THE ROCKPILE REVIEW - Imperfect Wins

[Shaw66]

I think they need to find a replacement for Preston Brown. He's just not good enough in coverage. Humber looked good until he got hurt and so far Milano looks good.

I didn't want to talk about Brown because I did that a few weeks ago and I don't want to just beat on the guy. But ...

 

His drops are often too shallow. He's slow to react to the flow, so he often seems to be three steps behind the play. When balls get completed over the middle, it often looks to me like Brown should have been in the vicinity of the ball and he isn't.

 

I think it's a combination of lack of quickness and poor anticipation.

 

McDermott thrived in Carolina with Keuchly in that spot, and I'm guessing the Bills will go after an upgrade at MLB in the off-season. I think letting Gilmore go and then trading Sammy is evidence that McD believes that the most important players play close to the ball. He wants to spend cap dollars on the middle, not the wings.

[BadLandsMeanie]

 

If Taylor can play a little more consistently the rest of the season, the need to package a ton of picks for a top 3 QB may not be needed.

I still think the Bills need to take a QB in the 1st this year. Heck, maybe a Darnold or Mayfield will be there in the middle 20's (hoping we pick in the middle 20's).

Darnold stock seems to be dropping but I still think he's good....well he may actually stay in school too.

I think maybe with the focus on the top 3 guys there may be a a good candidate still hanging around in the later first round.

[Alphadawg7]

Personally, I think if TT plays the way he has the rest of the season there is literally zero chance we will package a lot of assets to move up for big for a QB.

 

That being said, I still think even if things keep going like they are, we are certainly drafting a QB next year still in the first 3 rounds. If we do move up for one, i think it would be more of a small move up rather than expensive leap into the top 10.

 

This way we can still get that prospect, retain TT to allow that prospect time to groom, and fill in more talent around a team that needs some help on the OL, at WR, and depth in the secondary.

[toto8]

Shaw66 I am glad you are here. I enjoyed your reviews over the bills forum is a good read every week. I will be looking forward to read them here now.

[Coach Tuesday]

Tyrod did a good job of running when there was space and more importantly, moving around in the pocket and then finding receivers. The throw to Thompson on the last TD drive was probably the best, but he also had a big conversion on the throw to O'Leary on a 3rd and long. He seems to be getting more and more comfortable in the pocket, both making throws and not bailing out at the first sign of pressure.

 

For the most part yes. Although on the missed throw to Shady in the endzone, Tyrod had tons of real estate in front of him and should probably have run. And there was a keeper play on the other side of the field near the goal line where Ty faked the handoff to Shady and tried running it himself - he got stuffed, but Shady had a huge crease and would've scored if the handoff had been made.

[Shaw66]

 

For the most part yes. Although on the missed throw to Shady in the endzone, Tyrod had tons of real estate in front of him and should probably have run. And there was a keeper play on the other side of the field near the goal line where Ty faked the handoff to Shady and tried running it himself - he got stuffed, but Shady had a huge crease and would've scored if the handoff had been made.

Sure. The QB is always going to make some less than perfect choices. He probably should have run on the throw to Shady. It's not easy. But he made enough good choices to win. For the most part is exactly the point. Edited October 23, 2017 by Shaw66

[Kelly the Dog]

Nice write-up, as usual, Shaw.

 

It's pretty remarkable that with Winston on fire all game, all of those weapons making plays, our nobodies (excluding Shady) kept pace with them, and matched the production.

[Foxx]

The Rockpile Review by Shaw66

 

Imperfect Wins

 

... 8. Do you know how many total tackles TreDavious White had through the Bengals game? 22, in five games. Do you know how many he had against the Buccaneers? 1. Its a measure of how much respect the Bucs had for White that pretty much all day long they through at Gaines, Wright and Johnson. When they finally threw at White, what happened? Takeaway, game over. The guy aint flashy, but he can play. ...

 

me thinks you must have dozed off for that last Bucs touchdown. White got burned for that one and that was the impetus for him to punch the ball out on that next pass his direction.

[Figster]

Nice write-up, as usual, Shaw.

 

It's pretty remarkable that with Winston on fire all game, all of those weapons making plays, our nobodies (excluding Shady) kept pace with them, and matched the production.

It is remarkable,

 

and whats more remarkable is you get the feeling at 4 - 2 Buffalo has not played to the best of their abilities.

[Shaw66]

It is remarkable,

 

and whats more remarkable is you get the feeling at 4 - 2 Buffalo has not played to the best of their abilities.

 

true. I think they will get better.

[Marty McFly]

It was good to see the offense bail out the defense for once with that 1 minute TD drive and the defense paid them back with the tre white fumble recovery

[transplantbillsfan]

For me what sums this game up is simply that Buffalo doesn't win these types of games.

 

Good teams need to pull out the close ones.

 

Love that we did.

[richardb1952]

TT is at his best when the run game is moving the ball.

 

If the Bills had lost Sunday, this board would have lit up about all the Uglies mentioned above.

 

Tampa Bay has a very good offense. Winston played lights out. I was glad to see the defense still playing as hard as they did even when things weren't going well.

 

I did not have a good feeling about this game and it went pretty much as I had feared up until the forced fumble. Great comeback.

 

Interesting that all the teams the Bills played this year lost this weekend.

[Scott7975]

Sure. The QB is always going to make some less than perfect choices. He probably should have run on the throw to Shady. It's not easy. But he made enough good choices to win. For the most part is exactly the point.

If it's the same play in thinking of it wasn't to Shady. It was to the third back. Name escapes me atm. Watch the play again. He almost stopped his route. Had he continued to run it was a good throw.

