Tag: bills browns

Bills’ Jordan Phillips calls Matt Milano Defensive Player of Year post-Browns win

#Bills’ Jordan Phillips calls Matt Milano Defensive Player of Year post-#Browns win

The Bills relocated from Orchard Park to Detroit on Saturday to face the Cleveland Browns at Ford Field on Sunday, due to heavy snow in the Buffalo area.

The team has been shorthanded on the defensive side of the ball, dating back to this time last season when CB1 Tredavious White sustained a season-ending injury that has sidelined him since. Earlier this year, S Micah Hyde also was lost for the season as well, and more recently short-term injuries have left Leslie Frazier’s unit without the likes of CB Kaiir Elam and DEs Greg Rousseau and AJ Epenesa, who was hurt against the Browns.

Another big absence on Sunday was captain and linebacker Tremaine Edmunds who was out with a groin injury.

Needless to say with one of the NFL’s top rushing teams lining up across from them, the absence of stoppers like Rousseau and Edmunds left a void that needed to be filled.

And linebacker Matt Milano stepped up to answer the call.

Milano logged his first sack and first fumble recovery of the season to go with three tackles for loss and 12 tackles total which matched a career-high en route to a 31-23 Bills victory.

His three tackles for loss are part of seven total in his past four games. 

During a postgame locker room interview with reporters, the Q&A was briefly interrupted by defensive tackle Jordan Phillips, who chimed in with his mid-season assessment.

“Defensive Player of the Year. Matt Milano. Make sure you all start saying that,” Phillips said.

“He makes the big play. He doesn’t miss tackles. Interceptions. Touchdowns. You name it,” the DT elaborated with WGR-550 radio. “You can’t tell me anybody that’s playing better defensive football than Matt Milano. He’s consistent. He’s a leader. You can count on him every week. Tell me who plays better?”

Milano was part of the defensive effort that held Browns RB Nick Chubb to 14 rushes for a career-low 19 yards on nine or more carries and his worst average since two three-yard plays in his rookie season. Aside from one 12-yard run, Chubb only averaged 1.4 yards per rush. Chubb had one 12-yard carry, but only seven total rushing yards on his other 13 attempts.

He also helped lead a drive-ending defensive stop effort that gave Buffalo back possession by way of a turnover on downs.

When Cleveland had its first offensive drive of the second half QB Jacoby Brissett ran a quarterback sneak play at the Buffalo 27-yard line on 3rd-and-1 and again on 4th-and-1.

Both times he was stuffed by the Bills defense, and their offense would score again on their ensuing drive.

The team traveled back to Buffalo until Wednesday when they’ll return to the Motor City to prepare for a Thanksgiving Day matchup with the Lions.

As the defense figures to see the return of several of those stars and starters from injury, Milano will have even more support around him as he continues his 2022 campaign.

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Josh Allen on Bills run game: ‘If we can run it like that we’re gonna continue to’

Josh Allen on #Bills run game: ‘If we can run it like that we’re gonna continue to’

The Buffalo Bills bested the Cleveland Browns in Detroit on Sunday, and while the snow on the ground in Orchard Park displaced the contest, it was the ground attack in the dome at Ford Field that helped the Bills get the 31-23 win.

Bills running backs Devin Singletary and James Cook both contributed 86-yards apiece en route to 172 total yards rushing.

The ground support took the pressure off of quarterback Josh Allen, who is playing while recovering from an elbow sprain.

“If we can run it like that we’re gonna continue to run it. That’s no secret,” Allen said to the media after the game. “Very impressed by the way we ran the football.”

Singletary averaged 4.8 yards per run on 18 carries as well as a TD, the RBs third rushing touchdown in his last two games.

Cook had a career day, logging 86 yards on only 11 carries which included a 29-yard run while averaging 7.8 yards per rush.

“We’ve just got to keep building each and every week,” Cook said via The Buffalo News. “The more balance we have, the better we can be – the more dangerous we can be. We showed that we can do it, now we’ve just got to keep doing it.”

The winning effort by the Bills offense on the ground marked the first time two of the teams’ running backs netted 85-plus yards rushing in the same contest since Dec. 24, 2016, versus Miami when LeSean McCoy (128 yards) and Mike Gillislee (91 yards) piled it on against the Dolphins.

