Buffalo Rumblings
How we feelin’ Bills Mafia? You thought it was going to be easy, right? Well, here we are, another week where the Buffalo Bills have struggled to pull away early from an observably inferior opponent. About that last part? The New Orleans Saints aren’t having any part of the inferior opponent this afternoon.
Importantly, the Bills still lead the Saints 14-10. Things started out really well, with Buffalo scoring on the opening drive after losing the coin toss. The Bills were methodical in marching down the field with quarterback Josh Allen hitting numerous receivers, the last a quick out to wide receiver Khalil Shakir whose explosive play led to six points.
New Orleans responded in kind, moving the ball at will against a beleaguered Bills defense and tying the game at 7-7. Buffalo wisely turned to running back James Cook on its next drive, which led to his franchise-record ninth-straight game scoring a rushing touchdown.
With a 14-7 lead, the Bills suddenly fell into a ‘Nola trap that pinned them deep to start their next two drives — and led to a total of -1 yard on three consecutive drives. Allen has been pushing the ball quite often this afternoon, which led to his first interception of the season. He’s also been off underneath, with another pass that should have been picked off.
The offensive line deserves a lot of credit for the team’s 3-0 start, but today it’s been a detriment to their play overall. The entire right side of the o-line has been owned early and often by defensive ends Carl Granderson and Cam Jordan. It’s an uncharacteristic game so far by a team with massive postseason hopes. Those shouldn’t be considered seriously yet if they don’t improve across the board here in the second half.
Thankfully, safety Cole Bishop thwarted a would-be go-ahead Saints touchdown right before halftime, grabbing the football away off a trick “Philly Special” for his first career interception. That was upstaged as only a Land Clark officiating crew can do, where they just had to add a bit of drama to close out early action.
It’s time to lean further on Cook and better-involve tight ends Dalton Kincaid, Dawson Knox, and even Jackson Hawes. The solution can’t be to change nothing, and there’s no reason to expect they march out with the same plan. New Orleans is up to the task today, like it or not.
At the break, head coach Sean McDermott was visibly concerned, calling the on-field effort “substandard situational football,” and it’s difficult to find fault with that assessment.
Fortunately there’s a second half to play, a half where the Bills have saved their best play this month. Will we be talking about a lucky 4-0 Bills team with plenty of room to improve after this one ends?
Here’s your open thread for the rest of Bills-Saints. As always be kind to one another, and in all things — Go Bills!
