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THE ROCKILE REVIEW - A Walk in the Park


Shaw66

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4 hours ago, Gugny said:

8.  Shouldn’t Hyde have given himself up at the one-yard line?  Take a knee, let the offense come out and run out the clock?   By scoring the touchdown, he left the game in doubt.   The Dolphins could have scored a miracle touchdown, on a kickoff return, long pass, gadget play, something, and had another chance at an onside kick. 

 

 

Nope.  Never take points off the board.

 

I am a VERY big fan of points!  ?

 

As for #3, he’s not just missing on the long balls, he’s missing by a country mile! Odd, really. Let our guy fight for it, at least. Maybe get PI?  They almost look like throw aways!

 

Having said THAT, That ball that he dropped in to Knox (I think) may be the best pass I’ve ever seen him throw. Yeah, zipping some balls in with his cannon of an arm can be impressive, but that touch showed a skill set we rarely see. 

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Here is Hyde’s take on weather to run In Or not. 
 

“Literally as I’m running, you can watch the film, I kind of peaked to the sideline and was like, ‘Oh man, I don’t know if I should score,’” Hyde said. “But this is a crazy league. I’ve got to go down. For them to come down and score, another onside kick, get it, one play, field goal somehow ties it up. I’ve got to go down.”

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5 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

I’ve always liked Fitz.   He’s been cursed, playing on a series of bad teams.  I’m sure the Chiefs wish they had him as their backup instead of Matt Moore.   Fitz would be having a ball running that offense.  Or imagine if Fitz had been the backup in New Orleans; he might not have been better than Bridgewater, but he would have had a chance to run a big-time offense.

 

For the most part, Fitz has chosen his teams as a FA. He intentionally goes to teams that have a tenuous QB situation so he'll get an opportunity to start. I can't see him willingly serving as a backup to Brees or Mahomes. By playing on lousy teams, he actually gets to play and he makes more money than he would as a career backup.

 

I like Fitz too, but I don't feel sorry for him. He's a high-end backup who's parlayed his skillset into a very lucrative career doing what he enjoys doing.

 

 

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3.  Josh Allen really seems to have lost his feel for the deep ball.  He missed McKenzie up the right sideline, and he overthrew Roberts badly deep down the middle.   Can he only complete those passes to Foster? 

 

I would like to say that Josh probably doesn't have a lot of chemistry with these two guys really, but it's more than that.  Josh has missed others as well.  I think that they worked so hard on the short to intermediate game this off season that he is having a hard time with it right now. 

 

One of the radio guys made a good point today... Daboll is from the Patriots offensive tree.  Their offense thrives in the short to intermediate game and YAC.  That is mostly what Daboll is trying to do.  While the deep ball has been there for Josh, I think because of so many new guys and the lack of focus on it this off season, it has effected it.

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7 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

Saturday and Sunday in western New York were two of those autumn days an old guy like me remembers fondly, so fondly that sometimes I wonder if they ever really happened.   Did I just imagine bright sunshine, mid-60s, the wind stirring just enough to cool and refresh your face?  Clouds drifting by, trees decorated with red and yellow and orange, some trees already bare.    And football.  When I was a kid I loved playing touch football with my friends on days like this, sometimes in the street, sometimes in a field the builders had left vacant. 

 

Sunday, Bills fans gathered at New Era Field to watch the Bills play the Dolphins.  It was a beautiful day, like the ones I remember from my childhood, and I went to the field to watch a game instead of play one.    Tailgate parties were everywhere, music played, footballs were tossed around.   It was perfect.

 

Then the football started, and things were no longer perfect.  The reality of the NFL set in, “on any given Sunday” and all of that.  More about that below.

 

I had planned to bring my grandson to the game, but that didn’t work out, and I had an extra ticket.  I sold it through the Bills and NFL Ticket Exchange, which worked really well.  I was worried that I’d get a Dolphins fan, and I was pleased when a Bills fan named Peter showed up and took his seat. 

 

Peter isn’t just any old Bills fan.  Peter is a Bills fan from the United Kingdom.   His sister came to Canada as a young woman and never left.  She lives in St. Catherine’s, and Peter comes to visit her every year or two.   He became a Bills fan during the Kelly Super Bowl era, watches the Bills on television when they’re on and watches the Red Zone when they aren’t.   He planned this trip for these three weeks, hoping he could catch two or three home games. 

 

We had a good time together.  I usually clap and make some noise when the Bills are on defense, and after a while Peter start doing it, at least on the big plays.  Peter’s an accountant and I’m a lawyer, and I think Peter realized that if I could make a fool of myself at a football game, he could too! 

 

My seats are on the Bills sideline at the closed end of the field, and Peter got some good video of the fourth quarter touchdowns and the fan celebrations. 

 

He’ll be back.

 

Maybe I’m imagining this too, but I’m pretty sure that in his first year as head coach, Sean McDermott taught his players to win the fourth quarter.  Whatever else happens, win the fourth quarter.  And so it was again on Sunday, when the Bills in the first half looked like anything but a 4-1 team playing the winless Dolphins.  They moved the ball in fits and starts and took a lot of penalties.  Three listless drives ended in field goals.  The Dolphins seemed to know all the Bills tendencies and those easy completions Josh Allen got earlier in the season were nowhere to be seen.  Everything was difficult.

