Colts Running Game could limit Bills offense

[ProcessTruster]

Ok, I know we (and I) are all pumped to wipe these guys out tomorrow, but since Indy

-- has perhaps the best Oline Bills have seen in a while  (just as the Giants did in SB 25), 

-- a limited QB (just as the Giants did with Hostetler) 

-- has solid , big, ground and pound productive RBs (just like NYG with Ottis Anderson)

-- a playcaller who was there on the sidelines for SB25

 

Won't Reich just  play ugly ball, run the ball 40+ times behind that O line, throw short quick passes (they do this anyway) and thereby limit the Bills to 8 or 9 possessions in the game, just as Parcells did in SB 25?   Bills play 90%+ 5 dbs and a fairly lightweight front 6 , discouraging the pass (successfully) and demanding that the opposition run the ball? 

 

 I mean you can't score if you don't have the ball-- this is what happened in SB25.   Game ended up being way closer than it should have been, as the Giants had the ball for 2/3 of the game.   In the absence of Star, Quinton Nelson will absolutely maul any of the Bills D lineman.  

 

Sorry, I guess I am too old and remember how the Giants kept that game so close.   For sure, if Bruce just gets Hostetler to drop that ball in the end zone the game tide shifts, but in the absence of turnovers and ST magic, I can see the Colts making this game slow, ugly and close.   What say you?   The comparisons of the what the Giants did and what the Colts potentially have the tools to do to slow down a high flying offensive team seem a little too tight for comfort.  

 

Go Bills!  

Edited January 8, 2021 by ProcessTruster

[ProcessTruster]

Ok, I know we (and I) are all pumped to wipe these guys out tomorrow, but since Indy

-- has perhaps the best Oline Bills have seen in a while  (just as the Giants did in SB 25), 

-- a limited QB (just as the Giants did with Hostetler) 

-- has solid , big, ground and pound productive RBs (just like NYG with Ottis Anderson)

-- a playcaller who was there on the sidelines for SB25

 

Won't Reich just  play ugly ball, run the ball 40+ times behind that O line, throw short quick passes (they do this anyway) and thereby limit the Bills to 8 or 9 possessions in the game, just as Parcells did in SB 25?   Bills play 90%+ 5 dbs and a fairly lightweight front 6 , discouraging the pass (successfully) and demanding that the opposition run the ball? 

 

 I mean you can't score if you don't have the ball-- this is what happened in SB25.   Game ended up being way closer than it should have been, as the Giants had the ball for 2/3 of the game.   In the absence of Star, Quinton Nelson will absolutely maul any of the Bills D lineman.  

 

Sorry, I guess I am too old and remember how the Giants kept that game so close.   For sure, if Bruce just gets Hostetler to drop that ball in the end zone the game tide shifts, but in the absence of turnovers and ST magic, I can see the Colts making this game slow, ugly and close.   What say you?   The comparisons of the what the Giants did and what the Colts potentially have the tools to do to slow down a high flying offensive team seem a little too tight for comfort.  

 

Go Bills!  

[dlonce]

They could do all that if they CAN.

[JMF2006]

Trust the Process  

 

The Bills use their passing game to run the clock and control the ball.

 

Its not the K Gun hurry up lets get down and score in 2 minutes or less and get off the field.

 

They can do that if its required but it seems they like to pick a D apart play by agonizing play until they are tire/frustrated/demoralized.

[H2o]

I too have thought about this and even used it in the game plan against the Bills thread. The only difference is the Bills can still put up 35 in those 8 or 9 possessions against their defense. Can the Colts score that much against ours strictly running the football while dinking and dunking? I don't think so. 

Edited January 8, 2021 by H2o

[delirious]

When this team makes stopping the run a priority, they deliver and the opponents' running game is ineffective.  Then it's up to Rivers' arm to beat us. 

[RobbRiddick]

I wouldn't be surprised if they pass more in the first half because they know Buffalo will be playing the run and use the short passing game to score, try and build a lead and then run it in the second half.

