Gabe shines, the O-line dominates, and Cook adds another dimension

[Einstein]

1) This was my favorite Gabe Davis game since 13 seconds. He caught everything thrown his direction and his touchdown was a contested catch where he was popped at least twice by various defenders but STILL hung on to it. He also improvised on the over-the-top throw from Allen. He saw Allen escape the pocket and proceeded up-hill on the scramble drill and was rewarded with a long gain for his effort.

 

2) The o-line was magnificent. Especially Spencer Brown. The Raiders DE Max Crosby is a game wrecker and I forgot he was even playing most of the game. Spencer Brown completely neutralized him. Outside of Torrence getting beat late in the second half, the line was near perfect. Run blocking was *chefs kiss* too.

 

3) Cook is the RB this offense has been missing. Singletary did not have the speed or burst or reflexes to turn the inside handoffs into outside runs where a runner can turn the corner and gain a good chunk of yards. I still appreciate Singletary for who he is and was, but I am very happy to have Cook.  Then you throw in Latavius Murray to be a battering ram at the goal line and it’s just beautiful.

 

4) Here is Allen’s pass chart. Only 2 throws over 20 yard the entire day:

 

 

Great game. Go Bills!

 

 

Edited September 18, 2023 by Einstein

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

1 hour ago, Einstein said:

1) This was my favorite Gabe Davis game since 13 seconds. He caught everything thrown his direction and his touchdown was a contested catch where he was popped at least twice by various defenders at least twice but STILL hung on to it. He also improvised on the over-the-top throw from Allen. He saw Allen escape the pocket and proceeded up-hill on the scramble drill and was rewarded with a long gain for his effort.

 

2) The o-line was magnificent. Especially Spencer Brown. The Raiders DE Max Crosby is a game wrecker and I forgot he was even playing most of the game. Spencer Brown completely neutralized him. Outside of Torrence getting beat late in the second half, the line was near perfect. Run blocking was *chefs kiss* too.

 

3) Cook is the RB this offense has been missing. Singletary simply did not have the speed or burst or reflexes to turn inside handoffs into outside runs where a runner can turn the corner and gain a good chunk of yards. I still appreciate Singletary for who he is and was, but I am very happy to have Cook.  Then you grow in Latavius Murray to be a battering ram at the goal line and it’s just beautiful.

 

Great game. Go Bills!

 

 

 

Brown had some double team help from TE, but agree he and line overall looked solid.  Question is it because they weren't facing Jets line or they just figured things out.  Likely answer is somewhere in the middle.  Likely won't face many teams as good as Jet's defense. 85 Bears, just ask them!

[Low Positive]

I really like that draw play where Josh rolled to his left and handed it to Cook. That's a play that I don't think we saw last week.

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

4 minutes ago, Ed_Formerly_of_Roch said:

 

Brown had some double team help from TE, but agree he and line overall looked solid.  Question is it because they weren't facing Jets line or they just figured things out.  Likely answer is somewhere in the middle.  Likely won't face many teams as good as Jet's defense. 85 Bears, just ask them!

Brown was helped by the refs too. He was holding Crosby quite a bit and it wasn’t called. (But the refs didn’t call it either way today— just let them play for the most part).

[Einstein]

2 minutes ago, Miyagi-Do Karate said:

Brown was helped by the refs too. He was holding Crosby quite a bit and it wasn’t called. (But the refs didn’t call it either way today— just let them play for the most part).

 

I have noticed that refs league wide are allowing o-lines to get away with holding. I heard a radio personality speculate that it was because the league is short on great o-linemen and the NFL understands that d-lines have an advantage right now. High scoring games draw ratings.

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

Just now, Einstein said:

 

I have noticed that refs league wide are allowing o-lines to get away with holding. I heard a radio personality speculate that it was because the league is short on great o-linemen and the NFL understands that d-lines have an advantage right now. High scoring games draw ratings.

I prefer that. I like the college way of reffing. They just mostly let them play, especially on holding and PI. Just call the super egregious stuff. 

[ColoradoBills]

It was an all around team win.  The kind of win we know that the talent on the team can achieve.

