Tag: devin singletary

PODCAST: Bills survive Jets; look to continue against Patriots

In a much needed victory, the Bills swept the Jets for the 2020 season. While New York put together a much better game plan this time around, it was not enough to keep the spunky Buffalo team down. The Bills now are 5-2 and move on to a much …

In a much needed victory, the Bills swept the Jets for the 2020 season. While New York put together a much better game plan this time around, it was not enough to keep the spunky Buffalo team down. The Bills now are 5-2 and move on to a much anticipated game against the New England Patriots.

The Jets led for the entire first half of the game, a surprising result for a team that hasn’t led much all year. Their offense finding some rhythm against the Bills defense. Frank Gore ripped off several big runs, and the Jets passing game looked relatively effective. That all changed in the second half however.

A testament to the Bills defense, which has mostly been a first half team this year, they stopped any momentum that Sam Darnold and the Jets offense had built. Combining that with effective offensive play, that couldn’t quite find the end zone, but moved the ball well enough for the Bills rookie kicker Tyler Bass to hit six field goals, and you have a gritty team victory.

While it wasn’t the world-beating Bills victory that we hoped to see, it was certainly a step in the right direction after two losses to great AFC contenders. There was a lot to build off of in this game, as the team pulls itself up by the bootstraps and heads toward their much tougher portion of the schedule.

Podcast hosts Matt and David take you through the Week 7 encounter between the Bills and Jets.

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Instant analysis: Bills win but leave something to be desired

A win is a win.

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A win is a win. There’s no need to apologize for that. The Buffalo Bills move to 5-2 and won a game that they were expected to be victorious in over the lowly New York Jets (0-7). However, there are definitely reasons to be concerned after the score against arguably the worst team in the NFL.

The Bills offense settled for eight field goal attempts. Rookie kicker Tyler Bass made six of them, providing all of the Bills points. All 18.

The first half was mind-numbing. The Jets led for more time in the first half than they did over the course of their first six games. New York took a 10-6 lead into halftime. The opening half was frustrating for the Bills defense, as it felt like the team was back in its bend-but-don’t-break mentality. In fact, there was a feeling the unit was giving the Jets the same treatment that Buffalo gave Patrick Mahomes last week. Except, of course, Darnold isn’t in the same stratosphere as Mahomes.

Yet, Darnold was efficient in the first half for New York, going 11-of-15 for 116 passing yards. He did throw an interception. Bills rookie Dane Jackson made his first-career interception, which was also Buffalo’s first pick by a member of their secondary this season.

But Jets running back Frank Gore ran for 46 yards on eight carries, while La’Michal Perine added 36 yards on 10 carries during the first half.

Buffalo could only muster six points against a weak defense. Bills quarterback Josh Allen, for his part, went 12-of-20 for 129 yards. The quarterback added 48 yards on the ground.

Things went a bit better for Buffalo’s defense in the second half, as they reflected the group that the Bills expected at the start of the season. The unit completely smothered the Jets offense. They forced four punts and effectively ended the game with an interception of Darnold with just over one minute remaining in the game. Darnold only managed four passing yards in the second half. He completed only one of nine passes.

Buffalo defensive end Jerry Hughes looked like the Jerry of old, putting constant pressure on the Jets offensive line throughout the second half. All told, the Jets only managed 190 total yards.

The Bills recorded six sacks. Hughes led the way with two, while Jordan Poyer added one sack. Six players earned half of a sack during the game: Dean Marlowe, AJ Klein, Tre’Davious White, Matt Milano, AJ Epenesa, and Trent Murphy. Jackson and Hughes were on the receiving end of Darnold’s interceptions.

The second-half play of Buffalo’s defense gives some promise for the future. But that first-half still leaves a bit of a bad taste, as the Jets had no reason to have a lead at halftime. However, the blame can be pinned on Buffalo’s offense for that.

Buffalo’s offense could not find the end zone all day. The only time they did crack the goal line, the call was reversed due to an illegal formation penalty. The Bills could not keep drives moving, as they went only 3-of-11 on third downs.

Even with the Bills’ offensive struggles, there are still some positives to take from the game. The Bills adjusted to the Jets defense and worked their secondary underneath the zone, working quick passes to move methodically down the field. Allen went 30-of-43 for 307 passing yards. Receiver Cole Beasley was the most effective target in the passing game, catching 11 passes for 112 yards. Tyler Kroft stepped up as well, reeling in four passes for 64 receiving yards. The run game performed adequately, as Zack Moss, Devin Singletary, and Allen combined to average 4.7 yards per carry on 27 rushes.

