Buffalo Rumblings - Buffalo Bills welcome Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals for preseason tiltBuffalo Bills news, notes, discussions, opinions and analysis. 24/7/365 since 4/7/2007.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48063/buffalorumblings_fave.png2018-08-29T09:00:29-04:00http://www.buffalorumblings.com/rss/stream/175407652018-08-29T09:00:29-04:002018-08-29T09:00:29-04:00Analysis: How the Bengals passed against the Bills
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<figcaption>Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Bengals were able to do what they wanted through the air. Should we be worried?</p> <p id="WR7E2W">The <a href="https://www.buffalorumblings.com/">Buffalo Bills</a> passing defense had a rough go on Sunday against the <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/">Cincinnati Bengals</a>. Bengals quarterbacks combined for a 24/39, 367-yard outing with two touchdowns and an interception.</p>
<p id="qd3x3Q">One particular area that stood out during the game was Cincinnati’s success with passing plays on crossing routes for 10-20 yard gains. The Bengals had a half-dozen of these plays, which routinely set them up with favorable down-and-distance (or erased the outcomes of negative plays). How did Cincinnati’s players get open against the Bills defense? Let’s turn to the tape.</p>
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<p id="kdTHjH">The first noteworthy play from the Bengals is a great example of the Run-Pass Option play category that’s been growing in popularity. To the left side of the offense, the receivers and offensive line are playing like it’s a run play. The right guard and right tackle will pass block, and <span>Tyler Eifert</span> is split out wide to run a slant route.</p>
<p id="01Pbti">If Dalton reads a favorable number of defenders in the “box”, he’ll hand the ball off. Since the Bills have eight players close to the running side of the play, he’ll do a quick play-action pass. <span>Eifert</span> has room in the middle of the field and finds easy chunk yardage.</p>
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<p id="80MXbG">What you see on this play is a theme that the Bengals came back to again and again versus the Bills: The Play-Action Flood concept.</p>
<p id="oDcJ19">A flood concept sends the boundary receiver on a go route to clear the defender. Two or three receivers will then run from the field side toward the boundary side (in this case, right to left), “flooding” the field with crossing routes at multiple depths. The QB reads high-low or low-high and finds an open crosser.</p>
<p id="Rk1lbO">On this play, the Bills are showing a Cover-3 look, with a single high safety and the two outside cornerbacks sinking to the deep part of the field. <span>Jordan Poyer</span> is in the box, essentially lined up as a linebacker, and the Bills also have a slot cornerback playing zone.</p>
<p id="qh6QXC">As far as I can tell, the linebackers (<span>Tremaine Edmunds</span> and <span>Matt Milano</span>) read this play too aggressively and sink way too deep toward the quarterback. This opens up a huge space for the receiver to run his route. <span>Poyer</span> also steps toward the line of scrimmage, but recognizes the hole and runs back to cover the receiver. He’s too late to break up the pass - and a great throw doesn’t help his chances.</p>
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<p id="phUuHJ">It’s another play-action flood on this play, and Poyer is the victim once more. He’s responsible for the tight end Kroft, and as he rotates into the box at the snap, he sees that Kroft is releasing into a route and adjusts to pass coverage. Kroft rips past him (with this camera angle, we can’t say if there was a push-off a.k.a. offensive pass interference or a clean break), and has room for the catch.</p>
<p id="QsqZEp"><span>Matt Barkley</span> has an immaculate pocket to work from, and his pass is perfectly thrown. He even had another option open if he wanted to throw deeper.</p>
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<p id="rYy9rc">Seeing a pattern here? In this one, the Bills start with a coverage scheme that looks like quarters coverage (four players deep), but at the snap Poyer appears to rotate into the box with the team converting to a cover 3 look.</p>
<p id="47xEpb">Edmunds drops back into coverage, but doesn’t quite reach enough depth to disrupt the receiver’s route. Poyer takes a not-great angle attempting to undercut the route and can’t close the gap before the pass arrives. Despite the slot corner blitz, the quarterback is kept clean to throw the ball.</p>
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<p id="pXcisQ">The Bengals schemed up a two-man play action pass, with the fullback, running back, and tight end staying close in max protection. The Bills have a single high safety, a cornerback in off coverage, and a corner in press coverage. By this point, we’re seeing the Bills put in some backup players, but Edmunds and other starters are still in the game.</p>
