1/15/2023 Wildcard Weekend - Dolphins @ Bills - Post Game Thread

[newcam2012]

43 minutes ago, Buffalo Ballin said:

We got the Win. Eff it. Move on.

 

Our next game vs. Bengals will be different. Josh Allen is not fumbling the ball 3 times. He might just fumble it once, but not for loss. He's not going to throw 3 INTs either. I think just 1 INT. That's it.

 

I think this will be a low scoring game. It's going to be long and drawn out. Game will be filled with long sustaining drives to eat clock.

I disagree. That's not what we saw in the 5 minute preview game. I think the game will be very high scoring due to both defenses inability to stop the others offense. 

[newcam2012]

15 minutes ago, Markaf431 said:

So reading through all of this, someone correct me if I’m missing any of these amazing takes 

 

McDermott sucks and should be fired

Josh has been bad since week 6

We need a new RT, LT, LG

Groot should be benched for AJE

Dorsey should be fired (well ok, something needs to be done there)

 

listen I get it. It was an ugly game. We fell apart, but a couple of very important things to remember. 
 

playoff games, nothing matters except your score being higher than the other teams at the end. Done. 
 

We came out healthy

 

ugly wins are still wins. On to Cincinnati. 

 

Agree winning is all the ultimate goal. Plus, the Bills look to have escaped injuries while Cinci might not have. 

 

Both teams didn't look very good in their wins. Perhaps it's because they were both divisional opponents. 

 

I think it's safe to say both fan bases are very happy with the win but disappointed in their team's play. I expect both teams to play much better. Should be a great game.

[nosejob]

53 minutes ago, newcam2012 said:

I disagree. That's not what we saw in the 5 minute preview game. I think the game will be very high scoring due to both defenses inability to stop the others offense. 

The Bengals will blitz like crazy and we could see another 7 sacks and possibly a fumble /int...or 2 and we will only rush 4 and get picked apart. Letting Skyler Thompson put up 31 doesn't give me much hope facing Burrow. Seems like every time we blitz we have success. Sure would be nice to see it called on 3rd and longs, or a hell of a lot more than it is.

Edited January 16, 2023 by nosejob

[Ralonzo]

5 hours ago, John from Riverside said:

I think I saw James Cook almost smile

 

Is he Italian? Rumor is they don't smile after Bills wins.

 

I kid, I kid,

[ExiledInIllinois]

Who else are they gonna practice a home run game plan on?  Sure it almost backfired... But it didn't.  

 

No the other teams they meet gotta be wary of being stretched vertically downfield...

 

 

[Dablitzkrieg]

 

 

[newcam2012]

36 minutes ago, nosejob said:

The Bengals will blitz like crazy and we could see another 7 sacks and possibly a fumble /int...or 2 and we will only rush 4 and get picked apart. Letting Skyler Thompson put up 31 doesn't give me much hope facing Burrow. Seems like every time we blitz we have success. Sure would be nice to see it called on 3rd and longs, or a hell of a lot more than it is.

I don't think the Bengal defense can consistently stop the Bills offense. Despite the the oline weaknesses and lack of WR talent. The Bills should have great success. I believe they will run the ball well which will open up the passing game. The home field will help out too. I think we see a much better Allen. 

 

Conversely, I believe Burrow will find his open pass catchers. He will take his shots downfield in one on one situations too. The Bengal passing game presents major issues for the Bills. The Bills will have to get consistent pressure on Burrow and get his timing off. Perhaps, the Bills coaching staff can look at the Raven tape.

 

This looks like a classic heavyweight fight. 

Edited January 16, 2023 by newcam2012

[John from Riverside]

2 minutes ago, newcam2012 said:

I don't think the Bengal defense can consistently stop the Bills offense. Despite the the oline weaknesses and lack of WR talent. The Bills should have great success. I believe they will run the ball well which will open up the passing game. The home field will help out too. I think we see a much better Allen. 

 

Conversely, I believe Burrow will find his open pass catchers. He will take his shots downfield in one on one situations too. The Bengal passing game presents major issues for the Bills. The Bills will have to get consistent pressure on Burrow and get his timing off. Perhaps, the Bills coaching staff can look at the Raven tape.