 

As good as they were on defense against the Bills, the Dolphins were better on offense.  They had studied the film and found plenty of weaknesses in the Bills’ defense.  In Ryan Fitzpatrick they had the kind of veteran quarterback who could attack those weaknesses play after play. It was masterful performance by Fitzpatrick, who repeatedly found the open receiver and delivered catchable balls.   And the Dolphins were running the ball effectively, too. 

 

14-9 at the half.

 

When the Dolphins put together an incredible 19 play, 9+ minute drive to open the second half, they seemed ready to surprise the league and beat the Bills.  Earlier in the game, I had told Peter that through Fitzpatrick’s career, his unfortunate trademark had been the untimely interception and then, as if to prove to Peter that I had some special insight, Fitz was Fitz one more time.  In his defense, his throw wasn’t horrible, but they rarely are.  He put the ball in a spot where his receiver could catch it but where a really good defensive play could beat him, and Tre White made the play. 

 

The interception followed an amazing sequence where the Bills stopped the Dolphins on third down near the goal line.  White almost stopped the fake field goal short of the first but saved the touchdown.  Then Jordan Phillips burst into the backfield to tackle Fitz for a big loss.  The fans erupted, and on the next play, White made the interception. 

 

Then the Bills won the fourth quarter.  It started on the two-yard line after White’s play, right in front of Peter and me.  Most of the drive was in the final minutes of the third quarter, including a beautiful 23-yard completion to Duke Williams.  The fourth quarter began, and the Josh Allen completed the 98-yard drive with another beautiful throw, this time 20 yards to John Brown on a skinny post.  Brown ran a great route and fought off the defender’s hold, and Allen delivered the ball.  Gorgeous.  The Bills had the lead.

 

When Tre White forced a fumble six minutes later, the Bills got another touchdown, and the game was over. 

 

A loss would have spoiled a perfect weekend; the Bills had to win, and they did. 

 

A few random observations from the game.

 

1.  In the 11-on-11 warmups before the game, the defense always lets the running back slide through the line so that he can run 40 yards and complete the imaginary touchdown.  On one rep, Singletary broke through the line and headed for the end zone.  Kurt Coleman surprised him, jumping in front of Singletary as if to make a tackle.  Singletary made a great, quick change of direction and blew past Coleman to the goal line.  The two joked about it as they returned to their positions.  When he was up next, Singletary caught a pass and ran to the end zone.  Coleman surprised him again, this time catching Singletary from behind at the goal line and grabbing him.  They joked around again and returned to their positions.  They were like two lion cubs wrestling and playing with each other. 

 

2.  I was a big McCoy fan, and I loved having him on the team, but, man, it’s a pleasure watching Frank Gore work.  Every run is a quality run.  He gets the most out of every play, gets up and does it again. 

 

3.  Josh Allen really seems to have lost his feel for the deep ball.  He missed McKenzie up the right sideline, and he overthrew Roberts badly deep down the middle.   Can he only complete those passes to Foster? 

 

4.  John Brown is the sweet receiver we’ve seen on highlights for years.   His touchdown was professional, and his 24-yard reception a few minutes later was textbook.   So nice.

 

5.  A few weeks ago, when Tre White clinched a win with an interception off a twice-tipped ball, McDermott praised him for doing something they teach – keep running to the ball until the whistle.  Sunday, Jerry Hughes turned and ran upfield on a Fitzpatrick completion.  His hustle put him in position to recover the fumble White created.  Big play.  Oh, and if we liked seeing Kyle Williams in the offensive backfield last season, I can’t wait to see Jerry when it’s his turn.  That man can run with the ball!

 

6.  After the Bills took the lead in the fourth quarter, the defense forced the Dolphins to punt.  On third and five, Allen had his overthrow of Roberts.  While still on the field, Beasley ripped off his helmet and threw it 20 yards to the bench.  He was really hot.  I don’t know why, but I’m guessing it was because he was open for the first down and Allen got greedy.  It looked like he talked to Barkley about it on the bench , and Barkley then talked to one of the coaches.  Beasley regained his composure and made a really nice catch for the TD after the Hughes fumble recovery.  It should have been an easy score, but Allen drilled it high and outside.  Beasley wasn’t going to miss the opportunity.

 

7.  Micah Hyde is really talented.   He went way into the air to catch the onside kick after the Dolphins second-last desperation drive.  Hyde’s the primary “receiver” on their onside kick recovery team because the Bills trust his hands and his judgment.   Interestingly, the primary receiver on the other side of the formation is Lee Smith.  I don’t get that.

 

8.  Shouldn’t Hyde have given himself up at the one-yard line?  Take a knee, let the offense come out and run out the clock?   By scoring the touchdown, he left the game in doubt.   The Dolphins could have scored a miracle touchdown, on a kickoff return, long pass, gadget play, something, and had another chance at an onside kick. 

 

9.  I’ve always liked Fitz.   He’s been cursed, playing on a series of bad teams.  I’m sure the Chiefs wish they had him as their backup instead of Matt Moore.   Fitz would be having a ball running that offense.  Or imagine if Fitz had been the backup in New Orleans; he might not have been better than Bridgewater, but he would have had a chance to run a big-time offense.

 

10.  I’ve never liked the QBR.  I don’t understand it, and I don’t think it does what it’s intended to do, which is to measure a QB’s overall performance.  Sunday’s box score is a perfect example.  Fitz had a QBR of 60, and Josh Allen was 50.   Huh?  Fitz’s passer rating was 88 compared to Allen’s 111, Allen ran for more yardage and a better average, Allen threw more TD passes and fewer interceptions, somehow Fitz has a dramatically better QBR.  Why?  Because he scored a touchdown in semi-garbage time?  Fitz had a good game, but Allen was better.

