Anthony Lynn's First 72 Hours as Bills' OC

[26CornerBlitz]

Offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn - the first 72 hours

The Bills had just dropped their second straight game to open their highly anticipated 2016 season. Even worse their number one rushing attack from a year ago was stuck in neutral and converting third downs was still a major problem. Head coach Rex Ryan acted swiftly and decisively parting ways with offensive coordinator Greg Roman and promoting Assistant head coach/running back coach Anthony Lynn in his place. Below are the details of Lynn’s first 72 hours on the job and how he rescued an offense that languished in the bottom third of the league to a top 10 scoring attack.

 

[Simon]

"Instead of installing a large number of different plays, the approach was to run a lot of their stronger play concepts out of different pre-snap looks."

 

This might be my favorite thing that Lynn has been doing so far; he's thrown some outlandish formations out there that have had me laughing so hard pre-snap that I've nearly ended up missing the play. And I have no doubt that some of these looks are not only disguising what they're doing, but they're also creating confusion for opposing defenses; you can find multiple examples of of defenders having trouble getting lined up correctly and defining their responsibilities when the ball is about to be snapped only to end up getting mauled by our guards.

I kind of liked Greg Roman 6 days a week; it was that 7th day that was a real problem for him. Lynn has been an absolute revelation so far and seems to be at his best on Sunday afternoons. Enjoy him while you can because I think he's going to be a head coach in the not too distant future; or I fear we're going to lose him when the Ryan Bros and Barnum & Bailey show finally has its tentpegs pulled and gets shuffled off to the next county.

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

One of the funny parts of that article was how Friday and Saturday night, Lynn got a total of four hours sleep. While Rex was roaming the sidelines down in Clemson!

 

One of the takes I got in the article was Lynn commented more than once how he sought input from the other coaches and the players. Not sure if that was specifically stated as one of the rumored knocks on Roman was he hardly took input from anyone.

[Freddie's Dead]

ALynn has been a revelation. I've had my beefs with him, but overall, he's done a helluva job. Roman was the disease, and ALynn was the Cobra.

[Peter]

One of the funny parts of that article was how Friday and Saturday night, Lynn got a total of four hours sleep. While Rex was roaming the sidelines down in Clemson!

 

One of the takes I got in the article was Lynn commented more than once how he sought input from the other coaches and the players. Not sure if that was specifically stated as one of the rumored knocks on Roman was he hardly took input from anyone.

 

One of the guys who gave him advice was Bill Parcells (they worked together in Dallas and have a good relationship).

[GunnerBill]

I have issues with how he called the game in Miami where he basically decided Shady can't run so we can't run when he should have kept pounding, used Gilleslee and seen what broke our way. He got Taylor pass happy in a game that until the end we did not need to be pass happy in. Wasn't mad about the final series in Seattle either when we had second and goal from the 6 or whatever it was - me there I get Felton in I go heavy set and I run behind Richie Incognito.

 

Beyond that he has been very good. He overall called a terrific game in Seattle which Tyrod executed well and I thought he called a brilliant game in Cincy when Tyrod executed badly. I have said a couple of times the play to ice the game last Sunday was just about as perfect as a call can be in that scenario. 3rd and 7 needing a 1st down to end it you have to:

 

1. have a play that keeps the clock moving,

2. have a play that they do not expect, and

3. you have to give it to your best players.

 

So often in that scenario over the years I've seen the Bills try to achieve the 2nd of those by throwing it to a back up tight end or receiver with 4 or 5 catches on the season. The Jets did it against us last year too.

[PaattMaann]

I have issues with how he called the game in Miami where he basically decided Shady can't run so we can't run when he should have kept pounding, used Gilleslee and seen what broke our way. He got Taylor pass happy in a game that until the end we did not need to be pass happy in. Wasn't mad about the final series in Seattle either when we had second and goal from the 6 or whatever it was - me there I get Felton in I go heavy set and I run behind Richie Incognito.

 

Beyond that he has been very good. He overall called a terrific game in Seattle which Tyrod executed well and I thought he called a brilliant game in Cincy when Tyrod executed badly. I have said a couple of times the play to ice the game last Sunday was just about as perfect as a call can be in that scenario. 3rd and 7 needing a 1st down to end it you have to:

 

1. have a play that keeps the clock moving,

2. have a play that they do not expect, and

3. you have to give it to your best players.

