All-22 Grades for Bills/Dolphins (The Athletic)

[HappyDays]

 

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1. Jon Feliciano and the O-line played far better than it appeared

Despite the Bills missing starting right tackle Spencer Brown, the film revealed an excellent day almost across the board from a pass-blocking perspective. Feliciano took on a lot of responsibility this week, moving from left guard to right guard, and getting isolated in a one-on-one block most of the game while backup guard Ike Boettger often received help from center Mitch Morse. Feliciano had some regrettable plays in the third quarter, but more often than not he withstood the bull-rush efforts of the Miami pass rushers and kept the pocket clean. He even drew an illegal-hands-to-the-face penalty against the Dolphins while still keeping his assignment away from quarterback Josh Allen.

Left tackle Dion Dawkins was a standout for how well he controlled his one-on-one pass blocking assignments, basically being left on an island all game. The same goes for right tackle Daryl Williams, who moved to that position for the injured Brown and had his best game of the season. He looked quick out of his stance and rarely out of control. The Bills won almost every one-on-one pass blocking matchup against the Dolphins, and it led to a lot of good grades.

As pass blockers, the Bills’ offensive line was excellent. Boettger allowed one sack, while Feliciano and Williams allowed one pressure each, but that was it. Dawkins and Morse did not allow a single pressure. Two pressures by the entire unit is, by far, the best mark of the season by the Bills offensive line.

 

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2. What’s the deal with the Bills running game?

All of the pass-blocking efficiency is not to say that there aren’t problems with the running game and run blocking. There were problems, and they didn’t allow the Bills to be a multidimensional offense against the Dolphins. However, the issues go far deeper than the blocking in front of the running backs.

But Singletary and Moss deserve blame as well for poor vision and execution on some runs. On one play against Miami, Singletary clearly had the edge to his right side with blockers in front but wasn’t explosive or fast enough to exploit it. If it weren’t for one massive running lane against Miami’s middle-vacated defense for 13 yards — and a run that should have been bigger with a more explosive back — Singletary would have been closer to 2 yards per carry. Those things can’t be blamed solely on the offensive line.

In 2021, Singletary has the third-highest yards-before-contact average out of 47 players, and Moss is 19th.

It’s beginning to show, prominently, that the Bills lack a true dynamic runner who can do it all and need  Singletary or Moss to prove otherwise. When a defense is daring the Bills to run, and their backs lack the consistent vision, explosiveness or both to make them pay, it creates a huge dilemma for offensive coordinator Brian Daboll.

 

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3. Tre’Davious White was dominant
Not many quarterbacks are willing to throw consistently at cornerback Tre’Davious White anymore. Still, the Dolphins and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa took on the challenge, and White showed why he’s one of the top cornerbacks in the league. Whether against man coverage or zone, Tagovailoa couldn’t get anything past White.

He was also a consistent run defender and tackler who helped keep the Dolphins from pulling off big plays.

 

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4. Jerry Hughes and Mario Addison turn back the clock
Despite Tagovailoa’s proclivity for getting the ball out quickly, the edge pressure from the Bills was outstanding all game. Rookie Greg Rousseau had a good game, but the two most impressive pass rushers were veterans Jerry Hughes and Mario Addison. It didn’t matter if he was rushing from the right or left side, Hughes was crushing his opponent in pass-rushing situations. On one rep, he dipped underneath left tackle Liam Eichenberg and provided an instant pressure on Tagovailoa. However, the more significant development might be how well Addison played. Over the last several weeks, I’ve written that the Bills could be better off sitting Addison and allowing their younger players to get reps. That line of thinking was premature and incorrect, as Addison put together an excellent pass-rushing game against an offensive line the Bills needed to dominate. Addison formed a superb tandem with Hughes over the final three quarters and individually ended with five pressures, one sack and a pressure rate of 21.7 percent.

 

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5. Vernon Butler was unimpressive in his first game back

On 18 pass-rushing snaps, Butler did not have a single pressure, and he didn’t come particularly close. As a run defender, Butler didn’t hold the point of attack well and it opened up opportunities for the Dolphins.