 

 

[mjt328]

The Super Bowl 25 strategy is commonly used when teams are facing offensive powerhouses.  It's nothing special or unique.  It was actually our strategy back when we played the Chiefs earlier this year.

 

There were two key reasons that gameplan worked for the Giants 30 years ago:

1.  The juggernaut Bills passing offense came out ridiculously flat, and played pretty bad for most of the day.

2.  The Bills defense continually failed to make tackles on key 3rd downs, constantly letting New York extend drives.

 

Jim Kelly barely cracked 200 yards passing in that game, with zero touchdown passes.  We had 12 points at halftime.  The week before (in the AFC Championship), we had 41 points at halftime.  If our offense (which had 4 eventual Hall of Famers on it), had shown even the slightest signs of life in that game, we could have forced the Giants to abandon the run and rely on the arm of Jeff Hostetler.  As it stood, the only thing working for us was Thurman Thomas and we got into a ground battle that didn't favor us in the slightest.

 

The Colts have a good team everywhere.  Except in the secondary, where they are below-average and have multiple injuries.  This is where the Bills have a major advantage, regardless of Frank Reich's strategy.  If Josh Allen and the passing offense come out and play well, the Colts are going to be in big trouble.  If they come out and look like Weeks 5-8, then it's very likely this game is tight in the late 4th Quarter.

 

[Doc]

The Bills have the blueprint of the Steelers and Jags to shutdown the Colts' offense.

 

1 minute ago, mjt328 said:

The Super Bowl 25 strategy is commonly used when teams are facing offensive powerhouses.  It's nothing special or unique.  It was actually our strategy back when we played the Chiefs earlier this year.

 

There were two key reasons that gameplan worked for the Giants 30 years ago:

1.  The juggernaut Bills passing offense came out ridiculously flat, and played pretty bad for most of the day.

2.  The Bills defense continually failed to make tackles on key 3rd downs, constantly letting New York extend drives.

 

Jim Kelly barely cracked 200 yards passing in that game, with zero touchdown passes.  We had 12 points at halftime.  The week before (in the AFC Championship), we had 41 points at halftime.  If our offense (which had 4 eventual Hall of Famers on it), had shown even the slightest signs of life in that game, we could have forced the Giants to abandon the run and rely on the arm of Jeff Hostetler.  As it stood, the only thing working for us was Thurman Thomas and we got into a ground battle that didn't favor us in the slightest.

 

The Colts have a good team everywhere.  Except in the secondary, where they are below-average and have multiple injuries.  This is where the Bills have a major advantage, regardless of Frank Reich's strategy.  If Josh Allen and the passing offense come out and play well, the Colts are going to be in big trouble.  If they come out and look like Weeks 5-8, then it's very likely this game is tight in the late 4th Quarter.

 

 

Probably because they were all still hungover...

Edited January 8, 2021 by Doc

[Big Turk]

This Bills team has a much better coaching staff top to bottom. They will figure it out.

[hemma]

Our last 4 games, we've averaged 3.65 points per drive against some varied & decent defenses.

We get 33 points on 9 drives, we should win.

[CSBill]

ProcessTruster, from a SWAT analysis perspective, indeed, those are the Threats. Us old guys remember that game all too well. If the Colts are to beat the Bills this weekend, this is the formula. .... But, I believe the Bills' Strengths (Offense, stout D, good Coaching, emerging super-star QB home field - fans) and Opportunities (the Play-offs, loaded team, home field - fans) outweigh any potential Weaknesses (Run D?, potential over-confidence?) and these Threats. ... Time to rewrite "MAKE" some history!

[ALLEN1QB]

I just don't see much comparison apples n oranges.

[dorquemada]

Hosteler had 'the added dimension' of being mobile.  if you were around then you'll remember the pundits talking nonstop about that in the days and week leading up to the SB.  Rivers does not have that added dimension.   Plus, i'll say, Otis Anderson was not a consistently great back but when he showed up he was pretty much unstoppable. 

