THE ROCKPILE REVIEW - Winning the Fourth Quarter

[Shaw66]

 

“Winning the Fourth Quarter”

 

It’s been a consistent message since Sean McDermott arrived in Buffalo.  The Bills intend to be a team that wins the fourth quarter. 

 

Sunday afternoon, the team they intend to be was on display, as the Bills came all the way back to beat the New York Jets, 17-16.  Trailing 16-0 in the third quarter, and 16-3 as the fourth quarter began, the Bills needed to win the fourth quarter by 14 points.  On the sideline, they looked ready.  It was business as usual, no heads hanging, no finger pointing, no panic.  Just talk about what they had to do next.

 

In the fourth quarter, the Jets ran 16 plays for 35 yards.  The Bills ran 19 plays for 170 yards and two touchdowns.   I’d call that winning the fourth quarter. 

 

It’s hard to say the Bills were the better team, because mistakes matter, but the Bills clearly outplayed the Jets.  The Bills offense was better, and their defense was better.  The Bills had a few ugly plays, including one to give up a touchdown and another resulting in a safety.  Simply ugly.  A couple of Allen fumbles, and a deflected pass for another interception.  Five or six really bad plays made the game close.  

 

After a week, the Bills look a lot like what many fans expected.   Solid defense that features a decent pass rush, gang tackling, and good play in the defensive backfield.  An offense that features a lot of short passes and takes mid-range and deep shots as the opportunities arise.  Less running by Allen, more effective running by the running backs.  

 

Allen looked like a rookie in the first half and like a franchise quarterback in the second.  Maybe we will look back and say that the second half of the Jets game was when he came of age, but I doubt it.   I think we will see more of the rookie in weeks to come.  He still has a lot to learn. 

 

Can we put aside the concerns about Allen’s accuracy?   24 for 37, balls on the money all day long, including some pretty throws along the sideline, and including the back-shoulder TD to Brown to win the game. 

 

How about his poise?  Ran the no huddle beautifully, getting the play called, directing traffic and throwing the ball all over the field.   It was a great performance by Allen, mistakes notwithstanding.  

 

Allen needs to slide.

 

Man, the Bills threw multiple looks at the Jets:  Empty backfields, different wideout packages, three tight ends, DiMarco split wide.  Daboll seems to have free rein to get creative.

 

Some impressions from MetLife Stadium:

 

1.  Ran into Harrison Philips’ mom tailgating before the game.  She was easy to spot in the #99 jerseys she and her friends were wearing.   Very nice lady. 

 

2.   After one of Singletary’s several nice fourth quarter runs, a Jets fan sitting near me said “We can’t stop that guy.”

 

3.  Spotted Terry Pegula on the sideline during warmups before the game.   He was chatting with Chris Johnson, one of the Jets owners, then with some of the Bills personnel on the sideline.   He seems like such a nice guy. 

 

4.  The Jets show The Red Zone on the big screen during most of the game.   It’s great!  They also have cheerleaders, called the Flight Crew.  A woman in front of me was wearing “Flight Crew Mom” tee shirt. 

 

5.  It’s really loud in MetLife, when fans bother to make noise, which is only occasionally.  On the first few plays of the game, noisy   On big third downs, noisy.   The rest of the time, not so much. 

 

6.  Veteran leadership?  After Brown’s touchdown, before the extra point, the defense began gathering on the sideline, preparing to make the last stop.  Kurt Coleman stopped Ed Oliver, got face to face, looked him in the eye and talked to him.   He raised his hands, pointed at his own head, and tapped his temples two or three times, clearly telling Oliver to calm down and use his head.   Coleman knew it was a big moment for a rookie, he knew he wasn’t going to be on the field but he could contribute.  Cool. 

 

7.  I miss Shady.  And Singletary was giving me a lot of reason to miss him in the first half.  Second half?   Oh, yeah!  Sweet moves. 

 

8.  Bills’ defense sat at the right end of the bench, right in front of me.  Saw

 

a.  Lawson dancing on the sideline to music piped into the stadium, chatting briefly with a couple of young women in the stands in front of me.  Only guy I saw not focused on the game.

 

b.  Lorenzo Alexander talking about something they needed to do.  All business.

 

c.  Ed Oliver energized.   He was amped.

 

d.  Hyde up and down the bench getting every one ready as the Bills were driving for the winning score. 

 

9.  You know how several players on kickoff coverage complete the run by trotting into the endzone on a touchback?  No Maurice Alexander.   He SPRINTS to the end zone.  The guy wants to be out there.

