Game week thread - Bengals at Bills (flexed to 1pm ET)

[newcam2012]

2 minutes ago, PaattMaann said:

 

We won a shootout with one of the best QBs in the league just a couple weeks ago against Mayfield. 

Correct. Let me clarify what I was trying to convey. I believe the mindset of the Bills offense is to avoid shootouts, control the ball with running, have the run game set up the pass game, throw the ball short via WR screens, limit your mistakes, and don't beat yourselves. 

 

I'd rather see a more dynamic passing game. I'm thinking something similar to what Daboll was doing when in Buffalo. 

 

I think the Bills regime has tactfully made a mistake with the current philosophy of the offense. They have failed repeatedly to arm Allen with explosive weapons. They have limited his success and have failed schematically in many ways. At this point, the offense goes as the running game goes.

 

Maybe I'm wrong. How confident can we be in the passing game? 

10 minutes ago, MiltonWaddams said:

They won a shootout with Josh vs Baltimore. But that feels like aeons ago.

Week 1 isn't the strongest of evidence here. I don't think anyone feels like that game is or was representative of the Bills current offense. 

[notpolian]

Cincinnati is going to score many points.  IMO the Bills can't afford to play grind it out on the ground because they just won't be able to score enough.  Not every drive will be successful.  The Bengals are vulnerable in the middle downfield.

 

But I fully expect the Bills to grind it out and have to to try come back when Burrow and their receivers light us up.  The Steelers QBs were terrible last week.  It ain't going to be like that this week.

[PaattMaann]

12 minutes ago, newcam2012 said:

Correct. Let me clarify what I was trying to convey. I believe the mindset of the Bills offense is to avoid shootouts, control the ball with running, have the run game set up the pass game, throw the ball short via WR screens, limit your mistakes, and don't beat yourselves. 

 

I'd rather see a more dynamic passing game. I'm thinking something similar to what Daboll was doing when in Buffalo. 

 

I think the Bills regime has tactfully made a mistake with the current philosophy of the offense. They have failed repeatedly to arm Allen with explosive weapons. They have limited his success and have failed schematically in many ways. At this point, the offense goes as the running game goes.

 

Maybe I'm wrong. How confident can we be in the passing game? 

Week 1 isn't the strongest of evidence here. I don't think anyone feels like that game is or was representative of the Bills current offense. 

 

I think the Bills have shown they CAN win in multiple ways. The problem is they have not shown the consistency in the passing game, which is what I think you are saying. I agree. And building a strong running game IS a primary focus of this organization, because they believe that you need a strong running game once you get to the playoffs so that teams cannot just make Josh one dimensional. You could argue they have gone too far by not providing Allen with the proper weapons in the passing game. To an extent that could be true, but really if Coleman was a hit instead of a possible miss at this point (or drafted McConkey instead), we could be looking at a very complete offense. Have a dominant rushing attack, a great TE room, and Shakir and Palmer at WR with another very good WR instead of Coleman (or Coleman already being that really good WR) then this would be a consistently dominant offense. 

 

All of that said, we have also shown we can look like an unprepared JV team any given Sunday too lol. 

[Johnnycage46]

42 minutes ago, PaattMaann said:

 

If we want to make the playoffs, every game on our schedule is must win. 

 

 

We are a top 5 team in 1st drive points scored

 

3 of the last 4 games we have 2 INTs and a 3 and out punt to start the game. 

 

Pittsburgh - 1st drive, INT

TB - 1st drive, INT

Dolphins - 1st drive 3 and out, punt

 

 

 

 

 

[PaattMaann]

2 minutes ago, Johnnycage46 said:

 

3 of the last 4 games we have 2 INTs and a 3 and out punt to start the game. 

 

Pittsburgh - 1st drive, INT

TB - 1st drive, INT

Dolphins - 1st drive 3 and out, punt

 

 

 

 

 

 

And yet my point remains, still a top 5 team in 1st drive points scored. 

Edited 1 hour ago by PaattMaann

[Johnnycage46]

1 minute ago, PaattMaann said:

 

And yet my point remains, still a top 5 team in 1st drive points scored. 

 

And yet my point also remains lol. Thanks for stopping by.

[PaattMaann]

1 minute ago, Johnnycage46 said:

 

And yet my point also remains lol. Thanks for stopping by.

 

I guess I missed what your point was, sorry. 

[Generic_Bills_Fan]

25 minutes ago, notpolian said:

Cincinnati is going to score many points.  IMO the Bills can't afford to play grind it out on the ground because they just won't be able to score enough.  Not every drive will be successful.  The Bengals are vulnerable in the middle downfield.