Keep doing what they did until someone figures out how to counter it and then come up with a new look.

 

Teams move up to stop the short stuff and Josh has the long ball again, as a case in point.

[Chaos]

4 minutes ago, ColoradoBills said:

It was an all around team win

if last weeks loss of a game which was tied at the end of regulation was entirely Josh's fault.  Today's win is entirely Josh's win:
83.8% completion, 124.5 passer rating are why the rest of the offense looked good.  (I mostly jest, last weeks was a team loss, this week was a team win)

[CSBill]

A get right game, and they did. Now we move forward with confidence. 

[ColoradoBills]

1 minute ago, Chaos said:

if last weeks loss of a game which was tied at the end of regulation was entirely Josh's fault.  Today's win is entirely Josh's win:
83.8% completion, 124.5 passer rating are why the rest of the offense looked good.  (I mostly jest, last weeks was a team loss, this week was a team win)

 

I will stand by my post.  Josh took advantage and threw the ball to the guys who were open and

there was a lot of RAC yards this game.

 

D played very well and the running game was working too.

 

Josh played a great game too.

[Don Otreply]

What we all wanted to see happen, happened, a well executed game, 

 

GO BILLS!!!

[Rocbillsfan1]

The thing about Davis today is he could do what he and Allen excel at and that’s sandlot football and making something out of nothing. I think he only had 1 catch where it wasn’t a broken play and he had a good route that was thrown on time. Also seemed like they were in zone and he was allowed to just find the soft spots and then move around. When he has to run crisp routes with man to man is when he really struggles. 

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

1 hour ago, Miyagi-Do Karate said:

Brown was helped by the refs too. He was holding Crosby quite a bit and it wasn’t called. (But the refs didn’t call it either way today— just let them play for the most part).

 

Speaking of help by the refs, I never say anything like that call against Benford think it was for PI, then ruled no foul.   Watching it live, I thought it was a penalty, couldn't believe they picked up the flag

[Franco_92]

14 minutes ago, Ed_Formerly_of_Roch said:

 

Speaking of help by the refs, I never say anything like that call against Benford think it was for PI, then ruled no foul.   Watching it live, I thought it was a penalty, couldn't believe they picked up the flag

I agree with you the way the rules are written, but it is an infuriating outcome that poorly-thrown balls into good coverage can cause 40 yard penalties just because the DB is doing his job to keep up with the WR who now has to stop. You are basically punishing a guy for playing good man coverage

[Eastport bills]

Gabe is good receiver and whether he’s a #2 or a 3, who cares. He shows when we need him(playoffs or a must win like today) Just give him some touches and he’ll produce.  

[John from Riverside]

This game plan would’ve beat the Jets

[Aussie Joe]

2 minutes ago, John from Riverside said:

This game plan would’ve beat the Jets

Along with Allen’s composure today..

[WideNine]

1 hour ago, Miyagi-Do Karate said:

Brown was helped by the refs too. He was holding Crosby quite a bit and it wasn’t called. (But the refs didn’t call it either way today— just let them play for the most part).

 

Saw that headlock he put on Max on one play too when he was able to get inside him.

 

How penalties are called does depend a lot on the officiating crew.

 

And you are right, they were not calling those on either team.

 

I thought Brown did do a better job getting off his heels, closing, and using his hands and leverage better.

 

 

 

 

4 minutes ago, Aussie Joe said:

Along with Allen’s composure today..

 

Considering we turned the ball over four times vs the Jets and still took the game to OT... yeah, that was a very winnable game.

 

 

 

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

22 minutes ago, arcane said:

I agree with you the way the rules are written, but it is an infuriating outcome that poorly-thrown balls into good coverage can cause 40 yard penalties just because the DB is doing his job to keep up with the WR who now has to stop. You are basically punishing a guy for playing good man coverage

totally agree.  You are penalizing good coverage and rewarding a bad throw usually (underthrown ball). 
 

my solution is for the NFL rule book to say that an underthrown ball is not catchable for purposes of PI. As a receiver, if you have to come back into a DB like that, it shouldn’t be deemed catchable. 