 

10.  Tremaine Edmunds is a big man, and yes, he’s a lot better against the run this season. 

 

(11.  He isn’t a Bill, but LeVeon Bell deserves a nod.  That guy is a football player.  The Bills had their hands full but kept him under control, mostly.)

 

It was too close, but there’s a “1” in the Win column, and on the first Sunday night of the season, that’s all that matters.  It’s only one game, but we saw a lot to like against the Jets.  And the Bills will get better.

 

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.

 

[Paul Costa]

All good points Shaw. Didn’t play our A game offensively but got the W. defense was solid as solid gets. Singletary was a nice second half shot in the arm. John Brown will be a beast all season. Josh will play better. We are going to win 9+ games

✅

[Troll Toll]

Great write up as always Shaw. Big takeaways for me:

 

1. Nice to see a McDermott squad where the run defense isn’t a dumpster fire to start the year. In fact, it was the opposite. Leveon looked like his old self, but instead of going off for 200 yards, we held him under 100.

 

2. Josh Allen had total command of the offense. Where Darnold looked like he was basically running what was called, Allen was frequently and quickly changing plays and making adjustments at the line. For a “project” quarterback, I am floored that he looks to have already leapfrogged Baker, Darnold and Rosen. The sky is the limit.

[Shaw66]

2 minutes ago, Troll Toll said:

Great write up as always Shaw. Big takeaways for me:

 

1. Nice to see a McDermott squad where the run defense isn’t a dumpster fire to start the year. In fact, it was the opposite. Leveon looked like his old self, but instead of going off for 200 yards, we held him under 100.

 

2. Josh Allen had total command of the offense. Where Darnold looked like he was basically running what was called, Allen was frequently and quickly changing plays and making adjustments at the line. For a “project” quarterback, I am floored that he looks to have already leapfrogged Baker, Darnold and Rosen. The sky is the limit.

The Bills weren't going to let Bell beat them.   They did a good job on him.

 

And I've been on the Allen bandwagon since last year.  I get that the national media don't talk about him, because they won't talk about the Bills until they start winning.  He runs the team like a veteran, and he throws like the best throwers you've ever seen.  

[US Egg]

It was only the Jets.

 

One game doesn't make a season, but it's a nice start.

[Shaw66]

1 minute ago, I am the egg man said:

It was only the Jets.

 

One game doesn't make a season, but it's a nice start.

Right.   Except I think one team will challenge the Pats this season in the AFCE, and it was going to be the winner of Bills-Jets.  

 

It's a nice start.  The objective is to get 11 wins, and the first one is in the book.  

[Buffalo Bills Fan]

Just now, Shaw66 said:

Right.   Except I think one team will challenge the Pats this season in the AFCE, and it was going to be the winner of Bills-Jets.  

 

It's a nice start.  The objective is to get 11 wins, and the first one is in the book.  

 

I think the Bill's are still long way off from the Patriots. But it all takes time to build a team. Loved what I saw today and win. Still long ways to go and to progress. 

[Shaw66]

4 minutes ago, Buffalo Bills Fan said:

 

I think the Bill's are still long way off from the Patriots. But it all takes time to build a team. Loved what I saw today and win. Still long ways to go and to progress. 

Pats looked pretty good tonight.   Wow. 

[Troll Toll]

Our defense is a lot better than the Steelers and Allen is a young hungry QB as opposed to Roethlisberger thinking about retirement. We hung with them with Derek Anderson last year. It will be interesting to see how much Josh has learned about New England since last year.

[Warcodered]

7 minutes ago, Buffalo Bills Fan said:

 

I think the Bill's are still long way off from the Patriots. But it all takes time to build a team. Loved what I saw today and win. Still long ways to go and to progress. 

I mean probably but I wouldn't rule it out the defense is great and the biggest weakness the Pats targeted last time was run D and that has improved. If the D can lock it down then it's up to the offense and sure they're rough right now but if they can work out the kinks they might be able to pull a surprise on them.

[Formerly Allan in MD]

Allen really does need to slide.  He started doing it late last season but needs to be reminded, and reminded.

[Figster]

35 minutes ago, Troll Toll said:

Our defense is a lot better than the Steelers and Allen is a young hungry QB as opposed to Roethlisberger thinking about retirement. We hung with them with Derek Anderson last year. It will be interesting to see how much Josh has learned about New England since last year.

I agree,   so while the Pats may have one of the bests O's in the NFL.

