By Mike Migliore / Billswire.usatoday.com
With questions starting to creep in about the Bills and the overall outlook of their 2019 season, a comfortable, yet fun win, in Miami, was just what the doctor ordered for Sean McDermott’s team.
The Bills rebounded from a tough loss in Cleveland and got back on the winning track by lighting up the scoreboard at Hard Rock Stadium. Buffalo produced its highest-scoring output of the season in a 37-20 trouncing of the Dolphins.
The Bills offense got up off the canvas after a week of taking punches in the form of criticism from fans and local media for numerous subpar performances since September. Any offensive shortcomings the Bills have been experiencing this season were forgotten for most of the day Sunday as the Bills posted 424 yards of total offense and seven different scoring drives.
It was a big day for quarterback Josh Allen. Allen had his best outing of the season, completing 21 of 33 passes for 256 yards and three touchdowns. He also added 56 yards rushing and a rushing touchdown. Meanwhile, receiver John Brown had his biggest and best day yet for Buffalo with nine catches for 137 yards and two touchdowns.
The Buffalo defense had an overall strong day, even though Ryan Fitzpatrick passed for 323 yards. The Bills sacked Fitzpatrick seven times and produced a takeaway for the first time since October. The run defense rebounded in a huge way by allowing Miami just 23 rushing yards. It was a major change for a run defense that had been gashed in recent weeks.
The Bills now sit at 7-3 and have to feel a bit more comfortable than they did last week about their playoff outlook. They can get to 8-3 this coming week back at home against the 3-7 Denver Broncos before they make their Thanksgiving trip to Dallas.
Here are four things we learned from the Bills’ win Sunday in South Florida:
The offense has some life
The Bills offense has been the main source of criticism with this team, especially in the last few weeks. The Bills offense struggled through the middle portion of the team’s 2019 schedule, including three-straight weeks where the offense failed to break 25 points. Many questions have been surfacing about the overall quality and ceiling of this Bills offense and whether or not its capable of winning games on its own, especially with a challenging December schedule and a possible playoff game on the horizon.
Buffalo’s offense finally had the break-out performance many fans had been hoping for all season long on Sunday. The Bills marched up and down the field all day against a Miami defense that has been struggling all season, but held each of its previous two opponents under 20 points. Buffalo found little resistance from the Dolphin defense on Sunday, piling up 22 first downs and 424 total yards.
Josh Allen was the star of Sunday’s win. The QB responded to criticism of his sub-par play by having his finest game of the season. Allen produced several big plays that were reminiscent of some of the dynamic highlights he produced last season to get Bills’ fans optimistic for his future. Allen connected on a 40-plus yard touchdown pass, had a 30-plus yard run, and scored a diving rushing touchdown near the pylon. With three passing touchdowns and a rushing touchdown, Allen produced at least three touchdowns in a game for the first time since last season’s regular-season finale win over the Dolphins.
Allen carried the Bills’ offense in this game, something he hasn’t done recently. He also produced a big-time throw, which is something fans have been waiting to see all season long. Allen threw a frozen rope to his favorite target, John Brown, that went for a 40-yard touchdown up the right sideline. While it wasn’t a long rainbow deep downfield, it was an impressive enough throw to satisfy many of those frustrated that Allen hasn’t found success with the deep ball this season.
Allen also showed he’s still capable of hurting defenses on the ground. He broke off a 36-yard run in the second quarter to set up a field goal that put the Bills up 16-0. Like the deep completion, the long run is something that Allen did at times last season that has been missing this season.
It was a much-needed performance from the much-maligned quarterback. The Bills have invested heavily in Allen as their franchise quarterback, but his play hasn’t lived up to those lofty expectations. Sunday was a reminder of what Allen is capable of and why the Bills thought highly enough of him to trade up to seventh overall to snag him in 2018.
The Bills made a significant change to their offensive gameplan that was picked up by the CBS cameras during the broadcast. Offensive coordinator Brian Daboll moved upstairs to the coaches booth to call the game, instead of his usual spot on the Buffalo sideline. He was also shown sporting a new mustache that may or may not be Buffalo’s good luck charm.
