The Buffalo Bills put together a nearly flawless road performance against the Seattle Seahawks in NFL Week 8 action. The Bills won easily 31-10.
The Bills (6-2) broke the spirit of the Seahawks (4-4), as the home team saw their frustrations turn inward with on-the-field fighting.
Buffalo opened the scoring with a two-yard touchdown reception. The Bills added a second score just before halftime, a 12-yard pass from quarterback Josh Allen to tight end Dalton Kincaid.
Buffalo’s defense suffocated the Seattle offense. The Bills only allowed a field goal in the first half.
The dominance continued into the second half, as Buffalo added two more touchdowns to expand the lead. Running back James Cook scored a pair of rushing touchdowns to put the game away for the Bills.
The Bills were in complete command all game. Buffalo outgained the Seahawks by a nearly two-to-one margin (445-233 yards). Buffalo had 29 first downs to Seattle’s 17.
Here’s how Bills Wire graded the win over the Seahawks:
Pass Offense: A
Allen had himself an afternoon. He was efficient and effective, going 24-of-34 for 283 yards and two touchdown passes. The only blemish on Allen’s solid performance was that he threw his first interception on the season.
Rookie wide receiver Keon Coleman was impressive, reeling in a short contested-catch touchdown in the first quarter. He continues his ascent with Buffalo, catching five passes for 70 yards. Khalil Shakir had another impressive game, leading all receivers with nine catches for 107 receiving yards.
Kincaid found the end zone as well, topping off a solid four-catch afternoon. Both of tight end Dawson Knox’s receptions went for longer than 20 yards.
Rushing offense: A
Cook had a tremendous afternoon, averaging 6.5 yards per carry. All told, Cook rushed 17 times for 111 yards and two touchdowns. Rookie Ray Davis added 29 yards on six carries. The offensive line was impressive, as they continually won the battle at the point of attack all afternoon. It was an overwhelming performance by the group, as they completely wore down the Seahawks in the trenches.
Pass defense: A
The Seahawks entered the game leading the NFL in passing yards. The Bills kept the Seattle offense from getting into any meaningful rhythm.
While quarterback Geno Smith was efficient with a 21-of-29 day, the Seahawks signal-caller never really had a chance to push the ball down the field. The absence of receiver DK Metcalf was noticeable, but even Metcalf would’ve had trouble with the way Buffalo’s secondary played. Buffalo gave up 90 passing yards during garbage time, which makes their performance even more remarkable.
Rushing defense: A+
Buffalo’s defensive line smothered Seattle’s runners all game long. Seattle’s running backs managed only 16 yards on 12 carries. Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet were complete nonfactors throughout the game. This was an exceptional performance by the unit.
Special teams: B+
Kicker Tyler Bass was perfect on the afternoon, hitting all four PATs successfully. He added a short 27-yard field goal to his ledger as well. Punter Sam Martin averaged 49 yards on three punts. Both Bass and Martin were solid through rainy conditions.
Mack Hollins recovered a muffed punt late in the game. The play effectively sealed the game for Buffalo, as the Bills moved into victory formation shortly after.
The unit did take two penalties on returns, which hurt a bit. However, with such a dominant game in other aspects of play, the miscues did not cause massive harm.
Coaching: A+
Let’s give it up for the staff on this one. The entire game plan worked smoothly Sunday afternoon. Buffalo took control of the game early and imposed their will on the Seahawks.
Offensive coordinator Joe Brady put together another game plan that saw success both through the air and on the ground. The Bills kept drives going, completing 8-of-15 third downs. Multiple receivers were involved in the passing attack, which gave Allen several good options in the aerial attack. The run game controlled the point of attack, and the run calls were effective.
Defensively, coordinator Bobby Babich and head coach Sean McDermott put together a plan that stunted the Seattle offense. Without Metcalf, the Seahawks were without their most dynamic player. The Bills shut down all other options on offense. After Buffalo gained the lead, the run game was out of the equation.
The only flaw for Buffalo was their issue with flags. Once again, the Bills saw plenty of time with the refs. In this game, the Bills took 13 penalties for 85 yards.