 

So often in that scenario over the years I've seen the Bills try to achieve the 2nd of those by throwing it to a back up tight end or receiver with 4 or 5 catches on the season. The Jets did it against us last year too.

 

yea the Miami game plan was a very rookie coordinator move...trust the design of the team, and give your backup RB a chance (who is a damn good RB)...I certainly believe if we stayed with our run heavy approach we would have won that game, but...he IS a rookie coordinator, he seems to have learned from it because now he has called Gilly's number when he was our only option, and it was successful

[26CornerBlitz]

@Cover1Bills

Anthony Lynn has used 270 different lineup combinations. This one sealed the win! #Bills… http://www.cover1.net/2016/12/play-design-clinches-win/

[Manther]

 

yea the Miami game plan was a very rookie coordinator move...trust the design of the team, and give your backup RB a chance (who is a damn good RB)...I certainly believe if we stayed with our run heavy approach we would have won that game, but...he IS a rookie coordinator, he seems to have learned from it because now he has called Gilly's number when he was our only option, and it was successful

Agreed and agreed!

[Dan]

"Instead of installing a large number of different plays, the approach was to run a lot of their stronger play concepts out of different pre-snap looks."

 

This might be my favorite thing that Lynn has been doing so far; he's thrown some outlandish formations out there that have had me laughing so hard pre-snap that I've nearly ended up missing the play. And I have no doubt that some of these looks are not only disguising what they're doing, but they're also creating confusion for opposing defenses; you can find multiple examples of of defenders having trouble getting lined up correctly and defining their responsibilities when the ball is about to be snapped only to end up getting mauled by our guards.

I kind of liked Greg Roman 6 days a week; it was that 7th day that was a real problem for him. Lynn has been an absolute revelation so far and seems to be at his best on Sunday afternoons. Enjoy him while you can because I think he's going to be a head coach in the not too distant future; or I fear we're going to lose him when the Ryan Bros and Barnum & Bailey show finally has its tentpegs pulled and gets shuffled off to the next county.

I've been saying this for years. Find a dozen or so plays that your players can execute at a high level. Then change the formations and personel to disguise those dozen or so plays. But keep it simple, do what you do best, and don't be predicitable with package plays and formations.

[3rdand12]

i fall too easily for OCs.

Love ALynn

[26CornerBlitz]

i fall too easily for OCs.

Love ALynn

 

Here's another feature on Lynn.

 

@SBNationNFL

The Bills are finally in the playoff hunt, thanks to their new offensive coordinator: https://t.co/M76S9gHnYr

"Are you ready?"

 

Buffalo Bills coach Rex Ryan asked Anthony Lynn that question before the Bills’ team photo. It was that Friday in early September after Buffalo had lost to the Jets the night before to crumple to 0-2. Lynn, then the team’s running backs coach, looked at his clothes, looked at Ryan and told him, yes, he thought he was dressed appropriately for the shoot.

 

Not the photo, Ryan said. But to become Bills offensive coordinator.

 

Lynn was stunned.

 

"Not even an inkling," that he knew this was coming.

 

Sure, there had been rumblings throughout the organization that offensive coordinator Greg Roman and Ryan had differences last season. But the players and coaches figured that since no change was made during the offseason that the staff was intact. Ready to roll.

 

Lynn accepted. After the shoot, he met with the Bills team president, general manager, and ownership. They asked him about his offensive philosophy, his leadership. He answered. Roman was fired. Lynn was the new man.

[CSBill]

 

yea the Miami game plan was a very rookie coordinator move...trust the design of the team, and give your backup RB a chance (who is a damn good RB)...I certainly believe if we stayed with our run heavy approach we would have won that game, but...he IS a rookie coordinator, he seems to have learned from it because now he has called Gilly's number when he was our only option, and it was successful

 

This! That very winnable game will haunt us at the end of the season

[26CornerBlitz]

 

This! That very winnable game will haunt us at the end of the season

 

Not having Dareus in that game along with a hobbled Shady were the biggest factors IMO.