DON’T GET ME STARTED would like people to call up last week’s Don’t Get Me Started column on this site – allsportswny.com.
Art Wander
The column I wrote gave the 3 prescriptions Buffalo needed to beat the New England Patriots.
Now every one knows that Dr. Tom Brady is not impressed with any opposition as he performed surgery on the Bills defense, leading to a 40-32 Pats win. That puts the Pats on top of the division while the Bills are now 1-1.
Tyrod Taylor made things close with 3 TDs in the 4th quarter, but in the game he suffered 3 interceptions that helped the Bills lose. Buffalo also missed an extra point and two-point conversions.
One of the prescriptions in the previous column, I said the Bills would have to push the pocket of the Patriots into the face of Brady. It didn’t happen. Brady basically had the cleanest uniform of all the players as the NE offensive line formed a nice pocket for Brady who, very often, had a lot of time to make the throws.
The New England defense actually outplayed the touted Buffalo “D” as far as pressuring the QB was concerned. Tyrod Taylor was sacked 8 times as the Pats front 7 kept coming at him. As for the Buffalo defense, get this. Brady went back to pass 59 times and was sacked only twice. The Patriots offense had 507 total yards, 466 of them passing yards from Brady. Buffalo managed some 349 yards. That is an amazing state.
In the 4th quarter, New England led by 24 points before Buffalo mounted a comeback. Even in the final couple of minutes with the Bills behind by 5, 37-32 with about 3 minutes left, Brady connected with a deep pass allowing New England to get the final points on a field goal for its 40 points.
Brady was 38 of 59 for 466 yards and 3 touchdowns. One can look at Tyrod Taylor’s stats and be impressed. Taylor completed 23 of 30 for 242 yards and 3 touchdowns…….but the 3 interceptions and 8 sacks hurt him.
Lasean McCoy was a bright spot carrying 15 times for 89 yards and showing fans some great shiftiness. Maybe offensive coordinator Roman can give him the ball more. The Bills rushed for 160 yards. For a team that was supposed to run the ball, the Bills lugged it only 27 times while passing 30 times.
Fans were fantastic in helping lead the Bills to a solid opening touchdown drive of 10 plays, 80 yards, eating up 5 minutes of play before Tom Brady even took the field. Not only that, Buffalo stopped the Patriots on its first drive clanking up the volume in the house.
But that was it really until the 4th quarter as the Bills trailed. After Buffalo scored on the opening, great drive, Brady roared off 21 points while the Bills were giving another meaning to 3 and out on its possessions for most of the first half, save for a TD, thanks to pass interference inside the Patriots 10 yard line late. At half-time New England led 24-13. Oh, Carpenter missed an extra point. Buffalo could have used it as well as converting on its 2-point tries, which they didn’t make.
Now back to last week’s column. #1 prescription was to cut down on the penalties that have plagued Buffalo in the exhibition games and last week’s 11 penalties for over 110 yards. I said they would need to address it. Apparently, the coaches didn’t send the message to the players.
The Bills were penalized 14 times for 140 yards against the Pats. Many stopped Buffalo first downs and others gave Brady & Co., more life with first downs and yardage. In the first 2 games then, Buffalo was penalized 25 times for some 250 yards. That’s unacceptable. In the first half alone they were whistled 8 times for 74 yards. The Special teams were anything but special on this day as they were penalized 5 times in the first half alone. The way the yellow flag has been thrown against the Bills, they might actually set an NFL record for the # of penalties taken in a season.
The 3rd prescription was for OC Roman to use the zone read option with Taylor. Yes Tyrod scrambled for some good yardage but that wasn’t read option which would have confused the Pats rush.
It’s time for the Bills to get those three prescriptions out of the waste paper basket and go to the pharmacy and have them filled: (a) Cut down on the penalties’ (b) Turn the front 7 loose in the middle; and (3) Read Option with Taylor on Don’t Get Me Started.
Filed under: Don't Get Me Started
Tagged with: Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, Tom Brady
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