THE ROCKPILE REVIEW - Demons

[Pete]

7 hours ago, VaMilBill said:

Looked like Tremaine got blocked in the back on that play. I think he makes that tackle if that didn’t happen. Refs were letting a lot of penalties go today

on one of Miamis TDS  Poyer was clipped at the 3 yard line, he would of made the tackle.  They kept replaying TD- Poyer was getting hit right at the 21 on his back jersey,  Someone blocks you on back jersey numbers, that is clipping, eh?

Edited January 16, 2023 by Pete

[BearNorth]

8 hours ago, ganesh said:

The Bills OL continues to have problems.  

7 sacks with a QB known for his Houdini like escapes, I would say the OL has MAJOR problems.  Mongo looked pretty competent yesterday, Saffold didn't.  Brown redeemed himself with the fumble recovery but he may not be the solution at RT.

[Luka]

9 hours ago, LABILLBACKER said:

Problem is JA is always going to have that Favre gunslinger persona and Dorsey's feeding it right now.

 

Yep, which could end up being a very bad thing for this team overall. Dabol was obviously keeping Josh in check more than we thought. He's turned the ball over a ton this year. The media was touting his performance in the playoffs as historically excellent. Yesterday it was anything but. 

 

In the end, the question is if this continues into the next game and we lose, who is going to take the fall for it? Josh? Dorsey? McDermott? 

 

Situational football has eluded us this year. It's a shame, because if were just even slightly more sound, picked our spots a little more carefully, hell we might be undefeated right now. 

[Simon Says]

I usually don't waste the same amount of time READING a long post that was spent WRITING it.

Rationalization of a poor game is as lame as saying " don't worry about style points ".

Certain issues continue and can be indicative of the Bills chances of advancing much farther. 

Bills did not play a complete game and eked out a win over a 3rd string rookie QB. Josh and the coaches must  get it  together .

[ExiledInIllinois]

You can add +7/+11 points to the Bills with video reversals because blades of fake grass got in way:

 

+4 Knox TD resulted in FG

 

+3 or +7 on the Shakir reversal. I THINK that ultimately lead to punt and big return? 

Edited January 16, 2023 by ExiledInIllinois

[Simon Says]

8 hours ago, seattlebillsfan said:

I am hoping the Bills have been secretly working up a great screen game and saving it up for the Bengals. Seriously; I feel like there is something special in the offing for next week. And something else for the AFCCG….

This is also MY pipe dream. But do we really think McDermott prowls the sideline saying " no,not yet. Lets not reveal our secret formula until it's absolutely necessary. "

[Shaw66]

8 hours ago, Fleezoid said:

 

P.S. Defense still needs to tackle better.

 

I think this comment shows how unreasonable our expectations are.  During the regular season, the Bills defense allowed 319 yards per game.  The 49ers allowed 300.  Against the Dolphins yesterday, the Bills allowed 231.   But the Bills didn't tackle well enough?  

[Billsfan1972]

1 hour ago, ExiledInIllinois said:

You can add +7/+11 points to the Bills with video reversals because blades of fake grass got in way:

 

+4 Knox TD resulted in FG

 

+3 or +7 on the Shakir reversal. I THINK that ultimately lead to punt and big return? 

Actually the Shakir non catch was the difference between probably 24-6 @ half & 20-17....  That was with under 2 minutes.  They score there & take time off the clock the game is over.  Instead, long punt return (fg), Beasley doesn't secure catch & Int (td).....     

53 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

I think this comment shows how unreasonable our expectations are.  During the regular season, the Bills defense allowed 319 yards per game.  The 49ers allowed 300.  Against the Dolphins yesterday, the Bills allowed 231.   But the Bills didn't tackle well enough?  

Probably on 4th & 8, Milano misses easy tackle and allows first down and eventual FG.   

Edited January 16, 2023 by Billsfan1972

[muppy]

Demons are serious business.  Let's exorcize  the catches that the NFL rule are "Drops" are actually brilliant athletic just sooo close perfection just a smidge of a bobble..

 

ACK. I don't like it. I scream at my hubby and the dog runs because Im Venting "How can that play result in Nothing" Do you know how amazing a play that was> NFL rules I know I know. 

