Aaron Kromer’s 1st interview since returning to Bills as OL coach

[Beast]

17 minutes ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

 

If that helped you feel better about that loss back then,  then good for you...........the result was not changed...........when you do something that looks like a penalty in real time, every time.........EXPECT a penalty.     

 

And let me clarify something for you.........when "the league" determines a penalty was incorrectly called.........that's a small group of officials(perhaps just one)..........not really "the league" as a whole.    Their opinion on the forcible aspect and that penalty in general might be different today.......as it was in the initial days after the call.   

 

 

Who the freak said anything about making me feel better about a loss?

 

Again, the league admitted it was a bad call. It isn't all that hard to understand looking at ghe play why they admitted that. But keep up with the wierd ass cruscade of yours saying it was a good call.

 

You're the type of guy that will argue something no matter how wrong you are.

 

 

Edited June 14, 2022 by Beast

[Doc]

2 hours ago, Beast said:

Who the freak said anything about making me feel better about a loss?

 

Again, the league admitted it was a bad call. It isn't all that hard to understand looking at ghe play why they admitted that. But keep up with the wierd ass cruscade of yours saying it was a good call.

 

You're the type of guy that will argue something no matter how wrong you are.

 

Yeah, when the league even admits it, and they HATE doing that, you know it's the wrong call.  But BADOL's gotta BADOL...

[Gugny]

2 hours ago, Beast said:

 

Who the freak said anything about making me feel better about a loss?

 

Again, the league admitted it was a bad call. It isn't all that hard to understand looking at ghe play why they admitted that. But keep up with the wierd ass cruscade of yours saying it was a good call.

 

You're the type of guy that will argue something no matter how wrong you are.

 

 

 

It's really best to just sit back and enjoy the education ... and appreciate that this board has a source of infinite knowledge.

[3rdand12]

On 6/12/2022 at 8:13 PM, turftoe said:

If he can stay healthy. What do we do if he can't stay on the field?

We will have to have some faith in Coaching to make sure we have solid options at "next man up" Bills preach it .
  Hoping they all can stay healthy of course

Some might look for big names at every starting position, I hope Bills practice what McBeanes has been attempting to do. Create solid depth is one of my mantras too. 

On 6/13/2022 at 10:16 AM, That's No Moon said:

During 1 on 1 pass rush drills the defense has to grab one of his beach chairs.

We all have our methods of teaching my friend !

[3rdand12]

On 6/13/2022 at 11:12 PM, RocCityRoller said:

 

I think he has a nerve issue in his shoulder, and it may be degenerative. Nothing Kromer can do about that.

 

from https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2021/12/15/rodger-saffold-says-hes-dealing-with-nerve-issue-in-shoulder/

"Tennessee Titans left guard Rodgers Saffold is dealing with an ongoing nerve issue in his injured shoulder.

 

In an interview with 104.5 The Zone, Saffold said the injury requires ongoing management and will continue to force him to the sidelines after taking certain types of hits."

 

That said his snaps were high, but are dropping each season

97%

94%

87%

82%

 

Bates played very well at LG last season when he was put in. The fact Daboll and Schoen didn't go after him, but other teams did, tells me it was Daboll who kept Bates on the sideline until he ran out of other players.

 

Saffold almost exclusively plays LG, is a very good Run Blocker, but below average pass blocker when healthy.

I didn't like the signing because Saffold is 36 or so now, and plays the position Bates should have a chance to earn (LG).

 

Can Bates flip to RG? Some guys are better laying Left or Right. If Saffold misses time, we will probably see Bates flip back to LG and someone else go to RG.

 

I would have looked at a guy for RG and let Bates play LG all season. Dawkins/ Bates/ Morse isn't All Pro, but it played lights out at the end of the season and in the playoffs.

 

I do think Brown and Bates will learn a lot from Kromer and benefit the most.

Kromer will identify that Bates is a very good 'move/ pulling guard'.

He will coach up Brown who surprised me at times and let me down at times.

He will fine tune Dawkins and Morse.

If Doyle or Ford can play at all in the NFL level we will know by season end.

