I was able to keep up with the comments on the in-game thread for much of the first half (at which point it started dragged and slowed down my stat feed from nfl.com) and there appeared to be much discussion about the offensive line. More to the point, the comments were along the line of, “The line sucks today!” I wasn’t on the thread later in the game but I’m guessing that the line was viewed more favorably as the game went along. I noticed some things which might explain what happened. The bits about the linemen below reflect good or bad things they did on plays.

Drive 1

Run 1 (Lynch) went for 3 yards through the right C gap. Dock did a great job on 93 and drove him 4 yards. Butler did a great job on 61, turning him completely out of the play.

Pass 1 was an incomplete to Lynch. You can argue that he dropped it, that Edwards threw it too hard or both. Either way, Butler let 93 hit Edwards and made him hurry the throw.

Pass 2 was a sack. Edwards had 3 seconds to get rid of the ball but seemingly nowhere to go. Peters didn’t stick with his block and his guy made the sack. Walker was bull rushed back to Edwards.

Peters and Walker combined to kill the play and the drive with poor pass blocking.

Blitzes: 0

Stacked box: 0

Drive 2

Run 2 (Lynch) went for 1 yard. Fowler put a DT down (Yes, really.) and Butler drove a DT 3 yards. It was an A gap run and the Raiders had 8 in the box.

Run 3 (Lynch) went for 9 yards. It was a left B gap run. Dock drove a LB 5 yards. Fowler was shoved 3 yards into the backfield and Butler tried to cut a guy and missed.

Run 4 (Lynch) went for 8 yards through the left C gap. The Raiders had 8 in the box. All of the linemen were decent on the play. Barnes, on the other hand, hit 57 but he still made the tackle

Run 5 (Lynch) went for 2 yards through the right C gap. All of the linemen were decent on the play. It looked uncomfortably like last year’s blocking scheme, the one which tried to compensate for Fowler’s lack of push.

Pass 3 went to Royal for 5 yards. All of the linemen were decent on the play. The Raiders blitzed 7.

Pass 4 went to Jackson for 1 yard. All of the linemen were decent on the play. The Raiders blitzed 6.

Pass 5 was overthrown to Parrish. All of the linemen were decent on the play.

Edwards killed the drive with his inaccurate pass.

Blitzes 2

Stacked box: 2

Drive 3

Run 6 (Lynch) went for no gain through the A gap. Butler was pushed back by 90, who was in on the tackle. Walker tried to block 93 but never could get a handle on him and 93 was in on the tackle as well. The Raiders had 8 in the box.

Pass 6 was an INC to Royal, specifically a drop. All of the linemen were decent on the play. The Raiders blitzed 7.

Pass 7 was a 1 yard sack. The Raiders blitzed 5. All of the linemen were decent on the play. Comments on the boards at the time were along the lines of Walker standing around letting Edwards get smacked. Well, if you go back and watch the play you’ll see that Walker instantly engages 56 with Butler. Lynch missed (badly) the blitz pick up on the DB.

Lynch killed the drive by letting the DB cream Edwards.

Blitzes: 2

Stacked box: 1

Drive 4

Pass 8 was the desperation flip to Barnes that went for 26 yards. The Raiders blitzed 5. Fowler was beaten badly on the play, which forced Edwards to move up and into a crunching hit. Barnes chipped Walker’s guy on the way out into the flat.

Pass 9 was dropped by Lynch. The Raiders blitzed 5. All of the linemen were decent on the play.

Run 7 (Lynch) went for -1 yards in the right C gap. Fowler was shoved back 4 yards into Lynch.

Pass 10 was thrown away while Edwards ran for his life. Peters put in a pathetic effort. Lynch helped Walker put 56 down.

The drive was killed by Peters’ failure to even slow down the DE.

Blitzes: 2

Stacked box: 0

Drive 5 (after Russell fumble)

Pass 11 went to Barnes for 9 yards, who fumbled when he was tackled. In a rare positive bounce for the Bills the ball went out of bounds. On the plus side Barnes did a nice hurdle. All of the linemen were decent on the play.

