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The Buffalo Bills came in to their contest with the Arizona Cardinals with two weeks worth of questions about their defense, their quarterback, their head coach, and everything in between.
While it wasn't perfect, the Bills got the most potent potion for solving a sickness. A victory makes not only the 4.5 hour ride home a bit more tolerable, but the it gives them confidence heading in to their next contest.
Let's take a look at the good and the bad from the Bills' 19-16 overtime victory over the Arizona Cardinals.
- Jairus Byrd proved just how valuable he is to the Bills defense with two game-changing efforts that resulted in a team victory. Byrd does so much more than just intercept the ball for the Bills. He's solid in run support, incredibly adept at playing the 'last man standing' role in both coverage and tackling, and, well, you can't list many more without the obvious ballhawking abilities. Through six games, Byrd has now forced five turnovers. He's on pace for 8 interceptions with 82 tackles at this point in the year. I've often said that I believe Jairus Byrd is on the cusp of becoming one of the premiere safeties in the league. He's most recent stretch of games just makes my belief grow that not only is he that talented, but also the best defensive player the Bills have presently.
- The win over the Arizona Cardinals was a response in a lot of different ways. Most notably? How the defensive line came in and imposed their will on a weak defensive line that was ripe for the picking. Mario Williams was a wrecking ball for the first time this season, taking advantage of a rookie that has struggled mightily through his first five games. Two sacks, two almost sacks and many efforts to collapse the pocket turns the heat off Williams for another week. Now six games in to the season, he has 3.5 sacks. It's not perfect just yet, but for at least one week he got results. The rest of the defensive line performed admirably as well. Marcell Dareus was getting pressure up the middle, the combination of Chris Kelsay and Kyle Moore proved to be effective, and Kyle Williams continued to do what he usually does for the team. It was a solid group effort in setting the tone enough for the Bills to pull out a victory.
- What an incredibly stark range of emotions the Bills' must have gone through in the period of about five minutes. The Bills get a huge stop on a third down late in the fourth quarter, forcing the Cardinals to take a shot at an improbable 61-yard field goal. Instead of marching on to the field with the victory formation, the Bills watched Jay Feely sail that field goal through the uprights with a few yards to spare. With the momentum on Arizona's side, the Bills went three-and-out. The Cardinals proceeded to hit a huge 28-yard pass to Larry Fitzgerald to set up the potential game-winning field goal. Most everyone at University of Phoenix Stadium and those watching at home had similar sentiments I'm sure: "Feely hit from 61? This is a chip shot. Game over." Somebody forgot to tell Kelvin Sheppard and Alex Carrington that. Sheppard's physicality on the field goal block attempt helped get Alex Carrington over and up enough to get a hand on the ball, causing it to change it's direction and hitting the field goal post square up and falling harmlessly to the ground. That definitively breathed new life in to the Bills, and they didn't squander it.
- I can't go much longer without writing about the play that could have been the one everyone would have talked about in regards to the potential demise of Chan Gailey. Late in the game with the ball, the lead and an opportunity to pick up a much needed victory, the play-call was the first Wildcat throw by Brad Smith of the season. Not only that, but it was just the second time they've dialed that up over the past 22 games. Remember the result of it the first time around? I sure do. An interception. Second time? No difference at all. The ball was thrown way off target and Patrick Peterson made a play on it. Why. That. Play. Run a play-action pass, run Fred Jackson up the middle, do something other than almost cost the team the game. Gailey said afterwards he'd call it again. That's a bit frightening if you ask me, considering how inaccurate a passer Brad Smith has shown to be through training camp practices.
- Bouncing back from a fumble on the very first play of the game, Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller were both getting back to themselves again. Jackson, sans knee brace, looked a bit more like himself than he had the past two games. He even admitted as much after the game. The duo combined for 28 carries, 9 receptions, 193 total yards and two touchdowns. And all that coming against a front-seven that has had quite a solid start to the season for Arizona. Coming up against one of the worst defenses in the league in Tennessee and another week to heal their respective injuries, the two could be in line to help get this Bills team back on track.
- Late in the game, I found something rather peculiar. The Bills used six defensive backs against the Cardinals' four-receiver set. Stephon Gilmore was on the right side, Leodis McKelvin and Justin Rogers controlled the slot and Terrence McGee was out left. That means for the entire end of the game, the Bills elected to not use Aaron Williams in a key situation. Gailey was asked about it after the game, and said he didn't know why that happened that way and that it may just have been McGee's turn in the rotation. But with the game down in the clutch moments, wouldn't you want your starter out there in any capacity? One would think. Might Williams be falling out of favor with the defensive coaching staff? The next week will be telling.
- In his few plays on the defensive side of the ball, Leodis McKelvin was solid and made a pair of good breaks to the receiver to limit their gains in a clutch situation in the fourth quarter. He's taken his lumps as a cornerback, but I'd file this game as a positive on the ledger for his career.
- Keep your cool. Someone has to get Lee Smith to that line of thinking, because his penalty late in the game could have been more costly than it was. The Bills picked up a big 18-yard gain on first down when Ryan Fitzpatrick hit Stevie Johnson for a pitch-and-catch. Momentum was in the palm of their hands. The next play was stuffed, but the Bills would have had two more shots to gain ten yards. That is, until Smith lost his cool and took an unnecessary roughing penalty that pushed them back 14 yards. Attempting to gain the 28 yards over the next two plays proved to be futile. While the Cardinals didn't score on their next possession, the Bills could have chewed more time off the clock and kept that momentum. He just needs to be smarter than to put himself in that situation.
- It was an average performance for Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, but that's all they needed him to do. He's a complementary part of this offense, not one that will go out and win you the game by putting the entire team on his back. His 18-of-32 performance for 153 yards was just mediocre. Zero turnovers on the game? Superb. That's a formula the Bills can work with every single time, given that the running game gets it going. He didn't win the Bills the game, but he didn't cost them a win either. Mining the store. That's what it's all about for Fitzpatrick this season to try and get them in to the playoffs.
- While he out-kicked his coverage once, Shawn Powell was superb in trying to defend against Patrick Peterson's return abilities with his leg. Directional kicks proved to be the most efficient method, and was a similar one used by St. Louis punter John Hekker that garnered him NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors. Powell has been solid in his first three games as a member of the team, and has quelled any criticism that may have been thrown his way after Buffalo dumped long-time punter Brian Moorman for the rookie.
MVP: FS Jairus Byrd - Two interceptions, it can't be anyone else.
LVP: The Wildcat Throw - Again. Why that play at that moment in the game?
Up Next: Sunday, October 21 vs. Tennessee at Ralph Wilson Stadium
Final Thoughts:
It was a necessary win for the Buffalo Bills. They can downplay it all they want, but a loss against Arizona in that fashion would have been devastating for this group given the way the past two weeks have gone. Instead, the Bills stuck with it and gutted out a team victory to even their record at 3-3. Now the Bills have a home game against a beatable opponent, and can put themselves right back in to the playoff discussion with a solid effort. What a difference a week makes. The Bills are living proof of that.
Twitter: @JoeBuscaglia
It was a necessary win for the Buffalo Bills. They can downplay it all they want, but a loss against Arizona in that fashion would have been devastating for this group given the way the past two weeks have gone. Instead, the Bills stuck with it and gutted out a team victory to even their record at 3-3. Now the Bills have a home game against a beatable opponent, and can put themselves right back in to the playoff discussion with a solid effort. What a difference a week makes. The Bills are living proof of that.
Twitter: @JoeBuscaglia