Tag: bills titans

Power rankings: Bills see slight tumble, but not all is lost

Buffalo Bills in NFL power rankings following a Week 5 loss to the Tennessee Titans.

It was a tough day at the office , who recorded their first loss of the season against the Titans and are now 4-1 overall.

The Bills have risen in the power ranking polls during the early weeks of 2020 thanks to their hot start. So where did the team fare in the national rankings following after that one? Despite the loss, the Bills are hanging around the top-10 in most lists even after losing some ground. 

Here is a look at where the Bills fall national power ranking polls following their loss to the Tians: 

USA TODAY

11. Bills (8)

In fairness to them, Tennessee’s situation dealt Buffalo a very tough hand. But no one expected P Corey Bojorquez to be Bills’ best player Tuesday night. If defense is Buffalo’s Achilles’ heel, it appears to be quickly fraying.

Touchdown Wire

8. Buffalo Bills (4-1. Last week: 2)

A couple of things happened on the way to the Bills’ rush to their status as perhaps the NFL’s best team: Cornerback Tre’Davious White, one of the best players at his position, missed Buffalo’s Tuesday game against the Titans due to a back injury. Second, and impressively after missing a ton of practice reps following a COVID outbreak that affected a total of 24 players and staff, Tennessee’s defense did many of the same things to Bills quarterback Josh Allen that they did to Lamar Jackson in the divisional round of the 2019 playoffs — be patient, give the young quarterback one coverage look before the snap and another one after, stay in your lanes, and wait for the kid to press when he shouldn’t.

However! On this 22-yard touchdown pass to running back T.J. Yeldon, Allen was able to counter Tennessee’s intelligent strategy with a counter that very few quarterbacks can pull off — wait out the three-man rush, and throw a 100-MPH heater. That didn’t erase his two interceptions, nor did it to nearly enough to affect the 42-16 final score.

Allen is a great young quarterback, and the Bills are a top-tier team, but this should be a course correction for Sean McDermott’s squad. The Bills next face the Chiefs, who can also throw all kinds of coverage looks at opposing quarterbacks, so it’s safe to say that the next phase of Allen’s education has begun.

Sports Illustrated 

10. Buffalo Bills

Last week: Loss at Tennessee 42-16
Next week: vs. Kansas City (Monday

Josh Allen is still a touch streaky and it showed up Tuesday night. The second interception was due to some combination of indecision and inaccuracy, and while it shouldn’t have resulted in an interception, the first-quarter throw behind Andre Roberts that resulted in an INT was simply a miss. The absence of John Brown, the deficit after a slow start, and the Titans’ approach took away the big play (a late-in-the-down TD to T.J. Yeldon was the only 20-plus-yard play Allen got all night). All that said, Allen will be fine. The issue in Buffalo is the lack of depth in that secondary. The Bills needs Tre White back in the lineup with Mahomes coming to Orchard Park on Monday.

NFL.com

Previous rank: No. 4

The Bills had been so stellar this season that it was jarring to watch them struggle so mightily on Tuesday night in Nashville. Ill-timed penalties, killer turnovers, defensive lapses; Buffalo was not nearly sound enough against a Tennessee team that played crisp football despite a long layoff. Josh Allen made his usual collection of big throws, but was held back by accuracy issues that recalled his first two seasons. The defense struggled mightily in the red zone, playing without starters Tre’Davious White, Matt Milano and Levi Wallace. The Titans scored a touchdown all six times they entered inside Buffalo’s 20-yard line. A night to forget.

Sporting News

5. Buffalo Bills 4-0 (4)

The Bills have seen their Week 5 game move to Tuesday and their Week 6 game move to Sunday. Beating the Rams and the Raiders back to back have padded the resume nicely with Josh Allen balling out. Just imagine how high they can end up should they beat the Titans and Chiefs.

Yahoo! Sports

8. Buffalo Bills (No. 3; 4-1):

Josh Allen has left the MVP chat, at least for now.

CBS Sports

8. Bills (-4)

They got caught in a tough situation because of the Titans’ COVID-19 issues, and it showed. Now they have to try and regroup against the Chiefs.

Bleacher Report

High: 8
Low: 12
Last Week: 6
Week 5 Result: Lost 42-16 at Tennessee

Over their first four games, the Buffalo Bills were an offensive stampede.
Tuesday evening in Nashville, the team spit the bit.
Against the undefeated Titans, Josh Allen looked less like the potential MVP candidate we saw over the first month of the season and more like the talented but inconsistent passer we saw the first two seasons of his career. His completion percentage was way down, he missed more than one open receiver, and he threw a pair of costly interceptions.

