THE ROCKPILE REVIEW - What Is It With This Team?

[Shaw66]

“What Is It With This Team?”

 

I had business in Florida last week and missed a chance to see the Bills and the Jets in the Meadowlands.  Given how the season’s been going for the two teams, Fort Lauderdale seemed like the better option.  Who’s not picking the beach over Matt Barkley?

 

Sunday turned out to be a good day to be in New Jersey.  I had to settle for lunch at Slackers in Fort Lauderdale, watching the Bills go up 24-0 before heading to the airport.  (Slackers, by the way, is a great place to watch games – TVs everywhere, typical pub food.  It’s a Packers bar, and there’s great memorabilia all over.)

 

What is it with the Bills?  How can they be so bad one week, and so good the next?  Yes, Sunday it was the Jets, and the Jets look to be genuinely awful.  Last Sunday, the Bills didn’t deserve to be on the field with the Bears, and the week before that they could do nothing against the Patriots.  Maybe there’s just THAT much difference between the good and the bad teams.

 

But that can’t be it, can’t be all of it.   The Bills were flatter than flat at home against the Bears, and they were world beaters a week later on the road.  It’s the same kind of emotional ups and downs this team displayed last season.  Is it a characteristic of Sean McDermott teams?

 

What else was different this week?   Matt Barkley.  Prior to Sunday, Barkley had started six games in the NFL, and he had a career passer rating of 63.7.  Sunday he was 15-25 and two touchdowns for a passer rating over 117.   He had the game of his career.   When have we last seen a Buffalo QB so effective? 

 

So what changed for Matt Barkley?  Was it Brian Daboll?  McDermott?  Or was it glue on Robert Foster’s hands when in earlier games Foster’s hands were slathered in 10W-30?   Zay Jones continued emergence?  Or was it just the Jets?

 

How does everything change in a week?  Holes for McCoy.  Time for the quarterback to throw.   Receivers open.  Penalties under control.  Special teams making plays. 

 

Had to be the Jets.   Had to be the Jets are just that bad, or they’re tanking. 

 

Still, the Bills played well-executed NFL football on Sunday, something they seemed incapable of a month ago.  They showed, as they have for the past few weeks, that they have an offensive line to build on, instead of one to dismantle totally.   They showed the solid, disciplined defense we’ve seen most of the season.

 

Let the quarterback controversy begin.  Allen will be ready to go after the bye, but did Barkley just win the job?  Does Barkley get to start until he returns to the form he showed in previous seasons?   Is there a QB competition in the offing for training camp next season?  I’d think the Bills would be, should be, all in on Allen.  But can the Bills really turn their backs on the quarterbacking Barkley showed on Sunday?

 

It’s an unusual season, to be sure.  Wins over two pretty good, playoff-contending teams, a near win on the road against a third, a blowout win over a bad Jets team, and a few other glimpses of some good football, combined with several absolutely horrible showings and record-setting offensive futility.  A different QB every week.   

 

Logic says the Bills should be all about losing this season, positioning themselves for the best possible rookie talent in the 2019 draft.  But winning is so much more fun than losing.  The Dolphins twice, the Jets again, the Jags and the Lions.  The Patriots are the only winning team left on the Bills’ schedule.  Bizarre as it sounds, the NFL’s laughingstock could end the season 8-8.  Or 3-13. 

 

A week off, and then the roller coaster ride resumes.

 

 

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.

[iinii]

If we only had a crystal ball. At least there is extra time to savor the victory. 

[US Egg]

23 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

“What Is It With This Team?”

Looks obvious now. They didn't have an NFL ready QB until yesterday.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

1 minute ago, I am the egg man said:

Looks obvious now. They didn't have an NFL ready QB until yesterday.

 

 I really think there's likely more to it than that, though it would appear Barkley > Anderson >> Peterman

[skibum]

I wouldn't read too much into one game, especially one against a bad team. In all likelihood, the Bills are still not a good football team on most Sundays, and Matt Barkley is probably not going to clock a 3-digit QB rating every week. There will be a regression to the mean, but there are also enough games left for another big win or two. Remember, it's exceedingly rare for even the worst teams to finish 0-16. 

 

Just another example of "On any given Sunday..."

[BuffaloBillies]

1 minute ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

Barkley > Anderson >> Peterman

 

Ha. I guess then when typing 2 ">>" the first one stands for "WAY"

[Hapless Bills Fan]

3 minutes ago, BuffaloBillies said:

Ha. I guess then when typing 2 ">>" the first one stands for "WAY"

 

Yep.  And based on yesterday, there would be Barkley >>> Anderson, but I'd like more than one game sample before getting too thrilled.

[US Egg]

Just now, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

 I really think there's likely more to it than that, though it would appear Barkley > Anderson >> Peterman

....yeah, one being the players confidence soars knowing there's someone under center who can play.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

1 minute ago, I am the egg man said:

....yeah, one being the players confidence soars knowing there's someone under center who can play.

