New Orleans Saints vs. Buffalo Bills Preview & Prediction | PFF
The Saints are traveling to the Buffalo Bills. Um, maybe the hottest team in the NFL, maybe the most feared team in the NFL, one that a lot of I think some people would have said the Packers before last week, but now that they lost to the Browns, I think the Brown the the Bills probably take that crown here. Uh, what are you looking What do you want to talk about here? You want to talk about the Bills side of things or the Saints side of things? I I think the Bills offensively, obviously, what makes them one of the most feared teams in the NFL is just the Josh Allen’s existence, right? when you have number 17, you have a chance to win any game. But I think the other thing is really it’s Joe Brady and the number of different personnel groupings he can get in. And one thing I want to just focus on, put the spotlight on for the Bills is this group of tight ends is just ridiculously good. And the and the number of ways that Joe Brady uses them just fantastic stuff because there are three different guys with three different skill sets, right? You’re talking about Dawson Knox as a big veteran blocker who can occasionally give you something in the passing game. Dalton Conincaid who’s more of a flexible receiver who you can move around the formation and then Jackson Haw I mean honestly he’s almost like Dawson Knox Jr. If I’m being honest, he’s kind of the same style of player, but when you have both those guys on the field, it’s like having extra offensive lineman. Bills tight ends right now as a group are second in the NFL and PFF grade. They’re 10th in receiving grade and they’re second in run blocking grade. It’s a big part of the reason the Bills as a team lead the NFL in run blocking grade. These tight ends along with their offensive line. They are the highest graded team on offense in the league when multiple tight ends are on the field. And you just look at all the different packages that Joe Brady can go with. He can put Daltton Concaid out in the slot and then either Haw or Knox in line and you can still have that run pass kind of balance despite having two tight ends on the field. He can have Knox and Haw out there both in big run formations in true 12 personnel and you’ve got like seven offensive linemen. There was sets last week where they were putting Haw and Knox out there with an extra offensive lineman uh Alec Anderson out there and you’ve basically got eight guys who can just maul people up front. The Bills offensive line is really good, but what these tight ends are adding to both the run game and the pass game just makes them so dynamic no matter what personnel grouping they’re in. So, I think week in and week out, I think we need to start watching their usage and just the different ways that they use all three of these tight ends because Joe Brady’s doing a hell of a job with it. Yeah. I mean, they’re staying very traditional in sort of what their approach is, right? I mean, like, if you can’t stop the run, if you can’t stop us in our jumbo packages, like whatever you want to call these these bigger packages where you’ve got the extra offensive lineman or you’re playing like 13 personnel or something like that. If you can’t stop our power run game, we’re going to keep doing it. It’s just it’s just as simple as that. Like, and then obviously when they spread it out, they’ve got an alien at quarterback that they feel good about. But if you can’t stop the run with this team, they’re just going to continue to go after you. The only chance that the Saints have in this game is if they keep the Bills offense on the on the sideline, right? And the only way that they’re able to do that is if they continue to lean in on the run game. Now, this might be a surprise to some people out there, but the Saints actually aren’t too bad at rushing the football this season. 73.0 team rush grade, which is 13th in the NFL. They have 18 missed tackles forced, which is eighth, top 10 mark. 3.9 yards per carry average. Okay, that’s 20th. And then 21st in EPA per rush, that’s 21st. So, it’s not a a you know, it’s not the best rushing attack in the league, but they’re capable of having good days. And if they’re able to control the clock more than people expect, well, that’s really the only chance that they have in this because, let’s face it, this is the biggest game spread of the season so far. The Bills are a 15 and a half point favorite uh in this game. And at one point I saw that it was 16 as well, which is just an insane amount of points to be giving another team. I understand that it’s in Buffalo, but that 15 and a half number is more insulting than how I think the Saints have been playing this season. Another problem for them though is the O line and the inconsistencies there. No offensive lineman has a seasonl long uh overall blocking grade above 70. Um Eric McCoy is the closest one with a 69.3, but nobody else is really close to that mark outside of him. And so the Saints offensive line just has to play better. They haven’t played super well um early on this season through three games, but I I don’t think that they have a ch. The Saints are just trying to cover this game, right? And I think the only chance that they cover it is is if they can control the football. And um obviously if you get a couple of turnovers, you never know what happens. But there’s a reason why they are more than two touchdown favorites. And for as much as I think it’s disrespectful to how well the Saints have played at times through three weeks, I do get it. I got Bills 31, I got Saints 14. So, I have the Bills even uh even covering that number. Yeah, there’s two or three games a year uh where Buffalo, especially at home, they just take care of business. I I mean, they just have they really have no business keeping the Saints in this game. I’ve got the Bills 35-13. I just think offensively, too many answers to too many problems. The Saints defense has not played horribly. At least in their first two games, they didn’t play horribly. Brandon Staley has got them keeping things in front of them with more zone coverage. Deario Davis has been fantastic at linebacker. He’ll be a big factor against this run game. But I I just don’t think the Saints really have enough when you look at what they have on offense, quarterback, offensive line, and then their defense. It just kind of fell apart last week. I like the Bills a lot in this game.
PFF’s Dalton Wasserman and Trevor Sikkema preview the matchup between The New Orleans Saints and The Buffalo Bills.
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11 comments
bills 34 saints 14
Bills schedule is so soft
Which QB do you think the Saints should be starting?
31 -14. ♥️💙
If bills don't play Grabass and keep the saints in the game, should be a blowout
The Bills defense is average now. Later in the year they are going to look quite different.
48-20 Bills.
37-13 Bills
In 2019 The Bills were 17 point underdogs against the Vikings and they won by 20!
How these guys still have a show….wrong every week…just bet opposite whatever they say 😂😂😂
Bills. 37 – 10.