Good Night / Bad Night - Pre-season Game 2

[SCBills]

Was that game really warranting of a Schefter tweet?

 

 

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

1 hour ago, LEBills said:

Not a Jake Fromm type, but someone with a good arm...

 

Listen, pal, everyone eventually needs insurance.  And like a good neighbour, Jake Fromm is there. 🤨

(Offer not available in certain areas of Florida and California.)

4 minutes ago, SCBills said:

Was that game really warranting of a Schefter tweet?

 

 

Remember, it's not a final decree until Schefter chimes in. 🤔🤨

[Nuncha]

5 hours ago, oldmanfan said:

Don’t know that I’d give thumbs up to anyone other than Shavers.  Agree with all your thumbs down but would add Hamlin,  our rookie DT Walker - he has to learn to play with his pads lower, and Codrington.  I think they want a returner that can also back up a position on the field and Codrington showed he’s not capable of playing corner.

 

All in all a lot of guys put their potential of playing in the NFL in jeopardy.

 

 

Robbins punted well.  He had plenty of opportunities. 

[MikePJ76]

Hancock making a nice play here sniffing out the run and filling the lane and making the tackle.

 

 

[MikePJ76]

Hancock again with a nice play to stay clean and slow down the back.

 

 

[Rich Stadium Original]

I haven't watched the all - 22 or anything, be it seemed as though the linebackers were not getting deep enough into their drop backs quick enough(see:Andreeson in particular) and with the safeties playing such a deep cover 2 shell, the middle of the field seemed absolutely wide open.  Not sure if its schematic issues with the safeties, or if they are just slow in recognition and reaction...the Bills never clogged up the middle of the field forcing throws to the outside, and you saw the results

[BuffaloBillyG]

6 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

First of all nobody should freak out. McDermott did say before the joint practice he would decide after it how to treat this game. By all accounts the Bills showed well in practice and as such they sat a ton of guys here. The Bears were playing a team, or a team and a half above the Bills all night.... but there were some things that could be taken from it..... even if my first reaction was "Wow... gotta find five "good nights" out of that!" Anyway, glad I only stayed up for the first quarter before going to sleep. Have watched the rest of the game this morning so here goes:

 

Good Night for...

 

Brad Robbins - Yes, it was that kinda night.... the first place by head goes is the punter played well! But just generally through the two pre-season games so far I have been impressed with Robbins. It is worth reminding yourself that he was actually drafted in 2023 by the Bengals but lost the job after one year. I wonder if he has benefitted from the year off because his leg looks plenty strong right now and there were two well judged shorter punts downed inside the 20 too. I'll add to it the coverage units have been pretty decent through two pre-season games when traditionally it is tougher to get that right with guys cycling through. 

 

Laviska Shenault - Three solid returns averaging 28 yards and he did look decisive on them. I don't think he is separating himself from Codrington yet (he had two for 27.5 average) and the competition still rages but the fact that Curtis Samuel can't get on the field and Elijah Moore can't catch a dump off means there is a potential gap there for a shifty, gimmick style receiver - something they might think Shenault can offer in addition to his returning. Not ready to say he is making the roster right now, but I have been pretty sniffy about his chances since he signed and my position is softening somewhat.

 

Tyrell Shavers - The reason Shenault needs one of Samuel or Moore to fall by the wayside is Shavers. He just continues to perform, is out there as a gunner on special teams, made a nice catch on a back shoulder throw from Mike White and looks like a guy who can run routes outside (as has been much discussed the Bills are overloaded with guys who prefer to play the slot). He is getting closer and closer to the 53. We have had guys like this feel like they have made it before under this regime only to end up on the cutting room floor but I think Shavers is trending towards making it. 

 

Frank Gore Jnr - Okay he had the fumble on a catch in the redzone that ended the Bills best drive in the 3rd quarter. But on a night where so many guys sucked and played at half speed Frank Gore went out there second half and played like it was the Superbowl. Ran hard, made himself available in the pass game and put his body on the line as a blocker. He ended with 81 of the Bills 180 offensive yards. He is kind of the perfect practice squad back in that he doesn't have special traits that are likely to get him poached but he is an absolute pro. If the Bills had a running back go down in year and had to call Gore up to the roster he would not let them down. 

 

Challenges - McDermott won a challenge! Hey, I was running out of positives..... 

 

 

Bad Night for...

