CFZ Scouting report on playing the Bills in Buffalo

[DuncanIso]

I agree that the bills are hard to read. They are capable of beating anyone but Allen is meteoric. He either looks like a dominant talent or like a rookie trying to find himself. His tendencies to throw into obvious tight coverage spots are completely mystifying. As Allen goes, so go the bills.

Bills teams stats are solid.

Dallas needs a running game to beat them.

They are solid.

 

[DuncanIso]

Must win.

Eagles schedule is cake.

 

[CCBoy]

I‘m actually excited to see how the Cowboys handle another tough opponent on the road this Sunday. We have not played as well on the road as we have at home, which is certainly not uncommon. But these next 2 road games vs Buffalo and Mia will go a very long way in prepping this team for the playoffs no matter what seed we become. Winning on the road against a good team is what every playoff team will need to do (except fit the #1 seed)

So what are some facts about playing the bills in Buffalo? Here’s some interesting stats and tidbits:

• The bills are 12-3 at home since 2022.
• Last year the bills were 7-1 at home, losing only to the colts in a strange blowout home loss 41-15.
• This year, the bills home losses are to Jacksonville 25-20 and to Denver 24-22.
• The bills average margin of victory at home this year is +15.2, which is 3rd best behind Mia (+17) and Dallas (+24)
• The bills average 29.7 pts at home and only average surrendering about 14 points a game at home.
• The Cowboys avg 23.7 points on the road. (Compared to avg a whopping 39.7 at home!)
• Josh Allen is 33-13 as a starter at home in Buffalo. JA has thrown 14 INTs this season (Dak has thrown 6) and interestingly 9 of Allen’s pics have been at home.

Some takeaways from the above stats:

• Dallas will realistically need to score somewhere between 24-30 points to win based on how the bills have played at home this yr.
• In the bills 2 home losses this year, Josh Allen has thrown 3 pics so getting at least a couple of them Sunday would go a long way in stopping them.
• Allen is an outstanding running QB, especially in the red zone. We will need a spy on him that is a reliable tackler in space.

The Cowboys will need to play their best road game of the year so far this Sunday to win. I think their chances are great as long as our offense can muster around 24-30 points.

I think a victory against a somewhat weaker Buffalo team will solidify the defensive side much more strongly than the defense inched towards prior to what I say offensively, more productive than San Francisco. This would be a huge win/win...first, take care of Cooks, Diggs, and runs by Allen will be a big step up from.

 

[Canadian BoyzFan]

Game points:

Use Gilmore on Diggs.
Spy Allen
Generate pressure without blitzing
Make Buffalo drive the field
Beware scramble drill big plays

Attack the Bills LB’s and S
Stay reasonably balanced to keep the clock moving
Use Ferguson a lot

 

[blueblood70]

I agree. Allen is more physically gifted. Romo had a good arm but not like Allen. But they both have/had a penchant for attempting to make throws that were best not thrown.

Yeah but that's why it's easy to say Tony Romo did remind us of Brett farve but truly Josh Allen is Brett farve 2.0....

 

[blueblood70]

I‘m actually excited to see how the Cowboys handle another tough opponent on the road this Sunday. We have not played as well on the road as we have at home, which is certainly not uncommon. But these next 2 road games vs Buffalo and Mia will go a very long way in prepping this team for the playoffs no matter what seed we become. Winning on the road against a good team is what every playoff team will need to do (except fit the #1 seed)

So what are some facts about playing the bills in Buffalo? Here’s some interesting stats and tidbits:

• The bills are 12-3 at home since 2022.
• Last year the bills were 7-1 at home, losing only to the colts in a strange blowout home loss 41-15.
• This year, the bills home losses are to Jacksonville 25-20 and to Denver 24-22.
• The bills average margin of victory at home this year is +15.2, which is 3rd best behind Mia (+17) and Dallas (+24)
• The bills average 29.7 pts at home and only average surrendering about 14 points a game at home.
• The Cowboys avg 23.7 points on the road. (Compared to avg a whopping 39.7 at home!)
• Josh Allen is 33-13 as a starter at home in Buffalo. JA has thrown 14 INTs this season (Dak has thrown 6) and interestingly 9 of Allen’s pics have been at home.