I don't expect anything from Boettger due to his Achilles injury. I was surprised the Bills resigned him TBH.

 

At least a strong voice like Kromer will help Buffalo cut bait with guys who can not play at the NFL level.

 

I hope that leads to 1-2 real investments in OL next offseason, and that they are guys Kromer can work with to make the OL unit a strength.

This year may be a bit of a learning curve and some shuffling.

Could not agree with you more. Was surprised they signed another guy who plays LG. Bates should be provided a chance to win that position, but then who plays RG?

Good post all around. We agree about the bolded for sure.
 I am putting more faith in Kromer than I am in the players Bills have currently.
thank goodness we have Dawkins protecting Josh's blind side at least.

[Doc]

14 minutes ago, 3rdand12 said:

Good post all around. We agree about the bolded for sure.
 I am putting more faith in Kromer than I am in the players Bills have currently.
thank goodness we have Dawkins protecting Josh's blind side at least.

 

Why not in the players?  Dawkins won't be hampered by COVID for most of the season.  Brown should get better now that his rookie season is behind him and both he and  Bates get starting reps. 

[3rdand12]

3 minutes ago, Doc said:

 

Why not in the players?  Dawkins won't be hampered by COVID for most of the season.  Brown should get better now that his rookie season is behind him and both he and  Bates get starting reps. 

As a whole unit I am putting a higher percentage of responsibility and faith in Kromer to get our O line and Off scheme working well , might be better said. But I am never quite confident with any set of players Bills have lining up to protect the QB in a rather long time, Biased opinion from me perhaps ??  ha ha

[Doc]

1 minute ago, 3rdand12 said:

As a whole unit I am putting a higher percentage of responsibility and faith in Kromer to get our O line and Off scheme working well , might be better said. But I am never quite confident with any set of players Bills have lining up to protect the QB in a rather long time, Biased opinion from me perhaps ??  ha ha

 

Once Bates started, during the 2nd Cheaters game, the OL looked pretty good.  I'm curious to see what the move from LG to RG does for Bates, but I figure it was with Kromer's blessing.  And not saying it will happen, but Teller initially played LG, but became an All-Pro at RG.

[BADOLBILZ]

On 6/14/2022 at 8:28 AM, ScottLaw said:

Good post. Brown was downright awful at times last season… home against Carolina comes to mind where Burns abused him all game… thought I saw a stat Allen was under pressure on 50% of his drop backs and it was mostly due to Brown getting turned around and upside down…. Would’ve like to see another option there as well in case he struggles again… honestly thought the off-season approach to the offensive line was not nearly good enough. 

 

 

They swapped out Williams for Saffold............with a new OC and OL coach it's anyone's guess if that's going to work out.    By PFF grades it's about a wash when they were both on the field(Saffold 69 grade Williams 67).   Saffold has had an excellent career but last year was not one of his better ones and they appear to lose both the OT/OG versatility and availability with Saffold(he played about 5 games less worth of snaps than Williams due mainly to nagging shoulder injury).   

 

People think Williams was terrible in pass pro last year........but while he wasn't great he allowed just 4 sacks.    David Quessenberry allowed a league-worst 11 sacks at his position.    Spencer Brown clearly struggled with allowing pressure but actually somehow allowed just 1 sack all season.    If Quessenberry beats Brown out then the problems have likely gotten much worse.

 

The way the offensive line additions look..........on paper.........is like they are planning to run the hell out of the football because the new additions are NOT improvements to a pass protection unit that was the league's worst by pressure+sacks count.    Quess and Saffold in particular are almost just run blocking specialists at this stage.  

 

If the Bills indeed plan to still be a pass-first team they sure are sending mixed messages with the personnel moves this offseason.

 

 

Edited June 18, 2022 by BADOLBILZ

[BillsShredder83]

On 6/13/2022 at 6:28 PM, BADOLBILZ said:

 

 

You see a player do this to a Bills defender in 2022 I guarantee you that you are screaming for a flag.

 

 

It's a penalty, but I hate that it is. I don't understand where this is more dangerous than any other play. It's not from the back, he's in the players peripheral vision. Lead with the shoulder? Yeah its football.