<p id="GvLqkD">Despite the Bills blitzing eight players, no one makes it home before Barkley can set up for a pass. The press corner loses inside positioning, and with a free release this is pitch and catch for the QB-WR pair. A huge hit from the cornerback decleats the target, but he holds on for the first down.</p>
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<p id="XxB5af">At this point we’re featuring all backups. Cincinnati has their third string quarterback on the field, <span>Jeff Driskel</span>. I tried to illustrate what I think the defense is doing. The outside cornerbacks are pretty clearly in man coverage on their receivers, both running clear-out routes. I can’t for the life of me figure out what’s going on with the middle of the field. It looks like a blown coverage by the safety you see running into the screen. With him jumping downhill (I assume to stop the perceived running play), there’s a gaping hole for the slot receiver to work to.</p>
<p id="sRSJPH">The four defenders underneath in the middle of the field look like they’re running some sort of zone coverage, but there’s miscommunication here as well. One player turns around and starts running toward the open receiver - did he blow the coverage, or is he compensating for the safety who came downhill? It’s hard to say, but someone was messed up here.</p>
<p id="jFVcQI">So, what are the themes we can take away from this game? I think the things that stood out to me were:</p>
<ul>
<li id="DUf3xu">Lack of pass rush. The Bengals quarterbacks were rarely under duress, even when <span>Cordy Glenn</span> left the game with a shoulder injury, and even when the Bills brought extra blitzers. The Bills desperately need <span>Trent Murphy</span> to return from his injury if they want to disrupt the quarterback; <span>Shaq Lawson</span> and <span>Jerry Hughes</span> just can’t do this on their own.</li>
<li id="mxT5Kk">Play designs putting linebackers and safeties in trouble. <span>Matt Milano</span> and <span>Tremaine Edmunds</span> are young, aggressive players, and they were caught several times Sunday moving into bad positions that opened up plays for the offense. <span>Jordan Poyer</span> was asked to do a lot when the Bills ran a lot of Cover-3 defense, and he struggled without that support from his linebackers and against the plays Cincinnati called.</li>
<li id="WtKUuF">The Bengals quarterbacks had a day to remember. Both Andy Dalton and <span>Matt Barkley</span> did an exceptional job at ball placement. They benefited from their pass protection, but their timing and accuracy made the offense click.</li>
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https://www.buffalorumblings.com/2018/8/29/17793500/analysis-how-the-cincinnati-bengals-passed-against-the-buffalo-bills-secondary-vontae-davisDan Lavoie2018-08-29T07:15:02-04:002018-08-29T07:15:02-04:00Bengals at Bills: penalties hounding Buffalo
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<figcaption>Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Buffalo Bills didn’t have a great day avoiding flags when they hosted the Cincinnati Bengals in week three of the preseason</p> <p id="PQhHhf">The <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/">Cincinnati Bengals</a>’ and <a href="https://www.buffalorumblings.com/">Buffalo Bills</a>’ bromance came to a head this past Sunday as a large preseason crowd welcomed <span>Andy Dalton</span> to New Era Field. Like bros tend to do, there were some squabbles, to the tune of 24 penalties. The Bills led the charge of yellow with 14 of those flags. This was the third poor performance in a row for the Bills. </p>
<p id="urh4mM">“It’s unacceptable,” said head coach Sean McDermott on Monday. “The only word for it is unacceptable. You can’t do that and expect to stay on schedule and move the football, in particular, against good defenses. Cincinnati, yesterday’s example, was a good defense. We have to stop hurting ourselves. Before you win, you have to prevent yourself from losing. Pre-snap penalties or penalties overall don’t allow you to play on schedule football offensively.”</p>
<p id="Zt7sOc">Should we be worried? To date, the Bills have had 32 penalties assessed in their three preseason games for 257 yards. They have been called for 36 penalties, including 10 false starts. That’s not great. However, last year they had 34 assessed for 401 yards through three games. During the regular season they finished better than league average, suggesting preseason struggles are a poor indicator of things to come. Basically, this article is for novelty purposes only. </p>
<h3 id="8sUw3b">Bengals notes</h3>
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<p id="hlY9t1">There’s a high rate of penalties from the Bengals that I’d consider to be major ones. Only three of ten (false start, neutral zone and delay) were of the procedural variety. Just like I noted above there’s no reason to think this will necessarily translate to the “real” games. On the flip side, it’s a safe bet that one reason these don’t become regular season trends is because they’re identified and ironed out now. <span>Alex Redmond</span> has likely already heard about this game from his position coach. </p>
