut, CBS carried the Jets in the 1:00 slot, so I watched that game.  The Jets are very good. They really get after it.  And every time I switched to the Patriots, well, they were getting after it, too.  (That’s four games on the Bills’ remaining schedule that look tougher today than they looked a month ago.)  The game ran long, and I didn’t realize that the Bills already had started.  When the Jets game ended and CBS cut over to the Bills, Josh Allen had just hit Davis for the first first down of the game.  Somehow, I wasn’t upset that I’d missed a few plays.

 

At some point I realized I’d watched the first half, and then the third quarter, without much concern about whether the Bills would win or lose.  All that seemed to matter was whether the team was playing effectively against good competition, and the Chiefs are certifiably good competition.  I just wanted validation that the Bills were solidly competitive.  Then, when the fourth quarter came along, my focus shifted to winning the game.  In the end, the Bills checked virtually every box through three quarters, then won the game in the fourth. 

 

The Bills beat the Chiefs, 24-20.  It was an impressive display of football excellence.

 

At this point in the season, this a really good football team.  Championships aren’t won in October, so the Bills have a lot of work ahead of them in the coming couple of months.  Nobody is laying down for the Bills, and good teams continue to emerge.  Still, the Bills are doing special things. 

 

The Bills just execute.  Play after play, on offense and on defense, every guy knows his assignment and every guy executes.  Sure, the opponent gets their share of wins in one-on-one battles, but they don’t win because the Bills are making mistakes.  Each man is where he’s supposed to be, each makes the block or makes the tackle or applies the pressure or makes the catch. 

 

So, as the game moved from the first quarter through the second and then on through the third, I felt better and better.  No matter the outcome of this particular game, the Bills were showing they are the force that the preseason prognosticators said they would be. 

 

Then the time came to win the game, and the Bills seemed to say, collectively, “We’ve got this.” 

 

Down 20-17 with less than eight minutes to go, the defense forced a three-and-out.  The offense went on a twelve-play, 76-yard drive to go ahead 24-20 with a minute left in the game.  The winning touchdown drive, featured a solid catch by Diggs, a highlight-reel run and leap by Allen, and a sweetly executed sideline throw and an equally sweet catch by Knox for the score.  There was a feeling of inevitability to it all.  Of course the Bills would find a way, because, well, that’s what they practice. 

 

The defense came in and shut the door, with Miller forcing Mahomes out of the pocket and into the sights of Matt Milano.  Milano’s closing speed forced Mahomes to throw a bit wide of his mark, and Taron Johnson intercepted to end the game. 

 

Comments about some players:

 

The improvement of the D-line over last season is probably the biggest and most important change.  A guy as good Mahomes is going to get you sometime, but this D-line made his life miserable.

 

Tremaine Edmunds is a different hitter this season.

 

For once, the ground game wasn’t upside down.  Singletary outgained Allen, and he outgained the Chiefs. 

 

Isaiah McKenzie may be playing his way out of a starting role.

 

Interesting that Terrel Bernard and Siran Neal saw real playing time.  McDermott wants to be able to play different ways, and both guys offered the opportunity to give different looks to Mahomes and Kelce. 

 

James Cook saw the field on a few important plays.  Zack Moss didn’t. 

 

It’s not a bad time for the bye.  Those guys who scrambled to get back into the lineup for the Chiefs game now get some time to work themselves back to where they really want to be.  White perhaps gets an opportunity to work back in.  The team gets to take a breath before diving into the weekly grind of the meat of the season.  A breather that feels good, having gone 5-1 in what once had looked like the toughest stretch in the schedule. 

 

There’s a lot of work ahead, but for now, things look about as good as it could get.

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

 

The Rockpile Review is written to share the passion we have for the Buffalo Bills. That passion was born in the Rockpile; its parents were everyday people of western New York who translated their dedication to a full day’s hard work and simple pleasures into love for a pro football team.

 

 

I wonder if McKenzie still feeling the effects of that hit last week? He looked lost. 

Moss was inactive; Cook got a couple touches and I was happy to see Singletary pile up some yards. 

Josh and Dorsey seem to like Gilliam's versatility. 

Didn't  Siran have a couple penalties? I did like using him as a bigger,hybrid S/CB on Kelce.

This win was a confidence booster and after the bye we should see Tre and others looking healthy. 

 

Edited October 17, 2022 by Herb Nightly
Spelling

[oldmanfan]

The name shows I’m with you older guys, but I have to admit I still yell a lot.  Yesterday I was at Kitty O’Shea’s in Orlando.  My daughter used to live here until she moved to Boston for grad school last month, and Kitty’s is a great Bills Backers bar (owned by a fellow Kenmore East alum).  It was her second home and the older guys at the bar think of her as their daughter, too.  
 

We were there because we’re at Disney celebrating her sister’s 21st birthday, and the three of us had to be there to watch.  And the place was insane the whole game. I have hardly any voice this morning.  What a victory!