It wasn’t all on Allen, though. A Buffalo defense short top cornerback Tre’Davious White was carved up by Ryan Tannehill. Buffalo looked like the team that hadn’t practiced in two weeks, committing mental lapse after penalty after…well, you get where this is headed.

It absolutely wasn’t what the Bills were hoping for in their biggest test to date this season, especially with the Kansas City Chiefs headed to Orchard Park in Week 6.

The AFC is confusing right now. Like Advil-inducing confusing.

ESPN

5. Buffalo Bills (4-0)

Week 5 ranking: 5
Biggest Weakness: Pass defense

Death, taxes and an elite Bills pass defense. Those are the absolute truths we have become accustomed to over the past two seasons, when Buffalo finished fourth and first, respectively, in passing yards allowed. In typical 2020 fashion, the Bills are polar opposites from their previous selves in that regard, allowing the fourth-most passing yards per game through four games this season. They have battled injuries in both the secondary and at linebacker, neither of which have helped their case; fortunately for Leslie Frazier’s unit, Buffalo’s offense has proved more than capable of winning a shootout.

[lawrence-related id=71430,71421,71389,71392]

The Morning After: Time for ‘new’ Bills to react

The Buffalo Bills must react following their loss to the Tennessee Titans.

The Buffalo Bills lost. It’s not something the team or their fans have become accustomed to.

It’s a new and odd twist… as is everything in 2020, right?

Following the Bills’ 42-16 destruction at the hands of the Tennessee Titans on Tuesday, Buffalo now finds themselves in another weird positioning this week. One they aren’t exactly used to.

As the 2020 NFL season completed its first quarter, the Bills were viewed among the league’s best. In some power rankings polls, Buffalo shot all the up into the top three. Quarterback Josh Allen started to see the ‘E’ word connected to his name, too… Elite.

After one loss, that’s not going to change. Top three? Maybe not. The NFL is always a “what have you done for me lately” type of league. But the Bills will still be among the best squads.

All eyes to Sean McDermott & Co. now.

Since 2017 when McDermott arrived, the Bills have cracked the postseason twice. In doing so, they pulled it off as an underdog. That was a trigger word for the Bills. Buffalo against the world, yes?

Well, that’s not going to be the case this week. The Bills are not an underdog. They’re facing the defending Super Bowl Champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, next. In years past, we’re used to seeing the defending champion Patriots or someone else head into Orchard Park with a double-digit advantage. But now the Chiefs open as only a few point favorite in this one… maybe by three in some sportsbooks… because this is still a battle of the heavyweights next week.

So no, Bills & McDermott. We cannot tout all week that everyone is sleeping on Buffalo after their loss to the Titans. Buffalo just lost to a team that made their way to the AFC Championship game just a year ago and it was frankly just a weird few days leading up to the game due to the Titans’ battles with COVID-19.

So now the message changes from, “we’re an underdog” to “we’re a damn good team still, let’s bounce-back and show it.”

The world’s not ending. Heck, Buffalo’s Super Bowl teams a few decades back were never undefeated.

But rallying the troops in these different manners is easier said than done. Even losing to the Chiefs it won’t be the end of the world, but a much better showing needs to be on the horizon for the Bills to display these “new Bills” are different.

[lawrence-related id=71421,71389,71392,71387]

PODCAST: Titans blowout Bills, Can Buffalo rebound against Chiefs?

Buffalo Bills podcast following Week 5 loss vs. Titans, look ahead to Chiefs.

It was a rude awakening for the Buffalo Bills on Tuesday as the Titans had their way with the AFC East front-runners. The Titans were never behind on the scoreboard, as they picked off Josh Allen twice and moved the ball effectively against Buffalo’s regressed defense.

However, it’s not time to panic. It was a strange week and many were uncertain that these two teams would even play. With the Titans COVID situation Buffalo was forced to game plan for two top teams in the AFC. Though there are flaws, it is only one game.

The Titans had their way with the Bills defense, who was surprisingly missing several key pieces, including Tre White. There were several highlight reel plays against the Bills waning defense, especially the stiff arm of Josh Norman at the hand of Derrick Henry. The regression may have some folks calling for the removal of Leslie Frazier, if this season doesn’t end the way that many believe it can; a Super Bowl appearance.

The Bills looked out of sync offensively as well, missing John Brown and Zach Moss. Despite Brown being out, who is unquestionably the number two wide receiver, second to Diggs, Cole Beasley received minimal looks, including no targets in the first half. It was a terrible performance on both sides of the ball.

