NFL.com Colts v. Bills Matchup Preview - Philip Rivers is HILARIOUS!!

[Stank_Nasty]

I hate that we’re playing Rivers because he‘s one of my favorites of all time with that mouth of his. 

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

2 hours ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

So watching this interview with Colts DC Matt Eberflus.  He seems to be hanging his hat a bit on having beaten Deshaun Watson and the Texans 2x.  About 2 minutes in.  Says Watson and Allen are "very similar" so they're "very fortunate" to have played Watson a couple times recently and "got to work on our rushes there".  He said they played Watson better the second time they faced him because they were more familiar or used to him.  Watson passed for 341 yds, 68% completion, 0 TD, 2 INT the first game; 373 yds, 80.5 % completion, 0 TD, 2 INT the second game so what Eberflus is looking at, must be hidden beyond the high-level stat stuff.

 

He sounded pretty confident, as though Allen was a problem he had solved and was prepared for.  He sounded less confident about covering Diggs.

 

I personally don't think that Watson and Allen are really that similar as players.  Hard to put into words.  Watson is more elusive? and Allen is more physical? 

I guess I can see where at a high level, they're similar guys who pass well, who can escape pressure and extend plays and have similar overall stats, including rushing APG and rush YPG. 

 

Watson is an excellent QB who as someone pointed out, has quietly had his best season statistically - best completion %, most passing yards, most TDs, fewest INTs .

 

I just sort of have a gut feeling that a front seven defender who has lined up against both would tell you it's different.  Not that one is better (they're both very good) or one is less mobile (they're both very mobile), just that from the player POV, different.

 

Thoughts?

 

 

I will have to watch this video. 
 

Re Watson, I just took a closer look at those Texans games. In both games, the Colts forced two turnovers and sacked Watson 5 times each. He had really gaudy yardage stats, but in game 1 where he had the 340 yards, I think pretty much all (or, in fact, ALL) of those yards were in the first half. They totally shut him down in the second half. That said, in their second game, Watson threw for the 370 yards, like you said, and so he must have figured their D out.  But in both games, the Colts did well in the redZone defense (I think 1/4 in one game and 2/4 in the other).
 

Maybe the Colts’ thinking with Watson— and now with Allen— is to give him a bunch of yardage. But clamp down in the redZone and force a few turnovers or sacks to neutralize him? 
 

edit: one more data point. After the last game, Watson comments about the Colts mixed a lot of things up to try to confuse him. 
 

https://texanswire.usatoday.com/2020/12/20/texans-deshaun-watson-colts-matt-eberflus/

 

“Because that defense is a bend but don’t break defense. They play a lot of zone coverages and a lot of different things that they do — you know exactly what they’re going to do but today they wanted to try to mix it around and do some different things.”

 

Edited January 8, 2021 by Miyagi-Do Karate

[Richard Noggin]

6 hours ago, BringBackFlutie said:

"I love you Josh Allen!"

 

*said in almost Vontae Davis voice*

[Freddie's Dead]

3 hours ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

So watching this interview with Colts DC Matt Eberflus.  He seems to be hanging his hat a bit on having beaten Deshaun Watson and the Texans 2x.  About 2 minutes in.  Says Watson and Allen are "very similar" so they're "very fortunate" to have played Watson a couple times recently and "got to work on our rushes there".  He said they played Watson better the second time they faced him because they were more familiar or used to him.  Watson passed for 341 yds, 68% completion, 0 TD, 2 INT the first game; 373 yds, 80.5 % completion, 0 TD, 2 INT the second game so what Eberflus is looking at, must be hidden beyond the high-level stat stuff.

 

Translating the coach speak:  "We're telling our guys that Allen = Watson, so they won't be afraid or depressed before the game.  I really know that Allen >>>>>> Watson, and I'm hoping he has an off day".