Simple question. What is the best way to pass on a cold, windy day?

[maryland-bills-fan]

It is easy to understand that a long pass that is defended, might be blown around by the wind and just as likely go to the DB as the WR.

 

It is also easy to understand that screen passes have to be thrown softer with touch, travel slower and can be blown away from the receiver.

 

I have heard and experienced, (I'm a soccer player- played with the Sauers of the Buffalo Soccer Club back in the day), and know that the player with the ball (or receiver) has some advantage when there is icy footing, because he knows when and where he is going to change direction and keeps a surer footing.

 

To those of you more experienced,  what are they type of passes and passing attack that would be most successful in the very cold and very windy days?

What sort of plays, routes, and combination routes work best?

[Nextmanup]

One thing I know for sure is that the wind is not the same in all directions and all spots on the field. 
 

Josh will know where he can throw and in what direction, and where he can't throw or in what direction it is highly unlikely to work well.

 

He was wandering all over the field in warmups before the "Tornado Game" on Monday Night against the Patriots and studying where he could and couldn't throw.

 

He should be a bit more knowledgable than Jones in this regard, though Jones has already played a windy game in the stadium!

 

 

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

1 and 10, pass.

2 and  8, pass.

3 and  5, pass.

🤔 Wait a minute...

[The Wiz]

Take a little air out of the ball. 

 

 

[Long Suffering Fan]

42 minutes ago, The Wiz said:

Take a little air out of the ball. 

 

I mean, this is really true - not because of the flight of the ball, but because of the gripping to throw and the catching.  Maybe Josh's hands are big enough so that the first matters less, but the second will always matter.  In that weather, the ball becomes a slippery rock made worse by the fact that Josh is firing it as hard as he can to get it to cut through the wind.  It is the same principle which sees fewer fumbles if the ball is a little deflated in cold weather.

 

I don't want to bring up the nameless one, but the accusations against him were always very believable to me, and not just because it was the cheats.  Josh needs to make sure that his balls are at the very bottom of the legal limit.

[PaattMaann]

1 hour ago, Nextmanup said:

One thing I know for sure is that the wind is not the same in all directions and all spots on the field. 
 

Josh will know where he can throw and in what direction, and where he can't throw or in what direction it is highly unlikely to work well.

 

He was wandering all over the field in warmups before the "Tornado Game" on Monday Night against the Patriots and studying where he could and couldn't throw.

 

He should be a bit more knowledgable than Jones in this regard, though Jones has already played a windy game in the stadium!

 

 

 

it isnt going to be windy on Saturday

[Gisele]

Throw the ball really hard and aim for the spot where you want it to go.  

[JESSEFEFFER]

6 minutes ago, Long Suffering Fan said:

 

I mean, this is really true - not because of the flight of the ball, but because of the gripping to throw and the catching.  Maybe Josh's hands are big enough so that the first matters less, but the second will always matter.  In that weather, the ball becomes a slippery rock made worse by the fact that Josh is firing it as hard as he can to get it to cut through the wind.  It is the same principle which sees fewer fumbles if the ball is a little deflated in cold weather.

 

I don't want to bring up the nameless one, but the accusations against him were always very believable to me, and not just because it was the cheats.  Josh needs to make sure that his balls are at the very bottom of the legal limit.

Bottom of the legal limit at locker room temp of ~72F and then take them outside at ~5F temp and they should be about perfect.

[Hebert19]

Well from my side having played QB in Canada I loved when teams played zone.  Easier to side down and catch the ball between defenders with combo of hands and body than being against man where you need to catch on the run and more hands catching.  

 

Having said that my thoughts for this game is make them respect the width of the field with both rub and pass early (swing passes, screens, quick outs sweeps etc) which will open up the middle of the field for easier passes to bease and Knox.  

 

The gloves these guys use these days shouldn't slow us down much but if we can't stretch the field as much vertically we need to stretch it horizontally. 

[JESSEFEFFER]

I want to see the day when the NFL decides to embed a GPS chip at both ends of the ball or maybe the TV networks can just track it the same way they do for baseball and golf.  Launch angle, launch velocity, RPMs, time of flight, the wind effects on flight, etc,  I'd like to know the numbers from one direction to another, one QB, P or Pk to the next.  At the very least, they probably could do a much better job at marking the ball for first downs and TDs.  

 

For windy days, shallow crossing routes with picks/rubs, screen passes and QB scramble runs are great ways to get 1st downs.  Unfortunately, the Bills don't do these things much for whatever reason.  In extreme cold, hard throws should ideally be to the body and touch throws should be on routes where the receiver can have eyes on the ball as early as possible to track and adjust to the flight of the ball.

[ChevyVanMiller]

 

Best way to pass on a cold, on a windy day you ask?

 

 

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

Since it won't be particularly windy i don't think you really have to change much.  Maybe aim your fastballs a bit more into the body?  

 

As for the particular plays?  If the field conditions are slippery i tend to like hitches and comebacks, some double moves if they are in man.  In slippery conditions screens can be a challenge because of all the moving parts along the line.  

Edited January 12, 2022 by dneveu

[Einstein]

46 minutes ago, JESSEFEFFER said:

Bottom of the legal limit at locker room temp of ~72F and then take them outside at ~5F temp and they should be about perfect.

 

Yep.

 

Have any of you checked your car tires PSI lately?

 

They likely went down 5-10 PSI due to the cold.

 

Same happens with a football.

[Steve O]

Be up front, don't make excuses, if someone asks you if you want to go to the game and you really don't just say "I'll pass, too cold"

[TheFunPolice]

I hope they orient the new stadium or build it in such a way as to cut down on the wind.

 

Anyone who shops at the Wegmans right by the stadium can attest that it is ALWAYS windy and miserably cold over there. 

[FitzShowUsYourTitz]

Let's be clear....

 

1.  When the weather gets really really cold (like it will be Saturday) it's almost always a very dry cold AND not windy. 

2. The forecast for Saturday is not windy. 

 

Can we change the conversation for this weeks game to address the cold issue.  But it will not be windy. 

 

PS - I like having Josh (having played at Wyoming and BUF) vs Mac Jones...

- Being a rookie

- College in Alabama

- Grew up in Jacksonville 

 

Let's Focus!  GoBILLS!!!

 

[frostbitmic]

The best way to play in the freezer is for Josh to throw accurate passes to Diggs all day. Josh to Diggs = points.

 

Welcome to the Tundra.

[TheFunPolice]

I think the best approach is to ignore the weather and play ball. 

 

As soon as the Bills did that in the MNF hurricane game Allen started completing passes. This game is just cold air. 

[Mat68]

Gotta cut the ball through the wind.  Tighter spiral more accurate through the wind.  Last week the wind was more a factor than anything.  Pass catchers have to be focused and prepared to get those balls.  In colder temps you take something off it.  Allen can manipulate the ball in alot of ways.  He has gotten significantly better at utilizing the proper type of throw that is required. 

[Freddie's Dead]

Two ways.  Josh, and Allen.