Archives for September 2020

‘”Obviously, having Lee Smith has been invaluable,” second-year tight end Dawson Knox told reporters on a video call earlier this month. “He’s been incredible. He’s probably one of the best blocking tight ends ever. Having him has been incredible for that aspect of the game.”‘

‘Poloncarz said the Bills were prepared to take extra precautions to ensure against large crowds entering or exiting the stadium. One step, he said, was timed entry tickets and timed exit tickets. When the game ends, fans would be dismissed by section.’

‘However, there are any number of reasons for the Bills to hold off on admitting spectators. For one, any gathering of a crowd carries some level of risk. The Tennessee Titans this week reported the NFL’s first significant outbreak of Covid-19. Three Titans players and five team personnel members tested positive for Covid-19 and the team closed its practice facility this week. The Titans host the Bills on Oct. 11. The Titans’ surge of virus cases is yet another reminder that the pandemic is not behind us.’

‘Through three games, the Bills’ offense is as wide open as it ever has been, and it is producing at a fantastic pace.’

‘The Bills spent the entire game in their nickel (five defensive backs) defense. Slot cornerback Taron Johnson played 60 snaps (87%), while safety Dean Marlowe came in for nine snaps (13%), perhaps in an effort to provide a bigger body against the Rams’ running game. Linebacker A.J. Klein, the starter in the base 4-3, played just one snap.’

‘“Some things we’ll have to get better at for sure. Being able to be more gap sound and tackle better,” Frazier said, referencing the win over the Rams. “We had a lot of missed tackles in those last four drives that really hurt us. It’s disappointing that we could start so well and not finish how we started. Something we’ll have to work on for sure.”’

‘This was one of the toughest matchups of the season for the interior D-line, and the stoutness at nose tackle was a problem. Quinton Jefferson, arguably playing out of position when he lines up as the 1-technique, got pushed around. Harrison Phillips was slightly better but had a rough day at the point of attack, too. They combined to hurry the QB to force a field goal in the second quarter. Jefferson played 44 snaps, Ed Oliver 39, Phillips 29 and Vernon Butler 26. Rams left tackle Andrew Whitworth has allowed just one sack in his last 24 regular-season games. Mario Addison beat him for a hurry to force an incompletion early in the third quarter. That was the only one Whitworth yielded. All the Rams’ rollouts negate pass rush. Jared Goff was averaging a league-high 8.5 rollouts a game and averaging 10.9 yards per attempt on them the first two weeks, according to Sports Info Solutions. Against the Bills, he rolled out 10 times and the Rams averaged 9.0 yards per play.’

‘Offensive coordinator Brian Daboll devised a balanced attack in the first quarter, equally rushing and passing in 14 plays. Allen’s first two attempts were incomplete and Buffalo went three-and-out on the first possession. On the second drive, however, Allen was nearly perfect, leading the Bills on an 11-play drive for the only score of the quarter.’

‘The Bills had originally lobbied for 17,000 fans to be allowed in, then dropped the figure to 9,000, Poloncarz said. But county officials said they thought 7,000 was a safer number, based on the size of the concourses, public spaces and restrooms.’

‘It was such an exciting game that it was unfortunate that one of Fox’s top announcing crews wasn’t on hand rather than the last of its six regular teams.’