Buffalo Rumblings - Bills vs. Steelers: All our coverage of the Week 1 AFC showdownBuffalo Bills news, notes, discussions, opinions and analysis. 24/7/365 since 4/7/2007.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48063/buffalorumblings_fave.png2021-09-16T12:12:15-04:00http://www.buffalorumblings.com/rss/stream/224246312021-09-16T12:12:15-04:002021-09-16T12:12:15-04:00The Bruce Exclusive: All not one, one not all
<figure>
<img alt="The Bruce Exclusive podcast Cover Art" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/aB2cEBG01KewJxPBRk4-JWRjCR8=/0x27:4300x2894/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69867390/Bruce_Exclusive-blog-logo.0.0.png" />
<figcaption>The Bruce Exclusive podcast Cover Art | Josh Rawdin</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The first 2021 regular season serving of plurality pie is bitter</p> <p id="nfmYHC">On this episode of “The Bruce Exclusive”, Bruce outlines how offensive line play, Josh Allen, play, and play-calling each individually had their hand in the <a href="https://www.buffalorumblings.com/">Buffalo Bills</a>’ loss to the <a href="https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/">Pittsburgh Steelers</a> in Week 1 of the 2021 NFL season, and why Levi Wallace is has one of the three main qualities of good cornerback play without the other two.</p>
<p id="2LBPYw">#Bills #goBills #BillsMafia</p>
<div id="FJMb1b"><iframe src="https://player.megaphone.fm/VMP3368816121" style="border: 0; width: 100%; height: 200px;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media"></iframe></div>
<p id="wZQjYC">Subscribe to the Buffalo Rumblings podcast channel featuring Billieve, Buffalo Rumblings Q&A, Breaking Buffalo Rumblings, Code of Conduct with J. Spence, The Bruce Exclusive, The Buff Hub, Jamie D. & Big Newt, The Overreaction Podcast, Food For Thought, The Chop Up, Hump Day Hotline, Off Tackle with John Fina, Bills Mafia Time 2 Shine and Circling the Wagons:</p>
<h4 id="kauiF1">
<a href="https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/buffalo-rumblings-for-buffalo-bills-fans/id1260431411?mt=2&xcust=___sb__p_22408256__t_w__r_buffalorumblings.com__d_" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><strong>Apple Podcasts</strong></a><strong> | </strong><a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/vox/circling-the-wagons-a-buffalo-bills-podcast"><strong>Stitcher</strong></a><strong> | </strong><a href="https://play.google.com/music/m/Ivjtsccq6gazhsjabasbemprauu?t=Buffalo_Rumblings_for_Buffalo_Bills_fans"><strong>Google Play</strong></a><strong> | </strong><a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/5RYDNBKPj6d2zwdf3tmdmy"><strong>Spotify</strong></a><strong> | </strong><a href="https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/5wxbp-77203/Buffalo-Rumblings-for-Buffalo-Bills-fans-Podcast"><strong>Podbean</strong></a><strong> | </strong><a href="https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-buffalo-rumblings-30055079/"><strong>iHeartRadio</strong></a><strong> | </strong><a href="http://tun.in/pjbDM"><strong>TuneIn</strong></a><strong> | </strong><a href="https://cms.megaphone.fm/channel/buffalo-rumblings-bills"><strong>Megaphone</strong></a>
</h4>
<p id="yTnz2v">Ask Alexa or Google Home to play the Buffalo Rumblings podcast!</p>
<p id="vc21c3">If you like our show, tell a friend and spread the word!</p>
<p id="MvIV77"><em>Note: If you’re viewing this in Apple News, the embedded podcast has been removed. You’ll need to go to your full browser or podcast app. </em></p>
https://www.buffalorumblings.com/2021/9/16/22676602/the-bruce-exclusive-all-not-one-one-not-allBruce Nolan2021-09-15T09:03:01-04:002021-09-15T09:03:01-04:00Penalty recap: Pittsburgh Steelers at Buffalo Bills
<figure>
<img alt="Pittsburgh Steelers v Buffalo Bills" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/kCCUa_v_Mvpn1yymAhxjI7uzwNk=/0x45:2708x1850/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69860964/1340078648.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Bryan Bennett/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>I bet everyone’s been “holding” their breath for this. Like the o-Line. Get it?</p> <p id="Rls04M">Hey everyone! It’s time for the most important analysis of the <a href="https://www.buffalorumblings.com/">Buffalo Bills</a> vs <a href="https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/">Pittsburgh Steelers</a> game. Penalties! As a reminder for regular readers, and an introduction for new ones, the idea here is to assess the impact of called penalties on the outcome of the game. While occasionally I dive into the “fairness” of calls, that’s not the focus. Also, I rarely bring up no-calls here (and won’t this week as there were plenty going both ways). Feel free to comment though. And if you’re not sure how the calculations are made ask away, there are no secrets here. </p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="GCp7H2">
<h2 id="CS7CEL">Standard and Advanced Metrics</h2>