For one week at least, it produced significant dividends as Daboll called a strong game that resulted in seven scoring drives. One of the personnel changes Daboll went with this week was to use three wide receivers on the field nearly the entire game. The Bills’ “11 personnel” package (three wide receivers, one running back, one tight end), was on the field for nearly 80 percent of the offensive snaps in this game. That’s a change from more of the heavy looks the Bills have been using a lot this season with either two tight ends or a tight end and fullback on the field.
Daboll also kept the Bills’ offense at an up-tempo pace and used the no-huddle offense often. The plan worked as the Bills moved the ball with ease most of the day. Whether this was the result of changes to the gameplan or playing an opponent that’s 2-8 remains to be seen.
In order to ensure themselves of a playoff spot and to have any chance of advancing in the postseason, the Buffalo offense needs to carry its weight. Sunday was the first time in several weeks where the Bills won because their offense carried them. While the output may have been due to a subpar opponent in Miami, the performance inspires some confidence heading into a difficult final stretch of the season.
John Brown proving to be a true no. 1 receiver
One of the boldest moves the Sean McDermott-Brandon Beane brain trust made after arriving in Buffalo in 2017 was to trade the Bills’ unquestioned No. 1 wide receiver, Sammy Watkins. In the two seasons that followed the trade, the Bills struggled to find a dependable top target to catch the football.
The Bills made wide receiver a major priority in the 2019 offseason, resulting in the signing of both John Brown and Cole Beasley on the opening day of free agency. While these moves instantly upgraded the Bills’ receiving core, neither was viewed as being a sure-fire top receiver. Both Brown and Beasley had played well for previous teams in complimentary roles, but neither had been the “guy” in their respective passing offenses.
As the 2019 season has gone along, the Bills have seen one of their new wide receivers blossom in his new role and develop into the No. 1 wide receiver the team has been looking for.
Brown has emerged as Josh Allen’s favorite target. The 29-year-old wide receiver from Pittsburg St. is enjoying a Pro Bowl-caliber season, hauling in 56 passes for 817 yards and four touchdowns through 10 games. He is well on his way to a 1,000-yard receiving season, and would be the first Bills’ pass catcher to accomplish that feat since Watkins in 2015.
Sunday was Brown’s most impressive statistical performance of his Bills’ career. He was targeted a team-high 14 times as Allen looked his way early and often. The result was nine catches for 137 yards and two touchdowns. The Dolphins’ much-maligned secondary had no chance at containing Brown on Sunday.
Brown got free down the right sideline for the big play the Bills have been looking for all season. This came on the Bills’ third drive of the game, leading 6-0. Brown hauled in a 24-yard reception on a catch-and-run earlier in the drive. On a 1st-and-10 from the Miami 40, Allen took a shot to Brown down the right sideline as he was left open between two defenders. Allen’s bullet found Brown, who then shrugged off a defender and finished the play in the end zone.
Brown has been open for those kinds of big plays all season. Allen has had a hard time making it happen, but got it done when given the chance on Sunday. The big-play dimension is one the Bills have been searching for during their recent offensive struggles. With Brown’s ability, the chance to hit a big passing play is always there, it’s just up to the quarterback to connect.
In the fourth quarter, the Bills were looking to put the game away following a Miami touchdown to make the score 30-20. Brown again came up big for Allen and the Bills. Brown had catches of seven and 17 yards to help move the Bills down toward the Miami end zone. On first and goal from the Miami 9, Allen found Brown open in the middle of the end zone off a play-action pass. The score put the Bills up 37-20 and ended any chance of a Miami comeback.
Brown posted double-digit targets for the second consecutive game, confirming that he is indeed Allen’s top choice in the passing game. Brown has now caught five or more passes in a game eight times in 10 contests this season. Brown appears poised to cruise past his previous high total in catches, which was 65 for the 2015 Cardinals.
The Bills have been searching for some weapons in the passing game going back two full years. The investment in Brown this offseason appears to have paid off handsomely and solved Buffalo’s glaring need for a No. 1 target. Brown’s name won’t be mentioned among the best receivers in the league and he probably won’t get the vote to go to the Pro Bowl. But his production is up there among the leaders at his position. Brown’s 56 receptions are tied for 15th most in the league, while he is eighth in receiving yards (817) and 10th in receiving yards per game (81.7).
