What makes a team "physical?"

[oldmanfan]

Being able to beat the guy across from you.  And we don’t get that done as much as we should.

[billsbackto81]

Physicality comes in many forms.

 

IMO It's a mindset first and foremost but having the physical attributes like size, strength, arm length and power at point of attack help as well.

 

The guy who lines up and looks at the QB like he's trying to hurt his family. You know like Alvin Mack in "The Program" 

 

That nastiness that some guys just possess. The ones that either pancake or knock the snot out of you then let you know its only going to get worse.

 

One thing is certain, either you have it in you or you don't.

[BuffaloRebound]

How confident are you converting a 3rd or 4th and short?  Seems like majority of teams are weak at this since the League went pass-crazy.  Given that it’s still extremely important to move the chains or get 7 points instead of 3, I’m surprised teams don’t carry more short yardage specialist O-Linemen and insert them in short yardage situations.  

[In Summary]

It's the guys who are uber hard wired to look for contact.

[LeGOATski]

The Bills are physical. Maybe not the most, but certainly not the least.

[TampaBillsJunkie]

I think it comes down to using that stupid 4-2-5 against big running teams when we are getting gouged.  We get outweighed and outmuscled running 5 db's and a light D line.  I think Ankou helped a bit last week. He and Star are big guys. Throw in Butler in the rotation and we're not so soft down the middle.  I'd like to see 5 DL sometimes against these run heavy teams like Tenn and Indy, maybe NE.

 

Our OL injuries exposed more of a lack of talent then toughness. Ford is tough, but not good. Dawkins is still recovering and lost body strength. Feliciano has half a pec and half a calf.  Brown is a big, tough dude.  Morse is smart, just not strong. He doesn't lack for effort. Williams is a big dude with average talent.  When everyone is healthy it's a little better, but we can use some maulers at G next year.

 

 

[folz]

All I know is that I hope the media keeps pumping the "Bills are soft" angle. 

 

Nothing motivates a group of men more (especially ultra-competitive football players) than to call them soft/not tough. Even in today's society, if you question someone's manhood at that level, you better be ready for a fight.

 

McDermott and Beane have consistently brought in mentally-tough, driven, grinders...all football all the time guys. This team is not soft. They just haven't always played up to their potential this year (some games due to key injuries---not a big surprise to struggle against the run missing your nose tackle and middle linebacker for instance).

 

I think the "soft" perception comes from four things: 1. Derrick Henry (best RB in the game having an All-Pro/HOF-type season at the time the Bills played them), 2. Jonathan Taylor (the best running back in the league after Henry went down, having a Pro Bowl season himself), 3. the Jacksonville Jaguars game (we played down to the competition in that one), and 4. our middling run game (minus Josh).

 

But, we won't see another back like either of those two until maybe the playoffs. And even in the playoffs, the only other rushing attack that might scare me a bit besides Indy might be the Browns (Chubb and Hunt). But the Browns probably aren't even going to make the playoffs. Mixon is good, but he doesn't scare me. There really isn't another AFC team that I think could just run over us (especially if Star is playing). We have held 8 teams this year to under 79 yards total rushing. The only other team to rush for more than 100 (besides Indy and Tenn) was KC (which had 120 yards total, but 61 of that was by Mahomes. The KC backs combined for 59 yards).

 

And hopefully, the team has learned their lesson and won't be taking anyone lightly, like it seems they did with the Jags.

 

That just leaves our own run game. There has been a slight uptick running with Singletary and Breida, and hopefully the return of Feliciano and Brown will help there too. But, ultimately, we are a passing team. We will live and die by the pass. The rushing game just needs to be complimentary, not dominant, or even even with the passing game.

 

I think the Bills will put the "soft" label to bed on Monday night.

 

 

 

[ChronicAndKnuckles]

10 hours ago, Success said:

I keep hearing that the Patriots & other teams are "physical," and that the Bills are "soft." 

 

What is it in particular that makes a team physical?  I think the Bills are called "soft" largely because of the Colts game, where we definitely got run over.  But I've seen other games this season, and definitely last season, where our lines were much more assertive and dictating in terms of the pace & style of play.  Players like Addison, Oliver & Edmunds, Hyde & Poyer are all hard hitters on the defense, and even our O-line has a couple of guys who are in that "mauler" mode.

 

Our receivers are more finesse - we don't have that Metcalf kind of guy - but Knox is as tough as they come at TE, and Beasley for his size is a very physical player.