Shakir's catch a drop MEH

 

****

 

/vent

 

Shaw great read as always.  Gracias. m

Edited January 16, 2023 by muppy

[IndyMark]

8 hours ago, Virgil said:

The lack of pressure without the blitz is alarming.  Oliver finally got a sack, but was otherwise quiet.  And this was with 2 starters out on the Dolphins line.  
 

It’s beyond infuriating considering the money and draft capitol we’ve poured into that unit 

While it was nice to see Ed get a sack, I think we can all agree it was due to a blown assignment more than anything. Yes, statistically it counts, but it actually reinforces and gives more credence to your point on pressure.  In that it took a break down for us to put evident pressure on the QB with a base rush.

 

And for those of us critical of Ed, we all had flashes of that sack going all "Wentz" from last year.....(Addison, IIRC)....but it had that feel.

 

 

[Fan in Chicago]

1 hour ago, ExiledInIllinois said:

You can add +7/+11 points to the Bills with video reversals because blades of fake grass got in way:

 

+4 Knox TD resulted in FG

 

+3 or +7 on the Shakir reversal. I THINK that ultimately lead to punt and big return? 

Both were correct calls. Shakir literally took his eyes off the ball. 

[Commish]

10 hours ago, LABILLBACKER said:

Problem is JA is always going to have that Favre gunslinger persona and Dorsey's feeding it right now.

This. Dorsey is hyper-agressive, like Allen, and enables Allen's worst tendencies...

[Fleezoid]

9 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

I think this comment shows how unreasonable our expectations are.  During the regular season, the Bills defense allowed 319 yards per game.  The 49ers allowed 300.  Against the Dolphins yesterday, the Bills allowed 231.   But the Bills didn't tackle well enough?  

 

I don't think it's unreasonable. I didn't say the Bills tackling was bad, they've gotten better since the back slapping tackling they did against the Phins in the previous game. And I can't buy just because they allowed 231 yards means the tackling is good. So many factors not considered. I like the defensive aggressiveness, but at times, players were diving at legs and not wrapping up. Understand It's a fast game, but I think that aspect can be better!

[CincyBillsFan]

20 hours ago, Dr Krentist said:

You can subtract 3 pts if Milano makes that 4th and 8 tackle

And probably add 7 points as the Offense would have gotten the ball at midfield leading 17 - 3.  My sense is that failing to make that first down might have broken the Dolphins.  There were several other moments in the game like that:  Knox dropping the TD pass that would have made it 21 - 0; Allen's fumble after the Defense had three and outed Miami, Shakir's drop of the long pass right before the half that likley would have led to the Bills taking a 24 - 9 half time lead.

9 hours ago, Commish said:

This. Dorsey is hyper-agressive, like Allen, and enables Allen's worst tendencies...

Or he enables Allen's best.  Looking at this years and last years offensive production, Allen's production, wins/losses and playoff positioning it's hard not to conclude that Allen/Dorsey have been a little better then Allen/DaBold.  A loss to the Bengals will probably indicate that there was no real difference between hyper aggressive and restrained Allen  A win over the Bengals and you would have to conclude that hyper aggressive Allen outperformed restrained Allen.

 

 

[Saxum]

19 hours ago, seattlebillsfan said:

I am hoping the Bills have been secretly working up a great screen game and saving it up for the Bengals. Seriously; I feel like there is something special in the offing for next week. And something else for the AFCCG….

 

I think they bought some Brandon Allen jerseys and are practicing on dummy wearing it,

Why? Because they plan on sacking Joe Burrow so many times he will be out of game.

[Turbo44]

21 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

In the playoffs, only one thing matters:  Survive and advance.  That’s it.  No style points. 

 

The Bills survived and advanced against the Dolphins in the Wild Card round.  If style points had mattered, they may have been one and done.

 

Commentators said the Bills struggled against the Dolphins, but that really wasn’t the story.  The Bills dominated and won the game.  The Dolphins offense was ineffective for almost the entire game.  The Bills beat the Dolphins, 34-7.  The game seemed like a struggle only because the Bills’ demons, the demons that seem to haunt this team, repeatedly gave the Dolphins short fields to work with, and the Dolphins moved the ball just enough to put points on the board.  Consider the Dolphins’ scoring drives:

 

After a Tyler Bass kickoff went out of bounds, the Dolphins drove 38 yards for a field goal. 

