Random Recordings of Mental Meanderings

The first Miami drive pretty much went the Bills way. Culpepper is useless if you cna get ot him, and if the Bills keep doing this the entire game, they aren’t going to have a chance. Sure, the Fins got a first down and completed a pass, but the defensive line, in my opinion is one of the best in the league. Culpepper will have a difficult day, at best.

The first Bills drive was a bust. Losman held onto the ball a little too long on tha third down play, but then, no one was open. I think thay should have just pounded McGahee for a couple of runs instead of starting with the pass.

Then the Dolphins do nothing again. Two drives and they are at minus eleven yards. The defense, as I was saying all week, is better than people think.

The tandem of McGahee and Thomas drive the Bills down the field, resulting ins a field goal. I didn’t like the toss sweep. I didn’t understand that play at all. I mean, what were they trying to do, out-Mularkey Mularkey? Come on, guys. But, at leaast we got a field goal out of it.

Miami tries the no-huddle, in an attempt to try to tire the Bills defense out. Apparently, they want to try to use the heat in their favor, and not allow the Bills a chance to get rest between plays. It seems to be working a little, as they are driving, but then the quarter ended.

As an aside, I really hate watching a football game that’s being played in a baseball stadium.

The Bills defense comes up big in the start of the second quarter. It’s not even 20 minutes into the game, and the Bills have four sacks, three by Ryan Denney. End result: a missed 55 yard field gosl. That was a stupid attempt by the Dolphins. I don’t know what it is, but teams are trying more and more really long field goals, which more often than not do not work.

Then the Bills pll a three and out. Run the ball, dammit! That’s what was working, so pound it down their friggin’ throats! Tire their defense out!

After Moorman pins the Dolphins back to their one yard line, they get a first down, and then get shut down. The Bills receive the ball and run it to the Dolphins 45 to start the drive. But a false start backs the Bills up. After a 2-yard pickup, Losman launches one that is over the head of Evans. It seem like he is just a little off today – some of his passes are high, and some are low. I have to wonder if the heat, resulting in sweating palms, is affecting his throwing. He’s been geting time to throw, and can look at different receivers. I can’t really see what the other players are doing on the TV. And then he got sacked again, so Moorman has to pin the Dolphins back again, this time at the 9 yard line.

Then the Dolphins drive to midfield. Going steadily, and looking like they are going to drive for a touchdown, there is an apparent fumble that the Bills recover. A replay challenge gives Miami the ball at the Buffalo 45. The Dolphins keep driving, until Crowell intercepts Culpepper, preserving the first-half shutout. Thankfully. I could tell that the heat was starting to get to the defense. After all the good play in the first quarter, all the Bills have to show for it is a field goal. Only one completion for Losman on six tries. At least they get the ball first in the second half.

The Bills start the second half off on the 28, and run McGahee. That’s what they should be doiing the entire second half. Just jam that ball down their throat. However, I do have to say the long try that resulted in the pass interference call was a smart move. Not just because it resulted in a touchdown, but it showed that Losman is getting better at recognizing gametime situations that he can exploit with his arm. Alllen had no choice but to try to interfere, simply because if he didn’t stop it, it was touchdown. Not that it mattered, because the play-action worked on the next play, to Josh Reed.

A three and out by the Dolphins, and the Bills have an almost five minute drive that results in a field goal. It’s 13-0 with about 4 minutes left in the fourth. It looks like the Bills have adjusted better than the Dolphins fo the second half. With the heat as bad as it is, that’s a good thing.

I don’t understand why the bloop kickoff. Maybe it’s just a mistake, what with the ball falling off of the tee several times in the game. It isn’t often that Lindell has to kick with someone’s hand right there, although it shouldn’t matter. Perhaps they figured a short kick beats a long return. They haven’t had one, but who knows. The Dolphins go three and out again, and special teams comes through AGAIN, with a punt blocked by Coy Wire.

This is where the Bills want to be: in control of the game, and threatening to score again. Even if they just score a field goal, it means that Mismi would have to score three times to even have a chance of winning. It forces them into a one-dimensional game, which menas more sacks for the Bills.

A bullshit call negates a touchdown. So, they settle for a field goal, and it’s 16-0 with a minute left in the third quarter. Then the Bills defense comes through with a couple of sacks for a total of seven so far, and the Bills get the ball back on the 10 yard line. Now it’s all about ball control. Run the ball, and jam it down their throats five yards at a time. But due to a bad penalty, the Bills wind up short of a first down by 3 yards. Moorman blasts one, and the Dolphins get it on their 46. Now it’s up to the defense. Hopefully, they had enough rest from the last series, as it was only a two minute drive.

Eleven minutes left in the game. This is where things get a little dicey. First of all, they are already in the middle of the field, and on e goood pass could result in a touchdown, or a near touchdown. Thankfully, McGee was the better man for that, and Culpepper misfires on second down. With a short pass on third down, it’s another three and out. That’s only two drives in the game where the Dolphins held the ball for longer than 6 plays.

And the Bills move the ball. That’s all they have to do. They don’t need to scor, they just need to eat clock. Reed gets a 19-yard pass completion. He’s doing well this year, so far, and stepping up after a couple of ho-hum seasons. Then, the play by Losman, scrambling around, directing traffic. He’s getting better with each game, and playing up to the potential I saw in him last year. Not great yet, but you can see the potential there, with him going 10-12 in the second half.

So the Dolphins get the ball back on the 7-yard line, with a nearly empty stadium booing the home team that has under five minutes left in the game to try to score. The Bills defense came up big with ANOTHER three-and-out, and they call a time-out before the punt. They go for it on 4th and two at the 15 and make it. Miami, with only one time out left and about three and a half minutes left, has to try to score to avoid being shut out in their home opener.

Two minutes left, and Chambers gets the touchdown, but then, it gets reviewed by the officials. There was a question of whether or not he had possession. The Dolphns try for two points and the rookie Whittner makes another great play. People question why we picked him up, and I see why very clearly, and just two games into the season. This kid is going to be good. Scary good.

The onside kick is covered by Royal, and that’s pretty much it. The Bills played a good game, and stole one of the first two games, which is what they needed to do.

It’s Dick and Marv’s first win. The first win of the new era. It was pretty much a complete game, with the second quarter being the only bad quarter, if you could call any of them bad. They played pretty much mistake-free, with no turnovers, and only four penalties. That’s very encourging, especially as young as this team is.