A Few Random Thoughts about the Dolphins Game (Sorry, not in no particular order)

[Big Turk]

Deone Walker is going to be a great one I think...this was ridiculous.

 

 

[gomper]

In regards to paying Cook, I was forced by our district manager to listen to GR when the contract was up in the air, and Bulldog said that it didn't matter because we had Davis. It was one of the dumbest takes ever on that station, and that is saying something. 

[gomper]

1 hour ago, Big Turk said:

Deone Walker is going to be a great one I think...this was ridiculous.

 

 

Thanks for sharing. I really noticed him but the breakdown is what I needed to confirm what I thought I was seeing.  He has to earn more reps as the season goes on if he keeps this up. 

[HappyDays]

Last year I thought the three best players not named Josh Allen were Cook, Benford, and Brown. So far this year Cook is the only one of them that has lived up to his own standard IMO and if anything has gotten even better. Benford is still the best tackler in our secondary but he has had some rough pass coverage reps. Brown is still an elite run blocker but has taken too many L's in pass protection. Benford and Brown both dealt with injuries in the offseason so I don't know if that's having an effect but we need our best players to get back to the level they were at last year.

[HappyDays]

12 hours ago, sherpa said:

On the TD to Waddle, Tre was well into the end zone defending I don't know what.

 

That was much more a bad play call than a bad rep IMO. That whole sequence actually was terrible for Babich. On the 3rd down prior you have Tyreek Hill in the backfield which should immediately be a signal for the defense, and instead we literally just let him run free out of the backfield with no one even attempting to cover him. Easy pitch and catch for a 1st down. Then on the play you mentioned Tre is playing with outside leverage and he has no inside help for Jaylen freaking Waddle?? No CB in the league is stopping that TD. I'll give Babich the benefit of the doubt by declaring it a miscommunication because the alternative is too sickening to consider.

[GunnerBill]

12 hours ago, gonzo1105 said:

On the point of # 2 yes the Dolphins did adjust. They basically on early downs went into a 5 man front with 2 LBs in the box and a safety crept down on early downs. 
 

They bottled up Cook inside that’s why you saw the Bills running more toss late in the game. With Cook bottled up and 2nd and 3rd and long they sat in a 2 shell cover 2 look and made Allen take dump downs and they did a good job for the most part getting to the ball carrier quickly to minimize YAC. In addition I don’t think Dawkins and Brown were particularly great at times in pass pro last night 

 

They run blitzed a DB up a ton in that 3rd quarter especially. Did you think as I did that the obvious counter was to run some of those quick tunnel screens Brady usually loves to get the ball to the outside given how many Miami was committing to the point of attack to stop Cook? To me it was crying out for that and they are among Brady's favourite plays normally, even when maybe the looks are less favourable. Thought it was odd we didn't see any of them in response to what Miami was doing in the second half.

[GunnerBill]

11 hours ago, Mango said:

 

1. I didn't think Strong was ever coming in. I thought Tre had a fine day. Yes that crosser was brutal, but all in all I give Tre a passing grade. I was surprised at how often we manned up on Hill/Waddle. To me that was more the glaring weakness than Tre himself. Benford was burned by Hill on a few occassions because of it. 

 

4. Groots career seems to be trending towards the "Hall of Meh". 

 

5. Rapp had a good game. I like him overall. I know the board has treated him as a bit of a whipping boy, but he is fairly low on the list of defensive upgrades for me. 

 

6. I totally assumed that it had to be tipped. But I think I assumed wrong. Kinda crazy. 

 

7. Fully agreed. It was wild. I think part of it was that we didn't want to put the defense back on the field. But still, go up two scores and everything changes. 

 

On #1 I get why the focus is on Tre. He didn't have the sort of day he had vs the Jets (where he was very good). He had two "bad look" plays the touchdown and the crosser in the 4th Quarter but @HappyDays has already described why the touchdown was basically a coaching error more than a player one - I agree and the crosser on Waddle was pretty much the same tbh. Tre White is never winning that look in man coverage going horizontally across the field with Jaylen Waddle. Hell absolute prime Tre White isn't winning there. Overall he was not terrible. He gave up 5 catches on 6 targets but for only 27 yards. He is CB2 in this scheme. That role traditionally gives up catches but not yards. 

 

Benford was much the weaker corner on Thursday and has already given up more touchdowns this season (3) than in any other season of his career (never more than 2 before). I am a big Benford fan but I'm concerned. That was his worst game as a Bill IMO.

 

[saundena]

3 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

Benford was much the weaker corner on Thursday and has already given up more touchdowns this season (3) than in any other season of his career (never more than 2 before). I am a big Benford fan but I'm concerned. That was his worst game as a Bill IMO.

 

Do you think he has a lingering injury or playing it "safer" to possibly avoid another concussion?

 

I'm worried too.