 

Thanks for a nice afternoon, Peter.  Safe travels.

 

 

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.

For me warm autumn days make me think of hockey and the Sabres. I'm guessing you have never been a hockey fan. While both Buffalo teams are winning, one plays an exciting game the other doesn't. 

 

My biggest issue with the Bills right now is how conservative their offense is. They played a winless Miami team and should have blown then out. Instead they almost lost. 

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8 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

Saturday and Sunday in western New York were two of those autumn days an old guy like me remembers fondly, so fondly that sometimes I wonder if they ever really happened.   Did I just imagine bright sunshine, mid-60s, the wind stirring just enough to cool and refresh your face?  Clouds drifting by, trees decorated with red and yellow and orange, some trees already bare.    And football.  When I was a kid I loved playing touch football with my friends on days like this, sometimes in the street, sometimes in a field the builders had left vacant. 

 

Sunday, Bills fans gathered at New Era Field to watch the Bills play the Dolphins.  It was a beautiful day, like the ones I remember from my childhood, and I went to the field to watch a game instead of play one.    Tailgate parties were everywhere, music played, footballs were tossed around.   It was perfect.

 

Then the football started, and things were no longer perfect.  The reality of the NFL set in, “on any given Sunday” and all of that.  More about that below.

 

I had planned to bring my grandson to the game, but that didn’t work out, and I had an extra ticket.  I sold it through the Bills and NFL Ticket Exchange, which worked really well.  I was worried that I’d get a Dolphins fan, and I was pleased when a Bills fan named Peter showed up and took his seat. 

 

Peter isn’t just any old Bills fan.  Peter is a Bills fan from the United Kingdom.   His sister came to Canada as a young woman and never left.  She lives in St. Catherine’s, and Peter comes to visit her every year or two.   He became a Bills fan during the Kelly Super Bowl era, watches the Bills on television when they’re on and watches the Red Zone when they aren’t.   He planned this trip for these three weeks, hoping he could catch two or three home games. 

 

We had a good time together.  I usually clap and make some noise when the Bills are on defense, and after a while Peter start doing it, at least on the big plays.  Peter’s an accountant and I’m a lawyer, and I think Peter realized that if I could make a fool of myself at a football game, he could too! 

 

My seats are on the Bills sideline at the closed end of the field, and Peter got some good video of the fourth quarter touchdowns and the fan celebrations. 

 

He’ll be back.

 

Maybe I’m imagining this too, but I’m pretty sure that in his first year as head coach, Sean McDermott taught his players to win the fourth quarter.  Whatever else happens, win the fourth quarter.  And so it was again on Sunday, when the Bills in the first half looked like anything but a 4-1 team playing the winless Dolphins.  They moved the ball in fits and starts and took a lot of penalties.  Three listless drives ended in field goals.  The Dolphins seemed to know all the Bills tendencies and those easy completions Josh Allen got earlier in the season were nowhere to be seen.  Everything was difficult.

 

As good as they were on defense against the Bills, the Dolphins were better on offense.  They had studied the film and found plenty of weaknesses in the Bills’ defense.  In Ryan Fitzpatrick they had the kind of veteran quarterback who could attack those weaknesses play after play. It was masterful performance by Fitzpatrick, who repeatedly found the open receiver and delivered catchable balls.   And the Dolphins were running the ball effectively, too. 

 

14-9 at the half.

 

When the Dolphins put together an incredible 19 play, 9+ minute drive to open the second half, they seemed ready to surprise the league and beat the Bills.  Earlier in the game, I had told Peter that through Fitzpatrick’s career, his unfortunate trademark had been the untimely interception and then, as if to prove to Peter that I had some special insight, Fitz was Fitz one more time.  In his defense, his throw wasn’t horrible, but they rarely are.  He put the ball in a spot where his receiver could catch it but where a really good defensive play could beat him, and Tre White made the play. 

 

The interception followed an amazing sequence where the Bills stopped the Dolphins on third down near the goal line.  White almost stopped the fake field goal short of the first but saved the touchdown.  Then Jordan Phillips burst into the backfield to tackle Fitz for a big loss.  The fans erupted, and on the next play, White made the interception. 

 

Then the Bills won the fourth quarter.  It started on the two-yard line after White’s play, right in front of Peter and me.  Most of the drive was in the final minutes of the third quarter, including a beautiful 23-yard completion to Duke Williams.  The fourth quarter began, and the Josh Allen completed the 98-yard drive with another beautiful throw, this time 20 yards to John Brown on a skinny post.  Brown ran a great route and fought off the defender’s hold, and Allen delivered the ball.  Gorgeous.  The Bills had the lead.

 

When Tre White forced a fumble six minutes later, the Bills got another touchdown, and the game was over. 

 

A loss would have spoiled a perfect weekend; the Bills had to win, and they did. 

 

A few random observations from the game.

 

1.  In the 11-on-11 warmups before the game, the defense always lets the running back slide through the line so that he can run 40 yards and complete the imaginary touchdown.  On one rep, Singletary broke through the line and headed for the end zone.  Kurt Coleman surprised him, jumping in front of Singletary as if to make a tackle.  Singletary made a great, quick change of direction and blew past Coleman to the goal line.  The two joked about it as they returned to their positions.  When he was up next, Singletary caught a pass and ran to the end zone.  Coleman surprised him again, this time catching Singletary from behind at the goal line and grabbing him.  They joked around again and returned to their positions.  They were like two lion cubs wrestling and playing with each other. 