Allen, who is currently the Bills’ leading rusher this season with 71 carries for 483 yards and four TDs, talked about the impact the ground support had in Buffalo’s offensive performance.

“It’s huge,” Allen added. “Understanding the game plan and what we were trying to do, they found holes, and our offensive line blocked their tails off. So again, that’s going to help us out going forward, and we can continue to utilize our run game and it’ll be successful for us.”

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Browns OL Wyatt Teller still rooting for Buffalo: ‘I love Bills Mafia’

Buffalo Bills Mafia gets support from Cleveland Browns OL Wyatt Teller.

There was a distinct chance that Wyatt Teller wouldn’t be rooting for the Bills this weekend. That scenario would have come if his team won on Sunday and he was facing his former teammates.

That’s understandable.

However, Buffalo trading him to Cleveland creates no hard feelings in him, he said on Tuesday.

Reflecting on the season that was for him after the Browns lost to Buffalo’s upcoming opponent in the Divisional round, the Kansas City Chiefs, Teller took a second to look ahead to next weekend. Teller said his heart is pulling for the Bills in the AFC Championship Game.

“I hope the best for them and all the success to them,” Teller said per Browns Wire. “Josh (Allen), I’ve texted him multiple times, Harrison Phillips, Ike Boettger, a bunch of the guys on the offensive line. Dion Dawkins, I made sure to say hey to him. FaceTimed him a couple times.”

Teller also expressed being thankful the Bills were the team to draft him back in 2018.

“They gave me my shot. They drafted me there,” Teller said. “I understand it’s business. I kind of grew a part of that family there. I love Bills Mafia. I’m pulling for ’em. I wish the best for ’em.”

Just ahead of the 2019 season, the Bills dealt Teller to the Browns. Buffalo made an effort to bolster their offensive line prior to last season and hoped competition would do it. The Bills signed guys like Jon Feliciano and Quinton Spain… in the process, there were others left on the outside looking in and among those were Teller.

Buffalo shipped him and a 2021 seventh-round pick to to the Browns for fifth and sixth-round pick, both of which were in 2020.

The fallout from this trade is both good and bad for the Bills in the end.

For Teller, it’s all good on his end. He’s an anchor for the Browns now and Pro Football Focus grades him as the best guard in the entire NFL from this past season. On the flip side, Bills gave up Teller, who was a fifth-round pick himself, for two late-round picks. Not good business for a guy that ended up being a very highly-praised prospect.

But the Bills did make those two picks count. That fifth rounder? It was part of the package that helped the Bills land wide receiver Stefon Diggs. That sixth-round pick? That became kicker Tyler Bass and after settling in, he looks to be Buffalo’s answer at kicker for the very long time.

While Teller could be a guy that would make the Buffalo offense line a better unit right now … the Bills certainly did make those two picks count.

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NFL.com tabs Browns, not Bills as fan base that ‘most deserves’ Super Bowl win

Buffalo Bills are edged out by Cleveland Browns as NFL fan base that “most deserves” a Super Bowl win.

Woof, we’re just splitting hairs, aren’t we?

One thing folks in western New York can agree on, if not them, at least the folks on the other side of Lake Erie, right?

NFL.com recently look a swing at ranking which of the remaining eight NFL fan bases with their team still in the playoffs is most deserving for a Super Bowl title in the coming weeks. Naturally this one comes down to the Bills and the Browns.

First and foremost, of the eight teams in the playoffs (Chiefs, Ravens, Bucs, Rams, Packers, Saints) the Bills and Browns are the only two to not win a title. Because of that, 1-2 were pretty much locked up.

But here’s why the Browns get the edge, understandably so. The Bills have at least played in the Super Bowl. In fact, they have more times than the entire list of teams beside the Packers (5). The Rams and Bills have both played in four.

And let’s not forget… while the Bills dealt with a brutal 17-year playoff drought, the Brown dealt with a period when… well, the team literally left and then came back.

Yeah, we’ll concede this one.

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Should Bills explore trade for Browns TE David Njoku?

Should the Buffalo Bills consider trading for Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku?

There’s still some prominent names out on the free agent and trade markets in the NFL that the Buffalo Bills could consider. Most of them such as Jadeveon Clowney or Jamal Adams seemed very unlikely and not close the the Bills’ radar. Until now.

