Bills replay
‘Dead zone’ offense doomed Bills
Inside 20: 8 runs, 7 passes added up to 3 points
The red zone was a dead zone for the Buffalo Bills during their 10-3 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.
Four times the Bills marched inside the 49ers’ 20-yard line and got only three points. The two missed field goals by Rian Lindell kept the Bills off the scoreboard, but so did poor execution and some stout play by the 49ers’ defense.
Much of the talk about the Bills’ red zone struggles was focused on the play calling. Offensive coordinator Turk Schonert was roundly criticized for not running the ball more, especially with running back Marshawn Lynch enjoying his best game of the season.
But upon closer inspection, Schonert gave the running game a chance in the red zone. He called for a run on the first play of each red zone possession, but Lynch or Fred Jackson was stopped for little or no gain. Of the Bills’ 15 red-zone snaps, eight were runs for a total of only 13 yards.
That doesn’t completely absolve Schonert because the offense had the ball inside the 10-yard line twice with 2 or less yards needed for the first down and failed both times.
So despite Lynch’s 134-yard performance and statistically the best defensive effort of the season, the Bills’ inefficiency in the red zone was the biggest reason for their fifth loss in the last six weeks.
“We have to get the ball in the end zone somehow, any way at all,” coach Dick Jauron said Monday. “Obviously our kicking game was not strong yesterday. It’s not an easy task because you have a lot of bodies crammed into a much smaller field the closer you get to the goal line. We just have to find the guys that can score and they’ve got to make the plays to score.”
Here’s a closer look at what went wrong in the red zone:
First possession
After WR Lee Evans caught a 22-yard pass, the Bills have a first down at the 49ers’ 19-yard line. From the shotgun formation, QB Trent Edwards hands off to Lynch, who heads toward the left side of the line. But DE Ray McDonald fights off RG Brad Butler and RT Langston Walker and drops Lynch for no gain.
The Bills keep it on the ground for the next three plays before Edwards’ second-down pass from the 2 is batted down by DE Kentwan Balmer, whose effort prevented a touchdown to TE Derek Fine, who was open in the back of the end zone.
On third-and-goal, the Bills go to three wide receivers and one back (Lynch). Edwards takes the shotgun snap and rolls to his right as the 49ers initially rush five. Walker and Lynch take blitzing SS Michael Lewis, but ILB Patrick Willis comes clean on a delayed blitz and forced Edwards to throw the ball away. Lindell misses the ensuing 20-yard field goal.
Second possession
A 50-yard run by Lynch sets up a first-and-goal from the 9. The 49ers show a six-man front along the line of scrimmage. When TE Derek Schouman blocks down on left OLB Parys Haralson, there is no one to take FS Mark Roman. Lynch spins off Roman’s hit, but can’t dodge Lewis, who blitzed off the left side of the defense to tackle Lynch for a 3-yard loss.
Quarterback J. P. Losman gets 8 yards on a pass to Evans to make it third-and-goal at the 4. Parrish, who is in the slot on the left side of the formation, turns outside on his route, pivots and moves inside. He’s got good position on CB Donald Strickland. Losman, who had good protection against a four-man rush, fires the pass into Parrish’s chest. But Strickland sticks his left arm in and knocks the ball out. The Bills settle for a 22-yard field goal.
Third possession
The Bills call a run for Lynch on first down at the 15. The offensive line has everyone blocked, but doesn’t get much movement. Lynch is initially indecisive where to go before plowing straight ahead and getting buried under a pile of 49ers defenders led by ILB Takeo Spikes.
On the next play, Losman delivers a pass to Schouman over the middle at the 7. Schouman breaks the first tackle, but fumbles as he’s hit by Spikes and Willis. The drive is preserved by LG Derrick Dockery falling on the ball.
It’s now third-and-1 at the 6. The Bills are in an I-formation with Jackson at fullback in front of Lynch. The Bills try to cross up the 49ers by handing off to Jackson. But there is no movement up front. Jackson runs into a wall of bodies and gets dragged down for a 1-yard loss by Haralson, who was unblocked coming off the left side of the Bills’ line, and DE Justin Smith.
The Bills decide to go for it on fourth down and send out a three-receiver formation. The 49ers dial up an all-out blitz, seven men overall. The offensive line, with help from Schouman and Lynch, picks up the rush briefly and Losman appears to have Evans with a step on CB Walt Harris inside the 5. But before Losman can make the throw, McDonald sheds Preston’s block, shoots up the middle and hits Losman’s right arm to force the incompletion.
Fourth possession
The Bills like to run out of the shotgun formation, and they try it on second-and-3 from the 49ers’ 18. Jackson runs off right tackle, but Butler can’t hold his block on DT Isaac Sapoaga, who powers his way into the backfield and pulls Jackson down at the 19 for a yard loss.
On third-and-4, Losman takes the shotgun snap against a four-man rush. Losman has a clean pocket as he goes through his progressions. Finding no one open, he pulls the ball down and tries to scramble. But running up the middle allows LB Roderick Green to peel off Dockery’s block and make the sack at the 22. Lindell’s 40-yard field goal attempt hits the upright and the Bills’ final red-zone opportunity ends.
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