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<p id="ywkUiu">Goodwin’s defensive pass interference isn’t a mugging, but it’s the right call. More importantly, these are the kinds of plays the Bills want to see go <span>Kelvin Benjamin</span>’s way. In case you’re wondering, Goodwin is incredibly tall for a defensive back at 6’4” and he struggles to cover <span>Benjamin</span> even with the help of some early contact. </p>
<h3 id="wuOQHH">Bills notes</h3>
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<p id="WqLSLn">The offensive line is the main story again. I won’t pile on, the chart speaks for itself. Three personal fouls in a single game is not ideal. Blocking technique might need to be reinforced on special teams and offense. </p>
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<p id="FNIR9D">Adam <span>Redmond</span> demonstrates the razor’s edge of the rules in the NFL. FOX analysts disagreed in real time, but he’s rightfully called for a peel back block because he hits <span>Brandon Bell</span> right at the waistline and a little below as he slides. As the contact is from the side it’s illegal. The way <span>Bell</span> goes flying shows why this is a penalty. That’s a lot of force to major joints (hip or knee) against a player that’s in poor position to protect himself. If <span>Redmond</span> was a step faster he likely contacts more to Bell’s front and this is legal.</p>
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<p id="PDcE9F"><span>Dean Marlowe</span> was called for unnecessary roughness and gives us a good window into the new lowering the head penalty. I want to emphasize that the intent is not to call <span>Marlowe</span> a dirty player. Players have been taught to lower their body to make a hit and the new rule necessitates a major adjustment in tackling. As the clip shows, <span>Marlowe</span> checks all the boxes for the penalty by lowering his head and initiating contact with his helmet. As he has an unobstructed route, has other options and creates a flat back he’s also checking all the boxes for ejection. (Not to mention the receiver is giving himself up by sliding.) There are major stakes to the new penalty that conflict with ingrained habits. </p>
https://www.buffalorumblings.com/2018/8/29/17791426/cincinnati-bengals-buffalo-bills-penalties-lowering-the-helmet-false-start-offensive-line-holdingSkarekrow2018-08-28T12:00:12-04:002018-08-28T12:00:12-04:00Analysis: Bills running back Marcus Murphy
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<figcaption>Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>We take a look at running back Marcus Murphy’s time against the Bengals</p> <p id="GGMkDW">Following Week three of the preseason, the <a href="https://www.buffalorumblings.com/">Buffalo Bills</a> are looking for flickers of hope after a dismal performance against the <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/">Cincinnati Bengals</a>. Running back <span>Marcus Murphy</span> is one such flicker. With the offense living and dying on the back of <span>LeSean McCoy</span>, the depth of this position group is unusually important in Buffalo. Thus far, Murphy has helped alleviate some of the dread of the ever present threat of a <span>McCoy</span> injury. </p>
<h4 id="gQeryh">Play 1</h4>
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<p id="QwQsUI">With the less-than-stellar reviews of the offensive line so far, let’s start out journey with <span>Marcus Murphy</span>’s blocking ability. With a stunting lineman trying to find a gap, Murphy steps up and uses good leverage to stop his man in his tracks. <span>Josh Allen</span> still goes down, but not because of Murphy. In fact, Murphy’s block provided breathing room if <span>Allen</span> could have drifted in that direction. Murphy also slips off after the impact and accelerates right away. </p>
<h4 id="XjDupf">Play 2</h4>
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<p id="M4dStc"><span>Carlos Dunlap</span> has a hell of a sidestep that looks to be taking him right around Jordan Mills. Mills’s right foot isn’t making me comfortable that he’ll be able to reset in time to prevent Dunlap from coming free at <span>Josh Allen</span>. <span>Marcus Murphy</span> isn’t quite as well favored by physics as he was last play, but cleanly stops Dunlap from encroaching further. Mills resets and Dunlap’s pass rush is negated. This is a perfect demonstration of scheming a chip in to help a lineman beat a one on one. </p>
<h4 id="Ecpv5Y">Play 3</h4>
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<p id="vnDNUC">This isn’t a route that will “wow,” but it’s certainly adequate at worst and pretty good for a running back at best. Offensive coordinator Brian Daboll hasn’t been shy about moving players around. <span>Marcus Murphy</span> saw enough time as a receiver to suspect it’s not just a gimmick. Note that Murphy begins blocking as <span>Charles Clay</span> catches the ball, essentially making Murphy a shifty fullback on this play. Murphy was targeted twice, catching both passes for seven total yards. </p>
