Tag: Buffalo Bills vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

ESPN’s Ryan Clark breaks down Bills new defensive look vs. Bucs (video)

ESPN’s Ryan Clark breaks down #Bills new defensive look vs. #Bucs (video):

The Buffalo Bills defense have lost some key pieces in the last couple of weeks, with injuries to Tre’Davious White, Da’Quan Jones, and Matt Milano resulting in various second- and third-string players seeing their snap counts vary at their expected and alternate positions.

The tinkering on the defensive front happens throughout an NFL season, as injuries are always possible. To lose multiple key pieces across all levels of the defense is unlikely, but sometimes it happens.

Sean McDermott, who took over defensive coordinator duties this offseason, had looked at different ways to line up and include his extremely talented defenders on the field and players that can make big plays to disrupt the offensive timing for throws and tackle running backs behind the line of scrimmage.

In Week 8, the Buffalo defense lined up in a unique formation with three safeties on occasion. ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky pointed out how the Bills lined up in this formation against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and how the formation allows for Buffalo’s talented safeties Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde to both be on the field while having a third safety, Taylor Rapp, drop into the linebacker role during passing downs.

And the former NFL quarterback asked guest Ryan Clark for this thoughts on the new personnel during ESPN’s NFL Live program. Clark played 12 years as a safety in the NFL across various defensive schemes and formations, and definitely knows a thing or two about winning. The NFL veteran started as safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers for five years, including during the 2008 season when he won Super Bowl XLIII.

Clark also highlighted to Orlovsky that the defensive scheme seemed to be a game plan for the Buccaneers specifically, given their inability to run the football and reliance on quarterback Baker Mayfield to beat opponents through the air.

You can watch the full clip of Clark and Orlovsky analyzing the Bills’ defense here following a segment on the Bills’ offense by Orlovsky:

Former Bills Ryan Fitzpatrick, Stevie Johnson visit local school (video)

Former #Bills Ryan Fitzpatrick, Stevie Johnson visit local school:

Three Buffalo Bills legends met up in Western New York to read children’s books and feed hungry youth prior to Week 8’s Thursday Night Football between the Bills and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Of course, we are talking about Stevie Johnson, Ryan Fitzpatrick, and Billy Buffalo.

Fitzpatrick was part of the broadcast for Amazon ahead of the Bills’ eventually 24-18 win where he went shirtless after the contest. Before it, He teamed up with Johnson (& Billy) as part of TNF Gives Back and the Bills Foundation and visited students in Niagara Falls, reading books and providing a $25,000 donation.

Check out Fitzpatrick & Johnson’s visit in the YouTube video below:

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Cowboys’ Micah Parsons: ‘Matt Milano is a top-three linebacker in the NFL’

Micah Parsons even raves about Matt Milano:

Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons is very, very good.

Since joining the league in 2021, he has continued to rack up sacks, fumbles, and awards.

And the 2021 Defensive Rookie Of The Year on his podcast The Edge with Micah Parsons recently spoke about an All-Pro linebacker on the Buffalo Bills.

Milano started the 2023 NFL season phenomenally for the Bills, and has received plaudits from everyone, including writers, teammates, and even opposing offensive coordinators. Unfortunately, Milano’s season was cut short due to a leg injury, and the Buffalo defense has severely underperformed during his absence.

And Parsons notices it, too.

“Obviously, you see the difference with Matt Milano. Matt Milano is, you know, a top three linebacker in the league, and I don’t care what no one says,” Parsons said on his podcast.

Parsons went on to highlight how he believes that Milano hasn’t received the appropriate praise. You can watch the full clip below:

Will the Bills All-Pro linebacker be back in time to face Parsons and the Dallas Cowboys in December? Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott provided a brief update on Matt’s presence around Orchard Park recently but there is still no timetable for his return.

But first, the Bills (5-3) will look to toppled the Cincinnati Bengals (3-4) without the reliable defender.

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Oddsmakers: Bills open as underdog for first time in 2023 vs. Bengals

#Bills are underdogs for the first time vs the #Bengals:

After Thursday’s comfortable win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Buffalo Bills waited for the rest of Week 8 action to continue on Sunday.

During that slate, their upcoming opponent, the Cincinnati Bengals, defeated the San Francisco 49ers, 31-17.