Run 8 (Lynch) went for no gain in the left C gap. He could have had the first down if he had taken the plunge into the line instead of dancing. The Raiders put 8 in the box. Fowler tried to block a LB but really only pushed him into Lynch.

Run 9 (Lynch) went 14 yards for a TD through the left C gap. Peters pulled wide and wiped out 2 LBs.

No one killed the drive.

Blitzes 0

Stacked box 2

Drive 6

Run 10 (Jackson) went for 10 yards through the left C gap. The Raiders had 8 in the box. All of the linemen were decent on the play. Barnes hit a LB, who got around him but never caught up with the play.

Run 11 (Jackson) went for 5 yards through the A gap. The Raiders had 8 in the box and, just for good measure, were offsides. Peters put 57 down. Barnes hit 53 and moved him out of the way!

Run 12 (Jackson) went for no gain through the right B gap. Butler tried to cut a DT and missed. Fowler was shoved aside by 61.

Pass 12 went to Royal for 5 yards. Dock allowed 61 to hit Edwards as soon as he let go of the ball.

Run 13 (Lynch) went for 1 yard through the right B gap. Peters didn’t block anyone. He went to the 2nd level and missed a LB who got in on the tackle. Fowler turned 61 out of the hole. Butler drove 93 3 yards off the ball.

Pass 13 was overthrown to Reed and went 45 yards in the air. The Raiders blitzed 7. Barnes picked up 1 of them and Jackson took another out. Butler put a blitzing DB down.

Pass 14 was overthrown to Evans, who had slipped and was held. All of the linemen were decent on the play. Jackson chipped Peters’ guy.

Pass 15 was a sack, strip, and lost fumble. Peters was beaten like a rented mule by 58 who got the sack and strip. Walker was beaten on an inside move by 56.

Peters killed the drive

Blitzes: 1

Stacked box: 2

Drive 7

Pass 16 went to Reed for 7 yards. Peters was out and Chambers was in for him. All of the linemen were decent on the play.

Run 14 (Lynch) went for 1 yard through the left C gap. Fowler locked up a LB and took him 8 yards upfield.

Pass 17 was incomplete to Evans. Chambers was still in. All of the linemen were decent on the play.

Pass 18 was a 4th down shovel pass to Lynch and went for 5 yards. Chambers chipped 61 and locked up 58. Walker ignored 56 who should have had a tackle for loss. (There was no one else to pick up 56 so Walker should have blocked him.)

Pass 19 went to Evans for 7 yards who then fumbled. Walker was thrown to the ground like a rag doll by a LB.

Evans killed the drive.

Blitzes: 0

Stacked box: 0

Drive 8 (right after the half)

Pass 20 went to Evans for 34 yards. Peters was back in the game. Butler didn’t let the DT elevate.

Run 15 (Lynch) went for 4 yards through the left B gap. Peters got no push and the LB he was blocking got in on the tackle. The Raiders had 8 in the box. Schouman gamely hit a LB who paused briefly and then kept right on going.

Run 16 (Jackson) went for 6 yards. Jackson lined up as the QB. Fowler got a 2 yard push and Butler put a DT down.

Pass 21 was INC to Schouman. Peters pushed a LB upfield but let him hit Edwards. Walker let 93 get past him and hurry the throw.

Run 17 (Jackson) went for 7 yards through the right C gap. All of the linemen were decent on the play.

Run 18 (Lynch) went for no gain through the right C gap. The Raiders had 8 in the box. Peters had a great cut on 98. Butler turned 61 every which way but loose. Walker blocked 90 and then went upfield to hit a LB. Lynch had a lane to the left thanks to the Peters block but went right and didn’t get the first down.

Lynch killed the drive, which netted a missed field goal attempt.

Blitzes: 0

Stacked box: 2

Drive 9 (began at the 6” line)

Run 19 (Lynch) went for no gain through the right C gap. Fowler damn near caused a safety when he was driven 2 yards into the backfield. The Raiders had 8 in the box.

