Nihilarian

Take a long hard look at the 2020 Green Bay Packers. A pass heavy spread offense? The #1 offense points scored, #5 in yards. #24 in passing, yet #9 in passing yards. 12th in rushing attempts, #8 in rushing yards. Aaron Rodgers 4299 yards passing, 48 TDs, 5 INTs. RB Aaron Jones 201 rush attempts, 1104 rush yards, 9 TDs. The 2020 Packers became much more efficient in running play action passing. Rodgers went from a 91.3 passer rating to 135.9 off play action drop backs. The Packers have also had a much better "clean pocket" for Rodgers that went from 6 percent in 2019 to 2.8 in 2020. Aaron Rodgers 62.0% completion percentage in 2019. Rodgers with a 70.7% completion percentage in 2020. The tight end position with Robert Tonyan over Jimmy Graham who caught 88% of the passes thrown his way. The point here is the Packers are utilizing the run game with play action to run a more balanced offensive passing attack. Three receivers, two RBs and a TE. Running the ball more actually helped the passing game. *One of the primary reasons play-action passing works so well is that players, linebackers in particular, are coached at a young age to stop the run at all costs. When they see a quarterback hand the ball off, the instinct has been instilled to stop the run. Even if it creates only a second of hesitation when an offense uses play-action, it could put the defender out of position. Analytics shows that using play-action heavily is wise as it can prop up a quarterback and the passing game overall.

This thread wasn't about Cam Newton's character vs Josh Allen's or who's work ethic is better. It's also not about not wanting Josh to never run again. Newton was the NFL League MVP in 2015! Took the Carolina Panthers to a Super Bowl with a franchise record, 15-1 record. "Supercam" is his nickname after he won the Heisman trophy and won 2x BCS National Championship. Also won, Maxwell award, Walter Camp award, Davy O'Brian award, Manning award, AP college football player of the year, First team all American, First team all SEC award. Went to the NFL and won NFL rookie of the year! NFL Offensive player of the year! First team All-pro! 3x pro bowler! Cam Newton was the hottest QB in the NFL back in the day. First NFL rookie QB to throw for 4000 yards in a season! * Just note, If Carolina had passed on him #1 overall in the 2011 draft, he would have been a Buffalo Bill @ #3 overall. 6'5'' 245lbs, sound familiar? This thread was about not wanting to see the Buffalo Bills, who have an "elite pocket passer" in Josh Allen, who threw for 4544 yards, 37 TDs, 10 INTs in 2020. Take his team to a 13-3 season and be the teams leading rusher in many games. Not with a 69.2% completion percentage! That completion percentage would have been much higher had the 2020 Buffalo Bills run the ball better and not put the entire game on the QB's shoulders most of the time. Wanna know about Cam Newton's injury history? Sep 12, 2019 NFL Pedal Lisfranc Sprain Newton aggravated a left foot injury in the Week 2 loss to Buccaneers. He missed the rest of the regular season. Oct 21, 2018 NFL Shoulder Newton played through the injury until the final 2 weeks, when Carolina shut him down. Newton underwent surgery on January 24. Jan 7, 2018 NFL Knee Strain Grade 1Newton suffered ligament and cartilage damage, as well as extensive swelling. He avoided surgery. Dec 11, 2016 NFL Shoulder Rotator Cuff Tear Newton eventually underwent surgery on March 30, 2017. Oct 2, 2016 NFL Head Cranial Concussion Grade 1 Newton took a hard hit to the head during Week 4 action. Dec 9, 2014 NFL Back Vertebral Fracture Newton endured two transverse process fractures in his lower back in a car accident. Aug 22, 2014 NFL Chest Rib Fracture Newton suffered a fractured rib in a preseason game. He missed the first game of the regular season as a result. Jan 12, 2014 NFL Pedal Ankle Ligament Tear Grade 3 The procedure was designed to tighten ligaments in Newton's left ankle and give him more range of motion. Surgery was on March 19, 2014. Dec 30, 2012 NFL Pedal Ankle Sprain/Pull Unspecified Grade 1Newton suffered a left ankle sprain against the Saints that was considered minor. Aug 30, 2008 Non-NFL Pedal Ankle Sprain Grade 2 During his sophomore season, Newton played in the season opener against Hawaii but suffered an ankle injury. He then took a medical redshirt. So, Yeah! Newton is a high risk injury waiting to happen, head, shoulder, ribs, knee, foot. The Buffalo Bills shouldn't want to see their franchise QB be the teams leading rusher ever again! I'd rather see Brian Daboll out there on the field toting the ball tucked under his beer belly! Let "Dabs" take the hits and injuries and keep Josh in a clean pocket!

