Shaw66

My goodness!!! You got a bit worked up about this didn't you? You described a whole side of this - his leadership, that we all hope for and wondered about. But as you say so well, the evidence is already there that he has what it takes. You're right about Allen and Fitzy. Fitzy was a big time competitor and it showed on the field every play. Allen is showing it, too, with a different skill set. But we're Bills fans, and we've learned to expect the worst. This can't be, can it? We're all afraid to say it. Everything feels different when he's in the game.

You can be sure the message is "don't take chances unless it's important." What he needs to do is refine his judgment about what's important - right now he seems to think every play is important. Plus, the play calling has to change. Those two zone reads down on the goal line late in the game need to go. The TD wasn't as important as his health, so they shouldn't be calling his number down there. Some other situation, maybe, but not that one. There's a cumulative effect to taking those hits, and the Bills shouldn't be adding to the number of hits needlessly.

Yeah, it's pretty surprising to see him going as fast as he does. He doesn't have great acceleration in the way that the quick sprinters have, but on the other hand it only takes him a few strides to get up to speed. I think his speed comes his size and athletic ability. Big guys have long legs, long legs result in big strides, and big strides let you cover more ground than smaller strides. But it's harder athletically to get a big body going and doing all the stuff needed to take advantage of the bigger strides. Only really good athletes can do it, and Allen turns out to be one of those. The extreme example is Usain Bolt (no, I'm not saying Allen runs like Bolt). But Bolt combines size with athletic ability, and the smaller athletes simply have no chance to go as fast as he does.

Ducky - In response to you and transplant and others: I'm a big believer that the passer rating tells us a lot about how good a QB is. The best QBs all have good passer ratings, and some not so good QBs may have a good passer rating now and then but don't stay up in the top 10-15. Allen's passer rating is nowhere in the range it needs to be by those standards, so I thought a lot about whether to say the things I did about him before i started writing. I just kept going back to the games, thinking about the plays and asking myself about the bad plays he made (I had trouble finding many), and if he wasn't making bad plays, why was he 8 for 19? Bottom line for me: 1. He's showing some great, great stuff. Throwing ability, poise and awareness, decision making, leadership. 2. He ISN'T showing rookie mistakes. Not taking dumb sacks, snot making dumb throws, not getting confused at the line of scrimmage. 3. His shortcomings are, as I said talking with someone here, that he isn't a veteran yet. The details, the little things, the things that veterans see and do that create three or four completions a game that rookies don't get, or that result in 20 yard gains instead of seven, he isn't seeing and doing that yet. It would be a miracle if he were. But I'm confident that will come, because he's clearly a competitor and a guy who wants to do better. And his Wonderlic score says that he has the kind of brain that will allow him to do it.

I have no problem with Shady. I'm not seeing runs where I think "two years ago, he makes that cut." Shady's running style is based on using his quickness in space. He has to have one man, not two, to beat, and a little space to move in. He's rarely in any space this season. Like everyone else, I'm assuming they'll upgrade the offensive line next season, and then you'll see two things: 1. The old Shady. 2. Allen throwing from the pocket. I don't think he's lost anything. But I think you've touched on the important point, which is that MOST defenses are getting quicker. They're playing safeties at linebacker, linebackers as DEs. And they're scheming more. So Shady's running style may be as effective as it was five years ago.

I don't like his haircut.

I think there were several things going on on that play. One was he didn't want the penalty. But another was that he wanted turn Bortles to the inside in hopes of tackling him in bounds. Bortles mad a nice move on that play.

Thanks for the interesting comments, as always. For sure, like any QB who is decently mobile, the coaches are telling him that when the defense is in man and they're all running away from you, running for the yardage makes sense. There's no question in my mind that Allen is always thinking about the run. As the offense gets better, I think they'll cut back on the designed runs, and I'm also sure they're continuing to tell him to slide more. He took an unnecessary hit on his long scramble. Should have gotten out of bounds two yards earlier. McDermott and Beane watched as Newton got banged up with his aggressive running style, and they know in Allen they have a better passer and field general than Newton. They aren't going to mess with the franchise. Which leads us back to the offensive line. You can be sure that as they watch Allen do this stuff, they're thinking he needs better protection and a better running game. I'd say Julio would be an upgrade.

You're right. But the national media will stop their analysis at 8 for 19 and a passer rating under 90. I realize now that yesterday I was sitting just wanting the defense to hurry up and get the ball back to Allen. Earlier this season I'd be hoping for a pick 6, because it was the only we'd score.