 

Cole Bishop - Can't start anywhere else. He was the one likely starter that suited up for the Bills on defense, he played one drive and ended it giving up a touchdown after being lost and late in coverage again. Yes - he ended up on a slot receiver, tough matchup. But this wasn't a guy just out doing him athletically. He was in the wrong position, slow to read it and slow to react before the athleticism even became a factor. And this was not some super complex defensive call either, it looked like pretty vanilla single high with Bishop as the box safety (which is the role he is generally more comfortable in and played more in college). I'm really worried about his coverage struggles. It looks too much for him mentally to me.

 

Joe Andreessen - Possibly the first time since the train left the station last summer that someone has pumped the breaks but that was a rough half of football for Buffalo Joe. Again getting the start as the 2nd string MLB he struggled with Ben Johnson's play action calls - was not getting his depths right, was attacked in zone coverage and then made a mental mistake in man coverage too and dropped his guy. The suspicion has been there throughout that he is a bit more of an AJ Klein type who is a lot happier moving forwards than backwards but the Bears might be the first team to have really exposed it.

 

Mike White - I am not here to tell you Mitch Trubisky is good, but he is better than this. White's accuracy is a total lottery ticket. I will give him his props, I like how he stands in there and is willing to take a hit to get the ball off but he just misses too many throws. He didn't get a ton of help, I admit, but 4/11 for 54 yards with the 2nd string receivers and the best collection of offensive linemen the Bills had active was not a great statement in the backup QB battle.

 

Ryan Van Demark - It's been a good pre-season for Vandy to this point, he started camp splitting time with Tylan Grable at right tackle in Spencer Brown's absence and then has switched over to the left with Dion missing a couple of practices and he played well in pre-season game one. However, this was a poor outting. Two false starts on the first drive set the tone and it seemed to affect him because I thought he was chasing his blocks a bit after that and it affected his balance and technique.

 

Zach Davidson - This guy is toast. The drops last week, two bad penalties that wiped out chunk plays this week. It's over. 

 

 

Pick the bones out of that if you dare folks.... one more to go!

 

 

Haven't read every page yet, but here are my thoughts. 

 

I thought Hancock had a very solid night. I'd love to see him get some reps with the first team and see how he does.

 

I was hard on Landon Jackson last week, but I will say he did better. He went from stinking out loud to blending in and being largely unnoticeable. I suppose that's progress. 

 

I said in the beginning of the off season that Shavers had a real path to the 53 man roster in a Kumerow/Sherfield/Hollins type role. I think he's on that path. In addition to his STs ability, he does something we don't see many others do routinely...he creates space down field, can track the ball and catch it.

 

Some guys I think really hurt themselves. Mike White, IMO, played himself off the roster last night. There are going to be some young QBs on the waiver wire soon. I'd love to see the Bills poach one of them and dump White/Buechelle as the practice squad arm. 

 

RVD. I like the kid, and he's a fine replacement level tackle. But, he was passed on the depth chart last year by Grable and I don't see him leaping ahead. He's also got almost zero position flexibility. He's ok at LT, struggles at RT and does not play inside. 

 

I really wish there was a way we could keep baby Gore on the 53. Love the way he runs. But Cook and Johnson are locked in and Davis isn't getting cut. 

 

 

 

 

[SoCal Deek]

2 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

 

No. He challenged a Bears "catch" and won the challenge it was incomplete

I must have dosed off. 😂

[Walking Tall]

When the best thing you can say about a player is “he is familiar with the system”, you are in trouble.

 

Hamlin and Bishop come to mind.

[Fan in Chicago]

23 minutes ago, BuffaloBillyG said:

 

I thought Hancock had a very solid night. I'd love to see him get some reps with the first team and see how he does.

 

I was hard on Landon Jackson last week, but I will say he did better. He went from stinking out loud to blending in and being largely unnoticeable. I suppose that's progress. 

 

I said in the beginning of the off season that Shavers had a real path to the 53 man roster in a Kumerow/Sherfield/Hollins type role. I think he's on that path. In addition to his STs ability, he does something we don't see many others do routinely...he creates space down field, can track the ball and catch it.

 

Agreed on both Hancock and Shavers. 

I too had thought that if Shavers continues a good camp with plays in the preseason, he will have a path to the 53. My hot take is that he edges out Curtis Samuel (availability vs ability). He not only made that very good back shoulder catch but had beat his man on at least a couple of plays but the QB over threw him. 

