ORCHARD PARK, N.Y.: Facing a brief week, and questions on Buffalo’s sluggish offense and harm-depleted protection, Bills coach Sean McDermott entrusted his gamers in believing they’ve been collectively lengthy sufficient to know find out how to sort out adversity.
“Listen, we’ve shown that we know how to win, and we know how to figure things out, and we know how to develop players and find the answers and solutions,” McDermott mentioned, in making ready to host Tampa Bay on Thursday night time. “We’re used to this. This is what we do.”
The three-time defending AFC East champion Bills (4-3) are all of a sudden in turmoil following a rash of accidents sidelining three key defensive starters and never getting assist from a gradual-beginning offense that’s mixed for 10 factors in the first half in dropping two of its previous three.
The message was notably comparable in Tampa Bay (3-3), the place coach Todd Bowles dismissed questions on the Bills struggles by putting the emphasis on his Buccaneers to reply after dropping two straight and three of 4.
“I don’t know what’s going on (in Buffalo) exactly. We’ve got to worry about ourselves more than we worry about them,” Bowles mentioned.
“If we take care of ourselves, we will go up and play a good ballgame,” he added. “This is a tough group in there. They have each other’s back.”
The storylines are comparatively quick in a matchup between two non-convention opponents, and with Tampa Bay making simply its third go to to Orchard Park, New York, in franchise historical past.
The one widespread denominator is how the outing represents a essential midseason take a look at in figuring out which crew can get away of its hunch, and with a lot of the focus falling on the respective offenses.
The Bucs’ Baker Mayfield-led assault has produced a mixed 56 factors and is averaging 277 yards per outing over its previous 4 since getting off to a 2-0 begin.
Turnovers are a problem, with Tampa Bay committing six over that span, together with Mayfield throwing an interception at the Atlanta 26 with 3:46 left in an eventual 16-13 loss to the Falcons final week.
“We’re just so close. I’m getting tired of saying that, but it’s the truth when you go back and watch it,” Mayfield mentioned.
In Buffalo, Allen revealed he is perhaps the motive behind Buffalo’s gradual-beginning offense after consciously electing to rein in his feelings in a bid to be extra on a fair keel.
On Tuesday, Allen acknowledged he may need gone a bit of too far in what he known as his “low positive” method by saying: “Maybe I need to think a little bit less and play football.”
Whatever works finest, security Micah Hyde mentioned, in backing Allen.
“If he said that, then he must be working on that, and I would encourage him accordingly,” he mentioned, earlier than assessing Buffalo’s inconsistent begin.
“What is it, Week 8?” Hyde mentioned. “Still a very long season and a lot of ball to be played. We’re confident in our abilities to go out there and stay together and get some wins.”
QB CLASSMATES
Mayfield and Allen have been half of what was presupposed to be a celebrated 2018 draft class in being two of 5 quarterbacks chosen in the first spherical.
Mayfield, the No. 1 total choose by Cleveland, is now on his fourth crew. Allen, whom the Bills traded as much as choose No. 7, and Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson (thirty second) are the solely two nonetheless with their similar crew.
“I enjoyed the time we spent with him,” mentioned McDermott, of the pre-draft conferences he and the Bills had with Mayfield. “I’ve never obviously been on a team with him, but seems like a good leader.”
RUNNING ON EMPTY
At 77.8 yards per recreation, the Bucs are twenty ninth in the NFL in speeding after rating final a 12 months in the past. They have been restricted to 73 yards on 20 carries final week, with 31 approaching Mayfield’s longest run since his rookie season.
“We’re a little bit too one-sided right now, like one-dimensional. We have to do a much better job all around to make our running game go,” receiver Chris Godwin mentioned. “It’s not just the O-line, it’s not just the running back, not the calls. It’s all of us.”
THIRD DOWN STRUGGLES
The Bucs protection is perhaps amongst the league leaders in takeaways (13) fewest touchdowns (10) and factors allowed (17.3 per outing). The unit hasn’t been almost nearly as good in third down stops (50%) and end-of-game conditions.
Last week, Tampa Bay tied the recreation with 45 seconds remaining solely to lose when the protection allowed a 39-yard cross reception serving to arrange Younghoe Koo’s 51-yard area objective as time expired.
“You can’t play great, then have a few games here or there to say: ‘If it could’ve been for this or would’ve been for that,’” Bowles mentioned. “We can coach it better from a defensive coaching standpoint, and they can definitely play it better.”
TALE OF TWO HALVES
In its previous three outings, Buffalo has been outscored 30-10 in the first half, and is outscoring opponents 52-30 in the second half.
The disparity is mirrored in Allen’s manufacturing over that span. He’s a mixed 30 of 52 for 302 yards with a TD and two interceptions in the first half. In the second half, he’s 43 of 59 for 488 yards with seven touchdowns (two speeding), an interception and fumble.
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AP Sports Writer Fred Goodall contributed.
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(This story has not been edited by News18 workers and is revealed from a syndicated information company feed – Associated Press)