A good. The coaches aren't stupid. They know what they have. With Peterman playing, yeah, they were desperate to run the ball. They aren't so desperate now. It wasn't an accident that the speed receivers - Foster, McKenzie and Thompson, and Croom at tight end - were on the field so much. The coaches know that with Allen on the field, if receivers can get open, they're going to get the ball. OOH, OOH, OOH!!! One more thing I forgot to say. How cool was the jet sweep touchdown run by McKenzie, when he got to the edge and it was clear he could sprint to the corner without help, and the two receivers out there each cut down their men simultaneously!!!?!? It looked like a choreographed bowling trick shot, taking down the 7-10 with two balls. Talk about execution.

The Bills TRIED to give him 25 attempts yesterday. Between the throws he had that were called back and the passing plays where he ended up scrambling, he would have had 25. Thanks. Reading. Embrace it.

All year he's had trouble with his touch on some of the short throws. Seems pretty clear to me that with his natural throwing motion gets too much on the ball for short throws, and he hasn't learned yet how to dial it down. I'd expect that during the off season he'll work on his technique for shorter throws.

I don't think the 12th man on the field was Crossman's mistake. Here's what I think happened: I think Yarbrough starts on the punt return team. At least I'm guessing that. Yarbrough got dinged about five minutes before on some defensive play. Looked like he might have a concussion. They took him off the field and into the tent. They did whatever they do and decided he was okay. While he's off the field, Crossman knows he's down a player on the punt return team, so he tells the backup for Yarbrough's spot to be ready. Jags get to fourth down, and the Bills send the punt receiving team onto the field, with the sub in for Yarbrough. Someplace right around this time the docs tell Yarbrough he's good to go. He comes out of the tent, and sees the punt return team on the field. He knows that's his assignment, he's able to play, so he runs onto the field late. He doesn't know, doesn't have any way to know, really, that Crossman's already substituted for him. So Yarbrough heads out onto the field, someone realizes the problem, he turns around to get off, but it's too late. It's essentially a detail that got missed. Someone needed to be on the sideline telling Yarbrough that he's out until someone sends him in. I think it's just one of those things that happen in games.

Watching him yesterday I figured out for the first time that Shady doesn't dance. Shady waits, like LeVeon Bell waits. But while Shady waits he's pumping his feet so when he decides where he's going he's ready to make the cut. That is, he doesn't dance out of indecision. He's just waiting. And when he realizes there's no place for him to break free, he moves forward to get what he can get. He's getting no opportunities. Now, Ivory runs with a different style and had more success yesterday, because he just takes off for the hole and makes the most of it, breaking a tackle here and there. Ivory's not going to get the big plays we all know Shady is capable of of.

You're talking about not doing some things that veterans do, and I agree about that. I'm talking about mistakes that only rookies make. Misreading defenses, bad decisions in the pocket, that sort of stuff. The stuff rookies do that they either outgrow or they go to the bench. Allen's not having THOSE moments. He's definitely NOT making all the veteran plays we want him to make. One that I keep thinking about from yesterday is the throw over the middle to Thompson, the one he caught but the defender knocked the ball out. Great throw, right on the money. Brady and Rodgers and Brees don't make that throw. They throw it a little short, a little lower, so the receiver can come back to the ball a bit and run away from the defender a bit. A slightly lower throw would have allowed Thompson the chance to catch it and prepare for the hit. I don't expect Allen to make that throw as a rookie, but I expect he will learn.

Got it. That makes more sense. Thanks

I think he looks like an oversized safety. I really think the plan is to get his playing weight up about 15 pounds - he's so young, that he should be able to carry with no problem. When that happens, he won't get pushed around so much, and his tackles will be more authoritative. Look, I'm not arguing with you, but I think that this label for Allen is bs. That's what we heard about him all through the draft the process and since. Allen is "raw." What does that mean? The reality is that, so far, he's shown that after training camp and preseason, he was more ready to play than all the others except Mayfield. Mayfield is playing like pro, and Allen is right behind him. Rosen was supposed to be the most NFL ready, he's throwing to Larry friggin FItzgerald and he's been a pick machine. Darnold has slumped badly. The Bills evaluated Allen's football sophistication before the draft and realized that he had much better football smarts than the media coverage suggested. We're seeing it on the field. He has had very few rookie moments.

I didn't see that. Zay had the most important reception, on the onside kick.

I didn't think he looked jittery at all. He knew what he wanted and he took it. The timing was off on sideline throws to Thompson, who's brand new to the team. His throws to McKenzie, who also is relatively new, were pretty good. There were very few negatives.

