A Few Thoughts about the Cowboys Game, in no particular order

[Freddie's Dead]

Was about to send out the Sherpas to come find you Virg.  Welcome back!  Agreed with you 100% on the Dodson UR call.  Dak wasn't even in his slide when Dodson hit him, bad call by the Zebras.

[Solomon Grundy]

6 hours ago, Bills!Win! said:

Trading for Douglas has turned the bills into a chippy hard hitting defense. The guy is a baller 

I wholeheartedly agree!! Best acquisition since Stefon Diggs. Leonard Floyd is a close second 😎

[Solomon Grundy]

If only Gabe Davis could become a contributor catching the football for this team. It would add another dynamic to the offense for Brady to utilize

[MikePJ76]

the cowboys did try to adjust and it didn't work at all.  They tried slanting their line and switching their linebackers after the half with clark being the key guy.  It didn't work.  They live in dime defense and have all these hybrid players who are only good at rushing the passer.  They do not handle pulling lineman.  They had 8 guys in the box at times in the third quarter and that didn't work either.

 

Micah parsons to me plays hard when he feels like it or when they are winning.  He is the prototypical Dallas player.  His effort sunday was not good imo and he has a podcast he does and he was calling out the media.  

 

I can't wait to see them play Detroit.  Detroit had them beat last year and fumbled at their own one and it changed the whole game.  The lions can do all the things buffalo did up front.  I hope the lions kill them at home.

 

 

Edited December 19, 2023 by MikePJ76

[Just in Atlanta]

What a fun game to watch.
 

I have no idea how McD has this defense playing so dominantly with so many injuries. And Brady has this offense playing with rhythm and energy.
 

Plus, Cook. I never predicted him to be an elite runner. We’re watching him becoming a star right now.

 

If McD can learn to coach in the final two minutes this will turn out to be the most special of seasons.

 

[Scott7975]

4 hours ago, TheWeatherMan said:

So the team with the 4th highest point differential in the NFL might be dangerous if they make the playoffs?  

Dodson lead with the crown of his helmet…15 yard penalty all day long.

 

A bunch of people here didn't think so when I said it weeks back.

[RiotAct]

4 hours ago, Doc Brown said:

I know Brady is so hot right now amongst fans but I don't think he calls the defense plays quite yet.  

McDermott the dictator over-working his staff yet again!

[zow2]

3 hours ago, Solomon Grundy said:

If only Gabe Davis could become a contributor catching the football for this team. It would add another dynamic to the offense for Brady to utilize

 

This guy is just phased out and not part of the offense anymore.  Maybe they did an analysis of everyone and realized how many poor outcomes happened when they throw to Gabe.

[BuffaloMatt]

11 minutes ago, zow2 said:

 

This guy is just phased out and not part of the offense anymore.  Maybe they did an analysis of everyone and realized how many poor outcomes happened when they throw to Gabe.

GD is a really good blocker.

[Beck Water]

 

Great writeup as usual, Virgil.  I just hope the Bills can and do "handle bizness". 

 

Couple of points:

11 hours ago, Virgil said:

5 - Definition on Insanity - Not to take away from the Bills success, but anyone else find it strange that the Cowboys seemingly made zero adjustments at half time.  I get it, the Cowboys are built for speed on defense, which they sacrifice size for.  However, stack the box, but some bigger depth guys in, do something different!  On the few plays we actually did pass the ball, you could see that Dallas was ready for it as they got to Josh somewhat quick.  Which is fine, when you aren't down 21 and the Bills have proven they have no issues continuing to run the ball.  It all just seemed really weird to me how they played that game on defense.  I get it in the first half, as you expect Josh to be Josh and just start throwing because that's who he is.  But on that 8 minute drive in the 3rd quarter where we ran it almost every play, there's just no excuse for that.

 

This reminds me of a game sequence the Bills used in, hmmmmm, 2020.  Then as now, Josh was recovering from a sprained shoulder (L shoulder but Hasselbeck says that impacts the throwing motion). 

 

McDermott had been all P-A mutter mutter need a run game mutter mutter in press conferences.  The Bills went into NE, and Daboll had them pound the rock 38 times for 190 yds - of which Josh had only 23.   18 passing attempts for 154 yds.  

 

It wasn't the same dominant effort that Brady sent out there with Cook, but it was "Oh, where did THAT come from?" and it clearly took Belicheck by surprise; the Pats kept defending it as though they expected the "Real Bills" who want to throw it all over to walk onto the field for the next set of downs.

