By Nick Wojton / Billswire.usatoday.com
In typical 2019 Bills fashion, Buffalo beat an inferior opponent.
The Washington Redskins were allowed to stick around, though.
In the end, it was 24-9 in favor of the Bills, but early it seemed like it could’ve been a much different storyline.
With that, here is this week’s stock report following Buffalo’s Week 9 win:
Stock up
Head coach Sean McDermott
There were a few ways Sean McDermott’s coaching showed well in this one.
The first and simplest way was via penalties. The Bills simply didn’t take them. In the first half they didn’t, at least. Buffalo was a much more disciplined team overall and in the end only took two penalties for 20 yards in the entire game.
Second, defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier does his part, but this is McDermott’s defense. They adjusted in the second half and after allowing Redskins running back Adrian Peterson to run all over the place in the first half, he didn’t get anywhere in the second half.
DT Jordan Phillips
Buffalo’s defensive tackle in Jordan Phillips is currently a starter on their defense. He took that role from rookie Ed Oliver against the Redskins and played a lot more snaps. In addition, Phillips notched his sixth sack of the season in the second half, assisting his team’s turnaround on that side of the ball game. Phillips leads the Bills and defensive tackles in the NFL in sacks.
RB Devin Singletary
The win against the Redskins will be remembered as the Devin Singletary game. The rookie running back finally took a featured role over Frank Gore and took advantage of it. On 20 carries, he had 95 yards and a touchdown. Singletary’s most Dynamic play came on a 49-yard reception via a screen pass.
For weeks observers of the Bills have called for Singletary to get more touches. They were heard, and it paid off.
CB Tre’Davious White
The Bills asked a big role of Tre’Davious White against the Redskins. Rookie Terry McLaurin is a legit NFL wideout prospect and he’s looked good this year. Following the game, he has 32 catches for 497 yards and five touchdowns this season. White shadowed him in the game and held him to four catches and 39 yards on six targets.
One of the game’s biggest plays defensively for the Bills was White’s fourth-quarter sack of Dwayne Haskins. It helped end any glimmer of hope Washington had.
KR Andre Roberts
After the Redskins notched a field goal, Andre Roberts sucked the life out of Washington. In the modern NFL, returners don’t get a chance to make much of a mark, but Roberts took advantage of one of his few. Roberts caught the ensuing kickoff by the Redskins in the end zone and took it for a 66-yard return. The led to a Buffalo touchdown to put the Bills up 17-3.
At that point, it felt like it could be a blowout game. That didn’t happen, but still a good play by Roberts to setup an easy field. That’s why they brought in the All-Pro returner.
Third down efficiency
The Bills somehow find a way to let teams like the Redskins and Dolphins to stick around. But if there is one sign to point to that’s a positive step in improving in this area, it’s on third downs on both sides of the ball.
The Bills converted at a solid 50 percent rate on third downs on offense as Buffalo was 6-for-12. Could be better, but let’s not nit-pick things. Defensively, the Bills held the Redskins to 2-of-11 success on the same down. Good signs, just do that against better teams, too.
WR Isaiah McKenzie
Isaiah McKenzie was a healthy scratch in Week 8, but was active against the Redskins and played in the second-most snaps among wideouts at 68 percent, ahead of Cole Beasley’s 45 percent and behind John Brown’s 87 percent. His stats weren’t really there as he only had three catches for 12 yards, but McKenzie played a lot as opposed to not at all so that’s a big stock improvement.
Stock down
Offensive coordinator Brian Daboll
Brian Daboll’s play-calling is continuing to be questioned, despite a 6-2 record. Against the Redskins, it was ugly in short-yardage situations. Early in the game, Daboll dialed up a Josh Allen pass to Cole Beasley for a goal line score. Then it just turned into telegraphed plays.
Another goal line trip saw the Bills go from the Washington two, to a lot further back. Then another time the Bills even scored, it took four-straight plays up the middle to get the job done. Later in the game, Frank Gore was stuffed on a late conversion attempt, straight up the middle.
A lot of big bodies in the middle isn’t really cool. End point.
Run defense
Yes, the Bills improved here later in the game. But also, it’s a bit concerning that teams might have the formula for beating this Bills defense. Buffalo’s defensive side of the ball is still the third-best unit in the NFL, overall. Their run defense has slipped to the No. 19 team though, allowing 111.6 yards per game. That has to fix before the Bills start playing some better teams.
TE Tyler Kroft
Tyler Kroft is much like Isaiah McKenzie. But in the opposite direction. After finally making his Bills debut, Kroft was put into a decent role. He played more snaps than rookie Dawson Knox, at least. Against the Redskins, Knox played many more, 47 snaps played to 17 for Kroft. Lee Smith even played in one more snap than Kroft.
Push: Josh Allen
Tricked you with the picture up there, eh? It’s hard to say Allen had a bad game. He did what was asked. But his game still wasn’t good. A push seems right.
Allen finished the game 14-for-20 passing for 160 yards and a touchdown. He also had eight carries for 12 yards and a rushing score. For comparison sake, the Jets lost to the Dolphins but quarterback Sam Darnold was still 27-for-39 passing for 260 yards with a touchdown and interception. OK, he didn’t win, but that stat line is much better.
Takeaways: Allen wasn’t asked to do much, but did fine with what he did. John Brown also had a late drop which would’ve been a good play from Allen after escaping trouble, although he probably wouldn’t have gone over 200 yards passing even he had completed that. So having said that, it’s the NFL in 2019 and the Bills are asking him to be a game manager, based on this recent game. The bar should be higher for a No. 7 overall pick.