 

This looks like a clasdic heavyweight fight. 

Blitzing borough more certainly isn’t the answer. He will pick that apart.

[LabattBlue]

Saw a very odd clip from the locker room after the game as they addressed the team, and I am paraphrasing…

 

McD…we are going to have to be a lot better to win from here on out

 

followed by…

 

Josh…survive and advance

 

 

[newcam2012]

3 minutes ago, John from Riverside said:

Blitzing borough more certainly isn’t the answer. He will pick that apart.

I think you can have timely blitzes. It looked like the Ravens brought some added pressure from time to time. Burrow gets the ball out quickly. The key is to get him off his timing and rhythm. Easier said than done. A Fraizer soft zone isn't likely to be effective as we saw on Monday night. The Bills coaching staff has to come up with a solid game plan. I was quite disappointed in what little I saw on that Monday night game. 

[nosejob]

16 minutes ago, John from Riverside said:

Blitzing borough more certainly isn’t the answer. He will pick that apart.

I think this is the biggest myth ever or at the very least a cover for a stubborn old D.C. I'd prefer upping the blitz% vs. getting no rush with just the front four and him having time to tie his shoes before throwing the ball.  No Jordan Phillips sure as hell doesn't help.  I was encouraged seeing some press man at the line yesterday. Hope to see more of that. knock off their timing.

Edited January 16, 2023 by nosejob

[Donuts and Doritos]

8 hours ago, Mango said:

The Bills have a whopping 3 more drops than KC. 3. This stat gets presenting like the difference is 23 drops between Buffalo and other good offenses. 
 

Also all those teams have a high frequency passing offenses that will inevitably produce more drops.

 

Here are the top QB’s with the most drops:

1. Rodgers

2. Allen

3. Brady

4. Lawrence

5. Tua/Miami

6. Daniel Jones

7. Mahomes

8. Herbert

9. Burrow

10. Browns

 

8 are in the playoffs and 8 are likely in the top 10 in the league. Surely we need to work on drops. But the gap between Allen, Mahomes, Burrow, etc. isn’t stifling. It’s 3 total dropped passes over 16/17 weeks.  That’s one every 5 games. 

 

 

 

I hear ya other teams have issues too, but the point was this wasn't an abnormality in this game, it's a season long issue that almost bit us in the tuchus. We're also #3 on the season in turnovers, #1 among playoff teams, & the difference there is more striking & also showed up today. They have to clean up the sloppy play. Let's hope they can do it. Go Bills! 👍

 

https://www.statmuse.com/nfl/ask/nfl-team-with-most-turnovers-2022

 

Edited January 16, 2023 by Donuts and Doritos

[Ralonzo]

12 minutes ago, nosejob said:

I think this is the biggest myth ever or at the very least a cover for a stubborn old D.C. I'd prefer upping the blitz% vs. getting no rush with just the front four and him having time to tie his shoes before throwing the ball.  No Jordan Phillips sure as hell doesn't help.  I was encouraged seeing some press man at the line yesterday. Hope to see more of that. knock off their timing.

 

I don't know about pressing Chase or Higgins, they are highly athletic to defeat press. Dolphins scheme favors disrupting the receivers timing, for instance, but if they can figure out how to solve those 20-yard hole shots on 3rd-and-18 the zone may be the way to go.

[newcam2012]

1 hour ago, John from Riverside said:

Blitzing borough more certainly isn’t the answer. He will pick that apart.

I agree. I never said or implied that blitzing Burrow more is the answer. Another poster did. However, I did say timely blitzing might be effective. I saw the Ravens bring LB Roquan Smith a few times. With good QBs like Burrows I don't think you can play the same defense over and over. You have to create some confusion and pressure. 

Edited January 16, 2023 by newcam2012

[UKBillFan]

Apologies as this has probably been posted already somewhere in the 48 pages, but interestingly McDermott has indicated he wasn't impressed with the deep plays to Davis in the fourth quarter, and specifically stated he thinks Dorsey would like the calls back, rather than Josh.

 

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/35456240/bills-josh-allen-bemoan-costly-turnovers-wild-card-win

 

Maybe I've missed them but can't recall McDermott openly calling out, for want of better phrase, a coordinator in this manner before.