<h3 id="HTJCVR">Penalty Counts</h3>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/GDMWtJRmfe4vGxCKg7TcKrpboco=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22851412/Pit_at_Buf___Counts.jpg">
</figure>
<p id="iwMPsU">I know many of you already have this down, but for those potential new eyeballs, count is the number of penalties assessed (what’s discussed most of the time when penalties come up). True count adds in declined and offsetting, with the rationale that this gives us a better indicator of penalty tendencies. The player violated a rule, and it didn’t count only because something worse happened on the play.</p>
<p id="Vwyfrx">With that out of the way, these charts are pretty clear in what they’re showing. The two teams were roughly equidistant from league average. The Bills were on the wrong side of that equation. Speaking of those averages, after doing this for a few years I now feel confident in saying they’ll come down in the next few weeks. That’s not a guarantee that BUFFALO’S count will come down, mind you. </p>
<h3 id="SIgRl4">Penalty Yards</h3>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/nHQVUTe3XVFIf_XvepFhzn1QboM=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22851413/Pit_at_Buf___yards.jpg">
</figure>
<p id="R3Vqc8">This is similar to above but True Yards factors in yards that were negated due to penalty. You might have noticed an anomaly there. We’ll get to it in just a second. First, I’ll point out that the assessed yards mirror the chart with the counts. The <a href="https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/">Steelers</a> had a pretty clean game. The Bills? Not so much. </p>
<p id="YsuHn5">On that anomaly, how did the Steelers GAIN yards? They didn’t really. I’ll give more detail below, but this happens from time to time when a team elects to accept a penalty despite gaining positive yards on a play. </p>
<h2 id="QOapRY">Penalty Harm</h2>
<h3 id="jv8lvE">Pittsburgh Steelers</h3>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Pgp3VuaCrTDPVnWfpebOuCaf2QQ=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22851493/Pit_at_Buf___harm_Steelers.jpg">
</figure>
<p id="vtEvK0">To reiterate, feel free to ask for the full formula in the comments. The short version is that penalty harm considers things beyond the assessed yardage. Two defensive offside penalties on the usual stat sheet look the same (five yards). But if one gives up a free first down? Well penalty harm rates that one harsher. Lost yards, downs given up, negated points or turnovers all get assessed. </p>
<p id="LjN3EH">Since this is the first of the year, I’ll bullet point these rapid-fire style: </p>
<ul>
<li id="S41RV7">The too-many-men-on-the-field flag was declined as the Bills used the free play to gain 37 yards on a Josh Allen pass to Gabriel Davis. Declined penalties always rate 0.0 Harm.</li>
<li id="KFRPif">Chase Claypool’s unsportsmanlike conduct was assessed at half the distance to the goal for 12 yards. Assessed yards are rated as 1/10 of their total, coming to 1.2 Harm. A bit of commentary here as I was convinced Micah Hyde’s swipe at Claypool drew the flag. That would have been a really bad flag. </li>
<li id="LUu27V">Kevin Dotson’s false start was also half the distance to the goal for four yards or 0.4 Harm.</li>
<li id="6RuL94">Alex Highsmith’s offsides is a bit weird and caused our anomaly above. Assessed at five yards, the Bills had gained five on the 2nd-&-7 play. By accepting the penalty the Bills lost those yards, so it’s a wash on field position or 0.0 Harm. </li>
<li id="dVUfTU">Juju Smith-Schuster was flagged for a false start, which I pretty much never discuss. Because they’re pre-snap there’s never anything like negated yards, downs, etc. They’re nearly always five yards too. However, it’s a little know fact that ball placement is usually pretty precise BUT the game record rounds yardage. Occasionally, this leads to weird situations where a penalty is counted a bit off. That’s what we see here. Rounding makes this officially a six-yard flag. FUN!</li>
<li id="cd1cyH">Like Highsmith, Melvin Ingram was called for being offsides. Unlike Highsmith, Ingram’s flag came on 2nd-&-5. The infraction led to a first down. That gave the Bills one extra down for free (second to first). Downs are rated as a whole point per down. So 5 yards plus 1 down is 0.5 + 1.0 = 1.5 Harm. </li>
</ul>
<p id="vXkoZ5">In total, the Steelers accumulated <strong>3.7 Harm</strong> over the course of the afternoon. Typically, 10.0 is a relatively good cut off between “good” and “bad” days. This suggests that penalties had very little impact on Pittsburgh. </p>
<h3 id="jxutqO"><a href="https://www.buffalorumblings.com/">Buffalo Bills</a></h3>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Gt88dKR3Et3Yk2Qsla1-4PdbQog=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22851419/Pit_at_Buf___harm_Bills.jpg">
</figure>
