Week 5: Bills (+2.5) at Titans

[CincyBillsFan]

3 hours ago, Lurker said:

 

The Pats blitzed on 48.5% of Josh's snaps yesterday--the highest percentage of any team the Bills have faced so far.   

 

The percentage is rising from week to week as teams see how effective it is...

 

 

https://buffalonews.com/2019/09/30/josh-allen-buffalo-bills-analysis-mistakes-new-england-patriots-blitz/

 

Which would be easy to counter if we had play making RB's.  But with Singleterry out we do not.  This IMO is the issue not so much that Allen is rattled by the blitz. 

 

And when was the last time this team executed a decent screen pass?  That's another excellent way to neutralize the blitz. 

1 hour ago, Stank_Nasty said:

the optimistic fan in me thinks barkley and Beasley could be sort of a nasty combo.

 

I agree.  Especially with no tape on them.

 

Give Barkley a week of prep and we can win this game if 3 things happen:

 

*  the D plays very good

 

*  the Special Teams play well and don't give up a TD

 

*  the offense doesn't turn the ball over a lot and plays efficiently.

 

Nothing wrong with winning a game 13 - 10.

 

 

Edited September 30, 2019 by CincyBillsFan

[Boatdrinks]

22 minutes ago, Joe in Winslow said:

 

Interesting. No not really. 

Just my opinion. This is a fan message board. Don’t have to like or agree with it. 

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

Just now, Boatdrinks said:

Just my opinion. This is a fan message board. Don’t have to like or agree with it. 

 

Well, that's a relief. Because I don't.

 

[Boatdrinks]

1 minute ago, Joe in Winslow said:

 

Well, that's a relief. Because I don't.

 

Cool, I’m glad you’re relived. No, not really. 

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

Just now, Boatdrinks said:

Cool, I’m glad you’re relived. No, not really. 

 

Ba dum dink.

 

Try the veal.

 

[CincyBillsFan]

I haven't read threw this whole thread so pardon me if someone else has already brought this up but there may be a hidden advantage in having Barkley go this week.

 

Now I'm a huge Allen backer and if he can he should play next week.  But isn't the TN coach part of Belichicks defensive coaching tree?  Yesterday another member of Belichick's coaching tree, Matt Patricia of Detroit, held Mahomes to an 81 passer rating and NO TD throws.  Sure they still lost the game but clearly Detroit had an excellent defensive game plan to frustrate Mahomes.  And who do you think shared this plan with Patricia? 

 

If Allen plays Sunday, Debold & McDermitt better assume that Belichick passed on his defensive scheme for containing Allen to TN.  If Barkley plays that plan goes out the window as they have completely different QB styles.

 

 

 

[stony]

15 minutes ago, Joe in Winslow said:

 

Ba dum dink.

 

Try the veal.

 

Made some tonight, actually.  Quite delicious.  

[Locomark]

8 hours ago, Joe in Winslow said:

Spirogyra on the call for the first time

 

If we don't ever hear Fouts again, my prayers will have been answered....

1 hour ago, Boatdrinks said:

I think the D has a letdown game and the offense flounders with Barkley under center. The Promising 3-0 start quickly becomes 3-2 and the Bills face an uphill slog to stay in WC contention . Amazing how fast things can change. If Allen doesn’t get injured yesterday, I’d feel completely different but not right now. 

That would be a big bummer...but not going to happen. The stadium will be half Bills fans and any defensive grind it out game we will win. Mariota is due for 2-3 picks this week. 

[LSHMEAB]

Kind of strange that these pivotal games always seem to road games against the AFCC. I'm not a big believer in placing much import of any given game over another, but this one is slightly more important. AFC team that may be competition for a WC spot. Coming off a deflating loss to the Pats. We'll see what kind of resilience they have as a group. 

[Boatdrinks]

42 minutes ago, Locomark said:

 

That would be a big bummer...but not going to happen. The stadium will be half Bills fans and any defensive grind it out game we will win. Mariota is due for 2-3 picks this week. 

Hey, I hope you’re right. I want my gut feeling to be absolutely wrong in this case. 

