Bills Mafia — #BillsMafia

Thanks to Twitter, I (Del) have had the opportunity to “meet” a lot of resident team experts within the respective fanbases. One of those experts is Joe Goodberry, Social Media Manager & NFL Draft Analyst for CincyJungle.com (the Bengals’ SB Nation site).

Joe regularly reviews game film from around the league (not just Bengals games). Yesterday, he was reviewing the Bills at Texans coaches’ film (aka “All 22″) and posting some of his findings on his Twitter feed. I asked if he’d mind putting something together for BillsMafia.com and he was happy to oblige.

So here you go: an outsider’s objective, unadulterated view of what happened Sunday. Do with these findings what you will…

Note: I’ve included some of the snapshots he posted and some exchanges he had with fans during the review to help flesh it out.

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As a non-Bills fan, I watched the Buffalo – Houston game with eyes focused on Fitzpatrick, Chan Gailey’s offense and the young stars on the team; Dareus and Gilmore. Here’s what stood out to me from a neutral eye.

My final conclusion while watching is also the biggest point to make; the Buffalo Bills have the most limited offense I’ve watched this year. They literally survive off of one passing concept.

The boundary WR runs a drag or short slant / in route while the two inside receivers either clear out space as decoys/blockers or the drag WR becomes the decoy and the slot WR becomes the primary. It’s a high-low concept, if you will. Depending on how the defense plays, Fitz knows exactly where to go with it. I saw them use this concept on every other pass play. It cuts the field in half for the QB.

The problem: Fitz doesn’t see the field well. He doesn’t trust his eyes & receivers and ends up looking frantic in the pocket. It looks like Bills coaches know this.

Let me ask the #BillsMafia, do you often hear Fitzpatrick making checks/audibles at the line? Calling out the “Mike” LB is normal for every QB, but I question how much control Fitz has to adjust or change plays. There was a few instances where the Houston defense had 7 defenders close to the line, Buffalo has 3 or even 4 WRs and Bills still ran it with little success (DUH!).

The Texans were onto Buffalo’s offensive gameplan in the 2nd half and the defensive backs were just squatting and driving at 5-yards. In the Red Zone, Houston could tighten up in a zone and Buffalo couldn’t do a thing with that passing concept. It became painful to watch as literally no changes were made. They acted like their athletes were superior and would win in any situation. Obviously that’s not the case.

The offense is so limited and needs to be focused around C.J. Spiller. He’s added strength, patience and vision since being drafted. He’s now arguably the most complete RB talent in the NFL. For him to be on pace for 160 carries is an absolute joke.

Now some good observations…

+ Stephon Gilmore continues to grow. After Aaron Williams went down, the rookie started playing both sides and shadowing Andre Johnson. Only 3-4 Corners in the NFL actually do that.

+ Houston has the best Center in the NFL in Chris Myers, but Marcell Dareus kicked his butt on more than a few plays. I know some are down on him, but I still see it in Dareus.

+ Jairus Byrd is a stud. You probably know that but with him about to become a free agent, I bet some GMs are willing to make him the highest paid safety in the NFL.

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There you have it. Knowledge is power, they say. Thank goodness for the “All 22″ film.

And thank you, Joe, for taking the time to help put this together. Much appreciated!

Bills Secondary

I thought the defense as a whole played good football against the Browns on Sunday. Anytime you only allow 14 points, plus two interceptions and four sacks is a pretty good day. I think I was most impressed by the secondary though. Weeden was able to find a few holes in our zones (mainly short passes) that he got a couple good plays off of run after catch, but overall the receivers were pretty locked down. The interceptions were obviously impressive, and both were caused by good secondary plays, not batted or tipped balls. Aaron Williams also impressed by showing what he could do in one on one coverage on two great pass breakups on throws towards the end zone. Lastly I was impressed with the unit’s tackling Sunday. They consistently wrapped up receivers and running backs, not letting them escape downfield. Very excited for this group as the year progresses!

Offensive Line

The offensive line played another excellent game Sunday. I see on the stat sheet that they allowed one sack this game but can’t for the life of me remember seeing it while watching. (Editor’s note: when Fitz fumbled the wet football in the second quarter, that was recorded as a sack.) Nonetheless, Fitzpatrick has only been sacked once in the first three games of the season. He was rushed out of the pocket a few times on Sunday, but the Browns were unable to put consistent pressure on him, which allowed him to find receivers and throw his three TDs.

