What are our offensive and defensive game plans to beat Baltimore?

[Coach Tuesday]

Now I'm wondering if we're better off losing to the Ravens on Sunday to better our odds of beating them in January - odd, I know.  It's been so long...

[ctk232]

1 hour ago, Mikey152 said:

Historically, the best defense against Lamar was in the playoffs last year, and it was...unconventional.

 

The Chargers played the vast majority of the game with SEVEN dbs on the field...they basically had safeties playing lb.  the idea is to increase the athleticism on the field so you can run with Lamar and cover their TE.  You are vulnerable to a power run game, so you have to be aggressive on running downs.

 

the nice thing is, the Bills can do something similar in a nickel defense.  Milano and Edmunds run And cover like safeties and can stay on the field in most situations, making the bills less vulnerable to a power run game.

 

so the answer, basically, is to play nickel defense all game, 2-3 safeties (depending on personnel), 7 or 8 in the box.  Hit Lamar whenever you can and make him pay for keeping it.  Play zone underneath and use the extra speed to limit scrambles from turning into big plays.

 

i actually think the Bills match up better than most...they will do ok containing Lamar.  The question is whether or not they can stop Ingram on the inside power stuff without sacrificing their athleticism

Good points for sure - only issue though is the Raven's team that lost in that first round didn't have Ingram yet, and Jackson was still a rookie in the system. Andrews was a rookie as well, but still showed glimpses of what was to come this year. 

 

I could see the Chargers gameplan working, but I have to wonder given that this year's Ravens is still a different team/overall scheme.

[thebandit27]

Spacing along the DL is going to be critical. You can't exclusively line up and attack gaps against Roman; he'll pin-and-pull you to death like he did against NE. But you also can't hope to squat at the line and control multiple gaps; he'll just combo block you into the dirt.

 

You have to use unconventional spacing and alignment combinations to throw off the OL's ability to move laterally. That lateral movement is part of what gives Jackson the extra time to eye up the defense and make his reads. If you can get a few shots on their moving OLmen and disrupt their timing, you can reduce their ability to read keys.

 

Big game for Jordan Phillips, Star, and Eddie up front. One where they may not get the stats, but if they do the dirty work we have a shot. Then it comes down to the safeties helping out on Lamar.

[SoCal Deek]

Stopping the Ravens is all about containment. Like they always say..."take away something they want to do". Just make sure your outside defenders don't get sucked into the middle of the field. Spy on Lamar on both outside edges and don't dive at him!  Hold him up and wait for others to come in support. After that, I'll take my chances with everything else they can do.

[DCbillsfan]

I watched the 49ers Ravens game.  Garrapolo fumbled inside his own 25 yard line which led to Ravens TD.  49ers defense stacked the line of scrimmage and contained Ingram pretty well.  Ravens ran a fair amount of pistol formation.  It seemed to me that Jackson kept the ball almost every time and either ran it himself or threw it.  I'd key on Jackson.  49ers kept on tackling the RB who didn't have the ball.

 

Bills should stack the box on defense and make Jackson throw.  49ers missed their RB Breida.  I think Singletary will have some room to run outside the tackles.

[atlbillsfan1975]

Any chance Roman left a play book in a desk? Or a file on a computer?

 

 

Bills have enough speed up the middle with Oliver, Edmunds, Milano, and then the Safeties. The edges aren’t as quick for the Bills. Murphy, Lawson and Hughes aren’t quick enough to run Lamar down. I’d like to see them funnel Lamar back into the center. Cornerbacks will need to breakdown and make clean tackles when Lamar does get outside. 
Have to beat speed with speed. NE was a terrible matchup With Baltimore because NE isn’t a very quick or athletic defense. NE is smart and play a good scheme and as a unit. Lamar is so fast he can find the smallest crease and exploit it.

I don’t see the Baltimore D as being anything too daunting. They are good but can be run on. I think Allen will be able to score enough, but I don’t like a track meet against Baltimore.

[Max Fischer]

1 minute ago, DCbillsfan said:

I watched the 49ers Ravens game.  Garrapolo fumbled inside his own 25 yard line which led to Ravens TD.  49ers defense stacked the line of scrimmage and contained Ingram pretty well.  Ravens ran a fair amount of pistol formation.  It seemed to me that Jackson kept the ball almost every time and either ran it himself or threw it.  I'd key on Jackson.  49ers kept on tackling the RB who didn't have the ball.

 

Bills should stack the box on defense and make Jackson throw.  49ers missed their RB Breida.  I think Singletary will have some room to run outside the tackles.