[Happy]

IMO, this is a must win game.  Not for right now, but in December for a wild card spot and seeding, if we don't win the division.  I'd imagine McD and the team realizes this.

[Boatdrinks]

55 minutes ago, CincyBillsFan said:

I haven't read threw this whole thread so pardon me if someone else has already brought this up but there may be a hidden advantage in having Barkley go this week.

 

Now I'm a huge Allen backer and if he can he should play next week.  But isn't the TN coach part of Belichicks defensive coaching tree?  Yesterday another member of Belichick's coaching tree, Matt Patricia of Detroit, held Mahomes to an 81 passer rating and NO TD throws.  Sure they still lost the game but clearly Detroit had an excellent defensive game plan to frustrate Mahomes.  And who do you think shared this plan with Patricia? 

 

If Allen plays Sunday, Debold & McDermitt better assume that Belichick passed on his defensive scheme for containing Allen to TN.  If Barkley plays that plan goes out the window as they have completely different QB styles.

 

 

 

I think much of it will be the same regardless of the QB. Neither has a ton of experience. They won’t have to worry about Barkley hurting them outside the pocket or extending plays. The Bills OL had problems in pass pro, and TEN will throw a lot of the stuff that worked for NE at them. 

[Iron Maiden]

It's probably been mentioned somewhere above, but this is going to be an old school battle.....Titans are a very physical team but the Bills have the horses to respond....Whether it's JA or Barkley, I don't think we need something " special " for that game....just make ball security a top priority and we will win this game...on the road too ! 

[Rocket94]

16 minutes ago, LSHMEAB said:

Kind of strange that these pivotal games always seem to road games against the AFCC. I'm not a big believer in placing much import of any given game over another, but this one is slightly more important. AFC team that may be competition for a WC spot. Coming off a deflating loss to the Pats. We'll see what kind of resilience they have as a group. 

 Resilience is right. The way this team bounces back from a tough loss will be very telling. Hopefully the young nucleus will understand that they have to maintain the same level of intensity regardless of their opponent. Do not dwell on the loss and focus on all of the things they did correctly. Playing the Pats is an anomoly anyway.

Edited October 1, 2019 by Rocket94

[K-9]

1 hour ago, CincyBillsFan said:

I haven't read threw this whole thread so pardon me if someone else has already brought this up but there may be a hidden advantage in having Barkley go this week.

 

Now I'm a huge Allen backer and if he can he should play next week.  But isn't the TN coach part of Belichicks defensive coaching tree?  Yesterday another member of Belichick's coaching tree, Matt Patricia of Detroit, held Mahomes to an 81 passer rating and NO TD throws.  Sure they still lost the game but clearly Detroit had an excellent defensive game plan to frustrate Mahomes.  And who do you think shared this plan with Patricia? 

 

If Allen plays Sunday, Debold & McDermitt better assume that Belichick passed on his defensive scheme for containing Allen to TN.  If Barkley plays that plan goes out the window as they have completely different QB styles.

 

 

 

Good because that means Daboll and Co. will have seen the same defense two weeks in a row, but TN doesn’t have the same personnel executing it, especially in the secondary. Bring it on.

[Buffalo716]

9 hours ago, corta765 said:

 

The offense cracks were shown, Titans D is legit, and on the road as it is a disadvantage.

  

Right now Titans are a better team given Allen’s performance yesterday. Not much better but Bills are up against it

I would take Allen over Mariota any day of the week and twice on Sundays

 

You know there is a such thing as bouncing back right

[Augie]

42 minutes ago, Buffalo716 said:

I would take Allen over Mariota any day of the week and twice on Sundays

 

You know there is a such thing as bouncing back right

 

Nope! You’re wrong there! One bad (essentially) rookie week and the career is over! Just ask Elway, Aikman and Peyton.......oh, wait? 

 

 

Never mind......

[Motor26]

If Singletary plays I’ll feel a little more confident. This is going to be a grind it out game. I think the Bills D rattles Mariota and the Bills pull out the W.

