2024-10-21 03:55:05
ORCHARD PARK – The fact that Tennessee Titans starting quarterback Will Levis will not be playing Sunday afternoon might not be a positive development for the Buffalo Bills.
Levis, a 2023 second-round pick who has struggled to get a foothold in the NFL, and was leading the league in both interceptions (7) and turnovers (8) through the first six weeks of 2024, was ruled out Saturday night as he continues to deal with a shoulder injury.
In his place will be backup Mason Rudolph, now in his fifth NFL season and first in Tennessee after spending his four years with the Steelers. Last January, Rudolph started against the Bills in an AFC wild-card playoff game and completed 22 of 39 passes for 229 yards with two TDs and an interception in a game Buffalo won 31-17.
It’s not like Rudolph is a star in the making, but there’s a good chance that he will give the Titans a more consistent performance against the Bills than Levis, so it’s something to watch.
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It was an ugly start for the Bills but Buffalo turned it on in the second half. Buffalo scored 34 unanswered points after falling behind 10-0 in the first half.
Josh Allen completed 21 of 33 passes for 323 yards and two touchdowns and Ray Davis and James Cook each rushed for a touchdown. Keon Coleman had 125 receiving yards for the Bills.
Mason Rudolph went 25 of 40 for 215 yards with a touchdown and interception and Tony Pollard lost 4 yards rushing in the second half and finished with 61 yards on 16 carries.
The Bills defense forced two turnovers and held the Titans to 64 yards rushing in the second half.
Buffalo improves to 5-2. Tennessee is 1-5.
The Bills are pouring it on. Rookie Keon Coleman took a short pass 57 yards and fellow rookie Ray Davis ran for a 16-yard touchdown.
Even when the Titans moved the ball in the second half they came up empty. On third-and-4 at the Bills’ 20, Damar Hamlin intercepted Mason Rudolph after the pass was tipped by cornerback Christian Benford. It’s Hamlin’s second interception of the year.
Keon Coleman nearly made the third touchdown catch of his rookie season. The Bills marched 59 yards and on third-and-3, Allen appeared to throw a 12-yard back-shoulder score to Coleman, who made the catch with one hand. Replay officials reviewed the score and it was reversed and ruled an incompletion. Tyler Bass made a 30-yard field goal. Buffalo has scored 27 unanswered points.
The Titans have 9 yards of offense in the second half. Mason Rudolph threw three incompletions and Tennessee punted. Ryan Stonehouse punted 41 yards. Ja’Marcus Ingram muffed the punt but Brandon Codrington picked it up and returned it 8 yards to the Bills’ 29-yard line.
The Bills have scored 24 straight points.
Josh Allen has looked sharp in the second half. He threw a 27-yard pass to Amari Cooper and found Dalton Kincaid near the right sideline for 25 yards to the Titans’ 2-yard line. Tennessee challenged the ruling on the field but the pass completion was upheld. Two plays later, Allen checked down to Ty Johnson over the middle for a 4-yard touchdown.
Tennessee’s offense has done nothing in the second half. Center Lloyd Cushenberry III was penalized for holding and offensive tackle JC Latham committed a false start. Ryan Stonehouse punted 53 yards and Brandon Codrington returned it 14 yards to the Bills’ 44.
Buffalo’s offense has moved the ball much more efficiently in the second half. Ray Davis sprinted up the middle for 22 yards and Josh Allen completed deep left to Amari Cooper for 19 yards. A 9-yard reception by Khalil Shakir and defensive offside penalty gave the Bills first-and-10 at the Titans’ 13-yard line. Tyler Bass made a 28-yard field goal.
Amari Cooper’s first catch with the Bills was a touchdown. Josh Allen completed to Dalton Kincaid for 17 yards to convert a third-and-12 and two plays later Allen found Cooper, who was acquired last week in a trade, for a 12-yard touchdown.
Jha’Quan Jackson returned the kickoff 34 yards to the Titans’ 36-yard line to start the second half. Tennessee head coach Brian Callahan elected to go for it on fourth-and-2 from the Titans’ 44-yard line and Tony Pollard was dropped for a 3-yard loss.
The Bills offense has four three-and-outs. The Titans have outgained the Bills 219 yards to 90 yards. Tennessee has 13 first downs to Buffalo’s three first downs.
