‘For just the second time this season, the defense didn’t have a takeaway. The Bills’ defense allowed Tampa Bay 302 yards on offense – the Giants with 297 yards were the only Bills’ opponent with fewer – and Buffalo was also able to minimize the Buccaneers’ scoring opportunities.’
BillsBeat - October 27, 2023
Three questions: Bills get job done vs. Bucs but don't call it a get-right game
‘It was a get-better game. It was a must win. It could have been better, but still a pretty good win against a team with a respectable defense. It’s too early to say it was a get-right game because it’s too early to say the Bills are back to being considered one of the strongest contenders in the AFC.’
How it happened: Top plays, standout players from Bills' win over Tampa Bay
‘Bills receiver Khalil Shakir was the biggest and most immediate beneficiary of the offense having only one healthy tight end (Dalton Kincaid). As the third receiver, Shakir was an every-snap participant in “11” personnel.’
Plays that shaped the game: Dalton Kincaid's first career TD helps Bills offense rebound
‘“To be honest, I was pretty claustrophobic,” Kincaid said of his “Highmark Stadium leap” into the crowd. “In that moment, I was like, all right, I’m ready to go back down (to the turf). But I think that’s kind of everyone’s dream is scoring, jumping up there and celebrating, then celebrating with teammates. So it was a super special moment.”’
Report Card: Plenty of positives still to be found in Bills' too-close-for-comfort win against Bucs
‘The up-tempo approach from offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey was refreshing. It was maddening to see the Bills in shotgun again on third-and-goal from the Tampa 1-yard line. Spoiler alert: The play didn’t work. The offense was rolling for much of the game, but the inability to finish off the game in the second half was troubling. Part of that can be attributed to Sean McDermott electing to punt the ball away. He did so on fourth-and-5 from the Bills’ 49-yard line with about 5 minutes left in the third quarter, on fourth-and-9 from the Bucs’ 47-yard line in the first minute of the fourth quarter, on fourth-and-7 from the Bucs’ 49-yard line on the next possession and on fourth-and-1 from the Tampa Bay 48-yard line with 31 seconds left. Some of those punts were justifiable given how much trouble Tampa had moving the ball on offense, but a case could have been made for the offense to be a bit more aggressive. In the end, the Bills had to survive a Hail Mary attempt in a game they should have sealed much earlier.’
Erik Brady: These villainous NFL coaches put Buffalo teams in ‘Jeopardy’
‘The Buffalo All-Americans won the NFL championship in 1921 – or so they thought. Halas, player-coach of the Chicago Staleys, challenged the All-Americans to an exhibition game after the season was over. Buffalo had already won, 7-6, in Chicago on Thanksgiving Day, but the Staleys won the exhibition, 10-7. Then Halas convinced other owners to crown his team as champs by arguing that the game that should not have counted actually counted for more, as a tiebreaker.’
Stefon Diggs speech fires up Bills: 6 things Buffalo figured out in win over Buccaneers
‘“I could feel the team and I’m hoping you guys could, too,” McDermott said after the Bills hung on for a 24-18 victory. “They came out with an attitude and it started in the locker room, really. Stefon Diggs, there’s a little motivational couple of words he said to the team before we went out there. That’s what a leader does. He did a phenomenal job of basically setting the tone with his message before the game.”’
Bills report card: Buffalo was in control and win shouldn't have come down to Hail Mary
‘It was nice to see Josh Allen looking for and finding Gabe Davis early in the game and the inconsistent WR had the best game of his career in terms of catches with nine (for 87 yards). One of the problems with Davis is that in several games this year he hasn’t been able to get into the flow, but he caught five passes for 50 yards in the first half alone and throughout the night he took some of the burden off Stefon Diggs, though Diggs still made nine catches for 70 yards.’
Urgency helps Allen early as Bills hold on
‘The secret to avoiding another slow start for the Buffalo Bills just might be to hurry up … literally.’
Josh Allen finally looks like Josh Allen as Bills edge out Buccaneers (Instant observations)
‘Allen is at his best when he’s out of his head and reacting to what he sees. NFL Next Gen Stats tweeted a stat of Allen’s during the broadcast that showed him as the NFL’s top passer when scrambling to his right. He went 2-for-3 on those throws through three quarters for 39 yards and a touchdown.’
Why Bills’ Josh Allen calls Dalton Kincaid a ‘stupid rookie,’ and stole his 1st TD ball
‘While Kincaid was dealing with the cramped conditions in the middle of a few dozen Bills fans, quarterback Josh Allen came flying into the pile. Allen said all rookies are known as “stupid rookies” because they have certain tendencies that veteran players avoid.’
The next great debate: Did Bills’ Josh Allen audible to Taylor Swift or J.R. Smith?
‘In London, Allen called a “LeBron James” audible and he went back to it on the Bills’ third drive of the night against the Buccaneers. With James getting his named called again, you have to think Allen may have called Smith, a teammate of LeBron James’ on the Cleveland Cavalier from 2015-2018 and with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020.’
Ryan Fitzpatrick keeps his word, gives shirtless hug to Bills’ Josh Allen after win over Buccaneers
Allen fired Fitzpatrick up with his three touchdown performance and postgame, Fitzpatrick ripped off his shirt, flexed with Billy Buffalo and went on to hug Allen.’
Kincaid's first career touchdown the difference the difference in Bills much-needed win over Buccaneers
‘The rookie’s touchdown reception provided Buffalo with a much-needed seven-point advantage, which it would protect entering the halftime break and add to on its first possession of the second half when the Bills put the clamps on while outlasting their non-conference foe.’
Seven Takeaways: Bills employ up-tempo style, leading to fast start, widespread offensive contributions during nail-biting win over Buccaneers
‘Buffalo’s speedy start to Thursday’s win came as a result of an up-tempo style of offense employed throughout the course of the game, but particularly early on Buffalo’s first drive, which resulted in a 37-yard field goal from kicker Tyler Bass. Bass’ kick provided Buffalo a 3-0 lead with 8:04 remaining in the first quarter and came after an extensive 10-play drive that traveled 77 yards in 3:41. Although they failed to finish the possession in the end zone, the Bills’ game plan on the first drive set the stage for a torrid performance from the Buffalo passing game.’