Even with the positive stats, there’s just a feeling that this game was not as dominant as expected. Buffalo’s offense can get away with field goals against the Jets. The defense held strong in the second half, but the Bills are still looking for a total 60-minute effort from this unit.

It won’t be so easy next week, as the Bills return home to take on their long-time nemesis, the New England Patriots.

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Bills at Jets: 3 keys to the game for both teams

Buffalo Bills, New York Jets keys to game Week 7.

The Bills and Jets are facing each other for the second time in 2020, and while it has only been seven weeks, so much has changed. The Jets are vastly different, losing running back Le’Veon Bell and many others. For the Bills, there’s a much different feeling, as the defense has shown it’s true colors.

As poor as the Jets are, this game shouldn’t be overlooked. Here are the keys to victory for both teams:

New York Jets

1. Rally behind Sam Darnold

Though he’s been out on injury over the last two weeks, the world is starting to see that Sam Darnold is a gamer, and the New York Jets franchise has let him down. His performance against the Denver Broncos, which didn’t yield a victory, but did involve Darnold breaking off a 46-yard touchdown run to get his team moving.

Despite the lack of weapons, Darnold moved the ball effectively in the second half against the Bills in Week 1, and despite some “questionable” injury designations on the Jets, Darnold may be able to move the ball against this Bills defense that is banged up and playing poorly.

Let Darnold loose, as best as he can be. Designated runs, albeit not being a rushing QB, might be a way to catch this Bills defense off guard. Short and mid-ranged passes to attack the linebackers work, too.

2. The “Old Man” can still go

When Bell went on injured reserve after the first Bills and Jets encounter, Frank Gore became the guy in their backfield. While he’s not close to what he once was, Gore can still break off runs when needed. More of a power runner than an elusive back.

Is the Jets’ offensive line bad? Absolutely, but so is the Bills rush defense. While he doesn’t have to be an every down back, Gore should be game planned as often as possible. Gore is averaging 3.3 yards per carry, and the Bills are giving up and average of 4.8 yards per rush. It’s quite obvious.

There might be a bit of revenge mentality as well, with Gore having played in Buffalo last year, and having opportunities taken from him as the team transitioned toward Devin Singletary. Gore’s a true pro, and that may be drastic, but, how sweet would it be to have a season high game against the team that dumped you for the new kid.

3. Be Aggressive on Defense

The Bills offense has gone against much tougher competition than the Jets since their first game, this team has done a good job of beating itself in recent weeks. Penalties, overthrows and general mistakes have had the Bills look night and day different from what they had in weeks one through four.

It’s a Gregg Williams defense, which is trained to be more physical then most. Aggressive play from a defensive front is enough to rattle Allen, and we’ve seen in recent weeks what that can do. It might be the most important key to giving this Jets team an opportunity to win.

Play disciplined and penalty free football, while being hard nosed and physical. The Bills offensive line woes should come into play here, and may be the best opportunity for a Jets defense to find success.

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PODCAST: Despite second loss, Bills do have big chance for rebound

Buffalo Bills podcast following Week 6 loss vs. Chiefs, chance for rebound vs. New York Jets.

The Buffalo Bills lost their second-straight game on Monday, falling to the defending Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs, 26-17. While the game wasn’t as one sided as last week, the Bills didn’t look to be there regular early-season standard.

The first half was brighter, with much better play calling on the part of offensive coordinator Brian Daboll. With a decent mix of run and pass plays, the Bills kept it relatively close with Kansas City. Devin Singletary ripped off some big runs, and the Bills were acting like a balanced team, operating unpredictably, but the second half was a big regression.

On both offense and defense, there were lapses and the Chiefs had full control. They never looked back. It certainly brings into question Daboll’s “offensive genius” and whetherd defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier has a future in Buffalo. Daboll, who was being looked at and discussed as a head coach candidate against sub par teams, isn’t proving to be effective against the best of the NFL. Frazier looks to potentially be the deserved scapegoat if this Bills team underperforms.

Buffalo can get back on track against the inferior Jets next week, as they return to their normally scheduled game days. It’s been a rough few weeks, but a game against the Jets could be what the doctor ordered.