I agree, and thought so in the Stadium. He took two hits he didn't need to take. I think McDermott isn't afraid of the injuries, and he was willing (through Daboll) to take the risk because he wanted the touchdown. But I'm with you. Run one of your backs into the line, hope you pop it, if you don't, kick it. Hits on the QB add up.

Cool. I didn't know that KW referred to it yesterday. I caught on to this last spring when in some press conference McDermott described the process within the entire organization. It was obviously based on some continuous improvement management philosophy. Listen to Belichick, even in the press conferences when he says nothing. What he says over and over is that they have to get better. Every day.

You're right. But the answer to that is spelled O-F-F-E-N-S-I-V-E L-I-N-E. As the offensive line gets better, two things will happen: (1) The running game will get better, so the Bills won't need to rely the quarterback to be the extra running threat in the backfield. (2) The protection will be better, so Allen won't be scrambling so much. He's shown he's an excellent pocket passer, and once he has a more consistent pocket, he'll throw from it, not run.

If you're a skeptic, I'm telling you it's time to get over it. Just look at his throws. Look at his his poise and his pocket presence.

The only good thing you can say for them is that the calls weren't technically wrong. Ticky tack is right. And the calls were terribly disruptive to the game. In the Stadium, it was just deadly to watch. McKenzie's "fumble" on the punt? Ridiculously wrong call on the field, but they're so timid that they call it a fumble so replay can save them. If they'd had the balls to call it right, Morrone wouldn't have challenged and the game would have moved on. The real killer was on the Bills' punt. Gunner apparently was out of bounds too long (one of the dumbest penalties in the NFL), and illegal block in the back. Obvious off-setting penalties and replay of fourth down. They spent close to five minutes talking it over, then they had to go to each coach and explain the call. What for? Off-setting penalties, do over, move on. It really was deadly.