Their great play wasn’t limited to pass blocking though. They opened up good holes for Choice and White to run through. They didn’t stop at the front seven either. If you look at the replay of C.J.’s touchdown you will see Urbik 20-25 yards downfield blocking one secondary member in front of another to allow C.J. to break to the outside and into the endzone. Another impressive week for our O-linemen. Another exciting unit to watch work on Sundays.

Extra Credit: Richardson, Vikings, Cardinals, and Saints

I know this isn’t Bills talk, but everything that is happening around the league affects us in someway so this is my little tidbit on the competition.

Richardson – Sunday was the first day that I watched Trent Richardson in action for an entire game, and the only thing that I could think was, “Why is MJD wearing a browns uniform?” He is definitely a talented back who reminds me a lot of Jones-Drew in his style. He doesn’t give up after first contact, and can push guys back a yard or two when hit in open space. I think our front seven played him extremely well, but he is an impressive rookie RB, and could have a decent career ahead of him. That being said I still don’t agree at all with the trade it took to get him, but that’s beside the point.

Vikings – I was actually at this game this week in Minneapolis, and the Vikings looked a lot better than I expected them to. They were playing one of the top pass rushes in the league and not only did they not allow a single sack, but they were giving Ponder all sorts of time to find the open receivers. I don’t think Ponder is a bad quarterback, but he looked like an all-star at Mall of America Field today. With the amount of time he had in the pocket, the best secondary in the world couldn’t have kept the receivers covered up. This team could challenge the Packers and Bears for the top of that division, or more likely for a wild card spot.

Cardinals – I haven’t watched any of their games yet, but I plan to, and I will try to give some sort of input into what happened to this team but for now I just have to say that I’m shocked. They have beaten two teams that are supposed to be top of their respective divisions in the last two weeks. The next three games could be rough for us Bills fans, especially if the Cardinals are for real.

Saints – Are we seeing the N.O. Aints again? This team dropped off the map this year. I know Aints fans will blame suspensions and such, but that’s not all of it. I can tell you why they are losing in two words: Run Defense. This team has given up more rushing yard than any other team in the nation… by a lot. They clearly have no answer for the running game and the Chiefs took advantage of it Sunday in a big way. Kansas city rushed for over 270 yards topped of by Jamaal Charles with 33 carries for 233 yards and a TD. If this team can’t figure something out here, they are going to sink all the way to the bottom of the NFC south.

Domination station. Buffalo cashed in arguably their most complete performance of the 2011 season as they shut the Redskins out 23-0 and recorded nine sacks in the process. In the first six games of the season, the Bills were extremely successful at generating turnovers, however the most recognized weakness on defense was the pass rush. Well, questions regarding the Bills’ pass rush were temporarily silenced after the outburst by the defense in Toronto.

Fresh off the recent news of his lucrative contract, Ryan Fitzpatrick turned in a respectable performance completing 21 of 27 passes for 267 yards, with two touchdowns and a pair of turnovers (interception and fumble). Fitzpatrick’s two touchdown tosses were to tight end Scott Chandler, who appears to be back in his groove of exploiting his matchup against the defense. Chandler now has six touchdowns in 2011, which ties him for a team record for touchdowns by a tight end with Pete Metzelaars and Jay Riemersma.

Fred Jackson continued his dominant 2011 campaign as he rushed for 120 yards on 26 carries, while adding 74 receiving yards on three catches. Jackson has surpassed 1,000 yards from scrimmage (1,074) just seven weeks into the season, becoming the fourth player in team history to achieve that statistic and the first since Thurman Thomas in 1991.

Despite the commendable offensive display by Fitzpatrick and company, the defensive unit for the Bills stole the show on Sunday. Buffalo was finally able to erase their winless record at the Rogers Centre and hand Mike Shanahan his first shutout as an NFL coach in 281 games. Both safeties, George Wilson and Jairus Byrd, managed to intercept John Beck while everyone else on the defense was able to heckle Beck with and collaborate for nine sacks.

Perhaps the most satisfying performance of the day can be awarded to rookie Marcell Dareus. Dareus finished the day with 2.5 sacks and appeared to be living in Washington’s backfield as he disrupted play after play. With Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kyle Williams sidelined indefinitely with an unclear foot injury, Dareus’ effectiveness will largely contribute to the success of the defense. Although Dareus was matched up against a weaker offensive line, do not overlook the fact that it was his first start at defensive tackle as opposed to defensive end. Playing the nose tackle position, Dareus anchored the defensive line of Alabama in his college years and absolutely dominated his opponents. Look for Dareus to continue pestering opposing quarterbacks as long as he continues to fill the defensive tackle position for Kyle Williams.