Podcast host Matt Johnson and David De Cristofaro take you through Bills versus Chiefs in the latest episode of the Bills Wire podcast. Subscribe and then listen below:

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Bills vs. Chiefs: 3 keys to the game for both teams

Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs 3 keys to Week 6 game.

One of the most anticipated matchups on the 2020 schedule is happening a few days later than originally thought, but it is here. The Buffalo Bills getting a crack at the defending Super Bowl Champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, on Monday, instead of the first slated time for this meeting on Thursday.

Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes, two of the strongest arms in football, are meeting for the first time in this game between two of the most talented young quarterbacks in the NFL today. Both sides are coming off of their first loss of the season as well, so it’s an important rebound game in an uncertain and deep AFC.

With that, let’s take a look at the keys to victory for both teams:

Kansas City Chiefs

1. Do what the Chiefs normally do on offense

Kansas City, since giving Patrick Mahomes the reigns of the offense in 2018, has become one of the most dynamic and aggressive units in the NFL. Mahomes’ ability to make plays happen, in ways that quarterbacks are taught not to, has remained a constant advantage that is quite difficult to game plan against.

If the Bills defense allowed as many points as they did to the Tennessee Titans, Kansas City should certainly have an easy time doing what they’re used to, Although they won’t have former Bill Sammy Watkins or newly acquired running back Le’veon Bell, there’s still plenty of supporting cast talent.

Playmakers Travis Kelce, Tyreek Hill, Clyde Edwards-Helaire are some of the leagues finest at their respective positions, and the Chiefs has maintained great depth on their roster. Mahomes and this Chiefs offense should be able to move the ball effectively against this defense.

2. Control the clock and gas the defense

While we acknowledge that the Chiefs should have little trouble moving the ball against the Bills, it’s important not to get too excited. Great quarterbacks who play against other great quarterbacks have an added job. Keep the football away from the other guy.

Chiefs coach Andy Reid has shown poor clock management in his career, but against the Bills, who have moved the ball quickly and efficiently for the most part of the season, the game plan should be to take their time. This mediocre Bills defense is easily gassed, and there’s no need to hurry up and score beyond perhaps the first drive. Run the ball, throw short to mid range passes, and have fun along the way.

This helps the Chiefs defense, which is very well coached, and gives them plenty of time to rest against the normally high octane offense that the Bills bring.

3. Keep flustering Allen

Watching the Bills play the Titans last week, Allen has composure issues when he can’t do what he wants. When mistakes start to pile up, his emotions can effect his play. It was apparent that the game planning Titans coach Mike Vrabel put in place had flustered Allen, and the team looked different. Drives were much shorter, and chemistry between the Bills offense seemed off.

Get in Allen’s face, rough him up a bit. Blitz packages with a touch of a tighter zone coverage. It gives the secondary time to read what Allen is doing, while the pass rush is chasing him out of the pocket.

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Stock up, stock down following the Bills’ loss to the Titans

Stock report following the Buffalo Bills’ loss to the Titans.

Our latest Buffalo Bills stock report is going to be a change of pace, but not one that is in any way surprising.

The Bills were nothing short of smacked by the Tennessee Titans, 42-16, on Tuesday. Buffalo’s offense showed a blip or two of life, while the defensive woes hit a fever pitch.

With that, here’s Bills Wire’s latest stock report following the Bills’ loss to the Titans:

Stock up

Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs. (AP Photo/Brett Carlsen)

WR Stefon Diggs

Seeing as the way things turned out, maybe Buffalo shouldn’t bank on this, but Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs certainly showed he can carry the load. Diggs had a game-high 16 total targets which turned into 10 catches for 106 yards. A good personal game, but again, not the best for the offense overall.

WR John Brown

John Brown had zero targets, catches, yards, routes run, and snaps played against the Titans. That’s because he missed the game due to a calf injury. Forcing the ball to Diggs helped his personal stats, but Buffalo lost and the offense was not as dynamic as it was with Brown in the lineup the first few games.

RB TJ Yeldon

In a surprise, TJ Yeldon finished the game as Buffalo’s leading rusher with 52 yards, which included a 34-yard scamper. Yeldon also had a 22-yard touchdown catch. And we can’t forgot, he did win Bills Wire’s Player of the Game. Good day at the office for a guy who is typically inactive on game day.

