Buffalo Rumblings
There are those who will preach the benefit of a good humbling. In the right setting, it can be a magical pivot point to rally around. Regarding the awful performance by the Buffalo Bills in Week 5, the hope is that they’ve been properly humbled and ready to put the poor play behind them.
As a fan of the Bills, you have plenty of reasons to be upset at the team’s performance. I said in the second-half open thread that we’d just witness some of the worst football played in ages — perhaps dating back to that Browns punt game the team then decided to use a still from as marketing materials for season tickets.
What follows is critical, so before that I want to acknowledge the game Dalton Kincaid played. His first 100-yard receiving game, and he was clutch every time Allen needed a play. That’s a good sign for the future, and all outside observers have been asking for the last two seasons. To their credit, the offense also put together a great opening drive of the second half. They looked like a completely different team than the one that ran into the tunnel. But there are concerns that should no longer go excused.
Grizzled veterans of Bills Mafia understand that the better team doesn’t always win. But can one clearly state that Buffalo was the better team tonight? Quarterback, without a doubt. Tonight wasn’t Josh Allen’s best game, but that wasn’t all his fault. Allen did throw an awful interception that took away at least three points in the second half, and led to a Patriots touchdown on the ensuring drive. We can’t know for sure how things play out if that play never happens, but we know that three points would have helped.
When the offense struggles as it did Sunday night, Allen must play his best football. He often does, but it’s rare that he’s playing against his former BFF in Stefon Diggs. It seemed pretty clear to me that Diggs was in Buffalo’s collective head for his return to Highmark Stadium. Diggs, had an incredible game, but that’s nothing out of the ordinary.
It’s evident just how much this game meant to Diggs, who went off for 10 catches (12 targets) for 146 yards. In his postgame, he claimed it was personal — this, after all the evidence pointed to Diggs forcing the Bills hand to trade him away from One Bills Drive. His comments make for good postgame reporting, but it’s time for Allen and company to move past Diggs. Until they do so, this will cloud every game plan involving him.
The plan moving forward can’t be to show everyone they don’t need Stefon Diggs. Doing that proved just how much they do still need him. How many times is Josh Allen going to look downfield and find wide receivers who aren’t open, and not looking back to get open for him?
Whether due to New England’s doing or offensive coordinator Joe...
