Tag: Ty Johnson

PFF: 5 highest-graded Bills players on offense in Week 17

Not the best day for the #Bills offense, but these guys did well according to PFF:

The Buffalo Bills won a tight 27-21 final in their Week 17 matchup against the New England Patriots.

The Bills (10-6) had a few players that stood out above the rest in this one. On offense, the Bills were led by tight end  Dalton Kincaid.

In terms of the players who helped Kincaid pull out the win, Buffalo will hope such efforts remain throughout the rest of the 2023 season as they aim to secure a postseason spot.

According to Pro Football Focus, they’ll need these players to continue to play at a high level.

Here are the five highest-graded Bills players on offense against the Patriots (4-12) in Week 17:

How the Bills changed their entire offense and ran all over the Cowboys

The Buffalo Bills did what nobody expected and ran all over the Dallas Cowboys’ defense. Here’s how offensive coordinator Joe Brady schemed it up.

Generally speaking, when Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen completes seven of 15 passes for 94 yards and a touchdown against a team like the Dallas Cowboys, you don’t expect a 31-10 win in Buffalo’s favor. But that’s exactly what happened last Sunday, and the Bills’ run game is worthy of our attention. 

New offensive coordinator Joe Brady, who’s been in that position since mid-November following the firing of Ken Dorsey, had already put some new much-needed wrinkles in the passing game. But what Brady did against the Cowboys was a different level of sea-change in philosophy. Brady and the Bills went into this game with a clear vision of how to disrupt Dallas’ defense with the run game, which was unusual for a number of reasons.

Coming into this game, the Cowboys had allowed an EPA per rushing attempt of -0.11, sixth-best in the NFL. Their 4.1 yards per carry allowed, 2.2 yards after contact allowed, and 10 rushing touchdowns allowed were all among the NFL’s best. Now, the Bills’ EPA per rushing attempt of 0.04 was already the NFL’s best, but they had managed just 2.2 yards after contact per attempt, and while their 15 rushing touchdowns was a nice figure, 11 came from quarterback Josh Allen, so it wasn’t as if Buffalo’s rushing attack with James Cook as the lead dog was scaring anybody.

Where Brady and his staff may have seen their openings was in the Cowboys’ fronts and overall defensive philosophy. Through the first 14 weeks of the season, Dallas had faced just 337 rushing attempts this season, because their offense has been so explosive. And under Dan Quinn, the Cowboys aren’t focusing on the run in an old-school sense. They had put eight or more defenders in the box against 142 rushing attempts this season through Week 14, fifth-highest in the league, but it’s not a heavy run defense, and that’s especially true since defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 14 against the Philadelphia Eagles. Without Hankins on the field this season, the Cowboys have allowed 5.3 yards per carry. With Hankins on the field? 4.2.

Moreover, per Sports Info Solutions, the Cowboys have had six defensive backs on the field for 221 opponent rushing attempts, which is wildly out of whack with the rest of the NFL. The New England Patriots rank second with 43. The number is a bit skewed because most advanced metrics sites have misclassified Markquese Bell as a safety when he’s more of a linebacker, but even so… Bell is a 6-foot-3, 205-pound player, so it’s not as if he’s thumping down on run fits at a Mike Singletary level.

Factoring all that in, Brady’s decision to completely turn his team’s offensive philosophy on its head was still quite revolutionary. Through Week 14, the Bills ran the ball on 37.9% of their offensive snaps. Against the Cowboys, they ran by design on 71% of their plays, the highest rate for any team in any game this season. The aforementioned James Cook ran 25 times for 179 yards, 7.2 yards per attempt, 3.52 yards after contact per attempt, one touchdown, seven runs of 10 or more yards, and eight forced missed tackles.

In this week’s “Xs and Os with Greg Cosell,” the guys got into this difference in approach, and all the reasons it worked so well.

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You can watch this week’s “Xs and Os” right here:

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You can also listen and subscribe to the “Xs and Os” podcast on Spotify…

…and on Apple Podcasts.

