Anyone else annoyed by play calling? Or lack there of?

[Steptide]

We're officially eliminated from playoffs. Is it just me or is the play calling just incredibly weak? I'm not only pointing this out because we played a very ugly game today, I complained about this last week in the game day thread quite a bit. 

 

Why are they being so conservative on offense? And defense come to think of it. What's the point? McDermott talks about "valuable" reps for these young players, so why not get a little more creative? Yes I know this team lacks serious talent. But why not try and run a little no huddle? I just don't get why this coaching staff doesn't try and take advantage of a few meaningless games, and try some creativity on offense and defense. 

[LABILLBACKER]

Down 24-12, why would we not attempt a 2 pt conversion? 

[Da webster guy]

26 minutes ago, LABILLBACKER said:

Down 24-12, why would we not attempt a 2 pt conversion? 

 

I wondered that too.  Aren't we all about getting young guys reps?

 

Weird call to go for 1 there.

[The Frankish Reich]

1 hour ago, LABILLBACKER said:

Down 24-12, why would we not attempt a 2 pt conversion? 

Or how about down 18, 6:40 left, 4th and 12, punt.  3 score lead!  Are you actually trying to, like, win the game, or are you trying to keep the deficit "respectable" whatever that might mean? Did McDermott have money on the Pats to cover (which, of course, they didn't! It's a moral victory!)

As for play calling ... look who's out there now at the skill positions:

- Keith Ford, street free agent signed a couple weeks ago

- Zay Jones now counts as the "veteran" WR, in his 2nd year (and a slow learner to boot)

- Robert Foster, practice squad guy earlier this year, is the #1; Deonte Thompson, of the storied mystical-magical rapport with Tyrod (meaning he actually caught a couple of longish passes last year), is now the #3; Isaiah McKenzie, street punt returner, is now the lead slot guy.

- Clay a healthy scratch, so a converted QB and a converted future son-in-law are your two TEs

-  Josh Allen, a rookie who missed about 1/3 of the season (and a slow learner to boot) is your QB

None of this screams "let's install all those complex Brady-Belichick Route Trees and drill Josh on going through his progressions and getting rid of the ball in 2.1 seconds just like we did in NE" ... rather, Daboll just installed good old fashioned pick-up flag football, my dorm against yours on the afternoon that finals end as our default offense. (Arians said as much in the 4th quarter when he talked about actually trying to complete passes within 20 yards of the line of scrimmage instead of looking deep every play.) And given what he has to work with, I can't really blame him.  But the problem is it only works if your QB is running around like a maniac trying to reinjure that golden million dollar arm, and apparently he's been told not to do that anymore.

Edited December 24, 2018 by The Frankish Reich

[Maine-iac]

1 hour ago, Steptide said:

We're officially eliminated from playoffs. Is it just me or is the play calling just incredibly weak? I'm not only pointing this out because we played a very ugly game today, I complained about this last week in the game day thread quite a bit. 

 

Why are they being so conservative on offense? And defense come to think of it. What's the point? McDermott talks about "valuable" reps for these young players, so why not get a little more creative? Yes I know this team lacks serious talent. But why not try and run a little no huddle? I just don't get why this coaching staff doesn't try and take advantage of a few meaningless games, and try some creativity on offense and defense. 

We left at least a handful of very good plays on the field with drops, lost balls, or fumbles.  Allen also threw a couple of bad picks.  Get rid of the picks, make a few more catches, don't fumble and I think we are in this game.  Wouldn't hurt to take McCoy off the field and sit him next to Clay.  He just can't seem to get positive yardage on most plays.

[zonabb]

I've been underwhelmed with Daboll all season, mainly because I was told how good he was going to be and how he'll be creative. Then I, you know, watch other NFL games and see none of the playcalling by other teams here. I know the WRs suck. I know the OL is bad. But you see limited use of RBs in the passing game, which is unbelievable with a rookie QB. I think that's the biggest problem, not utilizing RBs as wideouts. Part of it is Allen, who makes a lot of bad decisions, some of are the maddening f'in refusal to throw into the flat when he should. And really, if you would have told me that Allen would start what 11 games and have 7 TDs I would have been mortified, as I am about his future prospects. He has not improved his accuracy or footwork on iota. The homers can say all you want, this far into it, you should see improvement and you don't. How many off the back foot bad throws today? How many headscracthingly inaccurate passes today? He's not getting better anywhere. Still can't read a defense, got owned today. So part of Daboll's suckitude is, in the end, because of Allen's suckitude.

 

Going to be a long 2019 as well. 

[Nuncha]

This team has very little talent on offense - have to call plays they can execute which aren't many.

[BuffaloButt]

Can we call some creative plays, trick plays, sweeps?  Seemed very vanilla like a preseason game.  Run up the middle, run up the middle,  pass deep (incomplete), punt.  Do some unorthodox stuff, were already out of the playoffs!

[SoCal Deek]

Couldn’t agree more. That looked like a freshman high school team playbook today. Yawn.

[BillyWhiteShows]

Problem again is the talent.  Remember many considered this to be the worst offensive talent assembled in the NFL.  When your WR’s are UFA’s, and you have zero running game because the OL is so bad you really are limited.  Now throw a rookie QB into the mix that many considered to be a project.  

 

Today, I saw more player breakdowns than I did with coaching.

[Augie]

I think “lack thereof” is a problem. We called a play every time. You might not have liked the call.

 

Was it the Packers who failed to get a draft pick up in time? At least we called a play. Were they good plays? Well, I can’t get all behind that. 

 

.

Edited December 24, 2018 by Augie

[Brianmoorman4jesus]

I’m more annoyed with the play making, then the play calling

[Livinginthepast]

3 hours ago, Da webster guy said:

 

I wondered that too.  Aren't we all about getting young guys reps?

 

Weird call to go for 1 there.

With a kicker who is hurting...…..Just plain STUPID!!

[Boatdrinks]

When the Bills actually have a good OL above average WRs and their offense is struggling, that’s when I’ll be concerned about play calling.

[Bob in STL]

Play calling was not the problem.  The players are.  They do not block, run or catch very well. 

 

The offense is lousy no matter what plays they call. 

[BillsFan130]

I’m not a fan of daboll for the most part. He had a nice little stretch for a few games where he got creative and utilized a lot of jet motion, but for whatever reason he stopped doing it the past 2 games.

 

[Dr.Sack]

Worse thing I saw today was the wide open drops coupled with Allen’s inability to read defenses.

[frostbitmic]

3 hours ago, Azucho98 said:

This team has very little talent on offense - have to call plays they can execute which aren't many.

That would eliminate the forward pass from the playbook ... We have no one who can catch a football.

[SCBills]

I honestly don’t know how to evaluate him.  He annoyed me a lot today but if you step back, what can he even do besides let Allen chuck it 60 times per game like its backyard football?

 

We have a dumpster fire OL than can’t run block, pass block or execute a screen play. 

 

We have one good WR and a bunch of muppets. 

 

No tight ends.  

 

Then he dials up successful TD plays and Foster loses it in the sun or Logan Thomas high-points it like Stuart from Mad TV. 

 

Edited December 24, 2018 by SCBills

[wppete]

Can’t call or play offense with a horrible O-Line, WRs dropping balls all over the field and no running game other than your QB running for his life.