Wk. 2 Pre-Game Thread @ Bills

bluefenderstrat · Sep 15, 2015

Brady is 23-3 in his career vs. the Bills. I mean, it's comical. Maybe they'll step up and knock out the bully Sunday, but they should probably do their talking after the game.

Captaincoop · Sep 15, 2015

"They're our rival".

A team that hasn't won a division title in like 20 years, and hasn't won a playoff game in 15, is a "rival" of the Patriots? OK.

Rex's defenses have given TB fits, and I expect that to continue this week win or lose. But give me a break with that noise. Just stupidity.

DJnVa · Sep 15, 2015

This is already a "showdown" huh? In week 2?

Never change ESPN. Never change Rex.

Rex's defenses have given TB fits

Ehh, Brady's stats against Rex w/the Jets prorated out to 16 games is:

60% completion, 4250 yards, 28 TD, 8 INT, a 91.4 QB rating and he's won 75% of the games

Yeah, it's down slightly from his 63% and 96.1 rating, but it's not horrible and he's 8-1 in his last 9 against him, with 18 TDs and only 3 INTs, with a rating over 98.

nothumb · Sep 15, 2015

I think this is one of the tougher @BUF games in recent memory on paper. Early season Pats teams are usually still rounding into form. Relatively little film on Taylor for BB to exploit, and the Pats may not have the personnel to really mix it up in coverage and confuse him. The Bills front is for real and they are fresh and healthy.

This is the type of game where a slow start or a couple big plays could turn the game early and have a lot of people here in a panic. Gun to my head I take NE but I am already preparing to not freak out if they post the annual underwhelming early road loss.

jsinger121 · Sep 15, 2015

I would love the Pats to shut up 70000 people this Sunday.

ShaneTrot · Sep 15, 2015

I want to see this kid makes some throws under duress. The Pats front seven is infinitely better than Indy's. I imagine the game plan will be stuff the run and make Taylor beat you with his arm.

The scariest aspect is three rookies vs Williams and Dareus. As alluded to above Brady doesn't hold the ball very long. I would love to see the Pats run the ball and be less one dimensional but they will do what they need to win.

DJnVa · Sep 15, 2015

nothumb said:
Gun to my head I take NE but I am already preparing to not freak out if they post the annual underwhelming early road loss.

Yeah, they're good for one of those every year:

2014: Weeks 1 and 4 against Dolphins and Chiefs
2013: Week 5 with 6 points versus Bengals
2012: Week 2 losing to 5-11 Cardinals
2011: Week 3 losing to 6-10 Bills

RedOctober3829 · Sep 15, 2015

Cross posted from AFC East thread.

Their front four is awesome, but with the Patriots' versatility they'll find a way to exploit something. If they want to double Gronk, Chandler will be open. If they want to play zone and flood the middle, they can flex out Gronk or put him in motion so he gets in a favorable position on the outside. If they want to go nickel most of the time, then Blount will be unleashed. Brady averaged under 2 seconds in getting the ball out of his hands on Thursday so I don't think the pass rush will affect Brady. Rex's defense is really effective when they have a secondary who can cover man to man. It's all well and good if they have Revis and Cromartie in their primes, but this Buffalo defense does not. It will be a close game on Sunday as I do think they have a good team, but the Patriots will expose their weaknesses.

soxhop411 · Sep 15, 2015

Ronald Torbert is the head ref this week

http://www.footballzebras.com/2015/09/15/13089/

Morgan's Magic Snowplow · Sep 15, 2015

I like how our defense matches up in this one. The Indy D-line will make anybody look good but Buffalo's offensive line seems pretty mediocre. I expect us to hold our own against the run and to rush with a focus on containing Taylor and making him beat us from the pocket. I didn't see the Indy game but it looks like they played a lot of 12 and 21 personnel (unsurprising given the Rex/Roman combination on the sideline), so we may end up in base defense a lot more, which doesn't seem like a bad thing given that we have three good off-the-LOS LBs.

It'll be a tough game for sure. I think our offense gets frustrated at times but makes enough plays in the end for a 23-17 type win.

paintcharge · Sep 15, 2015

https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2015/09/14/after-patriots-afc-east-still-trio-zeros/I3CQidbEbK2yAhzJ8pqzUN/story.html

Stuck in upstate NY and Buff fans are OUTRAGED by the disrespectful nature of CHB. And, no, no one has actually read the article, just the headline.

