Defense didn't show up yesterday. Thankfully the Offense did.

[Forward_Lateral]

Winston absolutely shredded them. They need to figure out this now, rather than later.

A win is a win, and I'm happy, but what I saw today from the Defense is a bit concerning.

[Historian]

Winston is a player.

He's only going to get better, too.

And his receivers were the size of redwood trees.

[Forward_Lateral]

Winston is a player.

He's only going to get better, too.

And his receivers were the size of redwood trees.
Mike Evans is an absolute nightmare, I agree. That OJ fellow isn't too bad either, but I could've caught the passes he caught. It's like he had leprosy

[YardRat]

I think the secondary is a little bit over-rated by some, this isn't the first time they've given up chunks of yardage, completions, first downs etc in the passing game. A lot of that is the scheme. However, part of that scheme is also dependent on making the occasional big play, and even though these guys appear to let up a bunch of completions or the big play here and there, they are also holding up the other end of the bargain with pd's, int's, ff's.

When it's working as intended, they are going to give up some yards through the air...when it breaks down it can look atrocious..when it's firing on all cylinders and the front four is stuffing the run and getting pressure it looks dominating.

[Forward_Lateral]

I think the secondary is a little bit over-rated by some, this isn't the first time they've given up chunks of yardage, completions, first downs etc in the passing game. A lot of that is the scheme. However, part of that scheme is also dependent on making the occasional big play, and even though these guys appear to let up a bunch of completions or the big play here and there, they are also holding up the other end of the bargain with pd's, int's, ff's.

When it's working as intended, they are going to give up some yards through the air...when it breaks down it can look atrocious..when it's firing on all cylinders and the front four is stuffing the run and getting pressure it looks dominating.

I don't mind giving up yards. It happens, especially when the opponent has highly talented players like Winston, Evans, etc. What I do mind is when the D gets beat over and over by the same play. It concerns me that adjustments weren't made. Yes Winston made some nice throws into tight spaces, and receivers made catches that were well covered. But the wide open guys without anyone 20 yards near them is unacceptable. I don't know if it's the LB's, the backup corners, the safeties, or who's fault.

That being said, it's nice to be complaining about this after a WIN.

[YardRat]

The Howard TD was simply a great play design that worked as intended and confused the defense. The go-ahead TD is a fluke that gets pulled off once, maybe twice, a year by any WR.

They did hold the running game to 69 yards, at least.

[Forward_Lateral]

That throw and catch that put Tampa ahead was unreal. I thought The Bills had definitely blown another one. Then the strangest things happened......

[EDS]

Wonder if the re-ignition of the running game had anything to do with Glenn being back.

[Ingtar33]

Winston absolutely shredded them.

this defense was not rated highly for yards against coming into this game. It's been giving up boatloads of yards. Its just been keeping teams out of the endzone, mostly thanks to timely turnovers and bad QB play against them.

We didn't get the usual series of mistakes on those long TD drives against us this week. So those drives turned into points. I suspect we'll see games like this against truly good offenses. Raiders are next, I'd say we were heading for 4-3 after next week if it was in Oakland, but I like our chances out here; out here we probably get a few breaks, maybe get the typical west coast team malaise that occurs when they fly east, and the Raider's defense isn't all that good, so even if they put points on the board, I think our offense should be able to manage to as well. If we can get past the raiders, that sends us to NY vs the Jets, a game which we should take, which brings us back home against the saints (and what I said about the raiders is probably the script for beating the saints). In short, if we can get the next 3 games to go our way, we will head into Arrowhead at 8-2, which means we probably can lose that game without any real effect on our playoff chances, and then home again against the pats, for a meaningful game in December and likely the division on the line. Even if we lose both of those two games, and fall to 8-4, 3 of the last 4 games are the easiest ones on the schedule (yes, the fins at 4-2 are easy, they're a mirage). so we still probably could make the playoffs with a 11-5 record without beating the pats once. Of course to do this we need to take care of our business against the saints and raiders. Losing those two will mean we'd need to either sweep the pats or beat the pats once and the chiefs, which I just don't see happening, and 9-7 is a lot less likely to make the playoffs then 11-5

It's not a given we can make the playoffs, but if we can take the next 3 I think it's looking more and more likely to happen. No backing into the playoffs this year. The schedule won't allow it. But we might be able to earn it.

[Historian]

I think the Saints game is going to be tough.