<h4 id="IQDNBX">Play 4</h4>
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<p id="CN1O67">The Bengals’ ability to rush during the game works against them a bit on this play. One, arguably two, defenders are so quick to cut into the offensive line that they take themselves out of run support. This isn’t to suggest that Murphy didn’t do some great things here, because he definitely does. He finds his lane and uses some subtle moves to navigate a narrow corridor. Murphy breaks one arm tackle on his way through and wills the pile to a first down. </p>
<h4 id="Z6l54q">Play 5</h4>
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<p id="DlH4wE">There’s no hesitation as Murphy hits the hole. Any slower and Dunlap hits him head-on rather than the side. Murphy is a decisive runner and will exploit narrow openings when they’re present. Take a second look and see how Murphy pulls the much larger Dunlap a couple extra yards. Murphy then finishes the play by spinning around to protect himself. </p>
<h4 id="nkr9PA">Play 6</h4>
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<p id="nlhlTT">The play pauses briefly to show that the front four of the Bengals is blocked well by the Buffalo offensive line. They’ve managed to create a pretty gigantic lane, and Murphy explodes through it. <span>Charles Clay</span> is in as the lead blocker, negating Nick Vigil. Ultimately, a good play design and execution is beaten by a better design and execution. Strong safety <span>Shawn Williams</span> is coming in hot, and it’s one too many Bengals to block. Murphy is able to fall forward at least, but credit goes to the Bengals. </p>
<h4 id="oSrmC1">Play 7</h4>
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<p id="UVIf6b"><span>LeSean McCoy</span> likely bounces this one outside with a nice sidestep at speed and makes something off the left edge. It’s not necessarily going to be a big play, but something. Murphy’s decisiveness works against him as he plows right into the pile, going nowhere. Despite this pitfall, Murphy brings a nice skill set to the table. It’s looking like a safe bet that he finds himself as the third running back on the depth chart, at least, when the regular season starts. </p>
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https://www.buffalorumblings.com/2018/8/28/17789436/analysis-buffalo-bills-running-back-marcus-murphy-lesean-mccoy-chris-ivory-josh-allen-pass-blockingSkarekrow2018-08-28T11:30:02-04:002018-08-28T11:30:02-04:00Bills vs. Bengals: rookie report features Allen, Edmunds
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<figcaption>Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>How did the rookies fare in their third preseason game?</p> <p id="lLwllO">Rookies in the NFL are always under a microscope, especially when they are players expected to help the franchise immediately. In what was a forgettable game for the Buffalo Bills as a whole, some of the rookies played well and some struggled. </p>
<p id="r9FV5N">Here are our thoughts on all the draft picks after the third preseason game:</p>
<h3 id="c9Ky79">
<strong>QB </strong><span><strong>Josh Allen</strong></span>
</h3>
<p id="vc74f6">This may have been <span>Allen</span>’s chance to win the starting job for the regular season. With two promising outings prior to this game, he brought excitement around the franchise. His first time going against an opposing starting defense didn't go well, but it wasn't completely his fault. <a href="https://www.buffalorumblings.com/2018/8/27/17785196/buffalo-bills-offensive-line-crumbles-against-the-cincinnati-bengals-ryan-groy-john-miller-analysis">The offensive line struggled to protect him</a>, as he was sacked five times, although <a href="https://www.buffalorumblings.com/2018/8/28/17789200/buffalo-bills-players-ryan-groy-poor-offense-cincinnati-bengals-in-postgame-comments-josh-allen">some of those occurred because he held the ball too long</a>. <span>Allen</span> made some throws out of the pocket that were off target and almost intercepted. At times, he showed off his arm strength too much on short throws that required finesse rather than power. <span>Allen</span> finished 6- for-12 with just 34 yards passing. Overall, it was a poor showing from the entire offense, and <span>Allen</span> may have lost his opportunity to open the season as the starting quarterback. </p>
<h3 id="ZR3chN">
<strong>LB </strong><span><strong>Tremaine Edmunds</strong></span>
</h3>
<p id="W0SpXF">After a slow start to the preseason, <span>Edmunds</span> showed why he was a first-round pick. His athletic ability at the linebacker position is something out of a video game. Edmunds flowed well from sideline-to-sideline and took care of his gap responsibilities. In coverage, he jumped a curl route in the slot and almost came up with an interception. Edmunds finished the game with seven tackles, and his performance was a step in the right direction for him and the <a href="https://www.buffalorumblings.com/">Bills</a>. (Even head coach Sean McDermott noticed, mentioning Edmunds in his press conferences Sunday and Monday.)</p>