 

There's that.

I think Daboll "dumbed down" the offense and limited it to what Barkley had time to master, and everyone played faster for that

It's possible the OL changes helped

And then there's taking a TE who's been "phoning it in" off the field and putting in a couple young, hungry, fast guys out to showcase themselves and demonstrate they belong

(diluted the effect of a WR who's been "phoning it in")

[Jrb1979]

I would also say it shows how raw Allen is. If he played yesterday the Bills probably still win but I doubt he plays anywhere near as good as Barkley. If the Bills are really trying to win like they say they are Allen sits til they lose another game. 

[Maine-iac]

I'll put on the flame suit and say it.  We had a QB totally capable of putting up Barkley's numbers vs the Jets.  Everyone all but walked him to the door and kicked him out.  Admittedly I was all for drafting Allen (or a 1st round worthy QB) to see if we couldn't develop something better.  Barkley will at best pull a Fitz ( Bucs version) and play a few good games and then flame out.  It is nice, all that said, to see one game with QB play that doesn't flat out lose the game for you.  If Barkley has a better grip on this offense and a veteran enough presence maybe he can right the ship a little and give Allen a voice.  We can hope.

[mjt328]

It's all about the Quarterback.

 

Over the course of this season, some fans have convinced themselves that Brandon Bean/Sean McDermott somehow assembled the worst overall offensive team in the history of the NFL, and literally nobody on that side of the ball was worthy of playing in the pros.  But yesterday, we saw that with "decent" QB play, the rest of the offense CAN move the ball, CAN score points and CAN look generally competent.

 

Don't get me wrong.  The Jets are really bad.  And that was a big factor.

 

But the most important thing to remember about this season is that:

1.  Nathan Peterman has played HISTORICALLY bad.

2.  Derek Anderson wasn't good 10 years ago, and only signed up to be a mentor.  He had no intention of playing.

3.  Josh Allen is an extremely raw rookie, who needs time to grasp the game.

 

I've been arguing with people who think it IMPOSSIBLE for this team to be competitive by the middle/end of next season.  But yesterday was a clear illustration that IF we can get Josh Allen playing on a similar level to what we got from Matt Barkley, this team can absolutely be in playoff talks for 2019.

 

 

[stowellez]

Quote

 

What I was struck by were the WRs, TEs, and OT getting some separation and completing catches (KB notwithstanding).  They didn't seem to make those catches in previous weeks.  Where they better thrown balls from Barkley?   

After KBs drop in the endzone I didn't see him get thrown at again until later.  I remember the ball was popped up with Jet's defenders diving for it...and there was KB just standing there watching it happen.  No fight, no care.  Am I remember that play correctly?  I also don't remember seeing him on the field much after that play.  I missed a portion of the 4th quarter, so if someone could fill me in.  He don't seem to care, so I'm happy to see him on the bench I guess.  

 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

24 minutes ago, mjt328 said:

Don't get me wrong.  The Jets are really bad.  And that was a big factor.

 

The thing is, the Jets really haven't been in the "really bad" pot on defense, depending upon how you define "really bad" I suppose.

Until yesterday's 41 point debacle, they were kind of bottom-third 'meh' on points given up. 

We were considerably below them. 

After yesterday, we're 25th to their 26th.

 

There are 5 teams who have given up more points

 

I rather wonder if we were a "trap game" for them, as we were for the Vikes - who would surely like a "do over"

[yungmack]

I think the main difference was simply competent QB play. And maybe the addition of Teller & Foster. Other than that, it was the same coaches, same players.

 

What Barkley did was get the ball to the primary receiver, and in such a way that they got separation and YAC. Take that first long pass. Peterman & Allen would usually be holding the ball too long then dumping it off to the third option. Or in Allen's case, taking off running.

 

What we saw with Barkley was execution of the plays as Daboll intended and when that happens, the O hums. And, BTW, the Jets D is not awful. The O output wasn't because they stink, but because the Bills have decent players who were able to show that simply because they got competent QB play for the first time this year.

[Shaw66]

Yes, as a lot of people are saying, the Bills got better QB play than they've seen, but I don't think that's all of it.  

 

Take one example - receivers getting separation.   The Bills have no - zero - receivers who can consistently get separation.   Watch Amari Cooper last night, an exquisite combination of speed, strength and downright hard work changing direction - he gets separation.   There are 10-15 guys in the league who do that, and the Bills don't have one of them.   They get separation on scheme - catch the in tight man-to-man with single coverage on Foster, and he can get a step going deep.  So can Ray-Ray McCloud, so why haven't we seen him get deep like Foster yesterday?  What happened to Zay Jones?  Open all over the field yesterday.  

 

Yes, Barkley did a nice job knowing where the open man was going to be and an equally nice job delivering the ball, but we just weren't seeing guys open like that in prior weeks.   

