Diabolical Daboll - Is he our evil genius?

[Rocky Landing]

I was actually rather appalled at the offensive play calling in the first half. I was thinking at the time that it looked like a preseason game where they were evaluating the passing game, and not doing much to game plan for the defense they were facing. And, I think that certainly contributed to a 16 point deficit in the first half.

 

When they came back out, the adjustment was made, and we ran a far more balanced offense, and it showed. It's a lot harder to defend against a balanced attack. I suspect that had we run a balanced game plan in the first half, Singletary may not have had such a huge YPC, as the Jets did not match our adjustment But I think he would have had more yards for the game, and we would have won the game more handily.

[atlbillsfan1975]

2 minutes ago, OldTimeAFLGuy said:

 

..of course.....but fair to say that with Josh & Dawkins the only returning starters, there will realistically  be a learning/familiarization curve for both coaches and players?....

For sure. The frustrating one for me is Zay. I want Zay to succeed and think he is best used on hook routes and crossing patterns. I see him more comfortable coming back to the ball or running perpendicular to the line. Over the shoulder catches are a special skill that not everyone has. 

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

Just now, atlbillsfan1975 said:

For sure. The frustrating one for me is Zay. I want Zay to succeed and think he is best used on hook routes and crossing patterns. I see him more comfortable coming back to the ball or running perpendicular to the line. Over the shoulder catches are a special skill that not everyone has. 

 

.....good point......with a 2020 cap hit of $2.1 million in a year where Bills cap space is $90+ mil, this kid could easily play himself out of a job.....I believe the TBD draft gurus said 2020 draft class for WR's is excellent....

[atlbillsfan1975]

2 minutes ago, OldTimeAFLGuy said:

 

.....good point......with a 2020 cap hit of $2.1 million in a year where Bills cap space is $90+ mil, this kid could easily play himself out of a job.....I believe the TBD draft gurus said 2020 draft class for WR's is excellent....

I am with you. This is Zay’s make or break year as far as can he be someone that deserves a spot. Daboll showed in the first game that there will be plenty of passing attempts. 

[PlayoffsPlease]

55 minutes ago, Rc2catch said:

I actually really enjoy his passing schemes, he really seems to have a knack for scheming receivers open. 

 

I don't care for the frequent plays were defenders lay off to make the receiver appear open, and then jump the route for an INT. 

[Buffalo Boy]

57 minutes ago, Fan in San Diego said:

Flukes and bad luck plays even out when you catch a break occasionally. Like the interception nullified by a Jets penalty,

 

     Is sloppy , week one football a fluke for this team, this year? I think it’s to be expected.

     If it looks like this in six weeks, then we have a problem.

 

[CuseBill]

I find it fascinating how so many on this board perceive the Cheatriots, as if they are the only team that plays situational football, is unpredictable, specifically game plans to exploit weaknesses, creates matchup advantages, etc.  Isn't that successful football coaches do?  The Hoodie didn't invent these concepts; he's only taken them to a higher level than most because he stays disciplined and focused on doing the things that make a football team successful.  Yeah right, Daboll is only doing things this way because he is copying the Hoodie.  Maybe Daboll has learned a thing or two from the way Nick Saban coaches at Alabama too.  Anyway, I look forward to the day when everything everyone does is not compared to one team and one coach.  

[formerlyofCtown]

1 hour ago, Bferra13 said:

He's growing on me. Daboll is not like any OC we have had in a looooong time. And that is a good thing.

Gregg Roman did a good job with what he had to work with.

[That's No Moon]

It's a lot like watching the New England offense.  Trying to work the crosses a lot, having a FB, splitting them out wide to dictate matchups, throwing to backs a lot, running in select spots for great effect.  Heck, even having 3 backs with 3 different skill sets is very New Englandy.

 

If the matchups and alignment say pass then pass, if it says run then run.  Empower Josh to make that read at the line.  Get the squad up to the line quickly so Josh can survey the field.  Not necessarily no-huddle but if we are lined up with about 15 seconds left on the clock that's enough.  When they started bogging down it's when they were slower to the LOS and only had about 5-7 seconds left.  

 

 

[Freddie's Dead]

[gjv001]

I like the idea that Daboll game planned to exploit an opponets weakness.  But this neither diabolical or evil, just smart game planning. Hopefully he will be just as successful against the Giants as he was against the Jets. But this time, "NO TURNOVERS".

[bigK14094]

2 hours ago, Nextmanup said:

I'm not sold on him either.

 

I just hope the team continues to throw the ball like crazy.  

 

I fear they will not, b/c of how things went in the first half on Sunday.  I hope I'm wrong about that!
 

 

 

 

Actually, they threw pretty well in the first half, the turnovers were the issue.  I think Daboll is a competant O coordinator, but he will have to prove it this year.  He was on Bellicheats staff for so long, I think, if anybody can game plan against that evil genius, Daboll can.  I fear the Bills don't have the receivers to knock out the Pats however.  The best chance is week 4 imho.

[Thurman#1]

I like him so far. I think he's got a chance to be good.

 

But changing up tactics when you're failing utterly early can hardly be considered genius.

[ICanSleepWhenI'mDead]

How could anyone possibly game plan for what the Bills offense did?  I dunno, maybe expect the Bills to sometimes run and sometimes pass?  Or would that not be enough to guard against all the flea flickers and double reverses and fumblerooskis (yes, I know that's not legal any more) and tackle eligible pass plays that the Bills ran?