Pass 22 went to Evans, who coughed it up again. You can try to say he was down but an impartial observer would probably say he never had possession. The Raiders blitzed 5. All of the linemen were decent on the play.

Evans killed the drive with his fumble.

Blitzes: 1

Stacked box: 1

Drive 10

Run 20 (Lynch) went for 12 yards on a pitch through the right C gap. The Raiders had 8 in the box. Fowler tried to cut a LB and missed. Walker pulled way to the outside and took out a LB at the point of attack.

Run 21 (Lynch) went for 2 yards through the A gap. All of the linemen were decent on the play. Lynch had a lane to the right on the outside.

Pass 23 was a throw away. Walker let 56 beat him to the inside and force the throw away.

Pass 24 went to Evans for 38 yards. Evans pushed off and didn’t need to. Peters was knocked down by a LB who almost got a sack.

Pass 25 went to Lynch for 3 yards. Chambers was in for Walker. All of the linemen were decent on the play.

Evans killed the drive with his stupid and completely unnecessary penalty.

Blitzes: 0

Stacked box: 0

Drive 11 (the one we like to think about)

Pass 26 turned into a 5 yard scramble. Before Edwards took off, Butler kept a DT from elevating.

Run 22 (Lynch) went for no gain through the left B gap. Peters drove a DE out of the rushing lane while Dock sealed the other side. Butler pulled and took out a LB in the hole. 3 good blocks and a killed play? Blame Schouman. His poor block let his guy make the tackle.

Pass 27 went to Lynch for 6 yards. Lynched chipped Peters’ guy on his way out of the backfield. Dock stoned his guy. Butler took his guy 5 yards past the QB. Walker’s guy almost had a sack.

Pass 28 went to Royal for 5 yards. All of the linemen were decent on the play.

Pass 29 went to Lynch for 16 yards. All of the linemen were decent on the play. Schouman chipped Walker’s guy.

Run 23 (Jackson) went for 3 yards through the right B gap. The Raiders had 8 in the box.

Pass 30 was INC to Jackson and was tipped, which negated a pass interference call. All of the linemen were decent on the play. I found it irritating that the refs gave the Raiders’ coaches 2 extra minutes to decide whether to challenge it or not.

Pass 31 went to Reed for 7 yards. All of the linemen were decent on the play.

Pass 32 went to Evans for 16 yards. Dock was holding.

Pass 33 was INC to Schouman. Edwards threw it too hard and Schouman couldn’t handle it. All of the linemen were decent on the play.

Pass 34 went to Royal for 18 yards. All of the linemen were decent on the play.

Pass 35 went to Parrish for 11 yards. All of the linemen were decent on the play.

Pass 36 was INC to Evans. It was a miscommunication. The Raiders blitzed 7. All of the linemen were decent on the play.

Pass 37 went to Reed for 18 yards. All of the linemen were decent on the play.

Run 24 (Lynch) went for 4 yards through the A gap. The Raiders had 8 in the box. Fowler tried to cut a LB but missed and the LB was in on the tackle. Butler sealed 90 away from the play.

Pass 38 went to Reed for 7 yards and set up the Bills at the 3. All of the linemen were decent on the play.

Run 25 (Lynch) went 3 yards through the A gap for a TD. The Raiders had 8 in the box. Peters took the DE 4 yards into the end zone. Butler pulled and led the way into the end zone. Walker tried to cut a DE and missed.

No one killed the awesome 17 play drive, not even Dock and his holding penalty.

Blitzes: 1

Stacked box: 3

Drive 12

Pass 39 was a badly thrown INC to Parrish. All of the linemen were decent on the play.

Pass 40 was a scramble that went for 3 yards. The Raiders blitzed 5. All of the linemen were decent on the play. Lynch had a nice blitz pick up.

Pass 41 went to Reed for 22 yards. All of the linemen were decent on the play.

Pass 42 was INC to Hardy. He dropped it. That’s no way to earn more playing time. All of the linemen were decent on the play.

Pass 43 went to Evans for 13 yards. Fowler let the DT hit Edwards after he threw the ball.