 

And what about the pass protection?  It's been getting better, week by week, for a month now.   Apparently Teller got more playing time yesterday, and people liked what they saw.  But it wasn't one guy.  Across the line yesterday, guys were holding their ground, staying with their man, keeping the defense off Barkley. 

 

I think this team responded again to adversity in much the same way they did last season, came out with a renewed commitment, and we saw it on the field.   The important question is why is it necessary to renew commitment?   Is it, as some suggest, just an emotional response to being led by a QB who actually knows what he's doing?   It's nice to think so, but they responded last season with no change at QB.   

 

We have to see them play like this against someone other than the Jets.   

[GETTOTHE50]

I think Pancho Billa put some things into perspective for the team.

 

i definitely think the team fed off his spirit. 

[WhoTom]

26 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

We have to see them play like this against someone other than the Jets.   

 

Like the Vikings?

 

 

[mjt328]

4 hours ago, stowellez said:

What I was struck by were the WRs, TEs, and OT getting some separation and completing catches (KB notwithstanding).  They didn't seem to make those catches in previous weeks.  Where they better thrown balls from Barkley?   

After KBs drop in the endzone I didn't see him get thrown at again until later.  I remember the ball was popped up with Jet's defenders diving for it...and there was KB just standing there watching it happen.  No fight, no care.  Am I remember that play correctly?  I also don't remember seeing him on the field much after that play.  I missed a portion of the 4th quarter, so if someone could fill me in.  He don't seem to care, so I'm happy to see him on the bench I guess.  

 

 

Dedicated film-watchers have been telling us for several weeks that Zay Jones was getting consistent separation.  You just can't tell when the QB isn't getting the ball to him.

 

Robert Foster was burning people back in the preseason.  But he was having serious problems tracking the ball in the air, which is why he ended up on the practice squad for the first half of the season.

 

Kelvin Benjamin has never been able to get separation.  His value has always been in using size to win jump-balls.  For some reason, it just seems like he can't come down with those contested passes anymore.  Which pretty much makes him worthless.

 

[Shaw66]

18 minutes ago, WhoTom said:

 

Like the Vikings?

 

 

I meant see them play someone other than the Jets NOW.   The Vikings is ancient history, and it's almost certainly aberratrional.   Until yesterday, I don't think anyone would have said the Bills would have been competitive with the Vikings in a rematch.  But that way yesterday.  Today, I don't know what to think about this team.

2 minutes ago, mjt328 said:

 

 

Kelvin Benjamin has never been able to get separation.  His value has always been in using size to win jump-balls.  For some reason, it just seems like he can't come down with those contested passes anymore.  Which pretty much makes him worthless.

 

I tend to agree about Benjamin, but I think the Bills need to be patient with him.  

 

I thought early in the season he was afraid to get hit.   He seems to have gotten over that.   Now it's almost as though he has to relearn holding on to the ball when he does get hit.   Last week's drop in the end zone was forgivable - he got creamed by multiple players.   Sunday's drop was nearly inexcusable.  Catch it, hold on to it.  

 

Still, in recent weeks he's had some success getting separation AND catching the ball, so I wonder whether we're watching him slowly turn into a better receiver.  I'd keep playing him to see what he does week after week; make the decision about him after the season ends.  

[oldmanfan]

I think some of it is the ups and downs of life in the NFL.  Jets are way down; hard for them to play well under their set of circumstances.  Some of it was having a QB that operated the game plan well, although I don't expect that same Barkley every week, if he continues to start.  

 

Some of it was the development and progression of the young guys on the team.  It takes time for younger guys to figure it out.  Some of that wait time is shorter; for example Tiller came in after watching and learning for a little more than half a season and looked quite good.  Milano is a force on D, took him a season or so to get it.  Lawson it took several years; he was a force yesterday.  Zay is starting to get it.  When you have young guys like that it's great to see what happens when the lights get turned on, but often the light fades at times and you get clunky performances.   Longer you play, hopefully the longer the light stays on. 

 

And the last part is coaching and management.  Beane and his boys keep scouring the waiver wise, and they pick up this kid Isacc whomever and he looked pretty good.  Foster obviously showed up, and that after spending some time on the practice squad figuring things out.  Doesn't mean they'll do this every game of course, but you have to give credit to Beane and his staff, and McD and his, for recognizing they needed more speed on the offensive side, and taking the steps necessary to answer that issue.  Hopefully that becomes a longer term answer.  And of course bringing Barkley on board, although again could of course be a one hit wonder, this hit being a grand slam.  You have to give McD credit as well for going on the road and getting his team geared up to play the game they played.  Reports are that Jets ownership was apoplectic as to how our team look so fired up and the Jets looked moribund. 

