Rapid Reaction - 10 Observations About Tonight's Game

[Best Player Available]

He may be the #1 back going into the Colts game, and if that does't scare you, nothing does. He didn't have an "official" fumble, just out it on the carpet twice—and he only had 9 carries. Hard to believe Rogue put all his chips in this guys, just so hard to believe.

 

agreed, thanks for the engaging, thoughtful, and humorous perspective

IMO any player getting playing time in game 4 is for a very specific reason. he is on the bubble.

brown playing last night was not to "get him some work" rather do we want/need this guy?

i would guess there has been a discusion on the merits of him on the team moving forward.

Myself i could care less unless he has an epic fumble in regular season with bad consequences.

But what are the chances of that? personally in terms of what Whaley paid for him. So far I would put him in the bad/overpaid column.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

1) Prediction time: I think the Bills are poised to have a strong season. The defense has the potential to be one of the best ever and I believe that the offense will shock some folks from coast to coast. It's been a long time since we've had a playoff game at the Ralph - that's about to change as the Bills go 11-5 and break the 15-year playoff drought.

 

(It's been a blast posting here during preseason, but I will step aside in the regular season out of deference to Bill from NYC, as I feel it is his domain on TSW. Anybody interested in reading the column during the regular season can click the Facebook link below.)

 

ChevyVan, WTF? Love Bill from NYC but we're like Killer Robots from Venus by the Arrogant Worms: Everyone is Welcome!

 

Go Bills! 19-0

[BuffaloFan68]

I still feel we should have kept Freddy & cut Bryce instead.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

Amazing how the stats fly every time Brown fumbles. Some put together these amazingly creative stats...like, "He's only fumbled and had it recovered by an opponent who subsequently converted it to a touchdown 0.89 times over the past 41 games, which ties him with Everette Bramblefoot of the Canton Bulldogs for fewest since 1922."

 

Dude is on such a short leash you could call it a choker. My guess: Ryan will never dress him, so there will be zero fumbles from Bryce in 2015.

 

There is nothing creative about a fumble per touch stat, but don't let facts get in your way, bub. However, I agree that Bryce is on a short leash, and may not make the team, and if he is the #4 back, like most #4 backs he won't dress. Also like most #4 backs, he'll become the #3 or #2 back when someone gets hurt, and he'll dress and be out there, and we'll get a chance to see what his fumbling propensities are.

[KD in CA]

That's what I saw. One time after he was down on his back well after the play the ball came out. Did I miss an actual fumble?

I thought Brown and Tarpley were the only ones that really helped themselves. And Reddick but he is so new.

 

No but perhaps you missed the ongoing bullsh-- narrative that Brown fumbles every time he touches the ball. Now people are just completely making it up. Unbelievable. Such awesome 'fans'.

[Maddog69]

Bryce fumbled twice? Unbelievable. This guy will never touch the ball during the regular season.

Bryce Brown didn't fumble at all. He had the ball ripped out of his hands once when he was already laying on the ground. That's not a fumble. He was fine. This ridiculous perception of him fumbling all the time is not accurate.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

Bryce fumbled twice? Unbelievable. This guy will never touch the ball during the regular season.

 

 

http://www.nfl.com/player/brycebrown/2534796/profile

 

0 fumbles

[Al Czervik]

Thanks for the enjoyable read!!

 

I look forward to Bill's weekly observations also....I say the more intelligent discussions the better!

[tennesseeboy]

I see the Bills having a strong season. Soft spots in the defensive backfield may be because of Darby's development and I suspect Ryan is game planning to give him help. McCoy's injury seems quite nagging, and I still don't have a clue as to Karlos' "medical procedure" and how long that will hold him out, so I'm not all that sure of our "ground and pound" at least for the first few games. My prediction would be an average first third of the season, a good second third and a full force show of strength the final 5 games with Tyrod getting comfortable, the receivers in full force and McCoy back in pro bowl form. The defense will start good and get magnificent as the season goes on.

[VanCity]

I always enjoy reading Bill from NY's "10 things" posts. But you've done a good job this preseason. No reason we can't have two lists. Just stay away from the Grateful Dead lyrics.

i find the Dead lyrics to be one of the highlights of Bill's list every week, but I may be in the minority here. Regardless, I have greatly appreciated these lists in the pre-season.

 

Go Bills!

[billsfan_34]

Simms looked really good and I agree the backwwards pass thing was pretty bad. His numbers would of easily climbed above 300 if Davis isnt being held by the back of the jersey half way down the field. That pass would of been on the money and taken to the house. Also, a few receivers ran wrong routes or simply didnt come back to him when he was in trouble. Simms had great pocket presence besides one pass batted down from the nose tackle--a simple shift right into the throwing lane would of alleviated that. All in all the kid for year 2 is pretty darn good and has a strong arm. We could say he did this against number 3 and 4s on the detense but he also did this with our scraps on offense. I think Ryan believes in him and he sticks.

Edited September 4, 2015 by billsfan_34

[DukeyBomb]

*4th preseason game.