Over the weekend, Browns tight end David Njoku tossed his name into the “available targets” ring in the NFL. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Njoku requested a trade from the Browns. Could the Bills be a suitor? There’s multiple layers to consider.

The No. 1 name that comes to mind during such a discussion is your incumbent. That guy for the Bills was tight end Dawson Knox. As a rookie in 2019, Knox’s up-and-down season is widely noted. He looked good on his 28 catches for 388 yards and two touchdowns but those 10 recorded dropped passes which led the league for tight ends… wasn’t very pretty.

Could the Bills fit both Njoku and Knox? In some senses, yes. In others, probably not.

First off would be the finances in this situation. Njoku has two seasons left on his rookie deal. As a former first-round pick, he had a fifth-year option on his contract which the Browns already flexed. In 2020, his cap hit would be just north of $3 million. In 2021, that just about doubles at near $6 million. According to Spotrac, the Bills do have room to fit that contract with $31.5 million in cap space. A decent chunk, but still only the 26th most in the league.

Cutting that down to around $26 million, the Bills would still need to fit in future contract extensions. Namely linebacker Matt Milano and offensive lineman Dion Dawkins. Those contracts are two Buffalo general manager Brandon Beane would certainly like to hand out sooner rather than later.

How costly are they? Well, that $6 million could help, but maybe all three in 2021 are do-able? Also factoring in would be trade compensation, naturally. Njoku has flashed early in his career, but did suffer a broken wrist last season, holding him to only four games. In 2018, the 23-year-old did have a solid year for the Browns with 56 catches for 639 yards and four touchdowns. He has potential dynamic-playmaking talent.

But the two big reasons against Njoku that really override a lot here.

First, bringing in Njoku would have to stunt Knox’s growth in his second season. And even if the Bills planned to still get Knox his targets with Njoku on the roster, that’s likely something Njoku would be against. The reasoning for Njoku likely wanting to leave the Browns is their additions at the position this offseason, namely Austin Hooper. The Browns gave Hooper the largest tight end contract ever. Njoku appears to be having none of that partnership. Not exactly some signs of a team player, either.

In addition to Njoku unlikely to want to lose targets to Knox, let’s consider the Bills offense. According to Sharp Football, the Bills used a ton of 11 personnel after offensive coordinator Brian Daboll moved from the sideline to the coaches booth. In that time frame, Buffalo used 11 personnel on 81 percent of packages which led the NFL. For novices, 11 personnel means only one tight end on the field, not two, AKA, not Njoku and Knox together.

Also factoring into this lack of looks for Njoku with the Bills has to be the wide receivers. Buffalo has a solid 1-2-3 unit with Stefon Diggs, John Brown and Cole Beasley.

Even if the compensation is low and the finances are there, it might not make enough sense for the Bills to pull off such a move. Browns Wire estimates potentially a fifth-round pick for Njoku, so essentially nothing. But it’s not looking like there’s a world where Njoku and the Bills makes much sense.

 

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Browns complete interview with Brian Daboll

Cleveland Browns announce on Monday that Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll interviewed for their head coaching position.

The Cleveland Browns will interview Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll for their vacant head coaching job. The Browns announced the interview was taking place on Monday.

Now it’s a waiting game for the Bills.

The Browns will continue to interview candidates this week, including New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. Cleveland already also interviewed former Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy and Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman interviewed Thursday, Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy interviewed Friday and 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh interviewed Saturday.

Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen expressed his desire for Daboll to return to the Bills next season during the team’s locker cleanout day on Sunday.

The Bills offensive finished ranked as the No. 24 overall unit in the NFL during the regular season, averaging 330.2 yards per game.

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Did Baker Mayfield inadvertently compliment Bills Mafia?

The Bills fell 19-16 to the Browns in Week 10. It was a tough loss in the playoff picture, but also because plenty of fans from western New York made the trek to the game. 

The Bills fell 19-16 to the Browns in Week 10. It was a tough loss in the playoff picture, but also because plenty of fans from western New York made the trek to the game.

Not meaning to, Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield might have given a little tip of the cap to Bills Mafia earlier this week.

According to Browns Wire, Mayfield made a comment in his his postgame press conference that he believed right tackle Chris Hubbard couldn’t hear his snap count and that’s why he jumped early for a false start just before halftime.

Strange, considering the Browns were the home team.