DT Harrison Phillips/ DT Vernon Butler

These guys won’t show up much in the box score, but the Bills held Titans running back Derrick Henry to 3.0 yards per carry because of some good plays by these guys. A big part of the time when Henry gained anything over three yards, he was bouncing runs to the outside because either Harrison Phillips or Vernon Butler were right in his face. Problem is, these two also didn’t get much help after they did their jobs.

WR Cole Beasley

Cole Beasley had six catches for 53 yards. A solid stat line for him… and it’s an even better one considering that was his work from just one half of the game. Beasley had zero targets in the first half. Why wasn’t he involved earlier?

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Instant analysis: Bills beat themselves as Titans blowout Buffalo, 42-16

It has been a weird week for the Buffalo Bills, and even weirder two weeks for the Tennessee Titans.

It has been a weird week for the Buffalo Bills, and even weirder two weeks for the Tennessee Titans, but the two finally managed to meet to end Week 5 of the NFL season on Tuesday.

In the early stages, it was a back and forth affair with both teams scoring in the first quarter but on two very different drives. The Bills started the game with the ball, but the drive ended early with a rare Josh Allen interception. Allen made the right read on third down finding Andre Roberts who had found a hole in the Titans zone, the ball slipped through his hands and into the lap of Malcolm Butler.

That set up a two-play touchdown drive for the Titans, putting the Bills down 7-0 early on.

The Bills bounced back on their next drive though, Allen led the team down the field, finding receivers Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis on key downs. Allen even found Andre Roberts on a third and 15, setting up their offense up deep in the Titans’ territory. The Bills red zone offense once again brought out the tricks with an Isaiah McKenzie jet sweep toss for a three-yard touchdown.

The Bills were back in business as they tie the game 7-7.

As the first quarter ended the Titans moved the ball down the field benefiting from a porous Buffalo defense. For the majority of the first half cornerback Taron Johnson was getting picked apart by Ryan Tannehill and the Titans receiving corps, it wasn’t a pretty sight for Bills fans. Johnson’s ineptness help set up the Titans second score of the half, a one-yard run from Derrick Henry.

The Titans take the lead again to begin the second quarter 14-7.

The first part of the second quarter was a battle of field position for both. Neither offenses looked to get much done, especially the Bills. Allen forced the ball to Diggs the entire first half, leading to some dangerous throws and two dropped interceptions from the Titans. Buffalo did gain some momentum though as the Bills finally put some more points on the board, a 43-yard field goal from Tyler Bass. The Bills pull it back 14-10.

After this field goal, the wheels began to fall off for the Bills entirely. A 74-yard punt from Corey Bojorquez pushed the Titans back to their own 10-yard line with just three minutes left in the half. The Bills defense needed to make a stop, but they folded. Tannehill tore open a soft Buffalo defense and led them to a score before halftime. The Titans’ third touchdown of the game was a 10-yard scramble from Tannehill. To end the half the Titans lead 21-10.

The Titans started the second half and had a tepid drive, making little headway against a reenergized Bills defense. Tremaine Edmunds broke up a Tannehill pass to force a Tennessee punt. The Bills had the opportunity to bring this game back with a score, and it went all according to plan for Buffalo. Allen was finding Cole Beasley underneath, and Stefon Diggs outside. It was a promising drive for Buffalo, and as they moved into Titans territory, Allen made a costly mistake. The quarterback dropped back and threw it to Butler on a forced passed and returned the ball 68 yards.

These backbreakers defined the game for the Bills.

Tennessee started this drive in their own red zone, and they made quick work. Tannehill found his tight end Jonnu Smith, who boxed out Dean Marlowe at the goal line, bringing the score to 28-10, breaking the camels back, essentially.

Cclosing in on the fourth quarter the Bills offense needed to put something on the board and give them a shot for any sort of comeback. Frankly, it was the drive that the Bills needed Allen looked sharp, where he again found Beasley underneath, and Diggs longer downfield. Once Buffalo got into striking distance Josh Allen threw a laser from 22 yards out to TJ Yeldon who was in the back of the end zone. Buffalo tried a two-point conversion but failed, it was still a two-score game for the Bills though.

The defense then needed a stop… Like before though, they crumbled. Tannehill and the Titans put together a six-minute drive, capped off by a Derrick Henry touchdown. This touchdown was completely preventable, but the Bills couldn’t get themselves off the field. Most of the Titans’ big plays came off errors made by the Bills defense, whether it be penalties, missing tackles, or not setting the edge. The Titans didn’t beat the Bills, Buffalo beat themselves. The Henry touchdown put Tennessee up 35-16, and it was all over.