[D. L. Hot-Flamethrower]

40 minutes ago, BuffaloBillyG said:

Haven't read every page yet, but here are my thoughts. 

 

I thought Hancock had a very solid night. I'd love to see him get some reps with the first team and see how he does.

 

I was hard on Landon Jackson last week, but I will say he did better. He went from stinking out loud to blending in and being largely unnoticeable. I suppose that's progress. 

 

I said in the beginning of the off season that Shavers had a real path to the 53 man roster in a Kumerow/Sherfield/Hollins type role. I think he's on that path. In addition to his STs ability, he does something we don't see many others do routinely...he creates space down field, can track the ball and catch it.

 

Some guys I think really hurt themselves. Mike White, IMO, played himself off the roster last night. There are going to be some young QBs on the waiver wire soon. I'd love to see the Bills poach one of them and dump White/Buechelle as the practice squad arm. 

 

RVD. I like the kid, and he's a fine replacement level tackle. But, he was passed on the depth chart last year by Grable and I don't see him leaping ahead. He's also got almost zero position flexibility. He's ok at LT, struggles at RT and does not play inside. 

 

I really wish there was a way we could keep baby Gore on the 53. Love the way he runs. But Cook and Johnson are locked in and Davis isn't getting cut. 

 

 

 

 

I agree he needs to be given an opportunity.

[Shaw66]

7 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

 

Bad Night for...

 

Cole Bishop - Can't start anywhere else. He was the one likely starter that suited up for the Bills on defense, he played one drive and ended it giving up a touchdown after being lost and late in coverage again. Yes - he ended up on a slot receiver, tough matchup. But this wasn't a guy just out doing him athletically. He was in the wrong position, slow to read it and slow to react before the athleticism even became a factor. And this was not some super complex defensive call either, it looked like pretty vanilla single high with Bishop as the box safety (which is the role he is generally more comfortable in and played more in college). I'm really worried about his coverage struggles. It looks too much for him mentally to me.

 

Joe Andreessen - Possibly the first time since the train left the station last summer that someone has pumped the breaks but that was a rough half of football for Buffalo Joe. Again getting the start as the 2nd string MLB he struggled with Ben Johnson's play action calls - was not getting his depths right, was attacked in zone coverage and then made a mental mistake in man coverage too and dropped his guy. The suspicion has been there throughout that he is a bit more of an AJ Klein type who is a lot happier moving forwards than backwards but the Bears might be the first team to have really exposed it.

 

Mike White - I am not here to tell you Mitch Trubisky is good, but he is better than this. White's accuracy is a total lottery ticket. I will give him his props, I like how he stands in there and is willing to take a hit to get the ball off but he just misses too many throws. He didn't get a ton of help, I admit, but 4/11 for 54 yards with the 2nd string receivers and the best collection of offensive linemen the Bills had active was not a great statement in the backup QB battle.

 

Ryan Van Demark - It's been a good pre-season for Vandy to this point, he started camp splitting time with Tylan Grable at right tackle in Spencer Brown's absence and then has switched over to the left with Dion missing a couple of practices and he played well in pre-season game one. However, this was a poor outting. Two false starts on the first drive set the tone and it seemed to affect him because I thought he was chasing his blocks a bit after that and it affected his balance and technique.

 

 

 

 

These guys really stood out. 

 

Bishop. I wasn't just the touchdown; it was on one or two earlier plays, too. Off the ball, late to react, no closing speed.  He is no place close to ready.

 

Moore. Oh, I've been so hoping he'd make an impact, waiting for him to show something special. Instead, he looked like just another joe, and then the drop. I'm ready to let him go and put Shavers on the 53. 

 

White. Maybe it was the camera angle, or some other quirk in how the picture looked to me, but I could sworn that while he was on the field, the actual quarterback on the field, White yawned between plays.  Whether he did or not, that summed up how a feel about White. Total lack of energy. He seems to be working so hard to be steady, no highs and lows, that he's actually numb to what's going on out there.  He seems to think executing is knowing what to do and then going through the motions to do it. Trubisky has some passion and some brains.  He's my guy now. 

 

Van Demark. Sorry, the false starts were just unbelievable. Two or three years on the team (whatever) and he doesn't know how to get off on a silent count?  

