It Shouldn’t Be This Difficult
Bills are embarrassed on the road by hapless Miami Dolphins team, 30-13.
Normally in my Bills recaps, I had planned on sticking to the same format week in and week out. The Good, The Bad, My Take. I also try to focus on the one game from that week. It works because, even in massive wins and terrible losses, I can apply each of those statements without too much trouble. This time, I’m not putting anything good in here. They simply don’t deserve it. And I would have to look way too hard to find anything that I can feel positive about from that one. And I’ll also be speaking more to the general feeling of where this team is at this season. Because I think this game against the Dolphins is a direct result of the team’s weaknesses.
The Bills took a game that should have been an easy win, and made it look significantly more difficult than it needed to be. In my preview of this game, I mentioned that the Bills should roll if they avoided the trap. They didn’t. They looked woefully unprepared, unengaged, and uninterested. On a day that the New England Patriots continued to win, and a day that the Bills should have easily kept pace, they instead laid an egg.
The Offense
I can’t believe how difficult things look on offense. An offense that employs the reigning MVP, a top three quarterback, and likely a 1-of-1 style player ever in league history, can’t pass the ball. Especially considering heading into the game, their running game has looked like a top two unit in the league –as James Cook should’ve been in the offensive player of the year conversation heading into the day. The fact that they can’t pass the ball under those conditions is not just surprising – it’s criminal.
They look slow. The receiving corps are made up of guys that had mild success in their past lives. The success that these players have had was typically a result of a better option being on the opposite side of the field that freed them up to make plays. Sure would be nice for the Bills to have something similar. But never fear, another mild success story in Gabe Davis should be returning soon. Or Josh Palmer. And save me from the Jaylen Waddle to the Bills conversation. Beane tried. I get it. I’ve tried at things in the past that I’ve been unsuccessful at too, and it resulted in no longer getting paid to do it.
I’m not necessarily advocating for his job, here. But there needs to be results. There needs to be accountability for wasting the prime of a player who might be the greatest football player in league history. There needs to be something. It shouldn’t be this difficult.
The Defense
I don’t have a ton to say about the defense to be honest. The secondary still looks improved compared to early in the season. But the run defense…woof. Blame it on injuries. Blame it on size. Blame it on anything. The Bills cannot stop the run.
This is how they lost to the Atlanta Falcons – which looks like an equally bad loss, by the way. And this is how they lost to the Dolphins. It’s an abysmal performance by a defense that has never had issues like this in the McDermott era. It’s something that needs to be figured out, and if it’s not, the Bills will not be going very far this season, and definitely won’t be hosting a playoff game. It shouldn’t be this difficult.
Coaching
I have a huge problem with coaching. I’ve had a huge problem with coaching for years. I’m going to preface this by saying, I don’t think we have a bad staff. I think McDermott is a good coach. But I think he has a ceiling. And that ceiling does not result in the Buffalo Bills winning their first ever Super Bowl. If they decide to keep rolling with him, I totally understand it. And honestly, it’s totally justifiable. But if the goal here is to win a Super Bowl, I just don’t think he can get us there. He’s too careful. Too conservative. And too bullish on doing things “the right way” than doing what works.
Wasting a reigning MVP is unforgiveable. Whether you want to blame that on McDermott, or offensive coordinator Joe Brady, I could listen to arguments for each. But it’s very clear that – whoever is responsible for the decision – the Bills do not prioritize putting the ball into the hands of one of the best players in the league. It’s malpractice of the highest form. Someone needs to be held accountable, and it’s probably going to start with Joe Brady.
Defensive coaching has been an issue as well. McDermott, regardless of what he says, had taken away play-calling duties from defensive coordinator Bobby Babich. And this is just a symptom of a bigger issue. If you have remove play-calling, you likely don’t have the right guy. It shouldn’t be this difficult.
What Now?
Overall, this sounds like the sky is falling. But they’re still 6-3. Still, more than likely, going to make the playoffs. But don’t appear as if they will be hosting a final playoff game in the old stadium like many fans had hoped. They definitely don’t look like they have a shot at the one-seed anymore. And I struggle to continue to see Super Bowl aspirations this season.
