‘”Ready” is not a word that would accurately describe the secondary Sunday. A week after the Bills’ first-team run defense was gashed against the Cleveland Browns, the defensive backfield took its turn on the spit against the Bengals. The very first offensive play for Cincinnati was a 57-yard touchdown pass from Andy Dalton to John Ross, who beat Davis clean on a stop-and-go move and then turned both Davis and safety Jordan Poyer inside out to make it to the end zone.’
Archives for August 27, 2018
Vic Carucci: Bills still should make Allen opening-day starter
‘He’ll see plenty that will probably make it unwise to do so on a full stomach. However, one of the things he’s bound to determine is that far too much of what went wrong with his starting offense — and there was a lot — extended beyond Allen. Put another way, if you don’t want Allen to face the Ravens, then you certainly can’t bear the thought of the Bills’ offensive line being in that game, either.’
Lights-out performance caps Andy Dalton’s Buffalo ‘homecoming’
‘”I don’t feel bad,” Dalton said after the game. “It’s just all part of it. We just have to play to our potential and I feel like we started the game how we wanted to. We knew that was going to be the first play. I said in the huddle it was going to be a touchdown. I said on the sidelines before the game it was going to be a touchdown. So I’m glad it happened that way.”
Observations: Bills’ O-line struggles, shuffles in loss to Bengals
‘Marshall Newhouse, starting in place of left tackle Dion Dawkins, gave up the first sack and generally struggled protecting Josh Allen’s blind side. Dawkins was held out with a sore hip. The Bills need a healthy Dawkins.’
McDermott not ready to name a starting quarterback
‘He also declined to provide a timetable for when he would name a starter with the Bills’ season opener in Baltimore two weeks away.’
Bengals QB Andy Dalton makes surprise visit to Roswell Park
‘”We’re just so thankful for all the support we have got from the City of Buffalo, a lot of Bills fans all over – all over the world – and it’s been so amazing,” Dalton said. “Y’all may not know the impact we’re going to make on so many families. Just the ability to relieve some financial burden, or help out in any way we can really goes a long way.”‘
Josh Allen never had a chance behind the Bills’ horrendous offensive line
‘Hideous.’
Nothing was settled in loss to Bengals as Bills’ QB battle remains wide open
‘Pit bulls treat their chew toys better than the Bengals treated Allen as Cincinnati’s talented front seven overwhelmed Buffalo’s sub-standard offensive line on its way to sacking Allen. There were some plays where Allen barely had a chance to get to his designated dropback spot before he was besieged with pressure, but like quarterbacks are wont to do, he covered for his line and shouldered the blame.’
Pollock: Mistake-filled effort as Bills get dominated
‘Oh, it wasn’t just Allen who was lousy in the first half of yesterday afternoon’s 26-13 preseason defeat by the Bengals at New Era Field … this was a “team effort” in every sense of the word.’
Bills vs. Bengals: Josh Allen runs for his life (8 observations from preseason week 3)
‘It’s hard to assess Allen’s performance because he was barely able to look downfield long enough to even begin processing his reads.’
Josh Allen not to blame for struggles, Buffalo Bills center Ryan Groy said
‘”It’s bad,” Groy said. “I’ll take the first hit. It was embarrassing as a unit and I’ll take the first blame. As an o-line we need to get better and that was on us, 100 percent.”‘
Did Nate Peterman secure Buffalo Bills starting job? Sean McDermott won’t say
‘”He has shown that consistency, which is good to see,” Bills coach Sean McDermott said Sunday night after the Bills’ 26-13 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. “(He) has shown some poise and understanding of how the NFL works in terms of defensive schemes. I’ve watched him grow and develop and (there is) still more work to do, but I think he … has been consistent, which is important at the quarterback position.”‘
What Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen said after loss to Bengals (transcript, video)
‘I feel good. Obviously didn’t play as well as I wanted to. Some throws out there I wish I had back, some plays out there I wish I had back. Obviously it’s the preseason that’s why we play these games is to learn and grow and get better. This is one of those games that we’re gonna go break down the film and get a lot better at just because of the things that we had to endure and the things that we saw, it’s just going to help us out in the long run.’