Joe D Reid · Sep 15, 2015

paintcharge said:
https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2015/09/14/after-patriots-afc-east-still-trio-zeros/I3CQidbEbK2yAhzJ8pqzUN/story.html

Stuck in upstate NY and Buff fans are OUTRAGED by the disrespectful nature of CHB. And, no, no one has actually read the article, just the headline.

Tell them we all hate CHB too, then share a round of beef on wecks.

dbn · Sep 15, 2015

paintcharge said:
https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2015/09/14/after-patriots-afc-east-still-trio-zeros/I3CQidbEbK2yAhzJ8pqzUN/story.html

Stuck in upstate NY and Buff fans are OUTRAGED by the disrespectful nature of CHB. And, no, no one has actually read the article, just the headline.

Wow, an adult wrote that article?

edit: I haven't lived in MA since '97 and don't generally read the BG online, so if that "writing" is typical of CHB, I now understand why everyone around these parts disrespects him.

rodderick · Sep 15, 2015

dbn said:
Wow, an adult wrote that article?

edit: I haven't lived in MA since '97 and don't generally read the BG online, so if that "writing" is typical of CHB, I now understand why everyone around these parts disrespects him.

This is just him rehashing his "the rest of the AFC East/AFC/NFL are tomato cans" yearly routine, so he can paint anything other than a Super Bowl win by the Patriots as a disappointment. Him disrespecting the Bills is just collateral damage.

McBride11 · Sep 15, 2015

Any more updates on Easley? Last I saw he missed practice Monday with his 'hip pointer' but havent heard of a potential return?

Byrdbrain · Sep 15, 2015

I heard some talk on TV saying the it was a "one to two week" injury and it wouldn't be totally out of the question for him to be back against the Bills since he had over a week to recover.
I personally would be very surprised if he is back this week.
I don't recall who said it so no link and there seemed to be more than a little speculation so take it for what it is worth.

Rough Carrigan · Sep 15, 2015

rodderick said:
This is just him rehashing his "the rest of the AFC East/AFC/NFL are tomato cans" yearly routine, so he can paint anything other than a Super Bowl win by the Patriots as a disappointment. Him disrespecting the Bills is just collateral damage.

Exactly.
This is classic CHB provocateur, dipshit stuff. When the team is really good, move the bar as high as you need to so that you can still carp at the slightest failing.

dbn · Sep 15, 2015

rodderick said:
This is just him rehashing his "the rest of the AFC East/AFC/NFL are tomato cans" yearly routine, so he can paint anything other than a Super Bowl win by the Patriots as a disappointment. Him disrespecting the Bills is just collateral damage.

Rough Carrigan said:
Exactly.
This is classic CHB provocateur, dipshit stuff. When the team is really good, move the bar as high as you need to so that you can still carp at the slightest failing.

If it was just that, it'd still be bad, but the name calling, teasing, hyperbole sounds like something a petulant teenager would write. I'm not a professional-caliber writer by any measure, but... really? Anyhow, this is better suited for the Our Errors are Mistakes forum, so I'll stop the derail here.

Ed Hillel · Sep 15, 2015

There's a good argument this is a top 2-3 toughest game on the schedule this season. Buffalo may have the best D in football and their offense has some scary weapons at the skill positions. The biggest questions for them are the QB and the OL. If they can combine to be an average unit, watch out. I could see them as high as 11-12 wins and competing for the division.

dcmissle · Sep 15, 2015

Agree with the above.

CHB is the Felger of the keyboard. They both deserve to be in a town with Rex so they could conveniently devour each other.

riboflav · Sep 15, 2015

Ed Hillel said:
There's a good argument this is a top 2-3 toughest game on the schedule this season. Buffalo may have the best D in football and their offense has some scary weapons at the skill positions. The biggest questions for them are the QB and the OL. If they can combine to be an average unit, watch out. I could see them as high as 11-12 wins and competing for the division.

This year's Miami Dolphins would you say, Ed?

(I''m just giving you a hard time). I tend to agree and think this will be a very tough game. If the Pats lose, Rex will have the Bills riding high like he did in his early days with the Jets. T-Mobile was stunningly good on Sunday. I'm hoping that was just some luck and Indy's inept defense, but I'm worried. The guy made all the throws, as they say.

