1968billsfan
Practice Squad
This was a very good game and the Bills are happy to come out with a tough win. A few (actually many) comments on the game, player situations, special plays and coach's decision.
[1] The Bills were a bit beat up by playing Miami in the heat the week before. There were about 18 players on the injury report. [1a] on the DT position, there is a 4 man rotation but interior penetrator 3 techinique Oliver and 330 pound Phillips- the best pair were out for the game. Prince Emili (SiGNED to the practice squad 9-28-22) played a lot of the 2nd half. They held the fort down but the subs were not able to exploit the rookie LOT of the Ravens which was a weakness and didn't get exploited. Result= no advantage.
[1b] The Bills DE were at full strength, are fast and maintained outside protection and did keep the Ravens from getting Lamar outside. The Ravens have been going with "more" pocket passing but this helped preventing them from alternng the game plan to let Lamar loose. Plus for the Bills.
[1c] The Bills defensive backs have been a MASH unit for a while. Starting CB White is still out, starter 6th round rookie CB Benford was out with a broken finger, Dane (4th round 2021) came back as a starter, and rookie Elam started as well for the first time. The Bills LOVED having two great deep safeties- one is out for the season but Hyde came back and and got his 2 INC. OVERALL the unit did okay but the tension was always there that the wheels could fall off.
[1d] In the Miami game last week, the official temperature was "87 degrees with 100% humidity. The Dolphins sideline is in the shade. The visitors are in the sun. The Bills were probably at 95 degrees plus(100?). The Dolphins get to decide if shade is to be used. Nope !! Most of the game there were 2-3 Bills players in the locker room getting IV, cool-downs or heat exhaustion treatment. (No that is NOT fair). There were a lot of nagging injuries that did not get better and became worse. half the OL was listed day to day for the week, but played and were hurting.
[1e] Enough whining, but it is true that the team's physical conidition was very stressed during the week.
The Bills were sluggish and a step behind the first half. Interceptions, fumblies, early give-aways- they looked dazed and the Ravens took a 20-3 lead with errors. Bent. Almost broke but still in the game.
The second half was different. The Bills played more to their usual talents and the Ravens started to do poorer as the Bills put on more pressure AND countered the Raven's strong suites to that time. The Ravens have DB issues as well and Allen found and exploited them. He also stepped up his game. The Bills have good fast containing DE's (selected to get P.McHolmes) and two active savy linebackers, they put a stick in the wheels of the Raven's offense. The Bills offense was methodical and unstopable. Probably something the Raven's fans did NOT notice is that the Bills were out of wide receivers. Diggs was there. Gabe Davis was playing the whole game on one legs from injury (1 catch total), McKensie was out on concusssion, Kumero was out with a high ankle strain, Crowder with a turned ankle. There were 3 WR with 5th round draft pick Skakir getting his first 2 NLF catches in his life. That was enough. Sorry but having Allen on the Bills is a bit unfair a lot of the time.
As to the Harbauhg decision to go for the TD and not the FG at the end of the game. What the F are all the Raven fans screaming about???? The Bills had just scored 17 UNANSWERED POINTS. Do they think that they could keep the Bills out of the endzone or out of field goal range, when they hadn't been able to stop them in the 2nd half?.... ... . If these people had brains, they might say,,, "well, sure, anything could happen. What would have happend if the Bills took over at the 25 yeard line after a Raven''s kickoff??..........Maybe what happened after the Bills took over on the 20 yard line after the interception. They got the ball down to the 2 yard line (starting from the 25, that would have been 3 yards into the endzone) and then took 3 knees before kicking a FG. I'll guess they could have scored a TD to win just as easily. Harbough did the best thing.
Lots of luck, I'm hoping the Steelers game is not a trap game for the Bills and that people get healthy.
[1] The Bills were a bit beat up by playing Miami in the heat the week before. There were about 18 players on the injury report. [1a] on the DT position, there is a 4 man rotation but interior penetrator 3 techinique Oliver and 330 pound Phillips- the best pair were out for the game. Prince Emili (SiGNED to the practice squad 9-28-22) played a lot of the 2nd half. They held the fort down but the subs were not able to exploit the rookie LOT of the Ravens which was a weakness and didn't get exploited. Result= no advantage.
[1b] The Bills DE were at full strength, are fast and maintained outside protection and did keep the Ravens from getting Lamar outside. The Ravens have been going with "more" pocket passing but this helped preventing them from alternng the game plan to let Lamar loose. Plus for the Bills.
[1c] The Bills defensive backs have been a MASH unit for a while. Starting CB White is still out, starter 6th round rookie CB Benford was out with a broken finger, Dane (4th round 2021) came back as a starter, and rookie Elam started as well for the first time. The Bills LOVED having two great deep safeties- one is out for the season but Hyde came back and and got his 2 INC. OVERALL the unit did okay but the tension was always there that the wheels could fall off.
[1d] In the Miami game last week, the official temperature was "87 degrees with 100% humidity. The Dolphins sideline is in the shade. The visitors are in the sun. The Bills were probably at 95 degrees plus(100?). The Dolphins get to decide if shade is to be used. Nope !! Most of the game there were 2-3 Bills players in the locker room getting IV, cool-downs or heat exhaustion treatment. (No that is NOT fair). There were a lot of nagging injuries that did not get better and became worse. half the OL was listed day to day for the week, but played and were hurting.
[1e] Enough whining, but it is true that the team's physical conidition was very stressed during the week.
The Bills were sluggish and a step behind the first half. Interceptions, fumblies, early give-aways- they looked dazed and the Ravens took a 20-3 lead with errors. Bent. Almost broke but still in the game.
The second half was different. The Bills played more to their usual talents and the Ravens started to do poorer as the Bills put on more pressure AND countered the Raven's strong suites to that time. The Ravens have DB issues as well and Allen found and exploited them. He also stepped up his game. The Bills have good fast containing DE's (selected to get P.McHolmes) and two active savy linebackers, they put a stick in the wheels of the Raven's offense. The Bills offense was methodical and unstopable. Probably something the Raven's fans did NOT notice is that the Bills were out of wide receivers. Diggs was there. Gabe Davis was playing the whole game on one legs from injury (1 catch total), McKensie was out on concusssion, Kumero was out with a high ankle strain, Crowder with a turned ankle. There were 3 WR with 5th round draft pick Skakir getting his first 2 NLF catches in his life. That was enough. Sorry but having Allen on the Bills is a bit unfair a lot of the time.
As to the Harbauhg decision to go for the TD and not the FG at the end of the game. What the F are all the Raven fans screaming about???? The Bills had just scored 17 UNANSWERED POINTS. Do they think that they could keep the Bills out of the endzone or out of field goal range, when they hadn't been able to stop them in the 2nd half?.... ... . If these people had brains, they might say,,, "well, sure, anything could happen. What would have happend if the Bills took over at the 25 yeard line after a Raven''s kickoff??..........Maybe what happened after the Bills took over on the 20 yard line after the interception. They got the ball down to the 2 yard line (starting from the 25, that would have been 3 yards into the endzone) and then took 3 knees before kicking a FG. I'll guess they could have scored a TD to win just as easily. Harbough did the best thing.
Lots of luck, I'm hoping the Steelers game is not a trap game for the Bills and that people get healthy.