 

The Buffalo Bills on the other hand have arguably the best secondary Tom Brady will face all season.

 

Not just Allen, the teeth of the Bills D is even hungrier...

 

Thanks OP

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 9, 2019 by Figster

[Logic]

Thanks for the writeup.

We heard from the earliest part of OTAs that the Bills were focusing heavily on situational football. Highly specific situational football, to boot. This continued through camp.

Fast forward to today, and the Bills were down 13 and needing to win the 4th quarter in order to win the game, as you alluded to. According to the Bills players and the beat writers on the sidelines at MetLife, the Bills were completely calm, collected, focused, and acted just the same as they would act if they were UP by 13 in the 4th quarter. They had practiced highly specific situational football for moments just like this. Sure enough, it paid off.

The Bills defense played at an absolutely elite level today. To have your offense turn the ball over FOUR times, on the road against a divisional opponent, in front of a fired up Jets crowd....and to still only allow EIGHT points...I barely have words for it. Elite level defense. It's not as if the Jets are a bunch of Schmohocks out there. Le'Veon Bell in the backfield, first round pick Sam Darnold at QB, three capable receivers. Bills defense shut 'em down. I have to note here how much I like that coach McDermott often uses his timeouts in key 3rd or 4th down situations when the Bills are on defense. He gets a look at what the Jets want to do personnel and formation-wise, then he calls a timeout. Not only does this help the Bills defense know what the opponent want to do, it often forces the opponent to do something different, knowing that the Bills defense has just seen their hand. You're effectively taking away their first choice offensively in key situations. I love it.

Allen needs to get better. Some of his turnovers today were bad luck, but there were also another two or three throws that could (should?) have been picked off. That game could have gone very differently. That said...it's impossible to overstate the degree to which Allen seems to have the vaunted Clutch Gene. Three come-from-behind wins and four game-winning drives in 12 starts. That's big time stuff.

Over the years, I've learned that everything I just mentioned is for message boards and passing time between Sundays. All that really matters are Ws and Ls. At the end of the year, they don't care how you got your Ws, they only count how many you got. Bills got one today. Let's hope they can return to the same stadium and get another next week.

Edited September 9, 2019 by Logic

[Figster]

27 minutes ago, Logic said:

Thanks for the writeup.

We heard from the earliest part of OTAs that the Bills were focusing heavily on situational football. Highly specific situational football, to boot. This continued through camp.

Fast forward to today, and the Bills were down 13 and needing to win the 4th quarter in order to win the game, as you alluded to. According to the Bills players and the beat writers on the sidelines at MetLife, the Bills were completely calm, collected, focused, and acted just the same as they would act if they were UP by 13 in the 4th quarter. They had practiced highly specific situational football for moments just like this. Sure enough, it paid off.

The Bills defense played at an absolutely elite level today. To have your offense turn the ball over FOUR times, on the road against a divisional opponent, in front of a fired up Jets crowd....and to still only allow EIGHT points...I barely have words for it. Elite level defense. It's not as if the Jets are a bunch of Schmohocks out there. Le'Veon Bell in the backfield, first round pick Sam Darnold at QB, three capable receivers. Bills defense shut 'em down. I have to note here how much I like that coach McDermott often uses his timeouts in key 3rd or 4th down situations when the Bills are on defense. He gets a look at what the Jets want to do personnel and formation-wise, then he calls a timeout. Not only does this help the Bills defense know what the opponent want to do, it often forces the opponent to do something different, knowing that the Bills defense has just seen their hand. You're effectively taking away their first choice offensively in key situations. I love it.

Allen needs to get better. Some of his turnovers today were bad luck, but there were also another two or three throws that could (should?) have been picked off. That game could have gone very differently. That said...it's impossible to overstate the degree to which Allen seems to have the vaunted Clutch Gene. Three come-from-behind wins and four game-winning drives in 12 starts. That's big time stuff.

Over the years, I've learned that everything I just mentioned is for message boards and passing time between Sundays. All that really matters are Ws and Ls. At the end of the year, they don't care how you got your Ws, they only count how many you got. Bills got one today. Let's hope they can return to the same stadium and get another next week.

Good posting,

 

Nice call on A B...

[LSHMEAB]

3 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

 

 

a.  Lawson dancing on the sideline to music piped into the stadium, chatting briefly with a couple of young women in the stands in front of me.  Only guy I saw not focused on the game.