[NewEra]

46 minutes ago, Ed_Formerly_of_Roch said:

 

Speaking of help by the refs, I never say anything like that call against Benford think it was for PI, then ruled no foul.   Watching it live, I thought it was a penalty, couldn't believe they picked up the flag

That was a great play by Benford.  I thought it was pi at first too.  But  after rewatching. It was perfect coverage.  Very little contact 

Edited September 18, 2023 by NewEra

[finn]

Did we just see a game with competent, fair officiating? 

[hondo in seattle]

I think all three backs looked good today, though Cook was the most dynamic.

 

I thought it was interesting the way Dorsey intermixed the backs.  I didn't think anything Dorsey did last week was interesting at all.  

[Simon]

47 minutes ago, NewEra said:

That was a great play by Benford.  I thought it was pi at first too.  But  after rewatching. It was perfect coverage.  Very little contact 

 

His balance, discipline and self-control there were extraordinary.

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

1 hour ago, NewEra said:

That was a great play by Benford.  I thought it was pi at first too.  But  after rewatching. It was perfect coverage.  Very little contact 

 

I do agree seeing slow motion on replay it didn't look as bad.  But still shocked they picked it up.

[ChronicAndKnuckles]

3 hours ago, Chaos said:

if last weeks loss of a game which was tied at the end of regulation was entirely Josh's fault.  Today's win is entirely Josh's win:
83.8% completion, 124.5 passer rating are why the rest of the offense looked good.  (I mostly jest, last weeks was a team loss, this week was a team win)

It was not entirely Josh’s win. Cook had a hundred yard game and the defense played lights out. The o-line and special teams both also played a very solid game. This is 100% a team effort and I’m super glad. 

[Cray51]

1 hour ago, John from Riverside said:

This game plan would’ve beat the Jets

I don’t think the game plan was all that different.  The execution was

[Jerome007]

Dorsey deserves the credit (and Josh for playing along). Seriously, ALL the things we have been clamoring about, short throws, more run plays, screens, short throws to Cook so he runs outside the box, misdirections and on and on, he dit it ALL. Suddenly, the OLine looks amazing. Not that they weren't, but these types of plays help them, and that's the way it should be. Brown indeed had his best game ever so far IMO.

 

Josh could be Josh on broken plays, like the throw to Davis while running towards the sideline, and that amazing TD pass to Shakir. BTW I don't think they can keep being "that safe" and do only short game stuff from now on, but it can always be used and just adds to the nightmare of defending that offense!

 

 

Edited September 18, 2023 by Jerome007

[Simon]

1 minute ago, Jerome007 said:

BTW I don't think they can keep being "that safe" and do only short game stuff from now on

 

Why?

Do you think teams are going to start sitting on it? With that cannon standing back there?

I kind of hope they do...

[Bubba Gump]

1 hour ago, Jerome007 said:

BTW I don't think they can keep being "that safe" and do only short game stuff from now on, but it can always be used and just adds to the nightmare of defending that offense!

 

 

 

That game plan seemed to work pretty good for the Pats and Brady. 6 Superbowls playing that way in NE??

[Big Blitz]

After the first series and then the Milano INT, they came out with Murray - it completely changed the complexion of the game that I’m not sure the Raiders expected. 

Allen to Diggs for 5 

 

Murray for 8 yards first down.  
 

Then Allen did Allen things.  
 

Then Murray 4 yards, TD. 

 

Murray started the next drive to.  On that drive the only runs were Murray, an 11 yard run from Harris.  

 

14-7 Bills end of Q 1. 
 

Then they went back to featuring Cook and he played well.  
 

Maybe the change up early on sparked him.   
 

Just thought it was a great move to not mess around and get the ground game going.  

[Buffalo716]

5 hours ago, FrenchConnection said:

I really like that draw play where Josh rolled to his left and handed it to Cook. That's a play that I don't think we saw last week.

We actually did run it on 2nd and 15 in overtime 

 

It's actually the most frequent James Cook run attempt out of shotgun.. he doesn't get inside zones he gets that scramble draw

[Mikie2times]

3 hours ago, hondo in seattle said:

I think all three backs looked good today, though Cook was the most dynamic.