Some takeaways from the above stats:

• Dallas will realistically need to score somewhere between 24-30 points to win based on how the bills have played at home this yr.
• In the bills 2 home losses this year, Josh Allen has thrown 3 pics so getting at least a couple of them Sunday would go a long way in stopping them.
• Allen is an outstanding running QB, especially in the red zone. We will need a spy on him that is a reliable tackler in space.

The Cowboys will need to play their best road game of the year so far this Sunday to win. I think their chances are great as long as our offense can muster around 24-30 points.

Exactly how I've been looking at this no way we should be overconfident going into this outdoor game with some precipitation some high winds on the road been the Dallas Cowboys Achilles heel for a very long time... We better come focused because the key to this game is whoever makes the least amount of mistakes it's going to win this game because in my opinion just the talent level being we're playing on the road it's basically even to me so it's who blinks first who makes the biggest mistakes to lose the game is actually going to lose it... It's too bad that the Dallas Cowboys up to this point this year have been lacking a physical offensive line with a physical running game that can travel cause you need to run the football more than throw it in this type of game and right now we've been throwing the football early and often in order to loosen up the defense and then being able to run I don't think this is a game you're going to be able to do that...

A cold slippery football is not good for an offense that's very pass heavy and it has a problem running the football and I believe they're going to do everything in their power to keep that trend going the bills are going to force the pass they know we like to pass the ball but in this game they probably know we're going to try to come out and establish the run and they're going to do what they can to stop that and I don't like throwing a slippery football in the wind and not also have our receivers have to catch that type of football...

So yeah this game worries me because our weakness on offense has been the run game I don't care how average it is and how it's doing just enough all in the road in a weather game is when you need a strong physical offensive line any running back that can handle just being pounded all game...
So I hope they have a game plan and I sure hope they lean on Rico a little bit more and hunter and really establish the run early..

 

[Mac_MaloneV1]

Yah sorry. Trends matter. Past performance matters. Culture matters. Mentality carries over from one season to the next.

Nah. This is mythology that fans like to tell themselves.

Also, you can't say "trends" and "past performance" because they're completely at odds with each other in the point your making. 2023 is a trend.

 

[J-man]

I'm worried about this game. But not because of their team being better than ours, but because of a couple outside factors that seem to be snow balling against us this week.
1. The weather is looking more and more like it's going to be bad. That grass field is traditionally slow as crap anyway, but if the weather is trash on top of that, it could make for seriously rough sledding. And lets face it, our team isn't exactly known for "climate" toughness.
2. We are suddenly in danger of not having multiple key players for this one. Hankins will and now Hooker could miss the game with ankle injuries. Plus we now have several players down with the flu bug that Micah just had.

It's tough to win on the road, it's tough to win in bad weather, it's tough to win when you're short handed. All of these factors at once make it a very daunting task.

 

[Creeper]

This game is the next measuring stick for Dallas - beating a good team on the road. Their only road wins are the Giants, Chargers, and Panthers. I think the Chargers are a better team than the Giants and Panthers but nothing to write home about when you beat them.

I think the Cowboys will need to beat good teams on the road in the playoffs. This game will tell us a lot.

On the other hand, given the weather forecast, it could be a messy nasty day in Buffalo that could effect both teams and change the outcome.

 

[Mark]

The weather is looking more and more like it's going to be bad. That grass field is traditionally slow as crap anyway, but if the weather is trash on top of that, it could make for seriously rough sledding.

Highmark Stadium has A-Turf Titan 50 artificial turf.

 

[J-man]

Highmark Stadium has A-Turf Titan 50 artificial turf.

oh wow really? I always remember that field being grass and terribly slow. Thanks for educating me, shows you what I know! lol

 

[Mark]

oh wow really? I always remember that field being grass and terribly slow.

The Bills have been on artificial turf since 1973.

The new stadium, scheduled to open for the 2026 season, will have natural grass.

 

[Hawkeye19]

Nah. This is mythology that fans like to tell themselves.