Just some food for thought here. The entire NFL world was watching that AFC Championship game and how the Chiefs beat the Buffalo Bills so handily 38-24. All opponents will attempt to duplicate exactly what the Chiefs did in that game on defense. The Bills don't necessarily need to run more often as they just need to get better at running when needed. However, they needed to run the RB's more often in those playoff games. 2020 Buffalo Bills, #2 overall offense from mostly passing, 20th in rush yards, 20th in yards per attempt in 2020. That's with QB Josh Allen the third leading rusher. Singletary 687, Moss 481, Allen 421, with 2, 4, 8 TDs respectively.

Cam Newton 6'5'' 235, who was drafted #1 overall in 2011, 2015 NFL MVP...took the Panthers to a super bowl. Look at him now, a shell of what he once was due to injuries sustained by running the ball over the years in the NFL. Sure, he can still run the ball...now, he can't make a decent downfield throw to save his life. Watch that 49ers, Patriots game week 6. I look at Josh Allen being the leading rusher for Buffalo against the Colts in the AFC Wildcard game! Leading rusher against the Ravens tied with Motor with seven carries in the AFC Divisional round! Leading rusher against the Chiefs in the AFC Championship game. Please make this stop! The last thing I want to see as a Bills fan is a supremely talented pocket QB like Allen ending up like Newton because of having to run to attempt to carry the team on his own. With a 2020 69.25% completion percentage, there is no way that the Bills should even be thinking of letting this QB be the leading rusher in a game! The Buffalo Bills didn't even attempt a RB run in the entire first quarter against the Ravens and only one RB run in the second quarter. That vaunted, high scoring 2020 Buffalo Bills offense only scored 10 points against the Ravens. The Bills got very, very lucky against the Colts and Ravens as they were out played in both ToP and yards. The Chiefs ripped them a new one though! As for the Chiefs, they were in Nickle/Dime coverage mostly the entire game and basically daring the Bills to run the ball. Don't worry, the Bills OC didn't call a RB run very often, 11 carries all game for Buffalo RB's. The AFC Championship game was the second time the Bills faced this team this season, and with worse results! That first game Allen threw for 14 of 27 for 122 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT and rushed for 8 attempts. Singletary had 10 rushes. The first game should have shown the Bills what they were in for. Why is the Bills OC so damned and defiant about passing the ball when the opposing team is clearly shutting the passing game down? Four sacks by the Chiefs and so many QB pressures that every time Allen dropped back he was getting harried. As a Bills fan I want to see Josh Allen as the Buffalo Bills QB in ten years and not looking like Cam Newton does today. McD/Beane, please fix the Bills OC's brain, O line and run game...balance! Rant off...

Gotta love it! 😂 Matt Stafford doesn't want any part of the Patriots because of Matt Patricia! Deshaun Watson tends to agree with this because of blundering Bill O'Brian in trading away his favorite target DeAndre Hopkins. NE brings back Cam Newton...

The Rams before McVay, under Jeff Fisher were in (2012) 7-8-1, (2013)7-9, (2014) 6-10,(2015) 7-9,(2016) 4-12...the Rams hire McVay and immediately go 11-5 in 2017. The very next season 13-3 and a SB berth. That Rams offense was so coveted (#2 overall) that the Packers hire away Rams OC Matt LaFleur. Look where the Packers were this season under a rejuvenated QB Aaron Rodgers. Anyway, the thing is Sean McVay is noted to be an offensive guru and was hired to get the most out of Goff. McVay didn't draft him! McVay has seen Jared Goff's limitations first hand in building an offense around him. Goff is where he is because of his HC. He has clearly struggled at times winning games and running that offense. So much so that his HC/OC wants him gone. Just like Matt Stafford's overall win/loss record is the result of the crap coaching staffs/teams he has been on. Goff's record is the result on being on a top HC/OC's really, really good team. Clearly, Sean McVay thinks he can run a better team with a better QB in Stafford! I tend to agree. We shall see.