After the Bengals’ dominant performance against a team expected to compete for the Super Bowl, the opening betting lines have been released. The Buffalo Bills will be underdogs when they visit the Cincinnati Bengals, in their primetime matchup on Sunday night for the first time since the Bills lost to the Bengals in the 2022 AFC Divisional Round. 

According to BetMGM, the Bills (5-3) have opened as a 1.5-point underdog against the Bengals (4-3). With Buffalo’s up-and-down 2023 NFL season, bettors believe that the Bengals, who are the home team and typically get a three point advantage, will defeat the Bills.

With both teams’ records close to each other and the spread only being a couple of points towards the Bengals, it would make sense that some would pick the Bills. After all, Thursday’s win was the Bills’ most complete performance since their three game winning streak earlier this season. But do the Bills cover, or even win?

Cincinnati started the season 1-3, but have won three games in a row. Meanwhile, Buffalo started the season 3-1 before alternating between losses and wins. Overall, Buffalo’s record against the spread is 3-5. In their last four games they have lost against the spread.

The Bills and Bengals matchup has opened at a point total of 47.5. That is the highest that it has been for Buffalo in the last three weeks.

The Bills have hit the over in only three of their eight games this season. In the last month, during Buffalo’s inconsistencies, they have only hit the over once in their 25-29 loss to the Patriots.

The moneyline sits at Bills (+108) and Bengals (-126).

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Sean McDermott on Bills offense: ‘That’s what I’m used to seeing’

Sean McDermott on #Bills offense: ‘That’s what I’m used to seeing’

The Buffalo Bills have been off to an inconsistent start to their 2023 campaign, one that’s seen highs and lows, to say the least.

They’ve netted five signature wins that have, with the exception of a low-scoring last-minute victory against the Giants, looked the part in terms of their offensive potential.

It’s also seen some ugly losses to the Jets, Jaguars, and Patriots.

The team was looking to bounce back from their recent loss in New England and the offense was looking to find consistency and rhythm.

And they did just that against the Buccaneers on Thursday Night Football this week, as an up-tempo Bills offense won the day 24-18.

When he was asked about what point in the game he began to recognize what Tampa Bay’s defense was trying to do in terms of scheme and coverage, Buffalo QB Josh Allen was to the point. 

“I think pretty early,” Allen said during his postgame press conference. “I think our offensive line played extremely well tonight I think that they made their calls and we picked up a lot of the pressures that they were doing. So credit to our coaching staff for putting together a good game plan but ultimately the guys out there executed and I think we did a good job with that tonight so kudos to them and we need to give them their flowers too, I think I think they played really really well tonight.”

The Buffalo offense has at times looked on brand as the high-scoring Allen-led group they are expected to be following breakout success achieved in recent seasons.

Other times the group has struggled, leaving the media and fans alike scratching their heads as to why they have had difficulty with execution, and finding rhythm. Or why, at times since head coach Sean McDermott took charge of the team, that offensive unit has seemingly played down to the level of their opponents.

The head coach knows what his offensive group is capable of when they execute efficiently, and acknowledged that is what he saw in their game against Tampa Bay.

“That was what I’m used to seeing,” McDermott said to the press about the Bills offensive performance against on both Thursday night, noting that Allen “looked very comfortable. The offense looked very comfortable.”

“Probably the first time other than maybe in episodes of the Raiders game and then again [against] Miami, where it just looked like it was every play wasn’t an adventure.”

With the playoff picture poised to begin to take shape, the Bills still have the opportunities to win their division and to make the playoffs.

An opportunity that is not lost on their quarterback, who realizes the importance of each next matchup on the schedule in gaining ground and momentum toward the chance at a postseason stand.

“Everything that we want is still in front of us,” Allen added. “You don’t know you wish you were 8-0 at this point, you wish you were 7-1 you wish you were 6-2 and that’s the reality of is we’re 5-3, but we’re going to continue to take it one game at a time.”

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Stefon Diggs gave pre-game speech before Bills win: ‘That’s what leaders do’

Stefon Diggs gave pre-game speech before Bills win: ‘That’s what leaders do’

The Buffalo Bills beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at home in Orchard Park on Thursday Night Football, 24-18.