Game Balls:

1. QB Ryan Fitzpatrick: 21/27, 262 yards, 2 TDs, and 1 INT. Let’s give you a six-year, $59 million contract extension with $24 million guaranteed and see how you respond. Fitzpatrick was and will still be under the microscope for weeks to come in Buffalo, but his humble response and ability to continue his 2011 campaign is noteworthy. Well done, Ryan Fitzpatrick.

2. DE Marcell Dareus: 2.5 sacks and 4 tackles. Dareus silenced critics that he can fill the (temporary) void of Kyle Williams on the defensive line and live up to his hype of being the third overall selection in the 2011 draft. Expect to be hearing Dareus’ name more frequently as the season wears on.

3. George Edwards: Find it a little unorthodox to give the game ball to a coach? Well, so do I… unless he truly deserves it. Taking a banged up defense that recorded a league-low of only four sacks through six games, then coaching that same defense to tally nine sacks in just one game, is noteworthy. Give credit to whatever Edwards altered during the bye week to create substantial pressure on opposing offenses, but if it is a trend that continues, this defense will be lethal.

Zachary Specht
Bills Mafia Blog

The comeback kids are at it again! The latest and most impressive victory that the Buffalo Bills have added to their resume certainly sent shock waves across the NFL. Sunday’s victory against the division rival New England Patriots solidified the Bills as a force to be reckoned with in the AFC.

Perhaps the theme of the 2011 Buffalo Bills can be identified as resiliency. The ability of the Buffalo Bills to rally from 21 points to defeat an elite team such as the Patriots sends a profound message to the rest of the NFL that the Bills are a team to be taken seriously, regardless of previous stereotypes. With the Bills victory on Sunday, Buffalo became the first team in NFL history to win two consecutive games after being down by 18+ points. Breaking the 15 game losing streak to the Patriots affirmed the new mentality that this team has taken on, and in doing so the Bills have set the city into a frenzy.

Falling behind by 21 points in the second quarter, Buffalo began to appear as if their 2-0 record may have possessed some “fluff.” Rallying around the playmakers on defense and the IQ of Fitzpatrick, the Bills completed a comeback for the ages. Whether you are a believer in Bills resolution at quarterback or not, Fitzpatrick continues to silence his critics via each weekly performance.

Week after week, the energy that serves to be the catalyst of production for the Bills offense is Fred Jackson. Jackson continues to run the ball with an aggressive attitude that generates offensive production and momentum. Freddie “Fast Action” Jackson finished Sunday’s contest with 74 yards on 12 carries and 1TD (6.2yds per carry) and 5 receptions for 87 yards. Each week, Jackson is proving that he can manufacture production that is on par with the most explosive running backs in the NFL.

Despite being exposed by Tom Brady for 387 yards, the Buffalo Bills secondary solidified as a unit and became the X-factor that won the game for the Bills. Whether you respect Tom Brady or not, the future Hall of Fame quarterback is a machine that is notorious for picking apart vulnerable defenses. On Sunday, the Buffalo defense provided a plethora of potent punches that countered the productivity of Brady. Words of acclamation for Defensive Coordinator George Edwards do not even do justice for his ability to implement second half adjustments that stifled Tom Brady. Buffalo’s defensive unit actively responded to adjustments that were made throughout the game and managed to intercept Tom Brady three times over New England’s final six possessions of the ball game.

Although it is early in the season, Chan Gailey and Buddy Nix have established a blue-collar mentality that has built a foundation in Buffalo for this season and years to come. Gailey’s extensive offensive knowledge has empowered him to successfully design an offense that enables Ryan Fitzpatrick to utilize his potential. The chemistry that is produced between the coaching staff and players generates intangible qualities that hold this team together. Whether personalities naturally mesh or players and coaches are bonding over specific qualities, this team is unifying to become a rising team in the AFC that is stocked with young talent. This is a win that the Bills, Bills Mafia, Bills Nation, and Bills fans across the country can unite about, however we must not dwell on this victory for too long because this year’s Buffalo Bills have bigger and better things planned. Celebrate now, and then realize it’s on to the next one.

Game Balls:

1. RB Fred Jackson: 12 carries for 74 yards and 1 TD. 5 receptions for 87 yards. If any doubt remained about Fred Jackson receiving the majority of touches in the Bills backfield, let it be permanently erased right now. For this year, Jackson is proving to be the physical, every-down running back that the Bills need while C.J. Spiller accents with his explosiveness.