[Warcodered]

 

[UKBillFan]

Just watching the fourth quarter on replay. I was only watching the ball first time round, so the constant deep balls infuriated me.

 

For the first deep ball there was someone free underneath in space. Yet, as it's first down, I don't mind going long and see what happens.

 

The second deep ball, yes there was someone on the sideline closer to Josh, but they were covered. Otherwise, the deep ball was the only option he really had but over-threw it.

 

Josh could have thrown it short before being sacked on the third down, but I don't think he expected the pocket to collapse as quickly as it did. It looked like he had space.

 

Ok the next series, there was the successful deep ball to Shakir, which no one will complain about because it was completed. 😁 Then Josh was careless with the ball, not helped by Dawkins being beaten by Chubb.

 

So looking back, and obviously knowing how things panned out, I'm maybe not quite as frustrated with the deep balls in the fourth as I was at the time. The first one could have been a checkdown. He had little option on the second and completed the third.

[Franco_92]

According to Sal, in the last 180 playoff games (16 years) only 7 teams allowed fewer yards per play than the Buffalo Bills did yesterday

[Low Positive]

Twitter is rampant with speculation that Mike McDaniel hit a vape pen during the game. You be the judge:

 

[Shemp]

17 hours ago, Sandhill Mike said:

Josh had that ball out there like a loaf of bread while running.  I get he's a strong dude and can palm a basketball, but it makes me nerrrrvous!

 

Especially seeing what happened at the end of the Baltimore-Cincinnati game...

[TheWei44]

Haven't gone through all the posts in this thread but to be clear, and it's pretty obvious, the offense almost lost us the game, not the defense.  7 points off strip sack/fumble recovery/TD, plus a lot points off INTs.  The Beasley INT was good defense and a lucky bounce for the Phins.  The offense had some amazingly good plays too but 7 sacks on Allen, fumble/TD, INTs are on the offense, of course.  That side of the ball was incredibly feast or famine.  And that's where we need to settle things down for the Bengals.  The two bombs to Davis in the 4th were utterly devoid of situational awareness - Maybe one bomb but two was very stupid.  Go Bills!!

Edited January 16, 2023 by TheWei44

[Warriorspikes51]

49 minutes ago, Warcodered said:

 

 

Why was Cook virtually out of the game after his TD? or am I imagining things

Edited January 16, 2023 by Warriorspikes51

[Mango]

2 hours ago, Donuts and Doritos said:

 

I hear ya other teams have issues too, but the point was this wasn't an abnormality in this game, it's a season long issue that almost bit us in the tuchus. We're also #3 on the season in turnovers, #1 among playoff teams, & the difference there is more striking & also showed up today. They have to clean up the sloppy play. Let's hope they can do it. Go Bills! 👍

 

https://www.statmuse.com/nfl/ask/nfl-team-with-most-turnovers-2022

 

We had some circus catches this game. Outside of the Beasley INT and maybe Brown’s (I don’t know the call), I thought our WR group as a whole had a good day. 

Ja’Mar Chase had a number of drops himself last night. The Bengals don’t have a WR problem that needs cleaning up. 

 

Edited January 16, 2023 by Mango

[Warriorspikes51]

2 minutes ago, TheWei44 said:

Haven't gone through all the posts in this thread but to be clear, and it's pretty obvious, the offense almost lost us the game, not the defense.  7 points off strip sack/fumble recovery/TD, plus a lot points off INTs.  The Beasley INT was good defense and a lucky bounce for the Phins.  The offense had some amazingly good plays too but 7 sacks on Allen, fumble/TD, INTs is on the offense, of course.  That side of the ball was incredibly feast or famine.  And that's where we need to settle things down for the Bengals.  The two bombs to Davis in the 4th completely were utterly devoid of situational awareness - Maybe one bomb but two was very stupid.  Go Bills!!

While I somewhat agree, the Dolphins were playing with fire there and so we tried to go for the kill...just didn't connect 
 

 

1 hour ago, UKBillFan said:

Apologies as this has probably been posted already somewhere in the 48 pages, but interestingly McDermott has indicated he wasn't impressed with the deep plays to Davis in the fourth quarter, and specifically stated he thinks Dorsey would like the calls back, rather than Josh.