The Bills beat the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday, 24-21. It was a big day for the Bills. The big story, as he’s been all season, is Josh Allen, but this was a team win in a team game, and I’ll get to Allen in a minute. First, a few reactions to the game. The game was an old-fashioned slug fest, with big hits, big plays and highs and lows. The Bills took control early, the Jags fought back to tie the game at the half. Then both teams slugged it out through the third quarter until the Jags finally put together a big punt return and a nice drive to take the lead, 20-14. The Jags had made a statement, the question was whether the Bills had the heart to respond. Respond? It was an epic response. Bortles’ 30-yard touchdown throw was reviewed and ruled a completion at the one-yard line. The close play on the completion (was it an interception by Wallace?), the players gathering around the receiver and defender wrestling for the ball at the goal line, and the fight that broke out between Fournette and Lawson all electrified the crowd and the Bills. Most of the fans missed the next play, because they were watching Lawson and Fournette being escorted down their respective sidelines to the shared tunnel to the locker rooms. It was raw instinct on display, and everything about Lawson screamed “you don’t want to mess with me!” Back on the field, the Bills stuffed Hyde for a one-yard loss, the Jags took a false start penalty, a touchdown pass was negated by holding, Bortles gained a yard on a near sack and lost 8 on a sack. Fourth and goal from the 24, the Jags missed the field goal. Allen to McKenzie, penalty on the Jags, Allen to Foster, penalty on the Jags, Allen up the middle for the touchdown! It was a classic momentum shift – the Jags took control of a close game, came within a video review of scoring a touchdown, then came away with no points and gave up a 68-yard touchdown drive on three plays. The Bills made plays and the Jags melted down. There was more football to play, and the Jags certainly didn’t quit, but the Bills had taken over the game. It was the kind of sequence that keeps me going to the games. Sitting in the stands with fellow Bills fans, watching things slipping away and then watching our team rise up as if yelling in unison “NOT IN OUR HOUSE!!!” It’s a thrill you can’t anywhere else, unless you’re out drinking champagne with Shady McCoy at 3 a.m. Cheap shot at Shady, I know, and he doesn’t deserve cheap shots. The guy is a gamer. His heart is on display every game. If only he had the daylight the Jags gave Fournette and the others in the first half on Sunday. The Bills run blocking was weak again, and the Bills defense had no answer to the Jags running game; no answer, that is, until halftime, when they regrouped and forced Bortles to start making plays. It was the kind of adjustment good teams make. The Bills killed themselves with penalties. It’s been a recurring theme this season, and it’s worrisome that McDermott has been unable to get more disciplined play out of his team. The Bills clearly wanted speed on the field against the Jags. McKenzie and Thompson were out there a lot, and Benjamin was a role player. Edmunds is still a project. He doesn’t look anything like the old-fashioned middle linebacker who stuffs the running back in the hole. He’s usually in the wrong hole (which might be his assignment), or he’s chasing after the play watching someone else make the tackle. Still, he’s making plays, in the run game and the passing game. It was hard to see on the Stadium screen, and they showed the replay only once, but it looked like Edmunds got a finger on the pass that came off O’Shaughnessy’s hands into Poyer’s for what turned out to be the points that won the game. Give Edmunds an off-season to decompress, put on a little muscle and digest all he’s learned, and he’s going to be special. Okay. There was a lot to talk about in the game, but if we’re talking special, it’s time to talk about Josh Allen. I’ve been waiting for Allen’s return. As McDermott continues with his process, the whole team (not just the quarterback) has to grow and improve, but no one is more important than Allen. He’s the key to the future, and I wanted to see more of him. Sunday, I saw everything I needed. Allen IS the future. And if the future isn’t now, it’s coming soon. I’m not not talking Allen’s running. The guy showed again that he’s a serious threat as a running quarterback. His cutback behind Bodine’s block on the touchdown run was running-back-intelligence on display. His acceleration out of a potential tackle on the long scramble was breathtaking, for a quarterback. But I’m not talking about his running, because running isn’t his future; throwing is. Allen had a GREAT day throwing. Don’t look at his stats, don’t say, “well, his passer rating was only 90, he completed less than 50%, other than the bomb he didn’t do much.” Forget all that. Just go back and look at each called passing play. Start from the fact that the Jags have one of the best defenses in the league. Football Outsiders has them at number 6, 7th best in pass defense. They’re 8th in points per game, 5th in yards per game. They’re 5th in opponent’s passer rating. They are a good defense. Then recognize that the pass protection was pretty bad for most of the day. Allen scrambled a lot. In fact, most of his big runs came on scrambles, but stay focused on the plays where he didn’t run. Poor protection, but he never was sacked. Why? Because Allen always escaped the pressure and did something. That alone is a big plus. So was Allen running scared, bailing out of the pocket at the first sign of pressure? No. First on the nice deep completion to Benjamin and then on the incredibly beautiful deep touchdown to Foster, he stood in the pocket, knowing the pressure was coming and he was going to get hit, and he delivered perfect throws. He knew what he wanted, he knew he had just enough time to get it, he didn’t flinch and he delivered. But he was 8 for 19. How can he be good if he was 8 for 19? Well, how many bad throws did he make? By my count, three: He missed the first pass of the game, behind Jones coming across the middle, missed Foster in the flat in the third quarter, and mysteriously underthrew McKenzie in the right flat in the fourth quarter. Three bad throws, one of them the first throw he’s made in live action for over a month. Three bad throws out of 11 incompletions. Not great, and Allen will tell you he should have made each of those. What about the other eight incompletions? One was a hail Mary, at least two were throw-aways, one was a prayer of a deep ball to Benjamin on third and 26, one was an incredible scramble and throw for a first down that went through Croom’s hands on the right sideline, one was a nearly perfect throw to Thompson over the middle that he dropped after a good defensive play, one was a good throw where Thompson failed to settle in the open spot in the zone, one was miscommunication with Thompson on a sideline pattern to the left late in the game, where Allen was under intense pressure. (Thompson and Allen have had only one week to practice together.) Allen made the right throw on eight of his 11 incompletions. And then there are the throws that didn’t count. Completion to Logan Thomas for seven yards and a first down, penalty on Miller. Completion to McKenzie for 16 yards and a first down, penalty on Bodine, completion to Ivory for four yards, penalty on Teller. Deep sideline throw to Foster at the end of the half, intercepted by Ramsay but only because his illegal contact took Foster out of the play. Forget the statistics. Just look at each drop back. Multiple throws under pressure or on the run. No sacks. No interceptions. Three bad throws. A few throw-aways. Everything else was on target and catchable. Multiple completions called back for penalties. Two superb throws that the receivers (Thompson and Croom) didn’t catch. Did he fail to see some guys open? I didn’t see them, but he probably did. Should he have changed some plays at the line of scrimmage? I didn’t see them, but he probably should have. Those are the things that get better with experience. What was on display yesterday was all we needed to see for now, and more: Poise, accuracy, decision making, ball security, leadership. All of it. Oh, and one of the most beautiful deep balls you ever will see. Against the Jags, he showed that it’s time to get on board the Allen train. 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.