 

Top 5 grades:

1) White (A)

2) Beasley (A-)

3) Oliver (A-)

4) Poyer (A-)

5) Williams (A-)

 

Bottom 5 grades (worst to 5th worst):

1) Butler (D+)

2) Sanders (D+)

3) Singletary (C)

4) Sweeney (C)

5) Boettger (C+)

[billsfan89]

Not shocked by the grades besides Mongo who I thought was not putting in the best game. Still interesting to see these All-22 breakdowns. 

[Doc]

Emmanuel Sanders was a D-?

[Warcodered]

Nice to hear that about Mongo now that he's out at least three weeks. 😢

[EmotionallyUnstable]

9 minutes ago, Doc said:

Emmanuel Sanders was a D-?

Missed blocks and TD reversing penalties. I can see it. Plus it’d be had a catch, maybe? 

[Augie]

7 minutes ago, EmotionallyUnstable said:

Missed blocks and TD reversing penalties. I can see it. Plus it’d be had a catch, maybe? 

 

My son kept texting me begging NOT to run those bubble screens to his side. I explained I am not in charge of that.  

[NewEra]

Tre played well but he wouldn’t have had nearly the grade he received if the Refs weren’t blind. He arrived and made contact before the ball on at least two occasions last week.  3 iirc

[Scott7975]

I don't have film and I can't read the full article, but I'm not sure I buy everything he says.  Is he telling me that Allen was only pressured a few times and the one sack?  He was pressured most of the first half.

[Allen2D̶i̶g̶g̶s̶TBD]

It seems like losing his RT spot to a rookie may have lit a fire under Daryl Williams. Hopefully he can keep up the improved performance with Spencer Brown banged up.

[LeGOATski]

6 minutes ago, Allen2Diggs said:

It seems like losing his RT spot to a rookie may have lit a fire under Daryl Williams. Hopefully he can keep up the improved performance with Spencer Brown banged up.

I think it was less of losing his spot and more of taking Ford's spot. I'm sure it was explained to him that they're trying to get the best 5 on the field.

14 minutes ago, Scott7975 said:

I don't have film and I can't read the full article, but I'm not sure I buy everything he says.  Is he telling me that Allen was only pressured a few times and the one sack?  He was pressured most of the first half.

I feel obligated to remind everyone every week that Joe B has no idea what he's talking about. 

[LeGOATski]

1 hour ago, NewEra said:

Tre played well but he wouldn’t have had nearly the grade he received if the Refs weren’t blind. He arrived and made contact before the ball on at least two occasions last week.  3 iirc

I agree, but it’s also exactly what they were coached to do. We saw in training camp how the DBs were being more aggressive. It's better to play like that and see if they call it than to play soft and give up a play.

 

If the refs end up calling it, then dial it back a bit. Kinda like the old adage "shoot first, ask questions later."

[Simon]

57 minutes ago, LeGOATski said:

It's better to play like that and see if they call it than to play soft and give up a play.

 

If the refs end up calling it, then dial it back a bit.

 

Yep, you got to push it right up to the line to find out where it is.

[MJS]

2 hours ago, NewEra said:

Tre played well but he wouldn’t have had nearly the grade he received if the Refs weren’t blind. He arrived and made contact before the ball on at least two occasions last week.  3 iirc

The defender has as much right to play the ball as does the receiver. The plays that I remember, White was playing the ball and the contact was legitimate because of that.

[StHustle]

1 hour ago, MJS said:

The defender has as much right to play the ball as does the receiver. The plays that I remember, White was playing the ball and the contact was legitimate because of that.

I think you're exactly right. If the defender is moving toward the ball to make a play on it and contacts the receiver before the ball gets there...its not a penalty.

[NewEra]

1 hour ago, MJS said:

The defender has as much right to play the ball as does the receiver. The plays that I remember, White was playing the ball and the contact was legitimate because of that.

You might be right on one or two of the plays. I remember one play where he went through him to get to the ball.  He was behind the WR.

1 minute ago, StHustle said:

I think you're exactly right. If the defender is moving toward the ball to make a play on it and contacts the receiver before the ball gets there...its not a penalty.

But you can’t go through the WR….or am I wrong here? Genuinely asking

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

5 hours ago, HappyDays said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Top 5 grades:

1) White (A)

2) Beasley (A-)

3) Oliver (A-)

4) Poyer (A-)

5) Williams (A-)

 

Bottom 5 grades (worst to 5th worst):

1) Butler (D+)

2) Sanders (D+)

3) Singletary (C)

4) Sweeney (C)

5) Boettger (C+)

 

The article also sated that after reviewing he was surprised himself they line graded out as well as it did considering all the negative comments, so he looked at two other sites , forget which ones it stated, that had similar grades as he had so felt they were valid.