<p id="WRMqrf">I won’t go into details for every Bills flag so we’ll take some shortcuts. Two flags were declined (holding calls on Feliciano and Dawkins) and rate zero each. The false start on Emmanuel Sanders is “meh” for reasons noted above. Levi Wallace’s defensive holding occurred on first down and was yardage only. </p>
<p id="pZbi4s">Circling back to offensive holding Mitch Morse, Dion Dawkins (three total), and Darryl Williams led to four assessed (six total with the declined). That’s a problem. A really, really bad one. In addition to 40 assessed yards, they wiped out 23 yards gained. That’s 63 total yards of negative change credited to the offensive line. </p>
<p id="jvMZum">The defensive backs had a rough day with flags too. Levi Wallace’s holding call was yardage only for 0.5 Harm. His defensive pass interference call was for 26 yards and two downs. That’s 2.6 for the yards, and 2.0 for the downs for a total of 4.6 Harm which outdoes the Steelers’ entire day by itself. Yikes. Let’s GIF it!</p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/F5V03B6TLNbvqETRkEP22j9DkQI=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22851636/2021_Pitt_at_Buf___Levi_Wallace_defensive_pass_interference.gif">
</figure>
<p id="ManIXj">When I GIF it, there’s usually commentary on the rule etc. for those of you who might not know what to expect in these recaps. For the Wallace flag, it’d be a hard argument to suggest this flag wasn’t warranted. Wallace restricts both arms at points and collides with the receiver before the ball arrives. Some of this is fine if Wallace is playing the ball but he clearly is not. </p>
<p id="h8jHJN">As bad as the harm was for Wallace, it only gets worse for Tre’Davious White. He was flagged for holding, but unlike Wallace it wasn’t just the five yards. White intercepted the ball on the play and this was negated. Turnovers give your team four downs of opportunity and, as such, are treated like negated downs for 4.0 Harm on top of the assessed yards. It should also be noted he had an 11-yard return on the pick, which was also negated. Add it all up and that’s 5.6 Harm. Is stacking all that on piling on for a flag? You bet it is. The goal of penalty harm is to flag critical penalties that can change the outcome of the game. Mission. Accomplished. Let’s GIF this one too. </p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/lK6WDKloe3pQ2AI7QShXjbvTpl0=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22851626/2021_Pitt_at_Buf___Tre_White_defensive_holding.gif">
</figure>
<p id="yoisAf">This call was panned, but honestly it’s not a bad one. You can see Diontae Johnson’s momentum shift a bit thanks to the hand on the shoulder, and then he dips under Tre’Davious White’s right arm and White’s hands sandwich the receiver. I’m not suggesting this is egregious, but White does impact the route via contact so it’s hard not to see the ref’s point here. It’s unfortunate because this had serious “Play of the Game” potential. </p>
<p id="uYHrAU">When the dust settled, Buffalo racked up <strong>17.5 Harm</strong> which is a dreadful day. But you may have already known that. </p>
https://www.buffalorumblings.com/2021/9/15/22674747/penalty-recap-pittsburgh-steelers-at-buffalo-billsSkarekrow2021-09-14T13:43:38-04:002021-09-14T13:43:38-04:00Recapping five Bills to watch against the Steelers
<figure>
<img alt="Pittsburgh Steelers v Buffalo Bills" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/GzRnjshOelP4JE_kwyMCM0W3aME=/0x22:2020x1369/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69857408/1339897059.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The Bills laid an egg in the second half on the way to dropping their season opener</p> <p id="0gTISz">The <a href="https://www.buffalorumblings.com/">Buffalo Bills</a> dropped their 2021 season opener to the <a href="https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/">Pittsburgh Steelers</a>, losing 23-16 in a game that they controlled for the better part of the first 40 minutes. Unfortunately, poor play from their offensive line led to inconsistent play from quarterback Josh Allen, who led an offense that underwhelmed against an outstanding Pittsburgh defensive unit.</p>
<p id="iIrrRh">As disappointing as the result was, there were some bright spots in the game. Here’s how our players to watch fared on Sunday.</p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="I9c7wS">
<h2 id="dDK2g7">RB Devin Singletary</h2>
<p id="P7FIRU">Not only was “Motor” the lead back over Zack Moss, but Singletary was the only one of the two players active in the contest, as the Bills decided to go with speedy veteran Matt Breida at RB2. Singletary played on 75 percent of the offensive snaps, and when he had the chance to carry the ball, he was successful. Singletary totaled 72 yards rushing on 11 carries. However, Singletary only had seven carries with 9:45 remaining in the game. On Buffalo’s penultimate drive, he carried four times for a total of 49 yards. The Bills are a pass-first team, and they aren’t going to change that. Singletary also showcased some of the ball-security issues that have plagued him in his professional career, as he fumbled twice, though fortunately neither play resulted in a turnover. Both fumbles came after he made receptions. Singletary caught three of five targets for eight receiving yards.</p>
