Old sexy Rexy having only 10 players on the field during the game deciding play!
[
www.newyorkupstate.com]
Rex Ryan explains why Bills had 10 men on field for Jay Ajayi's big overtime run
By Matthew Fairburn |
mfairburn@newyorkupstate.comFollow on Twitter
on December 24, 2016 at 6:39 PM
Orchard Park, N.Y. -- Rex Ryan made one thing clear leading up to the Buffalo Bills' Week 16 game against the Miami Dolphins: Running back Jay Ajayi would not have the same type of success he did when he ran for 214 yards against the Bills in the Week 7 matchup between these two teams.
In a manner of speaking, Rex was right. Ajayi ran for only 206 yards this time around, becoming the first running back to rush for over 200 yards in two separate games in a season against the Bills. To make matters worse, Ajayi had a decisive run in overtime when he burst through the Bills' defense for a 57-yard gain to set up the game-winning field goal. The Bills had only 10 men on the field for the play because cornerback Stephon Gilmore had come out of the game for concussion protocol.
"I think what happened was we had a young man that's now in concussion protocol," Rex said after the game. "I think the communication he had was he was heading back on the field and apparently that wasn't the case."
>> Why Rex punted with game on the line
Evidently not. The Bills didn't have much luck stopping Ajayi with 11 men on the field Saturday, so it's no wonder they didn't fare much better with 10 guys out there.
"Well, Stephon had an injury," Bills safety Corey Graham said. "We didn't know if he would be back up or not. At one point, we heard he was back up. I don't know whether the doctor said he was down, this and that. I don't know how it happened. I mean, it's unfortunate that everything's on the line, they get that big play and we didn't have enough guys on the field.
"It sucks man. It's definitely (a failure). The guy really rushed for 200 yards again? Like, come on. This is what, the third guy to get 200 yards rushing? I've never been a part of anything like that. I've never seen anything like that. I don't get it. I mean, we came in knowing that they were going to run the ball and we got eight, nine guys in the box sometimes and we still couldn't stop the run. I don't know what to tell you guys."
After the game, Rex said he would stand by his reputation. Veteran defensive lineman Leger Douzable doesn't think this game should cost Rex his job.
"That's ridiculous," Douzable said. "Like I was just telling them, we were in position to make plays. We didn't make plays. Players need to take onus. I said it myself, that first goal line play I should have made the play in the backfield and I didn't. It's like a snowball effect. Guys kept missing tackles. We can't blame Rex when guys are in position. I can understand if guys were nowhere near the ball to make a play, but guys were in position to make plays. We just didn't make them."
In that case, what about the overtime run when just 10 players were on the field?
"Is that what happened?" Douzable said. "I didn't even realize there were only 10 guys on the field. I have no idea. I just saw the ball bounce to the other side and the next thing I know the dude was running for 60-something yards, which can't happen. Ten guys on the field, we can't have that. It's a miscommunication."
Time and time again in the Rex Ryan era, the Bills have had miscommunications and defensive letdowns. Saturday was just the latest.
Best,
Laram