 

One of my favorite sayings, not only about the NFL but life in general (especially in our country today) is people only see black and white in a world of grays.  The last two weeks, it was all black: fire this guy, fire that guy, this guy stinks, the owner is incompetent, they have no idea how to manage the QB spot, and so on.  Today it's all white: thinking about whether Barkley is our long term answer, maybe we make the playoffs, and so on.  In reality it is a world of grays.  They played well as a team yesterday, time for enjoyment of course but not cause for dreams of a resurgent QB, or playoffs, much like the struggles for a couple weeks did not mean the team is hopeless and everyone should be cut or fired.

 

A nice shade of grey yesterday.  Very light gray, with patches of white.  A very enjoyable landscape.  Let's hope that pattern holds for a while. 

[Shaw66]

22 minutes ago, oldmanfan said:

I think some of it is the ups and downs of life in the NFL.  Jets are way down; hard for them to play well under their set of circumstances.  Some of it was having a QB that operated the game plan well, although I don't expect that same Barkley every week, if he continues to start.  

 

Some of it was the development and progression of the young guys on the team.  It takes time for younger guys to figure it out.  Some of that wait time is shorter; for example Tiller came in after watching and learning for a little more than half a season and looked quite good.  Milano is a force on D, took him a season or so to get it.  Lawson it took several years; he was a force yesterday.  Zay is starting to get it.  When you have young guys like that it's great to see what happens when the lights get turned on, but often the light fades at times and you get clunky performances.   Longer you play, hopefully the longer the light stays on. 

 

And the last part is coaching and management.  Beane and his boys keep scouring the waiver wise, and they pick up this kid Isacc whomever and he looked pretty good.  Foster obviously showed up, and that after spending some time on the practice squad figuring things out.  Doesn't mean they'll do this every game of course, but you have to give credit to Beane and his staff, and McD and his, for recognizing they needed more speed on the offensive side, and taking the steps necessary to answer that issue.  Hopefully that becomes a longer term answer.  And of course bringing Barkley on board, although again could of course be a one hit wonder, this hit being a grand slam.  You have to give McD credit as well for going on the road and getting his team geared up to play the game they played.  Reports are that Jets ownership was apoplectic as to how our team look so fired up and the Jets looked moribund. 

 

One of my favorite sayings, not only about the NFL but life in general (especially in our country today) is people only see black and white in a world of grays.  The last two weeks, it was all black: fire this guy, fire that guy, this guy stinks, the owner is incompetent, they have no idea how to manage the QB spot, and so on.  Today it's all white: thinking about whether Barkley is our long term answer, maybe we make the playoffs, and so on.  In reality it is a world of grays.  They played well as a team yesterday, time for enjoyment of course but not cause for dreams of a resurgent QB, or playoffs, much like the struggles for a couple weeks did not mean the team is hopeless and everyone should be cut or fired.

 

A nice shade of grey yesterday.  Very light gray, with patches of white.  A very enjoyable landscape.  Let's hope that pattern holds for a while. 

Thanks for writing this.   It's nice to think that's what's going on, guys just making progress, understanding more, playing better.   You point out several good examples.   Milano, Lawson.  Didn't name Taron Johnson, Edmunds.   Jones.  And, frankly, McDermott - HC is a different job for DC, and there's a learning curve there, just like for players.  

 

What has me so puzzled is that if this steady improvement, at different paces, but improvement, is going on, then one would expect some averaging effect going on, with the team gradually improving.   Some guy makes a leap this week, another guy makes a leap last week - collectively there should be a generally improving team - a hiccup here or there, but generally improvement.   That isn't what we've been seeing.   Bills crush the Vikings and Jets, and in between there are some really ugly losses and some close wins and losses.   And last season was the same.   It's an unusual pattern.   Maybe it just was the Jets yesterday, but the Bills looked like they could beat all but the top five teams.   

 

It isn't the picture of a steadily improving team.   

 

Frankly, what I was most please with yesterday was the pass route schemes.   The Bills finally were running schemes that were giving the Bills favorable matchups somewhere.  The receivers were getting open naturally - if you run the route correctly, you get open.   And Barkley recognized where the open man was.   Those schemes may have been workng in the beginning of the season but the QB didn't have time.   Then, as the QB got time, the Bills may not have had the right QB pulling the trigger.   Yesterday, it all seemed to work.   

[Dr. Who]

2 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

Thanks for writing this.   It's nice to think that's what's going on, guys just making progress, understanding more, playing better.   You point out several good examples.   Milano, Lawson.  Didn't name Taron Johnson, Edmunds.   Jones.  And, frankly, McDermott - HC is a different job for DC, and there's a learning curve there, just like for players.  

 

What has me so puzzled is that if this steady improvement, at different paces, but improvement, is going on, then one would expect some averaging effect going on, with the team gradually improving.   Some guy makes a leap this week, another guy makes a leap last week - collectively there should be a generally improving team - a hiccup here or there, but generally improvement.   That isn't what we've been seeing.   Bills crush the Vikings and Jets, and in between there are some really ugly losses and some close wins and losses.   And last season was the same.   It's an unusual pattern.   Maybe it just was the Jets yesterday, but the Bills looked like they could beat all but the top five teams.   

