Pollock: The Buffalo Bills' offense was good, but two key defensive plays sparked the victory

Photo: Another key defensive stop by Terrell Berard. Photo by Leigh Bacho/Buffalo Bills.

By CHUCK POLLOCK, Wellsville Sun and Olean Star senior sports columnist

If you don’t believe momentum exists in team sports, I would offer Sunday afternoon’s matchup between the Bills and Titans at Highmark Stadium as proof to the contrary.

For the first half, Tennessee (1-5) gave Buffalo (5-2) all it wanted.

The Titans took a 10-0 lead as the Bills seemed apathetic and ill-prepared.

Tennessee still led 10-7 at intermission and was getting the ball back to start the second half.

Meanwhile, Buffalo opened with three straight three-and-outs, and worse, Amari Cooper, the veteran wideout acquired in a trade with Cleveland who was supposed to inherit the Bills’ primary receiver role, dropped the first pass Josh Allen threw his way.

So how did Buffalo end up with a 34-10 victory that was every bit as impressive in the second half, as it wasn’t in the first.

The reason was two defensive plays that snatched momentum from the Titans and handed it to the Bills to the delight of 70,842 observers who showed up on a beautiful, sunny afternoon.

AFTER THE second-half kickoff, Titans’ backup quarterback Mason Rudolph, who started in place of injured Will Levis, on second down appeared to have run for a first down to the Tennessee 45-yard line. Officials, however, ruled he was a yard short. On third down, Tony Pollard tried the middle and was stopped for a yard loss by linebackers Terrel Bernard and Dorian Williams. So, on 4th-and-2, Titans coach Bill Callahan rolled the dice and Pollard tested the middle again. This time he was stuffed by safety Taylor Rapp and rookie defensive lineman DeWayne Carter.

Buffalo took over at the Titans’ 43 and six plays later, Allen, naturally, hit Cooper for a 12-yard touchdown and Buffalo took the lead for good. It then scored on its next four possessions to turn what had been a tense game into a certified rout.

After intermission, Buffalo outgained Tennessee 299 yards to 72 after the Titans claimed the first half 217-90.

Clearly, those two stops reversed momentum in dramatic fashion and coach Sean McDermott admitted as much.

“I really think, in the second half, we did a better job on both sides of the ball and controlled the line of scrimmage,” he said. “It’s been talked about what Coop did. It’s good to have him here, making an impact in four teachable days and to come out here on Day 5 and execute (four catches for 66 yards and a TD) the way he did was impressive.”

Allen agreed.

“Any time you have a player of his caliber, he demands extra attention and if you don’t (do that) we’re probably going to throw him the ball,” he admitted. “I know Khalil (Shakir) still isn’t 100% but he played his tail off (seven catches) and Keon (Coleman rookie top draft pick) went over 100 yards (four catches for 125) for the first time in his career … so it was pretty cool.”

McDermott also gave a shout out to placekicker Tyler Bass who had to win a Tuesday kicking contest against Lucas Havrisik, added to the practice squad Monday, to determine who would kick against Tennessee.

“TBass, it was not an easy week for him, came out and executed and had some good, solid kicks (two short field goals, all four extra points),” he said.

“It was just a good, overall team win, good to do it at home in front of our fans. But we have a lot to clean up … they were able to run for 72 yards and throw for 146 in the first half and that’s a two dimensional team … you don’t know how to call the game (defensively) at that point. I thought the coaches did a really good job at halftime and the players, as well, settling down, communicating and making good adjustments.”

NOTES FROM the Bills’ 34-10 win over Tennessee, Sunday afternoon at Highmark Stadium:

— Sunday’s results couldn’t have been kinder to Buffalo. Not only did the Bills win, Miami lost at Indianapolis and the Jets were eviscerated at Pittsburgh.

Thus, the Bills (5-2) lead the Dolphins (2-4) by 2½ games and the Jets (2-5) by 3½ AND own road victories over both.

— Buffalo’s initial takeaway came in the first half when Rudolph bobbled the snap with Williams recovering. The second came in the late going when safety Damar Hamlin made his second career interception.

— A second Titans fumble was caused by edge rusher A.J. Epenesa who hit Rudolph from behind for a strip sack, but Tennessee recovered albeit for a huge loss. On the play Bernard suffered a head injury and left the game to be tested for a concussion but was cleared to return. Later, Bernard injured his ankle and was declared out.

— Buffalo’s first sack of Rudolph was shared by edge rushers Greg Rousseau (3½ on the season) and Dawuane Smoot (1½) the other two went to tackle DaQuan Jones (2) and end Epenesa (4).

— TheTitans’ lone sack of Allen was logged by linebacker Arden Key, his initial one of the season.

— When Bills’ left tackle Dion Dawkins was flagged for a false start on the second series, it was Buffalo’s 12th such pre-snap penalty. Last season the team totaled only 13 for the whole year.

— Tennessee kicker Nick Folk hit a 25-yard field goal in the first quarter, his 80th straight successful kick from 40 yards-or-less, a league record.

— Williams had game-highs in tackles (10) and solos (6) while Bernard, despite missing time with two injuries, finished with eight and six.

— Before the game, a moment of silence was observed for All-Pro guard Billy Shaw who died this month at age 85. Shaw is the only pro football Hall-of-Famer who played his entire career in the American Football League

— Inactive for Buffalo were safety Mike Edwards (illness), linebackers Joe Andreessen and Ede Ulofoshio, defensive tackle Zion Logue and offensive tackle Will Clapp.

— The Titans’ inactives were injured quarterback Will Levis (shoulder), which necessitated starting Rudolph, running back Tyjae Spears (hamstring), cornerback L’Jarius (quadriceps), defensive lineman Keondre Coburn (knee), linebacker Caleb Murphy, offensive lineman (LeRoy Watson) and tight end David Martin-Robinson.

(Chuck Pollock, a Wellsville Sun and Olean Star senior sports columnist, can be reached at cpollock@wnynet.net.)

Pollock: The Buffalo Bills’ offense was good, but two key defensive plays sparked the victory

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