DL Rotation Is Costing Us

[BuffaloBillyG]

Let me start by saying I totally get the philosophy behind it and can even see some merit in theory. Aside from QB in my eyes the most importantly position is the fellas that chase the QBs.

 

However, we have a DL that is costing us around $40 million against the cap this year. Invested big money and high picks. For "part time" players. That's a HUGE amount to invest in players that are not full time difference makers.

 

What each one has on common right now is it this point in their careers each one is a JAG. Sure, Groot, Oliver, AJE and maybe possibly Boogie have some upside. And Hughes used to be solid. But NONE of them have anything elite in their game right now.

 

For the Pro-Hughes crowd. I know he "gets held oh so much and it's never called". But in reality it's way less than it's portrayed as. It's odd that his sacks dropped off for the most part when Mario left. And yes...he gets pressures. Wonderful. You know what he doesn't do? Take the QB down for a loss of yards. Kinda important. 

 

Our whole DL gets pressures at BEST. We have no one that's can semi consistently take a QB down. To throw a baseball term out...they have warning track power. We need a home run hitter.

 

Even the lack of guys that could get home and pull a QB down would be easy to look past if they were stout against the run. They are not. 

 

Then you have young guys like Oliver that start the game on fire a lot of the time and just kinda disappear. Almost like they get out of the flow of the game. And I cannot recall ONE game where our "fresh legged DL" took over a game late and dominated an exhasted OL. Instead we voluntarily take our better players off the field for a good chunk of the game and sub in lesser players. 

[Hebert19]

I think the dline and running back rotation are both killing us.  

 

No players get any rhythm or game flow as a result...

 

Start Singletary and he gets 1st and second down...if short yardage bring in moss if longer bring in breida.  

 

On D.  Go big on first and second and then bring in pass rushers.   You know.  Basically what every other team does. 

[Brianmoorman4jesus]

I hate both the D line and the RB rotation. On the surface it’s a solid idea. Unfortunately all you are doing it putting worse players on the field more often. Just leave the good guys in the game for Christ sakes. I don’t need backup level players with fresh legs effecting the game.

[Process]

It's terrible. But it's part of the process and won't change.

[All_Pro_Bills]

I think your point is valid.  This isn't like hockey where you can roll 3 or 4 "good" evenly balanced lines throughout the course of the game and create some mis-matches with line changes or combinations to be successful. 

Maybe a couple of the younger guys on the line develop into a difference maker but right now there's no player in the rotation the offense is going to game plan around and account for on every play.  Maybe you need an elite/pro bowl type impact guy or two instead.  As this works pretty well by observation from around the league. The current approach while keeping guys fresh might be a mistake from a cap and roster building view.  It didn't seem to worry or slow down the Colts today.  Or the Titans for that matter or any other opponent with a good offensive line and a competent QB.  Play the best 4 players and give them a breather but dump the averaging out playing time approach. 

Edited November 21, 2021 by All_Pro_Bills

[BuffaloBillyG]

1 minute ago, All_Pro_Bills said:

I think your point is valid.  This isn't like hockey where you can roll 3or 4 "good" evenly balanced lines throughout the course of the game and create some mis-matches with line changes or combinations to be successful. 

Maybe a couple of the younger guys on the line develop into a difference maker but right now there's no player in the rotation the offense is going to game plan around and account for on every play.  Maybe you need an elite/pro bowl type impact guy or two instead.  As this works pretty well by observation from around the league. The current approach while keeping guys fresh might be a mistake from a cap and roster building view.  It didn't seem to worry or slow down the Colts today.

Not only that...but players like Groot and Oliver really could use the snaps. Give them more in game experience. I really feel like players develop on the field and the sharing reps slows development. Oliver for example could be much further along than he is now. 

[John from Riverside]

8 minutes ago, Gene1973 said:

I think McClappity thought the rotation BS was going to be his claim to fame.

