04/26/24
September 26, 2011
Bills Rally from 21 Down to Beat Patriots: The Buffalo Bills, down 21-0 six minutes into the second quarter, kicked a field goal as time expired to beat the New England Patriots 34-31. The win ends a 15-game losing streak against the Patriots and makes the Bills 3-0. Ryan Fitzpatrick threw for 369 yards and two touchdowns. Tom Brady threw four interceptions, equaling his 2010 season total in one game. The Detroit Lions also improved to 3-0 with a 26-23 win over the Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans scored 23 fourth quarter points to overcome the Houston Texans 40-33.
I think it's good for the Bills to beat the Pats once in a while. Back in the day when the Bills were the gold standard of the division, it was a milestone when Parcells' Pats got to the point where they were able to compete with them.
Seeing all the Buffalo fans in shirtsleeves in balmy weather with their team carrying the day and remaining undefeated, I couldn't help but think that the good people of that region deserve to be able to enjoy moments like that before reality intervenes.
Hard to tell what kind of overall season Fitzpatrick is going to have, given how good the Pats' D made him look yesterday. He needs to face a stiffer test than that before we can tell.
Ochocinco could be dropping critical passes for any number of teams. Maybe he should be given that opportunity.
posted by beaverboard at 09:41 AM on September 26, 2011
Hoping this is a bit of a wake up call to Brady and Bellichick that maybe the run should be used a bit more to mix things up and that passes can't be thrown into double-coverage as often as they'd like.
posted by kokaku at 10:11 AM on September 26, 2011
Bills won one of last week's best games, too. Think I'll start watching them on purpose.
posted by Hugh Janus at 10:31 AM on September 26, 2011
Doomed head coach Jack Del Rio took the blame for the Jaguars letting 11 seconds tick off the clock after a replay review late in the fourth in their 16-10 loss to Carolina. They had 16 seconds left during the review but weren't ready to snap the ball afterward because they were still in the huddle. Rookie QB Blaine Gabbert didn't start the play until 5 seconds remained on the clock.
posted by rcade at 10:54 AM on September 26, 2011
Impressed here by the young Raiders, fast and physical. Jets averaged 4 yards per rush yet chose to throw the ball 43 times .. head scratcher. Jets look like a poorly coached talented team early this season, trading a few O linemen to Pittsburgh for Mike Tomlin would improve both teams.
posted by cixelsyd at 11:01 AM on September 26, 2011
Now very glad I picked up Fitzgerald as a free agent in our fantasy league.
posted by NerfballPro at 11:50 AM on September 26, 2011
Hoping this is a bit of a wake up call to Brady and Bellichick that maybe the run should be used a bit more to mix things up and that passes can't be thrown into double-coverage as often as they'd like.
I hope it's a wake up call to management that you can't throw together a group of misfits and build a defence; the defence that won them championships grew together, developed chemistry and became staunch together. Now, it's a revolving door of players who aren't together long enough to trust one another.
While I love Aaron Hernandez, and may grow to love the two rookie RBs/Ryan Mallett, they were superfluous draft picks that didn't address any of the needs this Patriots team actually had. There are a number of weapons through the air and two good RBs in the backfield, with some depth...and that's for a team that uses the run to counterbalance, not lead the offence.
The Patriots are a better team when Tom Brady isn't reaching 400 yards a game; that signals to me a lack of direction, a poor defence and a team that will get clamped down on come post-season time. They need to take some of the pressure off of Brady or the picks will continue.
posted by dfleming at 12:04 PM on September 26, 2011
Yeah, it's the defense. Hard to complain about an offense that put up 30+ points for the 15th consecutive (regular season) game.
posted by yerfatma at 12:32 PM on September 26, 2011
This is the win probability chart for the Bills-Pats game.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 02:57 PM on September 26, 2011
No argument here that it's the defense, but knowing you have a shaky defense, it'd be nice to see them adjust the offense a bit. Figure out a way to run the clock more when you have the ball and a large lead (they used to be masterful at that). Give your D a chance to rest instead of hurry-up-offenses and 3-passes-and-out.
Also, in the defenses defense, wasn't Haynesworth out yesterday? That doesn't help their pressure.
posted by kokaku at 03:55 PM on September 26, 2011
That was why Chad O dropped that pass yesterday. So they could run the clock another three minutes.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 04:13 PM on September 26, 2011
Also, in the defenses defense, wasn't Haynesworth out yesterday? That doesn't help their pressure.
The problems they exhibited yesterday were the same ones that allowed Chad Henne and Philip Rivers to put up 370+ yards against them in weeks 1 and 2. A bull-rusher like Haynesworth (when he's healthy) from the middle needs outside pressure to be effective, otherwise they can just bunch up line-men in the middle and take him out of the game.
Haynesworth's best year was probably 2007, when he had Kyle Vanden Bosch and Antwan Odom rushing from the outside, or 2009, when he had Andre Carter (in his prime) and Bryan Orakpo providing cover. Now, without any of that and an aching body, expecting him to lead the pass-rush is naive; he's not the guy he was then, sadly.
posted by dfleming at 04:29 PM on September 26, 2011
Best game of the day by far. The Bills "O" put up big numbers again, but the win goes to the Bills "D" Welker and Brady did shred them, but they shut down the run and came up with 4 picks. Bills and Lions 3-0. It is bizzaro world for sure.