 

 

I concur with everything else you posted, but this stood out. I've always given McD credit for his 4th quarter success. I can't quibble with a personal observation, but I can quibble with the significance. Not that you stated it was significant, but that seems to be the implication. TBH, I don't really care if Shaq was out there having fun on the sideline. What he did INSIDE the lines speaks for itself.

[transplantbillsfan]

Disagree that Allen looked like a rookie in the 1st half.

 

That's the easy thing to say if you look at his 4 1st half turnovers, but that's not reality.

 

Reality is 1 turnover by fumble on a dominant drive. Said fumble was a result of a blindside defender being allowed through. And any argument that "Josh should protect the football" is bogus because that's exactly what Allen was trying to do. Defender just, made a great play.

 

1 turnover was on an accurate pass to a normally sure-handed Wide Receiver who bounced the ball up in the air into the waiting arms of a defender ready to run in and score.

 

1 turnover was a bad 4th down snap with a center Allen hasn't really worked with for weeks on a play we probably shouldn't have been going for it.

 

1 turnover was a rushing defender with no one in front of him jumping to make a play to bat the ball.

 

The Bills were dominant in this game. This game was just a game of extremely weird bounces.

 

I'm excited about Allen.

[fansince88]

5 minutes ago, transplantbillsfan said:

Disagree that Allen looked like a rookie in the 1st half.

 

That's the easy thing to say if you look at his 4 1st half turnovers, but that's not reality.

 

Reality is 1 turnover by fumble on a dominant drive. Said fumble was a result of a blindside defender being allowed through. And any argument that "Josh should protect the football" is bogus because that's exactly what Allen was trying to do. Defender just, made a great play.

 

1 turnover was on an accurate pass to a normally sure-handed Wide Receiver who bounced the ball up in the air into the waiting arms of a defender ready to run in and score.

 

1 turnover was a bad 4th down snap with a center Allen hasn't really worked with for weeks on a play we probably shouldn't have been going for it.

 

1 turnover was a rushing defender with no one in front of him jumping to make a play to bat the ball.

 

The Bills were dominant in this game. This game was just a game of extremely weird bounces.

 

I'm excited about Allen.

I actually like this take. Thanks!

[GRHater69]

Don't think it's fair just yet to compare Allen & Darnold. Sam is learning a new system, new coach, new coordinator. It will take time. But that being said I loved watching Josh shake off a bad first half and take over the game in the 4th. He was in control and as many have noted some of those turnovers were not on him.

 

Couple of other things. Singletary is shifty as well as fast. You won't see this on the highlight reel but he caught a little dump off from Josh in the 4th, it was only about a 7 yard gain but he faked the LB out of his jock strap with a quick move. This guy can be really good.

 

Our O-line had some breakdowns but they are already better than the group we put out there last year. They are also far more athletic and can get out in front of people for screens etc.

Edited September 9, 2019 by GRHater69

[PlayoffsPlease]

8 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

Pats looked pretty good tonight.   Wow. 

Incomplete Week 1 AFC power rankings. 

 

1. Patriots

2. Everyone else but the Dolphins and Jets
31. Jets

32. Dolphins.

or sadly this may be closer

 

1. Patriots

30. Everyone else but Dolphins and Jets
31. Jets

32. Dolphins.

 

[Shaw66]

5 hours ago, transplantbillsfan said:

Disagree that Allen looked like a rookie in the 1st half.

 

That's the easy thing to say if you look at his 4 1st half turnovers, but that's not reality.

 

Reality is 1 turnover by fumble on a dominant drive. Said fumble was a result of a blindside defender being allowed through. And any argument that "Josh should protect the football" is bogus because that's exactly what Allen was trying to do. Defender just, made a great play.

 

1 turnover was on an accurate pass to a normally sure-handed Wide Receiver who bounced the ball up in the air into the waiting arms of a defender ready to run in and score.

 

1 turnover was a bad 4th down snap with a center Allen hasn't really worked with for weeks on a play we probably shouldn't have been going for it.

 

1 turnover was a rushing defender with no one in front of him jumping to make a play to bat the ball.

 

The Bills were dominant in this game. This game was just a game of extremely weird bounces.

 

I'm excited about Allen.

I've been excited about Allen since last summer.

 

I saw the game live, without good replays.  Blindside or not, the fumble looked like a ball a rookie loses and a good veteran doesn't.  The fumbled snap looked like Allen backed out early.  The first INT looked like a low throw.  I understand from comments I've seen that Dawkins, Morse and Beasley share the blame, but it didn't look that way live.