A three-game losing streak comes to an end against another struggling team in Kansas City. Tryod Taylor returns to the starting lineup and manages the game in the way he always does to get a much-needed win. We all get a little happy feeling after a Bills win, but this one wasn’t pretty. It was another ugly win. Neither team went over 270 yards of total offense. So let’s break it down with three reasons the Bills won this game.
3rd Down Defense
The Bills Defense is ranked 21st in the NFL in 3rd Down defense allowing a first down almost 40 percent of the time. But yesterday the Chiefs only converted 2 of 13 third downs for about 15 percent. Having a healthy EJ Gaines opposite of Tre’Davious White (Defensive Rookie of the Year) put a virtual clamp on the Kansas City receivers. Something that the Bills have not been able to do in about 10 years is shut down a quality TE. Travis Kelce was held without a catch in the first half and ended the game with only 3 catches. This new aspect of the defense will come in very handy next week.
Note: Let’s not mention the B.S. unnecessary roughness call late in the game. That ref should be suspended for the next month and that crew should be suspended for next week. At the very least their little huddle should have led them to pick up the flag.
Game Managing
Tyrod’s line this week…19 for 29 and 183 yards with touchdown and no interceptions. He was sacked twice and ran for 27 yards on 9 carries. Nothing special. What he did well was manage the game. Over 33 minutes of time of possession. Keeping the ball away from the Chiefs playmakers was obviously in the game plan. I’m still not a Dennison fan, I don’t like chop blocks and stretch plays. With the Bills offensive line a 3rd & 1 should never be a pitch outside instead of going straight ahead. If this game had gone the other way, this paragraph would have been written almost the same way as a reason for the loss. I would have just pointed out Tyrod’s horrible pass to O’Leary on 2nd and 16 for 15 yards, that could have been a 40 yard gain had the pass not been so bad.
Rookies show up in the clutch
Tre’Davious White interception cliched the game and he should be in the conversation for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. And Zay Jones caught the only touchdown for the Bills. And that touchdown was in the first quarter to take a 7-0 lead. A Bills first quarter lead is not something we’ve seen very much this season. On top of this the Bills traded down with the Chiefs to pick up an extra 1st round pick next year. The Chiefs selected a QB in Patrick Mahomes, and the Bills selected Tre’Davious White. So, this win was sealed by the player the Bills picked and that draft pick just got a little better.
With this win the Bills move to 6-5 and still sit in the last playoff spot. And hope returns to Western New York that the playoff drought will end this year. The Bills probably need to win 9 or 10 games to make the playoffs, as they don’t hold the tie breaker over many of the teams also in the hunt. That means 3 or 4 of the last 5 games. Hope is back, but the next two weeks will tell us a lot about this team and the NFL playoff picture. Up next, that team from New England. Let’s Go Buffalo!
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