The Bills' suddenly deadly WR corps

[ColoradoBills]

4 hours ago, IDBillzFan said:

I appreciate the stats and review, but I think the one thing we can all agree on is there is only one stat that matters when it comes to wide receivers: will Josh Allen ever have a 300-yard game?

 

Until then, nothing else matters.

 

Except power rankings.

 

Josh is going to skip the 300 yard game and go straight to a 400 yard one.  That will show everyone!

Fix the deep throws young man!

[Bills Fan of St Augustine]

Diggs helps Allen by creating more frequent separation and by winning the contested throws. I don't think we had anyone near capable of winning in these areas consistently. Even so, two guys in the top 32 is pretty good for having such a "subpar" QB and with a run priority offense. Allen was better than given credit and he will continue to get better both with experience and with a better surrounding cast. Things are looking up for sure!

[Lurker]

7 hours ago, CSBill said:

Let's face it, by the end of the season Gore was more a liability than a help. 

 

Agreed.   First down runs by Gore were essentially giving up a down.   

 

If they can be more productive in the run game with Motor/Moss, the offense will have significantly more flexibility...

[Niagara Dude]

8 hours ago, Inigo Montoya said:

I looked back at the wide receiver stats for the 2019 season to see where our WRs ranked in the three main metrics,  Yards / Receptions / TDs.  The Bills will have three different receivers who were all highly productive in 2019.  When you look at their ranks remember that there are 32 teams in the League and all three of our WRs rank inside the top 32 in every category except for Beasley falling to #38 in yards.     

 

*** Check out the rankings linked to below, they have numerous WR with the same number of TDs clumped together. I'm not sure how they assign individual ranks for WR with the same number of TDs.  That seems a bit arbitrary.

 

                             2019 NFL WR RANKINGS

 

                   YARDS          RECEPTIONS          TDs ***

 

Diggs            15                       31                      29

 

Brown           19                       22                      26

 

Beasley        38                       25                      27

 

We have gone from a team with arguably the worst WR corps, to one of the best units in the League in two years.  There are weapons all over this offense now who can score points.  Let's hope that Diggs can get similar production with Allen in Buffalo.  If Diggs is even close to his production last year, this offense is going to be exciting to watch.  I think the days of watching "defensive battles" every Sunday is over.

 

https://fantasyfootballers.org/wr-wide-receiver-nfl-stats/

 

The receiving position should be much stronger and i hope this can help make us more of a pass first team.   We don't need to be like the Chiefs but would not hurt to see Josh Allen have a few 300 yard passing games.  Beane deserves credit for surrounding Josh with more weapons over the last two offseasons. Also believe TE Knox is going to show biggest improvement of the rookies from last season,  dropped some balls late in the season but i expect big things from him this season.  

Edited May 3, 2020 by Niagara Dude
changed

[Buffalo Boy]

3 hours ago, NewEra said:

if our offense is gonna take the next step, it surely is all on Josh.  Everything else is in place on O.  Everything is in place on D.  He has to make the throws and the correct decisions

So the O-line gets a pass?

Knox can drop a quarter of his catchable targets again?

Receivers can run sloppy routes and not be on the same page with JA?

Rookie RB doesn’t need to worry about Pass Pro/ blitz pickup?

It takes 11 guys , ALL on the same page. Ten of them get it right but Josh  gets blown up because of a missed block ( or three like the QB Sweep in the playoffs), it’s on Josh?

JA hits Knox on a perfect seam pass for a first down in a big game and Knox drops it, It’s on Josh?

?

[NewEra]

2 minutes ago, Buffalo Boy said:

So the O-line gets a pass?

Knox can drop a quarter of his catchable targets again?

Receivers can run sloppy routes and not be on the same page with JA?

Rookie RB doesn’t need to worry about Pass Pro/ blitz pickup?

It takes 11 guys , ALL on the same page. Ten of them get it right but Josh  gets blown up because of a missed block ( or three like the QB Sweep in the playoffs), it’s on Josh?

JA hits Knox on a perfect seam pass for a first down in a big game and Knox drops it, It’s on Josh?

?

No, they don’t get a pass. of course everyone has to do their 1/11 but the QB drives the car.    Not sure where you’ve been the last 50 years.  Haven’t you noticed that they get paid way more than every other position?  Did you notice how he played in the 1st half vs Houston?  Then the 2nd half?  We failed to score 20 points 10 times last game.   There are a lot of reasons for that.  It’s my opinion that the biggest reason is Joshs inability to complete the deep ball.  It’s was really bad.  Embarrassing even.  If he doesn’t improve in that aspect, this season will likely have the same fate as last.  
 

our D is legit.  We know this.  We need the offense to hold up their end.  They didn’t last year.  We have the playmakers now.  We have a decent enough OL.  Beane has given him what he needs to succeed.  He’s surrounded his young QB with a tremendous roster.  Now the young padawan must take the next step.  Improve.  

