Divisional Playoff round: Ravens at Bills on Saturday Night Football

[The Firebaugh Kid]

3 hours ago, r00tabaga said:

Agreed. The pressure of losing in the first round is over for both of these quarterbacks. We should see a great game and will no doubt be the best of the weekend.
 

...more importantly, that’s a Great username 👍 

Thank you!!! I thought of it the day he leaped over Barr. 

[NewEra]

4 minutes ago, 947 said:

What I really want to see, is McD take over the Defensive play calling if Frazier refuses to adjust to whatever the Ravens are successfully doing repeatedly. I still can't believe he never changed the coverage despite getting gashed by crossing routes over and over.

Jmo-  our game plan was to stop Jonathan Taylor. We did that. The most recent cover1 video shows and explains the problems  it wasn’t the play call. It was communication.  Jordan Poyer said it himself. 

[NewEra]

1 hour ago, Penfield45 said:

Really interested to see if our defense comes out to play or has another poor showing 

 

it’s now 2 playoff games in a row our defense has looked poor. They choked last year in Houston and this past weekend got carried by Allen and the offense 

We gave up 22 to the Texans and were a terrible blindside block call away from winning and holding them to 19z. 
 

we held the the colts to 24, tied for their lowest scoring output in 12Ish weeks.  We held Taylor to 3.7 ypc.  While it wasn’t a good defensive performance Saturday, they did what they wanted to do. Shut down Taylor and win the game.  
 

the communication on defense was the issue Saturday. Watch the cover1 videos. 
 

or maybe we can fire Frazier and/or McDermott right now.

Edited January 12, 2021 by NewEra

[RichRiderBills]

7 minutes ago, NewEra said:

Jmo-  our game plan was to stop Jonathan Taylor. We did that. The most recent cover1 video shows and explains the problems  it wasn’t the play call. It was communication.  Jordan Poyer said it himself. 

 

..also amplified by our inability to generate pressure via a number of tries.

 

Colts Oline, which is very good, played an amazing game. The Ravens unit gets a good push in the running game but struggled overral this year and has been inconsistant.

Edited January 12, 2021 by RichRiderBills

[Mat68]

Its all about Match ups.  I assume Baltimore does the man blitz thing.  Allen has crushed that all year.  On defense will Jackson dice up the Bills defense in 8 yard chunks all the way down the field?  They win that way I think we would all be suprised.  Keep Lamar in pocket and have athletes on the edge to slow down Jacksons run.  Buffalo does on defense they did last year i think Buffalo puts up more points and wins.

[Penfield45]

14 minutes ago, NewEra said:

Jmo-  our game plan was to stop Jonathan Taylor. We did that. The most recent cover1 video shows and explains the problems  it wasn’t the play call. It was communication.  Jordan Poyer said it himself. 

 

why are we having communication issues in the playoffs ? did he explain why it happened? most of this defense has been together for 3 years 

Edited January 12, 2021 by Penfield45

[RunTheBall]

1 hour ago, Penfield45 said:

the colts had 2 drives in the 4th Q under 3 mins. One was under 2 minutes. That’s not “victims of poor field position” what game were you watching ?

This is what pisses me off the most. IDK what the issue is, but it seems often when we get a little breathing room our D gives up quick points. It’s one thing to give up points, it’s another thing altogether when you give up 2 TD drives in under 3 minutes each. That’s unacceptable anytime but especially in the playoffs. Is it a coaching change in game plan? The players throttling down? IDK what it is but that bothers me more than our bend-but-dont break style.

[Figster]

7 minutes ago, RichRiderBills said:

 

..also amplified by our inability to generate pressure via a number of tries.

 

Colts Oline, which is very good, played an amazing game. The Ravens unit gets a good push in the running game but struggled overral this year and has been inconsistant.

Colts Oline really was amazing. Buddy of mine called after the Colts game complaining Buffalo needed to get more pressure on the QB. At the time I blew it off because I didn't want to hear it.