<h3 id="nSunlN">
<strong>DT </strong><span><strong>Harrison Phillips</strong></span><strong> </strong>
</h3>
<p id="BZzuNB">Phillips had a hard time pressuring the quarterback, as did the rest of the defensive line. <span>Andy Dalton</span> had so much time to throw that he could have taken a nap in the pocket. It looked like Phillips was playing 3-technique again, and he seemed uncomfortable. The <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/">Bengals’</a> guards were able to control him at the line of scrimmage and move him where they wanted. Whether he is just learning different assignments than he had in college or he is struggling to find his comfort zone, Phillips didn't play well against the Bengals. </p>
<h3 id="kWcW6O">
<strong>CB </strong><span><strong>Taron Johnson</strong></span>
</h3>
<p id="LvKWFG">Johnson is taking all the first-team reps at slot corner, and rightfully so. Through three games, Johnson has made progress, showing himself to be reliable in coverage. He showed his ability to recognize routes on some occasions, and he didn't give up any big plays to the Bengals’ offense. All signs point to Johnson winning the starting spot at slot corner. </p>
<h3 id="yreibm">
<strong>S </strong><span><strong>Siran Neal</strong></span>
</h3>
<p id="ONpTnq"><span>Neal</span> only played 15 defensive snaps, but he made a couple of nice open field tackles and was not beaten in coverage or completely out of position on Sunday. This was a small sample size for him, though, with only playing a few snaps and not having the ball thrown in his direction. </p>
<h3 id="g3JgUz">
<strong>G </strong><span><strong>Wyatt Teller</strong></span>
</h3>
<p id="GfW7mK"><span>Teller</span> had another good game for the most part. The only black mark was a play in pass protection where the defensive tackle just bullied his way to a hit on <span>Nathan Peterman</span> as he was releasing the ball. Although he doesn't have overwhelming power, Teller did a good job on most occasions winning the first punch. At times, it looks like he relies on his upper body to hold off rushers rather than using his legs. In the run game, he did a good job moving to the second level to seal off linebackers on a few plays. With the state of the current starting offensive line, Teller might be thrown into the mix as the starting left guard prematurely sometime this season. </p>
<h3 id="DYsfDu"><strong>WR Ray-Ray McCloud III</strong></h3>
<p id="4vYsW0">McCloud only recorded one catch on the day for 10 yards. On a fourth down play in the red zone, McCloud dropped a tough ball to catch in the corner of the end zone that would have put the Bills within one score of the Bengals. McCloud’s agility and quickness in short-to-intermediate routes sticks out, and he has the ability to get open on those types of plays. His value as a slot receiver and punt returner puts him on the inside of the bubble to make the 53-man roster. </p>
<h3 id="3mYf8D"><strong>WR Austen Proehl</strong></h3>
<p id="amU5GQ">Proehl only played one snap the entire game for the Bills. Proehl has struggled to find open space in camp and in the preseason, and it has been a huge factor in his performance. His chances of making the team have dropped dramatically over the past few weeks, and I would be shocked if he finds himself on this team. </p>
https://www.buffalorumblings.com/2018/8/28/17790108/buffalo-bills-vs-cincinnati-bengals-rookie-report-josh-allen-tremaine-edmunds-harrison-phillipsDylan Zadonowicz2018-08-28T11:00:18-04:002018-08-28T11:00:18-04:00Josh Allen, o-line struggle vs. Bengals
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<img alt="The Buffalo Rumblings Podcast Cover Art" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/CoGcBmvjTI2ficiFF-yENMqC1IY=/450x0:3150x1800/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/61051109/PodcastCoverArtLarge.0.png" />
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<p>What did our duo take away from Buffalo’s 26-13 loss? The o-line continued to struggle, big time.</p> <p id="kzHass">One week after picking up their first win of the preseason against the <a href="https://www.dawgsbynature.com/">Cleveland Browns</a>, the <a href="https://www.buffalorumblings.com/">Buffalo Bills</a> welcomed the other Ohio-based NFL team to New Era Field in Week 3 of the preseason and suffered a disheartening 26-13 setback to the <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/">Cincinnati Bengals</a>. </p>
<p id="C3H8Tr">On the <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1641776&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fsoundcloud.com%2Fbuffalorumblings%2Fepisode-22-recapping-week-3-of-the-preseason&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.buffalorumblings.com%2F2018%2F8%2F28%2F17790954%2Fthe-buffalo-rumblings-podcast-episode-22-josh-allen-o-line-struggle-vs-bengals-week-3-preseason-2018" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">latest edition of the Buffalo Rumblings Podcast</a>, co-hosts John Boccacino and Anthony Marino offered up their thoughts on what they liked and what they didn’t like from the loss to the Bengals, while trying to maintain perspective after the Bills’ lackluster effort on Kids Day. </p>