 

2.  I was a big McCoy fan, and I loved having him on the team, but, man, it’s a pleasure watching Frank Gore work.  Every run is a quality run.  He gets the most out of every play, gets up and does it again. 

 

3.  Josh Allen really seems to have lost his feel for the deep ball.  He missed McKenzie up the right sideline, and he overthrew Roberts badly deep down the middle.   Can he only complete those passes to Foster? 

 

4.  John Brown is the sweet receiver we’ve seen on highlights for years.   His touchdown was professional, and his 24-yard reception a few minutes later was textbook.   So nice.

 

5.  A few weeks ago, when Tre White clinched a win with an interception off a twice-tipped ball, McDermott praised him for doing something they teach – keep running to the ball until the whistle.  Sunday, Jerry Hughes turned and ran upfield on a Fitzpatrick completion.  His hustle put him in position to recover the fumble White created.  Big play.  Oh, and if we liked seeing Kyle Williams in the offensive backfield last season, I can’t wait to see Jerry when it’s his turn.  That man can run with the ball!

 

6.  After the Bills took the lead in the fourth quarter, the defense forced the Dolphins to punt.  On third and five, Allen had his overthrow of Roberts.  While still on the field, Beasley ripped off his helmet and threw it 20 yards to the bench.  He was really hot.  I don’t know why, but I’m guessing it was because he was open for the first down and Allen got greedy.  It looked like he talked to Barkley about it on the bench , and Barkley then talked to one of the coaches.  Beasley regained his composure and made a really nice catch for the TD after the Hughes fumble recovery.  It should have been an easy score, but Allen drilled it high and outside.  Beasley wasn’t going to miss the opportunity.

 

7.  Micah Hyde is really talented.   He went way into the air to catch the onside kick after the Dolphins second-last desperation drive.  Hyde’s the primary “receiver” on their onside kick recovery team because the Bills trust his hands and his judgment.   Interestingly, the primary receiver on the other side of the formation is Lee Smith.  I don’t get that.

 

8.  Shouldn’t Hyde have given himself up at the one-yard line?  Take a knee, let the offense come out and run out the clock?   By scoring the touchdown, he left the game in doubt.   The Dolphins could have scored a miracle touchdown, on a kickoff return, long pass, gadget play, something, and had another chance at an onside kick. 

 

9.  I’ve always liked Fitz.   He’s been cursed, playing on a series of bad teams.  I’m sure the Chiefs wish they had him as their backup instead of Matt Moore.   Fitz would be having a ball running that offense.  Or imagine if Fitz had been the backup in New Orleans; he might not have been better than Bridgewater, but he would have had a chance to run a big-time offense.

 

10.  I’ve never liked the QBR.  I don’t understand it, and I don’t think it does what it’s intended to do, which is to measure a QB’s overall performance.  Sunday’s box score is a perfect example.  Fitz had a QBR of 60, and Josh Allen was 50.   Huh?  Fitz’s passer rating was 88 compared to Allen’s 111, Allen ran for more yardage and a better average, Allen threw more TD passes and fewer interceptions, somehow Fitz has a dramatically better QBR.  Why?  Because he scored a touchdown in semi-garbage time?  Fitz had a good game, but Allen was better.

 

Thanks for a nice afternoon, Peter.  Safe travels.

 

 

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.

 

The game is not in doubt when you have a chance to go up by two scores with under two minutes left and the other team has no timeouts. I have no problem with Hyde icing the game his way.

 

If the Bills were up by only one point, the only play is for Hyde to recover the onside kick and go down on the field of play. Period. End of story.

 

 

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8 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

Saturday and Sunday in western New York were two of those autumn days an old guy like me remembers fondly, so fondly that sometimes I wonder if they ever really happened.   Did I just imagine bright sunshine, mid-60s, the wind stirring just enough to cool and refresh your face?  Clouds drifting by, trees decorated with red and yellow and orange, some trees already bare.    And football.  When I was a kid I loved playing touch football with my friends on days like this, sometimes in the street, sometimes in a field the builders had left vacant. 

 

Sunday, Bills fans gathered at New Era Field to watch the Bills play the Dolphins.  It was a beautiful day, like the ones I remember from my childhood, and I went to the field to watch a game instead of play one.    Tailgate parties were everywhere, music played, footballs were tossed around.   It was perfect.

 

Then the football started, and things were no longer perfect.  The reality of the NFL set in, “on any given Sunday” and all of that.  More about that below.

 

I had planned to bring my grandson to the game, but that didn’t work out, and I had an extra ticket.  I sold it through the Bills and NFL Ticket Exchange, which worked really well.  I was worried that I’d get a Dolphins fan, and I was pleased when a Bills fan named Peter showed up and took his seat. 

 

Peter isn’t just any old Bills fan.  Peter is a Bills fan from the United Kingdom.   His sister came to Canada as a young woman and never left.  She lives in St. Catherine’s, and Peter comes to visit her every year or two.   He became a Bills fan during the Kelly Super Bowl era, watches the Bills on television when they’re on and watches the Red Zone when they aren’t.   He planned this trip for these three weeks, hoping he could catch two or three home games. 

 

We had a good time together.  I usually clap and make some noise when the Bills are on defense, and after a while Peter start doing it, at least on the big plays.  Peter’s an accountant and I’m a lawyer, and I think Peter realized that if I could make a fool of myself at a football game, he could too! 