I hope they can figure something out. As of now, it doesn’t look good. They look like a wildcard team at best. And one that could very easily get bounced in the first round. I don’t have all, or really any, of the answers – but I hope they do. Because, honestly, it shouldn’t be this difficult.
Nickel City Picks: Week 10 NFL Predictions & Locks
An 8-6 record? Woof. Last week was rough for Nickel City Picks. Some I was more than happy to get wrong – looking at you Steelers and Bills for showing up – and some I was shocked to have gotten wrong – like the Lions, Packers and Cowboys. Then, there were some picked upsets that I was completely misguided on – actually mostly just one. The Falcons.
But, we’re back for Week 10. With a 28-14 record on our season since we started, we’re feeling okay with how things have shaken out. We would love to be right on the majority of these this week. For no other reason than laziness. It would make our weekly Power Rankings way easier to put together. Here are our Week 10 Picks. Take these as law. Prophecy. Destiny. Unless you’re putting money down. In which case, we never said a thing.
Last Week: 8-6
Season Record: 28-14
Thursday Night Football:
(2-6) Las Vegas Raiders @ (7-2) Denver Broncos – Pick: Denver Broncos
Sunday:
(3-5) Atlanta Falcons @ (7-2) Indianapolis Colts – Pick: Indianapolis Colts
(2-6) Cleveland Browns @ (1-7) New York Jets – Pick: Cleveland Browns
(3-5) Baltimore Ravens @ (4-4) Minnesota Vikings – Pick: Baltimore Ravens
(1-8) New Orleans Saints @ (5-4) Carolina Panthers – Pick: Carolina Panthers
(2-7) New York Giants @ (5-3) Chicago Bears – Pick: Chicago Bears
(7-2) New England Patriots @ (6-2) Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Pick: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
(6-2) Buffalo Bills @ (2-7) Miami Dolphins – Pick: Buffalo Bills
This one is easy. Buffalo shouldn’t have an issue at all here. And I know Week 3 was closer than we would’ve liked. But I think Buffalo is hungry to prove that they have the juice. I’m expecting, not only a win, but a statement in this one.
(5-3) Jacksonville Jaguars @ (3-5) Houston Texans – Pick: Jacksonville Jaguars
(3-5) Arizona Cardinals @ (6-2) Seattle Seahawks – Pick: Seattle Seahawks
(6-2) Los Angeles Rams @ (6-3) San Francisco 49ers – Pick: Los Angeles Rams
(5-3) Detroit Lions @ (3-6) Washington Commanders – Pick: Detroit Lions
(5-3) Pittsburgh Steelers @ (6-3) Los Angeles Chargers – Pick: Pittsburgh Steelers
Monday Night Football:
(6-2) Philadelphia Eagles @ (5-2-1) Green Bay Packers – Pick: Philadelphia Eagles
Lock of the Week: Denver Broncos over Las Vegas Raiders
Upset of the Week: Pittsburgh Steelers over Los Angeles Chargers
Haven’t decided on your Sunday eats? Check out our Nickel City Cookbook!
Week 10 Preview: Bills Should Roll in Miami – If They Avoid the Trap
Buffalo looks to make it three straight behind a red-hot James Cook and a defense finding its stride.
It’s Week 10 in the NFL and the 6-2 Buffalo Bills are traveling to Miami to take on the 2-7 Dolphins. Despite a laundry list of injuries, this is a game that the Bills Mafia should feel comfortable with. Miami has struggled to put anything close to a competitive football team on the field – while the Buffalo Bills have started to find their footing on both sides of the ball.
Yet, division games are never a given. Playing these teams twice a year makes it so that your opponent is very familiar with you and your team. As such, division games should never be overlooked. And with a red hot Tampa Bay team coming to town next week, the Bills need to make sure this matchup with the Dolphins doesn’t turn into a trap game.
