Bills' Preseason Week Three Postgame

[26CornerBlitz]

 

Joe B: 7 observations from Buffalo Bills vs. Cincinnati Bengals (8/26/18)

 

(WKBW) - Everything was set up for a big night at New Era Field. The Buffalo Bills named their rookie quarterback and top 10 selection the starter for the most crucial preseason game of the schedule, and it was a nationally televised game to boot.

 

What we found out, after the first half of poor play across the board, was that Sunday wound up being a let down after all the anticipation from fans and media leading up to it. Fans went from the natural high of thinking their young quarterback being on the cusp of winning the starting job to the painful reminder that the rookie can't cover up warts at other positions that have followed them for the entire summer.

 

No, it wasn't an ideal night for the Bills and their fans, but an enlightening one nonetheless. What did we learn?

 

Seven observations from the Bills' 26-13 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals:

 

1) Tough to get a fair gauge on Josh Allen

2) Nathan Peterman looks closer to being QB1 of the three

3) Is it time to showcase AJ McCarron?

4) Panic over the interior offensive line

5) Vontae Davis struggling to hang on to his job

6) A glimpse of the contingency plan at running back?

7) Tremaine Edmunds settling in

 

Bills MVP: TE Jason Croom

- Nathan Peterman was close to taking these honors, but I have to go with the young tight end that looks like he cemented a spot on the 53-man roster following his tackle-breaking and diving touchdown in the second half.

 

Bills LVP: RG John Miller

- Three penalties in the first half, two sacks allowed... yeah, things didn't go swimmingly for Miller on Sunday.

 

Up Next: A quick turn for the Bills, as they take on the Chicago Bears on the road on Thursday, August 30.

 

Final Thoughts:

- As the Bills now go to their final stage of the preseason and are closing in on the decisions that will impact their 2018 regular season, it's essential to keep one thing in mind -- this is only one game, and it is still just a preseason game. However, the Bills have some glaring weaknesses that they must fine-tune before that first game in Baltimore comes around, and they need to do so in a hurry. Furthermore, they have to choose when they want to decide on their quarterback group because now there is a chance to help their future roster building if they come to a consensus sooner rather than later. I believe there is a clear opportunity to get McCarron a bunch of action on Thursday to try and bring on a trade, and knowing how the trigger-happy general manager Brandon Beane operates, I certainly wouldn't put something like that past him. At least for now, it appears we have a tiny bit of clarity as to what the quarterback depth chart might wind up being at the start of the season. Now, it's just a matter of how the Bills want to attack Thursday night's game in Chicago. Should they choose to rest both Peterman and Allen, we'll have at least a semblance of the answer we've been looking for over the past three months.

[Bills Pimpin']

1 hour ago, 26CornerBlitz said:

Embarrassing!

 

 

How about Lawson grabbing Newhouse by the facemask and pulling him around like a little B word.

[reddogblitz]

2 minutes ago, 26CornerBlitz said:

3) Is it time to showcase AJ McCarron?

 

We need all 3 QB s on the roster so we have someone healthy enough to start each week. 2/3 of them have sustained injuries in the first 2 1/2 games.

 

And, although AJ is the lost man and a dead man walking here on TBD, I suspect the opinion is different over at OBD.

 

[26CornerBlitz]

Josh Allen: "I'm Here To Do Whatever I'm Asked To Do" (4:47)

Quarterback Josh Allen spoke to the media in the locker room after the preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals on August 26th.

 

Nathan Peterman: "A Lot of Things to Improve On" (3:11)

Quarterback Nathan Peterman addressed the media inside the locker room after the 26-13 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals topics include; pre-snap penalties, the wide open competition for the starting quarterback, and the play of TE Jason Croom.

 

Top 3 things we learned from Bills-Bengals

1 – Offensive line in flux?

2 – Edmunds and Milano take a step

3 – Croom makes case, Murphy cements role

[billspro]

2 hours ago, 26CornerBlitz said:

 

 

Yikes, that’s about the same amount of time you would have if there was no oline.