 

Guys I am a fan of without the explanations:

 

Tarpley

Reddick

Big Red Bryant

Lewis

A. Davis

Gragg

Rambo

Brooks

Brown

C. Wood

Gray

Groves (Sp. Teams)

 

Guys I am not a fan of without explanations:

 

Urbik

Richardson

O'Leary

Hill

Carpenter

 

I'm not sure where Kouandjio should go... He had his ups and downs.

Edited September 4, 2015 by DukeyBomb

[ScrewyLouie]

Rapid Reaction - 10 Observations About Tonight's Game

 

10) Is there a more inconsequential, boring annual tradition game than Bills/Lions preseason Week 4? Used to be just a few years ago that the starters would play at least a series or two before getting the hook. Now the first teamers get the night off while season ticket holders pay full price to watch a lineup that might not beat a top CFL squad.

 

The best thing about this game is that it is over and we can finally play some football for keeps on September 13th.

 

9) Matt Simms played the whole game and the secord year pro didn't look too shabby (the 30-yard backward pass nonwithstanding). He finished 22-38 with 223 yards and proved that he can put some real zip on the ball.

 

He showed flashes of his father's pocket presence and did far better than other QBs (Jordan Palmer, Matt Leinart ) the Bills have trotted out for this game. He certainly looked capable of being the thrid string QB.

 

Matt Cassel should be worried.

 

8) Bryce Brown is a real burner and there is always an anticpation when he touches the ball that he could take it to the house. Unfortunately, there is also the anticpation that him carrying the football is like your tipsy Aunt Bernice wobbling around with a half-full glass of Chablis - it's going on the carpet.

 

He fumbled early in the game, but was ruled down. Man, I wish Stickum was still legal because Brown scares me every time I see number 35 get the rock.

 

7) Slightly off-topic, but it was the big news of the week: I'm glad that we're going to see Brady in week 2. I watched most of Brady's preseason throws and he looked to be on the decline while Garoppolo looked much improved.

 

I know, Brady has been given last rites before only to turn around and lead the *Pats to the Super Bowl. Still, he's no spring chicken and the wheels have to come off sometime, right?

 

Anyway, if you want to build a bully it starts by facing the guy that's been bullying you for years and cracking him right in the piehole.

 

6) I think Chriss Gragg has nailed down the last TE spot and I'm really bummed that Nick O'Leary no-showed the entire summer. Not so much because I expected more from the Mackey Award winner, but because we won't have his grandfather, Jack Nicklas hanging around One Bills Drive on game days.

 

How cool would it have been for the cameras to pick up a shot of the Golden Bear sitting in Terry & Kim's private box sharing a laugh as Mario Williams slammed Brady into the turf?

 

Alas, maybe the kid will stick on the practice squad and rediscover his passion for making plays in the passing game. Does Gragg's grandad even own a set of golf clubs?

 

5) I think my favorite backup player on the Bills is Safety Bacarri Rambo. Aside from having a name that sounds like it was written for a Sly Stallone Bond villian, Bacarri makes plays all over the field and is a sure tackler.

 

Now if Rogue could only find us a waiver wire player named Rocky Hennessy.

 

4) Dan Carpenter didn't do himself any favors by missing another field goal tonight. Rex called him out during the week and Dan the Man does not look like the automatic three-point machine Bills fans fell in love with last season.

 

Possibly catching some collateral damage might be kickoff specialist Jordan Gay. If the Bills decide to cut Carpenter and they bring in a kicker with a stronger leg on kickoffs both of the current Buffalo kickers might get their pink slips on Saturday.

 

Dustin Hopkins anybody?

 

3) The Bills defense was stout against the run all preseason. Not just the starters, but the reserves as well. It may mean nothing once they lace them up for real, but if the Bills keep stuffing the run like they have this is going to be one hard team to score against.

 

2) They say that guys were playing for jobs tonight, but I think most of the decisions on the final 53 have already been made. If it means anything come Saturday, 5 players that stood out for me tonight were: WR Dez Lewis, FB John Conner (he looks like one of the football playing robots from the Jetsons), CB Mario Butler, LB AJ Tarpley and newcomer Kevin Reddick.

 

1) Prediction time: I think the Bills are poised to have a strong season. The defense has the potential to be one of the best ever and I believe that the offense will shock some folks from coast to coast. It's been a long time since we've had a playoff game at the Ralph - that's about to change as the Bills go 11-5 and break the 15-year playoff drought.

 

(It's been a blast posting here during preseason, but I will step aside in the regular season out of deference to Bill from NYC, as I feel it is his domain on TSW. Anybody interested in reading the column during the regular season can click the Facebook link below.)

Brady on decline???? Not even in your wildest dreams! They said the same thing last year before he WON the SUPER BOWL! Brady is in his prime. Brady proably has at least 5 or 6 good years left. He's not even beginning to slow down yet. Brady will win a minimum of at least one more super bowl before he retires.

Edited September 4, 2015 by ScrewyLouie