[kingJofNYC]

I think the secondary is a little bit over-rated by some, this isn't the first time they've given up chunks of yardage, completions, first downs etc in the passing game. A lot of that is the scheme. However, part of that scheme is also dependent on making the occasional big play, and even though these guys appear to let up a bunch of completions or the big play here and there, they are also holding up the other end of the bargain with pd's, int's, ff's.

When it's working as intended, they are going to give up some yards through the air...when it breaks down it can look atrocious..when it's firing on all cylinders and the front four is stuffing the run and getting pressure it looks dominating.
White, Hyde, and Poyer are legit but Gaines can't stay healthy and the drop off from there is huge. Johnson stinks, Wright is awful and should be on the street. We have 3 solid players in the secondary, 1 that can't stay on the field, and the rest are below avg. It's a talent issues more than anything, just don't have the depth. I honestly wish they kept Robey-Coleman, he's better than the depth we have.

[ghz in pittsburgh]

Alexander himself said afterwards that the blown coverage TD is on him.

We are heading into week 8 of the NFL season and teams are pretty much well defined now. I'm afraid that teams are going to attack the Bills D more on the flat like the Bucs did yesterday. Linebacker coverage, especially Alexander behind Hughes, is terrible. If Poyer is out Raiders game, I don't the D can hold up without surrendering 30 points.

[kingJofNYC]

If Poyer and Gaines are out that secondary will come under fire. Alexander is getting picked on a ton in coverage, but that's not his fault, it's the coaches. They shouldn't be asking him to cover athletic TEs.

I will say that Matt Milano may be a huge find for this team, that kid can run and cover, also a good blitzer. Two games, two solid starts for Matt, man if he can keep this up it will be huge for this team going forward. Finding a capable LB for this scheme in the 5th round, absolutely huge. Still early though.

[Mouldsie]

Our safeties and #1 CB are very good. Gaines is solid unless he's asked to cover a speed WR like Jackson and after him there is a big drop-off. We should match up better vs Oakland if Gaines can play. If not, look out.

[Forward_Lateral]

What happened to Poyer?

[The Beef]

Defense made a couple of timely plays, ie the 3 turnovers.

They also could've had 3 more, Tre and Hyde dropped IT's and Poyer broke up a pass in the end zone where he ran the route for Brate but turned and only out 1 hand up.

Winston is damn good, and this is what elite QB's do.

Zo got toasted on both Howard TD's and Wright was outclassed by Jackson and Evans.

Outside of Milano these LB's can't cover. The TE's and RB screens ate them up all day.

They helped shut down the run, but we will see more of this until we get faster at LB.

[baalworship]

Defense made a couple of timely plays, ie the 3 turnovers.

They also could've had 3 more, Tre and Hyde dropped IT's and Poyer broke up a pass in the end zone where he ran the route for Brate but turned and only out 1 hand up.

Winston is damn good, and this is what elite QB's do.

Zo got toasted on both Howard TD's and Wright was outclassed by Jackson and Evans.

Outside of Milano these LB's can't cover. The TE's and RB screens ate them up all day.

They helped shut down the run, but we will see more of this until we get faster at LB.

Absolutely. Teams will start to challenge these LB's more. This is a bend but don't break scheme. The players are in the right place but the offense will need to continue scoring because this defense isn't going to hold everyone.

[Ed]

White, Hyde, and Poyer are legit but Gaines can't stay healthy and the drop off from there is huge. Johnson stinks, Wright is awful and should be on the street. We have 3 solid players in the secondary, 1 that can't stay on the field, and the rest are below avg. It's a talent issues more than anything, just don't have the depth. I honestly wish they kept Robey-Coleman, he's better than the depth we have.
I wish they had kept Kevon Seymour. I thought he was a talented young CB with a lot of upside that fit this D well. McDermott seemed to like him a lot too. I didn't like the trade then and I hate it even more now. Kaelin Clay has been pretty useless and wasn't even active this week.

Gaines, Wright, and Johnson are also all UFAs after this season too. I'm assuming they'll try to re-sign Gaines since they traded for him, but CB might be a top need again after this season.

[Ed]

What happened to Poyer?
He sprained his MCL on the very last play of the game.

From Mike Rodak:
Bills safety Jordan Poyer (knee) and cornerback E.J. Gaines (hamstring) are both listed as day-to-day. Coach Sean McDermott said Monday that "early signs are positive" on Poyer.

[Forward_Lateral]

He sprained his MCL on the very last play of the game.

From Mike Rodak:
Bills safety Jordan Poyer (knee) and cornerback E.J. Gaines (hamstring) are both listed as day-to-day. Coach Sean McDermott said Monday that "early signs are positive" on Poyer.

Ah for Eff Sakes.