Las Vegas, NV (WGR) – The Buffalo Bills improved to 5-1 with a 33-30 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders. Here are my Up and Down Arrows, starting after another victory:
UP ARROW
Allen played like an MVP and had an MVP signature game (see below). He played smart, didn’t endanger the ball and finished 23 of 33 (69.7%) for 255 yards and two touchdowns.
- Allen to Coleman touchdown
Allen started again. Facing a 3rd down and 8 from the Raiders’ 12-yard line, Allen avoided pressure, started running, eluded a defender and somehow saw and threw a ball to Keon Coleman standing in the end zone for a touchdown. That put the Bills up 23-13. It was an MVP type game.
- Involve Kincaid and Ty Johnson from the start
Allen threw the ball to Dalton Kincaid on the very first play. Later in that drive, they handed the ball to Ty Johnson. Two players who needed to be more involved were early on. Kincaid finished as the Bills’ leading receiver in catches, grabbing 7 balls for 38 yards.
Cook ran for 95 yards and caught 3 passes for 58 yards, totaling 153 total yards on the day. Just like, if not more importantly, he didn’t put the ball on the ground, often making sure to cover it with two arms/hands when running through traffic.
Coleman was reliable and important to the Bills’ offense, catching four passes for 59 yards and a touchdown.
Walker made his presence known with four total tackles, including one for a loss, and a QB hit.
Bishop was flying everywhere, had some big hits and finished with 7 total tackles and 2 assists.
IGB led all players in the game with three assists, including a few on key third downs.
To start the fourth quarter, the Raiders scored a first-and-goal at the Bills’ 2-yard line. They ran for a yard, then Greg Gaines stopped at minus-3 yards. Then an incomplete pass. The Bills held Las Vegas to one field goal, keeping the score 23-16.
The Bills special teams were really good. Ray Davis returned the kickoff 40 yards. Tommy Doman placed one of his two punts inside the Raiders’ 20-yard line. Tyler Bass made all seven of his kick attempts and the coverage units did a great job.
Bass made all four of his field goal attempts and all three of his extra points. He was 7 out of 7.
The Bills held the Raiders to just 65 rushing yards all game. Ashton Jeanty ran for just 22 yards and averaged just 2.2 yards per carry.
The Raiders were inside the Bills 20-yard line five times. They only scored two touchdowns.
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DOWN ARROW
With :19 left in the first half and the Raiders facing a 3rd down, the Bills were called for a holding penalty that gave them a first down. But on top of that, Gardner-Johnson was ejected for spitting in the direction of a Raiders play. It was selfish and inexcusable. He injured himself and his team. The Raiders finally scored a field goal to tie the game at halftime.
Palmer completed a huge pass that would have given the Bills a first down on their final drive before halftime. Instead, he created a third down and ultimately a punt. Then the Raiders scored.
- Using two timeouts on the first drive
The crowd wasn’t the problem. The Bills simply weren’t ready or comfortable enough twice on the very first drive of the game, including before the second snap, and had to use two of their three timeouts before the Raiders even touched the ball.
Once again, the Bills pass defense allowed way too much. Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins was 23 of 41 for 313 yards. Buffalo didn’t get a sack either.
- Field goals, not touchdowns
On the Bills’ first two drives, they moved the ball 9 plays for 30 yards and 10 plays for 63 yards. But both drives resulted in field goals and not touchdowns, despite a second-and-goal from the Raiders’ 5-yard line on one of them, but a penalty put them back.
- Skyler Bell, 0 captures yet
For the second week in a row, rookie Skyler Bell sat out the passing game. He has now played in two games in the NFL, but has yet to make it big.
- Third attack and defense
The Bills were just 4 of 11 (36.4 percent) from third down. The Raiders converted 7 of 12 third down chances (58.3%).
- Start 2nd down before 2 minute warning
With 2:32 remaining in regulation and the Raiders having no timeouts left, the Bills faced a 2nd down and 9. If they run the ball, they get to the 2 minute warning before 3rd down. But Joe Brady called a pass play, which was incomplete. That led to a third pass and then a fourth pass after 2 minutes before Bass kicked a basket.
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