Josh was a good enough of a QB to beat the Texans last year.  That game wasn’t just on him, like you said.  Many people failed.  That was the afc wild card game.  Then we would’ve had to win 2 more games to get to the SB, let alone win it.  Even if we beat the Texans, he wasn’t good enough to win out.  He needs to improve if we’re going to win the SB.  If you’re ok with winning a playoff game or two, he might be good enough right now. SB or bust baby.   
 

If you don’t agree than you’re just looking to argue for the sake of arguing. He must improve 
 

[Don Otreply]

25 minutes ago, Buffalo Boy said:

So the O-line gets a pass?

Knox can drop a quarter of his catchable targets again?

Receivers can run sloppy routes and not be on the same page with JA?

Rookie RB doesn’t need to worry about Pass Pro/ blitz pickup?

It takes 11 guys , ALL on the same page. Ten of them get it right but Josh  gets blown up because of a missed block ( or three like the QB Sweep in the playoffs), it’s on Josh?

JA hits Knox on a perfect seam pass for a first down in a big game and Knox drops it, It’s on Josh?

?

? just dropped passes alone can be said to have lost the WC game.
   For two consecutive seasons our receivers group has ranked all to

high in the dropped pass category. 
     That said Josh does indeed need to up his game, he was sloppy with the ball repeatedly, amongst other not so good decisions. Josh needs another step up in play equal to or better than last season, if that happens  are on our way, if not we are a team that makes the post season and wins a playoff game here and there. I think Josh and the team can together create that needed step, but everyone needs to be on the same page. 
 

Go Bills!!!

[Buffalo Boy]

1 minute ago, NewEra said:

No, they don’t get a pass. of course everyone has to do their 1/11 but the QB drives the car.    Not sure where you’ve been the last 50 years.  Haven’t you noticed that they get paid way more than every other position?  Did you notice how he played in the 1st half vs Houston?  Then the 2nd half?  We failed to score 20 points 10 times last game.   There are a lot of reasons for that.  It’s my opinion that the biggest reason is Joshs inability to complete the deep ball.  It’s was really bad.  Embarrassing even.  If he doesn’t improve in that aspect, this season will likely have the same fate as last.  
 

our D is legit.  We know this.  We need the offense to hold up their end.  They didn’t last year.  We have the playmakers now.  We have a decent enough OL.  Beane has given him what he needs to succeed.  He’s surrounded his young QB with a tremendous roster.  Now the young padawan must take the next step.  Improve.  

Josh was a good enough of a QB to beat the Texans last year.  That game wasn’t just on him, like you said.  Many people failed.  That was the afc wild card game.  Then we would’ve had to win 2 more games to get to the SB, let alone win it.  Even if we beat the Texans, he wasn’t good enough to win out.  He needs to improve if we’re going to win the SB.  If you’re ok with winning a playoff game or two, he might be good enough right now. SB or bust baby.   
 

If you don’t agree than you’re just looking to argue for the sake of arguing. He must improve 
 

I absolutely agree he needs to diagnose D more quickly. He has to hit wide open receivers down field . He needs to throw with anticipation.

But the offense last year was anything but a well oiled machine, Including Daboll and McD for allowing the conservative play calling when holding small leads. 
If Josh raises his game and the rest of the O produces at last years level we still aren’t beating KC or Baltimore.

While we are at it, our D playing a season full of scrub teams gets you high ranking. This year our D will rank considerably lower if they play at last years level due to our strength of schedule.  They need better line play against  the run and more take aways, especially from the safeties. 

 

[billsfan89]

1 hour ago, Buffalo Boy said:

I absolutely agree he needs to diagnose D more quickly. He has to hit wide open receivers down field . He needs to throw with anticipation.

But the offense last year was anything but a well oiled machine, Including Daboll and McD for allowing the conservative play calling when holding small leads. 
If Josh raises his game and the rest of the O produces at last years level we still aren’t beating KC or Baltimore.

While we are at it, our D playing a season full of scrub teams gets you high ranking. This year our D will rank considerably lower if they play at last years level due to our strength of schedule.  They need better line play against  the run and more take aways, especially from the safeties. 

 

 

A big factor people ignore is the fact that last years offense featured 9 new starters for a second year QB. This year most of the starters return that should only help Josh.

[Buffalo Boy]

29 minutes ago, billsfan89 said:

 

A big factor people ignore is the fact that last years offense featured 9 new starters for a second year QB. This year most of the starters return that should only help Josh.