 

As many have observed, the Bills will likely approach the game as if the Ravens are running the option. The question isn't whether or not to tackle the RB but which defender? I agree with the analysis that the Bills likely use the defensive ends to key on the running back, have the DTs patiently clog the middle while the LBs and secondary hold the edges.  One question is how much the defense will use Lorenzo Alexander. I can see a big game for Siran Neal. 

 

[Nanker]

They do the RunOption a lot and about half the time LJ keeps it and runs inside the hashmarks. I'd have on DE tackle LJ and from the other side have the DE tackle the RB. They don't throw outside the hashmarks a lot. 

[Mikey152]

1 hour ago, mjt328 said:

 

Not sure that works in 2019.

Baltimore made some adjustments in the offseason, specifically to combat this kind of defensive scheme.

 

Personnel-wise, you need to match up with their heavy 3-Tight End sets.  Otherwise, they are going to totally run you over.

The problem is, when you go heavy on the D-Line... you don't have the speed to catch Lamar Jackson on QB-keepers.

 

To me, you absolutely MUST keep Jackson in the pocket.  Instead of rushing the defender, your edge defenders need to play disciplined and keep him contained.  Your interior D-Line must play gap control, and keep blockers off the linebackers.  I'm also playing lots of Cover 1, using the extra safety to help cover the TEs and support in run coverage.  Make Jackson beat you with his arm.

 

 

 

Yes and no...

 

TE's (and Olineman) can block in a phone booth, but they don't have a prayer blocking a DB in space.  And if the TEs are blocking, they aren't catching passes.  Win on the interior, stretch the play and let your speed win.  This plays into the Bills strength as far as the run game goes.  The key is getting the run fits right inside, which we seem to have cleaned up

 

If you play them passively with a mush rush trying to keep him in the pocket...all you really wind up doing is giving him more time to find a hole in your zone or a running lane.  All that has really worked so far is to be aggressive up front, play zone in the back end and have lots of speed on the field at every level.  It's how the Chargers won and its how the Browns won.

 

You can't completely stop it...he will get yards.  But if you keep ingram in check and don't let jackson's 10 yard scrambles turn into 50 yard one's, you can contain them.  

 

All those years building to defend the patriots offense will pay dividends this weekend...it seems really different on the surface, but really the problem is the same:  Their personnel is multiple.  The Bills have built a scheme and roster on defense designed to combat it.

Edited December 2, 2019 by Mikey152

[Reed83HOF]

 

 

[Mike in Horseheads]

Score more

[Tesla03]

every player on defense, including rotational guys needs to have a 10/10 game

 

Allen needs to have a 10/10 game

 

hell our punter needs to have a 10/10 game. if we start shooting ourselves in the foot against that ravens team the game will be over by the 2nd quarter. Lets play smart football and shock the league again 

[Big Blitz]

They should be worried about us.  

[Scott7975]

I don't know if anyone mentioned this but Frank Gore is probably extra valuable this week.  He spent a lot of time in Romans scheme in San Fran.

[OZBILLS]

2 minutes ago, Scott7975 said:

I don't know if anyone mentioned this but Frank Gore is probably extra valuable this week.  He spent a lot of time in Romans scheme in San Fran.

He's as close as we have to an Ingram as well.

 

He is a brute that will carve us up if we are not careful.

[LABILLBACKER]

3 hours ago, Max Fischer said:

 

As many have observed, the Bills will likely approach the game as if the Ravens are running the option. The question isn't whether or not to tackle the RB but which defender? I agree with the analysis that the Bills likely use the defensive ends to key on the running back, have the DTs patiently clog the middle while the LBs and secondary hold the edges.  One question is how much the defense will use Lorenzo Alexander. I can see a big game for Siran Neal. 

 

Lamar rarely runs A/B....he likes to bounce outside. As others have said keep him contained. Play cover 0 with Tre on Andrews. Put 8 in the box but slightly spread. Focus more on LJ then Ingram off the pistol. Their defense gave up alot of points to Cleveland and KC. If we contain Lamar we win.

[Georgia Bill]

What concerns me is the biggest weakness I saw in their defense was edge runs.  Suppose the Bills see that and make a big part of their offensive game plan trying to copy that - BUT - Baltimore reviews the tape, sees that, assumes we'll attack there, and makes adjustments to stop it.  We better have a plan B?

[BillsFanInCt74]

I think our best defense against them will be our offense. Long sustained clock draining drives like against dallas we had a late drive that lasted over 7 mins. Keep there offense off the field and score td's not field goals and i think we have a legit shot to win

[billsfan_34]

Score points and stop them from scoring points

[thronethinker]

Score more than they allow would be my guess...