[Bob in STL]

Great read.  Go Bills. 

[Meatloaf63]

18 minutes ago, oldmanfan said:

The name shows I’m with you older guys, but I have to admit I still yell a lot.  Yesterday I was at Kitty O’Shea’s in Orlando.  My daughter used to live here until she moved to Boston for grad school last month, and Kitty’s is a great Bills Backers bar (owned by a fellow Kenmore East alum).  It was her second home and the older guys at the bar think of her as their daughter, too.  
 

We were there because we’re at Disney celebrating her sister’s 21st birthday, and the three of us had to be there to watch.  And the place was insane the whole game. I have hardly any voice this morning.  What a victory!

Do you live in Orlando or were you just visiting?

[HomeTeam]

Thanks Shaw. 

 

It's a good place to be when you're able to watch the game in a detached way. Much more enjoyable experience. 

 

I was very happy with the offensive play calling yesterday. I still believe that this offense runs best when they have the threat of running the ball. 

 

I also believe the Bills are beyond the stage of proving they belong. Watching this team celebrate the win, their was an understanding that their goals are beyond beating the chiefs. I believe a player like Von Miller has not only helped on the field but has also helped the team develop psychologically to take that next step. It's no longer same ol' bills, "we are happy to be here" but rather "we are the big dawg in the yard." It can't be understated how mucha psychological shift plays a role in breaking through. 

 

Go Bills! 

[oldmanfan]

5 minutes ago, Meatloaf63 said:

Do you live in Orlando or were you just visiting?

Visiting.  At Disney for my younger daughter’s 21st birthday.

[SoCal Deek]

Still get excited, and still yell a bit. My daughter and her mother in law joined us for the game. The mother in law is a great friend and a sports fan. Her husband is a high school football head coach. So when it was close all game long she asked me why I looked so on edge, I responded that I’ve been watching and waiting for SIXTY years and I’m praying this is finally the year. Her answer? “Oh, that makes sense.” 😉

[Big Turk]

Zack Moss was inactive so he couldn't have seen the field 

[Billsfan1972]

I have friends over and get very emotional and yesterday was so much so.  Friends aren't huge football fans (in terms of intricacies), so I'm explaining errors throughout the game (i.e. 3rd & 1 call or Singletary not seeing the gap for an easy first down at a crucial time, setting up a third down or missed penalties....).

 

Also situational football like before the half, where again Buffalo screwed it up (allowing player to run OB stopping the clock and Kelce with the exact same play as last year).     

[Bills4Ever99]

I had the same feeling mid way through the game. That win or lose, the Bills will be fine. Von Miller was the difference. The CLOSER. Go Bills

[RobbRiddicksTDLeap]

I wish I could watch the live games in a relaxed fashion. Yesterday, my kids have really heard a high pitch scream from their Father they didn’t think was possible. I’m pretty good with the profanity. But the trash talking of the TV, that’ll stay. 
 

Most times I watch on the replay on NFL+, and I feel like knowing the game is over, has calmed me. Big plays don’t seem as big, the drama isn’t there. 
 

So yesterday was a return to glory. Give me the high fives and the gritty in my socks across the den floor. Give me high pitch Daddy, and plenty of sarcastic “ok Romo”. This team is electric. Josh Allen is the one the prophecy spoke of. This rise to power has been slow and steady and built in a way to win for a generation, not a season.

 

Give me higher stakes. Give me more anxiety than I can properly handle in an adult manner.  
 

I have chosen love, and I don’t care who knows it anymore. 

[RiotAct]

8 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

 

Then the time came to win the game, and the Bills seemed to say, collectively, “We’ve got this.”

 

Couldn’t agree more.  I hd basically zero doubt in my mind that our offense would get the job done on that last drive for us.  Where doubt crept in a little bit was giving KC the ball back with over a minute to go, but… you know the rest

 

Great write-up, as always.

[clayboy54]

8 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

 

Isaiah McKenzie may be playing his way out of a starting role.

 

I've always thought that McKenzie was a really good spot player. Put him in the game to add some mystery to the offense. Might be a gadget, or just another wrinkle to an already lethal short passing game.

 

Unfortunately, the "Peter Principle" caught the Bills apparently by surprise. Isaiah earned a bigger role, especially after last season's NE game. But, he earned a bigger role that he simply is not capable of. Whether he loses focus, concentration, or just can't handle the additional responsibility, McKenzie seemingly just loses his way.

 

I am not a proponent of cutting him, as some here have suggested. He is still a wonderful spot contributor on offense. It is abundantly clear to me that he is just not capable of carrying the load required of a starting slot guy on a championship caliber offense. He's been around awhile now. He's not going to change much from where he's currently at. After his game yesterday, I have to believe that the coaching staff has also come to that final realization.

 

Like so many others before him, Lil Dirty will have to be content with spot duty as a role player moving forward.