Motorin'

Well, it wasn't a fumble. He intentionally threw the ball forward, which is by rule an illegal forward pass. There's never a play in the NFL where someone can recover a forward pass that hits the ground. By the letter of the rules, it should have been a safety.

Zay was supposed to be the physical #1 wr that can be the go to guy. Can't fault the Bills for Zay's mental breakdowns. He didn't do much to support the Raiders, so not much evidence that he would have contributed more here... Wish they would have taken JuJu.

So his job is to block the air and not even look at the LB that could have tapped him on the ass as he rushes past?

He has solid hands, and was reliable without any big plays.

Oh man, maybe Jimbo needs to teach Josh the virtues of the draw play? I can't remember one draw to Singletary this season? I think Dawkins is the worst offender. He doesn't even see the OLB rushing past him. That's his man. Because he whiffs, Lee Smith is caught between two blocks, and is late getting to the CB rushing around the end. Singletary is put in the same bind. If Dawkins blocks his man, Singletary can double the CB, which is where he was heading before needing to try and block the LB. Ford gets beat around the outside, but that's only bad because Josh runs backwards. If the two blocks are sustained on the left side, Josh can move left. Singletary probably chips the CB and moves into the flat for a big gain.

You're on to Cincinnati!

There's no world where the refs don't blow the play dead if he actually completes that pass. But even more important to the reason why the rule is put in place, it's to protect a QB from injury. Two men have him wrapped up and pushed back 8 feet. A third player launches himself at him and knocks him back another 4 feet. Allen is falling and vertical to the ground with 3 men wrapping him up before he even gets a pass off, after being driven backwards 4 yards by three men. The point of in the grasp is for the refs to blow the whistle to protect a QB from being injured after he's clearly wrapped up and his forward progress is stopped.

16 feet. That's how far he was driven back while in the grasp of 3 defenders. And sure, he needs to make better decisions, which might be easier if his LT actually attempted to block the edge rusher on all plays.

In the bizarro world that was that game, that's actually true.

They both looked like that 4th down play in NE when 3 rushers came screaming in free and clear. How does that happen? So if he completes the pass to Singletary and not Feleciano, it's a completion?

Yeah, taking a "lateral move" makes more sense now.

This actually seems like an upgrade. Now what about Carolina's OC, Norv Turner?

That's my take exactly. It was Lee Smith though, not Knox getting beat around the edge. All 5 lineman try to block Watt at on point or another on the play, allowing 3 rushers a free lane to the QB.

It would have put the Bills in a 56 yard field goal range. But there's no way they allow Allen to complete that play without ruling him sacked is Singletary catches the ball and runs for 20 yards. How can you blame Singletary and not Dawkins? This is what our LT was doing on the play when the LB blitzed his gap:

This play has stuck in my head as one of another BS calls. To be fair, the worst part of the play is the atrocious play of Dawkins completely missing, like not even seeing the LB blitzing right past his left shoulder. How is Singletary the one to get called out for his blocking on this when Lee Smith and Dawkins let both of their men run right past them? Like, wtf is Dawkins doing? In any event, when the two edge rushers wrap Josh up, the ball is at the 39 yard line. He's clearing in the grasp and his forward progress is stop. The NFL rule book states "The Referee must blow the play dead as soon as the passer is clearly in the grasp and control of any tackler behind the line, and the passer's safety is in jeopardy.” But Josh gets pushed back 4 yards in the grasp of 3 players, is falling to the ground vertically before the ball comes out. There's no world in which the interpretation of the NFL rules allows there defenders to grasp a QB, drive him backwards 12 feet, and that still be a live ball. Josh in the grasp of 2 defenders at the 39 & 1/2: Josh in the grasp of 3 defenders at the 43:

Stopped the clock without a penalty, saving 20 seconds when there was only a minute left. I just watched that play where Songletary doesn't pick up the blitz and Josh gets an intentional grounding penalty. Mostly because I wanted to know how 3 Texans had Allen wrapped up and falling vertical, pushing him back 3 yards, but there was no "in the grasp" call. What I was shocked to see was Dawkins compeletly ignore Mericlous. He may have even brushed Dawks shoulder on the way by, and he didn't even look at him. Like he just let the edge rusher past and he kept he hands up pointing them at empty air with no one to block. He didn't even turn his head to acknowledge his presence. I'm stupified.

Aside from the water bottle weirdness, did everyone else know Tom Donahoe is their director of player personnel?

Yeah, but Buffalo Bill was a cowboy, so there's that. I realized this a long time ago, but it struck as very weird that our team is named after a guy who got famous for murdering the animal our city is named after.

Maybe Jamie Collins is a perfect fit? I'm big on the idea of signing guys that make us better while subtracting from NE. That's been a clear Belichick strategy for almost 2 decades now.

I think they went to Gore out of fear. They took the conservative approach, believing they can trust the vet more with ball security. I also think that's why they went conservative at points with the lead during the season, fear of Allen turning it over-- more so that a hardened conservative philosophy.

Imagine for a second signing Kyle Van Noy to replace Zo, how much that would simultaneously improve our defense while hurting New England's.

It is was a catachable ball, and he didn't need to hop to make the catch. But the cb is trailing and Brown has a clear TD if it's a touch pass leading him into the end zone. Josh threw a Lazer to the sideline instead.

Yes there is. An illegal forward pass results in a 5 yard penalty from the spot of the ball. Any offensive penalty that would result in the ball being spoted beyond the goal line results in a safety. So the correct move when a player doesn't down it and throws the ball at the ref is for the ref to throw a flag and make a safety sign. That would be the biggest dick move ever though, if you think about it.

as opposed to Jerry.

This guy seems to play with the intensity of Jerry Hughes, and has the respect of the officials. https://www.jaguars.com/video/mic-d-up-yannick-ngakoue