So, last night...I started watching some saved games on the DVR from the 2021 season. My impressions:
Week 4 vs. the Bucs: OMG, we should have won that game easily. We couldn't run the ball at all...Mac was sharp except for 3-4 timely sacks he took and some bad penalties on Onwenu killing drives. Jon Jones was getting killed by AB...including a TD that was dropped by AB.
Week 6 vs. the Cowboys: OMG, we should have won that game easily...we were up with 2 minutes left...and the Cowboys having 3 TO's...but we only made them burn one TO before giving the ball back. Mac threw a bad INT and came back to Bourne for a great TD. But in the 4th and OT...Jonathan Jones was getting beat by Cee Dee Lamb...
Week 8 @ the Chargers: I was at the game personally...and looking for myself in the standings on TV...to no avail. That game was a lot tighter than I remembered...the D bailed us out that day and we put the game away nicely to pull to 4-4.
My overall impressions of these three games: The D was flying around....Mac was much better than I remembered...but still taking those drive killing sacks. The D was nothing like it was at the end of the season....I think our D just got gassed in the end...and some of our rookies like Barmore, Mac, and etc...hit the proverbial rookie wall. Barmore was moving bodies all over the place in the first half of the season.....
Up next...I have both Buffalo losses on the DVR....both where we didn't force a punt at all. Will post my thoughts when I re-watch them both before Sunday.
I decided to re-watch the week 17 and the wild card weekend no-punt losses to the Bills last night after watching the Bills/Rams game. Here's what I saw:
Week 17 vs. Bills:
- They didn't punt at all, but we held them to 4th and goal on the first two drives. Results: TD and FG. 5 points per drive.
- Down 10-7, Mac tosses an interception (high throw to Harry that was tipped to Hyde). Bills set up shop on the Pats 33.
- We actually stop them on the 1 yard line. So, the Bills have averaged 3.3 points on their first 3 drives here with three 4th and goal scenarios.
- We move the ball 7 yards before punting back to our 42 yard line where the Bulls take over after a 15 yard return.
- We get them in 4th and 7 before Barmore gets a penalty. Then the Bills covert a 4th and 2. The Bills score on this drive to go up 17-7.
- The Pats move the ball from their 25 to the 40 where we have a 2nd and 3 before Trent Brown gets a unsportsmanlike 15 yard penalty. We don't convert and punt it away...the Bills run out of time. Half time.
- The Bills open the 2nd half with a 6 minute drive for a figgie. Isaiah McKenzie was killing us on that drive for 9 yards (Bryant/Philips), 11 yards (Mills), and 18 yards (Bryant with Mills holding penalty declined).McKenize would finish the game with 12 targets, 11 recs, 125 yards, and a TD.
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We then score to pull within 14-20 and a lot of time left. On this drive, Mac almost loses a snap. Mac goes 5/7 for 35ish yards on this drive and lets Harris do most of the work with 5 rushes for 34 yards and a TD. Mac also runs for 6 yards to convert a 4th and 1...and hits Meyers on 4th and 3 on the Bills 10 yard line.
- The Bills then score at the start of the 4th and fail the two point attempt to go up 26-14. We come back and score a TD on the drive where Matt Milano pulls down Mac OOB, but we got an off setting penalty.
26-21 Bills with 7:37 remaining in the game.
- The Bills score a TD on a drive that included a 17 yard completion to McKenize vs. Bryant on 3rd and 10; an 8 yard Allen run on 4th and 1; an Allen shovel pass to Diggs for 19 yards on 3rd and 10; and another shovel pass to Knox for a 2 yard TD on 2nd and goal. 33-21 Bills with 2:30 remaining and the game is over at this point.
Wild card weekend @ Bills:
- Bills score on the first drive with little resistance (that being a 3rd and 3 on the Pats 24 where DMac tackles Allen after he slips out for 15 yards).
- Mac throws an interception from the Bills 34 on first and 10. Hyde made a great play...but Mac had momentum at the time after scrambling for 16 on 3rd and 10.
- Bills score on the next drive with a Singletary 6 yard carry on 3rd and 1 from the Pats 47 and an Allen 5 yard rush on 3rd and 4 from the Pats 16. 14-0 Bills.
- We run it 3x and punt on the next drive. Then the Bills went heavy with Singletary running for 9 yards; 3 yards; 2 yards' 4 yards; 9 yards; 1 yard; and 3 yards for a TD. 7 rushes for 31 yards with an Allen 8 yard run in there. 20-0 Bills (blocked PAT).
- Next drive...Mac takes a bad sack for -8 yards putting us in a 3rd and 15...then a delay of game penalty makes it a 3rd and 20. We punt...the Bills score QUICKLY with strikes to McKenize and Diggs for 18 and 45 yards vs. JC Jackson...then two Allen/Singletary runs for 25 yards...27-0 Bills and the game is essentially over at the half even if we get a figgie to make it 27-3.
- 2nd half was 20-14 Bills for a final score of 47-17 and we even blocked another PAT.
Conclusions:
The wild card loss was more definitive....but the kind of game where everything snowballed as well. After watching the Rams get killed with the Bills' short passing game last night...we had similar problems. Although, Jalen Ramsey allowing 6/7 124 yards and TD with a QB rating of 158.3 is an outlier for sure.....
The thing I am seeing is that our DB's are getting killed against their WR's. I think we gotta play more zone against the Bills...something like cover 3 with safeties in the middle and dare them to run the ball on our sub packages. I'd like to see us bracket Allen and keep him in the pocket as well.
Also, we had trouble against their D-Line. Unable to consistently get 4 yards on the ground. Might be why we are experimenting with zone blocking and maybe some RPO plays.
Despite the wild card loss....I am pretty confident in the Pats' offense this year after rewatching the Bucs, Cowboys,
@Chargers, Bills, and @ Bills games the last 2 days. There is definitely a FINE LINE BETWEEN WINNING AND LOSING IN THE NFL.
Up next on my watch list....Superbowl 51, baby! Then I'll delete it forever.......
