Buffalo’s offensive line might be the best it’s ever been for Josh Allen
The Buffalo Bills stampeded over the Denver Broncos during Super Wild Card Weekend. After a quick score by the Broncos to start the game, the Bills rattled off 31 unanswered points to claim their first playoff victory this postseason.
Buffalo’s game plan was clear: manhandle Denver’s defensive line in the run game first to set up the passing game second. Buffalo’s offensive line had a banner day in paving the way to victory. Let’s review how it all went down.
Bills vs. Broncos Recap
The Broncos led the NFL in sacks (63) during the regular season and boast a group of pass rushers who could get the job done from multiple spots on defense. Buffalo’s offensive line had the least amount of sacks allowed (14) in the NFL during the regular season.
This was truly a strength versus strength matchup. In the end, the Broncos did record two sacks on quarterback Josh Allen, but, overall, Buffalo’s offensive line held up adequately against the NFL’s best pass-rushing unit. Allen had himself a solid day, completing 20 of 26 pass attempts for 272 yards and two touchdowns.
Part of the Bills’ game plan was to limit Denver’s ability to rush the passer by running the football. This is where Buffalo’s offensive line really left its mark.
The Bills ran it 44 times (3 of those were kneel-downs at the end of the game) for 210 yards and one touchdown. Taking out the three kneel-downs, the Bills average 5.2 yards per carry — a dominant outing by Buffalo’s run game.
all told, the ground game helped them hog time of possession — 41:43 to just 18:17 for the Broncos. Now, let’s review some film!
Film Analysis
Play 1
This zone-blocking run play created a nice cutback lane for running back James Cook up the middle. Notice how the entire right side of Buffalo’s offensive line washed away Denver’s players. Extra offensive lineman Alec Anderson led the charge for Cook, creating a wall to run behind.
Play 2
The outside toss play was blocked wonderfully by the Bills. Here, tight end Dawson Knox helped knock the defensive lineman back inside for Brown to handle and seal off inside. Then, Knox worked to the second level to kick out the linebacker. Alec Anderson did a nice job of widening the hole for Ty Johnson to hit for a big chunk play.
Play 3
The Bills had solid protection for Allen on this pass, especially on the inside where they held up extremely well. After nothing was initially open for Allen, the edges started to creep in on him. Watch how Spencer Brown positioned himself to seal the edge defender inside so Allen could roll out to his right. Brown was in-sync with Allen on his rollout scrambles all game, it truly is an art Brown has mastered and it’s amazing to watch.
Play 4
I’ll say one thing, I wouldn’t want to take on a pulling Dion Dawkins. Number 52 from the Broncos now feels the same way.
Play 5
This duo run play was made successful in large part because of center Connor McGovern’s block. Watch number 66 as he blocked a defensive tackle 10 yards down the field, leading the way for James Cook to have a big gain.
Play 6
The Bills brought in fullback Reggie Gilliam on this play, something we saw more than usual in this game. Gilliam executed a perfect kickout block for Cook to cut behind, while guard David Edwards pulled around the end and sniffed out the scraping linebacker so Cook could run free.
Play 7
Dion Dawkins is a beast, and it’s a shame he isn’t an All-Pro. His technique and footwork, especially in this play, are second to none. It’s truly amazing watching a man of his size being so nimble with his feet. Once again, we see Spencer Brown checking in to see where Allen was at in his process, and once he realized Allen was rolling out, he moved with him. Love this.
Play 8
A perfect pocket resulted in a perfect throw, which resulted in an amazing catch and run for a touchdown! The pocket Buffalo’s offensive line provided for Allen gave him a clear sightline to his target and allowed him to make an easy toss for a touchdown. I also like how Brown mixed it up here and faked the usual kick step. Where instead, he attacked the EDGE defender, which ended up surprising him and resulting in zero pressure.
In Summary
The Buffalo Bills’ offensive line didn’t have a good outing against the Baltimore Ravens in their Week 4 matchup earlier this season. They allowed three sacks that day, the most they allowed in a single game all season. Allen was regularly under pressure and the blitz game by the Ravens seemed to confuse Buffalo’s entire offense.
DddThis offensive line has basically had a whole season to gel together since then, and in the process becoming one of the best offensive lines in the NFL. I would imagine these guys are eager to have another crack at the Ravens, and their performance should reflect the dominance we saw in the game versus the Broncos.