 

It isn't the picture of a steadily improving team.   

 

Frankly, what I was most please with yesterday was the pass route schemes.   The Bills finally were running schemes that were giving the Bills favorable matchups somewhere.  The receivers were getting open naturally - if you run the route correctly, you get open.   And Barkley recognized where the open man was.   Those schemes may have been workng in the beginning of the season but the QB didn't have time.   Then, as the QB got time, the Bills may not have had the right QB pulling the trigger.   Yesterday, it all seemed to work.   

It is a very schizophrenic season. Hard to feel secure in one's judgments. I do think some of the progression noted by oldmanfan is legitimate.

[Shaw66]

Just now, Dr. Who said:

It is a very schizophrenic season. Hard to feel secure in one's judgments. I do think some of the progression noted by oldmanfan is legitimate.

Yeah, I agree with what he was saying too.

 

You know what made me feel best about where we are right now?   Not saying it's proof of anything, just sayin it made me feel good?   Someone posted or some friend sent me a link to something from Cleveland that said the Browns are likely to have some problems finding a head coach because the Haslams consistently ignore the football people in the organization.   The football people said draft Bridgewater, the Haslams said we're taking Manziel.   Then the football people said McDermott was by far the best HC candidate, the Haslams said hire Hue Jackson.   

 

It just felt good to hear that knowledgeable football people (albeit the Browns people) thought McDermott was the clear choice.   I've been losing confidence in McDermott as the season has progressed, and I needed something to tell me to calm down, trust the process, let the guy build the team the way he plans to build the team.   There are plenty of small signs that he's doing that, but there seem to be too few wins to go with the signs.   Yesterday was a complete change in how they appeared to be playing.  It was a surprise to me and to many.   I'd like to think it wasn't a surprise to McDermott.  

 

I'd love to see them go 4-2 down the stretch.

[Lurker]

7 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

“What Is It With This Team?”

 

Competent QB play makes a world of difference.   

 

Just like competent goaltending in hockey.    The Sabres finally have it and it's not surprising that they're doing better this year.

 

When the rest of the team see the guy at the most important position on the field/ice making plays, it lifts all boats.  You feel comfortable taking more chances and relying on your teammates, rather than trying to do too much (or too little). 

 

I thought the Bills fed off of the confidence they drew from Barkley not sucking, like I'm sure the rest of the world expected as well.   That first series was a shot of adrenaline that just set the whole thing in motion (somewhat similar to the Vikings game).

 

I also think getting good play from Teller added a big dose of confidence to the OL play...

 

Edited November 12, 2018 by Lurker

[Jrb1979]

10 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

Yeah, I agree with what he was saying too.

 

You know what made me feel best about where we are right now?   Not saying it's proof of anything, just sayin it made me feel good?   Someone posted or some friend sent me a link to something from Cleveland that said the Browns are likely to have some problems finding a head coach because the Haslams consistently ignore the football people in the organization.   The football people said draft Bridgewater, the Haslams said we're taking Manziel.   Then the football people said McDermott was by far the best HC candidate, the Haslams said hire Hue Jackson.   

 

It just felt good to hear that knowledgeable football people (albeit the Browns people) thought McDermott was the clear choice.   I've been losing confidence in McDermott as the season has progressed, and I needed something to tell me to calm down, trust the process, let the guy build the team the way he plans to build the team.   There are plenty of small signs that he's doing that, but there seem to be too few wins to go with the signs.   Yesterday was a complete change in how they appeared to be playing.  It was a surprise to me and to many.   I'd like to think it wasn't a surprise to McDermott.  

 

I'd love to see them go 4-2 down the stretch.

Its hard to trust the process at this point and it all comes down to there evaluation of QBs. The fact it took them this long to realize what most people know in that Peterman doesn't belong on a NFL roster makes me question their ability to know good offensive talent. 

[Dr. Who]

15 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

Yeah, I agree with what he was saying too.

 

You know what made me feel best about where we are right now?   Not saying it's proof of anything, just sayin it made me feel good?   Someone posted or some friend sent me a link to something from Cleveland that said the Browns are likely to have some problems finding a head coach because the Haslams consistently ignore the football people in the organization.   The football people said draft Bridgewater, the Haslams said we're taking Manziel.   Then the football people said McDermott was by far the best HC candidate, the Haslams said hire Hue Jackson.   

 

It just felt good to hear that knowledgeable football people (albeit the Browns people) thought McDermott was the clear choice.   I've been losing confidence in McDermott as the season has progressed, and I needed something to tell me to calm down, trust the process, let the guy build the team the way he plans to build the team.   There are plenty of small signs that he's doing that, but there seem to be too few wins to go with the signs.   Yesterday was a complete change in how they appeared to be playing.  It was a surprise to me and to many.   I'd like to think it wasn't a surprise to McDermott.  

