By Nick Wojton / Billswire.usatoday.com
The Bills took the scenic route against the Washington Redskins in Week 9. But a win is a win and the Bills are now 6-2 in the standings following their 24-9 victory over the Redskins at New Era Field on Sunday.
Here are five takeaways from the game:
Let a bad team stick around
The Bills won, but they looked a lot like they did against the Dolphins. Buffalo won that game, but many questioned the Bills after that one because they weren’t at all convincing.
After getting off to a hot start, the Bills kept the Redskins in the game. Their offense which worked its way down the field with ease in the first half and that evaporated in the second half. Thankfully the defense still held the Redskins to field goals instead of touchdowns, but this one had the makings of a blowout early. That didn’t happen, and the Bills should’ve really beat a team like the Redskins a lot easier than they made it on themselves.
That’s what good teams do.
The defense held just enough in the end to give the Bills a win again.
Devin Singletary arrives
Week 9 in regard to the Bills will be remembered as rookie running back Devin Singletary’s coming out game. Bills fans who’ve been wanting more of him featured in the offense finally got their wish as veteran Frank Gore took a backseat to the rookie. Both players played their part, but Singletary’s explosion was excellent and he made big play after big play.
Singletary’s top highlight was a screen play that went for a big 49-yard gain for Buffalo’s offense. The offensive line deserved a lot of credit on that play, but whether it was plays to the outside or runs to the inside, Singletary looked like a steal of a draft pick against the Redskins with his moves.
Singletary had 20 carries in this one for 95 yards with a rushing score. He added another three catches. Gore had 11 carries for 15 yards and didn’t have a catch.
Passing game stale
While the running game was inspiring, the passing game was not for the Bills. Quarterback Josh Allen deserves credit for getting the ball in the right places with the short passing game, but down the field he’s still brutal. On one deep ball to John Brown, Allen’s arm strength and touch was way off as Brown nearly had to make a full stop for the catch. Brown missed another similar one. Then the same thing happened for Robert Foster down the opposite sideline. Balls were off target if they were going down the field. It’s a concerning trend for the second-year pro.
It wasn’t until very late in the game when Allen finally connected on a good pass, difference-making pass to John Brown. More consistency here from Allen would’ve make the first takeaway listed irrelevant because Buffalo would have put Washington away.
In total, Allen was only asked to throw 20 times, a season low, completing 14 of those, for 160 yards and a touchdown.
Run defense a big issue
The Bills run defense is a huge concern. Buffalo’s defense can be referred to as a strong secondary, but until things are fixed on the ground, opponents are going to attack the Bills there and make them look bad.
Future Hall of Famer Adrian Peterson looked as if he went back in a time machine against the Bills. In the first half alone, Peterson had 101 yards on a mere 10 carries. But the issue also spills over into the screen game, too. Peterson tacked another 22-yard play onto his impressive resume thanks to a successful screen play. After a few weeks of staying afloat without Harrison Phillips in the lineup, the middle of Buffalo’s defense is getting gashed against the run. The team’s second-highest cap hit, Star Lotulelei, hasn’t looked good, either.
But in the second half, the Redskins’ rookie, Dwayne Haskins, couldn’t keep his team afloat against the Bills’ secondary. Peterson and the run game had to be abandoned a bit, as he only finished with 18 carries and 108 yards.
Goal line offense
The Bills offense put up points in this one early and that was a good sign. But on the goal line and in the red zone, Buffalo offensive coordinator Brian Daboll left something to be desired on a few occasions, even when getting points.
After scoring on their opening drive on offense, the Bills worked their way down to the goal line on their second drive. It more than stalled with some sacks and negative plays involved. Then when the Bills scored their second touchdown, it still didn’t inspire. Daboll’s offense called for the Bills to put all the big bodies on the line of scrimmage and run the ball up the middle on four-straight plays. Finally the fourth got it in there.
In the second half, it wasn’t in the red zone, but more of the same. On a fourth-down attempt, running back Frank Gore was stuffed in an obvious run up the middle play call. The Bills offense shows signs of creativity, and other teams, not at all.
Overall this season, the Bills offense has been good in the red zone, though.