 

Actually now that I think about it, didn't he get kicked in the balls or have his wind knocked out before halftime... Maybe he was a little sore?

 

 

3 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

 

[gonzo1105]

26 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

They run blitzed a DB up a ton in that 3rd quarter especially. Did you think as I did that the obvious counter was to run some of those quick tunnel screens Brady usually loves to get the ball to the outside given how many Miami was committing to the point of attack to stop Cook? To me it was crying out for that and they are among Brady's favourite plays normally, even when maybe the looks are less favourable. Thought it was odd we didn't see any of them in response to what Miami was doing in the second half.

Yea the point of the 50 is to cover up and allow your LBs to run free. The weakness to it is it exposes you on the edges especially if you can hook the edge player on the line. The Bills did capitalize on this with sweeps and jet sweep plays much too late imo, but yes Playaction, quick screens, anything to the outside quick would be effective if run correctly

[LABILLBACKER]

Love Walker but Sanders so far unimpressive. Cook off to a great "and motivated" start.  Rousseau and AJ are currently on milk cartons.  Hoping the WRS would get a little more involved.  Kincaid off to a good start with Hawes making plays. ST as a whole played terrible last night.  This team has the capacity to really explode with the return of Oliver, Hoecht, Milano and Hairston. 

Edited September 20 by LABILLBACKER

[Rocky Landing]

I don't watch all of the Dolphins' games, but I do watch a lot of them. And just to give credit, where credit is due, this might have been the best I have seen Tua play. It feels weird even typing that, but I can't remember a game in which he was better at extending the play, and playing off script-- a trait that I have always felt was perhaps his greatest weakness. He seemed more relaxed out of the pocket than I think I have ever seen him. 

 

I also watched his post-game presser, and like the other day when he said of Josh Allen, "I can't do half the things that guy does..." he also seemed utterly relaxed-- almost as if he had given up. And maybe that was the key? It seemed as if he just saw the inevitability of their busted season, and decided, "why worry about it? Just go out and play." Even that unfortunate interception at the end of the fourth didn't seem to rattle him much.

 

I've been observing for quite some time that there's a serious culture problem in Miami, and perhaps Tua has given up on caring, and that has lifted the pressure off his shoulders? I find myself secretly rooting for him, even if I can't stand the rest of the team, and don't much care for the fanbase. He seems like a genuinely likable guy. It would have been fun to see him play on a less dysfunctional team, but alas, I suspect that Miami is where his NFL career will end.

[Thurman#1]

19 hours ago, Big Turk said:

I watched some random post-game content last night and this morning and 3 separate people in 3 separate ways have said "I've watched football my whole life/50 years/35+ years, etc and I have never seen a better QB than Josh Allen".  Just matter of fact, like they have finally just accepted who he is, a unicorn that can do anything he wants at any time he wants to do it.  But now he is realizing when to pick and choose his spots to do it and allow "Clark Kent" to be on the field more than Superman, saving that for when he really needs it.  

 

The change it has caused in his game is remarkable...fully in control...diagnoses things at the line and changes plays and protections where need be...takes what the D is giving him and usually puts us in easy conversion situations(2nd and under 5, 3rd and under 2, etc)...just like a person who was the best violinist in the world who has now also become one of the best conductors in the world...

 

It's really impressive and he is doing it with what many would call "middling" skill position players outside Cook.

 

Bills have not lost the TO Battle in 25 games and counting, an NFL record.

 

No position player has a TO since James Cook in 2023 against the Chiefs in week 15, 22 game and counting, what also must be an NFL record.

 

When the Bills don't turn the ball over they are almost impossible to beat.

 

 

All very reasonable.

 

But very much pointing out that winning the turnover battle is NOT a Josh Allen thing.

 

It's a Buffalo Bills thing. Josh is a big factor. But ....

 

Again, the Bills D has been top four in takeaways the last five years, which is just about unheard of, that kind of defensive consistency.

 

2024 1st

2023 3rd 

2022 4th

2021 3rd

2020 3rd

 

That's sensational. And is a huge part of us winning the turnover battle so consistently.

[GunnerBill]

17 minutes ago, Thurman#1 said:

 

 

All very reasonable.

 

But very much pointing out that winning the turnover battle is NOT a Josh Allen thing.

 

It's a Buffalo Bills thing. Josh is a big factor. But ....

 

Again, the Bills D has been top four in takeaways the last five years, which is just about unheard of, that kind of defensive consistency.

 

2024 1st

2023 3rd 

2022 4th

2021 3rd

2020 3rd

 

That's sensational. And is a huge part of us winning the turnover battle so consistently.

 

And I think I am right they have been top 10 every year bad one under McDermott. One thing you can pretty much hang your hat on is McDermott teams take the football away. 

[Thurman#1]

6 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

And I think I am right they have been top 10 every year bad one under McDermott. One thing you can pretty much hang your hat on is McDermott teams take the football away. 