 

My seats are on the Bills sideline at the closed end of the field, and Peter got some good video of the fourth quarter touchdowns and the fan celebrations. 

 

He’ll be back.

 

Maybe I’m imagining this too, but I’m pretty sure that in his first year as head coach, Sean McDermott taught his players to win the fourth quarter.  Whatever else happens, win the fourth quarter.  And so it was again on Sunday, when the Bills in the first half looked like anything but a 4-1 team playing the winless Dolphins.  They moved the ball in fits and starts and took a lot of penalties.  Three listless drives ended in field goals.  The Dolphins seemed to know all the Bills tendencies and those easy completions Josh Allen got earlier in the season were nowhere to be seen.  Everything was difficult.

 

As good as they were on defense against the Bills, the Dolphins were better on offense.  They had studied the film and found plenty of weaknesses in the Bills’ defense.  In Ryan Fitzpatrick they had the kind of veteran quarterback who could attack those weaknesses play after play. It was masterful performance by Fitzpatrick, who repeatedly found the open receiver and delivered catchable balls.   And the Dolphins were running the ball effectively, too. 

 

14-9 at the half.

 

When the Dolphins put together an incredible 19 play, 9+ minute drive to open the second half, they seemed ready to surprise the league and beat the Bills.  Earlier in the game, I had told Peter that through Fitzpatrick’s career, his unfortunate trademark had been the untimely interception and then, as if to prove to Peter that I had some special insight, Fitz was Fitz one more time.  In his defense, his throw wasn’t horrible, but they rarely are.  He put the ball in a spot where his receiver could catch it but where a really good defensive play could beat him, and Tre White made the play. 

 

The interception followed an amazing sequence where the Bills stopped the Dolphins on third down near the goal line.  White almost stopped the fake field goal short of the first but saved the touchdown.  Then Jordan Phillips burst into the backfield to tackle Fitz for a big loss.  The fans erupted, and on the next play, White made the interception. 

 

Then the Bills won the fourth quarter.  It started on the two-yard line after White’s play, right in front of Peter and me.  Most of the drive was in the final minutes of the third quarter, including a beautiful 23-yard completion to Duke Williams.  The fourth quarter began, and the Josh Allen completed the 98-yard drive with another beautiful throw, this time 20 yards to John Brown on a skinny post.  Brown ran a great route and fought off the defender’s hold, and Allen delivered the ball.  Gorgeous.  The Bills had the lead.

 

When Tre White forced a fumble six minutes later, the Bills got another touchdown, and the game was over. 

 

A loss would have spoiled a perfect weekend; the Bills had to win, and they did. 

 

A few random observations from the game.

 

1.  In the 11-on-11 warmups before the game, the defense always lets the running back slide through the line so that he can run 40 yards and complete the imaginary touchdown.  On one rep, Singletary broke through the line and headed for the end zone.  Kurt Coleman surprised him, jumping in front of Singletary as if to make a tackle.  Singletary made a great, quick change of direction and blew past Coleman to the goal line.  The two joked about it as they returned to their positions.  When he was up next, Singletary caught a pass and ran to the end zone.  Coleman surprised him again, this time catching Singletary from behind at the goal line and grabbing him.  They joked around again and returned to their positions.  They were like two lion cubs wrestling and playing with each other. 

 

2.  I was a big McCoy fan, and I loved having him on the team, but, man, it’s a pleasure watching Frank Gore work.  Every run is a quality run.  He gets the most out of every play, gets up and does it again. 

 

3.  Josh Allen really seems to have lost his feel for the deep ball.  He missed McKenzie up the right sideline, and he overthrew Roberts badly deep down the middle.   Can he only complete those passes to Foster? 

 

4.  John Brown is the sweet receiver we’ve seen on highlights for years.   His touchdown was professional, and his 24-yard reception a few minutes later was textbook.   So nice.

 

5.  A few weeks ago, when Tre White clinched a win with an interception off a twice-tipped ball, McDermott praised him for doing something they teach – keep running to the ball until the whistle.  Sunday, Jerry Hughes turned and ran upfield on a Fitzpatrick completion.  His hustle put him in position to recover the fumble White created.  Big play.  Oh, and if we liked seeing Kyle Williams in the offensive backfield last season, I can’t wait to see Jerry when it’s his turn.  That man can run with the ball!

 

6.  After the Bills took the lead in the fourth quarter, the defense forced the Dolphins to punt.  On third and five, Allen had his overthrow of Roberts.  While still on the field, Beasley ripped off his helmet and threw it 20 yards to the bench.  He was really hot.  I don’t know why, but I’m guessing it was because he was open for the first down and Allen got greedy.  It looked like he talked to Barkley about it on the bench , and Barkley then talked to one of the coaches.  Beasley regained his composure and made a really nice catch for the TD after the Hughes fumble recovery.  It should have been an easy score, but Allen drilled it high and outside.  Beasley wasn’t going to miss the opportunity.

 

7.  Micah Hyde is really talented.   He went way into the air to catch the onside kick after the Dolphins second-last desperation drive.  Hyde’s the primary “receiver” on their onside kick recovery team because the Bills trust his hands and his judgment.   Interestingly, the primary receiver on the other side of the formation is Lee Smith.  I don’t get that.

 

8.  Shouldn’t Hyde have given himself up at the one-yard line?  Take a knee, let the offense come out and run out the clock?   By scoring the touchdown, he left the game in doubt.   The Dolphins could have scored a miracle touchdown, on a kickoff return, long pass, gadget play, something, and had another chance at an onside kick. 