 

I thought it was interesting the way Dorsey intermixed the backs.  I didn't think anything Dorsey did last week was interesting at all.  

I still think Harris can do some great things for us. He really hasn’t been used much after being hurt in the preseason. Murray can set it up well for Cook. Murray being more of a physical plodder at this point. 

[ColoradoBills]

2 hours ago, Simon said:

 

Why?

Do you think teams are going to start sitting on it? With that cannon standing back there?

I kind of hope they do...

 

When those safeties pinch in Josh will go over their heads.

[SoTier]

8 minutes ago, Mikie2times said:

I still think Harris can do some great things for us. He really hasn’t been used much after being hurt in the preseason. Murray can set it up well for Cook. Murray being more of a physical plodder at this point. 

 

Agree.  I think that the improved guard play complements of Torrence and McGovern enabled Murray and Harris to be effective on inside runs, which the Bills weren't last season.   I think that Harris will be the RB to keep defenses honest since he's fast enough to run off tackle consistently too, so that Ds can't assume that only Cook will run outside.   I liked that the Bills had a real running game today -- and that Allen was simply a complementary piece rather than the major piece.

 

[Sierra Foothills]

44 minutes ago, Big Blitz said:

After the first series and then the Milano INT, they came out with Murray - it completely changed the complexion of the game that I’m not sure the Raiders expected. 

 

Exactly. It wasn't until after Murray got snaps that Cook started playing at a higher level.

 

40 minutes ago, Mikie2times said:

I still think Harris can do some great things for us. He really hasn’t been used much after being hurt in the preseason. Murray can set it up well for Cook. Murray being more of a physical plodder at this point. 

 

Harris looked excellent on that kickoff return. I didn't think of him as a guy who could help us in the return game but he looked very comfortable and competent on that play.

 

The beauty of this game wasn't the win or the margin of the win. It was that everything the Bills contemplated for their offseason moves came to fruition. The specific roles of each player played out exactly as they forsaw. The upgrades at both guard positions enabled them to run the ball effectively and create a stronger interior pocket. Their faith in Gabriel Davis was rewarded. Kincaid is doing exactly what they wanted from him. Cook has made the next step in his development. Latavius and Damien Harris have made exactly the contributions they were expected to make. Leonard Floyd has been an excellent addition and Greg Rousseau is fulfilling his promise. Terrell Bernard has allayed most of the concerns about his suitability for the position. The only players who haven't yet met expectations are Harty and Sherfield but they'll always be on the fringe, competing for touches with Shakir.

 

Clearly after last season there was a lot of self-scouting and honest soul searching by McBeane. The team they envisioned during the offseason came into sharp focus today and that (and Josh's play) was what I was most happy about.

 

 

[Special K]

2 hours ago, Simon said:

 

Why?

Do you think teams are going to start sitting on it? With that cannon standing back there?

I kind of hope they do...

 

Exactly....instead of Josh getting frustrated and throwing deep into double coverage, just keep taking the underneath stuff until its the Defense that gets frustrated and changes their coverage, then take your shots down the field.

[Gunsgoodtime]

I dont understand your language, but I agree.  We dominated the line

[Simon]

36 minutes ago, Sierra Foothills said:

Exactly. It wasn't until after Murray got snaps that Cook started playing at a higher level.

 

I hope that young man picked up a lasting lesson about running to the goalline today. 

[Not at the table Karlos]

12 hours ago, FrenchConnection said:

I really like that draw play where Josh rolled to his left and handed it to Cook. That's a play that I don't think we saw last week.

If it's the play I'm thinking of we ran it a lot against the jets. Had some success early but once they saw it a bunch of worked less and less. 

[Matt_In_NH]

11 hours ago, NewEra said:

That was a great play by Benford.  I thought it was pi at first too.  But  after rewatching. It was perfect coverage.  Very little contact 

I thought he affected him with his arm before the ball got there...pretty sure if that was on Diggs the sentiment here would be the opposite.