[CaptnCoke11]

Josh Allen is very unlikely to play.  I can’t see Buffalo winning this game.  

[Blank Stare]

6 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

 

I don't have a problem sitting Allen this week, concussion or not. To my eye, he's regressed to bad habits, and now Belichick gave the rest of the league the blueprint on how to neutralize him.

 

Just like last year, where he had a chance to sit and learn and come out better for it, he needs a refresher. Let Barkley play the Titans. Give them a little curve ball. Now you have 3 weeks with the bye for Allen to get his game back, and maybe also work on how to respond to the next team to try that same defense on him.

 

I don't care what the media will say about "benching" him. He needs a break. Even before Belichick did his voodoo to him, Josh had the yips on those two early throws. The Pats were in his head. McDermott has to make sure this doesn't spiral downward.

Absent injury and not clearing the protocol, I don’t see any way you sit your starting QB that got you to 3-0. What Belichick did to Josh is what he does to every young QB. Not even sure how much Belichick even did to him honestly. The errors were all forced, inpatient hero ball crap. I feel like the cheats played him the same way last year. Take away the escape runs and make him throw. Sure, Josh can learn, and I wouldn’t have been against pulling him for a series to tell him to cut the ish, but he needs to play. Josh needs to learn, and I don’t see how sitting on the bench helps at this point. Love him or hate him, we go as far as he takes us this year. Same as it’s always been. 

[YoloinOhio]

 

[Motor26]

27 minutes ago, YoloinOhio said:

 

 

She is a beaut.

[Boatdrinks]

35 minutes ago, TheProcess said:

Absent injury and not clearing the protocol, I don’t see any way you sit your starting QB that got you to 3-0. What Belichick did to Josh is what he does to every young QB. Not even sure how much Belichick even did to him honestly. The errors were all forced, inpatient hero ball crap. I feel like the cheats played him the same way last year. Take away the escape runs and make him throw. Sure, Josh can learn, and I wouldn’t have been against pulling him for a series to tell him to cut the ish, but he needs to play. Josh needs to learn, and I don’t see how sitting on the bench helps at this point. Love him or hate him, we go as far as he takes us this year. Same as it’s always been. 

This^^^. Besides , sitting a guy down just doesn’t happen in the NFL at the QB position. If you do this ( outside of injury) then you are done with that guy being the QB of your team. That’s just how it is, and won’t change. The Bills aren’t at that point, nor should they be. Not now. Most of Josh’s wounds were self inflicted. He has to learn to not take negative plays. If he doesn’t, he won’t play here or anywhere in the NFL for very long. 

[RiotAct]

1 hour ago, CaptnCoke11 said:

Josh Allen is very unlikely to play.  I can’t see Buffalo winning this game.  

you can’t?  This is the Titans... not the ‘72 Dolphins or ‘85 Bears

[Augie]

1 minute ago, RiotAct said:

you can’t?  This is the Titans... not the ‘72 Dolphins or ‘85 Bears

 

I know this as a fact: it’s the NFL and nothing can be taken for granted. Having said that, the Titans are not the Patriots. We should have beaten the Pats at home, but I worry about the Titans on the road. Regardless, this is entertainment and I look forward to a great weekend in Nashville with my son! I hope it ends with the Bills at 4-1. 

[Dr.Sack]

This game won’t be easy with either QB starting. Let’s be real we aren’t a dynamic offense. My thinking is Allen is cleared to play, dresses and is listed as the backup. If Barkley goes down they bring in Allen and mostly hand the ball off. This is a game where you want to throw the ball as little as possible. It’s going to be won in the trenches. Mariotta is a very capable QB who can run with the ball, so it will be important for Milano & Edmunds to spy on him. 

[WideNine]

I could be wrong, but I think McD will be cautious with Allen, and giving him two weeks to heal and time to watch Barkley take snaps with the ones and a game to watch Barkley work within Daboll's scheme would be good for him.

Folks are looking for controversy and hate where there is none. Barkley will be able to execute a short timing game that Daboll will scheme up for what the Titans like to use in different down and distance. What he cannot do is work outside the scheme when it breaks down and when teams get enough tape on him. He is a good fit for a team trying to groom a young QB. Some folks are trying too hard.