Now, let’s get into the thick of this new Bills run game.

Instant analysis, game recap of Bills’ win vs. Cowboys

Instant analysis, game recap of #Bills’ win vs. #Cowboys:

The Buffalo Bills (8-6) took another step toward a playoff berth with a 31-10 win over the Dallas Cowboys (10-4).

Buffalo was in control from the opening drive. Running back Latavius Murray scored on a two-yard dive to give the Bills an early 7-0 lead. The Bills focused on moving the ball on the ground, rushing nine times on the drive.

Running back James Cook was the focal point of the Bills’ attack the rest of the day. He added Buffalo’s second score, catching an 18-yard pass from quarterback Josh Allen. Cook smoked his defender, breaking toward the front pylon to get open.

Dallas offense finally moved the ball with some consistency. The Bills defense, however, stalled the Cowboys progress. On third-and-four, defensive tackle Ed Oliver tipped a Dak Prescott pass, resulting in an incompletion. Michael Aubrey made a 32-yard field goal to put Dallas on the board for the first time on the evening.

Buffalo’s offense responded once again with an 11-play drive culminating with a one-yard Josh Allen dive.

The Bills entered halftime with a 21-3 lead. Buffalo outgained Dallas 210-89 in the first half. In addition, the Bills held a 19-6 lead in first downs during the first two quarters.

Buffalo’s defense continued their command over Dallas’s offense, shutting the Cowboys down on the initial drive of the second half. Linebacker Tyrel Dodson sacked Prescott on third down to force another Dallas punt.

On the subsequent drive, the Bills ran the ball right through the heart of the Dallas defense once again. Buffalo ran 12 times out of 14 plays. However, Cook, who was marvelous all game, could not reel in an Allen pass in the flat.  Buffalo settled for a short Tyler Bass field goal to extend the lead to 24-3.

Buffalo’s defense shut down the best offense in the NFL once again. Jordan Phillips sacked Prescott for the Bills third sack of the game. After three quarters, Buffalo held a three-touchdown lead. More impressively, the Bills held the Cowboys to only 92 total yards through three quarters.

Buffalo’s offense kept the motor going with another assertive drive. The Bills moved the ball well on the ground, but the play of the drive went to Stefon Diggs. Allen scurried out of the pocket to his right and sidearmed a pass. Diggs made a spectacular one-handed catch to keep the drive alive. On the next offensive play, Cook cut through the Cowboys defense once again for a 24-yard rush.

The Buffalo defensive onslaught continued, as the Bills forced an interception on Dallas’s next drive. Buffalo’s defensive line forced Prescott out of the pocket. His pass floated over his receiver and into the hands of Christian Benford.

The Buffalo reserves took over for the final 10 minutes of the game.

Dallas battled back with a 15-play drive ending with a three-yard CeeDee Lamb touchdown rush.

Buffalo cruised to a 21-point victory. The Bills were in complete control all game, dominating in all facets of the game Sunday night:

PFF: 5 highest-graded Bills players on offense in Week 12

You’ll be shocked to see Josh Allen:

The Buffalo Bills narrowly lost in overtime against the Philadelphia Eagles, 37-34, in their Week 12 matchup on Sunday afternoon.

The Bills (6-6) had a few players that stood out above the rest in this one. On offense, the Bills were led by quarterback Josh Allen for the second game in a row as he took over a new-look offense with Joe Brady supporting as the offensive coordinator against a league-best Eagles team that has lost only one game this season.

Despite a great performance, Buffalo didn’t have the final push to secure a win. But in terms of the players who got them close to a win, the Bills will hope such efforts will remain throughout the rest of the 2023 season as the aim to secure a postseason spot.

According to Pro Football Focus, they’ll need these players to continue to play at a high level.

Here are the five highest-graded Bills players on offense against the Eagles (10-1) according to PFF’s metrics:

PFF: 5 highest-graded Bills players on offense in Week 11

PFF: 5 highest-graded #Bills players on offense in Week 11 against the #Jets:

The Buffalo Bills defeated the New York Jets, 32-6, in their Week 11 matchup on Sunday afternoon.