Listen in as Bills Wire podcast hosts Matt and David take you through the night’s action right here:

Subscribe

 

[lawrence-related id=71430,71421,71389,71392]

 

Bills Wire’s Week 5 Player of the Game: RB T.J. Yeldon

As the Bills lost their first game of the 2020 season, there was a challenge in finding a Bills Wire Player of the Week.

[sendtonews_embed video_id=”aOsoJMrGLx-1001901-6173″]

As the Bills lost their first game of the 2020 season, there was a challenge in finding a Bills Wire Player of the Week. No one on the Bills played particularly… well… in a 42-16 loss. 

However, the player that showed the most spark throughout the evening was running back TJ Yeldon. The unlikely choice for a Player of the Week nod led the team in rushing yards, with 52, and caught a 22-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter.

Buffalo hopes to rebound next Monday against the Kansas City Chiefs and get back on track after this bump in the road after a wishy-washy game.

[lawrence-related id=71389,71392,71387]

5 takeaways from the Bills’ 42-16 loss to the Titans

Takeaways from the Buffalo Bills’ Week 5 loss to the Tennessee Titans.

Well… Tuesday football wasn’t very fun, was it?

The Buffalo Bills were topped badly by the Tennessee Titans, 42-16, to round out the NFL’s Week 5. The offense had few moments, while the defense practically had none. If you had to guess who was battling a pandemic and not practicing, you’d guess the Bills with the way this one went.

Now the Bills must rebound.

With that, here are five takeaways from the Bills’ loss to the Titans:

Bills quarterback Josh Allen (Gannet photo)

Bills played unprepared

There weren’t a lot of good moments to be found for the Bills in this one, but it was especially a bad look for Buffalo’s coaching staff in this one. The Bills didn’t appear to be ready to play from the opening kick in this one.

After failing to score on their opening drive on offense, which is OK, it happens, the Bills took a punch in the mouth early as the Titans opened the scoring. It was the first time Buffalo was punched in the mouth first this season… and they didn’t respond at all. Then not only could the Bills defense not get a stop early, the group barely did throughout the game and especially late in the game. Speaking of time, the penalties Buffalo took were often not-timely. It’s never a good sign when you’re getting double-digit penalties in a game, which is what the Bills did with 10 of them for 56 yards. Those stunt drives on offense and keep opposing offenses on the field as well.

The Bills can point to the Titans’ COVID-19 outbreak battle and maybe that’s something different than they’re used to. But, if you had to guess, you’d expect things to been on the flip since the Bills had been practicing this whole time…

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5

WATCH: Bills’ Isaiah McKenzie runs TD to parking lot

Buffalo Bills WR Isaiah McKenzie opens scoring vs. the Tennessee Titans.

The Buffalo Bills got on the board against the Tennessee Titans with some trickery. Isaiah McKenzie took a sweep handoff from quarterback Josh Allen and beat every defender to the corner of the end zone.

But even though he scored, McKenzie didn’t stop there.

Running through the end zone, McKenzie kept going… and ran all the way though the tunnel.

Check out the score here, which tied the game at 7-7 in the first quarter:

[lawrence-related id=71339,71336,71329]

Bills at Titans: Gameday inactives

Here are the full gameday inactive lists for both the Buffalo Bills and Tennessee Titans ahead of their Week 5 meeting on Tuesday at Nissan Stadium.

Here are the full gameday inactive lists for both the Buffalo Bills and Tennessee Titans ahead of their Week 5 meeting on Tuesday at Nissan Stadium:

Buffalo Bills (4-0)

  • LB Matt Milano (pectoral)
  • OL Quinton Spain (foot)
  • QB Jake Fromm (quarantine)
  • WR John Brown (foot)
  • RB Zack Moss (toe)
  • CB Tre’Davious White (back)
  • TE Lee Smith

Tennessee Titans (3-0)

  • CB Kristian Fulton
  • LB Kamalei Correa
  • LB Derick Roberson
  • OL Daniel Munyer

Game previews:

[lawrence-related id=71332,71349,71357,71345,71339,71287,71296,71290,71279,71267,71265,71260,71248,71246,71147,71191,71193]

Behind enemy lines: 5 questions with Titans Wire

Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans questions preview.

The Bills and Titans are prepping to faceoff on Tuesday thanks to a delay in their scheduling. Nonetheless, the game will go on.

While the teams are putting the final preparations together ahead of kickoff, make sure you do, too.

To learn more about Week 5’s opponent, we chatted with Titans Wire managing editor Mike Moraitis to get more intel on all-things Titans right here:

Hot-button topic: The Titans’ battle with COVID-19… everyone on Buffalo’s side of things feels like they’re being strong-armed a bit by the NFL to make up for the Titans’ mistakes with everything going on. Curious if you could provide kind of an overall outlook on how the Titans faithful look at this… are they mad at the players? Understanding? etc.