<h2 id="DTJPKP">WR Emmanuel Sanders</h2>
<p id="ra4T8D">This paragraph would look a lot better had Josh Allen not overshot a wide-open Sanders for what would have been a walk-in touchdown in the game’s first quarter. Sanders also dropped a pass when Allen hit him right in the numbers on a seam route—credit where credit is due, though, because Pittsburgh defensive back James Pierre punched it out. Sanders made some plays, including a nifty diving grab along the left sideline in the early going but, like everyone on Buffalo’s offense, he couldn’t consistently muster anything. Sanders finished exactly where one would have expected in terms of his usage, as he was WR3 in terms of targets (8), receptions (4), and receiving yards (52). </p>
<h2 id="QbewKm">DE Greg Rousseau</h2>
<p id="4fHihL">“Groot” made the start in his NFL debut, and he also played more EDGE snaps than anyone other than Jerry Hughes for the Bills, logging 52 percent of the snaps in his first NFL action. He did a nice job in the run game, and he even made a solid tackle while setting the edge that only someone with his ridiculous length could have made. His overall stat line was light, as he totaled just two tackles, neither of which went for a loss, but he looked like he belonged on every rep.</p>
<h2 id="gD9PMi">DT Ed Oliver</h2>
<p id="ekyICf">Speaking of someone who looked like he belonged, it felt like the announcers were constantly talking about Oliver torpedoing Pittsburgh’s plans on offense. The third-year defensive tackle has a lot to prove this year, and he started his year off with a bang. Without Star Lotulelei to eat blocks, there was some fear that the team would struggle against the run like they did for most of last year. Instead, Buffalo limited Pittsburgh to just 75 rushing yards on 21 carries. Oliver made three tackles, one of which went for a loss, and he added a quarterback hit on Ben Roethlisberger. </p>
<h2 id="PL79JR">CB Levi Wallace</h2>
<p id="9qxnev">What we saw from Wallace on Sunday is what we often see from Wallace on Sundays: he’s good enough when the pass rush is solid, and on plays where he has to react to a ball in the air or the quarterback has some time to throw, he can be exposed. Wallace was called for a huge pass interference that was one of those calls that could go either way (and in fact it had, as a similar play from earlier was not called pass interference)—though if I’m being honest, I think the refs were correct in throwing the flag. My gripe was where the flag came from (the official across the field) since the official closest to the play kept the flag in their pocket. Wallace defended Diontae Johnson about as well as he could have on the latter’s third-quarter touchdown reception, because it took a bobble, recapture, and toe-drag for Pittsburgh’s wideout to haul in the touchdown. Wallace had four tackles and a pass breakup on the day. </p>
https://www.buffalorumblings.com/2021/9/14/22672811/recapping-five-buffalo-bills-to-watch-against-the-pittsburgh-steelers-devin-singletary-greg-rousseauSean Murphy2021-09-14T13:28:41-04:002021-09-14T13:28:41-04:00Mask mandate largely ignored during Buffalo Bills’ season-opening game
<figure>
<img alt="NFL: New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/tBaZnzUaUfc_Ppkm_xCtv65NYts=/0x0:2731x1821/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69857325/usa_today_15149530.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="kPaBH1">Everyone attending events at Highmark Stadium is supposed to wear a mask in enclosed spaces. That was not enforced on Sunday in the <a href="https://www.buffalorumblings.com/">Buffalo Bills</a>’ first home game of the season—except by the Health Department after the fact.</p>
<p id="n3eNkT">Here is the exact wording of the rule:</p>
<p id="ZgooP7">“Per Erie County guidelines, masks or facial coverings are required regardless of vaccination status when visiting the indoor settings at Highmark Stadium. This includes the 100 and 300 level concourses, suites, restrooms and other enclosed spaces. Seating will not be designated by vaccination status.”</p>
<p id="8eMgsc">Plenty of Bills’ players’ family members happily posted pictures in suites without masks. Fans walked up to vendors in the concourses and went to the bathroom without masks. The public address announcer told fans repeatedly about the mandate, but it didn’t happen.</p>
<p id="MMhgjb">The only enforcement seems to have come for vendors inside the concourse. Eight of those vendors were cited for not masking properly during the game, <a href="https://www.audacy.com/wben/news/local/eight-concession-stands-at-stadium-cited-for-lack-of-masks">per a release from the Erie County Department of Health</a>.</p>