To make matters worse for Buffalo, Andre Roberts fumbled the ball in on the ensuing kickoff, giving the ball right back to Tennessee. In just three plays Tannehill throws another touchdown to Smith.

An utter blowout at 42-16.

It was a hard pill to swallow for Buffalo because as mentioned earlier, the Bills really just beat themselves. Tennessee didn’t change their game plan, it was just an avalanche of unforced errors by the Bills.

If Allen didn’t turn the ball over the twice, and the Bills defense made a few more stops, this could have been an entirely different result. Alas, Buffalo can’t wallow for too long, because next week they host reigning Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs.

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Fantasy Football: Targets, Touches & TDs: Week 6

Tackling five backfields that create confusion in fantasy football and trying to make sense of them.

Despite the ongoing extreme makeovers with the NFL itinerary, we remain right on schedule here with your weekly serving of TT&T.

Running backs remain the most valuable point-for-point fantasy football commodities, and with that in mind this week, we’re tackling five of the league’s most baffling backfields – ones where a clear, startable fantasy back has yet to emerge.

From each of these five backfields, we’ll take a look at the key stats and metrics produced so far and use those as guideposts to try and forecast whatever fantasy value may emerge from each going forward.

Here goes, starting alphabetically with the …

Baltimore Ravens

Primary backs and stats

  • Mark Ingram: (5 games played) 45 rushes-205 yards-2 TDs; 5 targets-3 receptions-25 yards-0 TDs. 35.0 standard-scoring fantasy points/38.0 point-per-reception points
  • J.K. Dobbins: (5) 16-126-2; 10-9-73-0. 31.9/40.9
  • Gus Edwards: (5) 34-192-0; 3-0-0-0. 19.2/19.2

Total touches-yards-TDs (fantasy points/touch)

  • Ingram: 48-230-2 (0.73 standard scoring/0.79 PPR)
  • Dobbins: 25-199-2 (1.28/1.64)
  • Edwards: 34-192-0 (0.56/0.56)

Offensive snap shares

  • Dobbins: 106/300 (35.3 percent)
  • Ingram: 99/300 (33.0)
  • Edwards: 95/300 (31.7)

Red-zone stats

  • Ingram: 7-16-1 rushing; 2-1-4-0 receiving
  • Dobbins: 2-5-2; 0-0-0-0
  • Edwards: 1-2-0; 0-0-0-0

Outlook

Major asterisk here, of course, with quarterback Lamar Jackson ranking second on the team in rushing attempts (41) and pacing the squad with 238 rushing yards – and that’s even with Jackson’s average number of attempts down 3.5 carries per contest (11.7-8.2) from last season.

The drafting of Dobbins has played a major role in knocking Ingram’s per-game touch average down to 9.6 from 15.2 a year ago, and that – and an expected touchdown regression – has caused Ingram to fall from the RB1 ranks down to sub-flex territory as he currently ranks 34th at the position in total fantasy points (standard scoring) and 42nd in average fantasy points per contest.

Ingram has been the Ravens’ back to own simply due to the fact that he’s getting the most the carries on the league’s second-best rushing team (160.8 yards per game). But Dobbins is superior in yards-per-touch (8.0-4.8) and fantasy-points-per-touch averages. Additionally, his higher usage in the passing game portends bigger and better fantasy things as the season presses on. He’s a must-add if he was somehow dropped in your league.

Edwards still will be involved as well – primarily as a late-game closer – but Ingram and Dobbins are the Ravens’ backs to own in standard-size leagues.

Detroit Lions

Primary backs and stats

  • Adrian Peterson: (4 games played) 54 rushes-245 yards-1 TD; 6 targets-4 receptions-31 yards-0 TDs; 33.6 standard-scoring fantasy points/37.6 PPR points
  • D’Andre Swift: (4) 12-42-1; 16-13-124-1; 28.6/41.6
  • Kerryon Johnson: (4) 21-71-1; 3-2-17-0; 14.8/16.8

Total touches-yards-TDs (fantasy points/touch)

  • Peterson: 58-276-1 (0.58 standard scoring/0.65 PPR)
  • Swift: 25-166-2 (1.14/1.66)
  • Johnson: 23-88-1 (0.64/0.73)

Offensive snap shares

  • Peterson: 105/264 (39.8 percent)
  • Swift: 83/264 (31.4)
  • Johnson: 70/264 (26.5)

Red-zone stats

  • Peterson: 12-35-1 rushing; 0-0-0-0 receiving
  • Swift: 2-2-1; 3-2-16-1
  • Johnson: 5-19-1; 0-0-0-0

Outlook

The Sept. 7 signing of the 35-year-old Peterson changed the whole dynamic of the situation here as he has 10 more touches than the rookie Swift and the incumbent Johnson combined.