Meiler: After Sunday, McDermott should have clear choice at QB
‘Let A.J. McCarron or Nate Peterman start. They’re probably a bit further advanced in reading schemes and might be able to aid the offensive line. Allen will end up playing at some point this year anyway, preferably later in the season when weather and the rigors of weekly football have slowed defenses down a touch.’
Bills offensive starters let down rookie QB Allen
‘But the Bills’ first-team offence couldn’t do a dang thing with its only star offensive player resting with a sore groin and hip, running back LeSean McCoy. His presence wouldn’t have helped much, to be honest.’
Daltons give back to Buffalo community
‘“The Buffalo community has given so much to our Foundation,” J.J. Dalton said. “As soon as the preseason calendar was released, we circled this date and knew we had to do something special. The Hub is going to be a great distraction for young patients and their families, and we’re happy to be able to make an impact in that way.”’
Andy and JJ Dalton Give Back to Buffalo Community
‘“The Buffalo community has given so much to our Foundation,” said JJ. “As soon as the preseason calendar was released, we circled this date and knew we had to do something special. The Hub is going to be a great distraction for young patients and their families, and we’re happy to be able to make an impact in that way.”’
Monday’s Cincinnati Coverage
John Ross’ big play the perfect script for Bengals (Cincinnati Enquirer)
Analysis: Cincinnati Bengals give a glimpse of their potential for 2018 in win over Buffalo Bills (Cincinnati Enquirer)
Photo gallery (Cincinnati Enquirer)
Photo gallery (Dayton Daily News)
3 things we learned about Bengals from Bills game includes D-line being dominant force (WKRC-TV)
Daltons give back to Buffalo community (WKRC-TV)
Preseason Perfection Continues, Bengals Beat Bills, 26-13 (Bengals.com)
Bengals’ first-teamers flex to dominate Bills (Bengals.com)
Defense sacks its way into opener (Bengals.com)
Quick hits: Ross follows script; Dalton stands tall; Glenn good (Bengals.com)
Andy and JJ Dalton Give Back to Buffalo Community (Bengals.com)
Photo gallery (Bengals.com)
Photo gallery 1 (BuffaloBills.com)
Photo gallery 2 (BuffaloBills.com)
Photo gallery (Buffalo News)
Photo gallery (Rochester Democrat and Chronicle)
Bengals QB Andy Dalton gets standing ovation from Buffalo Bills fans
‘The donations totaled more than $415,000 for the Andy and Jordan Dalton Foundation for seriously ill children — and before the game, the Daltons gave a portion of that money to the pediatric department of the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo.’
Dalton enjoys warm welcome in Bengals’ 26-13 win over Bills
‘Rookie Josh Allen struggled in his first preseason start , while getting little protection from an offensive line that allowed five sacks in the first half alone. He finished 6 of 12 and was sacked for more yards (39) than he had passing (34).’
Bills dodge bullet, QB Allen cleared of head injury
‘The team dodged a bullet after the seventh pick in the 2018 NFL Draft was taken to the locker room after hitting his head hard on the turf during the second quarter of Sunday’s game.’
Josh Allen says he held onto ball too long in first start
‘”Getting out there with the first team, obviously it’s moving really fast,” he said. “To see that speed, it was eye-opening. They have a really good defense. They came out and they brought it. But at the same time, we had plays in place that could’ve worked if I got the ball out in time. It just didn’t happen enough tonight.’
Bills QB Josh Allen passes concussion check, cleared to return
‘Allen was hit by a Bengals defender and his helmet hit the turf in the end zone after he threw a pass away late in the second quarter. Allen immediately reached for his helmet after his head hit the ground. He remained in the game for one play, a run by Marcus Murphy, before the game was stopped.’
NFL Week 3 preseason scores, schedule, updates: Josh Allen gets crushed, Nathan Peterman sharp
‘Instead, Sunday afternoon ended up being a nightmare for Allen and the Bills’ first-team offense. The nightmare ended with Allen in the locker room as he got evaluated for a head injury. Allen would be cleared to return by doctors, but when the second half started, it was Peterman under center.’
Should the Bills Roll the Dice With a Rookie QB Despite Putting Him in a Suboptimal Situation?
‘Amid all the analysis on the Bills’ projected Week 1 starter and 2018 first-round draft pick, how can the main takeaway not be that their massively depleted offensive line is going to seriously impact the trajectory of a player that is already undergoing some critical mechanical adjustments at warp speed?’