<p id="RHsAWz">“Any potential penalties will be communicated to the permit holder(s) once the reports have been reviewed by our department,” a health department spokeswoman said.</p>
<p id="y4lCdJ">Erie County and Pegula Sports & Entertainment have scheduled a press conference for 2 p.m. Tuesday to address the situation. We will update. </p>
<div id="XgUhr9">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Today at 2 pm, <a href="https://twitter.com/markpoloncarz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@markpoloncarz</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/PegulaSE?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PegulaSE</a> will announce new health and safety protocols for <a href="https://twitter.com/HighmarkStadm?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HighmarkStadm</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/KeyBankCtr?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KeyBankCtr</a>.<br><br>Current guidelines require masks in all concourses regardless of vaccination status. The video shows how that went. <a href="https://t.co/MAoEVViirO">pic.twitter.com/MAoEVViirO</a></p>— Kelly Holland (@kellylholland) <a href="https://twitter.com/kellylholland/status/1437785858770415631?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 14, 2021</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
<p id="jkOSgv">UPDATE</p>
<p id="FowUdy">At least partially due to the lack of masks at the season opener, the team and Erie County announced on Tuesday that all patrons over 12 will need to be vaccinated now and fully vaccinated by October 31.</p>
<p id="XD2UBF"><a href="https://www.buffalorumblings.com/2021/9/14/22674092/erie-county-buffalo-bills-will-require-vaccination-for-home-game-attendance">More info in our full article</a></p>
https://www.buffalorumblings.com/2021/9/14/22673949/mask-mandate-largely-ignored-during-buffalo-bills-season-opening-gameMatt Warren2021-09-14T10:00:00-04:002021-09-14T10:00:00-04:00Q&A: Bills’ concerns after loss to Steelers
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Akn-T3TX07gW-zB8Kxpxu1ZOn-Y=/0x0:5400x3600/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69856177/Buffalo_Rumblings_QandA_Cover_Blog.0.0.png" />
</figure>
<p id="LnR8C2">This week, we tackle a lot of questions from the <a href="https://www.buffalorumblings.com/">Buffalo Bills</a>’ loss to the <a href="https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/">Pittsburgh Steelers</a>. The offensive line, Josh Allen, play-calling, hurry-up offense, and a LOT more inside. </p>
<p id="HdqSku">To have your Bills questions answered on the next podcast, you can call 24/7 and leave your questions at 716-508-0405, email us at BuffaloRumblings@SBnation.com, tweet us at @RumblingsQandA, send us Facebook or Instagram messages, or leave your comments in the show notes article on the website.</p>
<div id="VvpZX2"><iframe src="https://player.megaphone.fm/VMP6250124959" style="border: 0; width: 100%; height: 200px;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media"></iframe></div>
<p id="7J8EUR">Subscribe to the Buffalo Rumblings podcast channel featuring Billieve, Buffalo Rumblings Q&A, Breaking Buffalo Rumblings, Code of Conduct with J. Spence, The Bruce Exclusive, The Buff Hub, Jamie D. & Big Newt, The Overreaction Podcast, Food For Thought, The Chop Up, Hump Day Hotline, Off Tackle with John Fina, Bills Mafia Time 2 Shine and Circling the Wagons:</p>
<h4 id="trlIEC">
<a href="https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/buffalo-rumblings-for-buffalo-bills-fans/id1260431411?mt=2&xcust=___sb__p_22408256__t_w__r_buffalorumblings.com__d_" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Apple Podcasts</a> | <a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/vox/circling-the-wagons-a-buffalo-bills-podcast">Stitcher</a> | <a href="https://play.google.com/music/m/Ivjtsccq6gazhsjabasbemprauu?t=Buffalo_Rumblings_for_Buffalo_Bills_fans">Google Play</a> | <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/5RYDNBKPj6d2zwdf3tmdmy">Spotify</a> | <a href="https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/5wxbp-77203/Buffalo-Rumblings-for-Buffalo-Bills-fans-Podcast">Podbean</a> | <a href="https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-buffalo-rumblings-30055079/">iHeartRadio</a> | <a href="http://tun.in/pjbDM">TuneIn</a> | <a href="https://cms.megaphone.fm/channel/buffalo-rumblings-bills">Megaphone</a>
</h4>
<p id="UCl7Wj">Ask Alexa or Google Home to play the Buffalo Rumblings podcast!<br>If you like our show, tell a friend and spread the word!</p>
<p id="v898uF"><em>Note: If you’re viewing this in Apple News, the embedded podcast has been removed. You’ll need to go to your full browser or podcast app. </em></p>
https://www.buffalorumblings.com/2021/9/14/22673333/q-a-buffalo-bills-concerns-after-loss-to-pittsburgh-steelersMatt Warren2021-09-13T13:00:00-04:002021-09-13T13:00:00-04:00Snap Count Notes: Pittsburgh Steelers at Buffalo Bills
<figure>