Josh Allen has completed 4 of 11 passes for 65 yards, the majority on a 44-yard completion to Keon Coleman, and James Cook has 26 yards rushing and a touchdown on six carries.
Mason Rudolph is 17 of 22 for 130 yards and a touchdown, and Tony Pollard has 65 yards rushing on 11 carries for the Titans.
James Cook rushed for 2 yards, Josh Allen threw incomplete and Allen scrambled for 7 yards. Sam Martin punted 27 yards to the Titans’ 40-yard line.
Tennessee’s drive started promising with a first down on Mason Rudolph’s 10-yard pass to Chigoziem Okonkwo. On the ensuing play, Rudolph was sacked by defensive end A.J. Epenesa and Rudolph fumbled. The ball was knocked around before it was recovered by center Lloyd Cushenberry III for a 20-yard loss. Tennessee ran for 12 yards on third-and-28 and punted.
Ray Davis carried up the middle for no gain. Dalton Kincaid made a 10-yard reception for a first down. On the ensuing play, Josh Allen was spun down by linebacker Arden Key for an 8-yard loss. Allen threw incomplete passes on second down and third down. Sam Martin punted 44 yards into the end zone for a touchback.
Tennessee turned the ball over. Mason Rudolph dropped a first-and-10 snap from the Titans’ 43. Linebacker Terrel Bernard recovered the fumble. It’s the 11th turnover of the season for the Titans. Buffalo’s defense has forced a turnover in nine straight games.
Well, after sleeping through the first 18 minutes of the game, the Bills finally woke up.
Brandon Codrington returned the kickoff out to the Bills 39, Josh Allen threw a six-yard pass to Khalil Shakir, and then he found Keon Coleman wide open down the seam thanks to a Titans coverage breakdown and Coleman went 44 yards to the 11. And on the next snap, James Cook blew through the middle for a touchdown. So, 61 yards, three plays, and now it’s 10-7.
The Bills are in early trouble against the 1-4 Titans. They have been completely outplayed, outcoached and outclassed in the first quarter-plus of this game, and now trail 10-0.
After the Bills’ third straight three-and-out on offense, Tennessee took possession at its own 25 and marched right down field for the second time. The drive began with a 24-yard Mason Rudolph pass to Chig Okonkwo. Later there was a 14-yard Tony Pollard run, a 12-yard pass to Josh Whyle, and then a killer personal foul penalty on third down on Taron Johnson that gave the Titans a first and goal at the 7.
Instead of being down just 6-0, the Bills now trail 10-0 because Rudolph hit Nick Westbrook-Ihine with a four-yard TD pass on yet another third down.
The Titans have outgained the Bills 140 to 18.
Buffalo’s offense is out of sync and has three three-and-outs to start the game. James Cook rushed for 5 yards, Cook was stopped stuffed for a 1-yard loss and Josh Allen threw incomplete for Mack Hollins. Sam Martin punted 39 yards to the Titans’ 27. Tennessee was flagged for holding on the return and will begin at their 25-yard line.
Curtis Samuel has a shoulder injury and is questionable to return.
Tony Pollard ran for 2 yards, defensive end Greg Rousseau was flagged of defensive offside and defense end A.J. Epenesa nearly picked off Mason Rudolph on second-and-3. The Titans picked up a first down on a 6-yard catch by Nick Westbrook-Ikhine. On the next play, Pollard couldn’t hang onto a swing pass from Rudolph. Pollard was taken down in the backfield by Dawuane Smoot on second down. Tennessee converted another third down on a 12-yard completion from Rudolph to Tyler Boyd. Pollard sprinted for a 14-yard run to the Bills’ 29. Pollard followed it with a 4-yard run. Titans wide receiver Calvin Ridley was injured on the play, holding his right leg, but was able to jog off the field. Nick Vannett made an 11-yard catch to get into the red zone. Tennessee was called for a false start to get pushed back into a first-and-15. On third-and-13, Rudolph connected to Tyler Boyd for 10 yards. Nick Folk made a 25-yard field goal.
Curtis Samuel was injured on a pass intended for him that was tipped at the line of scrimmage. Samuel was down on a knee on the sideline being looked at the medical trainers.
Josh Allen completed to Dawson Knox for 5 yards, offensive tackle Dion Dawkins committed a false start and Allen’s pass for Curtis Samuel was tipped at the line of scrimmage. On third-and-10, Allen threw incomplete for Keon Coleman. Sam Martin punted 41 yards to the Titans’ 32-yard line.