Pass 44 went to Evans for 16 yards. All of the linemen were decent on the play.

Pass 45 went to Parrish for 14 yards and a TD. The Raiders blitzed 5. 90 blew past Fowler and creamed Edwards. Lynch whiffed on a blitz pick up which let 53 also hit Edwards.

No one killed the drive.

Blitzes: 2

Stacked box: 0

Drive 13

Pass 46 went to Reed for 16 yards. All of the linemen were decent on the play.

Pass 47 went to Parrish for 11 yards. All of the linemen were decent on the play.

Run 26 (Lynch) went for 7 yards through the A gap. Butler sealed the DT away from the play. Fowler was driven back so far that the DT actually went past the play.

Run 27 (Lynch) went for 8 yards through the left B gap. Dock got enough of 93 to keep him out of the play. Fowler got enough of a LB to keep him out of the play.

Run 28 (Lynch) went for 5 yards through the left B gap. Butler pulled and crushed a LB in the hole. Peters locked up 98 who got in on the tackle but only after 5 yards.

Run 29 (Lynch) went for no gain through the A gap. The Raiders had 8 in the box. Butler drove the DT before smacking the LB. Fowler killed the play when the DT threw him aside and made the tackle.

The end of the game (and winning field goal) killed the drive.

Blitzes: 0

Stacked box: 1

If you weren’t keeping track, Peters killed 2.5 drives, Walker 0.5, Edwards 1, Lynch 2, Evans 3 and the end of the game killed another. The other 3 ended in TDs. Peters had 7 good run plays, 19 decent ones, 2 bad ones, and no killed plays. He had no good pass plays, 39 decent ones, 5 bad ones and 3 killed pass plays. Dock had 4 good run plays, 24 decent ones, 1 bad ones, and no killed plays. He had 1 good pass play, 44 decent ones, 2 bad ones and 1 killed pass play. Fowler had 5 good run plays, 15 decent ones, 9 bad ones, and 2 killed plays. He had no good pass plays, 44 decent ones, 3 bad ones and no killed pass plays. Butler had 10 good run plays, 16 decent ones, 3 bad ones, and no killed plays. He had 5 good pass plays, 42 decent ones, 1 bad one and no killed pass plays. Walker had 3 good run plays, 23 decent ones, 3 bad ones, and 1 killed play. He had 1 good pass play, 38 decent ones, 7 bad ones and 2 killed pass plays. Chambers had no good run plays, 1 decent one, no bad ones and no killed run plays. He had 1 good pass play, 4 decent ones, no bad ones and no killed pass plays.

Buffalo had 5 left C gap runs for 33 yards (6.6 ypa), 5 left B gap runs for 26 yards (5.2 ypa), 9 A gap runs for 28 yards (3.1 ypa), 3 right B gap runs for 4 yards (1.3 ypa), and 7 right C gap runs for 23 yards (3.3 ypa).

Barnes isn't a very good blocker but Schouman isn't very impressive either. Buffalo needs to get better play from the FB/HB position.

Overall, Buffalo faced blitzes on 11 of 47 (23.4%) pass plays and stacked boxes on 15 of 29 (51.7%) runs On the Bills’ 3 TD drives the Raiders blitzed a total of 3 times and stacked the box 5 times on those 27 plays. By way of comparison, on the Bills’ first 28 plays (drives 1 through 6), the Raiders blitzed a total of 7 times and stacked the box 7 times. Teams are going to notice that the Bills (and their gun cleaning fans) were frustrated when the Raiders pressured the offense 50% of plays (14 of the first 28 plays). Opposing teams will also notice that Edwards went on a tear when the offense was pressured only 29.6% (8 total on those 27 plays) of the time. Look for the Rams to sell out at the line of scrimmage something north of 50% of the time next week. Edwards may torch them but, hey, when you’re playing for the top draft choice why not go out in a blaze of glory?

Normally I wouldn't have time to do all of this on a Sunday anyway but I'll do it when I can as these observations might bear on the discussions during the week. In any case, I doubt I format my notes like this again. It takes forever to type and I’m a lazy, lazy man.