[MJS]

1 hour ago, NewEra said:

You might be right on one or two of the plays. I remember one play where he went through him to get to the ball.  He was behind the WR.

But you can’t go through the WR….or am I wrong here? Genuinely asking

I guess I'd have to see the play in question again. You also can't interfere with the receiver's opportunity to catch the pass, so it is a balance for sure.

[Governor]

3 hours ago, MJS said:

The defender has as much right to play the ball as does the receiver. The plays that I remember, White was playing the ball and the contact was legitimate because of that.

The other play Tre was hanging on the WR’s back. It was definitely interference.

[Simon]

2 hours ago, NewEra said:

 

But you can’t go through the WR….or am I wrong here? Genuinely asking

 

You're right; can't go through a guy.

[Da webster guy]

Tre was amazing.   His best game of the year.   He's just born to play NFL cb.  The dude is sticky but doesnt blatantly hold, great ball instincts and timing, plays bigger than he is.

[Einstein]

7 hours ago, Doc said:

Emmanuel Sanders was a D-?

 

My suggestion - Dont take these grades seriously.

 

They're done by a guy that was a radio producer 5 years ago.

 

I don’t blame him for trying but I have no faith that he actually knows what he is seeing.

[Doc]

5 minutes ago, Da webster guy said:

Tre was amazing.   His best game of the year.   He's just born to play NFL cb.  The dude is sticky but doesnt blatantly hold, great ball instincts and timing, plays bigger than he is.

 

If Tre had 4.3 or even low 4.4 speed...

[Charles Romes]

Am I missing something. I thought the pass pro was really struggling in the first half. Josh had someone in his face instantly every play. 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

6 hours ago, Scott7975 said:

I don't have film and I can't read the full article, but I'm not sure I buy everything he says.  Is he telling me that Allen was only pressured a few times and the one sack?  He was pressured most of the first half.

 

It's not uncommon that Joe B sees things quite a bit differently than some others of us.

 

He can have good insights on the film, but I don't understand his grading system at all.

[Thurman#1]

4 hours ago, Charles Romes said:

Am I missing something. I thought the pass pro was really struggling in the first half. Josh had someone in his face instantly every play. 

 

 

He didn't say Allen never had pressures, I believe. He was referring to whether the OL gave up pressures. There's a difference there.

 

For example, if the backfield is empty and the TE goes out on a pass and the defense sends six against five OLs, and the OLs do their job, Allen will still have someone in his face even if the OLs all do a great job.

 

And the OL was outnumbered a lot in that game.

 

Joe is smart, and he knows what he's looking at.

 

12 hours ago, Doc said:

Emmanuel Sanders was a D-?

 

D+, not D-. Still, I also found that a bit surprising.

 

I don't remember him much that game, but four targets and zero catches is on the face of it not very good. Hard to know without going through and watching the film as Joe did. He certainly hasn't usually given Sanders low grades this year. Just the opposite. Through Week 6 and the Titans he had him cumulatively the 10th best on the team.

 

Edited November 7, 2021 by Thurman#1

[SMAKCruiser]

5 hours ago, Thurman#1 said:

 

 

He didn't say Allen never had pressures, I believe. He was referring to whether the OL gave up pressures. There's a difference there.

 

For example, if the backfield is empty and the TE goes out on a pass and the defense sends six against five OLs, and the OLs do their job, Allen will still have someone in his face even if the OLs all do a great job.

 

And the OL was outnumbered a lot in that game.

 

Joe is smart, and he knows what he's looking at.

 

 

D+, not D-. Still, I also found that a bit surprising.

 

I don't remember him much that game, but four targets and zero catches is on the face of it not very good. Hard to know without going through and watching the film as Joe did. He certainly hasn't usually given Sanders low grades this year. Just the opposite. Through Week 6 and the Titans he had him cumulatively the 10th best on the team.

 

Don't forget he had two catches in the game but McDermott chose to accept the penalty on the play because it resulted in a first down vs a short 2nd down