Given his superior rushing attempt and snap shares and red-zone work, an iron man known as Peterson has been Detroit’s most trustworthy fantasy back to date, but Swift’s sizable edge in the passing game isn’t to be ignored. The second-round pick quietly ranks 20th among all league running backs with 13 receptions and figures to become more and more involved as his adjustment to the pro game eases and his early-season health issues further fade away.

Johnson, thought be to be a rising fantasy star only a season ago, has become the odd man out.

Los Angeles Rams

Primary backs and stats

  • Darrell Henderson: (5 games played) 58 rushes-260 yards-3 TDs; 11 targets-7 receptions-92 yards-1 TD. 59.2 standard-scoring fantasy points/66.2 point-per-reception points
  • Malcolm Brown: (5) 53-213-2; 14-9-44-0. 37.7/46.7
  • Cam Akers: (3) 26-113-0; 1-1-4-0. 11.7/12.7

Total touches-yards-TDs (fantasy points/touch)

  • Henderson: 65-352-4 (0.91 standard scoring/1.02 PPR)
  • Brown: 62-257-2 (0.61/0.75)
  • Akers: 27-117-0 (0.43/0.47)

Offensive snap shares

  • Brown: 176/336 (52.4 percent)
  • Henderson: 119/336 (35.4)
  • Akers: 40/210 (19.0)

Red-zone stats

  • Henderson: 17-35-3 rushing; 3-2-18-1 receiving
  • Brown: 10-31-2; 3-1-(-2)-0
  • Akers: 2-5-0; 0-0-0-0

Outlook

There’s definitely some interest here as the Rams have logged the league’s second-most rushing attempts (169) this season and trail only the Browns as well in overall rushing-play percentage at 51.5.

Even though Brown owns a sizable snap edge, Henderson has out-touched Brown in three of the Rams’ last four games for a 62-41 edge during that span. Akers, meanwhile, got the start in Los Angeles’ opening two games before leaving early in Week 2 with a rib-cartilage injury that kept him out of action until Sunday.

As a rookie second-round pick, Akers is the team’s shiny new object, while Brown lends a steady, veteran presence, and Henderson has been the most productive and dynamic of the trio to date. Look for a Henderson/Akers split of the workload going forward with the former drawing the slight edge in touches.

New England Patriots

Primary backs and stats

  • Rex Burkhead: (4 games played) 30 rushes-128yards-2 TDs; 17 targets-12 receptions-101 yards-1 TD. 40.9 standard-scoring fantasy points/52.9 point-per-reception points
  • Sony Michel: (3) 26-173-1; 3-2-23-0. 25.6/27.6
  • James White: (2) 8-43-0; 11-10-68-0. 11.1/21.1
  • Damien Harris: (1) 17-100-0; 0-0-0-0. 10.0/10.0
  • J.J. Taylor: (3) 16-70-0; 2-1-4-0. 7.4/8.4

Total touches-yards-TDs (fantasy points/touch)

  • Burkhead: 42-229-3 (0.97 standard scoring/1.26 PPR)
  • Michel: 28-196-1 (0.91/0.99)
  • White: 18-111-0 (0.62/1.17)
  • Harris: 17-100-0 (0.59/0.59)
  • Taylor: 17-74-0 (0.44/0.49)

Offensive snap shares

  • Burkhead: 128/280 (45.7 percent)
  • White: 59/139 (42.4)
  • Harris: 23/75 (30.7)
  • Michel: 60/205 (29.3)
  • Taylor: 25/205 (12.2)

Red-zone stats

  • Burkhead: 8-36-2 rushing; 4-2-23-1 receiving
  • Michel: 5-18-1; 0-0-0-0
  • Taylor: 3-10-0; 1-0-0-0
  • White: 1-7-0; 1-1-(-4)-0
  • Harris: 1-5-0; 0-0-0-0

Outlook

The Pats’ backfield situation is the toughest enigma to crack – for a number of reasons.