<aside id="8E12Lc"><div data-anthem-component="actionbox" data-anthem-component-data='{"title":"Buffalo Rumblings Podcast, episode 22: Josh Allen, o-line struggle vs. Bengals","description":"Click on the button below to hear our thoughts","label":"Listen now","url":"https://soundcloud.com/buffalorumblings/episode-22-recapping-week-3-of-the-preseason"}'></div></aside><p id="uVme43">If you came to the Bills’ dress rehearsal preseason game late, consider yourself lucky, because you didn’t miss much from the sputtering Buffalo offense. </p>
<p id="XmpkHj">The first-team unit struggled against an aggressive and talented Bengals’ defensive line, ruining the professional starting debut of prized rookie <span>Josh Allen</span>. </p>
<p id="xcziRA"><span>Allen</span> was sacked five times and completed only 6 of 12 passes during a scoreless first half. While <span>Allen</span> failed to direct any scoring drives, it wasn’t all his fault, as he <a href="https://www.buffalorumblings.com/2018/8/27/17785196/buffalo-bills-offensive-line-crumbles-against-the-cincinnati-bengals-ryan-groy-john-miller-analysis">barely had two seconds</a> to search for a receiver downfield on most of his passes due to porous play from the offensive line. </p>
<p id="wBMxsP">The patchwork offensive line should be a major concern for Bills fans heading into the regular season. The one positive for the first-team offense? The struggles came as <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl-pro-bowl">Pro Bowl</a> running back <span>LeSean McCoy</span> and starting left tackle <span>Dion Dawkins</span> were on the sidelines for Week 3 of the preseason, but there is major work to be done in the trenches for the Bills. </p>
<p id="sHlLzO">The good news? Second-year QB <span>Nathan Peterman</span> <a href="https://www.buffalorumblings.com/2018/8/28/17787972/buffalo-bills-nathan-peterman-making-strong-case-to-start-at-quarterback-week-1-2018">continued his strong preseason play</a> as he makes a push to be Buffalo’s regular-season starting quarterback. </p>
<p id="b8zSHO">Playing behind most of the same offensive line that was pushed around by Cincinnati’s defensive line in the first half, <span>Peterman</span> played the entire second half, completing 16-of-21 passes for 200 yards and a touchdown.</p>
<p id="DCqVSP">Among the other things Boccacino and Marino liked from the loss: the emergence of tight end <span>Jason Croom</span>, who has played his way into the discussion for the No. 2 tight end job, surpassing <span>Nick O’Leary</span>, <span>Khari Lee</span>, and <span>Keith Towbridge</span> on the depth chart. </p>
<p id="si3qjs">Running back <span>Marcus Murphy</span> also continued his strong preseason, rushing 11 times for 58 yards (5.3 yards per rush), while linebacker <span>Tremaine Edmunds</span> was in on seven total tackles, burst through the gaps to make several stops, and held his own in pass coverage. </p>
<p id="SkaMuL">On the flip side, the duo discussed disappointing performances from the entire offensive line, linebacker <span>Matt Milano</span>, and cornerback <span>Vontae Davis</span>, who was burned on a 57-yard touchdown pass from <span>Andy Dalton</span> to <span>John Ross</span> on the first play of the game. His day didn’t get any better after the opening snap, and now <span>Davis</span> could be in jeopardy of losing his role as starting CB opposite Tre’Davious White. </p>
<p id="s7tYt3">Check out our <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1641776&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fsoundcloud.com%2Fbuffalorumblings%2Fepisode-22-recapping-week-3-of-the-preseason&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.buffalorumblings.com%2F2018%2F8%2F28%2F17790954%2Fthe-buffalo-rumblings-podcast-episode-22-josh-allen-o-line-struggle-vs-bengals-week-3-preseason-2018" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Buffalo Rumblings podcast</a> to catch the complete breakdown from Week 3 of the preseason! <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1641776&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fsoundcloud.com%2Fbuffalorumblings%2Fepisode-22-recapping-week-3-of-the-preseason&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.buffalorumblings.com%2F2018%2F8%2F28%2F17790954%2Fthe-buffalo-rumblings-podcast-episode-22-josh-allen-o-line-struggle-vs-bengals-week-3-preseason-2018" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Listen here.</a> The Buffalo Rumblings podcast is available on <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fitunes.apple.com%2Fus%2Fpodcast%2Fthe-buffalo-rumblings-podcast%2Fid1378067680%3Fmt%3D2" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">iTunes</a>, Google Play, <a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/buffalo-rumblings/the-buffalo-rumblings-podcast">Stitcher</a>, <a href="https://tunein.com/podcasts/Sports--Recreation-Podcasts/The-Buffalo-Rumblings-Podcast-p1122388/">TuneIn</a>, <a href="http://podbay.fm/show/1378067680">Podbay</a>, <a href="https://podfanatic.com/podcast/the-buffalo-rumblings-podcast">Podfanatic</a>, and practically everywhere podcasts are found.</p>