<img alt="Pittsburgh Steelers v Buffalo Bills" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/VqkTfUA9W6p-GsKQDn7kUSylMRY=/0x0:2371x1581/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69852436/1339898462.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Our first look of the season at playing time </p> <p id="esaXxq">The <a href="https://www.buffalorumblings.com/">Buffalo Bills</a> hosted the <a href="https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/">Pittsburgh Steelers</a> and things went pretty well for 45 minutes of game time then...unraveled a bit. You know all that already, we’re here to talk playing time and set a baseline going forward. Let’s jump in!</p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="6ztYsq">
<h3 id="YBZZC7">Offense (85 snaps) </h3>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Geb4hnWI6COywUs6o7s5KiHacqI=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22846674/Pit_at_Buf___offense.PNG">
</figure>
<p id="pJqutg">The 100 percent club was mostly intact with Darryl Williams, Jon Feliciano, Josh Allen, and Mitch Morse all hitting the mark. Dion Dawkins sat out for one play, and Cody Ford saw some of his play time taken by Ike Boettger. With no reported injury to Ford, this could be a sign the team will rotate like they have with Ford in the past. Or not. We’ll see. </p>
<p id="5bWK3k">It’s no surprise to see Emmanuel Sanders and Stefon Diggs nearly hitting the 100 percent club. Cole Beasley is a bit higher than we saw last year, but not shockingly so. Gabriel Davis, Isaiah McKenzie, and Jake Kumerow round out the list about as expected. </p>
<p id="5aMcYE">The Bills’ game plan was passing all the way. If the 51 passing attempts to 25 carries doesn’t convince you, let’s go beyond the surface numbers for backs and tights ends. Devin Singletary and Dawson Knox led the way at those positions with Matt Breida, Reggie Gilliam, and Tommy Sweeney all hitting “afterthought” territory. </p>
<p id="iz0UHj">Adding up all the backs, you get 89 percent, meaning a good portion of snaps saw zero backs. This is compounded by Gilliam’s presence who would be expected to hit the field only as a second back. The tight ends are more glaring, hitting a mere 59 percent of playing time. This might be a reason we didn’t see an Ertz trade. Why pay for a position you aren’t using? </p>
<h3 id="PECWEQ">Defense (58 snaps) </h3>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/4VJdPfykA0b80GvC2KIfT3Ults8=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22846672/Pit_at_Buf___defense.PNG">
</figure>
<p id="864Jm8">Before we discuss the defensive 100 percent club, I want to point out the drastic difference between snap counts. The offense had nearly 30 more plays, which is an enormous gulf. This isn’t snap count notes, but overall the defense did their job well and the offense had four drives of ten plays or more. The stalls and mistakes need to be cleaned up but there were some positives and the snap counts reflect it. </p>
<p id="rpeK0T">NOW we get to the 100 percent club. What a way to highlight the usual starters with a record SEVEN players hitting the full 100 percent. I’ve been beating the “Call Taron Johnson a ‘starting CB” drum for quite awhile now and it’s hard to refute for this game (read: “impossible”). He’s joined by Tre’Davious White, Levi Wallace, Jordan Poyer, Micah Hyde, Tremaine Edmunds, and Matt Milano. </p>
<p id="vOm0CW">This also provides one of the cleanest defensive dives I’ve ever done with one of these. With zero additional defensive backs taking the field, the Bills played nickel on every single snap. </p>
<p id="kUKiYO">The defensive ends were led by Jerry Hughes and Greg Rousseau as expected. Mario Addison was the primary rotation, but not all that far ahead of A.J. Epenesa and Efe Obada. A lot of this is a tick down for the starting duo. Historically, the Frazier/McDermott defense has steered toward a 67 percent/33 percent rotation as it’s goal. With both Hughes and Rousseau under 60 percent, that opens up more snaps for the entire depth group. </p>
<p id="QL5SC7">With Star Lotulelei out, Ed Oliver saw a lot of snaps as expected and led defensive tackles at 62 percent. He was followed by Vernon Butler, Justin Zimmer, and Harrison Phillips. Adding up their snaps it comes out to 109 or seven short of the expected (58 snaps defense x 2DTs every snap = 116). </p>
<p id="V7veNt">If you ran the numbers on defensive ends, you saw that they had seven extra. This is a hallmark of the Bills’ defense, with the defensive ends acting in hybrid roles. Expect this with all defensive ends moving forward, though Rousseau is a likely candidate to float most often. Against Pittsburgh he also had some time dropping into coverage to provide what amounts to a dime look. If using a safety in nickel is called “big nickel” I’d imagine using a defensive end for this is something like “hugenourmous dime.” I’ll workshop that name for this season as I think we’ll be coming back to it. </p>
<p id="s1zqst">Thanks to Corey Giacovelli for the naming assist. Adding Groot into coverage gives us the WOODEN DIME defense! You saw it here first folks!</p>