First, there’s the sheer number of backs in the mix (five), and then there’s the Cam Newton factor, as the quarterback remains one of the league’s top red-zone rushing threats with 12 carries for 37 yards and four TDs in only three games so far. And, then, most significant of all, this is the Patriots we’re talking about, as the chameleon-like Bill Belichick and his staff change things up on a weekly basis to keep opposing defenses – not to mention fantasy general managers – off-balance.

With Michel on injured reserve, though, and the rookie Taylor seeing only a 12.2-percent snap share in the games he’s played, that whittles the usable fantasy contenders down to three.

White, who’s averaging five catches per game, remains a PPR-format flex factor while Harris – he of the preseason buzz before a finger injury knocked him out of the first three games – made the most recent favorable impression with a team season-high 17 rushes for an even 100 yards in his 2020 debut in Week 4. Burkhead is the jack-of-all trades who always figures to be active and involved to some degree, but we’ve more than likely already seen his best game this season as he accounted for a 65.8 percent (34.8) of his 52.9 PPR points in Week 3.

That leaves White (PPR) and Harris (still need to see more coming out of the Week 5 bye) as the Pats’ best RB fantasy bets.

New York Giants

Primary backs and stats

  • Devonta Freeman: (3 games played) 33 rushes-103 yards-1 TD; 7 targets-6 receptions-62 yards-0 TDs. 22.5 standard-scoring fantasy points/28.5 point-per-reception points
  • Dion Lewis: (5) 13-31-1; 16-9-55-0. 14.6/23.6
  • Wayne Gallman: (4) 15-76-0; 6-5-21-0. 9.4/14.4

Total touches-yards-TDs (fantasy points/touch)

  • Freeman: 39-165-1 (0.58 standard scoring/0.73 PPR)
  • Lewis: 22-86-1 (0.66/1.07)
  • Gallman: 20-97-0 (0.47; 0.72)

Offensive snap shares

  • Freeman: 89/188 (47.3 percent)
  • Lewis: 124/321 (38.6)
  • Gallman: 43/256 (17.0)

Red-zone stats

  • Freeman: 3-6-1 rushing; 1-1-(-2)-0 receiving
  • Lewis: 1-1-1; 2-1-4-0
  • Gallman: 1-1-0; 1-1-3-0

Outlook

We go from the toughest nut to crack (Patriots) among our five to the easiest, as Freeman is the main man here as long as he can avoid the health issues of recent seasons (18 combined games missed from 2017-19).

The last two weeks, Freeman has out-touched Lewis and Gallman combined by a 34-18 margin and has outgained them 155-88 with a 27.5-14.8 edge in PPR points.

The Giants, though, are saddled with one of the league’s worst offensive lines and overall offenses, keeping Freeman in flex-start territory most weeks instead of the RB2 ranks. 

Extra points

  • The Ravens’ aforementioned Jackson is off to a slow start, ranking 14th among quarterbacks with 113.2 fantasy points through action Sunday. Gardner Minshew (120.7), Ryan Fitzpatrick (120.3), Derek Carr (119.5) and Carson Wentz (113.6) are among the QBs with more points. Jackson still ranks second at the position with his 238 rushing yards on 41 attempts (tied for first), but he only has one rushing score so far. Jackson, though, is mainly falling short as a fantasy passer, ranking 24th (as of Sunday) with 949 passing yards and tying for ninth with nine TD tosses after leading the league with 36 a season ago.
  • Jets WR Jamison Crowder has played in only three of the team’s five games, but he’s had at least 10 targets, seven receptions and 104 receiving yards in each outing while snaring a pair of TD passes for a total of 67.5 PPR points. Crowder’s average of 22.5 PPR points per contest, though, trails only the Packers’ Davante Adams (24.1) among league wideouts.
  • Dalvin Cook, Mike Evans and Tyreek Hill are the only players to score a TD in all five weeks so far this season.
  • Meanwhile, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Ronald Jones, Myles Gaskin, Austin Ekeler, Devin Singletary, Frank Gore, Amari Cooper and Robby Anderson were the only players with at least 60 touches or 35 receptions and one or fewer TDs through Sunday.
  • The Rams not only have a backfield fantasy conundrum but one at tight end, as well. Tyler Higbee had a monster Week 2 with five receptions for 54 yards and three TDs (28.4 PPR points), but he’s only caught 10-of-12 targets for 122 yards and no scores (22.2 points) in his other four contests combined. Gerald Everett, meanwhile, missed Week 2 but has out-produced Higbee in the other four games, catching 8-of-9 targets for 141 yards and no TDs while scoring on a 2-yard rushing TD (28.3 PPR points).

