Tyrod Taylor and the Bills have the look of the 2012 49ers
There was something eerily familiar about the Buffalo Bills performance on Sunday.
A young, mobile quarterback that emerged as an efficient passer. A group of highly talented defenders — particularly pass rushers — continued to perform with excellence. A well-spoken coach put his big personality on display.
It was an act performed by the 2012 San Francisco 49ers. And it’s no coincidence that there are so many parallels. Rex Ryan may not be Jim Harbaugh, but Ryan is working with Harbaugh’s former offensive coordinator, Greg Roman, which is likely why Tyrod Taylor looks just like Colin Kaepernick.
Before the Bills’ 27-14 win over the Colts, New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick spoke about Roman’s influence in Buffalo.
“We’ll just have to see how all that unfolds,’’ he said. “Certainly there are a lot of elements of the 49ers system, I’m not saying that. But as we go forward, how much of it is … Is it 100 percent, is it 80 percent or are there other influences? Does Greg kind of have his own spin on it that is different than maybe what [Jim] Harbaugh? I don’t know, I can’t answer those questions. We’ll just have to see how the pattern unfolds here as they start playing regular season games, game planning and utilizing their personnel.’’
Through one game — an admittedly small sample size — it’s slight deja vu. The Bills’ defense intercepted Andrew Luck twice and pressured him with five quarterback hits. The Colts rushers averaged 3.8 yards per carry. And Tyrod Taylor threw 14 for 19 with 195 yards and a touchdown, while rushing for 41 yards. He tied LeSean McCoy as the team’s second-leading rusher.
“At the end of the day, this guy’s got some magic to him with his legs,’’ Ryan said of Taylor, via The Buffalo News. “He beats you with his arm. He’s smart. You can’t trick him. I mean, it’s hard to trick him … The great ones, they just got that presence. He has a presence to him.’’
That presence was on display during Taylor’s 51-yard hook-up with Bills’ offseason acquisition Percy Harvin. Taylor was well-protected in the pocket, and stepped up to throw an accurate deep ball to Harvin.
With Taylor’s first start, the hype needs context. The Patriots brutalized the Colts defense twice last season, finishing with a 45-7 win in the AFC Championship Game. Next week’s matchup between the Bills and the Patriots will be a test for Taylor — and the Patriots defense, which struggled to defend the Steelers’ offense in their season-opener.
“I know that, or what you kind of hear through the grapevine, is that they always liked him in Baltimore,’’ Belichick said of Taylor before NFL kickoff on Sunday. “I don’t think there’s ever been anything negative about Taylor. I think there’s always been a level of respect for his skill set, his athleticism and his playmaking ability at that position. He was just playing behind [Joe] Flacco, so he didn’t get many opportunities to do it.’’
Taylor’s ability to recognize an opportunity on the field, specifically when he decides to tuck the ball and run, could determine how the Patriots gameplan for Sunday. Rex Ryan, however, wanted a moment before he addressed facing the Super Bowl champions. He said he needed a couple beers first.
Old Patriots in new NFL uniforms
[bdc-gallery id=”462976″]
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com