2. QB Ryan Fitzpatrick: 27/40, 369 yards, 2TDs, and 2INT. Yet again, the Amish Rifle was on display Sunday afternoon as the Bills aerial attack revived the Bills. Fitzpatrick outplayed Tom Brady and finished with an NFL QB Rating of 92.6, which was 6.6 points higher than Brady. Despite throwing two interceptions in the first half, Fitzpatrick did not turn the ball over in the second half and led his team to another comeback victory.

3. Buffalo Bills Secondary: Yes, Tom Brady was 30/45 for 387 yards but the highlight of the defense was 4 interceptions. This unit forced Brady to throw three interceptions over the final six possessions of the game. Anytime that you cause Tom Brady to throw as many interceptions as he did all of last season, you know the defensive scheme is effective.

Zachary Specht
Bills Mafia Blog

After a seemingly effortless Week 1 victory in Kansas City, the Bills displayed their ability to battle for 4 quarters and rally against a relentless Raiders squad in Week 2. Ryan Fitzpatrick completed a 6-yard touchdown to David Nelson with 14 seconds left to lead the Buffalo Bills to a 38-35 win over the Oakland Raiders on Sunday. Buffalo scored touchdowns on all five of their second-half possessions to overcome a 21-3 first-half deficit. Buffalo and Oakland exchanged the lead five times of the final 14:10 of the game.

After a forgettable first half, the Bills managed to string together a notable effort to storm back and win the home opener. The Bills offense was untouchable in the second half as Fitzpatrick threw for three touchdowns while Fred Jackson managed to run for two touchdowns. Buffalo displayed a tremendous ability to respond to a poor, first half performance and eventually have fans forget how bad the first half truly was. After the Jekyll and Hyde performance was over, Fitzpatrick ended the day completing 28 of 46 passes for 264 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 1 interception. Fred Jackson continued to display his dominance as the team’s starting running back with 15 carries for 117 yards and 2 touchdowns.

In a day that was peppered with offense, there were a few shining moments for this young, but talented, Buffalo defense. Perhaps the offseason acquisition of Nick Barnett proved to be worth every penny of his 3 year, $12 million contract that he signed in July. Barnett continuously made plays that displayed the solidification of a feeble run defense from a year ago. Barnett finished the game with 14 tackles and helped contain Oakland’s ground game to 131 total yards on 30 carries.

Sunday’s Bills vs. Raiders game not only produced a second half that was saturated with entertainment, but it also provided a game for the Bills’ record books. In Sunday’s contest, Buffalo and Oakland combined for 60 total first downs. The previous Bills record for the most total first downs in a game was held by the 1983 Bills vs. Dolphins game that yielded 59 total first downs. The lack of defensive support aided to a shootout that will be remembered for a long time.

Game Balls:

1. QB Ryan Fitzpatrick: 28/46, 264 yards, 3TDs, and 1INT. Fitzpatrick continued to display his red-hot arm by dissecting Oakland’s defense. By successfully putting his sub-par first half performance behind him, it enabled Fitzpatrick to make the plays he was capable of making and ultimately produce some 4^th quarter Fitzmagic!

2. WR Stevie Johnson: 8 receptions, 96 yards, 1TD. Johnson continued to display why he is one of the superior route runners in the NFL on Sunday with his ability to find the soft spots within Oakland’s defense. Playing with a nagging groin injury proved his toughness and determination to play through pain. After the first 2 weeks in this new NFL season, “SJ13” has proven that he is talented enough to have an advantage over the opposing team’s starting cornerback.

3. WR David Nelson: 10 receptions, 83 yards, 1TD. David Nelson appeared all over the field for the Bills victory on Sunday. Nelson provided to be a constant for Fitzpatrick in the passing game. Nelson flashed his soft hands by continuing to make clutch receptions late in the game, including catching the game-winning touchdown with 14 seconds left. With performances like today, Nelson can establish himself as a true possession receiver for the Bills, and create a reliable target for Ryan Fitzpatrick.

Optimistic Buffalo Bills fans can be quoted for predicting a win against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 1 at Arrowhead Stadium, however predicting a 41-7 victory over the Chiefs may not have crossed most fans’ minds. It appeared feasible to draw up a scenario in which the Bills could grind out a tough road game against a formidable home opponent, but the ability to forecast that the Bills would hand Kansas City their worst opening day loss in franchise history was unforeseen. [Editor's note: @mrdeadlier predicted 42-6 on Saturday night!]