 

Barely getting a finger on Rivers is a reason for concern...

[NewEra]

5 minutes ago, Penfield45 said:

 

why are we having communication issues in the playoffs ? did he explain why it happened? most of this defense has been together for 3 years 

Any given play.  It’s football.  
 

What do you suggest we do about this?  Maybe the players will communicate better and the coaches will coach better if we cry about it in every thread on the message board.

[BananaB]

5 minutes ago, RunTheBall said:

This is what pisses me off the most. IDK what the issue is, but it seems often when we get a little breathing room our D gives up quick points. It’s one thing to give up points, it’s another thing altogether when you give up 2 TD drives in under 3 minutes each. That’s unacceptable anytime but especially in the playoffs. Is it a coaching change in game plan? The players throttling down? IDK what it is but that bothers me more than our bend-but-dont break style.

And most of it was on the ground. Let’s face it they did a good job slowing down the run most of the game, it was third down passing that killed us.  The all of a sudden they pop 3 or 4 big runs in on us while we have a comfortable lead. Brutal

[mjt328]

1 hour ago, PaattMaann said:

Wait so your saying the Colts were NOT perfect and finished every drive with TD's? What a shock!!!!

 

They missed crucial conversions like ALL TEAMS do? What a shock!!!

 

Yea it was definitely all the colts mistakes, not the bills having any influence. LOL. 

 

no team plays perfect all game long and thats part of football. 

 

Defense did a really good job executing the gameplan for 3 quarters. You can disagree, but I know what I saw. Classic bend but dont break. I do have a problem with our 3rd down defense against the Colts, but we've been pretty good on 3rd down all year, so it doesnt concern me. 

 

I'm not saying we have the 85 Bears defense here, but I do think our defense had a turnaround this season is playing some really good football, and we are really good at doing exactly what we gameplan for - taking away opponents strengths. That is obviously the run game with the Ravens so I expect a solid gameplan and day from the defense. 

 

 

In my opinion, a "good" defensive performance requires OUR players to actually make stops.

Turnovers.  Sacks.  Pressure.  Tackles.  Passes Batted Away.

 

We got no pressure on the QB at any point during the game.  We continually missed tackles.  We left receivers wide open all over the field.  The only turnover we got didn't actually count.  The Bills defense failed over and over to get stops on 3rd Downs, and were totally gassed by the 4th Quarter.  

 

If you want to just look at the points allowed and say "hey we did pretty good holding them to 24" then fine by me.  Personally, I try to look at the game as a whole.  And it was only Colts mistakes that kept our defense from allowing 35-40.

 

Yes, mistakes are part of football.  Which is why the Bills won.  And they did enough on offense to deserve that win.

But I completely understand why Saturday's performance is making fans nervous about facing the Baltimore Ravens.

 

[PaattMaann]

1 minute ago, mjt328 said:

 

In my opinion, a "good" defensive performance requires OUR players to actually make stops.

Turnovers.  Sacks.  Pressure.  Tackles.  Passes Batted Away.

 

We got no pressure on the QB at any point during the game.  We continually missed tackles.  We left receivers wide open all over the field.  The only turnover we got didn't actually count.  The Bills defense failed over and over to get stops on 3rd Downs, and were totally gassed by the 4th Quarter.  

 

If you want to just look at the points allowed and say "hey we did pretty good holding them to 24" then fine by me.  Personally, I try to look at the game as a whole.  And it was only Colts mistakes that kept our defense from allowing 35-40.

 

Yes, mistakes are part of football.  Which is why the Bills won.  And they did enough on offense to deserve that win.

But I completely understand why Saturday's performance is making fans nervous about facing the Baltimore Ravens.

 

 

Sometimes the matchup doesnt dictate what you personally deem necessary to call it a good defensive performance though.