2 hours ago, Coach55 said:

Ok.  I am not a Nathan Peterman backer by any means.  But based on what I have seen in the first 3 preseason games, he may actually have what it takes to be a quality starter in the NFL.  Allen is raw and needs development.   With the busted offensive line we have, Peterman may actually fair the best because of his quick decision making and quick delivery.  He definitely doesn’t have the ball speed and is going to throw a few pick sixes, but right now, he provides the best chance for us to win and quite honestly that’s all I want the Bills to do.  Allen, McCarron or Peterman.  Doesn’t mattere as long as they win.  

 

Until the oline proves it can block we should go with Peterman. He might hide some deficiencies by getting it out quick.

[26CornerBlitz]

Sal's Sticks: Bengals at Bills

I’m not even sure where to begin this week. That was certainly not the performance anyone wanted. Not head coach Sean McDermott, not Bills assistant coaches, not their players, and definitely not their fans. Aside from a nicely played stretch in the third quarter, it was just a poor showing on too many fronts Sunday against the Bengals. So, let’s start with the negative after the 26-13 loss:

 

BEHIND THE STICKS

 

Starting offensive line

QB Josh Allen

Pass defense

Pass rush

Penalties

CB Vontae Davis

 

AHEAD OF THE STICKS

 

QB Nathan Peterman

RB Marcus Murphy

LB Tremaine Edmunds

TEs Jason Croom and Logan Thomas

Run defense

 

THE BIG PICTURE

 

The preseason doesn’t count, but coaches and players say it matters. And if it does matter, there’s plenty to be concerned about after this one. Right from the get-go, the Bengals had more energy and far better execution. Sean McDermott said several times after the game that he needs to go back and watch the tape. I’m sure when he does he won’t like a lot of what he sees. That was easy to tell just from watching inside the stadium or at home on television. Offense, defense, special teams. All three phases had issues show up in this game that don’t make you feel good about opening the regular season in Baltimore in two weeks. That said, The team should also look quite different that day. LeSean McCoy, Dion Dawkins, Trent Murphy. All of them should be back on the field playing, and helping. And hopefully Kyle Williams, as well. Four very valuable players to what this team does. McDermott may want to wait until after the fourth preseason game this Thursday at Chicago to name a starting quarterback for the regular season. But Peterman has clearly been the best of the group so far and is now most likely the favorite. The good news is it didn’t count, there are still two weeks left, and it will only be four days from now that some of the players (most likely not the starters) can help get that taste out of everyone’s mouth and regroup and prove they’re better than what they showed Sunday. Also, other than a nose injury to Julian Stanford and tackle De’Ondre Wesley going out of the game late, the Bills appear to have come out of this one healthy. That’s good because they’ll need all hands on deck on September 9 in Baltimore.

[Buffalo Barbarian]

5 hours ago, 26CornerBlitz said:

 

 

 

at least that explains some of this disaster, better hope we don't get any injuries.

 

 

[Buffalo Barbarian]

5 hours ago, SCBills said:

So.... “running contingency plans” and “evaluating players” on the Offensive Line with a rookie QB making his first start against an opposing teams #1 defense.   

 

Ok.... ??‍♂️

 

Yeah, that wasn't the best idea ... Teaching Moments by McD

 

 

[JMF2006]

6 hours ago, Domdab99 said:

 

6. something something Salmon Sisters

 

 

We should just hire two massive Sumo wrestlers as interior lineman. 

 

I'm only half kidding about this...

 

The Salmon Sisters like something they can hold in their hands 

 

Any 300 pounder inline at an all you can eat buffet could do better  

[SJDK]

Teller must be in the doghouse with someone because he looked dominant agoain today against the second team. I realize it’s not the starters and that’s a different ballgame but could the guards have played any worse if Teller was with the ones? I really hope they end up starting him, he’s got that mean streak that you want to see.

[26CornerBlitz]

What we learned from Sunday's preseason games

 

Cincinnati Bengals 26, Buffalo Bills 13

 

1. Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton had the offense humming in five offensive series. Dalton completed 11 of 16 passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns for a 145.8 passer rating, and led the Bengals on three scoring drives before giving way to Matt Barkley midway through the second quarter. Dalton connected with his favorite receiver, A.J. Green, four times for 50 yards and a touchdown on five targets, and went deep with John Ross on a 57-yard pass down the right sideline. With the first-team units on both sides of the ball likely to rest in the preseason finale, Dalton looked more than ready for the start of the regular season.