TheoShmeo · Sep 15, 2015

This is indeed a tough game for the Pats. The Bills' pass rush is scary, Sammy Watkins is probably licking his chops at the Pats' untested secondary and that was an impressive opener for Buffalo. Their fans will be loud.

But one thing we know about Rexy: His teams don't do well with prosperity. It's not so much that they're shooting off their mouths. The actual affect of that is likely minimal. It's that it often goes hand in hand with a general lack of discipline and counting your chickens in advance. Based on what we saw in NY during Rex's tenure, I'm betting that the Bills' week of practice will not go as well as it could have.

Separately, how they mix Blount into the RB equation will be interesting.

singaporesoxfan · Sep 16, 2015

riboflav said:
This year's Miami Dolphins would you say, Ed?

(I''m just giving you a hard time). I tend to agree and think this will be a very tough game. If the Pats lose, Rex will have the Bills riding high like he did in his early days with the Jets. T-Mobile was stunningly good on Sunday. I'm hoping that was just some luck and Indy's inept defense, but I'm worried. The guy made all the throws, as they say.

Tyrod Taylor's nickname is T-Mobile? Is that because he's good when roaming but not that great at getting receptions?

lambeau · Sep 16, 2015

So now Marcell Darius is riled up. He and Kyle Williams going against three rookies and Josh Kline manning the interior line against Rex's blitz packages is a little terrifying.
By the end of the day the rookies will either be heroes or goats. This is high drama.

E5 Yaz · Sep 16, 2015

More than four years after calling out Tom Brady for attending a Broadway play instead of watching the New England Patriots' next opponent, the New York Jets, in a playoff game, Buffalo Bills coach Rex Ryan admits to New York Daily News columnist Gary Myers in a new book that he was "tweaking" Brady for the decision.
"That's one of those deals -- look, the dude is ridiculous," Ryan is quoted as saying in "Brady vs. Manning," according to Comcast SportsNet New England. "Tom Brady is ridiculous. He studies his f------ ass off and so does Peyton [Manning]. They are 24/7. Damn near. Maybe they had a little time so they went to Broadway, so I said, 'Oh, I got them,' because I knew it would piss him off.
"This dude is fricking all football. He's got a life outside football when the season is over. He's a football junkie. They probably kick his ass out of the building. I was tweaking his ass. I respect the s--- out of those two guys. But at the same time, f---, I got to beat those f------. I have to be at my very best to have a chance to beat them. I know they are that good."

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/13667357/rex-ryan-was-tweaking-tom-brady-watching-play-game

Jed Zeppelin · Sep 16, 2015

Never going to stop hate-loving (or love-hating?) Rex.

As for the game, I hope the plan doesn't call for too much reliance on Blount if the line isn't holding up. He's slow behind the line before getting to the second level so if the interior gets pushed around I see him (or I guess any RB) really struggling to get anything going.

Anyway, matchup screams quick-hit passing game, hurry-up O. Tire those guys out and win it in the 4th after annoyingly settling for a non-clinching fg before DMC picks off a deep ball to seal it.

CantKeepmedown · Sep 16, 2015

I don't know much about Buffalo's secondary, but I feel like this could be on of those Edelman 15 catch games. Of the 7-8 yard variety. Just kill them with quick passes and eventually get Gronk loose. I assume BB will try to make Taylor beat us with his arm, ala Wilson in the SB.

Ralph WIlson is going to be nuts. BIlls fans (i only know a couple), but from what I've heard on sports talk this week are frothing at the mouth for this game. D&C had a Buffalo columnist on this week, and he was practically giddy talking about it. There is nothing more I would love than to go in there and stomp these guys. Tall order, I know.

soxfan121 · Sep 16, 2015

Schofield on Tyrod the Quarterback.

DJnVa · Sep 16, 2015

RedOctober3829 said:
Cross posted from AFC East thread.

Their front four is awesome, but with the Patriots' versatility they'll find a way to exploit something. If they want to double Gronk, Chandler will be open.

Well, maybe. Chandler is not Gronk. It's the same as when we talk about BB taking away the other teams top threat and letting other folks try to beat us.

If that's a good strategy for us to follow on defense, it's gotta be pretty good for them too no?