 

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/35456240/bills-josh-allen-bemoan-costly-turnovers-wild-card-win

 

Maybe I've missed them but can't recall McDermott openly calling out, for want of better phrase, a coordinator in this manner before.

 

Sean should call himself out for calling timeouts in a fashion that was very close to costing us this game 

19 minutes ago, arcane said:

According to Sal, in the last 180 playoff games (16 years) only 7 teams allowed fewer yards per play than the Buffalo Bills did yesterday

 

That's wild. They still scored 31 

Edited January 16, 2023 by Warriorspikes51

[Franco_92]

6 minutes ago, Warriorspikes51 said:

That's wild. They still scored 31 

That's because, a string of 4 Bills offensive possessions went like this: 

1.) interception, returned like 50 yards deep into buffalo territory

2.) punt return 50+ yards deep into buffalo territory

3.) interception returned to 1st and goal

4.) strip sack fumble touchdown

 

 

[UKBillFan]

27 minutes ago, Warriorspikes51 said:

While I somewhat agree, the Dolphins were playing with fire there and so we tried to go for the kill...just didn't connect 
 

 

 

Sean should call himself out for calling timeouts in a fashion that was very close to costing us this game 

 

That's wild. They still scored 31 

 

Regarding the timeouts, I have sympathy with him on the second as the defense was out of alignment and could have easily given up yards or points. It's unfortunate there was a big play after he asked for it. The first one was more annoying.

[Blank Stare]

28 minutes ago, Warriorspikes51 said:

 

Why was Cook virtually out of the game after his TD? or am I imagining things

Motor out snapped him by quite a bit and Josh kept ripping it deep most of the game. Unless it was an actual run play, I hardly noticed any of the backs underneath in the pass game. I too wish they would use Cook more, but they like their vets. 

[FireChans]

52 minutes ago, Warriorspikes51 said:

 

Why was Cook virtually out of the game after his TD? or am I imagining things

 

15 minutes ago, TheProcess said:

Motor out snapped him by quite a bit and Josh kept ripping it deep most of the game. Unless it was an actual run play, I hardly noticed any of the backs underneath in the pass game. I too wish they would use Cook more, but they like their vets. 

They kept blitzing, Singletary is better in pass pro.

[CaliBills]

I still do NOT know how this is not helmet to helmet hit....

 

Before you respond, set the playback to .50 to it is a little slower. Dude straight up hits helmet to helmet..

 

 

Edited January 16, 2023 by CaliBills

[KOKBILLS]

Final 3 game stats for Bills vs. Miami...Brought to you without further comment...

 

First Downs - Bills 85 - Miami 51

Total Plays - Bills 233 - Miami 165

Total Yds - Bills 1366 - Miami 848

Passing Yds - Bills 994 - Miami 577

Rushing Yards - Bills 372 - Miami 271

[Donuts and Doritos]

2 hours ago, Mango said:

We had some circus catches this game. Outside of the Beasley INT and maybe Brown’s (I don’t know the call), I thought our WR group as a whole had a good day. 

Ja’Mar Chase had a number of drops himself last night. The Bengals don’t have a WR problem that needs cleaning up. 

 

 Bills had 3 turnovers Cinci had 1. I'll let the Bungles fans worry about cleaning up Chase's play, I'm focused on the Bills. Yes we need to clean it up.

[Rocky Landing]

After rewatching this game on NFL+, I find myself with a lot less to complain about than I did yesterday. In some ways, this game was a perfect example of the old axiom: On any given Sunday. Sometimes the ball bounces in your favor, and sometimes it doesn’t. Yesterday, It clearly bounced in the Dolphins favor, but the Bills held on regardless. 

 

Props to Mike McDaniel. They showed up to play, and McDaniel took a lot of risks to keep them in the game. By almost every metric, the Bills were clearly the better team, turnovers notwithstanding. The Bills’ total offense dwarfed the Dolphins’. The  biggest issue was, of course, the turnovers, and it’s hard not to fault the O-line for that discrepancy. 