<p id="hBg3xB">Subscribe, rate, and review our Buffalo Rumblings podcast now and leave your comments below. You can also download an MP3 version of the podcast by signing up for a free account at <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fsoundcloud.com%2F" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">SoundCloud</a>. We are looking for feedback and want to hear from you!</p>
https://www.buffalorumblings.com/2018/8/28/17790954/the-buffalo-rumblings-podcast-episode-22-josh-allen-o-line-struggle-vs-bengals-week-3-preseason-2018John Boccacino2018-08-28T09:00:32-04:002018-08-28T09:00:32-04:00Allen, Groy share blame for bad offense following Bengals loss
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<img alt="NFL: Cincinnati Bengals at Buffalo Bills" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/WdKfPLoQaVuOGALEyfZJ0b4blMs=/0x0:3634x2423/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/61047923/usa_today_11134763.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Josh Allen and the offensive line owned this poor performance.</p> <p id="cnrPjb">The <a href="https://www.buffalorumblings.com/">Buffalo Bills</a> starting offense put up a dud as they hosted Cincinnati on Sunday evening, and were outscored 20-0 in the first half of the game. While Marcus Murphy and <span>Chris Ivory</span> found daylight to run in, the passing game struggled immensely. <span>Josh Allen</span> completed 6 of 12 passes for 34 yards and lost essentially all of that yardage on five sacks. The negative plays, plus five penalties from the offense, killed every drive before it got going.</p>
<p id="3KC59K"><span>Allen</span> shouldered the blame for his unit’s poor performance following the game.</p>
<p id="ZHgIoh">“I didn’t do a good enough job getting the ball out on time and getting it to my playmakers. Holding onto the ball is not going to be too great, most of the time,” said Allen Sunday night.</p>
<p id="7MIwNW">Interior offensive lineman <span>Ryan Groy</span>, who spent time at each of the three interior positions with the first unit Sunday, took ownership of the failures and held it with the offensive line. </p>
<p id="maqbi4">“It’s bad. I’ll take the first hit,” <span>Groy</span> commented. “It was embarrassing as a unit and I’ll take the first blame. As an o-line we need to get better and that was on us, 100 percent.”</p>
<p id="DI6YRy"><span>Marshall Newhouse</span>, who started at left tackle when <span>Dion Dawkins</span> couldn’t play, thought that Buffalo’s poor blocking combined with <span>Allen</span>’s rookie nerves in an unfortunate way. </p>
<p id="Onoh0C">“There was a lot getting thrown at him. I kept reminding him, ‘Hey man, next play. Move on. Keep grinding, whatever,’” said the veteran journeyman.</p>
<p id="MpK1JQ">Bills head coach Sean McDermott spoke with the media Monday afternoon, and he noted that multiple variables mattered with Buffalo’s offensive failure.</p>
<p id="vteMLf">“You know, it’s never one guy,” said McDermott. “There are a lot of hands in that cookie drawer where it’s ‘the ball’s got to come out on time.’ We’ve got to work in sync [with] the ball coming out on time, protection, running the right route. There’s a shared type of result when it comes to what you saw at times along the front.”</p>
<p id="K6LZcr">McDermott noted that the Bills intentionally shifted players on the line mid-game and dismissed that as a factor for Buffalo’s poor performance, saying that would just be an “excuse” for the situation.</p>
<p id="lQWCNf">The conversation wasn’t all regrets, though, as McDermott noted that he’d seen some positive strides from the rookie passer amid Sunday’s chaos:</p>
<p id="BX0wI3">“Overall, I know the numbers didn’t really show a great performance necessarily, but again, to the questions earlier, there are a lot of things that go into that as well. I did like his poise in the pocket to an extent. I thought he got us in and out of the huddle for the most part and managed some highs and lows of the game, most of which didn’t go our way early in the game, and that’s all part of playing that quarterback position and leading a football team.”</p>
<p id="JW5ulx">The Bills return to the football field on Thursday night after a short week of practice. They’ll close out their preseason against the <a href="https://www.windycitygridiron.com/">Chicago Bears</a>, hoping to pick up the production on offense before the regular season starts.</p>
https://www.buffalorumblings.com/2018/8/28/17789200/buffalo-bills-players-ryan-groy-poor-offense-cincinnati-bengals-in-postgame-comments-josh-allenDan Lavoie2018-08-28T07:45:02-04:002018-08-28T07:45:02-04:00AJ McCarron’s return highlights injury update