 

The follow-on was, next week the Bills went into Seattle and flip-flopped the attempts - 39 pass attempts to 19 rushing attempts, about half of which were Josh Allen scrambles IIRC.  It was the "Josh Allen Laser Light Show", 415 passing yards, 3 passing TDs.  Postgame, Pete Carroll said he "didn't expect them to pass so much" and "we had a nice little plan to stop their run".

 

Everyone at the time was "cool, we can run the ball, let's run more.  And we did lay down a couple strong run games later in the season but it never did seem to become integrated into the offense.

 

Anyway, I think the Cowboys never did get away from "we expect Josh to be Josh and come out throwing on the next drive" defensive mindset, just as Belicheck didn't and just as Pete Carroll didn't stop expecting the Bills to run the following week.

 

And if we can sustain some of that run threat, that's fundamentally McDermott's point about a balanced offense - it's damned hard to defend.

 

11 hours ago, Virgil said:

6 - Calm the Crazy - I was a little nervous when Dodson and Rapp were making some questionable hits that led to penalties.  With the tempers flaring early, I was expecting some really dumb penalties that would bring Dallas back into the game.  However, credit to both of them, and maybe McD, but they found a way to clean that up and keep the intensity alive.  That was one of the most punishing defensive games I can remember in quite a while.  Every time a Cowboy touched the ball, they were getting hit immediately.  We didn't just beat them, we absolutely BEAT them.  For context, Dallas kept their starters in for a moral victory touchdown at the end of the game, because we destroyed the previous 3 loss team's confidence that badly.  Let that one sink in.

 

This is where I've been told about OL and DL play, "it's mental.  It starts in your mind, with an attitude".  Of course that pre-supposes you start with elite athletes, but when the Bills were getting their asses whupped on both sides of the line by the Bengals, it's not that they aren't capable of laying down a can of whupass.

 

It's intensity.  It's mental.

 

Let's hope we keep bringing it.

 

GO BILLS!

 

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

11 hours ago, Virgil said:

3 - The Pulls - Maybe I don't pay attention to this enough in other games, but it seemed like our lineman pull game was exceptional.  I counted at least six big runs where a guard or tackle OR QB pulled to the other side of the line and laid out a monster block.  It was almost comical to see those guys get to the next level and destroy a defender.  You've all seen the replay of Dawkins blocking a defender into the next time zone on one of the big Cook runs.  Regardless, such a simple play design allowing the big dawgs to shine was a beautiful thing and I couldn't be happier for the line to finally show some success.

 

 

Fixed it for you.  Thought it was funny on the one run by Cook to the left side.  Josh was out in front and you could see he was ready and looking to hit someone.  Then after about 5 yards a light must of went off in his head and he stopped and got the hell out of there before anyone could hit him.

[BearNorth]

42 minutes ago, BuffaloMatt said:

GD is a really good blocker.

That's been the conventional wisdom about why GD leads the WR room in snaps. 

 

Looking at PFF, which grades players on run blocking, Diggs and Shakir are both graded higher as run blockers. 

 

Interestingly Diggs and Shakir are also rated higher in run blocking than either Kincaid or Knox.

 

FWIW

[corta765]

10 hours ago, Virgil said:

To me, the issue was the defense.  Josh could score 40 and I wasn’t convinced we wouldn’t give up 41.  We blew so many games on the final drives, I believe it was a warranted concern.  
 

These last two weeks have felt different and if we play the same way the next three weeks, we can beat anyone 

 

Yep. The offense with Dorsey I lost the confidence in terms of the offense being consistent, but Josh always gives you a chance and they were not the worst offense in the league either. Brady has unlocked the offense back to the 2020 feels where I feel whatever the score is they can do it.

 

But the defense was the big issue. NE & DEN they wilted so badly and blew leads late. PHI I don't criticize as much as they are a good team, but the other two just can't happen and it felt like even if the offense was rolling could the D just make some plays. The bye seems to allowed some healing injury wise along with the coaching staff to figure a few things out.

[Virgil]

30 minutes ago, Ed_Formerly_of_Roch said:

 

Fixed it for you.  Thought it was funny on the one run by Cook to the left side.  Josh was out in front and you could see he was ready and looking to hit someone.  Then after about 5 yards a light must of went off in his head and he stopped and got the hell out of there before anyone could hit him.