<h3 id="iT230T">Special Teams (29 Snaps)</h3>
<p id="fP1sdu">We’ve talked about the importance of special teams and it showed up yesterday in two ways. The blocked punt is what everyone will remember (as they should) but don’t discount Isaiah McKenzie’s huge return to start the game. There are some good and bad takeaways from this unit. That said, let’s discuss the core group with the expectation we might see some changes this week. </p>
<p id="WL7OMI">If you’re shocked that Taiwan Jones and Tyler Matakevich led the way at 86 percent of special teams playing time then this would be a good time to jot down some notes about the two. I expect these two will remain at the top. Following them is Reggie Gilliam (79 percent), Siran Neal, Jaquan Johnson (both at 69 percent), A.J. Klein, Tyrel Dodson, and Jake Kumerow (66 percent). The Bills have historically tweaked these quite a bit, but this might be a more intriguing space than usual this year. </p>
<p id="G25cGm">This list is a healthy blend of depth players who won’t be easily made inactive. That said, Andre Smith and Boogie Basham might be names to watch who were inactive this week. Particularly Smith who played a lot on special teams last season. </p>
https://www.buffalorumblings.com/2021/9/13/22671502/snap-count-notes-pittsburgh-steelers-at-buffalo-billsSkarekrow2021-09-13T12:45:34-04:002021-09-13T12:45:34-04:00One Stat Recap: Buffalo Bills’ offense struggles against the Pittsburgh Steelers
<figure>
<img alt="NFL: Pittsburgh Steelers at Buffalo Bills" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/-yg2XuZEQWPe8rOHvSwxbSI4eSw=/0x4:3512x2345/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69852323/usa_today_16740397.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Pittsburgh’s best unit beat Buffalo’s best unit</p> <p id="3M9ADG">The <a href="https://www.buffalorumblings.com/">Buffalo Bills</a> versus the <a href="https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/">Pittsburgh Steelers</a> was a match up of two of 2020’s best units—the Bills’ offense and the Steelers’ defense. Unlike 2020, the Steelers’ elite unit was superior on Sunday and led their team to victory.</p>
<p id="rfJhvt">Cameron Heyward, T.J. Watt, and Melvin Ingram had their way with the Bills’ offensive line all game long and it resulted in one of Josh Allen’s worst games from a yards per pass attempts (YPA) perspective. On Sunday Allen ended the game with a YPA of 5.29. The only game last season where Allen had a YPA below 5.5 was the Bills’ Week 6 loss to the <a href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com">Kansas City Chiefs</a>. Allen has had a YPA below 5.5 in 11 games in his entire career. The Bills are 1-10 in those games. Their only win came in 2018 against the Tennessee Titans and Marcus Mariota.</p>
<p id="VBCPg3">One piece of solace may be the other quarterbacks who struggled in Week 1. Of players with at least ten passing attempts, Allen ranks 30th as of Monday morning. The players behind him are Matt Ryan and Aaron Rodgers—two former NFL MVPs.</p>
<div id="Q1d3UZ"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lcrXh7FfOoc?rel=0" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="accelerometer; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture;"></iframe></div></div>
https://www.buffalorumblings.com/2021/9/13/22671360/one-stat-recap-buffalo-bills-offense-struggles-against-the-pittsburgh-steelers-josh-allen-dabollJosh Rawdin2021-09-13T08:37:31-04:002021-09-13T08:37:31-04:00Analysis: Buffalo Bills pass rush better than you think against Pittsburgh Steelers
<figure>
<img alt="Pittsburgh Steelers v Buffalo Bills" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/0zuhoS4mbG91VWp-KPagPfVtkc4=/0x0:4936x3291/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69851018/1339907098.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>I’m serious you guys</p> <p id="hIAAUT">Hello all! If you’ve followed Buffalo Rumblings for the last few years you’re likely used to a weekly game recap titled “All-22 Analysis: [Insert Topic Here].” While I could dedicate more than enough words for an article on how the NFL has made it difficult for film junkies, I’ll leave it with this...</p>
<p id="I7nAVq">There’s no All-22 film at the moment. Well. I’m confident it exists. I’m just more confident I don’t have it. Things might look a bit different for now (less GIFs for sure), but we still got some good stuff for ya. </p>
<p id="5irnAN">Let’s talk about the <a href="https://www.buffalorumblings.com/">Buffalo Bills</a>’ pass rush against the <a href="https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/">Pittsburgh Steelers</a>. Following the game, I saw a lot of comments like “They didn’t even touch Roethlisberger.” Let’s examine...</p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="lag9NF">
<h3 id="N4CRCs">Time to throw</h3>