 

If you see that the Bills are overemphasiizing the pass early on, maybe tell your defenders to play the defense that you planned all week to play against the pass?

 

 

[dave mcbride]

33 minutes ago, Thurman#1 said:

I like him so far. I think he's got a chance to be good.

 

But changing up tactics when you're failing utterly early can hardly be considered genius.

I don't think he was failing at playcalling so much as the Bills were making mistakes. If you think about it, he basically decided that we're gonna showcase our best player - our quarterback - and take inspiration from his moxie and playmaking ability to get the offense in high gear from day one. It was a "statement" plan meant to shut down any notion that the Bills have some sort of caretaker QB. They DID move the ball, and literally every play early on was an Allen play (pass/scramble/designed run). Mistakes happened - Dawkins getting beat, Beasley dropping a pass he really should have caught without a problem, a tipped pass, and a botched snap - but none of those were playcalling issues. 

Edited September 10, 2019 by dave mcbride

[SloanBillsFan]

1 hour ago, NoHuddleKelly12 said:

I was one of the raving pitchforks mob last year, early on calling for his scalp--I'm glad management paid me no heed. I think he's been good for Josh, and I value the continuity so far. There's no doubt he develops creative concepts around his personnel, and your point about the unpredictability is well made. Isn't that some of the learnin' he absorbed from Darth Vader's school of situational football week in, week out, where you always are keeping opposing D's off balance with new wrinkles despite what you showed on film the week before?

Me too. 

I still think the first half v Jets was an aberration. Yes ball security has been and to an extent still is an issue with this group. Yes Allen should have tucked the ball on the sack but what are the true odds of that low pass to Beasley bouncing the way it did? Of course it happens but really?

 

As the late great Paul Newman as Fast Eddie Felsom said in "The Color of Money", "sometimes the balls roll funny for everybody". Does anyone remember that recent thread about what would happen if the starting QB threw 4 INTs during a regular season game? Or maybe it was the preseason, I'd look it up but I'm on my phone which is a gigantic PITA. This game is your answer.

 

I have a buttload of serious medical issues including severe depression so I'm not typically a "glass half full" kinda guy but my biggest takeaway from this game is that, most of the Bills teams I've watched in the past 14 years  would never have come back from a 16-0 deficit to win the game. This team did.

 

In fact, a lot of the bemoaning of this franchise during my "career" was that the team just couldn't finish in these situations. This group never lost its purpose or its cohesiveness. It got the job done no matter what.

 

While I'm quoting, I saw Jim Kelly in an interview. He was asked what he thought was the biggest difference between his teams and the present teams. His answer was to the effect that his teams never felt beaten until the final seconds clicked off the clock in the 4th quarter. That's exactly what this team did. They never gave up.

 

The defense was a part of that, a big part. But so was Josh Allen and Daboll and McDermott and Beane and every Bill on the field. They truly played their butts off for the full 60 minutes and are now 1-0 for the season and in the division. No matter what happened in the first half or the previous play. They just got it done.

 

Just my 2¢

 

[Chandler#81]

1 hour ago, SCBills said:

 

We had one pick called back on penalty.  One pick dropped by the defender.  One legit turnover where Josh needed to protect the ball better on the strip sack.  Jets kicker cost them 4 points.

 

We had a fluke pick six.  A fluke fumble on the Center/QB exchange in plus territory.  A fluke tipped pass interception.  A personal foul that took us out of FG range on Feliciano when Mosley was taunting Allen.  A questionable Safety that gave the Jets 2 points and starting position around the 40 for their only scoring drive. 

 

That game was bizarro world in the amount of bad luck plays we had.  Definitely did not even out.

 

 

Having been a NE* offensive coach, I’m fairly certain he’s aware of how they operate.

[US Egg]

40 minutes ago, Freddie's Dead said:

 Can never have enough geniuses on staff....

 

[billsfan1959]

46 minutes ago, Thurman#1 said:

I like him so far. I think he's got a chance to be good.

 

But changing up tactics when you're failing utterly early can hardly be considered genius.

The play calling wasn't utterly failing early. Complete falsehood.

[Logic]

I just came in to say this regarding Daboll: 

I am 100% sold on him. 

He is the best offensive coordinator the Bills have had in years.

His playbook contains concepts and formations from New England, Kansas City, and The Rams playbooks. He even incorporates a bit of straight college stuff from his 'Bama days. His philosophy, as was made clear in week 1, is to have opponent-specific gameplans each week, just like the Pats. He uses Bunch formations, orbit actions, mesh concepts, screens, zone running, man running, pin and pull, RPOs....in short, he calls a MODERN NFL offense. Aside from all that, he trusts Allen, has tailored the offense around Allen's strengths, and is confident and ego-free enough to give Allen owneship over the offense, with seemingly full audible and check-with-me capabilities. Daboll makes good second half adjustments and year-long adjustments. He isn't stubborn, and he isn't so stuck in his ways that he refuses to let his offense evolve.

I am all in on Daboll. He is one of the big reasons that Josh Allen will become a quality NFL quarterback. It was a great choice to hire him, and I have absolutely no doubt that he will be a head coach one day.

50 minutes ago, Thurman#1 said:

I like him so far. I think he's got a chance to be good.

 

But changing up tactics when you're failing utterly early can hardly be considered genius.

People need to be able to see the difference between a failure in game planning and a failure in execution. Week 1 saw very little of the former and a whole bunch of the latter.