 

9.  I’ve always liked Fitz.   He’s been cursed, playing on a series of bad teams.  I’m sure the Chiefs wish they had him as their backup instead of Matt Moore.   Fitz would be having a ball running that offense.  Or imagine if Fitz had been the backup in New Orleans; he might not have been better than Bridgewater, but he would have had a chance to run a big-time offense.

 

10.  I’ve never liked the QBR.  I don’t understand it, and I don’t think it does what it’s intended to do, which is to measure a QB’s overall performance.  Sunday’s box score is a perfect example.  Fitz had a QBR of 60, and Josh Allen was 50.   Huh?  Fitz’s passer rating was 88 compared to Allen’s 111, Allen ran for more yardage and a better average, Allen threw more TD passes and fewer interceptions, somehow Fitz has a dramatically better QBR.  Why?  Because he scored a touchdown in semi-garbage time?  Fitz had a good game, but Allen was better.

 

Thanks for a nice afternoon, Peter.  Safe travels.

 

 

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.

GREAT POST!  I remember playing football in the WNY leaves too. 

 

8 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

Saturday and Sunday in western New York were two of those autumn days an old guy like me remembers fondly, so fondly that sometimes I wonder if they ever really happened.   Did I just imagine bright sunshine, mid-60s, the wind stirring just enough to cool and refresh your face?  Clouds drifting by, trees decorated with red and yellow and orange, some trees already bare.    And football.  When I was a kid I loved playing touch football with my friends on days like this, sometimes in the street, sometimes in a field the builders had left vacant. 

 

Sunday, Bills fans gathered at New Era Field to watch the Bills play the Dolphins.  It was a beautiful day, like the ones I remember from my childhood, and I went to the field to watch a game instead of play one.    Tailgate parties were everywhere, music played, footballs were tossed around.   It was perfect.

 

Then the football started, and things were no longer perfect.  The reality of the NFL set in, “on any given Sunday” and all of that.  More about that below.

 

I had planned to bring my grandson to the game, but that didn’t work out, and I had an extra ticket.  I sold it through the Bills and NFL Ticket Exchange, which worked really well.  I was worried that I’d get a Dolphins fan, and I was pleased when a Bills fan named Peter showed up and took his seat. 

 

Peter isn’t just any old Bills fan.  Peter is a Bills fan from the United Kingdom.   His sister came to Canada as a young woman and never left.  She lives in St. Catherine’s, and Peter comes to visit her every year or two.   He became a Bills fan during the Kelly Super Bowl era, watches the Bills on television when they’re on and watches the Red Zone when they aren’t.   He planned this trip for these three weeks, hoping he could catch two or three home games. 

 

We had a good time together.  I usually clap and make some noise when the Bills are on defense, and after a while Peter start doing it, at least on the big plays.  Peter’s an accountant and I’m a lawyer, and I think Peter realized that if I could make a fool of myself at a football game, he could too! 

 

My seats are on the Bills sideline at the closed end of the field, and Peter got some good video of the fourth quarter touchdowns and the fan celebrations. 

 

He’ll be back.

 

Maybe I’m imagining this too, but I’m pretty sure that in his first year as head coach, Sean McDermott taught his players to win the fourth quarter.  Whatever else happens, win the fourth quarter.  And so it was again on Sunday, when the Bills in the first half looked like anything but a 4-1 team playing the winless Dolphins.  They moved the ball in fits and starts and took a lot of penalties.  Three listless drives ended in field goals.  The Dolphins seemed to know all the Bills tendencies and those easy completions Josh Allen got earlier in the season were nowhere to be seen.  Everything was difficult.

 

As good as they were on defense against the Bills, the Dolphins were better on offense.  They had studied the film and found plenty of weaknesses in the Bills’ defense.  In Ryan Fitzpatrick they had the kind of veteran quarterback who could attack those weaknesses play after play. It was masterful performance by Fitzpatrick, who repeatedly found the open receiver and delivered catchable balls.   And the Dolphins were running the ball effectively, too. 

 

14-9 at the half.

 

When the Dolphins put together an incredible 19 play, 9+ minute drive to open the second half, they seemed ready to surprise the league and beat the Bills.  Earlier in the game, I had told Peter that through Fitzpatrick’s career, his unfortunate trademark had been the untimely interception and then, as if to prove to Peter that I had some special insight, Fitz was Fitz one more time.  In his defense, his throw wasn’t horrible, but they rarely are.  He put the ball in a spot where his receiver could catch it but where a really good defensive play could beat him, and Tre White made the play. 

 

The interception followed an amazing sequence where the Bills stopped the Dolphins on third down near the goal line.  White almost stopped the fake field goal short of the first but saved the touchdown.  Then Jordan Phillips burst into the backfield to tackle Fitz for a big loss.  The fans erupted, and on the next play, White made the interception. 

 

Then the Bills won the fourth quarter.  It started on the two-yard line after White’s play, right in front of Peter and me.  Most of the drive was in the final minutes of the third quarter, including a beautiful 23-yard completion to Duke Williams.  The fourth quarter began, and the Josh Allen completed the 98-yard drive with another beautiful throw, this time 20 yards to John Brown on a skinny post.  Brown ran a great route and fought off the defender’s hold, and Allen delivered the ball.  Gorgeous.  The Bills had the lead.

 

When Tre White forced a fumble six minutes later, the Bills got another touchdown, and the game was over. 

 

A loss would have spoiled a perfect weekend; the Bills had to win, and they did. 

