Was that Zach Moss run actually impressive?

[ngbills]

This is why one play, one game, limited anything is meaningless. You could put a high school football player on the field and if the set up is right they break off a 50 yard run. Broken coverage and a high school QB throws an 80yd TD. This is running and throwing, which many people can do. Its not something that you only need to see once to be impressed. Its about doing it consistently better than 99% of the rest of the world. 

[Special K]

12 hours ago, transplantbillsfan said:

I'm gonna get trolled on this because "dude!!! He gained 27 yards!!!" but is there anyone else who watched that run and wasn't impressed?

 

Sorry... if you watch the play and his initial read as he follows his block, it just looked like more confirmation he has poor vision as he basically ran into the backside of his blocker who was pretty early and clearly getting stuffed rather than bouncing earlier to the outside left, which he finally and eventually did.

 

I mean I liked the speed and the play made me excited, but he looked so clumsy and lacking in vision and instincts in the first half of that play, didn't he?

 

I'll tell you what's not impressive:

 

The fact that you spelled Zack Moss's name wrong in the title of your thread!!🙂

[GunnerBill]

2 hours ago, SCBills said:

 

I just don't think we have any way of knowing right now. 

 

It's hilarious to me, listening to Bills content creators discuss the OL after Preseason Game 1, when our Top 7 didn't play and OL8 (likely Ford) only played a handful of snaps.  I guess we can analyze Kromer's concepts and Doyle, who's still a project.. but everyone else is a cut or PS body.   

 

This OL, on paper, is a 10-20 group on any given day.  They have the potential to be Top 10 if Saffold is healthy and Bates/Brown make any kind of jump. 

 

 

 

We don't have any way of knowing yet, that is true. I have said repeatedly you can't take much if anything from the awful line play on Saturday. But I start a bit more glass half empty than you do on this group. Anywhere around 10th in the league feels wildly optimistic to me. We shall see. 

Edited August 17, 2022 by GunnerBill

[Simon]

1 hour ago, Matt_In_NH said:

Cook would have scored.  

 

Don't overestimate Cook's "breakaway" speed; it is not his strength.

Besides, I think he might have been sitting right on his wallet in the backfield.

[Don Otreply]

2 hours ago, Not at the table Karlos said:

But if you look deeper Motor was better across the board. The only reason Moss got playing time was we changed blocking schemes and it fit him better, even though Singletary out produced him. 

Most folk don’t realize that Singletary did indeed out perform Moss that season, 

 

Go Bills!!!

[LabattBlue]

When he ran into the back of his blocker, the 1st thing that came to mind…butt fumble.  😂

[NastyNateSoldiers]

I just never really seen him running with power and ferocity and that’s what u want a bk of his size to do. Travis Henry used to have great vision and power he had the same type of body as Moss I was hoping Moss would be a Henry type back but we never got to see it.

[auburnbillsbacker]

I think he makes the team but is a healthy scratch most games.  He likely starts next year but shares snaps with Cook.  He then moves on after his contract expires.  He's a good player who played hurt last year.  He will play well this year and next. 

[Paup 1995MVP]

12 hours ago, Doc Brown said:

He was following Morris and was looking for the hole to open up to the right.  Morris got rocked by the rushing LB and blew up the play.  Moss made a nice cut back and showed some speed that was lacking last year.  It was an impressive run given what he had to deal with.

I thought he made a nice read, showing good vision cutting back to the left when the hole to the right was completely stuffed.  That being said, I don't think he showed much speed once he found the open field because he didn't have to outrun anyone.   If he had real NFL speed he probably would have scored there.  But overall he ran with confidence which is hopefully a good sign for his play this year.  I just don't think speed is his meal ticket.

[Royale with Cheese]

43 minutes ago, NastyNateSoldiers said:

I just never really seen him running with power and ferocity and that’s what u want a bk of his size to do. Travis Henry used to have great vision and power he had the same type of body as Moss I was hoping Moss would be a Henry type back but we never got to see it.

 

I think his power running is more that he can get hit and bounce off without losing his balance.  So not really power but maybe a "strong" runner is a better term?

[Buffalo716]

1 hour ago, ngbills said:

This is why one play, one game, limited anything is meaningless. You could put a high school football player on the field and if the set up is right they break off a 50 yard run. Broken coverage and a high school QB throws an 80yd TD. This is running and throwing, which many people can do. Its not something that you only need to see once to be impressed. Its about doing it consistently better than 99% of the rest of the world. 