 

I do specifically remember seeing Dawkins several times this year just turn into a street cone, set a pick, on plays like this. Smart... but I hate that you can't take the player out of the play.

 

When you street cone him, you buy the runner some yards, but that trailing tackler seems to be the guy that atleast helps initiate the tackle a few yards up field. Again, I clearly understand it's a penalty, but a dumb one If you ask me

[BADOLBILZ]

1 hour ago, BillsShredder83 said:

It's a penalty, but I hate that it is. I don't understand where this is more dangerous than any other play. It's not from the back, he's in the players peripheral vision. Lead with the shoulder? Yeah its football.

 

I do specifically remember seeing Dawkins several times this year just turn into a street cone, set a pick, on plays like this. Smart... but I hate that you can't take the player out of the play.

 

When you street cone him, you buy the runner some yards, but that trailing tackler seems to be the guy that atleast helps initiate the tackle a few yards up field. Again, I clearly understand it's a penalty, but a dumb one If you ask me

 

 

I miss the more violent game.

 

To me,  the last vestige of the old-school violent game was January 19, 2014........49ers @ Seahawks NFC championship game.   

 

Those two teams were still bashing it out and they played an absolute battle and the refs let them play.

 

Then it was gone.

 

So yeah........I wish the violence was back........and plays like this were always a big part of the fun.

 

At the same time.........I understand why they want to protect the players..........and it definitely wasn't fair to take away the defense's ability to hit QB's or WR's but still allow offensive players to be able to blindside block defenders.    And you can't legislate it if there is a fine line........it's the same thing with contact to the QB's helmet.......it needs to be easy to call. 

 

Like you said.........lineman like Dawkins KNOW this is going to be a penalty........that's why it's almost entirely gone from the game.

Edited June 20, 2022 by BADOLBILZ

[GunnerBill]

On 6/18/2022 at 10:00 PM, BADOLBILZ said:

If the Bills indeed plan to still be a pass-first team they sure are sending mixed messages with the personnel moves this offseason.

 

 

 

One of the issues they have had with their offensive line since this regime has been here is I have never felt like they have quite the same clarity over their philosophy and what they are looking for as at almost all other spots. They have bounced back and forth between zone blocking and more of a gap scheme, their personnel acquisitions have been a bunch of guys who have played in all different types of scheme and they have never established an identity. Now Kromer is a clear upgrade on paper as the OL coach so maybe he finally brings a bit more consistency and identity to that unit but it remains an area to watch. I think there has been a disconnect between the type of running backs they have acquired and the type of blockers they have put in front of them. And at times their pass pro has suffered the same fate. Although of the two pass pro is the one where it is harder to hide a talent deficiency too. Easier to make a limited guy look serviceable in the run game when he is moving forward and you can scheme up gaps. At times in pass pro you just gotta take your drop and then hold up against the rusher 1 on 1. And while you can still scheme cleverly there are going to be those obvious passing downs where it ends up talent v talent and the best guy wins. 

Edited June 20, 2022 by GunnerBill

[eball]

On 6/18/2022 at 5:31 PM, ScottLaw said:

Another strategy/plan I would hate… last thing they need to do on offense is take the ball out of Josh’s hands more… 

 

And to be clear, there is NO evidence the Bills are doing that.  Just one man's opinion about how HE perceives the pieces of the OL.  That's it.

 

If Josh Allen has a few less designed runs throughout the regular season to save some wear and tear on his body and keep him fresher for the playoffs, there's not a single Bills fan who would argue that strategy.

 

Sometimes I really wonder whether you honestly believe Sean McDermott is a babbling idiot.

 

[Buffalo Bills Fan]

10 minutes ago, eball said:

 

And to be clear, there is NO evidence the Bills are doing that.  Just one man's opinion about how HE perceives the pieces of the OL.  That's it.

 

If Josh Allen has a few less designed runs throughout the regular season to save some wear and tear on his body and keep him fresher for the playoffs, there's not a single Bills fan who would argue that strategy.

 

Sometimes I really wonder whether you honestly believe Sean McDermott is a babbling idiot.