 

That and I'll go on and assume that this version of the Bills aren't spending this week getting hammered all night and chasing hangovers

[JESSEFEFFER]

This is the play that once seen can't be forgotten:

 

Mark Ingram 3rd down conversion.

 

A 14 yard gain on 3rd and 13 that extended the opening drive of the 3rd quarter that would give the Giants the lead and burn nearly 20% of the game clock.

 

New York scoring drive: 75 yards, 14 plays, 9:29.
New York 17, Buffalo 12

 

A run heavy, dink and dunk offense does not work without such a play.  I think it was the most consequential play of the game next to Norwood's miss and the Bills' worst play of the game.

[ProcessTruster]

23 minutes ago, mjt328 said:

The Super Bowl 25 strategy is commonly used when teams are facing offensive powerhouses.  It's nothing special or unique.  It was actually our strategy back when we played the Chiefs earlier this year.

 

There were two key reasons that gameplan worked for the Giants 30 years ago:

1.  The juggernaut Bills passing offense came out ridiculously flat, and played pretty bad for most of the day.

2.  The Bills defense continually failed to make tackles on key 3rd downs, constantly letting New York extend drives.

 

Jim Kelly barely cracked 200 yards passing in that game, with zero touchdown passes.  We had 12 points at halftime.  The week before (in the AFC Championship), we had 41 points at halftime.  If our offense (which had 4 eventual Hall of Famers on it), had shown even the slightest signs of life in that game, we could have forced the Giants to abandon the run and rely on the arm of Jeff Hostetler.  As it stood, the only thing working for us was Thurman Thomas and we got into a ground battle that didn't favor us in the slightest.

 

The Colts have a good team everywhere.  Except in the secondary, where they are below-average and have multiple injuries.  This is where the Bills have a major advantage, regardless of Frank Reich's strategy.  If Josh Allen and the passing offense come out and play well, the Colts are going to be in big trouble.  If they come out and look like Weeks 5-8, then it's very likely this game is tight in the late 4th Quarter.

 

How does your last paragraph point change if both Diggs and Beasley are out, which is looking like an actual possibility?  

[loveorhatembillsfan4life]

The guys on Gmfb said it best. It’s been about 8000 plus days since our last home playoff game. We are the hottest football team on the planet this past month. There is no way we don’t show up for this. We can’t ask for much more coming into the playoffs really. 

 

The guys look loose, having fun. As long as we don’t beat ourselves we got this. 

 

 

 

[Magox]

I think they are gonna try to pound the rock and use the short/intermediate pass game to limit possessions.  
 

And even though they don’t blitz often I would expect them to blitz much more often than they normally do to speed up Josh Allen’s internal clock to try to force some negative plays, TO’s and to get them off the field.   I don’t see how they just go with a typical 4 man rush throughout the game, they’ll get carved up if they do.

 

One thing to have the game plan it’s another to effectively execute it.   Buffalo should sell out to stop the run and the short intermediate game.  If they give up a big play or two they can handle that.  The bigger risk is Indianapolis scoring touchdowns while eating clock.  Also plan against their varying blitz packages that they have shown.

 

 

[BuffalOhio]

8 or 9 possessions should equal 56 to 63 points.  I'm good with that.

10 minutes ago, JESSEFEFFER said:

This is the play that once seen can't be forgotten:

 

Mark Ingram 3rd down conversion.

 

A 14 yard gain on 3rd and 13 that extended the opening drive of the 3rd quarter that would give the Giants the lead and burn nearly 20% of the game clock.

 

New York scoring drive: 75 yards, 14 plays, 9:29.
New York 17, Buffalo 12

 

A run heavy, dink and dunk offense does not work without such a play.  I think it was the most consequential play of the game next to Norwood's miss and the Bills' worst play of the game.

Yep, that play gives me nightmares.

[Call_Of_Ktulu]

Do the Bills still get to pump in artificial crowd noise even with 6,700 fans in the stadium?