The Offense
Offensively, the Bills are starting to come to form. Josh Allen looked sharper against the Chiefs than he has all season, throwing for 275 yards – while James Cook, though injured, continues to dominate on the ground. The offensive line is looking like they have reached midseason form, right on time. And the tight ends continue to be a bright spot for production.
All of this coming to fruition, while the Dolphins defense has lost some pieces. Defensive End Jaelan Phillips was traded to Philadelphia. Former Bills cornerback Rasul Douglas, safety Ifeatu Melifonwu, and linebacker Chop Robinson, have all missed practice this week. And all while the Dolphins rank 24th in the league in total defense.
The Bills offense should be licking its chops. While the Dolphins have proven to be competent in the passing game – a top ten unit in that category – their rush defense has been bottom five in the league so far. And just two weeks after James Cook put up over 200 yards on Carolina’s defense – and one week after he was the first back all season to post a hundred-yard outing on the Chiefs – the Dolphins should be concerned about keeping up with the Bills.
The Defense
The Bills defense has also come alive since the bye week. The return of cornerback Maxwell Hairston, as well as defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi, has breathed new life into this unit. They delivered Patrick Mahomes the worst game of his career just one week ago. And, despite losing fellow returnee Michael Hoecht for the season, the defense should feel confident coming into this matchup vs the Dolphins.
The Dolphins offense has been struggling almost as much as the defense this year. The injury to wide receiver Tyreek Hill has left a void in what was once one of the most explosive units in the league. They haven’t quite seemed to find their footing since. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has struggled to get anything going this year, seemingly regressing in almost every area of his game. And by every measure – points, rush yards, pass yards and total yards per game – the Dolphins offense ranks bottom ten in the league.
The Bills defense should capitalize on these struggles, and be able to continue building on back-to-back strong performances. If they can get pressure early, turnover opportunities should be there to create short fields for the offense. With both sides of the ball trending up, it appears that the Dolphins will be facing a buzz saw this week.
My Take
I don’t really have much more to say about this one. This should easily be a win for the Bills. Even with a banged up team, assuming James Cook is able to go, they should be able to control this game from the start. My only real concern is that of a trap game. If they can set the tone early and dominate the line of scrimmage, I think we’ll be seeing Mitch Trubisky sometime in the second half.
Prediction
I think it happens. I think we’re all bored by the end of this one. The Bills will dominate from the jump, and James Cook will build on his Offensive Player of the Year campaign.
Buffalo Bills – 38, Miami Dolphins - 17
Nickel City Power Rankings: Week 10
Week 9 resulted in some shakeups. Some surprising results. All of our top four teams from last week lost in their matchups. These power rankings are in disarray as a result. Par for the course for the NFL in November.
1. Los Angeles Rams (6-2) (Last Week: 6) – Matthew Stafford is inevitable. He is not the MVP frontrunner, but he absolutely should be.
2. Buffalo Bills (6-2) (Last Week: 8) – This week was such a big win to keep them competitive in the standings. The quest for the one seed is back on.
3. Philadelphia Eagles (6-2) (Last Week: 5) – Howie Roseman refuses to sit still. He has reloaded his team for another deep playoff run
4. Indianapolis Colts (7-2) (Last Week: 1) – I’d love to say this is an indicator that Daniel Jones is still Daniel Jones. It’s not. They’re still going to be just fine.
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-2) (Last Week: 7) – Sometimes the best thing you can do, is to do nothing at all. Which is exactly what they did on their bye week.
6. Seattle Seahawks (6-2) (Last Week: 10) – Sam Darnold is suddenly good. The Vikings are sad as a result. And now he’s got Rashid Shaheed to run next to JSN and Cooper Kupp.
7. Denver Broncos (7-2) (Last Week: 9) – I want them to lose a game or two. But they keep winning. And I’d actually be okay with them beating the Chiefs a time or two.
8. New England Patriots (7-2) (Last Week: 11) – They’re good. Potentially really good. But I still think there is going to be a surprising loss or two down the stretch.