 

 

I watched only the first half.  Best thing I saw, by far, was Dorian Williams playing like he was on fire.  Everyone else seemed to be sleepwalking, and Williams was playing with passion. 

[SectionC3]

1 hour ago, HappyDays said:

Bad night for the young defensive linemen. Really all of them - Sanders, Walker, Jackson, Solomon, Carter.

 

Sanders and Walker in particular I was hoping to see them build off a good showing last week and instead they mostly laid an egg. Disappointing to see them struggle when the Bears had their starting OL out there, more disappointing when it continued even when their 2nd and 3rd stringers got on the field. Walker had that one really good pass rush at the end of the 1st half, other than that I saw him get out leveraged all night. Sanders was getting blown off the ball on combo blocks and in general was just totally ineffective pushing the pocket. Oh well. I was probably getting my expectations too high after their performance last week. I expect both to look better when they are used situationally and with established players next to them instead of fellow rookies.

 

Carter continues to look like a complete bust. If you watched the game blind and didn't know he was a 3rd round pick last year you wouldn't think he was going to make the roster. This is a guy they are hoping to be their backup 1T this season presumably with an ability to take on doubles and shed blocks, and instead he is getting stonewalled by a 3rd string RG as the RB runs right past him for their 5th TD of the night.

 

Solomon I didn't watch as closely as the DTs but when I did see him he was getting walled off and was getting no push. I saw one good rep where he at least walked the RT back but I'd hoped to see more from a player that reportedly had a good training camp. Landon Jackson I'll say it at least wasn't as abysmal a performance as he had last week, so baby steps and all that, but still doesn't look like a player that deserves to dress on game days and that is a poor outcome for a high 3rd round pick.

 

The young DL was the primary thing, maybe the only thing, I really cared about last night and I came away disappointed to say the least. None of these guys are starters but they are all supposed to play important roles this season so I wanted to see more flashes.

 

I thought Walker was OK, but otherwise I agree with you.  Jackson, especially, looks rough. 

[syhuang]

 

 

 

 

[Mat68]

Dane Jackson, Codrington and Mike White I think played themselves to PS at best.  Buffalo Joe is in all sorts of trouble.  For as athletic and instinctive he is moving forward he is the opposite when moving backwards in pass defense. Dorian Williams is better at what Joe is good at.  Seems like 2 deep is Benard, Milano, Williams and Shaq Thompson.  Joe is now in the fight with Ulifossio and surprisingly Jenkins for a roster spot imo.   
 

Hamlin is a drop Zone saftey.  I doubt the staff trusts Hancock more than him just yet.  I think Hancock looks the most natural in the hybrid safety role that Hyde once played.  His total feel for the scheme isn't quite there yet.  But man he is coming.  

[HappyDays]

11 minutes ago, SectionC3 said:

I thought Walker was OK, but otherwise I agree with you.  Jackson, especially, looks rough. 

 

I think Walker will be good as a situational 3rd down pass rusher. He is much better moving forward from the snap and using his raw power to penetrate. That's what you saw on his rush at the end of the half. When he has to hold blocks or read the play before moving he gets pushed around.

 

Having watched some all-22 clips now I'll say Sanders was better as a run defender last night than I gave him credit for. His pass rush snaps though were almost completely ineffective as I thought on my first watch. I'd like to see him on 3rd downs next to Oliver when defenses have to choose which one to double.

[NickelCity]

Hancock did get some practice time with the 1s in the joint practices I believe. 

 

Give me another FA safety while also getting Hancock ready to go.

[frostbitmic]

4 hours ago, balln said:

Yea I mean they were playing cover 0. If we all recall. We had Hyde cover guys in 0 and he got beat a lot. The Jax London came sticks out there. The bills almost never play 0.

 

that being said. They drafted a safety in the SECOND round. You would think he could play man to man better when called upon 

Cover 0 Defense is aptly named .. The Bills played it to perfection.

[oldmanfan]

1 minute ago, NickelCity said:

Hancock did get some practice time with the 1s in the joint practices I believe. 

 

Give me another FA safety while also getting Hancock ready to go.

I didn’t see Lewis play last night?  Could be he starts next to Rapp.

[Doc Brown]

2 hours ago, SCBills said:

Was that game really warranting of a Schefter tweet?

 

 

Wish he tweeted this.

 

Number of times Bills lost by more than a score since 2021.

 

Preseason: 8 times in 14 games

Season/Playoffs: 3 times in 76 games