While many aspects of the Bills’ offense are still questionable heading into December, there’s no doubt the Bills have a reliable No. 1 target in John Brown.
The blitz is back
Sean McDermott’s defenses have not been known for blitzing opposing quarterbacks often. McDermott’s defenses, both in Buffalo and previously in Carolina, have been better known for playing man-to-man coverage and trying to get pressure rushing four defensive linemen. The Bills have employed this strategy throughout the 2019 season. While the Bills have played strong defense all season, what has been missing has been a big-play ability. In addition to a lack of turnovers, the Bills had just 22 sacks in the first nine games of the season.
McDermott and Defensive Coordinator Leslie Frazier had a gamplan to change things up and generate more pressure on Miami quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick on Sunday. The Bills blitzed often to generate pressure and confuse Fitzpatrick. While the former Bills’ quarterback was able to exploit the blitz at time to the tune of 323 yards passing, the Bills were able to get to him and sack him seven times. It was the most sacks by the Bills’ defense in a game since sacking Deshaun Watson seven times in week six of last season.
Often times, it wasn’t the blitzers that were coming in and getting to Fitzpatrick, both rather defensive linemen who came in unblocked as Miami linemen accounted for oncoming rushers. The Bills got sacks from each of their four defensive tackles – Ed Oliver, Corey Liuget, Jordan Phillips, and Star Lotulelei. Jerry Hughes and Shaq Lawson also picked up sacks from the Bills’ defensive line. Linebackers Tremaine Edmunds and Matt Milano, who were all over the field Sunday in a strong performance, also shared a sack.
The seven sacks brought Buffalo’s sack total on the season up to 29, which is now tied for ninth most in the league. It was a huge sack party on Sunday for a Buffalo defense that had been struggling to get to quarterbacks.
If the Bills can continue to generate pressure from the blitz, it would be a huge boost to a defense that has been searching for more big plays. The Bills have controlled opposing passing games all season, but mostly through strong coverage and limiting big plays. If they can add more sacks on top of that, their defense might ascend to an even higher level heading into the difficult portion of their schedule.
Special teams anything but special
Buffalo’s special teams have been a weak spot all season long. Special teams’ mistakes may have cost the Bills the game against their AFC East rivals from New England back in September. In week 11, it looks like little has changed in the quality of the Bills’ special teams from that disastrous performance earlier in the season.
The highlight of the game for the Dolphins on Sunday was a 101-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the second quarter by Jakeem Grant. The touchdown came after the Bills had just scored to go up 23-7 and were seemingly about to run away with the game. The special teams’ breakdown brought Miami right back into the game.
Grant is one of the fastest players in the NFL and is nearly impossible to catch once he gets into the open field. The Bills allowed him to get outside and find that open field in part because of five missed tackles as Grant got wide to the right side of the field.
Unfortunately, the touchdown wasn’t the only special teams’ mistake the Bills made on Sunday.
Miami caught the Bills by surprise after their first score with a surprise onside kick. Buffalo was not ready and Dolphins’ kicker Jason Sanders was able to circle it and recover it himself. Fortunately for the Bills, Allen Hurns fumbled the ball away on the next play.
The Bills were again victimized by Miami’s return game in the fourth quarter as Grant got free again for a 49-yard kickoff return to midfield.
Buffalo has problems with both kick coverage and too many short kicks that are returnable by opposing teams. The Bills have given up big returns going back to T.J. Jones long return of a punt back in Week 2. Meanwhile, in the era of almost automatic touchbacks on kickoffs, the Bills are seeing far too many kicks returned by opposing teams. The Bills have given up 476 return yards, which is ninth most in the league. For a team that doesn’t score a ton, you wouldn’t expect the Bills to be among the league leaders in kick return yards allowed.
Because the Buffalo offense has struggled for much of the season, the Bills have a thin margin for error when it comes to mistakes that might cost them points. The Bills can’t afford to be giving points back on special teams. While it did not cost them the game Sunday against woeful Miami, it could come back to hurt them when they see teams like Dallas, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, and New England on the upcoming schedule.