 

Phillip Rivers was the least sacked, and least hurried QB in the NFL this season (besides Big Ben). There is a reason for that. They protect him very well and most importantly he gets rid of the ball. Why would you design a game plan to generate sacks and pressure if that is what the offense does great at? The answer; you dont. 

 

A total defensive performance cannot be looked at by saying "Well Rivers missed an open WR to convert a 3rd and 2" and add a couple of those plays up to say the defense didnt make plays. 

 

I saw a defense that held a potent, balanced offense to 10 points through 3 quarters. Thats impressive. And as I said, yes it takes 4 quarters to win a game, and I disagree completely with the change in defensive gameplan once we got up 2 TDs. But we changed, and allowed them free, easy chunk runs that got them back in the game. 

 

We will obviously continue to see that defensive performance differently, and you are in the majority (From what I have read on here), but thats OK. Its why we come here! I am confident in this teams defensive ability going into Saturday. Go Bills!

 

 

[wjag]

3 minutes ago, RunTheBall said:

This is what pisses me off the most. IDK what the issue is, but it seems often when we get a little breathing room our D gives up quick points. It’s one thing to give up points, it’s another thing altogether when you give up 2 TD drives in under 3 minutes each. That’s unacceptable anytime but especially in the playoffs. Is it a coaching change in game plan? The players throttling down? IDK what it is but that bothers me more than our bend-but-dont break style.

My wife has rekindled her interest in watching me watch the Bills.  Apparently I am quite the show.  🙂 I'm pacing all game, cheerleading, groaning, hooting and hollering..  So when Buffalo was up by 14 points in the fourth and was really limiting them, I was explaining to her strategy between plays.  It went something like, okay, now just make them eat clock as they drive down to score.  4-5 minutes drives and this game is over with a capital O.  And then, 1:50 something seconds later I was back to groaning...  nooooooo...  and then the subsequent drive was again lickety-split..   Game on.  My phone is blowing up with text messages as non-Bills friends are coming out of the woodwork to ask what the hell was going on..  2019 is creeping in to my thoughts as Buffalo wastes a brilliant and only good RB run of the day by ending up in 3rd and 33.  Rivers is all of sudden dissecting them.  You could see the genuine concern in Josh's eyes as he watched helplessly from the sideline.  Like many have expressed on here, I was wiped out when it was over.  I didn't know what to feel.  Elated sure, but concerned too.  What was that?  How did a brilliant third quarter go so quickly down the tubes?  Whatever happened in those frenetic final 10 minutes of the game, be it personnel, communications, strategy, whatever, please fix it.  That left a really bad impression on many and almost ruined a perfectly sunny day at the Ralph..  I'm sure the Ravens are busy dissecting the tape.  Go Bills!!!

[billsfan1959]

18 minutes ago, Figster said:

Colts Oline really was amazing. Buddy of mine called after the Colts game complaining Buffalo needed to get more pressure on the QB. At the time I blew it off because I didn't want to hear it.

 

Barely getting a finger on Rivers is a reason for concern...

 

I do think part of that was the fact that Rivers, on average, was getting the ball out of his hands in about 2.5 seconds. It is going to be tough to get any kind of consistent pressure in that amount of time. Rivers was killing us with fairly quick throws to his tight ends.

[SCBills]

18 minutes ago, mjt328 said:

 

In my opinion, a "good" defensive performance requires OUR players to actually make stops.

Turnovers.  Sacks.  Pressure.  Tackles.  Passes Batted Away.

 

We got no pressure on the QB at any point during the game.  We continually missed tackles.  We left receivers wide open all over the field.  The only turnover we got didn't actually count.  The Bills defense failed over and over to get stops on 3rd Downs, and were totally gassed by the 4th Quarter.  

 

If you want to just look at the points allowed and say "hey we did pretty good holding them to 24" then fine by me.  Personally, I try to look at the game as a whole.  And it was only Colts mistakes that kept our defense from allowing 35-40.