 

It's a crap idea. 

I don’t think it’s a crappy idea I think there are other issues on the team that are highlighting itI don’t think it’s a crappy idea I think there are other issues on the team that are highlighting it

[BuffaloBillyG]

10 minutes ago, Brianmoorman4jesus said:

I hate both the D line and the RB rotation. On the surface it’s a solid idea. Unfortunately all you are doing it putting worse players on the field more often. Just leave the good guys in the game for Christ sakes. I don’t need backup level players with fresh legs effecting the game.

I wasn't even gonna mention the RB rotation...but that's another peeve of mine. At one point today Motor had a few nice plays. Then Breida came in and had some production. Then they forced Moss in because it was "his turn" and we lost momentum. 

[Maine-iac]

What kind of rotation did we even have today?  If it was a rotation why am I seeing Addison all day (missing tackles and getting penalties) and not seeing any of our draft picks, not once.

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

Doesn’t every team in the league have pretty regular D-line rotations? Maybe you don’t take a TJ Watt off the field— but otherwise, I am pretty sure this is standard practice outside of the superstar players. 

[Maine-iac]

2 minutes ago, No Place To Hyde said:

I wasn't even gonna mention the RB rotation...but that's another peeve of mine. At one point today Motor had a few nice plays. Then Breida came in and had some production. Then they forced Moss in because it was "his turn" and we lost momentum. 

How did Moss become "the short yardage guy" he's 2 pounds heavier than Singletary?

[BuffaloBillyG]

1 minute ago, John from Riverside said:

I don’t think it’s a crappy idea I think there are other issues on the team that are highlighting itI don’t think it’s a crappy idea I think there are other issues on the team that are highlighting it

Well, as I said in the OP...in theory I can see how it would be beneficial. However, at any given time we have around $15-20M of cap space sitting the bench waiting for their turn. That could be money to get a G or T. So I do believe the cause has a negative effect.

 

And again, I cannot recall one game in McD's time here that it made a noticed difference late in a game.

[Dablitzkrieg]

6 minutes ago, John from Riverside said:

I don’t think it’s a crappy idea I think there are other issues on the team that are highlighting itI don’t think it’s a crappy idea I think there are other issues on the team that are highlighting it

Who are you Johnny two times?

[BubbaT]

I’ve seen enough of Butler and he seemed to be in a LOT today. Useless waste of a uniform. Butler/Obada as the 2nd DT rotation is awful. After last year I really hoped they’d find a run stuffing DT to back up Star ( back then we didn’t even know if he’d be back) and a stud OG. More and more it seems like an egregious error in roster building

[John from Riverside]

Just now, BubbaT said:

I’ve seen enough of Butler and he seemed to be in a LOT today. Useless waste of a uniform. Butler/Obada as the 2nd DT rotation is awful. After last year I really hoped they’d find a run stuffing DT to back up Star ( back then we didn’t even know if he’d be back) and a stud OG. More and more it seems like an egregious error in roster building

Has anybody been following the legit nose tackles that were drafted this year there were a couple

[DCofNC]

I agree completely, the rotation is stupid, time and time again we give up big plays in key moments because we couldn’t possibly leave the best players on the field.. infuriating.

[ALLEN1QB]

20 minutes ago, Maine-iac said:

What kind of rotation did we even have today?  If it was a rotation why am I seeing Addison all day (missing tackles and getting penalties) and not seeing any of our draft picks, not once.

Addison should be cut tomorrow.

[billsfan714]

The DL is a combination of non-elite  power and speed.

[vincec]

I think the strategy of investing big in the OL is sound. The problem is that they haven't really cashed in on their investment.

[CEN-CAL17]

I’d like to see this team run a 3-4 (would look more like a 5-2 with Hughes playing Weakside OLB, not every play but to match physical run teams.

 

Rousseau, Oliver, Harrison NT, Butler, Hughes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 22, 2021 by CEN-CAL17