 

 

You're not right. 

 

It isn't that they've been top 10 every year but one. They've been top ten every single year under Sean.

 

2024 1st

2023 3rd 

2022 4th

2021 3rd

2020 3rd

2019 10th

2018 8th

2017 9th

 

It's an amazing thing, even more so as the year before, in 2016, they were 23rd.

 

 

[GunnerBill]

38 minutes ago, Thurman#1 said:

 

 

You're not right. 

 

It isn't that they've been top 10 every year but one. They've been top ten every single year under Sean.

 

2024 1st

2023 3rd 

2022 4th

2021 3rd

2020 3rd

2019 10th

2018 8th

2017 9th

 

It's an amazing thing, even more so as the year before, in 2016, they were 23rd.

 

 

One I'm pleased to be wrong on ha.

[ChronicAndKnuckles]

17 hours ago, DrDawkinstein said:

 

I think it was plays like this where we missed Oliver the most.

 

The rush just has to get home. Bosa got so close soooo many times, Rousseau too, but when Tua stepped up and out of the pocket, there was no rush in the middle to clean that up.

 

The coverage against guys like Hill and Waddle can only hold up so long. Tyreek will find his space eventually. Tua was able to extend the play and let that happen.

 

Need to figure that out upfront. IMO we needed to blitz more, and up the middle instead of corner blitzes. One Taron blitz off the end worked, didnt sack him but forced a quick/bad throw. More of that at least.

Terrible human being, but you can’t deny Tyreek Hill’s talent level. That was a great catch 

[y2zipper]

So I'm writing this from a hotel as I get ready to head back to California from my first visit to Orchard Park.

I had a pretty memorable few days and my visit could not have better. So I'll share some thoughts about my visit and the game.

I got in on Wednesday, air b and b was a really beautiful cozy house about 2 miles away from the stadium. After a long day of travel, wanted to go get groceries and have wings. Ended up going to Wegman's, picking up some Josh Allen Cereal, a ton of reusable Bills grocery bags, and oh yeah, a little bit of breakfast stuff for the house. Went to Duffs afterwards and had a Weck and Wings. Even managed to pick the right spice level.

Thursday morning I went to the team store and bought a TON of gear. I can't really get it anywhere else, but I probably won't need too much when I come next year to go to new Highmark.

Ended up getting Stevie Johnson's autograph before the game. Really nice dude and I couldn't belive he was the one signing. My mom also surprised me with a couple of mystery autographed jerseys, which a were a red James Cook and a Villanova Christian Benford jersey. Good scores there. Overall, crowd rocked and the stadium was loud as hell the entire game. I was in the Pepsi club in 212 and the seats were amazing.

I managed to catch a replay of the 4th quarter on NFL Network. Watching the prime vision, the Dolphins were really rotating 2 and 3 deep looks to keep the Bills underneath. The Shakir touchdown on the orbit motion was against a 2 deep man look where they schemed blockers for him and he bear the safety. The most impressive play I saw on rewatch besides the pick was the 2nd and 16 throw to Elijah Moore. Found a hole underneath the cover 3 and picked up a first down. Still looks like teams are prioritizing stopping deep pass, and Buffalo is making them pay.

Spent today at Niagra Falls. Really beautiful place, got a chance to do the maid of the mist and the cave of the winds.  The hurricane deck was really really cool.

I fly back in the morning, but thanks for listening to me ramble...

[Big Turk]

1 hour ago, Thurman#1 said:

 

 

You're not right. 

 

It isn't that they've been top 10 every year but one. They've been top ten every single year under Sean.

 

2024 1st

2023 3rd 

2022 4th

2021 3rd

2020 3rd

2019 10th

2018 8th

2017 9th

 

It's an amazing thing, even more so as the year before, in 2016, they were 23rd.

 

 

 

As McDermott said in yesterday's media session "You usually get what you emphasize, and turnovers, both preventing them for us and creating them for opponents is a huge point of emphasis here."

[DrDawkinstein]

Just now, ChronicAndKnuckles said:

Terrible human being, but you can’t deny Tyreek Hill’s talent level. That was a great catch 

 

I do appreciate the Amazon broadcast going out of their way, after Hill made a couple of good plays, to point out what a terrible person he is and talk about all the domestic violence charges against him. Thank you, Kirk and Al.

 

From my buddy's tailgate party Thursday...

 

[boyst]

Just now, DrDawkinstein said:

 

I do appreciate the Amazon broadcast going out of their way, after Hill made a couple of good plays, to point out what a terrible person he is and talk about all the domestic violence charges against him. Thank you, Kirk and Al.

 

From my buddy's tailgate party Thursday...

 

It's hilarious because that's the one part of the game my wife watched. She wasn't paying that much attention and all the sudden they just talk about him beating up women?