With the addition of Saffold & OJ Howard to the roster will the Bill play more 12 & 22 personnel?

[BuffaloBill]

Last year the Bills were penultimate in the league with their use of the “12 Personnel” (1 RB and 2 TE’s) about 10% of the time. With Dabol out and McDermott making it known that he was not happy with the state of the run game last year, you have to wonder if the Bills will feature more “12 personnel” packages in 2022.

 

Arguably, doing so might also open the door to leaving the same 11 on the field and playing more uptempo.  

 

Hard to say at this point, but my guess is that the Bills want some new wrinkles added to their potent offense.  

 

The 22 package seems much less likely given the Bills generally carry only 2 true backs on the roster on game days. 

[Coach Tuesday]

Yes

[LeGOATski]

Why not

[uninja]

12, 22, 10, 11, don't matter

 

Bills by a billion.

[Logic]

I’m not really sure what Saffold has to do with this discussion, but I do expect a lot more 12 personnel this season.

 

Beane specifically mentioned it (albeit as a hypothetical) when asked what wrinkles Dorsey might add to the offense. Then, choosing to spend a few million on OJ Howard (after also reportedly having interest in Gronk and Engram) in a generally cap-strapped year all but confirms it. 
 

As for 22? Other than short yardage situations, I doubt we see that very often. Choosing to put Reggie Gilliam on the field instead of David or Diggs does not seem logical.

[LeGOATski]

3 minutes ago, uninja said:

12, 22, 10, 11, don't matter

 

Bills by a billion.

There's definitely truth to this though. McD/Beane consistently talk about how they don't pigeon hole themselves into any preset plan for any aspect of the team. They're going to figure out what works in time for the playoff run. If it's a hefty dose of 12 personnel, great. If not, great. It's fun to watch this team evolve each season with each new iteration of the roster.

[TheBillsOrDie]

8 minutes ago, uninja said:

12, 22, 10, 11, don't matter

 

Bills by a billion.

 

[OldTimer1960]

As the roster is currently configured, they would have to.  There are two glaring holes on the roster right now: CB is mess beyond White who is injured and Taron Johnson and WR is a very weak position beyond Diggs and Gabe Davis.  Since this is a post about the offense, I think they are in a bad spot WR currently with only McKenzie who has shown flashes, but not consistent production in the slot and basically nothing behind Diggs and Davis on the outside. 

 

Considering this is a heavily pass-oriented offense, this is obviously not a great position to be in.

 

Unfortunately, CB is in worse shape so they almost have to take a corner in the first because it looks like the talent at that position falls off quickly.  The receiver class is deeper than CB (or so all that I am reading says), hoping that they can find a WR that can contribute this year in the second.  This need for a rookie to contribute probably means that they can't afford to pick Jameson Williams in the first, even if they would ordinarily wait for him to develop.

[GolfandBills]

I think they used the least amount of 12 personnel last year, so I'd say yes... I'm going out on a limb

[Brennan Huff]

[Mr. WEO]

16 minutes ago, HOUSE said:

Let me check Stefon Digg's tweets...

 

 

 

 

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[BillsFan130]

I really hope they don't do too much 12 personnel.

 

To mix it in and use it as a curveball a little more? Sure.

 

But their bread and butter is 11 personnel and have had back to back season as a top 5 offence.

 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

1 hour ago, BuffaloBill said:

Last year the Bills were penultimate in the league with their use of the “12 Personnel” (1 RB and 2 TE’s) about 10% of the time. With Dabol out and McDermott making it known that he was not happy with the state of the run game last year, you have to wonder if the Bills will feature more “12 personnel” packages in 2022.

 

Arguably, doing so might also open the door to leaving the same 11 on the field and playing more uptempo.  

 

Hard to say at this point, but my guess is that the Bills want some new wrinkles added to their potent offense.  

 

The 22 package seems much less likely given the Bills generally carry only 2 true backs on the roster on game days. 

 

That last is true, but it depends some on how they list Gilliam and whether they keep him.  Last season some of our (2,1) packages were actually (1,2) with Gilliam as a blocking TE.

 

I think the Bills hope is that somewhere between the Saffold signing, a potential G draft pick, and Kromer as OL coach, the Bills can block more successfully with 5 OL instead of bringing in Doyle (who counted as a (1,2) set)

 

16 minutes ago, BillsFan130 said:

I really hope they don't do too much 12 personnel.

 

To mix it in and use it as a curveball a little more? Sure.

 

But their bread and butter is 11 personnel and have had back to back season as a top 5 offence.

 

 

The bread-and-butter of the entire league these days is (1,1) personnel - it was the highest percentage grouping for all but 7 or 8 teams, I believe

https://www.sharpfootballstats.com/personnel-grouping-frequency.html

 

But you have to remember those packages featured Beasley in the slot.  Beasley is gone.  It seems entirely possible that the three-headed monster of Dorsey, Brady, and Shula envisage replacing some of those plays with 2 TE sets, especially if we turn out to have another reliable pass catching TE who can run some routes

[Special K]

I think the addition of these two guys will help the Bills to be able to run the ball better once they have the lead.

 

The offense they run to get that lead will be very similar to the offense we have seen over the last two years, IMO.

[Rigotz]

That's a very easy "yes" for a few reasons:

 

1. The Bills had 1 TE active on game day for the second half of 2021 out of NEED. Tommy Sweeney was awful.

2. There are rumors that Ken Dorsey prefers two TE sets.

3. With OJ Howard joining the team, we have two capable blockers and catchers, which helps the offense be "multiple."

[LABILLBACKER]

I would be thrilled with alot more 12 personnel.  Keeps pressure off JA.  Improves the run game and play action. 

[NewEra]

Yes, he will.

[Buffalo_Stampede]

Maybe.

[ALLEN1QB]

Man I still wish we landed Mckissic. Grrr   Really need a veteran receiver also I am not too excited about trying to put a rookie out there and expecting him to perform. Might have been a mistake cutting Beasley. Double team Diggs then what?

[BuffaloBillsGospel]

1 hour ago, Logic said:

I’m not really sure what Saffold has to do with this discussion, but I do expect a lot more 12 personnel this season.

 

Beane specifically mentioned it (albeit as a hypothetical) when asked what wrinkles Dorsey might add to the offense. Then, choosing to spend a few million on OJ Howard (after also reportedly having interest in Gronk and Engram) in a generally cap-strapped year all but confirms it. 
 

As for 22? Other than short yardage situations, I doubt we see that very often. Choosing to put Reggie Gilliam on the field instead of David or Diggs does not seem logical.

I don’t want to speak for the op but I’m guessing because he excelled in run blocking.