Also, you can't say "trends" and "past performance" because they're completely at odds with each other in the point your making. 2023 is a trend.

Nah— don’t agree. Dynasties are real and are built over time. So are teams that historically under-achieve and are perennial basement dwellers.

NEP with Belichik and Brady had a culture, chemistry, and dynamic that carried over many seasons. And they intentionally built it.

On the inverse— you have the Bills in the 90’s with Levy and Jim Kelly. They had the talent, but couldn’t win the big one despite 4 SB appearances. The mentality and carry-over from those losses had a toll on the franchise.

Closer to home— during the 90’s dynasties in Dallas— Johnson established a culture and a mentality that had a carry-over effect. Most would agree that Switzer won with Johnson’s roster and players that continued to apply Johnson’s ways like Aikman and Emmitt. Yet— it quickly faded after that last SB.

So yah. Each season is it’s own expression of the culture, talent, and organizational practices and values that have accumulated over a period of time. Ownership, FO, and HC changes can affect things at a macro level— but there’s a reason the “Garrett Cowboys” look and feel different than the “McCarthy Cowboys” or the “Landry Cowboys”.

 

[Mac_MaloneV1]

Nah— don’t agree. Dynasties are real and are built over time. So are teams that historically under-achieve and are perennial basement dwellers.

NEP with Belichik and Brady had a culture, chemistry, and dynamic that carried over many seasons. And they intentionally built it.

On the inverse— you have the Bills in the 90’s with Levy and Jim Kelly. They had the talent, but couldn’t win the big one despite 4 SB appearances. The mentality and carry-over from those losses had a toll on the franchise.

Closer to home— during the 90’s dynasties in Dallas— Johnson established a culture and a mentality that had a carry-over effect. Most would agree that Switzer won with Johnson’s roster and players that continued to apply Johnson’s ways like Aikman and Emmitt. Yet— it quickly faded after that last SB.

So yah. Each season is it’s own expression of the culture, talent, and organizational practices and values that have accumulated over a period of time. Ownership, FO, and HC changes can affect things at a macro level— but there’s a reason the “Garrett Cowboys” look and feel different than the “McCarthy Cowboys” or the “Landry Cowboys”.

The Patriots are the perfect example of why culture doesn't matter lol

Talent defines culture.

 

[Bobhaze]

The Patriots are the perfect example of why culture doesn't matter lol

Talent defines culture.

Well Mac, we’ve disagreed over this before and I have to disagree again. It takes talent AND culture. If talent was the only thing needed, why even have coaches? Why even have film study? Why even look at a player’s off-field life before drafting?

Culture is the container for talent. A strong culture maximizes talent while a weak culture inhibits talent.

We can certainly agree to disagree. Just wanted to make the point again that culture is a critical piece of any team’s success. It seems pretty obvious to me. Again, for sure you have to have talent. But that alone ain’t enough.

 

[noshame]

You may very well be right. Why do you feel that way?

I think the dolphins play faster, better if that makes sense.

 

[Typhus]

Would be nice to have Overshown

DQ will next season and Kearse is probably gone.

 

[Bobhaze]

I think the dolphins play faster, better if that makes sense.

Good point. And we tend to not play as well on grass.

 

[JustChip]

Markquese Bell, come on down... and spy Josh Allan

Too bad Overshown was lost for the year. His speed and physicality would make him the perfect anecdote for Allen running.

 

[Mac_MaloneV1]

Well Mac, we’ve disagreed over this before and I have to disagree again. It takes talent AND culture. If talent was the only thing needed, why even have coaches? Why even have film study? Why even look at a player’s off-field life before drafting?

Culture is the container for talent. A strong culture maximizes talent while a weak culture inhibits talent.

We can certainly agree to disagree. Just wanted to make the point again that culture is a critical piece of any team’s success. It seems pretty obvious to me. Again, for sure you have to have talent. But that alone ain’t enough.

Talent defines culture. There is no such thing as culture without talent. Coaches and film study are all a part of talent.

Again, New England sucks. All we've heard for 15 years is The Patriot Way and blah blah blah. Turns out, that doesn't mean anything now that they lost most of their talent.