<p id="h3kjEG">If you’ve been a Bills fan for more than the bandwagon years (pssst... that’d be this year), you may remember a guy by the name of Tom Brady. One thing you might remember specifically was this nasty habit he had of getting rid of the ball quickly, which helped negate the pass rush of opposing defenses. Get rid of the ball quick, don’t let large men slam into you. </p>
<p id="flU3Rk">Thanks to <a href="http://nextgenstats.nfl.com">nextgenstats.nfl.com</a>, and their incredibly quick ability to track Time To Throw I can tell you that Ben Roethlisberger averaged 2.3 seconds from snap to throw. No one was faster in Week 1. If you felt the pass rush was lacking, the first point I’m making is that by design the Steelers made it tough for them to hit home. </p>
<p id="9DHNyW">One more piece of evidence—Ben Roethlisberger, per Next Gen Stats, had an average intended air yards of 5.7 yards. That was tied for the third-shortest in the league. Intended air yards is the average distance the ball traveled past the line of scrimmage on all pass attempts. Put simply, this means the Steelers stuck to short and quick passes. </p>
<h3 id="V8vZWj">They never touched Big Ben...</h3>
<p id="5OLPxR">That’s... </p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/8KNcynC_YSbLZwO4EqzUwO5F274=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22845643/18xuy2.gif">
</figure>
<p id="ZsNFI2">There are some GIFs below to prove it, but this was odd to see people saying on social media after the game. Jordan Poyer and Mario Addison both registered sacks. Addison’s SHOULD be hard to forget as he forced a fumble, too. Poyer and Addison also registered a QB hit too, along with Ed Oliver, A.J. Epenesa, Vernon Butler, and Harrison Phillips. That’s eight times that made the stat sheet. </p>
<p id="wnYKFs">It’s important to note that those are only logged on passing plays. Roethlisberger attempted 32 passes. That means he was getting knocked around quite a bit. To reiterate, that’s WITH the fastest release in the league. </p>
<h3 id="ej59Rs">Here are some GIFs</h3>
<p id="itvk4L">Before we get to the GIFs, I’d like to point out that the headline image at the top of the article is Greg Rousseau chasing Roethlisberger. He wasn’t credited with a hit or sack, and this image illustrates that pass rush often goes beyond stats.</p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/s1EXUmAELUZuUCYbWSLH9cXFIa0=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22845670/2021_Pitt_at_Buf___Mario_Addison_Sack.gif">
</figure>
<p id="nA9LoZ">Here’s the first sack the Bills registered on Ben Roethlisberger. Mario Addison is around the edge pretty dang quick, creating pressure at about the two-second mark. Note: All times are “about” as the GIF software gives a good estimate using frame counts, but not perfect. Roethlisberger tries to buy time, but as you can see Addison catches up. </p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/o9tYB4Cl0gDFmyVpt2z8xAbP5js=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22845673/2021_Pitt_at_Buf___Ed_Oliver_hit.gif">
</figure>
<p id="e0z0OI">This is a great definition for “QB hit.” The ball comes out and the QB hits the ground. Ed Oliver bursts through and makes contact at about 2.5 seconds in, which is just a bit longer than it took to get the ball out. This play is not only a great definition for a QB hit, but it perfectly represents the razor’s edge alluded to above. If you hit at 2.5 seconds in, you’re just a bit too late on a 2.3-second average release.</p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/vzxWxavjeIXI3rYBBfnqtt_BcJw=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22845679/2021_Pitt_at_Buf___Tremaine_Edmunds_PD.gif">
</figure>
<p id="GZhYuc">I chose this play for a whole bunch of reasons. The first is to dispel the idea that the defense had a terrible day. This was about five minutes left in the third quarter and they had allowed three points. The defense kept the Bills in the game. I also like this play because you’d see the stat sheet and come to the conclusion that Tremaine Edmunds didn’t help the pass rush any with zero sacks and zero QB hits. </p>
<p id="Nvq2vQ">This gets logged as a pass defended but it’s absolutely a pass-rush play. One reason Roethlisberger will be a Hall of Famer is that he knows his bones will be ground to make Edmunds’s bread if he holds this ball for two seconds. </p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="kVRRoD">
<h3 id="pcS0VB">Summary</h3>
<p id="jsFWZO">Now of course the pass rush and defense weren’t flawless. But they got to Roethlisberger eight times (sacks and hits) and caused some havoc quite a few other times as well. They held Pittsburgh to six points through three quarters. After allowing a touchdown four minutes into the fourth quarter the Bills were down by a field goal. A large part of all that was a pass rush that was far more effective than many seem to be giving them credit for following a disappointing loss. </p>
https://www.buffalorumblings.com/2021/9/13/22670718/analysis-buffalo-bills-pass-rush-better-than-you-think-against-pittsburgh-steelersSkarekrow