It would be almost impossible for a high school quarterback to throw an 80 yard NFL touchdown against NFL defense 

 

Sure breakdowns in defense happen… But A complete breakdown like that happens rarely in the NFL… Wide open in the NFL is considered 2-3 steps… 3 steps is wide open! That’s not much room for error 

 

And the speed of the game is insane compared to HS… The high school QB wouldn’t be able to process the breakdown fast enough or get the ball out there with enough velocity to do anything 

 

Maybe a five star future NFL quarterback can make one play but your average high school quarterback isnt doing anything

[Simon]

55 minutes ago, NastyNateSoldiers said:

I just never really seen him running with power and ferocity and that’s what u want a bk of his size to do.

 

 

[without a drought]

It's only preseason,  so it really doesn't matter or mean anything. But you have to give him credit if you're the same person who would call for him to be cut if he went 5 carries for 11 yards in a preseason game.

[Son of a K-Gun]

More Moss power running from early last year…this is the player that needs to show up.

 

 

[CapeBreton]

 

Kind of reminds me of one of Moss' longest runs in college (0:52 of this video) in that he gets a bit lucky because of contact near the line of scrimmage. He seeks out contact in this one, spins off the guy, and this is gone for the 91 yard TD. Might be lucky but I'll give him credit for taking full advantage of the open field.

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

1 hour ago, Simon said:

 

 

 

Only thing thats weird is he almost never stiffarms.  Always seems to cover up the ball at the end of runs.  Ball security won't be an issue if he does this but it sort of limits you on long runs when you cover the ball up and barrel into the safety - Not really setting yourself up to slip that tackle.  

 

He did fumble last year - the dolphins one where he didn't cover up and the helmet popped the ball after a catch.  He has 2 fumbles listed... but the other one was as he was diving out of bounds, the ground forced it, and he was probably touched on the way down (but why challenge it). 

Edited August 17, 2022 by Bleeding Bills Blue

[Shaw66]

1 hour ago, Son of a K-Gun said:

More Moss power running from early last year…this is the player that needs to show up.

 

 

His rookie year he said that we wants defenders to understand that tackling him at the goal line is a business decision.   These two runs exhibit what he meant.   If he can hit you trying to tackle him, he will, and you'll remember. 

[billsbackto81]

6 hours ago, BigDingus said:

 

On paper, sounds nice. But rarely doss the 3 RB rotation turn out that great for any of them. 

 

None get significant enough reps, one guy inevitably gets buried (sometimes just inactive on game day), & it's just hard to get somebody in rhythm. 

 

Not necessarily against it, only that it's been kind of underwhelming most the time. 

 

This is true but it may work in this particular case. If Singletary has a good year he may price himself out of Buffalo. Cook will more than likely be in on passing downs and counter runs and misdirection. Moss is a short yardage guy that should see good push from an improved O line, especially on 3rd and short. If Cook can prove he can produce positive yards on run plays in particular between the tackles he will most likely be the feature back next year with Moss as RB2.

[Shaw66]

6 minutes ago, billsbackto81 said:

This is true but it may work in this particular case. If Singletary has a good year he may price himself out of Buffalo. Cook will more than likely be in on passing downs and counter runs and misdirection. Moss is a short yardage guy that should see good push from an improved O line, especially on 3rd and short. If Cook can prove he can produce positive yards on run plays in particular between the tackles he will most likely be the feature back next year with Moss as RB2.

I don't see Singletary being a bigtime free agent.   He's not a workhouse running back, he's not a homerun hitter, and it's clear that his success comes from being a solid role player in a pass-first offense.   He's not a Zeke Elliott.  Plus, recent experience in the NFL has been that big dollars spent on running backs is money wasted. 

 

Some team may pay him more than the Bills are willing to pay, but I can't see him getting a big contract.  If the Bills have success this season, meaning win the AFC championship, I'd think that Singletary might decide he'd rather stay with the Bills for less than top dollar.  As for the Bills, it's unlikely that they'll view either Cook or Moss as a lead back for 2023, so I'd think they will have some incentive to keep him.   

[billsbackto81]

37 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

I don't see Singletary being a bigtime free agent.   He's not a workhouse running back, he's not a homerun hitter, and it's clear that his success comes from being a solid role player in a pass-first offense.   He's not a Zeke Elliott.  Plus, recent experience in the NFL has been that big dollars spent on running backs is money wasted. 

 

Some team may pay him more than the Bills are willing to pay, but I can't see him getting a big contract.  If the Bills have success this season, meaning win the AFC championship, I'd think that Singletary might decide he'd rather stay with the Bills for less than top dollar.  As for the Bills, it's unlikely that they'll view either Cook or Moss as a lead back for 2023, so I'd think they will have some incentive to keep him.   

I also don't see Motor in the same like as if a Chubb, Henry or Taylor were FA's but if he puts out close to 1k rushing as you said some team will pay more than Buffalo is willing. I do think Cook can be a lead back in a 70/30 split with a RB2 but he has to prove he's more the a pass catching RB.