By CHUCK POLLOCK, Senior Sports Columnist, Wellsville Sun, Olean Star
You knew he was going to say something like it, he always does, dominating win or blowout loss.
The Bills’ Sean McDermott did what every NFL head coach does after a game, no matter the result … find a criticism of his team’s performance.
And even though Buffalo smoked the Seahawks, 31-10 on a rainy Sunday afternoon at Seattle’s Lumen Field, to move to 6-2 and take a stranglehold on the AFC East as both the Dolphins and Jets suffered late-game losses, McDermott had a legitimate complaint.
(find more Bills coverage at www.wellsvillesun.com)
Despite an inspired performance, the Bills committed 13 penalties that cost 85 yards, but they were actually flagged 16 times, two of them offsetting and another nullified when Seattle committed a more serious violation.
“STILL A LOT to work on,” McDermott said, “penalties being one of them … some decisions that led to poor field position, we’ve got to continue to work on those and get those things cleaned up.
“We knew this was going to be a tough, tough game and it was. We knew we were going to have to play well in all three phases, and I think we did, at least at this point, enough to get the result that we were looking for.”
The Bills were led by quarterback Josh Allen who was 24-of-34 passing for 283 yards with touchdown passes to rookie wide receiver Keon Coleman and tight end Dalton Kincaid and an interception that ended a record streak.
But Allen was most impressed with two 90-yard scoring possessions in the first half, one for 90 yards on 14 plays, the other 93 yards on a dozen snaps.
“I think it takes the crowd out of it,” Allen said of those clock-eating possessions. “It quiets them down quite a bit, which helps with communication. It really helps with just the whole vibe and momentum of the game.
“Crowds can be such a big part of it. I do want to shout-out to the Bills Mafia. That was a crazy scene walking off the field to the thousands of fans still here. I appreciate them coming out. Hopefully they enjoyed the game.”
Seahawks fans didn’t as three misplays cost them as many as three touchdowns in the first half. Seattle was flagged 11 times for 82 yards (two others were offset), one of them devastating.
In the closing seconds, the Bills faced 3rd-and-7 at their own 24 when Allen threw incomplete. But Seahawks edge rusher Derick Hall hit the QB after he threw, drawing a roughing the passer penalty, a play so unnecessary it caused him to fight a teammate on the sideline.
Two snaps later Allen hit Kincaid for the 12-yard score with 18 seconds left giving Buffalo control of the game by halftime.
Early in the half, after the Bills scored on a 2-yard pass to Coleman, Seattle seemed set to tie, driving to Buffalo’s 2-yard line when the ball was centered over the head of quarterback Geno Smith. The Seahawks settled for a field goal.
Later, Seattle drove to the Bills’ 1-yard line and was stopped short. On fourth down, Smith stumbled over the right guard’s foot and fell to the ground ending the drive scoreless.
The second half belonged to Buffalo running back James Cook who rushed 17 times for 111 yards including touchdowns of two and seven yards.
NOTES FROM the Bills 31-10 blowout of the Seahawks in the rain, Sunday afternoon at Seattle’s Lumen Field.
— Buffalo now leads the Dolphins (2-5) by 3½ games and the Jets and Patriots, tied for last in the division, at 2-6, by four games and has beaten both Miami and New York on the road which is effectively an extra half game. The Dolphins lost to an Arizona field goal on the game’s last play and the Jets fell to a New England TD in the closing seconds.
— The sellout crowd of 68,704 was supposedly more than half composed of Bills fans.
“Did you hear them out there,” McDermott said of the Buffalo contingent. “I’ve been out here a number of years and I’ve never heard that. It’s a testament to the Bills, the Bills fans, the organization and the tradition they’ve built over the years.
— Buffalo’s first takeaway came when defensive tackle Austin Johnson caught a twice-tipped Geno Smith pass for an interception, the first of his football career on any level.
The second came when wide receiver Mack Hollins, playing special teams, recovered a muffed punt by Dee Williams.
— The Bills lone sack of Smith was recorded by rookie edge rusher Javon Solomon, his second of the season.
— When Seattle’s Zach Charbonnet scored from a yard out in the fourth quarter, it was the first time Buffalo had allowed a second-half touchdown in four games.
— Josh Jobe, a cornerback elevated from the practice squad, ended Allen’s streak of 300 consecutive passes without an interception in regular and postseason. It was the first pick of his career.
Allen joined a group of five quarterbacks who opened the season with at least 200 passes without a pick. The others were Bernie Kosar, Jason Campbell, Brian Hoyer and Alex Smith.
However, this season’s streak of 231 passes without an interception eclipsed Tyrod Taylor’s team record of 222.
— Bills nickelback Taron Johnson led the team with eight tackles while cornerback Rasul Douglas had six stops including a team-high five solos.
Seattle linebacker Ernest Jones had game-highs in tackles (15) and solos (7). He was acquired from Tennessee this week and, in a rarity, faced the Bills as a Titan last Sunday and a Seahawk yesterday.
— Buffalo is now 8-for-8 converting fourth downs. Four times in this season’s eight games the Bills have held a 21-point lead at some point, the most of any NFL team. The victory was Buffalo’s first win over a team with a winning record this season.
— The game marked Tom Brady’s first as a Fox-TV analyst involving Buffalo.
— Inactive for the Bills were wide receiver Curtis Samuel (shoulder), Terrel Bernard (pectoral), safety Mike Edwards, linebacker Edefuan Ulofoshio, tackle Will Clapp and defensive lineman Zion Logue.
— Key inactive for Seattle was wide receiver DK Metcalf (knee).
(Chuck Pollock, a Wellsville Sun and Olean Star senior sports columnist, can be reached at cpollock@wnynet.net.)