As for Stafford being on losing teams and not elevating the team around him. Take a long look at the Atlanta Falcons who have a franchise QB who has taken his team to a SB and won many playoff games. A QB is mostly only as good as his surrounding cast of coaches, players. Atlanta with QB Matt Ryan threw for 4581 yards on a 4-12 team. Injured receivers, not so good run game and a poor defense. A sound recipe for the Lions the last decade. It is after all... a team sport. Just saying, Sean McVay has shown to be a pretty smart offensive mind, four winning seasons in his four years as Rams HC and three playoff appearances, one SB. If he doesn't want Goff...

"When it comes to picking a new team, it partially was Stafford’s decision. And his decision was to accept a trade anywhere but New England." https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2021/01/31/report-matthew-stafford-was-willing-to-go-anywhere-but-new-england/ So awesome!

"Sometimes, you have to look beyond the obvious to see how things work in the future. The Rams got a much, much, better quarterback at a time when they have everything else they need to contend. The Lions just hamstrung themselves with a supremely limited quarterback at a time when they’re going through a massive rebuild. Draft picks or not, the Rams won this trade in a landslide, and that’s why." https://www.yahoo.com/sports/why-rams-won-stafford-goff-044505617.html

Okay, I get it now. "Why Matthew Stafford will be a franchise-defining bargain for his new NFL team Everything McVay wants to do — passing out of run-heavy sets, play- and run-action, the ability to hit total route concepts all over the field — Stafford is far better at all of this than Goff will ever be. Period, full stop. And the Rams have a $33 million cap hit for Stafford in 2021, and a $26 million cap hit in 2022. Stafford will turn 33 on February" https://www.yahoo.com/sports/why-rams-won-stafford-goff-044505617.html

So many teams looking for a franchise QB. Falcons...draft? Panthers Bears Cowboys? Dak won't sign for 30+ million per-Trade even up for Watson? Denver Colts... this team might have gone after Stafford hard. Jaguars...draft. Dolphins? Jets? Eagles? Washington? Patriots. So many of them could have been after Stafford and now are looking at Watson. What are the Texans going to ask for Watson if Stafford is worth two firsts?

Did the Rams think they were trading the Texans for Watson in giving up all those picks? For Stafford...? Since the Lions now owe Goff more than $43 million in guaranteed money over the next two years... The Rams, 7 years with no first round pick... Anyway, I'm of the frame of mind that all other NFL teams are looking at Buffalo and saying how did we miss on this kid? The Jets...the Browns 2x...Denver...the NY Giants...Indy...

I don't get this at all. At first I thought the reason might be to get the Rams outta cap hell... Current Contract Jared Goff signed a 4 year, $134,000,000 contract with the Los Angeles Rams, including a $25,000,000 signing bonus, $110,042,682 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $33,500,000. Whoa... Stafford signed the five-year deal is worth $135 million with $60.5 million guaranteed. I still don't get it... Stafford kinda stinks... err, well, so does Geoff at times. Lions 5-11, Rams 10-5. Shouldn't the Rams be getting all the picks?

Actually, Ritcher was a first round draft pick by Buffalo in 1980 by HC Chuck Knox (who was an O linemen in college himself) sat for a few seasons behind LG Reggie McKenzie who was part of the "Electric Co" for OJ. How good was that line when your first round pick doesn't start? McKenzie played 11 seasons for Buffalo and Ritcher 15 seasons. The Bills had Ruben Brown and recently Richie Incognito who were also all pro's at LG. The Bills need to find some of those types for the line.

If you watch the video all-22 on the runs on page 4 in this thread you would see why the Bills struggle with the run game. The old saying "practice makes perfect" is so very true here. Packers HC Mike Holmgren used to make the players run the same play over and over until they perfected it. No mistakes, no screw ups and they would need to run it several times perfectly before he was happy. Its clear that the Bills simply don't put enough emphasis on the run game to make it work properly. There is also the point that RB's usually play better the more they run, 15-20 carries and this usually wears out a defense chasing them down. Running the ball should be the easier for an O linemen as they know which way they are going and get to put all their weight into a surge. In pass blocking they are on their heals in a defensive position hopefully getting into proper position to hold long enough to allow the pass to be thrown. Primary concern should be in upgrading the Buffalo offensive line, JMO

Build a better offensive line. It all starts up front with top talent and then actually call run plays to build that run game. One or two run calls a series won't do it. Wanna pass? Sure, pass to get a lead and then work the run game to wear out the defense and eat the clock.