 

I remember seeing that one live and thinking the exact same thing.  Josh was ready to rumble

[finn]

12 hours ago, Virgil said:

5 - Definition on Insanity - Not to take away from the Bills success, but anyone else find it strange that the Cowboys seemingly made zero adjustments at half time.  I get it, the Cowboys are built for speed on defense, which they sacrifice size for.  However, stack the box, but some bigger depth guys in, do something different!  On the few plays we actually did pass the ball, you could see that Dallas was ready for it as they got to Josh somewhat quick.  Which is fine, when you aren't down 21 and the Bills have proven they have no issues continuing to run the ball.  It all just seemed really weird to me how they played that game on defense.  I get it in the first half, as you expect Josh to be Josh and just start throwing because that's who he is.  But on that 8 minute drive in the 3rd quarter where we ran it almost every play, there's just no excuse for that.

I'm surprised I haven't seen any references to the 1994 Super Bowl, where Dallas did the same thing to the Bills, running Emmitt Smith on virtually every play at one point. Nice to get some payback, for those of us with long memories. 

[Paup 1995MVP]

7 hours ago, ProcessTruster said:

and Rapp and Dodson, who are the anti-Hyde ,  Poyer, Rapp and Dodson; they are looking to hurt you, whereas Hyde / Milano avoid big hits.   

 

...Somewhere, Leonard Smith is smiling....  

I think Milano is our toughest player on defense period.  He has lit up many players.  Ask Mike White about that from last year.  

 

People sometimes forget that football was built on intimidation violence and brutality.  That is how the game was played by pretty much every team (the Raiders played it a little better then the rest many years ago) for decades upon decades.  (watch on YouTube the story of the 1970 or 1971 season.  The hitting and pummeling QB's was absolutely ridiculous.)  Most of that has been taken out of the game since Roger Goddell took over as Czar of the league.  But you need guys who play like Poyer Rapp and Dodson.  It sends a message.  

[PBF81]

12 hours ago, Scott7975 said:

Funny. I said weeks ago that if the Bills could just find a way to make the playoffs that they could be one of the most dangerous teams in it. Some people rolled their emoji eyes at me. Now the media is all saying it. 

 

What's a little FUBAR is that this offense has had this potential all season.  Imagine if they had played like this all season instead of opening up like this, then disappearing for a half-dozen games, and then reverting to form.  We'd have set franchise records.  We may still set some yet.  

 

I'm guessing we'd be 13-1 or 12-2 and all but have clinched the #1 Seed.  

 

Having said that, if we can keep this level of offense going, ...  

 

 

[Heathcliff]

6 hours ago, Solomon Grundy said:

If only Gabe Davis could become a contributor catching the football for this team. It would add another dynamic to the offense for Brady to utilize

I guess you don’t realize Gabe (and Diggs) was blocking his DB out of the play every time Cook went around end. Did you not notice the DBs were not in on many tackles until several yards down field?

[freddyjj]

2 hours ago, Beck Water said:

The follow-on was, next week the Bills went into Seattle and flip-flopped the attempts - 39 pass attempts to 19 rushing attempts, about half of which were Josh Allen scrambles IIRC.  It was the "Josh Allen Laser Light Show", 415 passing yards, 3 passing TDs.  Postgame, Pete Carroll said he "didn't expect them to pass so much" and "we had a nice little plan to stop their run".

Just wanted to point out this game was actually in BUF during Covid Year.  Both teams had 420 yards of offense. SEA turned the ball over 4 times.
 

May have been the nicest NOV weather ever for a Bills home game

 

Game Information

Highmark Stadium

1:00 PM, November 8, 2020

Coverage: FOX

Orchard Park, NY

Game time temperature: 69 degrees

 

https://spectrumnews1.com/ap-top-news/2020/11/08/allen-bills-torch-seahawks-win-44-34-in-balmy-buffalo

 

 

 

@Virgil  Glad to see this write up as know you have stepped away.  
 

Very much appreciated my friend. 

[Cash]

8 hours ago, TheWeatherMan said:

Dodson lead with the crown of his helmet…15 yard penalty all day long.

 

Agreed.  I was mad when watching it live, but on re-watching the game last night, it was a clear helmet-to-helment hit, and would be called again >90% of the time.  You could argue that it's unfortunate for Dodson, because Dak started his slide so late that he basically put his face in the path of Dodson's helmet.  But it's the responsibility of the defender not to lower his helmet in the first place.  Once he does, he's liable for the consequences of whatever it hits.

 

Speaking of hits, Prescott took a BEATING yesterday.  Even outside of the 2 flags.  All of our sacks were pretty hard (legal) hits, and the Dodson & Phillips ones were especially hard.  Plus he took a couple more shots on scrambles and pressures.  His body can't be feeling great yesterday or today.