 

After a Josh Allen interception, the Dolphins drove 18 yards for a field goal.

 

After a 50-yard punt return, the Dolphins drove 8 yards for a field goal.  

 

After a Josh Allen interception, the Dolphins drove 18 yards for a touchdown.

 

After a Josh Allen fumble, the Dolphins returned the fumble 5 yards for a touchdown. 

 

Add it up.  24 points.  82 total yards of offense. 

 

That’s 24 points that more or less ANY team in the NFL would have scored.  24 points that the Bills’ demons gave to the Dolphins. 

 

The Dolphins had one real scoring drive – 11 plays, 75 yards.

 

In a sense, the final score was Bills 34, Dolphins 7, Demons 24.  It won’t show up that way in the records of NFL but really, that’s what happened.

 

The stats pretty much prove that there were demons on the field.  The Bills outgained the Dolphins, 423 to 231.  The Bills were 9 of 16 on third down; the Dolphins were 4 of 16.  Skylar Thompson, the Dolphins’ rookie quarterback, finished the game with a very un-Tua-like passer rating of 44.7. 

Demons.  No other way to explain it.

 

Random comments:

 

A beautiful day in Orchard Park.  Fans were asking what that bright yellow thing in the sky was. 

 

Remember Kair Elam?  The first-round pick who seemed to be doing his best to become Mr. Irrelevant, of a sort?  Well, he wasn’t irrelevant on Sunday.  An interception on a perfect drop into deep coverage on the sideline, two passes defensed, including a critical pass break-up on 4th and five on the Dolphins last possession, and nice work in the run game.

 

The offense just looks better with Cole Beasley on the field. 

 

The Bills sacked Thompson four times, but only two sacks came from the down linemen, who struggled to get pressure on the QB most of the day.  Ed Oliver had his moments.  Von Miller would have looked good out there.

 

Sometimes, it seemed like I was watching Josh Allen in his second season.  He was in love with the deep ball.  It didn’t matter who was running deep – Diggs or Brown or Shakir or Davis (did I forget anyone?) – Josh threw to him.  He connected just enough to get the win, once to Diggs to set up a score, once to Davis for a TD, and once, almost miraculously, on third and one to Shakir to extend a late drive.  Still, the Bills didn’t need a homerun on every play; a few more singles and doubles would be nice.

 

Josh also missed, often.  He air mailed one over Shakir, he tossed a short out over Beasley’s head, he forced Davis to make a circus catch over the middle, and he often threw behind receivers.  He wasn’t the deadly accurate guy we’d seen the last couple of years. 

 

Devin Singletary’s final run, for an improbable first down to end the game, was simply amazing.  Yes, he got some help from his linemen but really, third and seven, everyone knows the Bills will keep it on the ground, and he should have been on the ground yards short.  The Bills do what they need to do to win and on that play, it was Motor’s turn. 

 

Tremaine Edmunds was fun to watch.  A monster hit, some passes defensed, and solid tackles.

 

Tre White looks like he needs some injections of speed juice, but no one’s better playing defense as the ball arrives.  A hand on the ball, a hit on the receiver, a distraction, something. 

 

Tyreek Hill is a certifiable talent.  You can just feel it when he’s on the field, but not Sunday.  69 yards on seven receptions, five yards on two carries.  Hats off to Taron Johnson, Tre White, Dane Jackson, Kair Elam. 

 

Survive and advance.  Can the Bills bury the demons?

 

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.

 

The only team that can beat Buffalo is Buffalo....I firmly believe it.  Let's hope they don't succeed, they came crazy close to doing it yesterday

20 hours ago, TFBillsfan said:

Love Josh but far too many mistakes today. You can’t have your franchise QB throw two interceptions and even more worrisome THREE fumbles. Josh acknowledges it seemingly every game and then still reverts back to making careless plays.

 

He can make every throw but has to start taking the layups when the big play isn’t there.

I only can really blame Josh on the fumble for the TD.  He didn't read the safety blitz and when he saw him, it was too late to unload to a wide open Singletary who was the hot read (where the safety blitzed from) and was an easy pass for 15+ yards.  Simple read that he missed on and he compounded it with the fumble.  The other fumble was a blindside caused by a missed Dawson block.  1st int - maybe Josh should have taken an easy checkdown (especially given the 17-0 score), but Brown ran the wrong route.  Interception 2, Beasley was held and it bounced off his chest - a bit of a lucky bounce.