 

Agree. Would be smart to add this to offense as well. Better to do lots rather than simple one offense team's Rush 4 play Tampa 2 defense. People really miss this point thinking like this. 

[Buffalo Barbarian]

On 6/10/2022 at 2:50 PM, YoloinOhio said:

https://buffalonews.com/sports/bills/offensive-line-coach-aaron-kromer-returns-to-a-bills-team-thats-nothing-like-the-one/article_2707de22-e8cc-11ec-9560-1f401920b449.html

 

 

As it should be 

 

 

[Buffalo Barbarian]

On 6/10/2022 at 4:32 PM, Long Suffering Fan said:

 

Yep.  I was downright depressed the day the Bills hired him.

 

Even older, that was what Greggo did.  We had the number 1 defense and the number 3 defense in successive years (by the yards metric which is far from perfect, but still).  He came in the following year and completely scrapped our scheme for his and none of our players were suited for it.  When asked about it, he pointed to the fact his defense was number 1 the previous year so it was a better scheme than our number 3 defense.  I knew in that moment that he would fail.

 

When he got rid of Ted Washington i knew we were done. You dont get rid of the best NY of all time because he doesn't fit your scheme.

 

So glad we have coaches that can adapt to our players, while still having a base scheme.

 

 

[Don Otreply]

On 6/18/2022 at 5:31 PM, ScottLaw said:

Another strategy/plan I would hate… last thing they need to do on offense is take the ball out of Josh’s hands more… 

You better get used to the idea of a different mix of play calling this up coming season, if for no other reason than for your own mental health, you do know that something around forty percent of the time plus or minus the Bills will be handing off the ball to RBs right?

 

Go Bills!!!

[Buffalo Bills Fan]

35 minutes ago, ScottLaw said:

I mean it depends… Not a fan of force feeding the backs for the sake of establishing a run game just because “it’s important to establish a run game”… and on big 3rd/4th down conversions or crucial downs in general… it’s what caused their offense to stall in the middle of the game against the Chiefs… They opted to take the ball out of the best players hands for McKenzie and Singletary, got stuffed, and then proceeded to punt.

 

Also played a part in the 1st loss to NE when Josh demonstrated he could sling it through the windy conditions.

The Tampa 2 defense or rush 4 teams were keying off of Allen. Use the run when team's are doing that is much better for words. Played huge Steelers and jag's lost. Plus used Allen more of a RB later in season.. Need to find if needed key balance if team's playing Tampa 2. Or use the RB cook is why a huge need pass catching RB.

[John from Riverside]

4 minutes ago, ScottLaw said:

I’m not suggesting they throw it every time..l agree Daboll went bat ***** crazy with some of the pass happy games…. I also don’t think 50/50 or 60/40 split is the way to go… They should still be a pass oriented team with Josh Allen as their QB. 65/35 or 70/30 with a more EFFICIENT run game is how I envision it….. he’s the best player in the NFL, it would be a head scratching strategy to take opportunities away from him, but as @BADOLBILZpointed out a lot of their moves suggest an offense looking to run the ball more. 

I feel like Cooke is the player that drafted for this.......we are a passing team.....we are gonna pass BUT opportunities are going to be there to run.

[Don Otreply]

2 hours ago, ScottLaw said:

I mean it depends… Not a fan of force feeding the backs for the sake of establishing a run game just because “it’s important to establish a run game”… and on big 3rd/4th down conversions or crucial downs in general… it’s what caused their offense to stall in the middle of the game against the Chiefs… They opted to take the ball out of the best players hands for McKenzie and Singletary, got stuffed, and then proceeded to punt.

 

Also played a part in the 1st loss to NE when Josh demonstrated he could sling it through the windy conditions.

Imo,Those things were primarily the fault of the O-line coach (imo he was not good) and Dabol’s odd penchant for not doing the obvious right thing when it matters most, I don’t know about you, but I suspect with Kromer at the helm of the O line, we will not see such inept O-line play, things were just starting to come around as the season was coming to a conclusion last year, so with that in mind, I see a more productive run game, that at times will be utilized more that last season,