The Buffalo Bills returned home in Week 7, hosting the Tennessee Titans (1-4), and there were expectations that the offense, featuring new receiver Amari Cooper, would put on a show. It was increasing. The Bills coaches appeared to be on the same page as the fans, winning the toss and opting to receive and start the offense right from the start.
But that was far from the beginning of the game. Instead, the Bills ran James Cook straight to the Titans. After missing last week with a toe injury, Cook had two runs for 9 yards, but then the Bills opted to give up the run game, with Amari Cooper dropping Josh Allen’s third-and-one pass. It set the tone for the first half of the game. The match was decided.
The Bills would start the game with three consecutive 3-and-outs, the first time that has happened since 2019. However, the Titans scored on their second possession to make it 3-0 with 2:57 left in the first quarter. .
Titans backup quarterback Mason Rudolph was playing in place of rookie Will Reavis, who was sidelined with a shoulder injury, on Saturday and was significantly outperformed by Allen. After 15 minutes of play, Rudolph gained 85 yards. Allen’s grade was a pathetic 5. The Bills offense was on the field for less than five minutes and was unable to move the chains once as they averaged just two yards per play.
Adding to the Bills’ offensive struggles, wide receiver Curtis Samuel was sent to the locker room with a head injury. He hasn’t been a very productive player on the offensive line, catching just 12 passes for 92 yards this season.
The second quarter began with a similar development. The Titans moved the ball at will, helped by Taron Johnson’s second targeting penalty in as many weeks, and Tennessee scored its first goal on its first possession of the second half. Three plays (and XP later) made the game 10-0, with Bills fans shaking their heads and booing more than cheering.
But kickoff returner Brandon Codrington decided he had had enough of the chaos and returned the ensuing kick 27 yards, giving the Bills the ball at their own 39. Josh Allen and his staff took the hint and got to work quickly. Again, it took just three plays for Buffalo, but this time it was the point, not the punt, that stopped their momentum. A 6-yard pass to Khalil Shaquille, a 45-yard pass to rookie Keon Coleman, and a James Cook 11-yard run ended in the end zone, giving the Bills the upper hand.
Buffalo’s first three drives consisted of nine plays with just 18 net yards. The next drive was 3 plays, 61 yards, and 7 points.
The tide appeared to have turned, especially on Tennessee’s next possession when Bills LB Terrell Bernard took advantage of a mishandled snap and fell on the ball, giving the offense another scoring chance. However, Buffalo’s offense continued to struggle, allowing an 8-yard sack and leaving it to Sam Martin to punt again.
Tennessee moved the ball toward midfield, and Rudolph spiked it to the Buffalo 46 with one second left in halftime to stop the clock. The Bills recalled New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ Hail Mary pass at halftime last week and sent their wide receiver. Mack Hollins comes in to help on defense. However, Rudolph chose to throw the ball to the middle of the field rather than to Rodgers. The Titans continued to play hot football with a shot at gold, but it didn’t happen and the ball ultimately went down without doing any further damage.
In retrospect, the Titans only scored 10 points in the first half, so maybe they knew they needed to score one more time before the half.
They came out of the locker room trying to get the game going, betting on 4th-and-2 on the first drive. However, Bills rookie Dwayne Carter exploded with a play that ended the Titans’ threat.
Josh Allen finally decided it was time to work and started pitching. A 15-yard first-down pass to Coleman and a third-down conversion to Dalton Kincaid after Allen took the sack had the Bills in the red zone. After his first pass to Kincaid and 10 passes were incomplete, Amari Cooper made his first catch as a Buffalo Bill, which was good for seven points.
Buffalo 14, Tennessee 10.
Again, the Titans tried to keep it a respectable game, but despite a pass interference call, the Buffalo defense held out despite giving Tennessee another down near midfield. Ta. Taron Johnson’s pre-snap antics frustrated the Titans and he was called a false start. Greg Rousseau followed with a sack, and at 3rd and 18, Tennessee decided to run the ball. The three yards they gained were nowhere near the first down marker.
An additional highlight for Buffalo was what the final quarter and a half was made of. Cooper caught passes for gains of 19 and 27 yards. Coleman gained 57 yards on a catch-and-run. Rousseau finished the day with six quarterback hits. Damar Hamlin recorded his second career interception, tying Ja’Marcus Ingram for the most INTs for a Buffalo Bill this season.
Tyler Bass was also perfect. After the Bills brought competition into their facility this week after Bass missed a field goal and PAT last week (season FG average 75%), they made four extra points and two field goals (one from 30 yards). ) were all successful. And one from 28.
Allen’s 100th career start wasn’t going to be memorable, but he finished the day with 323 yards (his 26th time throwing for 300 or more yards) and two touchdowns. And the Bills offense with Amari Cooper has regained its identity.