Agreed.

For the record, I truly expect better play from Josh, Knox, the O line and the addition of Diggs is a Godsend.

The D line will be interesting to watch. 

[Utah John]

9 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

 

I wonder if the narrative will shift if Allen succeeds? Will people say Diggs, Brown and Beasley are carrying Allen?

Who cares?

[Doc]

13 minutes ago, ScottLaw said:

You’d think the offense would improve as the season went on then.... it didn’t... it got worse. 
 

The number of bone headed offensive decisions/penalties in that Houston game was ridiculous.

 

So was ignoring the fumbled return for a TD or calling Ford for that blindside block.  You know, spirit versus letter of the law and all that.

[Doc]

5 minutes ago, ScottLaw said:

? What does this have to do with the fact that they demonstrated an undisciplined and bad offense for much of the year?

 

Nothing.  Just wanted to talk about ridiculous things in that game.

 

And they've made a concerted effort to upgrade the offense.  Should be a fun one to watch.

[Saxum]

11 hours ago, Doc said:

 

I miss the WR group of Kelvin Benjamin, Zay Jones, Andre Holmes, Ray Ray McCloud, Jeremy Kerley and Robert Foster with a TE group of Clay, Jason Croom and Logan Thomas. ?

 

You need your head examined.  Problem is only Doc I know on the board also needs his head examined.

9 hours ago, IDBillzFan said:

I appreciate the stats and review, but I think the one thing we can all agree on is there is only one stat that matters when it comes to wide receivers: will Josh Allen ever have a 300-yard game?

 

Until then, nothing else matters.

 

Except power rankings.

 

Do yards caught count?  I saw video of Allen practice catching ball and he got a receiving TD last year.

9 hours ago, CaptnCoke11 said:

And people thought he was good..

 

He was occasionally just not consistently. 

[Saxum]

6 hours ago, boater said:

It's dependent on Josh Allen's summer project: fix the long ball.

 

I know he had plans to tr4ain with others, I hope the COVID didn't stop that.

 

Well he has been practicing catching balls so at least he will know what WRs are expecting in thrown balls but I doubt the thrower has strong enough throw to break fingers.

[Chaos]

12 hours ago, Charles Romes said:

You can’t just aggregate Diggs’ stats into Brown and Beasley’s.  Diggs will be taking catches away from those guys. 

In most cases, I would say that is true. But in this case, Diggs chances may very well be taken away from Allen runs. 

[IDBillzFan]

1 hour ago, Limeaid said:

Do yards caught count?  I saw video of Allen practice catching ball and he got a receiving TD last year.

 

 

No. Yards passing only. It's how all the greats are ultimately measured. He'll never be a franchise quarterback until he has that all-important game.

[billsfan89]

2 hours ago, ScottLaw said:

You’d think the offense would improve as the season went on then.... it didn’t... it got worse. 
 

The number of bone headed offensive decisions/penalties in that Houston game was ridiculous.

 

The offense did get better as the season went on, by the middle of the season Josh was cutting down on the turnovers and playing more within himself and the rushing attack (besides Gore) got better. Yes the Houston game was a big let down but one game doesn't define the offenses entire performance throughout the latter portion of the season. I feel that Josh and the offense might have been playing timidly with the lead and then trying to make up too much when they were down. 

 

The team scored an average of 19.75 points in its first 8 games and then in its last 7 (excluding the Jets game because they didn't play the starters) it scored an average of 21.4 points. I think even by the eye test the offense was just more fluid and cohesive than it was in the first 8 games despite playing as hard if not a harder defensive schedule. 

[MarlinTheMagician]

Good point by the OP, but I think their stats actually understate how lethal the combination of the three can be for three reasons:

 

1. Playing with Diggs should materially help Brown and Beasley's ability to uncover;

 

2.  It is unlikely that Josh regresses, and likely he progresses to some degree; aided by the addition of Diggs; and 

 

3.  More experience for other weapons Singletary and Knox, plus a healthy Kroft, should further pressure defenses and help all our wideouts uncover.

[BillsCelticsAngelsBama]

There is no excuse for bottom third QB play anymore. The weapons are sufficient. This is a top 5 team, talent wise, with a big deficit at QB. If he has the same piss poor passing stats and the teams suffers for it, I wonder how many "Kiss the Ring" guys will stay in denial. Should be interesting and I hope he succeeds. He has very rarely shown that he is more than "JAG". Maybe with these weapons at receiver the passing game will improve but the guys need a QB to throw them open, utilize their height and/or speed, and stop trying to be Superman. I hope I am wrong but I just don't see this guy as having the goods.