Perhaps the most encouraging element of Buffalo’s victory against the Chiefs was the ability to hold a potent ground game to only 108 rushing yards. Jamaal Charles appeared puzzled throughout the afternoon as he finished the game with 56 yards on 10 carries. The Bills front seven provided a relentless push that was able to neutralize an elite running game. Shawne Merriman provided Bills fans with encouraging words via his Twitter account last night by responding to a fan indicating that his shoulder injury is “all good.”

The 41 points that were manufactured by the Bills offense is a solid indicator that the offense appears to have found chemistry. Once again, Fred Jackson was able to prove, through his performance, that he belongs as the team’s starting running back. Finishing the game with 112 yards on 20 carries, Jackson provided the stability to Buffalo’s offense that was necessary to attack from every offensive position. One of the most prominent questions that existed amongst every NFL team after the lockout was whether or not the team’s quarterback could generate timing with his wide receivers. Ryan Fitzpatrick’s career day of completing 17/25 passes for 208 yards and 4TDs proved that Buffalo’s aerial assault is ready to progress from last season. The Harvard scholar displayed his ability to dissect a diverse defense as he continued to find open targets and produce scoring plays.

After a dominating Week 1 performance, it is natural that every Bills fan has scanned the schedule and simulated the rest of the season. Although it is still early in the season, it appears as if the new look, new feel 2011 Buffalo Bills are here to make a statement. I can only anticipate the Ralph to be rocking this upcoming weekend as the Bills host the Oakland Raiders in their home opener. Buckle up Bills fans, because we have departed on an exhilarating season.

Game Balls:

1. QB Ryan Fitzpatrick: 17/25, 208 yards and 4TDs. Fitzpatrick displayed that he is not an average quarterback in the NFL and he has the potential to become a game changer.

2. TE Scott Chandler: 5 receptions, 63 yards, and 2TDs. Chandler looked extremely comfortable as a viable red zone target in the Bills offense on Sunday. If Chandler is able to continue this level of excellence and exceed expectations, it appears as if the Bills have found a solution to their tight end woes.

3. Bills Defensive Unit: As unspecific as this third selection is, I believe the Bills defense deserves to be attributed the proper praise after a solid performance against Kansas City. The Bills defense and special teams collaborated to cause 3 turnovers and dominate a formidable ground game led by Jamaal Charles and Dexter McCluster.

Zachary Specht
Bills Mafia Blog

The Bills offense had an impressive showing in their victory against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Saturday night. While much of the praise will be deservingly accredited to the offense, the defense managed to display an equally impressive performance. The Bills were able to open the third quarter with a 17-10 lead over Jacksonville. After some mistakes and a few questionable penalties, the Bills blew their second half lead, but ultimately battled back to win the game 35-32, courtesy of a Ryan Lindell 40 yard game-winning field goal.

After a somewhat lethargic beginning to the preseason, the Bills’ starting offense was able to generate momentum that produced 17 points and 236 yards of total offense. Ryan Fitzpatrick came alive against a resilient Jacksonville defense, anchored by Paul Posluszny, and completed 11 of 12 passes for 165 yards and 2 touchdowns. Fred Jackson proved to be particularly interesting against the Jaguars as he carried the ball nine times for 33 yards. Jackson continued to show his grit as a backfield blocker with his ability to protect Fitzpatrick in the shotgun. C.J. Spiller split carries with Fred Jackson and converted four carries for 21 yards. Bills nation can finally exhale as Marcus Easley had his first noteworthy outing of 2011. Easley finished the night with five receptions for 51 yards. Steve Johnson continued to prove doubters wrong, meaning that he is capable of dicing a defense’s starting cornerback as he snatched four balls tonight for 76 yards and a touchdown.

With Maurice Jones-Drew undressed for tonight’s match, the Bills’ defense proved to be on the prowl all night. David Garrard completed 11 of 21 passes for 106 yards, with 87 of those yards in the first half. Kyle Williams celebrated his new contract by coming away with 3 tackles and 1 sack. The Bills’ first team defense fortified a wall, which was tarnished for only 10 points and 108 yards in through the first half.

The Bills backups were given control to start the second quarter and proved to be less than ideal. Yes, they are labeled back up players for a reason, but the extended exposure to the reserve players identified Buffalo’s weakness in depth. Tyler Thigpen’s futile outing was highlighted by 2 interceptions as he also managed to complete 12 of 28 passes for 101 yards and 1 touchdown. Paul Hubbard snagged the game-tying touchdown along with the two-point conversion to knot the game at 32. After a strong defensive stand by the Bills to open the overtime period, Ryan Lindell was able to apply the icing on the cake as he drilled a 40-yard field goal to finally end the game with 3:08 to play in overtime.

Zachary Specht
Bills Mafia Blog