 

2. Cincinnati is probably hoping John Ross' deep touchdown catch carries into the regular season. The team's first-round pick of the 2017 NFL Drafthad a rookie campaign to forget after not recording a single catch and finishing the season on injured reserve. But the speedy Ross showed on the 57-yard catch early in the first quarter why he was the ninth overall pick of last year's draft. At the snap of the ball and with cornerback Vontae Davis in coverage, Ross came off the line of scrimmage about 10 yards before doing a stutter step and sprinting by Davis down the field. The pass was slightly underthrown, which caused Ross to adjust his stride at the 11-yard line and haul in the ball. Safety Jordan Poyer and Davis caught up, but Ross danced around the two defenders inside the 10-yard line before scampering in the end zone. The Bengals need a consistent deep threat to take away some of the defensive pressure A.J. Green faces on a weekly basis, and Ross' showing on the scoring play provided a glimpse of what could be in 2018.

 

3. Bills rookie quarterback Josh Allen endured a rough Sunday afternoon at the office. The team's first-round pick left the game late in the second quarter to be evaluated for a head injury and was cleared to return to action, but the Bills kept Allen on the sidelines after halftime. The decision was a smart move when considering the signal-caller's first two quarters, where he completed 6 of 12 passes for 34 yards and was sacked five times. Nathan Peterman finished the game and completed 16 of 21 passes for 200 yards and a touchdown. AJ McCarron (shoulder) did not play. The Bills, of course, have a decision to make for a starter and have two weeks to go before the regular season.

[Cash]

Haven't had time to read the entire thread yet, but I assume everything is still Tyrod's fault?

[The Red King]

10 hours ago, ScottLaw said:

What do you mean? 

 

He went 9-7 last season and they went to the playoffs. He's got a job here as long as he wants according to the board. 

 

Name one member that actually said this.  I'll go make breakfast while you try and find one.

[26CornerBlitz]

Where QB competition is headed going into final preseason week

Buffalo’s final preseason game is just three days away and a decision on the starting quarterback by head coach Sean McDermott might be gaining some clarity. Here’s where things sit 13 days away from the season opener.

 

Josh Allen

Much like AJ McCarron’s outing the week prior, Allen was under a lot of duress in his full half of action with the starters. He was sacked five times and pressured on several other pass plays. It compromised his effectiveness as a passer as he finished 6-12 passing for 34 yards, with his longest completion going just 11 yards.

 

AJ McCarron

McCarron did not play against Cincinnati due to the shoulder injury he sustained in the Cleveland game. He was lightly throwing late in the week in practice, but sparingly.

 

Nate Peterman

Peterman had another solid outing, albeit against second and third stringers. Through the course of the preseason, Peterman has been able to raise the level of play of those around him and that counts for a lot with the offensive staff and head coach Sean McDermott.

[26CornerBlitz]

Bills offensive starters let down rookie QB Allen

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. – How bad a final dress rehearsal was it for the starting Buffalo Bills offence and Josh Allen, their possible new leading man thrust for the first time into a main-stage starring role?

 

To stretch the theatrical analogy further, the young quarterback was abandoned on stage Sunday afternoon by his line-forgetting castmates – as the theatre burned down.

 

Yeah, the abandonment was that bad.

[26CornerBlitz]

Buffalo Bills’ offensive line crumbles against the Cincinnati Bengals

Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals was felt by many to be the beginning of the Josh Allen era for the Buffalo Bills. By the time halftime rolled around, Bills fans were left hoping the middle and end of the Josh Allen era will be much better than the starting line. Five sacks, not a whole lot of yards, and zero scores prompts the question, “what the hell happened?” The offensive line was a major talking point. How much of the burden do they bear?

 

To find out, we timed every passing down where the snap to pressure (or pass) could be accurately recorded. If a pass was thrown without pressure, the timer ended at release. For a pressure, the timer ended when a defender was close enough to impact the play. Typically, this was either at about one arm’s length of Josh Allen, or in the case of a designed roll-out when the defender occupied a space that would have flushed Allen had he not already been running.

