Week 15: Pathetic Play By Defense And OL In Blowout Loss
Final score doesn't show how badly Bills were outplayed.
by Steve Saslow

Here are our position by position grades:

Quarterback:

Tyrod Taylor had tremendous pressure up the middle on many dropbacks. Did a nice job getting outside and running for good yardage. He finished with 79 yards on the ground on 9 scrambles. He did not have an awful game despite the final score. He kept making something out of nothing considering he has no time in the pocket. Finished with decent stats, no picks and two touchdown passes to Sammy Watkins.
Grade B: Did what he could with horrible offensive line play.

Running Backs:

LeSean McCoy made a few nice runs before getting hurt. Did get stopped three times in a row during a Redskins goal line stand. Finished with just 29 yards on 10 carries and an 8 yard reception.
Mike Gillislee got the majority of the playing time when McCoy went down and took advantage of it with a 60 yard touchdown run where he went pretty much untouched. Finished with 81 yards on four carries.
Karlos Williams didn't play until McCoy went down and then played sparingly. He carried the ball four times for a solid 41 yards.
Grade A: When all is said and done the backs had 156 yards on the ground.

Receivers:

Sammy Watkins had five catches on 10 targets and had two touchdown receptions for his fourth 100 yard receiving game on the season.
Robert Woods dropped a pass in the end zone but he illegally touched it anyway. Finished with four catches for just 44 yards.
Chris Hogan was called for a false start penalty helping short circuit a Buffalo drive. Dropped a perfectly thrown bomb. Had one 13 yard reception.
Nick O'Leary made his first NFL reception for 37 yards as he tight roped down the sidelines after the catch.
Chris Gragg had a 16 yard reception.
Grade D: Didn't help out enough.

Offensive Line:

Eric Wood was horrible in run blocking on the goal line stand.
Cyrus Kouandjio was called for an illegal motion penalty when he was sent from one side to the other and didn't get set in time.
Cordy Glenn recovered a fumble.
Jordan Mills was called for a holding penalty.
Grade F-: Is there a lower score?

Defensive Line:

Mario Williams was a non factor again. Saw him get one QB pressure.
Jerry Hughes had tremendous pressure to force a throwaway on a 2nd and 1 play. Had a nice tackle for a three yard loss. Had one sack and seven tackles.
Marcell Dareus had a tackle for loss on the opening drive.
Stefan Charles ridiculously jumped offsides on a 4th and 1 play when the Redskins were just trying to draw them offsides. This play only works on the stupidest of teams. Of course the Redskins turned the unbelievable penalty into seven points.
Grade D: Hughes was the only one doing anything in this overpaid and overrated unit.

Linebackers:

Manny Lawson had a big hit in the backfield for an 8 yard loss in the redzone. He deflected a pass and defending a second pass as well.
Preston Brown had solid pressure on one incompletion and led the team with 11 tackles.
Grade D: Left the middle of the field wide open most of the game.

Secondary:

Ronald Darby was badly beaten on a double move by DeSean Jackson for a 28 yard gain on the opening drive. He was then beaten by Jackson for a reception on the first play of the second drive.
Leodis McKelvin got beaten badly by Jackson on a 27 yard pass to setup the Redskins 2nd touchdown. Was called for holding on another play where he was badly beaten. Reed than beat him for his second touchdown. Was burned by Pierre Garcon for a fourth quarter touchdown.
Corey Graham looked silly trying to guard Jackson on his 77 yard TD reception on the first play from scrimmage in the 2nd half by Washington's offense.
Bacarri Rambo was beaten by Jordan Reed for Washington's first score. Was beaten by Garcon for an 11 yard pickup to convert a 2nd and long play.
Grade F-: The worst coverage by a secondary I've seen in a long time.

Special Teams:

Colton Schmidt had punt go off the side of his foot for 17 yards, a 12 yard net. Finished with a 33.8 net on four punts.
Dan Carpenter hit all his kicks a 32 yard field goal, and two extra points.
Marcus Thigpen had three kickoff returns for just 51 yards. A non factor.
Coverage Units were solid allowing 5 yards on 2 punt returns and just a 16.7 yard average on three kickoff returns.
Grade C: Average play which was better than the rest of the team.

Coaching:

Rex Ryan should be embarrassed to show his face the way his team quit on him in this game. He can say all he wants they didn't give up because they scored a few second half touchdowns. They were never in it and played pathetically in the first half.
Greg Roman continued to try fancy plays with no success. He was too stubborn to stop with the trick plays. Nothing good happens when EJ Manuel is in the game. His offensive line couldn't block anyone in pass protection.
Dennis Thurman had no gameplan on defense as they let the backs run over them while the receivers were running free all over the secondary.
Grade F-: Horrible game.



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