 

The Dolphins threw the kitchen sink at the Bills in this game. There were numerous times they played cover zero, and at times rushed as many as seven. (In fact, I think there was a play where the Fish rushed eight!) It was a seven man rush when Allen burned them on that 55 yard bomb to Diggs. That cover zero, sub zone look was used effectively last season during the Bills’ annual mid-season slump, but I think Dorsey, Allen, and the offense know how to answer that now.

 

Some random thoughts on this game:

• IMO, the O-line, specifically the interior, was clearly the biggest issue in this game, and really for the whole season. But for all the complaints about the OL, they held up pretty well against multiple blitzes, including several seven-man rushes.
• For all those that have been calling for Cook over Motor, I believe that one does not replace the other. IMO, they are using them appropriately, and I think the TD with Cook, and the final play with Motor shows that. Motor was the right RB for that play, clearly.
• All that being said, Hines might be the best all-purpose back on the team. But I’m perfectly happy with the way these three are being used.
• I posited the question last week whether Knox could be mentioned in the conversation with some of the leagues best TEs, like Kelce, and Kittle. I’m beginning to think that he should be. It’s not just the big catches, and TDs that we all remember. He’s a complete TE that does everything a TE should really well.
• White’s been getting better every week.
• Elam is really developing into a special CB.
• Shakir hasn’t reached his ceiling. That’s great news for next season.
• Beasley still has it.
• In previous weeks, some posters have wondered if Davis is a WR who really shows up in the playoffs. And here he is!

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

EDIT: And not for nothing, the Bills emerged from this game relatively unscathed. The same cannot be said for the Bengals.

 

 

Edited January 16, 2023 by Rocky Landing

[st pete gogolak]

1 hour ago, KOKBILLS said:

Final 3 game stats for Bills vs. Miami...Brought to you without further comment...

 

First Downs - Bills 85 - Miami 51

Total Plays - Bills 233 - Miami 165

Total Yds - Bills 1366 - Miami 848

Passing Yds - Bills 994 - Miami 577

Rushing Yards - Bills 372 - Miami 271

I was going to make a similar comment.  Three games decided by 2, 3 and 3 points, yet the Bills had over 500 (!) more yards of offense!!  How is that even possible?  Amazing.  Sacks and turnovers tell part of the story (13 v. 8 and 5 v. 2) but even with that a couple of those games should have been Blls' blowouts.

[CEN-CAL17]

I understand it’s playoffs and the Refs let them play more somewhat….

 

But watch the last play by Miami, Elam breaks up the pass. But as Thompson steps out of the pocket watch how Miami’s RG just shoves Rousseau in the back straight to the ground. Rousseau May have been able to disrupt that pass, or if he doesn’t throw Rousseau could have had a sack.

 

Nope he was shoved straight to his face from behind right in front of the QB.

 

 

Glad Elam broke that up 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 16, 2023 by CEN-CAL17

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

1 minute ago, ScottLaw said:

But it’s really not something they’ve done at all this season… just a sloppy offensive football team… 

Yeah, I really don’t get it. They were very clean the last two prior seasons. 
 

I am less bothered with the turnovers from yesterday, and more frustrated with some of the “drops.” These receivers will make insane catches and then drop easier ones. Need some more consistency. 

[dollars 2 donuts]

I'll say it again, I was never worried we were going to lose at anytime and it is the most calm I have been through a game with some adversity in it all season.  

 

That said...guys, the Bills and Dolphins have got the mojo of a rivalry back again.

 

3 games.  2 point loss, 3 point victory on the final play, 3 point victory in the playoffs.  4 points separated these teams in 3 games, all year.

 

We could have won all three, and honestly we could have lost all three.

 

THAT is what brings a rivalry to life.  There has to be even just a bit of anxiety that you would lose to the other team.

 

Good stuff.

 

Go Bills.

 

 

Edited January 16, 2023 by dollars 2 donuts

[Big Turk]

Interesting that Marlowe admitted that he was not in the right place on the INT he ended getting and that he just tried to make the best of a bad situation...

 

Worked out pretty well in the end, maybe surprising Thompson that he was somewhere he wasn't expected to be...