MM: For the most part, I think it’s a “me against the world” mentality when it comes to Titans fans and this situation. It’s easy to see why with all the negative commentary out there from around the league about the team’s outbreak and what potential punishment it could face. I will say that kind of commentary is probably warranted because it looks like the team did violate protocols based on reports.

What a 2019 season for Ryan Tannehill… but three games into bringing him back, are the Titans still happy with what they’re getting out him?

MM: Tannehill has been solid in each of the past two games after a rough Week 1, but I will say the offense did struggle to finish drives in Week 3. Overall, so far so good for Tannehill’s second season, as he continues to perform at a high level and win games with clutch drives in the fourth quarter. Couldn’t ask for much more than that.

This COVID outbreak, has it created any new weak spots in the Titans’ roster heading into this game? Could the Titans be at a disadvantage because of that?

Let me preface this by saying the Titans could end up getting some of those players back before the game, but we won’t probably won’t know until Monday or Tuesday at the earliest.
Barring some or most of the 12 Reserve/COVID-19 list players returning, the Titans are going to be at a huge disadvantage. The Titans have two of their starting defensive linemen in DaQuan Jones and Jeffery Simmons, and three receivers in Corey Davis, Adam Humphries and Cameron Batson (practice squad), on the Reserve/COVID-19 list. You can also add their slot corner, rookie Kristian Fulton, among the notable names.
Simmons has been the team’s best defender through three games, and Jones is an important part of a run defense that is already struggling. The Titans are also struggling in coverage and are without their No. 1 corner, Adoree’ Jackson, so Fulton being absent would be a big blow. If Davis, Humphries and Batson (he’s been elevated each of the past two games) don’t suit up, and A.J. Brown doesn’t return from injury (he’s missed the last two games), the Titans could be looking at a depleted receiving corps. featuring Kalif Raymond, 2020 UDFA Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, and practice squad wideouts Chester Rogers and Cody Hollister.

Would you advise the Bills to continue airing it out as much as they have vs. this Titans defense or consider giving the rush attack a bigger look this week?

MM: Take your pick, really. The Titans have been bad against both the run and pass this season, so the Bills can attack how they please. And, if the Titans are indeed missing some of the key defensive players we already mentioned, it will only get worse. Based on what I’ve seen in the last two games, Buffalo should be able to do whatever it wants with little resistance in Week 5.

Finally, game prediction… who wins and why?

MM: Because the Bills have been lackluster against the pass this season, I think Tennessee could actually hang around in this game, even with a potentially depleted receiving corps. However, I have zero faith that the Titans’ defense can do enough to keep Josh Allen and Co. in check to give the offense a chance to win this game. Titans keep it close for much of the game, but the Bills pull away late and end up with a win.
Bills 34, Titans 24

[lawrence-related id=71287,71296,71290,71216]

Report: Titans’ AJ Brown, Taylor Lewan to play vs. Bills

Titans WR AJ Brown, OL Taylor Lewan, to play vs. Bills in Week 5.

The Tennessee Titans have some positive roster updates ahead of their Week 5 game on Tuesday against the Buffalo Bills.

While the Titans have numerous players on the team’s reserve/ COVID list due to the coronavirus outbreak in their locker room recently, they also had a few players just plain old injured.

On the Titans’ final injury report released on Saturday, wide receiver AJ Brown and offensive lineman Taylor Lewan were both listed as questionable. But according to Titans reporter Paul Kuharsky, both players will suit up against the Bills.

Brown, Tennessee’s No. 1 wide receiver, had a bone bruise in his knee, while Lewan, the Titans’ starting left tackle, had been dealing with a shoulder issue.

[lawrence-related id=71308,71287,71296,71290]

Game on for Bills: No new Titans COVID positive tests Tuesday

The Tennessee Titans do not have a new COVID-19 positive test result Tuesday, will play vs. Buffalo Bills.

The Buffalo Bills meeting with the Tennessee Titans slated for Tuesday… is on.

According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Titans passed the final hurled in terms of being allowed to face the Bills. Tennessee received their latest test results for their team-wide testing for COVID-19 and there were no new reported cases on the team. That means the Week 5 Bills-Titans contest will be played.

On Sunday, the Titans did have one new reported test, but it came in the form of a coach who had not been in close contact with players.

The NFL announced a slew of schedule changes on Sunday which did include the Bills’ Week 6 meeting with the Chiefs being moved to next Monday. However, the Bills-Titans for Tuesday was not moved and it appears that decision to keep Tuesday alive is paying off for the league.

[lawrence-related id=71296,71290,71216,71279]