The Bills (6-5) had a few players that stood out above the rest in this one. On offense, the Bills were lead by quarterback Josh Allen who took over a new-look offense with Joe Brady now calling the shots as offensive coordinator. 

To get more wins, Buffalo will hope such efforts will remain throughout the rest of the 2023 season as the push toward the postseason unfolds… particularly, they’ll need more efforts from these players, according to Pro Football Focus.

Here are the five highest-graded Bills players on offense against the Jets (4-6) according to PFF’s metrics:

Bills snap counts: Depth chart breakdown vs. Jets

How the #Bills snap counts look different vs. the #Jets:

The Buffalo Bills got after it against the New York Jets and ended up pulling out a 32-6 win on Sunday afternoon in Week 11.

But who exactly were the ones on the field for the Bills (6-5) doing all the dirty work against the Jets (4-6)?

More often than not, taking a look in between the lines at snap count totals for Buffalo’s players can give us some insight as to what went down in between the lines on the gridiron.

There is always plenty to discover when looking at these finer details.

With that, here’s how the Bills depth chart broke down via snap counts in their latest win against the Jets:

Report card: Buffalo Bills top New York Jets, 32-6

#Bills report card after a huge game vs. the #Jets:

The Buffalo Bills took an opportunity to build on their push toward the playoffs in Week 11 against the New York Jets.

Buffalo (6-5) won 32-6 against New York (4-6). Now the Bills have the take this momentum, build on it, and hope their march toward the postseason does not fall short for the first time since 2018.

Buffalo’s game plans went well, and in the end, that was reflected by the final score.

The same can be said for the grades the team received following the contest, too.

Check out Bills Wire’s Week 11 report card for the Bills following the team’s win over the Jets at Highmark Stadium:

Stock up, stock down following the Bills’ 32-6 win over the Jets

Here is Bills Wire’s stock report following Sunday’s 32-6 demolition of the New York Jets in an AFC East showdown:

The Buffalo Bills (6-5) hosted the New York Jets (4-6) at Highmark Stadium on Sunday in a game between AFC East rivals and won 32-6.

The Bills came into this game after disappointing losses to the Denver Broncos and the Cincinnati Bengals that had the entire NFL world, including Bills Mafia, stressing about Buffalo’s playoff odds this season.

This matchup seemed to be over in the early going as the Bills went up 16-0 with 3:03 left in the second quarter after Bills star quarterback Josh Allen threw a five-yard pass to running back James Cook for a touchdown.

Here is Bills Wire’s stock report following the much-needed win:

Bills’ Sean McDermott on Joe Brady: ‘Picked up where we needed him to right away’

#Bills’ Sean McDermott on Joe Brady: ‘Picked up where we needed him to right away’

The Bills outplayed the Jets for a 32-6 victory at home in Orchard Park Sunday.

In their second victory of the season against a divisional rival, Buffalo improved to 6-5 behind the Miami Dolphins (7-3) in the AFC East.

The Jets traveled to New York in the hope of winning their second matchup but were met by a Bills team looking to play their way back into the playoff picture.

And they made a big change during the week in hopes of doing just that.

Amidst his second season in his first run as an offensive coordinator, Ken Dorsey was relieved of his duties following two straight losses and a tenure marred by inconsistency.

In his place, head coach Sean McDermott promoted QB coach and former LSU and Carolina Panthers play caller Joe Brady to jump-start the offense and spark some energy.

Bills head coach Sean McDermott noticed how Brady was able to step in as the next man up effectively playcalling for Buffalo’s offense.

“Joe picked up where we needed him to right away,” McDermott shared during his postgame press conference. “When we made the switch there was no hesitation, he went right to the offensive staff and the offensive staff collaborated in a team way, in an effective way. I saw a healthy dose of leadership from Joe. And then Joe’s relationship with Josh I think was important. His communication during the week and making sure Josh was in synch with the gameplan, that they had good symmetry there.”