 

A few random observations from the game.

 

1.  In the 11-on-11 warmups before the game, the defense always lets the running back slide through the line so that he can run 40 yards and complete the imaginary touchdown.  On one rep, Singletary broke through the line and headed for the end zone.  Kurt Coleman surprised him, jumping in front of Singletary as if to make a tackle.  Singletary made a great, quick change of direction and blew past Coleman to the goal line.  The two joked about it as they returned to their positions.  When he was up next, Singletary caught a pass and ran to the end zone.  Coleman surprised him again, this time catching Singletary from behind at the goal line and grabbing him.  They joked around again and returned to their positions.  They were like two lion cubs wrestling and playing with each other. 

 

2.  I was a big McCoy fan, and I loved having him on the team, but, man, it’s a pleasure watching Frank Gore work.  Every run is a quality run.  He gets the most out of every play, gets up and does it again. 

 

3.  Josh Allen really seems to have lost his feel for the deep ball.  He missed McKenzie up the right sideline, and he overthrew Roberts badly deep down the middle.   Can he only complete those passes to Foster? 

 

4.  John Brown is the sweet receiver we’ve seen on highlights for years.   His touchdown was professional, and his 24-yard reception a few minutes later was textbook.   So nice.

 

5.  A few weeks ago, when Tre White clinched a win with an interception off a twice-tipped ball, McDermott praised him for doing something they teach – keep running to the ball until the whistle.  Sunday, Jerry Hughes turned and ran upfield on a Fitzpatrick completion.  His hustle put him in position to recover the fumble White created.  Big play.  Oh, and if we liked seeing Kyle Williams in the offensive backfield last season, I can’t wait to see Jerry when it’s his turn.  That man can run with the ball!

 

6.  After the Bills took the lead in the fourth quarter, the defense forced the Dolphins to punt.  On third and five, Allen had his overthrow of Roberts.  While still on the field, Beasley ripped off his helmet and threw it 20 yards to the bench.  He was really hot.  I don’t know why, but I’m guessing it was because he was open for the first down and Allen got greedy.  It looked like he talked to Barkley about it on the bench , and Barkley then talked to one of the coaches.  Beasley regained his composure and made a really nice catch for the TD after the Hughes fumble recovery.  It should have been an easy score, but Allen drilled it high and outside.  Beasley wasn’t going to miss the opportunity.

 

7.  Micah Hyde is really talented.   He went way into the air to catch the onside kick after the Dolphins second-last desperation drive.  Hyde’s the primary “receiver” on their onside kick recovery team because the Bills trust his hands and his judgment.   Interestingly, the primary receiver on the other side of the formation is Lee Smith.  I don’t get that.

 

8.  Shouldn’t Hyde have given himself up at the one-yard line?  Take a knee, let the offense come out and run out the clock?   By scoring the touchdown, he left the game in doubt.   The Dolphins could have scored a miracle touchdown, on a kickoff return, long pass, gadget play, something, and had another chance at an onside kick. 

 

9.  I’ve always liked Fitz.   He’s been cursed, playing on a series of bad teams.  I’m sure the Chiefs wish they had him as their backup instead of Matt Moore.   Fitz would be having a ball running that offense.  Or imagine if Fitz had been the backup in New Orleans; he might not have been better than Bridgewater, but he would have had a chance to run a big-time offense.

 

10.  I’ve never liked the QBR.  I don’t understand it, and I don’t think it does what it’s intended to do, which is to measure a QB’s overall performance.  Sunday’s box score is a perfect example.  Fitz had a QBR of 60, and Josh Allen was 50.   Huh?  Fitz’s passer rating was 88 compared to Allen’s 111, Allen ran for more yardage and a better average, Allen threw more TD passes and fewer interceptions, somehow Fitz has a dramatically better QBR.  Why?  Because he scored a touchdown in semi-garbage time?  Fitz had a good game, but Allen was better.

 

Thanks for a nice afternoon, Peter.  Safe travels.

 

 

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.

Great Post!  I also remember playing touch football with my friends in the WNY autumn leaves.  There was a certain wonderful smell in the air.  Thanks for the memory!

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Just now, Stallions said:

GREAT POST!  I remember playing football in the WNY leaves too. 

 

Great Post!  I also remember playing touch football with my friends in the WNY autumn leaves.  There was a certain wonderful smell in the air.  Thanks for the memory!


That smell was dog crap on the bottom of your sneaker, Balboa.

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8 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

6.  After the Bills took the lead in the fourth quarter, the defense forced the Dolphins to punt.  On third and five, Allen had his overthrow of Roberts.  While still on the field, Beasley ripped off his helmet and threw it 20 yards to the bench.  He was really hot.  I don’t know why, but I’m guessing it was because he was open for the first down and Allen got greedy.  It looked like he talked to Barkley about it on the bench , and Barkley then talked to one of the coaches.  Beasley regained his composure and made a really nice catch for the TD after the Hughes fumble recovery.  It should have been an easy score, but Allen drilled it high and outside.  Beasley wasn’t going to miss the opportunity.

 

If I'm not mistaken ripping off his helmet on the field of play could result in a 15 yard penalty against the Bills.  Hopefully the coaches and players will drive that point home to Beasley this week.

 

Quote

8.  Shouldn’t Hyde have given himself up at the one-yard line?  Take a knee, let the offense come out and run out the clock?   By scoring the touchdown, he left the game in doubt.   The Dolphins could have scored a miracle touchdown, on a kickoff return, long pass, gadget play, something, and had another chance at an onside kick. 