 

 

 

 

This is one of those two clean pockets mentioned above. So, how bad was the line? On the recorded 16 snaps, the line averaged about 2.1 seconds of successful protection. Their best pocket of the night is the one right above this paragraph. Three snaps saw pressure in 1.5 seconds or less. The worst performance of the night saw pressure at roughly 1.25 seconds. With the regular season rapidly approaching, fans are right to be worried about the state of the offensive line.

Edited August 27, 2018 by 26CornerBlitz

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

12 minutes ago, 26CornerBlitz said:

Buffalo Bills’ offensive line crumbles against the Cincinnati Bengals

Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals was felt by many to be the beginning of the Josh Allen era for the Buffalo Bills. By the time halftime rolled around, Bills fans were left hoping the middle and end of the Josh Allen era will be much better than the starting line. Five sacks, not a whole lot of yards, and zero scores prompts the question, “what the hell happened?” The offensive line was a major talking point. How much of the burden do they bear?

 

To find out, we timed every passing down where the snap to pressure (or pass) could be accurately recorded. If a pass was thrown without pressure, the timer ended at release. For a pressure, the timer ended when a defender was close enough to impact the play. Typically, this was either at about one arm’s length of Josh Allen, or in the case of a designed roll-out when the defender occupied a space that would have flushed Allen had he not already been running.

 

 

 

 

This is one of those two clean pockets mentioned above. So, how bad was the line? On the recorded 16 snaps, the line averaged about 2.1 seconds of successful protection. Their best pocket of the night is the one right above this paragraph. Three snaps saw pressure in 1.5 seconds or less. The worst performance of the night saw pressure at roughly 1.25 seconds. With the regular season rapidly approaching, fans are right to be worried about the state of the offensive line.

 

Just read this article  - how are you supposed to make plays when they are rushing 4 or 5 guys and getting to you in under 2 seconds?  Even quick stuff won't be there - because they literally didn't have to blitz to get to the QB.

[26CornerBlitz]

3 minutes ago, dneveu said:

 

Just read this article  - how are you supposed to make plays when they are rushing 4 or 5 guys and getting to you in under 2 seconds?  Even quick stuff won't be there - because they literally didn't have to blitz to get to the QB.

 

There were a couple of instances where Allen could have gotten the Ball out sooner, but for the most part he had absolutely no chance.   It's the 2nd week in a row that the starting OL has been significantly outplayed by an opposing #1 DL and that's being kind.

Edited August 27, 2018 by 26CornerBlitz

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

Just now, 26CornerBlitz said:

 

There were a couple of instances where Allen could have gotten the Ball out sooner, but for the most part he had absolutely no chance.   It's the 2nd week in a row that the starting OL has been significantly outplayed by an opposing #1 DL and that's being kind.

 

Its eye opening honestly how badly they have played.  Miller can't handle stunts and speed, Groy/Bodine are often not even blocking anyone, ducasse has no anchor and legit looks awful, mills is as always - inconsistent, and newhouse was just plain bad.  

 

If you can't block 4 guys with 5, how are we going to pass the ball?  That leaves 7 in coverage and with Peterman in they are going to take away the short middle of the field.  Give him the boundary - because if he's late it's probably a pick, maybe a pick 6.  Can probably play a ton of press coverage too, since his arm can't really beat you deep up the sideline.  

[26CornerBlitz]

10 minutes ago, dneveu said:

Its eye opening honestly how badly they have played.  Miller can't handle stunts and speed, Groy/Bodine are often not even blocking anyone, ducasse has no anchor and legit looks awful, mills is as always - inconsistent, and newhouse was just plain bad.  

 

If you can't block 4 guys with 5, how are we going to pass the ball?  That leaves 7 in coverage and with Peterman in they are going to take away the short middle of the field.  Give him the boundary - because if he's late it's probably a pick, maybe a pick 6.  Can probably play a ton of press coverage too, since his arm can't really beat you deep up the sideline.  

 

Exactly the points I have been making regarding the Bills' offense and the receiving corps won't scare anyone either.  Not a good situation regardless of who will be behind center. 

Edited August 27, 2018 by 26CornerBlitz