The team has struggled to find consistency primarily on offense in recent weeks, though their defense also struggled to get stops as well in their game last Sunday against New England.

This time around, however, Buffalo looked better on offense during a nationally televised TNF matchup.

While WR1 Stefon Diggs is known for bringing his energy to every game, he imparted that energy to the fans and his teammates as well before the game.

His head coach noticed a different energy level with his team right out of the gate, in part thanks to Diggs who gave a passionate pregame speech in the locker room after pumping up the home crowd in the end zone after pregame warmups.

“Well, I mean, I could feel the team. They came out with an attitude and it started in the locker room, really.” McDermott said to the press of Buffalo’s early intensity level. “Stefon Diggs, there’s a little motivational couple of words he said to the team before we went out there. That’s what a leader does. He did a phenomenal job of basically setting the tone.”

Diggs would go on to add nine catches on the day for 70 yards.

In the victory over the Bucs, the Bills improved to 5-3 and gained some needed momentum, as their offense finally had some consistency that’s eluded them.

Buffalo scored on three of their four possessions and put up 17 points in the first half alone, a departure from recent games in which they struggled to score in the first several quarters.

After the game, QB Josh Allen joined former Bills QB Ryan Fitzpatrick and the TNF broadcast team where Fitz asked him about the change in pace of the offense.

“I love it, I love it. I don’t know if we’ll stay in it all season, but on a short week it worked for us,” Allen replied.

Allen went 31 for 40 (78%) with 324 yards, three total touchdowns and an interception in another historical outing in which he became the first player in the Super Bowl era with 17+ passing TDs & 5+ rushing TDs in his team’s first eight games, per Buffalo Bills PR, 

He averaged a career-best 2.27 seconds throwing, per Next Gen Stats, which was notably lower than his 3.15-second average in his last several outings.

“It helps us all, so it’s a really good deal,” center Mitch Morse said on Allen getting the ball out quickly. “But it also gets completions going, and when you get in the rhythm at quarterback, it really helps.”

While OC Ken Dorsey’s playcalling wasn’t completely without question, the offense was well spread out, with Khalil Shakir leading all receivers with a career-high 92 yards on six catches.

“We just came to this game with a different mindset,” the second-year pro said during his postgame media availability. “Obviously, ups and downs, but McDermott tells us don’t ride the roller coaster. Stay consistent as a team and stay on the gas pedal.”

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Bills’ Dalton Kincaid points out communication, passion, energy on offense vs. Bucs

#Bills’ Dalton Kincaid points out: ‘Communication, passion, energy’ on offense vs. #Buccaneers:

The Buffalo Bills were looking to have a bounce-back win on a short week following a loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday.

On Thursday Night Football at home, they did just that.

The Bills (5-3) bested the Buccaneers 24-18, outlasting Tampa in their attempt at a fourth-quarter comeback.

Rookie tight end Dalton Kincaid’s contributions were among the bright spots for an offense that found a rhythm that has eluded them at times since early last season.

When asked what differences he noticed in the Bills offense, Kincaid pinpointed a few specific things that stood out.

“Better communication, more passion and more energy throughout,” the rookie said to the media postgame.

Kincaid had five catches on seven targets for 65 yards. After his first career touchdown, he leaped into the stands with Bills Mafia in celebration.

Following news this week that starting tight end Dawson Knox would undergo surgery for a wrist injury and land on injured reserve, Kincaid’s role is set to increase during the Pro Bowler’s absence.

After the win over the Bucs, head coach Sean McDermott commented on what he saw in Kincaid’s biggest outing yet as a Bill.

“(He just needs) to be him,” McDermott said. “To continue to grow like all of the players, particularly the young players. Grow every week, get a little bit better and find things to work on. … He’s done a good job. And when you watch the rapport of a good tight end and a quarterback, it only grows over the years. And the more they play together, the better it should get.”

QB Josh Allen ran a more up-tempo passing game, logging 324 yards with two touchdowns and one interception passing. He commented following the win on Kincaid as well.

“He’s a professional. I thought he stepped up to the challenge and we’re going to have to get him more involved in the offense as the season goes by.”

In addition to the scoring toss,  Allen also made sure to secure the game ball from Kincaid’s first points in the NFL.

