FanPost

Rewatching the Cincy game....

Started rumblin' a lot and thought i'd turn it to a post. It may be about last week's game but i think all the comments are still discussion worthy......

Cincinnati game notes.....


Just rewatched game using rewind a bit....focusing on the defense.....


It seems like Pettine wanted to overload Cincy's right side to take the right side away and be able to bring pressure to the QB.

The O-coordinator simply looked at our line up and called plays left.

Then, to make matters worse, the D was over-pursuing the QB, and the play....

Good play calling by cincy, bad defensive recognition, and Cincy's giant receivers killed us . Cincy's wrs. blocked our defensive backs like they were little kids at times.

Another problem was Cincy's speed back. He demands attention and we didn't give it to him through two and a half quarters. Alonzo eventually caught on that he needs to move at the snap towards him and then they were able to limit his gains. That was one way the D played better. Another was putting in Alan Branch for either Marcel or Kyle. Branch had a truly monster game.

Play recognition.....

Fast Jerry Hughes is growing up right before our eyes.... He was often a guy out of position in the first half. Wether he was coached to change the way he was playing or just started to read better is unclear but he had a hell of a second half. He was dominant along with Branch and....

Leon Searcy. His play changed like night and day between halves as well. He played closer to the line, and read the play very well, but he also slipped blocks excellently. He is playing Brian Scott's small backer role and played it to perfection in the second half.

The big receivers when moving are scary blockers, but when standing, waiting for the play to develop, Searcy ran right past them like statues on occasion.

These three players and three changes....we stopped overloading our left side, brought Searcy closer, inserted Alan Branch and had Jerry Hughes play more coverage along with Nigel Bradham, who also made plays in coverage, were the reasons I thought how the Bills played much better in the second half.


I would give game balls to Alan Branch, Fast Jerry Hughes and Leon Searcy. A tip of the hat goes to Nigel Bradham along with a keep it up Nigel and you will force the coach to fit you in more message.



Marcel Dareus did not have a good game.... He was the last linemen to move on most snaps and he tried reading the play while going backwards often. I don't think he is being coached to do either of these things. We need Marcel moving forward on the snap.

Fortunately, Marcel us just 23 years old and on occasion displays unusual power, explosiveness and athleticism. He will still get better, and more consistent IMHO

The Bills desperately need him to get better today..... I said this many times but I will say it again. When Marcel plays fast and mean, the whole defense seems improved. He can cause all kinds of timing and set up problems, he can cause the QB to alter his throw by either putting hands up or not letting the QB step up. When he moves forward on the snap, the rest of our D starts making more plays. I still Billieve Marcel could be a probowl regular, he just has to play like the other team is trying to hurt his family every play......which they are...in a way.....


I think it was astonishing that Stephon Gilmore played.... It says a lot about our cornerbacks. I don't think we need one more CB, but at least two....

Wether we grow one from the end of our roster or bring in a free agent, (along with a higher draft pick) we need to get some depth by next year. Cornerbacks have one of the most injury prone positions in the NFL and you have to have realistic alternatives.... They are much more involved in the run game than casual fans realize, so, if they are playing good, tough football, they are taking on or sliding blocks and giving up the body making a play all the time. Injuries will happen.


If the Biils D can stay healthy, get Gilmore back and playing like most Bills fans envisioned, and get Dareus playing mean, tough and confident all Bills games will be fun to watch.

Not sure what the Bills are going to do once Gilmore is back with A. williams. I don't think Leon Searcy is going anywhere and Jim Leonard, with all his warts has that uncanny nose for the ball.

Does Jim Leonard go to the bench in favor of nickel Robey?


Pettine seems to change where everybody plays all game. I think when he has Gilmore to lean on, his D will be even harder to figure with Gilmore playing on an island. All with the hope of confusing the opponent to get turnovers and pressure the QB.....


After watching Kiko Alonzo during preseason I predicted that he would play well, but would be much better next year after an offseason making a muscle jacket, especially from the waist down.

Well he quickly became an indispensable player in our D, using smarts, speed and athletisism. He makes his share of rookie mistakes, but he is a hell of a player. One thing I noticed in the Cincy game is that he appears to me even thinner than he was in July, and it made me wonder if he needs the muscle jacket.....

I think he does.... Why you don't see him needing to defeat blocks all that often (his job is to make plays and tackles) I think his risk to injury would be reduced with added muscle. Knock on wood! Additionally, he is asked to blitz up the middle several times/ game and the added muscle would give him abilty to use power as a change up or in combination to speed and athleticism.... I will say this about the lean Kiko, he makes tackles with suddeness and ferocity belying his weight.

Great, great draft pick....


I swear, it still could be a good year..... The whole team has a lot of room to get better this year as long as we are lucky regarding injuries...

I know, that's a huge if, but maybe.....


Go Bills!



Just another great fan opinion shared on the pages of BuffaloRumblings.com.