 

I'd love to see them go 4-2 down the stretch.

I think most feel confidence that McDermott knows how to build a defense. I like that the team doesn't quit. Early in the season, they seemed to sleepwalk through the first half, so you wondered if he could get them motivated for a whole game. The ineptitude on offense has been the main concern. The qb situation was mismanaged and the deficiencies on oline and at wr seemingly ignored. Granted, one cannot fix an entire roster in one offseason and Wood and Ritchie were partly unexpected (the contract offered to Incognito, however, indicates they were prepared to go without him.) Regardless, a game like yesterday gives one hope that Daboll can design an effective offense given sufficient talent. I am encouraged by Teller. If at least one side of the oline is solid, you can concentrate on upgrading 60% of the line. I think a superior center and RT should be a priority.

 

4-2 down the stretch with Allen flashing enough progression to solidify hopes he will eventually be a franchise qb, that's what one hopes for. Given the relatively weak competition (outside of the Patriots, who are not quite themselves this year,) I think it's possible.

Edited November 12, 2018 by Dr. Who

[keepthefaith]

58 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

 

I tend to agree about Benjamin, but I think the Bills need to be patient with him.  

 

 

 

Regarding Benjamin, I have to disagree.  He's a free agent at the end of the year and even if the light bulb goes off due to his agent ripping him a new one about his lack of effort and production and he does better the last 6 weeks, there is no guarantee that he'll continue to produce for whoever his next team is especially after getting a new contract.  As for him the rest of the season, he's simply a rental.  Deploy him in whatever role he can do some good, no more and no less. 

 

There is a reason the Panthers gave him up for a relatively low price and we're all seeing that now except for some flashes last year and even fewer this year.  Sure the QB situation will be used as an excuse but he's not making much from the targets he's getting and he's getting plenty.  He's the worst kind.

 

                       Can               Can't

 

Will

 

Won't                                     X

 

[Shaw66]

18 minutes ago, keepthefaith said:

 

Regarding Benjamin, I have to disagree.  He's a free agent at the end of the year and even if the light bulb goes off due to his agent ripping him a new one about his lack of effort and production and he does better the last 6 weeks, there is no guarantee that he'll continue to produce for whoever his next team is especially after getting a new contract.  As for him the rest of the season, he's simply a rental.  Deploy him in whatever role he can do some good, no more and no less. 

 

There is a reason the Panthers gave him up for a relatively low price and we're all seeing that now except for some flashes last year and even fewer this year.  Sure the QB situation will be used as an excuse but he's not making much from the targets he's getting and he's getting plenty.  He's the worst kind.

 

                       Can               Can't

 

Will

 

Won't                                     X

 

I think the fact that he's a rental is exactly why you play him a lot and push him to excel.   You have the guy for six more weeks; it's like an extended tryout.   Worst thing you can do is sit the guy or play him lightly, have him sign a one-year deal somewhere else and then blossom into the guy everyone thought they saw was a rookie.   Much better to get everything out of him you can to give you as much information about him as you can, then decide what to do.  

 

If you don't play him, you sour the relationship and he's definitely gone.   If you do play him, he appreciates it and you have a chance to re-sign him.  

 

Until you, as the coach, get to the conclusion that you just don't want him.  Then you give the tryout to someone else.  

[Buffalo Bills Fan]

It's almost the QB. Driven QB league these days. If no good QB teams will be horrible. 

 

When having a good QB build rest of team. First all starts with him. They can hide horrible coaches. To me Packers coach not all that good but it's the QB hide lots of flaws per say. 

[Buddo]

Tbh, the Jest simply didn't know what hit them, from the Foster big gain and Shady's TD run.

 

I think you can point to a number of other 'factors' in how the game became the blowout it was, as well, but unlike our D, the Jest seemed to be wondering wth was going on, from those first two plays.

 

Other factors would be that they thought they were going to win, against a comparatively poor team, and came out overconfident. See the first two plays again.

 

Barkley was much more of an unknown to them, and they didn't have usable tape on him. Similarly with Foster, and also the little quick guy, who has also only recently been added.

Daboll did a good job of getting those guys involved, and keeping the Jest D off balance, and on the back foot, because of it.

 

STs actually played well again. As in for the first time in a few weeks. The fake punt was well executed, and as McD or someone else on the staff explained, they had had Thomas as their up guy a few times recently, so while he was expected to be there, (by the Jest) he wasn't expected to be taking the direct snap. A nice play they had kept up their sleeve until Sunday, but had also had some forward planning to help it work.

 

Competent, and positive, QB play shouldn't be ignored, at all, but tbh, did anyone expect anything much from Barkley in that respect - I'd lay good odds the Jest didn't.