It was in the playoffs... Calling plays for Peterman that his arm simply couldn't do when he was in Buffalo.

The last place I'd like to see him go to...NE. The Jets, they'll screw it up somehow... He would be a threat in Miami, but they'll screw it up after awhile.

That kinda makes me wanna see the GOAT get his super bowl ring on the Bucs. Plus, it's another burn to Belicheat! Brady was the biggest reason that team was so good for so long. Glad he is outta the AFC East.

Exactly! Buffalo shut down KC's deep passing game so what did they do in week 6. They handed off to Chiefs RB Edwards-Helaire, 26 carries for 161 yards, a 6.2 ypc avg. BALANCE! When the team has difficulty in one area of the offense it helps to be able get another to work to win a game. Last season it was more pronounced as Minnesota, San Fran, Ravens, Titans all made a huge impact into the playoffs with a stout run game. Their failure was in their passing game. Buffalo already has one of the very best passing offenses in the NFL. Now get that run game working!

From EJ to Sammy Watkins...this GM didn't know his elbow from his arse. Most of you are forgetting that "NFL football is a violent sport humans aren't meant to play"... One, in a long list of mistakes by Russ Brandon / Ralph Wilson. I, for one, am grateful for McD, Beane. The Buffalo Bills were just in the AFC Championship game. 95% of the Bills fans had the Bills winning 7 to 9 games this season...and the other 5%, less.

Good write up. What bothers me the most is this was the second time this season the Bills played the Chiefs. In that first game week six the Bills were beaten at home 26-17 by KC and it wasn't close. That first game the Bills employed this bend but don't break strategy by having their secondary play off while allowing no deep throws. So, Andy Reid and Mahomes took what the Bills gave them. They ran the ball down the Bills throat with their rookie RB Edwards-Helaire to the tune of 26 attempts for 161 yards, a 6.2 YPC AVG... 4 catches for 31 yards. Mahomes 21 of 26 for 225, 2 TDs. The Chiefs defense held Allen to 14 of 27 for 122 yards passing, 2 TDs, 1 INT. Allen rushing 8 attempts for 42 yards. Singletary 10 carries for 32 yards a 3.2 YPC AVG. Diggs was 6 catches for 46 yards, 1 TD. Allen 4 sacks, 10 QB hits. Now, you would have thought that the Bills coaches would have gone over the tape on this game endlessly and corrected everything that went wrong in that first game...they didn't. In fact, it looked far worse by getting blown out by the Chiefs passing game. That same Buffalo defense that held Lamar Jacksons Ravens to only 3 points... were they already mentally in Tampa awaiting the Bucs? NO, this is on the coaches. This was on Leslie Frazier and Brian Daboll. It kills me to see a 3rd year QB play his heart out attempting to carry an offense all on his own. Yes, Josh Allen is gifted, but he was not ready to put the team on his back again against the super bowl champs. Not with their holding and pass rush, QB pressure. Where has Brian Daboll been all through this playoff run? Allen basically carried the offense on his back against the Colts 24-27. What happened to that high scoring offense that just beat the Patriots 38-9 or the one that beat the Miami Dolphins 56-26? Daboll to busy working on his resume and going over his prospective job interviews to put an all in on the film for the Colts, Ravens, Chiefs? The Bills offense scored only 10 points against the Ravens... 37 called passes is a strong wind game...with the lead? Where has the run game been all though the playoffs...besides the QB? The Chiefs are noted to be an elite passing team and yet when Mahomes is stymied by coverages their offense fell back to the run game to carry the offense.

The AFC East will be a tough division this season. The Patriots have a ton of cap space and all those players that opted out over Covid will be back. All they need to do is find a QB, Stafford, Aaron Rodgers, a rookie in the draft? The Dolphins will be improved and might just draft a QB with that #3 overall pick. QB Zach Wilson? The NY Jets with a new defensive minded HC, could keep or trade away Darnold and draft a QB like Justin Fields with their #2 overall pick. One of them will probably draft WR Devonta Smith, Alabama. The division won't be creampuffs this season and I highly doubt the Bills sweep them all again. Buffalo will improve too.

Build a stout run game and fix the defense...shouldn't give up 38 points to any team.