RedOctober3829 · Sep 16, 2015

DrewDawg said:
Well, maybe. Chandler is not Gronk. It's the same as when we talk about BB taking away the other teams top threat and letting other folks try to beat us.

If that's a good strategy for us to follow on defense, it's gotta be pretty good for them too no?

My overall point is that the Patriots offense is extremely versatile. A team can't just say "well we'll take away Gronkowski and they can't beat us." If they take away Gronk, the Patriots actually do have others that can beat them. If a defense is able to shut down Gronkowski/TE's, Edelman and the short passing game, and the running game then you tip your hat and move on. More often than not however the Patriots find a way to score points no matter what a team does.

luckiestman · Sep 16, 2015

Why the fuck is New England only -1 coming off longer rest and playing TT @ qb and the worst coach in the league?

rodderick · Sep 16, 2015

luckiestman said:
Why the fuck is New England only -1 coming off longer rest and playing TT @ qb and the worst coach in the league?

I can't tell if this is sarcasm, but in what universe is Rex Ryan the worst coach in the league?

1918stabbedbyfoulke · Sep 16, 2015

luckiestman said:
Why the fuck is New England only -1 coming off longer rest and playing TT @ qb and the worst coach in the league?

rodderick said:
I can't tell if this is sarcasm, but in what universe is Rex Ryan the worst coach in the league?

Give him a break. He's probably trying to earn brownie points with SJH.

Shelterdog · Sep 16, 2015

rodderick said:
I can't tell if this is sarcasm, but in what universe is Rex Ryan the worst coach in the league?

He wasn't far from it 2012-2014, but I think the correct answer is "an alternate universe where Dan Snyder was smart enough to not hire Jay Gruden on the recommendation of John Gruden".

dcmissle · Sep 16, 2015

Absent a significant injury (pray not) this game is likely to be so overblown, regardless of how it turns out. It's bad for media that we'll be just 2 games through a 16 game regular season, which is why we won't be reminded of that.

dcmissle · Sep 16, 2015

And a shockingly sensible press conference by Rex going on right now. No BB material.

Van Everyman · Sep 16, 2015

It's only Wednesday. That's a lot of time still on the clock for Rex.

RedOctober3829 · Sep 16, 2015

DrewDawg said:
Well, maybe. Chandler is not Gronk. It's the same as when we talk about BB taking away the other teams top threat and letting other folks try to beat us.

If that's a good strategy for us to follow on defense, it's gotta be pretty good for them too no?

This tweet illustrates my point probably better than I could.

ProFootballTalk ‏@ProFootballTalk 1m1 minute ago
Tyler Dunne adds that at times the Bills may put THREE defenders on Gronk this weekend.

OK fine put 3 people on Gronkowski. That means Edelman can't be doubled, Chandler will be open, and a RB will be open in the flat or on a wheel route. The Patriots have so many options at their disposal.

Stitch01 · Sep 16, 2015

Yeah I mean....that's a strategy but not one that's going to work on regular basis. I might give Gronk the Tony Gonzalez/punt gunner treatment in the red zone at this point if I was an opposing coach though. Letting him just waltz out wide with a LB on him in space is basically conceding a touchdown.

Tony C · Sep 16, 2015

These quotes summarize the yin and yang of Rex:

No dipping toes into the water. Ryan explained his let-it-rip approach. "If you want to beat the Patriots, you don't do it by just tiptoeing around," he said. "You better believe it and then go out and try to make it happen. We recognize how this is a tough challenge, but make no mistake, we fear nobody."
His media relations philosophy. As for why Ryan encourages players to speak their minds, he said of his media philosophy: "Mine is a little different than other coaches. We're not performing heart surgery or something like that. This is the NFL. I understand how it's important and everything else. At the same time, I don't think you need to go in and say 'Hey, here is the message for the team only. That's fine if that works for others. Obviously, that's pretty much the way it is with Bill and that's fine. But that fits him. If I tried to do that, we'd all be like, 'that ain't going to work.' That ain't who I am. I want the players to be themselves. I think I do it this way because I'm more comfortable with it."

On the one hand, it's fun to have a blunt coach and never have had a doubt that guys play hard for him and that the Bills will be flying this Sunday. On the other, after all these years he doesn't get that his job isn't to be himself. It's to win. The mediocre record and the coming out flat after coming out high pattern has to be acknowledged if you're not blinded by ego. Once you acknowledge that, you fix it, it's that simple.