 

Is this aspect of the game overplayed?  Are we really a "soft" team?  Thoughts welcome.

 

 

The ability to run and stop the run. 

[billybrew1]

What makes teams physical is the ability to run and stop the run.

 

But balance is needed to win Super Bowls....

[Shortchaz]

What makes the bills a “soft” team is their philosophy (imo). They play a pass first offense combined with a zone defense. they essentially say we’re going to get a lead and you won’t be able to catch us. 
 

this has/can work but isn’t the same as a “we’re going to run the ball and you can’t stop us”philosophy. Teams that successfully operate this philosophy typically combine it with an aggressive defense. 
 

the bills style is dependent on their passing game being successful. Passing is, on its face, more dependent on other factors than running. E.g. precipitation, wind, timing, the day, specific matchups etc. 

Edited December 5, 2021 by Shortchaz

[oldmanfan]

Watch the games.  When you see our O line guys get pushed straight back by the other guys, and when you see the opposite with our D line, that’s soft.

 

Since it’s invention football is about physicality and strength.  It is about imposing your will on the opposing team.  There are teams that have physically dominated us this year because we were too soft.

Edited December 5, 2021 by oldmanfan

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

There’s an old Olivia Newton John song that can help with this 

[machine gun kelly]

11 hours ago, JerseyBills said:

Women lie ,men lie, numbers don't Look at the numbers. 

We have the highest pressure % on D and top 5 ypc and 11th in rush ypg.

 

Ppl criticize our lines quite a bit but the numbers tell a different story and we're getting upgrades back in Star, Brown and Mongo

 

Thanks JB.

 

NFL Team Stats

 

Yards

Bills 5th

Cheats 14th

 

Rushing

Bills 11th

Pats 12th

 

Passing

Bills 7th

Pats 14th

 

Pts.

Bills 2nd

Pats 7th

 

Lets let go of this the Pats are world beaters.  They have the same darn schedule as us except the three based on last yrs performance and nfc team.

 

As of today, we are still the #1 defense after 11 games in the NFL.  The vaunted Pats defense is 4th.   Their rush defense is freakin 20th.  Time for Allen is to run when needed, Singletary and Breida used inside and outside respectively with Gilliam plowing a field up the middle for motor.  Knox will be difficult to beat, short passes as if part of our run game with Bease, and when needed we let Diggs be Diggs, and he’ll get one of those amazing catches for 40 yards.

 

All if this talk from a small group about what if and are we able, phew.  Tomorrow night is a Bills make me want to Shout night.

 

Heres to us 8-4 by midnight tomorrow.

[Buffalo ill]

A physical team would have handled the Titans better.  

[Buffalo ill]

Also, a physical team wouldn't walk away like nothing happened when Gronk threw a flying elbow into the back of Tre's neck.  Inexcusable 

[BillMafia716ix]

Dominating the line of scrimmage. Being able to run it down the other teams throat and stoping the run.

Edited December 5, 2021 by BillMafia716ix

[Dablitzkrieg]

Check out this thread of tweets by Mitchell Schwartz.  I think he sums it up perfectly.....

 

 

[Success]

Thanks for all of the responses.  I wasn't sure what kind of discussion to expect, but there are some really interesting perspectives and takes here.

 

I tend to agree w/ those who say that the Bills ARE a physical team in general, but had weeks that they were "softer" (either a week after a really physical game, or just a letdown).

 

I think we can out-physical the Pats.  Not guaranteeing it, but we can play w/ the same intensity they do.

 

[TheCockSportif]

Leg warmers.

 

 

[Beerball]

On 12/4/2021 at 4:38 PM, Success said:

I keep hearing that the Patriots & other teams are "physical," and that the Bills are "soft." 

 

What is it in particular that makes a team physical?  I think the Bills are called "soft" largely because of the Colts game, where we definitely got run over.  But I've seen other games this season, and definitely last season, where our lines were much more assertive and dictating in terms of the pace & style of play.  Players like Addison, Oliver & Edmunds, Hyde & Poyer are all hard hitters on the defense, and even our O-line has a couple of guys who are in that "mauler" mode.

 

Our receivers are more finesse - we don't have that Metcalf kind of guy - but Knox is as tough as they come at TE, and Beasley for his size is a very physical player.

 

Is this aspect of the game overplayed?  Are we really a "soft" team?  Thoughts welcome.

 

Bills v KC last season=soft

Bills v KC this season=physical