 

What I'm more concerned with Josh is the last couple of weeks he seems to have happy feet - he prematurely is leaving the pocket, moving up and getting sacked.  A lot of the sacks yesterday were due to this. He may have a trust issue with his o-line

Edited January 17, 2023 by Turbo44

[Shaw66]

9 minutes ago, Turbo44 said:

The only team that can beat Buffalo is Buffalo....I firmly believe it.  Let's hope they don't succeed, they came crazy close to doing it yesterday

 

I only can really blame Josh on the fumble for the TD.  He didn't read the safety blitz and when he saw him, it was too late to unload to a wide open Singletary who was the hot read (where the safety blitzed from) and was an easy pass for 15+ yards.  Simple read that he missed on and he compounded it with the fumble.  The other fumble was a blindside caused by a missed Dawson block.  1st int - maybe Josh should have taken an easy checkdown (especially given the 17-0 score), but Brown ran the wrong route.  Interception 2, Beasley was held and it bounced off his chest - a bit of a lucky bounce.

First point I sort of agree with.  It's not a slam dunk, but the Bills do things with a team orientation that makes them tough to beat.  

 

As to the second point, which is that Josh wasn't a disaster, I agree.  I was at the game and didn't see the game, but I assumed what happened is what you said - that the free rusher was Josh's responsibility and he blew it.  I don't know if Brown ran the wrong route, but he was in just as good position as the defender to make a play on the ball, but that's not what he's good at.  Diggs would have broken up the interception, if not actually caught the ball.  And I didn't see the replay of the Beas INT, but I too thought it was one of those bang-bang bad bounces.   However, I will say this:  The throws on the two INTs weren't good decisions.  Brown needs to be running free to be a good probability throw, and it just wasn't necessary for Josh to throw to Beas on that play.   

 

It's not unusual to make a half dozen mistakes in a game.  I think the Dolphins game was unusual in that a high percentage of mistakes turned into points.  Points off both INTs, points off Josh's fumble, points off the kickoff out of bounds, and points off lousy punt coverage.   I think the correct way to look at what happened Sunday is that in that unusual circumstance, the Bills' defense held the Dolphins to field goals on three of the mistakes, and the Bills' offense put up 34 points.   That's evidence in support of your first point - it's a good team that overcomes adversity.  

[Shaw66]

1 hour ago, Fleezoid said:

 

I don't think it's unreasonable. I didn't say the Bills tackling was bad, they've gotten better since the back slapping tackling they did against the Phins in the previous game. And I can't buy just because they allowed 231 yards means the tackling is good. So many factors not considered. I like the defensive aggressiveness, but at times, players were diving at legs and not wrapping up. Understand It's a fast game, but I think that aspect can be better!

Well, it's not worth arguing about, but everyone always can get better at everything.   As you say, it's a fast game.  In addition, there's really good talent on the other side of the line.  They are paid to break tackles.   If they never made anyone miss, they wouldn't be in the league.  

[Ray Finkel]

20 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

Beasley played a lot.  Receivers were on and off the field almost every play.  Diggs, Davis, Beas, Shakir, with Brown sprinkled in.  And Hines was used wide some of the time. 

 

I've ignored the noise about his elbow all season, in part because there's no way for us to know how bad it is, and in part because he has to play through it.  You could be right, though, because his inaccuracies this season are puzzling.  (Elbow doesn't seem to bother him on the deep ball.  The two in a row to Davis were well thrown, as was Gabe's TD.  Hit Diggs perfectly on the completion and didn't miss by much when he missed Diggs on the first play, the long interception was well thrown but a bad decision, and the throw to Shakir was fine, too.)

 

As for the demons, who knows?  Know any witches?

His accuracy was off before the elbow injury.  It seems like something is off with his mechanics.

[ganesh]

10 hours ago, Commish said:

This. Dorsey is hyper-agressive, like Allen, and enables Allen's worst tendencies...

This is a good point.  I think that is the difference between Dorsey and Daboll.  Dorsey is trying to live his dream (of being a SB QB) in Josh.