9. Detroit Lions (5-3) (Last Week: 2) – I still think that this is the most complete team in the league. But they can’t help but stub their toe a few times every season.
10. Green Bay Packers (5-2-1) (Last Week: 3) – A loss to an inferior Carolina Panthers team. The offense struggled to put together a drive that resulted in points. I struggled to put them in my top 10.
11. Kansas City Chiefs (5-4) (Last Week: 4) – They still have an elite offense. But at 5-4 and with an extremely tough schedule coming up, I can’t consciously rank them higher.
12. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-3) (Last Week: 14) – While they had an extremely impressive win over the Colts, the Steelers are still the Steelers. And I hope to see them in the playoffs.
13. San Fransisco 49ers (6-3) (Last Week: 12) – It’s tough to fall in the power rankings after a win. But the win was against the Giants. And sometimes other teams are more impressive.
14. Los Angeles Chargers (6-3) (Last Week: 13) – I could write the exact same thing as I did for the 49ers here. They beat the Titans. I hope they can beat the Chiefs again down the road.
15. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-3) (Last Week: 15) – They’re good? I guess? It’s the most reluctant version of being good. Jakobi Meyers doesn’t move the needle for me at all.
16. Chicago Bears (5-3) (Last Week: 16) – I’m leaving them here. It’s where they currently belong. What a stupid win. This team is chaos. It’s great.
17. Carolina Panthers (5-4) (Last Week: 19) – I don’t know what to make of this team. But I do know that hanging 40 on them looks pretty impressive for the Bills.
18. Minnesota Vikings (4-4) (Last Week: 21) – I was pretty certain that JJ McCarthy was going to be a bust. I’m less certain now. A good division win in an insane division.
19. Baltimore Ravens (3-5) (Last Week: 23) – They’ve move up. They’re probably going to continue to move up as they continue to get healthier. I’d rather not see them again this year.
20. Houston Texans (3-5) (Last Week: 17) – Every time I think I know what this team is, they do something that makes me throw my arms up in the air and re-evaluate.
21. Arizona Cardinals (3-5) (Last Week: 25) – If your backup QB gives you a better shot to win than your franchise QB, you’re in a bad spot.
22. Dallas Cowboys (3-5-1) (Last Week: 18) – Not even Quinnen Williams can make this defense look competent. Any team playing against the Cowboys should hang up 14 more points than usual.
23. Atlanta Falcons (3-5) (Last Week: 22) – They were so close to helping the Bills out. Instead, they disappointed the Mafia for the second time this season.
24. Washington Commanders (3-6) (Last Week: 20) – What an unfortunate injury for Jayden Daniels. Marcus Mariota isn’t going to take you anywhere.
25. Cincinnati Bengals (3-6) (Last Week: 24) – Joe Flacco definitely gives them a shot to win games. They lost an extremely stupid one. That being said, there’s nothing about this team without Burrow that scares me in the slightest.
26. New York Giants (2-7) (Last Week: 26) – They lost again. This is where they belong. Mostly because they’re still better than the teams that are below them.
27. Las Vegas Raiders (2-6) (Last Week: 29) – Geno Smith was good in Seattle. He is in a terrible situation in Vegas. As are Jeanty and Bowers. It’s bleak.
28. Miami Dolphins (2-7) (Last Week: 27) – This team is nowhere. They needed to do what the Jets did and tear it down completely. Only trading Phillips is a half measure.
29. Cleveland Browns (2-6) (Last Week: 28) – Get back to me when they figure out their quarterback situation. Gabriel? Sanders? Did they start the right one? Who knows? Who cares, even?
30. New York Jets (1-7) (Last Week: 31) – They moved up a spot by default simply because the team that moved down as a result is willingly starting a worse quarterback than before.
31. New Orleans Saints (1-8) (Last Week: 30) – They shouldn’t have moved away from Rattler. Even while losing. And yet, they did.
32. Tennessee Titans (1-7) (Last Week: 32) – Do I have to actually write anything about this team?