Why wasn't there a spy on Mahomes?

[Joe Ferguson]

I don' know if this was ever brought up so sorry if I'm repeating this. But why didn't they set up one Bills defensive player to solely watch Mahomes if he gets out of the pocket and scamper for big yards? We could have held him for little or no gain and forced them to punt maybe 2 - 3 times in the game. That would have been huge!

[Billl]

2 spies would have been even more effective at stopping Mahomes from scrambling.

[Niagara Dude]

6 minutes ago, Joe Ferguson said:

I don' know if this was ever brought up so sorry if I'm repeating this. But why didn't they set up one Bills defensive player to solely watch Mahomes if he gets out of the pocket and scamper for big yards? We could have held him for little or no gain and forced them to punt maybe 2 - 3 times in the game. That would have been huge!

I think because of their weapons ,  you cannot afford to rush 4 and have extra man just for Mahomes. 

[MrEpsYtown]

1 minute ago, Niagara Dude said:

I think because of their weapons ,  you cannot afford to rush 4 and have extra man just for Mahomes. 

 

This is the correct answer. You can't rush 4, spy, and cover. We lacerate Edmunds on this board, but people want to add more and more to his plate. 

[Warcodered]

Because Hill and Kelce exist.

[filthymcnasty08]

If you can design a defense to do all of the below:

 

the NFL needs you.

 

Rush 4 down lineman

Guard against Hill home run threat

Guard against Kelce destroying through the middle

Guard against Mahomes scramble

 

[Billzgobowlin]

Because they have to protect from him throwing as well

[zow2]

He probably would have eluded a spy.  The game seemed too fast for our D the entire way.   They really had no answer for anything, especially when the Chiefs ramped up the urgency.

[Nextmanup]

1 minute ago, Niagara Dude said:

I think because of their weapons ,  you cannot afford to rush 4 and have extra man just for Mahomes. 

Yes but they never should have rushed 4 in that situation!

 

It was a total coaching breakdown.

 

There was no way 4 DLmen were going to get home when Mahomes had to work THAT FAST.  They should have put maybe 1 or 2 guys on the line, if that, and flood the middle of the field with defensive backs or anyone who can fly.

 

Defending the boundaries was also a tactical error.

 

 

[Max Fischer]

Employer a spy is a zero sum game. If you employ a spy, you have one less pass rusher or one less pass defender. Allen and Mahomes are two QBs that will kill you either way. As the game went on, I believe the DL did much better job of trying to contain. 

[chico14]

because it's frowned upon to have 12 players on the field

[Mark80]

54 minutes ago, Joe Ferguson said:

I don' know if this was ever brought up so sorry if I'm repeating this. But why didn't they set up one Bills defensive player to solely watch Mahomes if he gets out of the pocket and scamper for big yards? We could have held him for little or no gain and forced them to punt maybe 2 - 3 times in the game. That would have been huge!

Takes another guy out of coverage of Hill and Kelce.  Also, Mahomes really didn't run that much this season.

[All_Pro_Bills]

The Bills coaches were already positioning the safeties (2) so far back off the LOS in order to avoid the big over the top play and adding a spy(1) plus 4 down linemen (4) leaves 4 defenders to cover 5 potential receivers.  So its a pick your poison dilemma for the DC. 

The fundamental problem and truth is that even after the 2021 off season additions and changes the Bills defense still does not match up well with the Chiefs offense.  But then neither does almost every other team in league.  Its a work in progress and at the end of the day still plays too passive.  What's crazy to me is the Bills passive defense is almost a mirror image opposite of the aggressive philosophy and approach of the Bills offense.  Like the angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other. 

[Saint Doug]

We didn’t need a spy on Mahomes. We just needed to know where on the field Kelce and Hill were. We couldn’t even figure that out. 

[TheBrownBear]

The only way you're beating the Chiefs is with Cover 2 and a front four of elite pass rushers that can get after Mahomes and actually bring him down.  I think we actually did a halfway decent job of pressuring him in the first couple of quarters, but just didn't have the type of playmaker that could close the deal and take him to the turf.  That's why I still believe we need to devote most of our resources in the offseason to finding those d-line pieces.  Hopefully, Epenesa, Rousseau and Basham can take the next step in 2022.

[MJS]

Because then you lose a guy from coverage AND from pass rushing.

[popcornpam]

What did 49 do? He  Seems like he just stood there most of the game.  I thought he was spying on Mahomes? Especially during that 13 seconds. 

Edited January 26, 2022 by popcornpam

[Sammy Watkins' Rib]

Mahomes has to be spied on third downs. It seems we did not do that. The very first Chiefs drive killed us. There had to been at least three or four plays during that drive  where could’ve gotten off the field or forced a FG at the least. Could’ve been the difference in the game.

8 minutes ago, MJS said:

Because then you lose a guy from coverage AND from pass rushing.

Mahomes is prolific on converting third downs with his feet. Especially third and Long’s. This is pretty well known and has been the case for a few years. I’m fine with not spying him on first and second down. But not spying him on third down is criminal. 
 

I feel like he converted at least two or three third downs with his legs on the opening drive of the game for the Chiefs

[BuffaloBillyG]

2 hours ago, Billl said:

2 spies would have been even more effective at stopping Mahomes from scrambling.

3 spies would have been best.

[Spiderweb]

2 hours ago, Joe Ferguson said:

I don' know if this was ever brought up so sorry if I'm repeating this. But why didn't they set up one Bills defensive player to solely watch Mahomes if he gets out of the pocket and scamper for big yards? We could have held him for little or no gain and forced them to punt maybe 2 - 3 times in the game. That would have been huge!

Spy? We couldn't cover the guys they sent out on pass plays. Sure would have been better to remove one guy just to watch Mahomes... Jeesh!