Mason Rudolph completed to tight end Josh Whyle for 11 yards on the Titans’ first offensive play. Rudolph threw to Nick Vannett for 6 yards and linebacker Terrel Bernard tackled wide receiver Calvin Ridley on a completion for no gain. Rudolph threw incomplete for Ridley on third-and-4. Ryan Stonehouse punted 60 yards and Brandon Codrington returned it 12 yards to the Bills’ 12-yard line.
Buffalo won the coin toss and elected to receive. James Cook got carries on the first two plays, for 5 yards and 4 yards. Josh Allen looked for newly acquired Amari Cooper on third down and Cooper dropped his first target with the Bills. It’s Cooper’s 11th drop of the season, which is worst in the NFL. Sam Martin punted 46 yards and Jha’Quan Jackson returned it 8 yards to the Titans’ 23. Tennessee was flagged for holding on the return.
Running back Ray Davis is active for today’s game despite his calf injury, though we’ll see how much he actually plays. Otherwise, this is as healthy as the Bills have been since Week 1 as all five players not playing are otherwise healthy.
Both James Cook and Ed Oliver, who missed the victory over the Jets, are back, and newly-acquired wide receiver Amari Cooper will play and he will wear uniform No. 18.
They are offensive lineman Will Clapp, defensive lineman Zion Logue, safety Mike Edwards, and linebackers Joe Andreessen and Edefuan Ulofoshio.
For the Titans, they have three key players out. Quarterback Will Levis was ruled out Saturday, so Mason Rudolph will start at cornerback. Star cornerback L’Jarius Sneed, a free agent signing from the Chiefs who has given the Bills a tough time in the past, is also out. And No. 2 running back Tyjae Spears will also miss the game.
The rookie, who is coming off a breakout 97-yard rushing performance last week in the victory over the Jets, suffered a calf injury late in that game and he was a limited practice participant. He is officially listed as questionable.
The Bills did not elevate running back Frank Gore Jr. from the practice squad as they did against New York when they knew James Cook could not play. That would indicate that Davis will at least be able to dress against the Titans, but his role could be vastly different.
Cook is back and will resume as the No. 1 running back, and if Davis is hindered, Ty Johnson may slide into the primary backup role with Davis only playing in an emergency situation. Remember, Cook’s injury was to a toe and that could be tricky for a running back.
Back home for the first time in nearly a month, the Bills should be able to handle their business against a Tennessee team that is still finding its way under Callahan. Levis’ struggles should only be magnified against a Buffalo defense that is now almost back to full health with the return last week of Taron Johnson and Taylor Rapp, plus the expected return Sunday of Ed Oliver. And on offense, assuming Cook returns, the Bills should be able to move the ball on the ground even if Davis ends up missing, and that should open things up in the pass game for Allen. Sal Maiorana’s prediction: Bills 27, Titans 13
∎ Cable/Network TV: CBS. The game will be available locally via the following stations: WROC channel 8 (Rochester area), WIVB channel 4 (Buffalo area), WTVH channel 5 (Syracuse area), WKTV channel 2 (Utica area), WENY channel 2 (Elmira area), WRGB channel 10 (Albany area), and WBNG channel 12 (Binghamton area).
∎ Online streaming services: With your TV subscription you can watch on your phone or tablet on ESPN.com, the ESPN mobile app, and ESPN Deportes. You can also watch games on NFL.com and the NFL mobile app, and you can subscribe to NFL+, the league’s own streaming service, though you can’t cast the games to your TV – you must watch on your phone or tablet.
∎ TV streaming: You can also stream if you have subscriptions to Spectrum, DirecTV, fuboTV, NFL+, Sling, Vidgo, Hulu + Live TV, and YouTube TV.
You can listen on SiriusXM satellite radio on channel 230 (Bills feed) and channel 382 (Titans feed), and on traditional radio, the Bills Radio Network has stations all across the state. Chris Brown has the play-by-play, Eric Wood is the analyst, and Sal Capaccio is the sideline reporter. The network includes:
Sal Maiorana has covered the Buffalo Bills for four decades including 35 years as the full-time beat writer for the D&C, and he has written numerous books about the history of the team. He can be reached at maiorana@gannett.com, and you can follow him on Twitter @salmaiorana.https://profile.democratandchronicle.com/newsletters/bills-blast
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