The result in the first game following Brady’s promotion was a three-touchdown and 275-yard passing day by QB Josh Allen and a balanced and spread-out offense.

With the Jets’ strong cornerback coverage, Shakir (115 yards receiving) as well as Johnson (47 yards) and TE Dalton Kincaid (46 yards) saw plenty of action in the distribution of the passing game, while Cook (73 yards rushing) led the way on the ground.

“I think Joe took advantage of this opportunity,” Kincaid said to the media following the win. “He brought a lot of energy this week, a lot of excitement, a lot of encouragement, just a lot of a lot of belief. So we definitely rode with him in that and felt his energy and think it showed a little bit today.”

Buffalo’s total offense included the most points (32) scored on the Jets’ defense this season.

 

McDermott also sounded pleased with what he heard during the game from Brady and the offensive coaches as well.

“The way he called the game, I could hear the offensive staff communicating, collaborating, adjusting, and then Joe taking that and putting it into play. I thought it was executed well.”

The Bills will have a chance to help keep the momentum going next Sunday when they travel to Philadelphia to face the Eagles (8-1). A tough matchup against a tough team, whose only loss this season came against… The Jets.

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Bills’ Josh Allen: Focus ahead of Jets win was having fun again

#Bills’ Josh Allen: Focus ahead of Jets win was having fun again:

The Bills defeated the Jets in a blowout 32-6 contest on a cold and windy Sunday at home in Orchard Park in Week 11 of their 2023 season.

The win came at a much-needed time for Buffalo.

In offensive coordinator Joe Brady’s first game calling plays for QB Josh Allen and company, the victory avenged Buffalo’s road loss in the seasoning opener at the Meadowlands of New Jersey.

“We got a lot of true professionals in this room,” Allen said to open his postgame press conference. “Wasn’t an easy week, I’ll tell you that. I’m proud of everybody that stepped up and filled roles that they maybe didn’t expect to fill this year. You know that’s Joe that’s Shuls, that’s Kyle Shurmur, that’s Mark Lubick, that’s the whole entire offensive staff pulling together.”

While the Bills didn’t find the endzone until late in the first half, they did put offensive points up consistently across all four quarters,

Right around the three-minute mark before halftime, Allen found RB James Cook for a 5-yard score. He’d add two third-quarter TD tosses to former Jet Ty Johnson for 28 yards and to second-year receiver Khalil Shakir for 81 yards for the longest touchdown pass in the NFL this season. K Tyler Bass added 14 total points in a balanced Bills scoring effort as well.

Allen went 20/32 for 275 yards with three passing touchdowns giving him the most total TD’s of any player in NFL history in their first six seasons. He also led a clean well-managed performance despite a hail-mary attempt at the end of the first half getting intercepted.

The win ended a two-game losing streak and was Buffalo’s first time scoring more than 25 points in seven weeks of play.

Allen knew the important role his energy played in the win.

“I think our team was energetic as we needed to be and a lot of that, for better or worse, can come from the quarterback,” Allen added about the balanced and up-tempo offense Sunday that had some more rhythm and imagination in its play-calling.

His head coach noticed a change in Allen’s first game with Brady calling plays in the booth.

“I saw a little bit more of his personality and our offenses’ personality,” he noted during his media availability. “It’s more of just us getting back to just an energy on offense and guys having some fun.”

Even with the Bills season teetering on the line, Allen hasn’t lost perspective amidst all the transition on the importance of having fun while continuing to fight.

“Just making that a point of emphasis throughout the week, like ‘let’s have fun playing this game’,” he said. “It’s football, at the end of the day we get to do, in my opinion, the most amazing job on the planet and come out here and play football. So got to enjoy it when we can. Obviously, losing sucks, and we don’t want to lose, it’s literally the worst feeling in the world when you’re working hard and trusting the process and things aren’t going your way. Sometimes you you have a good process and a bad result, and it feels terrible and you feel like you need to switch everything but we really don’t. We got to keep coming together as a team, keep fighting, keep playing complementary football, and put our head down and take it week by week.”

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