 

But I fully expect the Bills to grind it out and have to to try come back when Burrow and their receivers light us up.  The Steelers QBs were terrible last week.  It ain't going to be like that this week.

Idk bengals offense is so bizarre…the skill positions are stacked but the oline has gotta be pretty close to leagues worst. It’s kinda a race between these two things any given play

 

they scored 32 on Baltimore but a ton of that was short fields off Baltimore turnovers leading to fgs… they went 2/12 finishing drives with tds in that one and 8/19 on third down. Looked like the ravens pretty bad pass rush had a pretty good game but the offense turning the ball over (once through the end zone) sank them 

Edited 1 hour ago by Generic_Bills_Fan

[mannc]

Higgins and Hendrickson both out this week.  This is not some unstoppable juggernaut coming into Highmark…

[dave mcbride]

32 minutes ago, mannc said:

Higgins and Hendrickson both out this week.  This is not some unstoppable juggernaut coming into Highmark…

How do we know they're out this week?

[MikePJ76]

32 minutes ago, mannc said:

Higgins and Hendrickson both out this week.  This is not some unstoppable juggernaut coming into Highmark…

they have been ruled out already?  

[BillsFan130]

33 minutes ago, mannc said:

Higgins and Hendrickson both out this week.  This is not some unstoppable juggernaut coming into Highmark…

Higgins has not been ruled out. Sounds like it will be 50/50 with him 

Hendrickson won't be playing though by the sounds of it 

[MikePJ76]

6 minutes ago, BillsFan130 said:

Higgins has not been ruled out. Sounds like it will be 50/50 with him 

Hendrickson won't be playing though by the sounds of it 

yea higgins was in uniform for practice I think i read yesterday.  He is going through the concussion protocol like dawkins.  Both will probably be limited all week and then play on sunday.

 

Hendrickson seemingly is out for sure.  I think I saw he needs a hernia surgery and is trying to hold off if the bengals can win the division.

[T.E.]

1 hour ago, newcam2012 said:

That's part of the issue I have with the Bills offense. They should be able to win shootouts with the best QB in the league. Beane and Brady have not given Allen the best path to succeed. 

Our offensive philosophy is absolutely terrible. There are only a handful of coaches, at most, over the last 40 years who would take our approach with a QB like Josh Allen. I know it's beating a dead horse, but it needs to be discussed ad nauseum.

 

We had a 16-play drive last week that covered only 60 yards and didn’t end in a TD. That nonsense isn't sustainable, and everyone gets it but the HC and OC.

[ScottishBills]

2 minutes ago, MikePJ76 said:

yea higgins was in uniform for practice I think i read yesterday.  He is going through the concussion protocol like dawkins.  Both will probably be limited all week and then play on sunday.

 

Hendrickson seemingly is out for sure.  I think I saw he needs a hernia surgery and is trying to hold off if the bengals can win the division.

 

I havent followed it too closely as i dont give a toss about the Bengals - but this feels like another of these holdout guys who moan and piss all summer for more money, miss TC and rampup - turn up just before week 1 after they get more money - and promptly spend long time injured as they are in no way ready for the season.

 

Hendrickson and Scary Terry come to mind, Aiyuk last year - must be annoying for those teams

[The Firebaugh Kid]

If we run the ball and control the clock we will be fine. 

[balln]

Does it not feel like a lions bills matchup from last year ? 
 

really

poor LB and S , stud DE out 

 

im waiting for a complete offensive explosion where Allen scores 6 tds and we hear MVP chants again

[boyst]

1 hour ago, PaattMaann said:

 

And yet my point remains, still a top 5 team in 1st drive points scored. 

I don't know if this is where he meant to go but it's where I will take this part...

The first drive is always a scripted set of plays. Generally on the defense as much as the offense. The defense wants to set up for base anticipating with the offense was going to give them. The offense is going to play their best card to start the matchup. 

 

And playing our best cards on the scripted plays we are struggling. If we could create a score off that first possession it helps out a lot. 

 

DC tom wrote a hell of a post a decade ago on the stats and complexity that really is simplistic. Each team gets the ball about eight times a game at the most. Sometimes a few less. It is very important to establish a points lead in the first two or three possessions of a game and it's outcome. Doing so in the first three possessions was statistically almost perfect to win. 

[mannc]

28 minutes ago, MikePJ76 said:

they have been ruled out already?  

According to Zach Taylor, they are doubtful and I think Hendrickson is still on IR

30 minutes ago, dave mcbride said:

How do we know they're out this week?

Not official yet but Zach Taylor expressed zero optimism yesterday that they would play, especially Hendrickson