Important shift in the right direction in Bills offensive philosophy.

[PlayoffsPlease]

Lets set execution, play calling and mistakes aside. 

I noted an important philosophical shift for the Bills yesterday.  The went from being a team who tries to gain 10 yards in 3 downs, to a team that views itself as having 3 downs to make a 10 yard play. This is exactly the approach that teams with top QBs take, most notably the Patriots.  A complete abandonment of "playing for field position".  With Josh Allen's special talents and a defense that can stop most offenses, the Bills have the luxury of "going for it" on pretty much every down.  I think the team wanted to do this last year, but the Oline did not allow it.  Against an opponent like the Jets, the Oline was sufficient.  I was not impressed with the Jets defensive game plan or pass rush, so I am not sure how they will do against better teams.  But I don't think we will be seeing any 3 yards and a cloud of dust or many check down plays this season.  

I think there is a lot of work the Bills need to do on the details, but philosophically I think are doing the right thing now. 

[DuckyBoys]

Supports my belief that they truly believe in Josh Allen.  No more hiding the qb or limiting what he is allowed to do. Big proof was watching Allen constantly changing pays and moving guys pre snap  Now I'd like to see him recognize the place to go with the football pre snap quick and quicker as he gains experience

[Kelly the Dog]

Agree, and think it is evidence that the DiMarco idea is a waste.

[Shaw66]

19 minutes ago, PlayoffsPlease said:

Lets set execution, play calling and mistakes aside. 

I noted an important philosophical shift for the Bills yesterday.  The went from being a team who tries to gain 10 yards in 3 downs, to a team that views itself as having 3 downs to make a 10 yard play. This is exactly the approach that teams with top QBs take, most notably the Patriots.  A complete abandonment of "playing for field position".  With Josh Allen's special talents and a defense that can stop most offenses, the Bills have the luxury of "going for it" on pretty much every down.  I think the team wanted to do this last year, but the Oline did not allow it.  Against an opponent like the Jets, the Oline was sufficient.  I was not impressed with the Jets defensive game plan or pass rush, so I am not sure how they will do against better teams.  But I don't think we will be seeing any 3 yards and a cloud of dust or many check down plays this season.  

I think there is a lot of work the Bills need to do on the details, but philosophically I think are doing the right thing now. 

This is an interesting point.  I think it's correct.  

 

I think it may be better to characterize as an offense that takes what the defense gives, and because the offense now has enough weapons, it forces the defense to make more difficult choices about what to defend.   When the defense makes the choice, there's a good weakness to attack.  There's a 10-yard opening somewhere.  

[Reed83HOF]

14 minutes ago, Kelly the Dog said:

Agree, and think it is evidence that the DiMarco idea is a waste.

[PlayoffsPlease]

16 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

This is an interesting point.  I think it's correct.  

 

I think it may be better to characterize as an offense that takes what the defense gives, and because the offense now has enough weapons, it forces the defense to make more difficult choices about what to defend.   When the defense makes the choice, there's a good weakness to attack.  There's a 10-yard opening somewhere.  

Not sure.   I think the ultimate goal is to get to the point of "we want to do this, try to stop it". But clearly reading defenses and adjusting "what the QB wants to do" is a big part of that. 

[Bevis]

There will be a game this season where they come out pounding the rock with Gore as a gameplan and I'll be pulling my hair out.

[PlayoffsPlease]

1 minute ago, Bevis said:

There will be a game this season where they come out pounding the rock with Gore as a gameplan and I'll be pulling my hair out.

oh no

[TroutDog]

5 minutes ago, Bevis said:

There will be a game this season where they come out pounding the rock with Gore as a gameplan and I'll be pulling my hair out.

I would not base Gore’s overall performance on yesterday. He is still a powerful back but the Jets D line is impressive and they have seen him before.

 

If he had been given an outside run, I suspect he would have done well. 

[Shaw66]

13 minutes ago, PlayoffsPlease said:

Not sure.   I think the ultimate goal is to get to the point of "we want to do this, try to stop it". But clearly reading defenses and adjusting "what the QB wants to do" is a big part of that. 

It isn't the ultimate goal.   Yes, they want to be "we want to do this, try to stop it,"  but there's another step.  The second step is if can stop it, we have something else that will work.  When we see your defense set up to stop A, we're doing B.  See if you can stop that, too.  

[PlayoffsPlease]

1 hour ago, Shaw66 said:

It isn't the ultimate goal.   Yes, they want to be "we want to do this, try to stop it,"  but there's another step.  The second step is if can stop it, we have something else that will work.  When we see your defense set up to stop A, we're doing B.  See if you can stop that, too.  

we differ here. The ultimate goal is only achieved when they can't stop it. 

[billsfan_34]

2 hours ago, Bevis said:

There will be a game this season where they come out pounding the rock with Gore as a gameplan and I'll be pulling my hair out.