 

The Bills D can actually be pretty darn good - especially if the offense is finally giving them the expected breathers. Aside from some lax run D for a series or two, they pretty much had the upper hand all game - even when they went into 'prevent' mode occasionally.

 

The O-Line actually had about their best game. There was only the one change, with Teller coming in, but we saw no turnstiles. Maybe the difference that Teller makes, is the thing that turns them into a unit, rather than just the sum of their parts.

 

One last observation, although I'm sure there are other things I've omitted, is that for all of the different factors I believe contributed to the Bills blowout againist the Jest, at the end of the day, the coaching staff deserves credit for making the most of them, especially Daboll, and the young guys (and Barkley) for their execution.

[LABILLBACKER]

I would have absolutely no problem watching an open competition with Allen & Barkley next year.  Sure Josh will win out in the end but him getting pushed by Barkley will do him good. Not to mention Peterman will finally be gone or put on the PS.

Use this remaining season as a full audition for players like Barkley, Teller, McKenzie etc....

[Maine-iac]

1 hour ago, LABILLBACKER said:

I would have absolutely no problem watching an open competition with Allen & Barkley next year.  Sure Josh will win out in the end but him getting pushed by Barkley will do him good. Not to mention Peterman will finally be gone or put on the PS.

Use this remaining season as a full audition for players like Barkley, Teller, McKenzie etc....

I sincerely hope that if they are serious about doing anything other than year 3 of a rebuild ( like winning for example) they have some much better names in camp than Barley and Allen.  Allen may be the future but if they really are serious about winning they will have to have a much better contingency plan next year.

[Shaw66]

29 minutes ago, Maine-iac said:

I sincerely hope that if they are serious about doing anything other than year 3 of a rebuild ( like winning for example) they have some much better names in camp than Barley and Allen.  Allen may be the future but if they really are serious about winning they will have to have a much better contingency plan next year.

I don't see that.  Bills aren't going to spend another first round pick on a QB.   You can have only one potential franchise guy on the team at a time, or you've wasted your resources.  Allen is that guy. 

 

Similarly, if there's a really good free agent QB, like better than Fitzpatrick, the Bills aren't going to be willing to write the check that would be necessary to get him.  

 

So you're left with signing a second journeyman.  Bills probably don't even want to do that, because the guy will cost $10 million a year or more.   Plus, that guy isn't going to be interested in the Bills if he's coming into a competition with a presumptive franchise guy and another journeyman.  

 

What you ARE likely to see, if anything, is a late-round or undrafted free agent rookie.  

 

You may not like it, but that's almost certainly what you'll see.  

[sleeby]

The jets tanked.  People are giving way too much credit to Barkley for one game - a game unlike the others in his career. Sure, maybe he has the stuff - but one game vs a jets team who didn't even show up means next to nothing.   Fans are so fanatical; I'm the one that's got that figured out.  

[Shaw66]

1 hour ago, sleeby said:

The jets tanked.  People are giving way too much credit to Barkley for one game - a game unlike the others in his career. Sure, maybe he has the stuff - but one game vs a jets team who didn't even show up means next to nothing.   Fans are so fanatical; I'm the one that's got that figured out.  

I don't know if they tanked, but you're right about Barkley.  It was one game.  

[buffalo2218]

35 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

I don't know if they tanked, but you're right about Barkley.  It was one game.  

True that it was one game, but for a guy that had zero OTA and training camp participation, it was quite impressive that he ran the offense the way he did. I’m not really sure benching him in favor of Allen is the way to go at this point

[RememberTheRockpile]

12 hours ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

The thing is, the Jets really haven't been in the "really bad" pot on defense, depending upon how you define "really bad" I suppose.

Until yesterday's 41 point debacle, they were kind of bottom-third 'meh' on points given up. 

We were considerably below them. 

After yesterday, we're 25th to their 26th.

 

There are 5 teams who have given up more points

On points given up per game given up Miami is 12th (25.6) , Jets 13th (25.4), and the Bills are 14th (25.1). 

[Nihilarian]

It really is very simple to figure out the 2018 Buffalo Bills as they are two animals.

 

One animal, if given the lead and they hold it becomes a completely dominate team on offense and defense. In their three wins they rushed for way more yards then they threw the ball.

 

WIN Vikings, 38 rushes for 128 yards, 2 TDs VS 15 of 22 yards passing for 156 yards, 1 TD. 

 

WIN Tenn, 43 rushes for 144 yards, 1 TD. VS 10 of 20 yards passing for 82 yards, 0 TDs, 1 INT.

 

WIN NY Jets, 46 rushes for 212 yards, 2 TDs VS 16 of 26 for 247 yards passing, 2 TDs.

 

Against the Jets, their defense had no tape on Barkley because he hasn't played in an NFL since 2016. The Bills came out blasting with a 47 yard bomb to Foster and followed it up with a 28 yard TD run by Shady McCoy. This set the stage for the game because now the Jets defense was forced to respect the Bills deep passing game and they couldn't stack against the run for fear of getting beat deep again. Which they did later in the game on a third and long for 43 yards to Foster again. 