[chongli]

 

[chongli]

 

[Dan]

14 hours ago, Rocky Landing said:

After rewatching this game on NFL+, I find myself with a lot less to complain about than I did yesterday. In some ways, this game was a perfect example of the old axiom: On any given Sunday. Sometimes the ball bounces in your favor, and sometimes it doesn’t. Yesterday, It clearly bounced in the Dolphins favor, but the Bills held on regardless. 

 

Props to Mike McDaniel. They showed up to play, and McDaniel took a lot of risks to keep them in the game. By almost every metric, the Bills were clearly the better team, turnovers notwithstanding. The Bills’ total offense dwarfed the Dolphins’. The  biggest issue was, of course, the turnovers, and it’s hard not to fault the O-line for that discrepancy. 

 

The Dolphins threw the kitchen sink at the Bills in this game. There were numerous times they played cover zero, and at times rushed as many as seven. (In fact, I think there was a play where the Fish rushed eight!) It was a seven man rush when Allen burned them on that 55 yard bomb to Diggs. That cover zero, sub zone look was used effectively last season during the Bills’ annual mid-season slump, but I think Dorsey, Allen, and the offense know how to answer that now.

 

Some random thoughts on this game:

• IMO, the O-line, specifically the interior, was clearly the biggest issue in this game, and really for the whole season. But for all the complaints about the OL, they held up pretty well against multiple blitzes, including several seven-man rushes.
• For all those that have been calling for Cook over Motor, I believe that one does not replace the other. IMO, they are using them appropriately, and I think the TD with Cook, and the final play with Motor shows that. Motor was the right RB for that play, clearly.
• All that being said, Hines might be the best all-purpose back on the team. But I’m perfectly happy with the way these three are being used.
• I posited the question last week whether Knox could be mentioned in the conversation with some of the leagues best TEs, like Kelce, and Kittle. I’m beginning to think that he should be. It’s not just the big catches, and TDs that we all remember. He’s a complete TE that does everything a TE should really well.
• White’s been getting better every week.
• Elam is really developing into a special CB.
• Shakir hasn’t reached his ceiling. That’s great news for next season.
• Beasley still has it.
• In previous weeks, some posters have wondered if Davis is a WR who really shows up in the playoffs. And here he is!

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

EDIT: And not for nothing, the Bills emerged from this game relatively unscathed. The same cannot be said for the Bengals.

 

 

I just rewatched the game as well.  And, like you, I feel much better about the way the Bills played.  A few observations:

 

The first quarter was all Buffalo.  They could do no wrong.  It was all smiles and sunshine.  I think that's when Josh and the boys start to get careless, lose focus and just wing it having fun.

 

Then came the disastrous 2nd quarter.  It started with the kick out of bounds.  Then Johnson was out of position and allowed Hill to get wide open and convert a 3rd and 19.   Milano misses a sure tackle and they convert another long 3rd down on a 2nd drive.  Josh's 2 interceptions, IMO, were not on him. Smoke stopped on his route and gave up position to the DB.  Beasely was mugged on his missed catch that bounced into the DBs hands.  Add in a long punt return with the lucky bounces and the game was tied.

 

I still think Diggs TD was a catch at the end of the half.  He had a hand on the ball and pinned it to his stomach.  The ball moved, but only because his body was moving.  Oh well.  
 

Then the 3rd quarter fumble for a TD.  This was on Josh and Singletary.  Singletary missed the blitzer and Josh just needs to tuck it in and take a sack some times.  This was that time.  That defensive TD ignited the Dolphins and they played on fire.  But after that… the Bills pretty much refocused, got to work and had a 10pt lead by the end of the 3rd quarter.

 

With a 2 score lead late in the 3rd, Frazier did what he does.  The D backed off and gave up a nice long, time consuming drive ending in a score.  I hate that!   A couple of back and forths in the 4th quarter with a great play by Elam and a monstrous 7 yard run to seal the win by Singletary.   Game over.  
 

I agree.  It was the definition of a sloppy game by a superior team that lets the underdog hang around and think they have a chance.  It almost cost us the season.  But i expect the team to be more focused next week.  Fortunately, we'll see how they play.