 

Tyrod can't anticipate players stopping their routes do no apparent reason. People can't complain Tyrod doesn't throw people open and then complain Tyrod overthrow the ball when receivers stop their route.

Edited October 24, 2017 by Scott7975

[Ayjent]

This game showed what a team win is. The Offense and defense were clutch once they went down 7 - a great drive by the Offense followed by a forced turnover. That's how you end a game.

 

You knew the D was going to have a game where they had some struggles. However, they continue to be pretty good against the run and that forces teams to pass. Winston happened to have a good game and the Bucs have big, talented targets in Evans, Brate, and Howard and a very skilled veteran in Jackson. The safeties and LBs struggled in coverage, and the depth in the secondary is a concern. The slate of QBs is daunting in the next few weeks, but the Bills D is opportunistic and they tend to make teams rely on the passing game to move the ball. I'd like to see their 3rd and long defense be a bit better, but they aren't getting much push up the middle in the pass rush on those downs and I think that is key to this Defense being effective in those situations. It's why people are rightly dogging Marcel - a talented guy that doesn't seem to have his head or heart in the right place to be a dominant DT. He's not necessarily playing bad, but he isn't noticeably better than anyone in the rotation.

 

The offense under Taylor has typically struggled in these situations and the Defense hasn't been reliable to get a stop or turnover in those situations for many, many years. And rarely have both aligned at the same time. They also bailed out the bad playcalling/execution of the first half that cost them 3 points.

 

I've always been a supporter of Tyrod. He's better than half of the starters in the league in my opinion, although he has his limitations and I think people want Aaron Rodgers or some one of that caliber. I get it, but don't think that magically drafting a top 10 QB solves that problem. Moreover, Tyrod absolutely needs to be here until they are sure they have a better option waiting to take over that is on the roster at the same time. Hitting reset with an unknown commodity has been a folly of this organization for much of the drought as well.

 

I didn't think Fitz was anything more than a really good backup that you'd like to come in on a good team. Yes he has enough ability to be a starter, but he is a low tier starter. However, the way Nix/Whaley handled the QB position that offseason was atrocious in every way imaginable (e.g., picking EJ, signing a very fragile Kolb, and the embarrassment of the prank call) - Shaw I believe we've had many conversations about this in the past, but is something I don't ever want to see this franchise do again - let go of a guy without a decent replacement in the system waiting to take over (it's kind of like quitting a job without having another one lined up before you do).

[Figster]

true. I think they will get better.

If HC McDermott has anything to say about it they will.

 

McD's message of playing smart football and placing an emphasis on TEAM comes 1st unity has struck a chord in the Bills locker room in my humble opinion.

 

One Buffalo strong...

[ricojes]

Imperfect Wins

 

The Bills didnt capitalize on takeaways. They didnt manage the clock well. They blew coverages. They took unnecessary timeouts. The quarterback missed open receivers. The Bills didnt pressure the quarterback enough. They were lucky.

 

 

All that is true, which really means the Bucs were the lucky team. The game was close because of those mistakes, bucs should have been down double digits.. The Bills were fortunate to win despite their mistakes, but good teams do that.

[Figster]

All that is true, which really means the Bucs were the lucky team. The game was close because of those mistakes, bucs should have been down double digits.. The Bills were fortunate to win despite their mistakes, but good teams do that.

The Bucs O deserves some credit to in my humble opinion.

 

Desperate team not wanting to go down 2 - 4 , into the final seconds, and then some.

 

JW and company making big plays , thought my love for O J Howard/Bama was coming back to haunt me.

 

MERCY!!!

Edited October 24, 2017 by Figster

[Shaw66]

All that is true, which really means the Bucs were the lucky team. The game was close because of those mistakes, bucs should have been down double digits.. The Bills were fortunate to win despite their mistakes, but good teams do that.

Yeah, but the Bucs can say it was THEIR mistakes that kept the game close. If they didn't turn it over so often, they would have had the lead.

 

But you make a good point. You have to be doing a lot right to make the mistakes the Bills made and still win.

[Shaw66]

You knew the D was going to have a game where they had some struggles. However, they continue to be pretty good against the run and that forces teams to pass. Winston happened to have a good game and the Bucs have big, talented targets in Evans, Brate, and Howard and a very skilled veteran in Jackson. The safeties and LBs struggled in coverage, and the depth in the secondary is a concern. The slate of QBs is daunting in the next few weeks, but the Bills D is opportunistic and they tend to make teams rely on the passing game to move the ball. I'd like to see their 3rd and long defense be a bit better, but they aren't getting much push up the middle in the pass rush on those downs and I think that is key to this Defense being effective in those situations. It's why people are rightly dogging Marcel - a talented guy that doesn't seem to have his head or heart in the right place to be a dominant DT. He's not necessarily playing bad, but he isn't noticeably better than anyone in the rotation.

There's a lot here I'm not sure is right. I don't think it's right to say the LBs and safeties struggled in coverage. I think they played the defense they were taught, and the Bucs schemed to attack weaknesses in the defense. I just can't believe that the defenders all of a sudden got five yards worse in their coverage.

 

Pass rush is, I think, okay. Clearly not great, but most teams don't get a lot of quick pressure with a four-man rush. They're disruptive once in a while, which is okay. And their blitzing is pretty effective in creating the additional pressure they need.

 

I'm also not sure Marcel is a problem. I watched a couple of times, and he's getting double teamed. That means he's doing his job - he's not going to beat double teams in the middle of the line and pressure the QB. I think Marcel is McD's personal project, and I'm hoping McD has him on the right track.