 

I thought about that, but I came to the conclusion he did the right thing.   Put the game out of practical reach, without any possibility of fumble or other miscue.

 

Quote

10.  I’ve never liked the QBR.  I don’t understand it, and I don’t think it does what it’s intended to do, which is to measure a QB’s overall performance. 

 

No question on that.  Some years ago there was a week when the Broncos and Green Bay Packers both won.  Rodgers had one of his hot-hand set-your-hair-on-fire days.  Somehow Tim Tebow who had thrown for his typical 50% or less completions and less than 200 yards, came out with a much higher QBR.  Right then and there, it was clear it was not doing what it was intended to do.  But no one outside of ESPN understands it: "Unlike the NFL passer rating, ESPN has not yet been forthcoming on the exact specific formulas and procedures to calculate QBR.The proprietary, complex methodology spans some 10,000 lines of code"

 

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21 minutes ago, Stallions said:

GREAT POST!  I remember playing football in the WNY leaves too. 

 

Great Post!  I also remember playing touch football with my friends in the WNY autumn leaves.  There was a certain wonderful smell in the air.  Thanks for the memory!

For me that smell reminds of a new Sabres season. Any one else in WNY like hockey?

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1 hour ago, Jrb1979 said:

For me that smell reminds of a new Sabres season. Any one else in WNY like hockey?

You have a different memory.  I was never a hockey player.  

 

When I was a kid, there were no indoor rinks.  You only played hockey on outdoor rinks, which weren't ready until late December.  So my hockey playing friends couldn't play hockey in October. 

1 hour ago, Binghamton Beast said:


That smell was dog crap on the bottom of your sneaker, Balboa.

LOL!!!  Exactly.  It would fill up the treads in your Keds.  On the worst days you'd track it on the rug.  

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Thanks for the post, Shaw.

I was at the game, too, and it was exactly as you described: A perfect fall day in every way. I brought a friend with me who had never been to a Bills (or any NFL) game before, and I made sure to take him on the full tour of the lots. He got a particular kick out of Pinto Ron and the bowling ball shot ceremony pageantry. If I could go back and re-live that day over and over again like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day, I would. Well...the football watching part was a little painful for three and a half quarters, but other than that...

One thing I wanted to mention, regarding the onside kick: I could be wrong, but I was of the understanding that there is only one primary "up man" on the hands team who is intended to field it. Hyde is that guy for the Bills, as you stated. Lee Smith's only involvement on the hands team is as a primary blocker, though. At least I THINK that's the case. I suppose the opposition could kick it right at him and he'd have no choice but to field it, but...hmmm. Now you've got me wondering. Check out the video below of the onside kick from the All-22 view. Pretty cool to see how Alexander and Poyer allowed that play to happen the way it did.
 

 

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On 10/21/2019 at 8:08 AM, Binghamton Beast said:

What if Hyde gives himself up and there is a bad exchange between Morse and Allen and the Fish recovered?

 

When the ability to go up by 2 scores presents itself, take it.

Correct.

 

The alternative would be incorrect.

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4 hours ago, Logic said:

Thanks for the post, Shaw.

I was at the game, too, and it was exactly as you described: A perfect fall day in every way. I brought a friend with me who had never been to a Bills (or any NFL) game before, and I made sure to take him on the full tour of the lots. He got a particular kick out of Pinto Ron and the bowling ball shot ceremony pageantry. If I could go back and re-live that day over and over again like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day, I would. Well...the football watching part was a little painful for three and a half quarters, but other than that...

One thing I wanted to mention, regarding the onside kick: I could be wrong, but I was of the understanding that there is only one primary "up man" on the hands team who is intended to field it. Hyde is that guy for the Bills, as you stated. Lee Smith's only involvement on the hands team is as a primary blocker, though. At least I THINK that's the case. I suppose the opposition could kick it right at him and he'd have no choice but to field it, but...hmmm. Now you've got me wondering. Check out the video below of the onside kick from the All-22 view. Pretty cool to see how Alexander and Poyer allowed that play to happen the way it did.
 

 

About the onside kick:   I was hoping someone would explain the Lee Smith thing to me, and you have what I think is a part of the explanation.  I think that you are correct that Hyde is the "primary" receiver on the play, but that didn't used to be the case.   Teams used to put the equivalent of Hyde on one side and Beasley or the like on the other side, because the onside kick could go either way.   Remember how they used to line up with two potential kickers, so the play could go either way?   I think that was something in the onside kick rule changes last year (?) that either requires that the kick only go to the right or that makes it practically impossible to kick it the other way.   Whatever it is, no one ever seems to kick it to the left any more.  I was hoping someone would show who knows why this is.  

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“Josh Allen really seems to have lost his feel for the deep ball.  He missed McKenzie up the right sideline, and he overthrew Roberts badly deep down the middle.   Can he only complete those passes to Foster? Not sure Allen has ever had "great feel" for the long ball.  But I think he has been so scolded and abused about interceptions that his play is timid, and now he is throwing long passes that defenders have 0 chance on, but our receivers only have a 5% chance on. 

 

It’s a problem!

 

And thus far, when he throws them, NOBODY has a chance to catch them! 
 

Sooo... the best of all worlds is learn how to freaking throw then!

Next, throw them up- like every decent team does in a 1 on 1, believing your guy is better!

 

OR.... stop bothering. It’s now become a wasted Down that the opponent knows is doomed to failure.

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