PODCAST: Bills dominate Raiders; Titans or Chiefs next on the schedule?

Buffalo Bills Wire podcast on Week 4 win vs. Las Vegas Raiders and uncertain schedule coming up.

The Buffalo Bills are off to a solid 4-0 start after a 30-23 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 4. There were seldom any moments where the Bills team were at risk of losing control, and the Bills seemed relatively effective in all phases of the game.

The Bills quickly took control of the game, with two touchdowns in as many drives, with quarterback Josh Allen hitting receivers Gabriel Davis and Cole Beasley for scores, and the Bills had a commanding 14-3 lead in the first quarter. Allen was successful in spreading the ball around to his various weapons again, a sign of Brian Daboll’s play-calling and ability to keep defenses uneasy on who to protect.

Vegas made things interesting though, scoring a touchdown at the end of the first half, keeping things close for a possible Bills defensive collapse in the second half, as we have seen in the first three games. It never came to fruition.

The defense came alive in the fourth quarter, rallying behind cornerback Josh Norman, who played in his first game as a Bill. Norman was put on injured reserve due to a hamstring injury and missed the first three weeks, but came up big and brought much needed energy to this defensive unit. The veteran cornerback had a big fumble recovery after a hit on Darren Waller, and the Bills defense never looked back.

As of now, it is presumed that the Bills will play the 3-0 Tennessee Titans next week, but after a week of positive COVID tests, the game may be postponed. Depending on how the NFL decides to restructure the schedule, the Bills next opponent may be the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday Night Football in two weeks. Stay tuned to Bills Wire for those updates.

Regardless, join podcast host Matt Johnson as he’s joined by contributing writer David De Cristofaro for this week’s episode of the Bills Wire Billscast:

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Josh Norman shines in Bills debut: ‘I’ll do it, I’ll make a play’

Activated just yesterday, Norman certainly made his presence felt almost immediately.

During the offseason, the Bills added depth to their secondary by signing veteran cornerback Josh Norman.

Many had written Norman off after a less than spectacular tenure in Washington, but Norman decided to come to Buffalo and attempt to prove the doubters wrong. In signing with the Bills, Norman joined Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott, who Norman had his greatest success under back in Carolina with the Panthers.

After an injury caused him to end up on the injured reserve list to start the season, Norman told the media via video conference. “I was up in a box, pissed off.” Activated just a day prior to the game, due to the new COVID-19 rules, Norman certainly made his presence felt almost immediately.

When cornerback Levi Wallace had to leave the game with an ankle injury early, it was Norman’s time to shine.

With the Bills leading by only seven points in the fourth quarter, Norman made perhaps the defensive play of the game, knocking the ball out of TE Darren Waller’s hands and recovering his own fumble:

“Coach told us somebody needed to make a play,” Norman said. “So I told myself, I’ll do it, I’ll make a play.”

The Bills ended up feeding off of that momentum and driving down the field to score a touchdown that ended up being the difference in the game.

In his own interesting way, Norman described his excitement to finally being able to help the Bills defense.

“Guys really invited me to the party,” Norman said. “It was one of those things, they was having a pizza party and I was like, ‘Shoot I’m knocking on the door, y’all not gonna let me in?’ So I had to kick it down.”

Norman’s teammates were also thankful for his return to the field.

“I don’t know if we win the game without him,” wide receiver Cole Beasley said.

Running Devin Singletary also explained how excited the team was when Norman was able to jar the ball loose for the fumble, telling the media that everyone was, “crunk” on the sideline.

Sean McDermott seemed to agree with Beasley’s assessment of Norman’s importance.

“Josh Norman brings the same dog mentality (Stefon) Diggs does,” McDermott said after the game. “It affected the defense in a major way in the second half of this game.”

While the offense has certainly been the story through the first four games of the season, despite their struggles, the defense headlined by Norman was a big part of getting the job done on Sunday vs. the Raiders.

Norman concluded his media availability by telling reporters that he has a new appreciation for the game since arriving in Buffalo.

“I’m just glad to be apart of this,” Norman said. “We’re 4-0 and you can’t have a better feeling than this.”

While the Bills have one all-pro CB in Tre’Davious White, perhaps a career resurgence for the 32-year old Norman, isn’t as farfetched as some had originally thought.

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