Bengals’ Andy Dalton gets standing ovation from Bills fans, throws TD on first pass
‘It’s been a love affair all week with the Bengals in town, a vastly different reception than what opposing QBs are accustomed to from the Bills Mafia.’
Final – Bengals bash the Bills 26-13
‘Allen and the Bills offense did not cross midfield in the opening quarter, with Allen going 5/9 for 28 yards in the first quarter. The offensive line gave up two sacks, had two false start penalties and gave up a lot of pressure on the rookie quarterback. Marcus Murphy had the Bills longest play with an 11 yard run.’
You Already Know, Don’t You?
‘We still don’t know anything about the careers of Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, Josh Allen, Josh Rosen, Lamar Jackson, or Mason Rudolph. But I do know one thing: I’m really glad the Bills are one of the teams in the 2018 QB Club. Every appearance from Allen feels like the football world is watching to see which teams came out of the draft, out of that club, and into a franchise-changing quarterback.’
Hamilton: McDermott should end the quarterback competition now
‘When you throw everything together, I would be pushing for Peterman if I was in McDermott’s meeting room. Again, that doesn’t mean it has to be that way all season, it just means he’d be my starter in Baltimore. To me, the quarterback competition is over.’
Sal’s Sticks: Bengals at Bills
‘I had been saying all camp that the one area of concern for me with this line was pass protection, and that deficiency showed up in a far too big of a way Sunday afternoon. Starting QB Josh Allen was sacked five times, and when he wasn’t being sacked, there was just too much pressure. Not every sack or pressure was the fault of the line. Allen could have gotten the ball out sooner, but it was clear from the very first series that they were having trouble blocking the Bengals front. I could write about several players specifically, but they all shared blame here. Something, or someone, or multiple things or people, have to change quickly if this OL is going to go to Baltimore week one and keep Ravens defenders off their quarterbacks’ backs.’
Joe B: 7 observations from Buffalo Bills vs. Cincinnati Bengals (8/26/18)
‘What we found out, after the first half of poor play across the board, was that Sunday wound up being a let down after all the anticipation from fans and media leading up to it. Fans went from the natural high of thinking their young quarterback being on the cusp of winning the starting job to the painful reminder that the rookie can’t cover up warts at other positions that have followed them for the entire summer.’
Andy and JJ Dalton Foundation gives back to Buffalo
‘The Foundation donated $25,000 to the Angel Fund and “The Hub,” which is a locker full of electronics for children and families to use during treatment.’
Peterman’s spark not enough as Bills fall to Bengals
‘Peterman took over for Josh Allen, who was evaluated for a head injury in the final minute of the first half, and finished 16 for 21 for 200 yards.’
Allen, Bills OL struggle against Bengals
‘As the rookie quarterback was taken down in the end zone by Bengals defensive lineman Carlos Dunlap in the final minute of the second quarter, his head bounced off the turf. He then walked off the field to the locker room with athletic trainers.’
Reed Between the Lines: What We Learned from Sunday’s Loss
‘Josh Allen spent most of his first preseason start running for his life.’
Andy Gives Back: Dalton unveils donation at Roswell Park
‘Part of the Daltons’ donation will include a contribution to the Angel Fund. They will also be donating entertainment devices to Roswell’s pediatric units.’
Allen sacked five times as the Bengals beat the Bills
‘Peterman took over for Josh Allen, who was evaluated for a head injury in the final minute of the first half, and finished 16 for 21 for 200 yards.’
Allen, Bills flunk big preseason test
‘”Obviously, didn’t play as well as I wanted to,” Allen said. “I didn’t a good enough job getting the ball out on time and getting it to our playmakers. Holding onto the ball is not going to be too great most of the time. I’ve got to do a better job. There’s a lot to learn from, a lot to get better from.”‘
Bills offensive line issues lead to Allen’s poor performance
‘”We didn’t do a good protecting Josh and giving him time,” said Jordan Mills. “It starts with me. I gotta do a better job technique wise and we have to give him time to make plays.”‘
Andy Dalton overwhelmed by support from Bills fans
‘”I didn’t know what the ovation was going to be, but for [the Bengals] to hold me back and be the last one to come out [on the field], I wasn’t expecting that,” said Dalton. “It’s a crazy story and its been fun to be on this side of it and be the one going through it.’