I totally fear the Bills -- they were really good last year, are better this season, and if Taylor isn't a fraud they'll be true competition. At the end of the day, though, knowing the guy in charge is an undisciplined buffoon is solace. By the end of the year the Bills will pay a price for that.

RedOctober3829 · Sep 16, 2015

SportsCenter will be live at Ralph Wilson Stadium on Sunday morning.

http://bills.buffalonews.com/2015/09/16/espns-sportscenter-to-broadcast-from-the-ralph-sunday/

soxfan121 · Sep 16, 2015

RedOctober3829 said:
OK fine put 3 people on Gronkowski.

This is a picture of the Jets defense last season. The WR at the top of the image is Calvin Johnson. They didn't play many snaps in triple coverage, but they did it enough, with terrible CBs. Rex does some wacky shit.

koufax32 · Sep 16, 2015

soxfan121 said:
This is a picture of the Jets defense last season. The WR at the top of the image is Calvin Johnson. They didn't play many snaps in triple coverage, but they did it enough, with terrible CBs. Rex does some wacky shit.

Imagine how successful you could be running draws and counters against that defensive set. Dion Lewis will go off if BUF sets up like this.

dbn · Sep 16, 2015

koufax32 said:
Imagine how successful you could be running draws and counters against that defensive set. Dion Lewis will go off if BUF sets up like this.

Honest question which I hope furthers cool discussion from those who know a lot more about this stuff than I do: why do you say that?

It seems to my very-much-non-trained eye, that the above photo shows a pretty standard 4-2 cover-two nickel defense with the exception that one of the safeties is missing. Instead, he is replaced by a DB (CB? S?) over the "best-receiver" side. Sure, running to the side away from the safeties increases the chance of a big running play, but looking at that defensive formation and imagining the Patriots with Gronk at the top of the photo and Edelman and Amendola at the bottom, both in single coverage with no safety help, I think combination patterns that result in one of Edelman and Amendola being open for a big, big gain.

koufax32 · Sep 16, 2015

Draw: Chandler (in line TE chips edge rusher to push him wide then occupies the LB in the seam. Now it's 5 blockers on 3 defensive linesmen and 1 LB. I'll take those odds.

CantKeepmedown · Sep 17, 2015

koufax32 said:
Imagine how successful you could be running draws and counters against that defensive set. Dion Lewis will go off if BUF sets up like this.

I would love to see Lewis gash them. Rex yesterday, in his presser, was asked if he's learned the Pats RB name yet? Rex said, yeah, his name is Blount. He went on to say (paraphrasing) that Blount was the guy and this other kid wasn't going to see the field that much, other than a few 3rd downs. I suppose that may be true, but hopefully Lewis will get his touches.

simplyeric · Sep 17, 2015

koufax32 said:
Draw: Chandler (in line TE chips edge rusher to push him wide then occupies the LB in the seam. Now it's 5 blockers on 3 defensive linesmen and 1 LB. I'll take those odds.

Seems like the gap away from the triple coverage could offer a good break-out run if the receiver at the top truly drew 3 towards that side. But that's kindof the point: take away the strength, and the Patriots have to win with their B and C options.

If the linebackers bite towards the middle, and the two WR's out left run a go route and a crossing route, a pitch out left to the RB could get around the corner for a gain too....

Or maybe we see Edelman try to repeat "The Pass"

I think it's fascinating. Make BB and TB and all of them really work the game plan. If Rex's talking makes them spend a bunch of time game-planning for that triple coverage, maybe they don't even use it, and it's served Rex's purpose (make it harder for them to game plan).

Silverdude2167 · Sep 17, 2015

simplyeric said:
I think it's fascinating. Make BB and TB and all of them really work the game plan. If Rex's talking makes them spend a bunch of time game-planning for that triple coverage, maybe they don't even use it, and it's served Rex's purpose (make it harder for them to game plan).

No chance in hell that BB is game planning based off of anything Rex says during press conferences.

When the Pats #2 option if we want to call Edelman that is what the Pats have to beat the Bills with because they triple cover Gronk. I am sure they will take that every day of the week and twice on Sundays.

Wk. 2 Pre-Game Thread @ Bills

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