 

Yes, mistakes are part of football.  Which is why the Bills won.  And they did enough on offense to deserve that win.

But I completely understand why Saturday's performance is making fans nervous about facing the Baltimore Ravens.

 

 

The argument can be made that forcing teams to dink/dunk down the field forces them to be on point the entire drive, and that's how you get a drop in the flat or inaccurate pass from the QB that stalls out a drive.  

 

I have no problem playing that type of defense, but you have to be able to get off the field on 3rd down and/or create some negative plays/turnovers.  We did none of that against Indy. 

 

They bled clock, we let them.  They needed to score fast, we let them.  No turnovers forced.  No sacks.  Barely any QB pressures. 

 

Now, some of this is our defense had a bad day.  Some of it is Indy was a bad matchup for this defense.  Some of it was Indy/Rivers executed at a high level for 90% of the game.  

 

[uninja]

5 minutes ago, billsfan1959 said:

 

I do think part of that was the fact that Rivers, on average, was getting the ball out of his hands in about 2.5 seconds. It is going to be tough to get any kind of consistent pressure in that amount of time. Rivers was killing us with fairly quick throws to his tight ends.

 

I don't think we gameplanned to get sacks that game to be honest, between Colts having a top 5 oline and Rivers being notoriously hard to sack because his veteran experience we didn't bring pressure to bring him down. The best we could hope for, which I believe the Bills executed quite well, was to make Rivers uncomfortable and delay is processing time by a fraction of a second longer than usual.

 

That missed 4th down throw to Pittman? Pressure package that threw him off JUST enough that he misread and backpedalled, then threw off his back foot.

 

That other missed down to Pittman for a sure first and goal? Brought just enough pressure/confusion that he threw the ball a bit too late, or he thought PIttman would sit in the zone and turn upfield for the 1st instead of continuing his route.

 

If the other team provides outstanding protection and the quarterback reads the field quickly and gets the ball out quickly trying to bring overwhelming pressure to overcome those advantages is very risky. You have to bring too many guys to get the result you want (sack).

 

The less risky move is to understand that you're unlikely to sack him, but you can overcome that by creating just enough confusion/hesitation that a throw will come a fraction of a second late, he'll second guess what he's seeing for just a moment and those instances are enough to create the big play you need on 3rd down to get the stop. The margin for error is smaller, but its way less risky than trying sack a veteran QB with a fast release and outstanding protection.

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

 

 

 

Edited January 12, 2021 by SlimShady'sSpaceForce

[NewEra]

38 minutes ago, ScottLaw said:

I’m surprised you had so much faith in Hauschka to hit a 54/55 yard field goal to win it without that penalty. 

I shouldn’t have said a win.  Definitely not a sure thing, but we wouldn’t have punted. 
A fg attempt or go for it on 4th and 5 from their 38 or w/e it would’ve been.  

I’d be extremely confidant if it were bass kicking it.

 

either way, our defense didn’t suck. Maybe it was Frazier and McDermott’s fault that milano and Neal bounced off of Watson and that Hyde whiffed and missed Jones.  We didn’t lose because of our defensive coaches

 

Edited January 12, 2021 by NewEra

[Fan in Chicago]

6 minutes ago, SlimShady'sSpaceForce said:

 

 

 

There was some seriously jaw dropping plays going on from Allen. Needless to say, without Allen at the reins, the Bills lose this one by 10+ points. 

[Patrick Duffy]

25 minutes ago, billsfan1959 said:

 

I do think part of that was the fact that Rivers, on average, was getting the ball out of his hands in about 2.5 seconds. It is going to be tough to get any kind of consistent pressure in that amount of time. Rivers was killing us with fairly quick throws to his tight ends.

Agreed, Rivers is known for and has always gotten rid of the ball very quickly. On the other hand though the Bills D line still didn't get up in his face or put much pressure on him at all.

 

A lot of this I also would think with the lack of holding being flagged is a big advantage for an Oline too.