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<img alt="NFL: Cincinnati Bengals at Buffalo Bills" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/v4q7EIyX_PQe9nt_Cj3zEcJXzOY=/0x591:3456x2895/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/61044741/usa_today_11134559.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Kyle Williams, Trent Murphy, and more in today’s injury roundup.</p> <p id="X1loMF">The <a href="https://www.buffalorumblings.com/">Buffalo Bills</a> have avoided most major injuries this offseason, even after a scare following the second preseason game when they believed quarterback <span>AJ McCarron</span> broken his collarbone. <span>McCarron</span>’s return highlights the injury report from head coach Sean McDermott on Monday.</p>
<p id="cskQJT">According to McDermott, McCarron was healthy enough to be the emergency quarterback on Sunday. He mentioned the lack of practice as the reason the veteran didn’t see the field. Coach continued saying McCarron was “good to go” moving forward.</p>
<p id="sH3JtD">“Look, he’s been going through some treatment and coming off the injury still, guys, but he’s sore,” said McDermott when pressed. “That’s what happens in the game; you get sore. Is sore 100 percent? That’s, I guess, in the eyes of the beholder at that point. He was coming off of an injury there, so who is 100 percent, right, at this point in camp?”</p>
<p id="pt9aGO">The only new injury to come from Sunday’s loss to the <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/">Cincinnati Bengals</a> was a nose injury to backup linebacker <span>Julian Stanford</span>, who is week-to-week with a nose injury. <span>Stanford</span> had been pushing for a roster spot as a special teamer and reserve linebacker.</p>
<p id="tMag69">“We’re still gathering information right now, so we’re a little bit early on that. Other than that, no real changes in the other injuries that you knew going into the game,” added McDermott.</p>
<p id="7j1XpB">Veteran defensive tackle <span>Kyle Williams</span> and defensive end <span>Trent Murphy</span> worked with the rest of the team in individual drills Monday, but it was such a light practice no one had helmets. That makes it tough to tell how ready they are and both will be held out of Thursday’s preseason finale.</p>
<p id="SwN3Fg">The same can probably be said for tackle <span>Dion Dawkins</span> and running back <span>LeSean McCoy</span>, who both missed the game on Sunday. With roster spots locked up, they won’t see the field.</p>
<p id="E70884">The Bills have an off day Tuesday followed by a travel day Wednesday, so we won’t get an injury update until after the game against the <a href="https://www.windycitygridiron.com/">Chicago Bears</a>. </p>
<p id="T82ck7"></p>
https://www.buffalorumblings.com/2018/8/28/17789008/buffalo-bills-injury-update-aj-mccarron-back-julian-stanford-out-kyle-williams-trent-murphyMatt Warren2018-08-28T07:15:01-04:002018-08-28T07:15:01-04:00Bills vs. Bengals was second highest-rated preseason game in Buffalo since 2000
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<img alt="Cincinnati Bengals v Buffalo Bills" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/N1r35hycXDWF01Tcs_tTjrXmQWA=/0x0:4693x3129/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/61047985/1024134946.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Josh Allen continues to be a ratings bonanza for local television.</p> <p id="2SQWgw">The <a href="https://www.buffalorumblings.com/">Buffalo Bills</a>’ previous preseason game against the <a href="https://www.dawgsbynature.com/">Cleveland Browns</a> may have been the <a href="https://www.buffalorumblings.com/2018/8/22/17768550/buffalo-bills-cleveland-browns-preseason-game-was-highest-rated-local-tv-event-of-summer-josh-allen">highest-rated local TV event of the summer</a>, but Sunday’s matchup against the <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/">Cincinnati Bengals</a> topped it, and then some. Rookie quarterback <span>Josh Allen</span>’s first start was the highest-rated television program of the summer as well as the second-highest rated preseason game since 2000, <a href="https://buffalonews.com/2018/08/27/allens-first-start-leads-to-highest-rated-tv-event-of-the-summer/">according to Alan Pergament of <em>The Buffalo News</em></a>. </p>
<p id="EusCBX">The Bills-Bengals tilt had a preliminary rating of 25.7. Pergament notes that the 2014 preseason Hall of Fame game, featuring the debut of rookie receiver <span>Sammy Watkins</span>, continues to be the highest rated preseason matchup with an average rating of 26.4.</p>
<p id="wLcbBd">Surprisingly, the highest ratings were achieved after backup quarterback <span>Nathan Peterman</span> took to the field. The ratings hit a high of 27.9 from 6:15 p.m. through 6:30 p.m., which is about when <span>Peterman</span> was driving down the field for his first score.</p>
<p id="S4iBTF">We don’t expect similar ratings for Thursday night.</p>
https://www.buffalorumblings.com/2018/8/28/17789178/bills-vs-bengals-was-second-highest-rated-preseason-game-in-buffalo-since-2000-josh-allengrif