 

OTOH, The other animal happens when the Bills don't have the lead and are down by as little as 3 points in which they were to the NE Patriots in the 1st quarter, down by 3 pts in the 2nd quarter, down by 3 points in the 3rd quarter and the game plan looked completely different as the Bills forget about running the ball and go pass happy with 19 rushes VS 41 passes. I picked the Patriots game just to show that when the team doesn't have the lead by any amount of points the game plan is different. 

 

In each loss with no run game the Bills QB is under greater duress as is the O line. The sacks go up. The Penalties go up.

 

This scenario has happened in each and every loss and the Bills are currently 3-7 so in 7 losing games the offensive game plan is throw, throw, throw and this is particularly damning considering the team went into the start of the season with Peterman, Allen which are two very inexperienced QBs who can't read a pre snap defense or set protections.  

 

The only game that the Bills played somewhat smart was against was the Texans and even then they didn't run McCoy enough and Allen got hurt...Peterman came in and threw 2 INTs and a pick six. 

 

[Buffalo Barbarian]

17 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

“What Is It With This Team?”

 

I had business in Florida last week and missed a chance to see the Bills and the Jets in the Meadowlands.  Given how the season’s been going for the two teams, Fort Lauderdale seemed like the better option.  Who’s not picking the beach over Matt Barkley?

 

Sunday turned out to be a good day to be in New Jersey.  I had to settle for lunch at Slackers in Fort Lauderdale, watching the Bills go up 24-0 before heading to the airport.  (Slackers, by the way, is a great place to watch games – TVs everywhere, typical pub food.  It’s a Packers bar, and there’s great memorabilia all over.)

 

What is it with the Bills?  How can they be so bad one week, and so good the next?  Yes, Sunday it was the Jets, and the Jets look to be genuinely awful.  Last Sunday, the Bills didn’t deserve to be on the field with the Bears, and the week before that they could do nothing against the Patriots.  Maybe there’s just THAT much difference between the good and the bad teams.

 

But that can’t be it, can’t be all of it.   The Bills were flatter than flat at home against the Bears, and they were world beaters a week later on the road.  It’s the same kind of emotional ups and downs this team displayed last season.  Is it a characteristic of Sean McDermott teams?

 

What else was different this week?   Matt Barkley.  Prior to Sunday, Barkley had started six games in the NFL, and he had a career passer rating of 63.7.  Sunday he was 15-25 and two touchdowns for a passer rating over 117.   He had the game of his career.   When have we last seen a Buffalo QB so effective? 

 

So what changed for Matt Barkley?  Was it Brian Daboll?  McDermott?  Or was it glue on Robert Foster’s hands when in earlier games Foster’s hands were slathered in 10W-30?   Zay Jones continued emergence?  Or was it just the Jets?

 

How does everything change in a week?  Holes for McCoy.  Time for the quarterback to throw.   Receivers open.  Penalties under control.  Special teams making plays. 

 

Had to be the Jets.   Had to be the Jets are just that bad, or they’re tanking. 

 

Still, the Bills played well-executed NFL football on Sunday, something they seemed incapable of a month ago.  They showed, as they have for the past few weeks, that they have an offensive line to build on, instead of one to dismantle totally.   They showed the solid, disciplined defense we’ve seen most of the season.

 

Let the quarterback controversy begin.  Allen will be ready to go after the bye, but did Barkley just win the job?  Does Barkley get to start until he returns to the form he showed in previous seasons?   Is there a QB competition in the offing for training camp next season?  I’d think the Bills would be, should be, all in on Allen.  But can the Bills really turn their backs on the quarterbacking Barkley showed on Sunday?

 

It’s an unusual season, to be sure.  Wins over two pretty good, playoff-contending teams, a near win on the road against a third, a blowout win over a bad Jets team, and a few other glimpses of some good football, combined with several absolutely horrible showings and record-setting offensive futility.  A different QB every week.   

 

Logic says the Bills should be all about losing this season, positioning themselves for the best possible rookie talent in the 2019 draft.  But winning is so much more fun than losing.  The Dolphins twice, the Jets again, the Jags and the Lions.  The Patriots are the only winning team left on the Bills’ schedule.  Bizarre as it sounds, the NFL’s laughingstock could end the season 8-8.  Or 3-13. 

 

A week off, and then the roller coaster ride resumes.

 

 

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.

 

it's the turnovers.

 

Look at the games we won and lost, turnovers where a huge factor.

 

What many don't fully see is , it's not just a turnover it is one more possession added for them and one subtracted for you. Let's say each team has 12 possessions but then give 3 turnovers to the other team . Now the one team has 15 possessions and the other gets 9. That is astronomically hard to overcome.