Philagape
09-22-2008, 02:12 PM
Let’s break down the Bills’ three late scoring drives, looking at key plays, key numbers and what happened beyond the numbers.
Bills get the ball at their own 4 with 1:54 left in the third.
On 3rd and 5, Trent pulls off a Houdini, escaping a heavy rush, scrambling in his end zone and dumping it to Lynch, who runs for a first down.
After the fourth quarter starts, another good run after a catch by Lynch goes 17 yards.
The next four plays I’ll list are either on third down or second and long:
-- An 8-yard pass to Reed to convert a 3rd and 6
-- On 2nd and 20 after a holding call and a Schouman drop, Trent does a play-action rollout to the left, and his pass to Royal got 18 yards. This was similar to the late first-down play to Schouman last week. Great play call.
-- A 12-yard pass to Parrish to convert a 3rd and 2
-- An 18-yard pass to Parrish on 2nd and 10.
A 7-yard pass to Reed set up Lynch’s Beast Mode touchdown on which he carries the pile into the end zone.
96-yard drive, 16 plays, 8:55, 3-for-3 on third down. A signature 2008 Bills drive ... patient, methodical, efficient.
Raiders score their big touchdown. Don Criqui calls it seemingly the game-winner. At least one Bills fan here thought the same.
Bills start next drive at their 31 with 6:18 left.
First play is a long pass to Parrish that sails out
Trent scrambles for 4 next, but not before Lynch made a key blitz pickup
3rd and 6, and this is where Trent really turns up his heroics.
BOOM 22-yard gun to Reed
Hardy drops the next one, so on 2nd and 10 … BOOM 13 yards to Evans
BOOM 16-yard gun to Evans.
And then the TD to Parrish … not only was the timing and accuracy perfect, but Trent did it with 335-pound Terrell Sands right in his face after he toasted Fowler.
And now with time running out, the Bills have to get the ball back. A 3-and-out is crucial, and the D delivers.
Oakland’s first run is stopped at the line by Kyle Williams, who shot through and got the trip. Remember he had a big clutch sack late in the Jacksonville game too.
Next, Stroud plows into the backfield for a 2-yard loss, helped by Kelsay, who pushed his blocker back.
On 3rd and 12, Russell’s fade pass is long.
So the Bills start at their 34 with 2:29 left.
BOOM 11-yard pass to Reed
BOOM 10-yard pass to Parrish, who gets another 6 after the catch.
Then Beast Mode takes over, getting 20 yards on his next three carries even though the D has to be expecting him. Ballgame.
==================================
So let’s sum up these drives with some key facts:
-- Starting with the 3-and-6 on the second-last drive, Trent completed his final five passes (six of his last seven including a drop), all of which were 10 yards or longer. This is the short-to-medium accuracy he showed as a rookie, and he does it in the clutch and sacrificing his body on the touchdown.
-- The Bills converted all four third downs on these drives.
-- Reed caught five passes for 66 yards – all five were for first downs. Best game of his career.
-- The rest of the completions were three to Parrish, two each to Evans and Lynch, and one for Royal. Great job of spreading it out and finding the right option. In fact, during those three drives, no passes were thrown to the same receiver more than twice in a row.
-- Lynch truly is a beast, from the pile-moving TD to the key block to the runs that set up the FG. Not to mention the acrobatics on his early TD.
-- The DTs were clutch huge. Stroud has transformed the defense, and Kyle Williams is having a career year.
Remember this game. Years from now, this and the Jags win may be remembered as the start of something wonderful.
Bills get the ball at their own 4 with 1:54 left in the third.
On 3rd and 5, Trent pulls off a Houdini, escaping a heavy rush, scrambling in his end zone and dumping it to Lynch, who runs for a first down.
After the fourth quarter starts, another good run after a catch by Lynch goes 17 yards.
The next four plays I’ll list are either on third down or second and long:
-- An 8-yard pass to Reed to convert a 3rd and 6
-- On 2nd and 20 after a holding call and a Schouman drop, Trent does a play-action rollout to the left, and his pass to Royal got 18 yards. This was similar to the late first-down play to Schouman last week. Great play call.
-- A 12-yard pass to Parrish to convert a 3rd and 2
-- An 18-yard pass to Parrish on 2nd and 10.
A 7-yard pass to Reed set up Lynch’s Beast Mode touchdown on which he carries the pile into the end zone.
96-yard drive, 16 plays, 8:55, 3-for-3 on third down. A signature 2008 Bills drive ... patient, methodical, efficient.
Raiders score their big touchdown. Don Criqui calls it seemingly the game-winner. At least one Bills fan here thought the same.
Bills start next drive at their 31 with 6:18 left.
First play is a long pass to Parrish that sails out
Trent scrambles for 4 next, but not before Lynch made a key blitz pickup
3rd and 6, and this is where Trent really turns up his heroics.
BOOM 22-yard gun to Reed
Hardy drops the next one, so on 2nd and 10 … BOOM 13 yards to Evans
BOOM 16-yard gun to Evans.
And then the TD to Parrish … not only was the timing and accuracy perfect, but Trent did it with 335-pound Terrell Sands right in his face after he toasted Fowler.
And now with time running out, the Bills have to get the ball back. A 3-and-out is crucial, and the D delivers.
Oakland’s first run is stopped at the line by Kyle Williams, who shot through and got the trip. Remember he had a big clutch sack late in the Jacksonville game too.
Next, Stroud plows into the backfield for a 2-yard loss, helped by Kelsay, who pushed his blocker back.
On 3rd and 12, Russell’s fade pass is long.
So the Bills start at their 34 with 2:29 left.
BOOM 11-yard pass to Reed
BOOM 10-yard pass to Parrish, who gets another 6 after the catch.
Then Beast Mode takes over, getting 20 yards on his next three carries even though the D has to be expecting him. Ballgame.
==================================
So let’s sum up these drives with some key facts:
-- Starting with the 3-and-6 on the second-last drive, Trent completed his final five passes (six of his last seven including a drop), all of which were 10 yards or longer. This is the short-to-medium accuracy he showed as a rookie, and he does it in the clutch and sacrificing his body on the touchdown.
-- The Bills converted all four third downs on these drives.
-- Reed caught five passes for 66 yards – all five were for first downs. Best game of his career.
-- The rest of the completions were three to Parrish, two each to Evans and Lynch, and one for Royal. Great job of spreading it out and finding the right option. In fact, during those three drives, no passes were thrown to the same receiver more than twice in a row.
-- Lynch truly is a beast, from the pile-moving TD to the key block to the runs that set up the FG. Not to mention the acrobatics on his early TD.
-- The DTs were clutch huge. Stroud has transformed the defense, and Kyle Williams is having a career year.
Remember this game. Years from now, this and the Jags win may be remembered as the start of something wonderful.