old articles shed light on where this offense was supposed to go

[BackInDaDay]

my curiosity over our offense's commitment to a horizontal passing game, led me to research our young OC's coaching influences.. beginning with his father. this may be old news to many, or even most of you - but for those who are unaware, Paul Hackett was on the staffs of some prolific offensive squads which employed west coast passing attacks. from helping develop the 49er's Joe Montana for Bill Walsh, to teaching the system to the Packer's Mike McCarthy when they were both at the Univ of Pitt and later, with the Chiefs.. he's had quite a career installing the quick timed passing game in both major colleges and the NFL.

 

this 2013 preseason article gives us a condensed, but telling, glimpse into the football evolution of both Paul and Nate.

 

http://www.buffalone...n-game-20130722

 

this 2013 preseason article does a very good job of laying out where the author believes the newly acquired offensive minds of Syracuse coaches Hackett and Marrone would try to take the Bill's new offense - including some interesting insights of what would be needed.

 

http://www.buffalobi...ackett-offense/

 

there are mountains of articles, filled with interesting retrospectives that might help explain why we've seen what we've seen on sunday afternoons this season. i recall an earlier article or interview this pre-season, that confirmed how the coaches were trying to time EJs drop to the routes - the most basic of WCO quarterback techniques.

 

this last article was written just before Nate's dad was released by the Jets.. it sounds a bit familiar.

 

http://www.nytimes.c...6jets.html?_r=0

Edited December 11, 2014 by BackInDaDay

[boyst]

I really, really want to read more on this but my optimism is too unstable to risk the pain of reading the articles.

[BackInDaDay]

I really, really want to read more on this but my optimism is too unstable to risk the pain of reading the articles.

i get it.. it's not for everyone, but i actually found the info to be a combination of both optimistic - knowing that successful offenses, including the one we'll face this weekend, have done it.. and pessimistic - understanding that it can fail miserably without the right personnel. i think that two years into it, we can go either way - depending on whether EJ can work the system, or if another WCO-type quarterback is available.

[Clippers of Nfl]

if i read these articles, that would be like me going back in da day. i dont know man. i cant go back.

[BackInDaDay]

if i read these articles, that would be like me going back in da day. i dont know man. i cant go back.

Matthew McConaughy told me i had to go back, to know where i was going - and i try to listen to Matt whenever possible

[Clippers of Nfl]

Matthew McConaughy told me i had to go back, to know where i was going - and i try to listen to Matt whenever possible

Lol.

I dont respect people that dont use deodorant. Speaking of MMC. Yuck!

[Augie]

I am watching Magic Mike as I type. I trust Matthew a little less than I used to.

[The Frankish Reich]

Interesting links, BackinDaDay. This fascinates me too. Here's why: Marrone and Hackett started 2013 with maybe the most radical hurry-up/no huddle offense we've ever seen in the NFL. The only thing I can compare it to is Chip Kelly's first few games as Eagles coach. Obviously Manuel wasn't the best fit for it, being a rookie who had no experience at all in reading NFL defenses. But that's what they committed to ... until the gave up on it almost immediately (was it Game 2 or 3)? I thought it would come back when EJ gained a little experience. It didn't. Not when he came back from injury, not in preseason of the first 4 games this year, and not since Orton's taken over. Why not? If that's what Marrone and Hackett were supposed to bring us, why did they abandon it so quickly? And what is the hybrid thing they're running now instead?

[BackInDaDay]

Interesting links, BackinDaDay. This fascinates me too. Here's why: Marrone and Hackett started 2013 with maybe the most radical hurry-up/no huddle offense we've ever seen in the NFL. The only thing I can compare it to is Chip Kelly's first few games as Eagles coach. Obviously Manuel wasn't the best fit for it, being a rookie who had no experience at all in reading NFL defenses. But that's what they committed to ... until the gave up on it almost immediately (was it Game 2 or 3)? I thought it would come back when EJ gained a little experience. It didn't. Not when he came back from injury, not in preseason of the first 4 games this year, and not since Orton's taken over. Why not? If that's what Marrone and Hackett were supposed to bring us, why did they abandon it so quickly? And what is the hybrid thing they're running now instead?

 

yeah, reading about where they thought they were going when they were first hired - and knowing what we've seen over two years, might seem to be contradictory - but i don't think it is. as the second article pointed out - having two diverse backs in Freddie and CJ was a great duo that fit the attack. remember Hackett's early comments about using CJ? but i think that can all work itself out.. the thing that really set us back was the Kolb injury. he was adept at making quick reads and getting the ball out in a timed passing game. he was one of Briles favorites at Houston. that's the guy they needed to mentor EJ,.. and like you said, EJ just had too much work to do to develop an efficient passing attack. the kid was a vertical 'go get it' thrower, with mobility and a big arm - but no sense of how to deliver those crossing patterns that stretch things horizontal. that's why they went back to basics with him during the preseason - same as McCoy did with the vet Eli in NY - to match his footwork to his receivers routes. read Steve Young's comments about the importance of mechanics in this type of offense. i'm paraphrasing, but he talks about the ability to make a pre-snap read, continue through the drop, plant the foot, and throw - else bounce to next read, bounce to next read, then take off.

 

anyway, when EJ couldn't make plays, and the O was holding the team back, they had to switch him put for a guy who had more accuracy, with no mobility. add to the confusion, the inexperience of the receivers, which is why they brought Rob Moore in.. i'm thinking Hackett thought they could expand the O with Orton because he was up to challenge of making the kinds of quick reads on all his receivers that Young talks about - this just leaves the receivers to make their individual reads to be in the right place when the ball comes out.. we're still real shaky there.. sometimes we hit, sometimes we miss - but it adds an element of sophistication to what they had to do with EJ - which was simple route running without adjustments.

 

so we throw the ball to stretch the D wider which in theory should allow us to widen our gaps because there's less penetration by the D when the balls out.. and those wider gaps should lend themselves to some effective zone blocking for our backs.. but we aren't very good at that because our guys are not very agile and can't get to their second level blocks. this allows defenses to play us with 7 in the box.. which makes life even harder on our timed passing game.. where most plays take place in front of the opposing safeties..

 

it's tough.. to put it all together.. but if we get agile on the line, and can get EJ more comfortable in what he's seeing, we could see a real turn around next season.