“You never know what they’re gonna do on their first touchdown,” Allen added about rookies. “So I stole (the ball) from him and made sure I got it to our equipment manager (Austin Skobel) and ‘Scoby’s’ gonna put it in a nice spot and laminate it and put something pretty on it for his first touchdown.”

It was also one of the most balanced games the Bills have had on offense as they spread the ball around to receivers Khalil Shakir (92 yards on six catches), Gabe Davis (87 yards on nine catches, and Stefon Diggs (70 yards on nine catches), as well as TE Dalton Kincaid (65 yards on five catches.)

On the ground RB James Cook had 67 yards on 14 carries with Allen adding 41 yards and a touchdown.

Next up, they’ll get a rematch with the Bengals in Cincinnati in one of their most important tests of the season thus far.

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Bills Wire Week 8 Player of the Game: Gabe Davis

Bills Wire Week 8 Player of the Game: Gabe Davis:

On a short week, the Buffalo Bills secured the win as they prevented the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from scoring on a last second play to begin the NFL’s Week 8 slate.

Buffalo (5-3) won 24-18 in a contest that they led from the first quarter on. The Bills felt comfortably ahead before giving up a touchdown late in the game and preventing Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield from scoring with a late Hail Mary attempt from the Bucs side of the field.

Many players on offense and defense could have won this week’s Player of the Game, and they would be well deserved.

We are awarding the Player of the Game Award in Week 8 to wide receiver Gabe Davis, who had nine catches for 72 yards and a touchdown:

The Bills offense was vibrant and aggressive throughout the game as many of the skill players played much better than they have been in the last couple weeks. Davis, who had one catch for six yards in Sunday’s loss to the New England Patriots, exploded with a mammoth effort.

He was targeted by quarterback Josh Allen 12 times and worked well against the Buccaneers coverage. Davis scored the touchdown to put the Bills ahead by two scores early in the third quarter. Allen spoke earlier this week about breaking the slump on offense, and Davis was a big part of Buffalo’s offensive prowess today.

The wide receiver and the rest of the Bills offense performed extremely well and will look to use the extra days off before they travel to Cincinnati to face the Bengals in their Sunday night prime-time matchup.

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Josh Allen on Bills’ slump on offense: ‘Just play football’

Josh Allen on #Bills’ slump on offense: ‘Just play football’

The Buffalo Bills’ start to the 2023 NFL season has been inconsistent to put it in the best way possible.

Sitting at 4-3, the Bills are looking to get back to winning ways when they play the 3-3 Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday Night Football.

The Buffalo offense has started slow in games, specifically the last three games against the Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Giants, and the New England Patriots, respectively. In the first half of the last three outings, the Bills offense has averaged 3.3 points, often relying on an improved second half performance by the offense to win.

And quarterback Josh Allen thinks he has the answer and it’s a simple one, explaining it as keeping emotions at a “low positive” level.

“Maybe I need to think a little less and just play football,” Allen said.

ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky broke down the issues on the offensive side of the ball, specifically the Bills inability to pick up the blitz. This, combined with Allen’s career low rushing attempts per game, might be resulting in the disjointed offense to start games.

Head coach Sean McDermott thinks there could be a bit of self improvement needed, too.

“We’re beating ourselves.” said McDermott after the most recent loss to the New England Patriots. “We’re not playing complimentary football. … and we’re not linking up in all three phases to control a game.”

It’s hard to fix all the mistakes with a short turnaround to the next game, but the Buffalo offense will look to reset their approach when they face off against a top-ranked Buccaneers defense.

For more from Allen, see the attached Bills Live clip below:

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3 causes for concern as the Bills face the Buccaneers in Week 8

3 causes for concern as the #Bills face the #Buccaneers in Week 8:

The Buffalo Bills are looking to get back into the win column as they welcome the Tampa Bay Buccaneers home to Highmark Stadium to start off Week 8 of the 2023 NFL season.

Buffalo will be looking to make a statement after a disappointing loss to a division rival last week, the New England Patriots. While this can be an opportunity for Buffalo to win, there are never any easy games in the NFL and Thursday will not be easy.

Here are three causes for concern for the Bills (4-3) against the Buccaneers (3-3):