 

I suspect Allen sits and Barkley can do enough to get us through this game. If we can execute a scripted drive early that leads to points before they make a lot of adjustments, I trust this defense to keep us in the game or chip in a pick 6 (they are due). If Singletary is in and is fully healed I expect us to win.

[Buffalo Barbarian]

15 hours ago, Dopey said:

31-17 Bills. Bills keep Henry in check and limit the turnovers.

 

They have a strong D as well so i expect us to score less.

 

20-13 Bills.

 

 

[Freddie's Dead]

Take the Bills and the purnts.  STONE COLD LOCK!

[BurpleBull]

This is a gotta-win game if the Bills have truly arrived: lose and the Bills are trying to re-establish themselves as relevant out of the bye. 

 

Big difference between losing two games after five games and losing two after seven. 

Edited October 1, 2019 by BurpleBull

[eball]

It's likely to be an ugly, low-scoring affair this week.  The Bills rank 2nd in total defense and 5th in points allowed despite having a -2 turnover ratio.  The Titans rank 14th in total defense but 4th in points allowed and have a +5 ratio.

 

Somewhat surprisingly, the Bills' offense is now 9th in total yards (but 23rd in points), and the Titans are 25th in total offense but 13th in points.

 

Perhaps this is a "Captain Obvious" statement, but I really think this one will come down to which team turns the ball over the least as the Bills appear to have the more balanced team.

[YoloinOhio]

Dawson Knox homecoming ?

[BillsFanSD]

3 hours ago, eball said:

Somewhat surprisingly, the Bills' offense is now 9th in total yards (but 23rd in points),

Honestly, this isn't all that surprising.  The offense hasn't had much trouble moving the ball, but we've been turning it over way too often.  So our yards-to-points ratio is all out of whack.

[stevestojan]

Bills +3 now. 

[njbuff]

It doesn’t mean much, but.............

 

the Titans haven’t seen a D even close to what the Bills are, while the Bills have seen two D’s that are better than the Titans (Jets with Mosley too, along with NE).

 

Plus, Mariota will be the worst QB the Bills have seen yet.

 

Will that even matter? I don’t know.

Edited October 1, 2019 by njbuff

[dous21]

Looks like Allen won't play this weekend 

 

we need to run the ball down their throats. Matt Barkley isn't winning us this game. 

 

[Royale with Cheese]

Vrabel is going to watch film on NE and attack Allen (if he plays) all game long.  He's going to send at least 5 I believe on the majority of the passing plays.

Allen either has to learn to get rid of the ball quicker and to the shorter option or he's going to struggle again.

[MILFHUNTER#518]

19 minutes ago, dous21 said:

Looks like Allen won't play this weekend 

 

we need to run the ball down their throats. Matt Barkley isn't winning us this game. 

 

Where are you seeing this?

Edited October 1, 2019 by MILFHUNTER#518

[njbuff]

16 minutes ago, Royale with Cheese said:

Vrabel is going to watch film on NE and attack Allen (if he plays) all game long.  He's going to send at least 5 I believe on the majority of the passing plays.

Allen either has to learn to get rid of the ball quicker and to the shorter option or he's going to struggle again.

 

Tennessee doesn't have anywhere near the secondary NE has.

 

The threat of a running game would be nice, meaning NO MORE empty backfields would be nice.

[Say When...]

37 minutes ago, Royale with Cheese said:

Vrabel is going to watch film on NE and attack Allen (if he plays) all game long.  He's going to send at least 5 I believe on the majority of the passing plays.

Allen either has to learn to get rid of the ball quicker and to the shorter option or he's going to struggle again.

 

i saw a stat that Allen was the most blitzed QB for 2019 and it was a pretty decent margin to 2nd place, not sure the last game inflated that stat or not but that's telling.

 

Dabs needs to work some blitz nullifying outlets into his plays and Allen needs to rely on them, do it like the Pats and just use the outlet till the D backs off.

Edited October 1, 2019 by Say When...