Knock it off lol

[Shaw66]

52 minutes ago, PlayoffsPlease said:

we differ here. The ultimate goal is only achieved when they can't stop it. 

OOH, that's interesting.   

 

But I think they ALWAYS can stop it, by deploying so much of the defensive resources that it's just too simple to attack someplace else.   I think Belichick doesn't care about anything being unstoppable.  I think he cares about being able to win a lot of different ways and forcing opponents to be able win in all those ways, too.  Belichick wants to be better than you at everything, which doesn't require being perfect at anything.  

 

But maybe you're right.   

 

Football philosophy.  Cool.

[PlayoffsPlease]

Just now, Shaw66 said:

OOH, that's interesting.   

 

But I think they ALWAYS can stop it, by deploying so much of the defensive resources that it's just too simple to attack someplace else.   I think Belichick doesn't care about anything being unstoppable.  I think he cares about being able to win a lot of different ways and forcing opponents to be able win in all those ways, too.  Belichick wants to be better than you at everything, which doesn't require being perfect at anything.  

 

But maybe you're right.   

 

Football philosophy.  Cool.

in my fuzzy memory during the Kelly glory years, on downs like 3rd and 2, everyone in the stadium knew Thurman was running the ball, and he would always get the first.  As I said, fuzzy memory. 

[Shaw66]

3 minutes ago, PlayoffsPlease said:

in my fuzzy memory during the Kelly glory years, on downs like 3rd and 2, everyone in the stadium knew Thurman was running the ball, and he would always get the first.  As I said, fuzzy memory. 

Cool thought. It used to be that teams could be automatic like that.   I think defenses have progressed beyond that.  You don't see anyone be automatic on third and 2 anymore.   Virtually no one can do it running, and even passing it's tough.  I think teams are effective by virtue of being able to THREATEN to beat you a lot of different ways and force you to defend EVERYTHING.   Forcing you to defend the whole field, run and pass, usually allows the offense to pick the favorable matchup.   I think Brady, for example, comes to the line of scrimmage, sees the defense and KNOWS where he has a matchup that can win.  He KNOWS.   They do it by being very good at everything.  

 

In fact, what's so scary about the Patriots is they seem to have developed the perfect passing game, technically, and now they are going to have some of the most talented players executing a perfect passing game.  They actually could approach perfection.

[PlayoffsPlease]

4 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

Cool thought. It used to be that teams could be automatic like that.   I think defenses have progressed beyond that.  You don't see anyone be automatic on third and 2 anymore.   Virtually no one can do it running, and even passing it's tough.  I think teams are effective by virtue of being able to THREATEN to beat you a lot of different ways and force you to defend EVERYTHING.   Forcing you to defend the whole field, run and pass, usually allows the offense to pick the favorable matchup.   I think Brady, for example, comes to the line of scrimmage, sees the defense and KNOWS where he has a matchup that can win.  He KNOWS.   They do it by being very good at everything.  

 

In fact, what's so scary about the Patriots is they seem to have developed the perfect passing game, technically, and now they are going to have some of the most talented players executing a perfect passing game.  They actually could approach perfection.

Bold makes me sad. I work for a Boston based company.  I am the only Bills fan. 

[Reed83HOF]

 

[BADOLBILZ]

42 minutes ago, Reed83HOF said:

 

 

 

 

You look clever when you trick a defense into putting one of their better cover men on your fullback split wide and you pick up 10 yards and move the sticks.

 

But you look much dumber when you don't get the matchup you hoped........throw a long horizontal out pass from the far hash to the fullback........and it turns into a pick 6.

 

Taking what the defense gives you sounds great but sometimes what the defense is giving you is a short pass to a 165# slot receiver in front of the defense's best player.

 

Sometimes it's just better to throw it up to your best receiver and let him adjust to the throw and make a play and win the game for you.

 

[DCofNC]

I felt the personnel choices were far too conservative and the tendency of playing not to lose vs playing to win came back late.  A first dow. On the final drive guaranteed the win, didn't bother even trying to get one.  Singletary off the field and run right up the gut, I hated that.

 

It was nice they appear to be letting Allen take charge a bit, DiMarco got way too much feature action for my liking.   I was hoping to see more use of the dynamic playmakers.  

 

Its week one, lets see where it goes.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

2 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

OOH, that's interesting.   

 

But I think they ALWAYS can stop it, by deploying so much of the defensive resources that it's just too simple to attack someplace else.   I think Belichick doesn't care about anything being unstoppable.  I think he cares about being able to win a lot of different ways and forcing opponents to be able win in all those ways, too.  Belichick wants to be better than you at everything, which doesn't require being perfect at anything.  

 

But maybe you're right.   

 

Football philosophy.  Cool.

 

Yes.  An example of this would be our 2017 playoff game against Jax.  As was noted by the commentators, the Bills completely sold out on D to stop Fournette.  They dared Bortles to beat them passing, which under the weather conditions there, he could not do, but then we couldn't stop him scrambling.