Earlier this week, Mayfield once again made a comment about that same thing. Inadvertently not seemingly realizing Bills fans travel well.

“When we’re on offense on a critical down, we need to be able to have silence in our home stadium,” Mayfield explained. “It has to be an advantage for us, and then when they get the ball, it has to be really loud. It’s just football.”

Left guard Joel Bitonio seconded Mayfield’s sentiment. Bitonio as Browns Wire notes, “It was a little bit loud a couple times in the red zone there going into the far tunnel.”

Makes you wonder if these fellas didn’t look into the crowd to notice all the red, white and blue in the stands last week.

The Browns might be in trouble again this week, too. They play the Steelers at home, another short road trip for visiting fans, on Thursday Night Football.

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By the numbers: Important stats to know from Bills’ loss to Browns

Numbers and stats to know from the Buffalo Bills’ 19-16 loss to the Cleveland Browns in Week 10.

This type of loss, the optimism turned gut-wrenching, was all-too familiar.

The Bills had a chance to pull even, at the very least, in the waning moments of a 19-16 loss to the Browns.

There was more to the loss than questionable play-calling, a few poor reads from the quarterback and a lackluster afternoon for the kicker. It’s easy to pile on – we’re all guilty of it – but there’s plenty of blame to go around.

As the dust settled, here are important stats and numbers to know from the Bills’ Week 10 loss to the Browns:

116

In what’s becoming a bit of a trend here at By The Numbers, the Bills rushing defense is garnering (negative) attention. Cleveland running back went for 116 yards on 20 carries – the second straight week in which Buffalo has allowed a 100-yard rusher. The Browns rushed for 147 yards as a team on 26 carries, good enough for 5.7 yards per carry.

The Bills rank 21st in the NFL, allowing 115.6 rushing yards per game. The troubling trend has worsened in recent weeks; Buffalo has allowed an average of 164 yards per game over the last three games; only Carolina (172 per game) ranks worse.

Zero

Buffalo’s defense had a golden opportunity to wreak havoc against Baker Mayfield and the Browns Sunday. Mayfield entered the afternoon with 12 interceptions, tied for most in the league with Jameis Winston. Arizona picked off Winston twice, while the Bills failed to generate a turnover.
Instead, Buffalo allowed Mayfield to throw for 238 yards and two touchdowns on 26 of 38 passing and a season high 102.7 quarterback rating.

Missed opportunities have become too much a trend of late, as the Bills have forced just one turnover over their last three games and three since the bye week. Prior to the bye, Buffalo forced eight turnovers in five games.

23

Ed Oliver played just 23 of 70 defensive snaps (33 percent) Sunday. Oliver saw the field on fewer plays than his counterparts Jordan Phillips (50 snaps) and Star Lotulelei (49). Newly acquired Corey Liuget played 17 snaps.

Oliver, Buffalo’s first round pick in 2019, has not started either of the last two games and has played 50 percent or more of the defensive snaps just once since the bye week. He failed to record a stat of note Sunday – marking the first such occasion of his career.

62.7 percent

Everyone wants to talk about Stephen Hauschka. The 34-yard miss was unforgivable, granted. You’ll get no argument there. For his career, prior to the miss from 34, Hauschka converted 96.5 percent (85 of 88) of his kicks between 30 and 39 yards. That was brutal.

As for the 53 yarder he missed on Buffalo’s last drive, it’s a bit more excusable. Prior to the fateful miss, he hit on 64.3 percent (27 of 42) of his kicks from 50 yards or more. The miss drops Hauschka to 62.7 percent – hardly gimme range. In his three years in Buffalo, he is now 11 of 19 from kicks from 50 yards or further.

-6.0

Buffalo will wrap up a two-week road trip with a trip to Miami in Week 11 to take on the Dolphins. Miami is riding a two-game winning streak and just knocked off Colts in Indianapolis.

The Bills, who opened as six-point favorites, will be eyeing the first sweep of the Dolphins since 2017.

An impressive road win would be a reprieve of sorts heading into the home stretch of what should still be a playoff-caliber season. On the other hand, a loss might signal the wheels falling off the wagon.

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Brian Daboll discusses late pass vs. Browns: ‘I should’ve given them a better play’

Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll on late pass play vs. Cleveland Browns in Week 10.

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The Bills’ mantra of “culture” dictates there’s no room for finger pointing in Sean McDermott’s house of process.

But the Bills offense did fumble, metaphorically, down the stretch against the Browns during their 19-16 loss in Week 10. It was one step forward and a bunch back.

Quarterback Josh Allen hit rookie running back Devin Singletary with a quick pass just short of the first down near the sideline. The good stopped there. The receiver didn’t get out of bounds.

Buffalo huddled with less than a minute on the clock with that same clock still running thanks to Singletary not getting out of bounds, something head coach Sean McDermott admitted “wasn’t part of the plan.”

What was part of the plan, according to offensive coordinator Brian Daboll was what ensured.

After Singletary’s six-yard gain on second down setting up a third-and-4 scenario, Allen tossed a deep pass to wideout John Brown down the right sideline. That pass with Browns defensive back Denzel Ward in coverage fell incomplete and moments later, Stephen Hauschka’s kick from 53 yards missed and the Bills lost.

Replays showed that slot target Cole Beasley was likely open enough over the middle to gain a first down. But Allen opted to go deep.

Daboll broke down everything about the play on Monday.

The coach defended Allen’s decision, but with Beasley in mind, also added that’s a hard play to make, especially when the Browns dialed up a blitz on the play. He also kept in-step with taking some blame himself.

“(Allen) has to make a split-second decision when you have all those people up at the line of scrimmage in there. And the blitz, he has to make a quick read on that. We had a three-man route combination over to the left, and he had a one-on-one with John to the right, and threw it up there, and we just didn’t connect on it,” Daboll said.

“I should’ve given them a better play,” Daboll later added.

But with what Allen had to work with, such as the play called and blitz, Daboll defended that throw to Brown. It appeared to a throw tossed behind Brown, but Daboll indicated that it was an intended back-shoulder throw that didn’t connect, a similar play the Bills have run throughout the season.

“Let’s hit it and win it. We have a one-on-one matchup,” Daboll recalled of his thoughts in the moment. “It wasn’t the same play, but similar to the third down and whatever it was against the Jets, with Smoke on the left hand side, where he caught it and ran into the end zone. You have to have confidence in your guys. You hit some and you don’t.”

Of course, Allen didn’t have a problem with the play after the game, either. He took responsibility as well immediately following th eloss.

“Put the blame on me,” Allen said. “I didn’t play well enough today.”

Buffalo’s second-year quarterback still appears to have some growing pains to go through. The deep pass falling incomplete stung a bit more because of the nature of the pass. According to The Athletic, the Bills QB is 0-for-16 on passes that have traveled more than 30 yards in the air this season. There’s also the decision not to look Beasley’s way, really at all, to consider as well. That’s a concerning trend.

After the way things unfolded, the Bills will hope Allen learns from such a scenario to better prep himself while the game is on the line and that the learning experience didn’t cost them a potential playoff spot in the coming weeks.

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Bills snap counts: Depth chart breakdown vs. Browns

Buffalo Bills snap counts vs. Cleveland Browns in Week 10, 2019.

Buffalo Bills tight end Dawson Knox. Credit: Scott R. Galvin-USA TODAY Sports

The Bills fell is another gross game against the Cleveland Browns in Week 10, 19-16.

Buffalo falls to 6-3 on the year and with the loss and news around the league, the loss looks like a big one.

Who played the biggest and smallest roles in Buffalo’s defeat?

Here’s a full depth chart break down via snap counts for the Bills vs. the Browns in Week 10:

Offense

Notes:

  • The rotation at right tackle resumed with a health Cody Ford (elbow) in the lineup. Veteran Ty Nsekhe played in 61 percent of snaps while the rookie saw 41 percent.
  • Tight end Lee Smith took two penalties in only 18 snaps played vs. the Browns.
  • Rookie running back Devin Singletary was the No. 1 in terms of snap counts playing in 67 percent of snaps as opposed to Frank Gore’s 33 percent, but Singletary only have eight carries in the game.
  • Rookie tight end Dawson Knox played more snaps than veteran Tyler Kroft for the second-straight week, 58 percent to 43 percent.
  • In terms of snap counts, Isaiah McKenzie saw another big role for the Bills. He played in 66 percent of snaps last week, second-most amongst his position. Against the Browns, he played in 54 percent, trailing Cole Beasley’s 67 percent and John Brown’s 93 percent.
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