Joe Brady, Josh Allen, and the playcalling

[GunnerBill]

58 minutes ago, Wayne Cubed said:

 

My only issue is, the play action, watching the game back was money even if it didn't hit the deep shots. It opened the underneath stuff, at least. I think this could have been used more effectively in the 3rd quarter on 1st down. We saw stacked boxes and ran into them anyways. Ravens knew we wanted to bleed the clock and their 2nd half adjustment to that, was very good. I just thought Brady didn't adjust to what the Ravens did. Saying that, I thought the Ravens had a very good 2nd half defensively.

 

I agree he was slow to adjust. But the Bills ran into some stacked boxes first half and churned yards out of it. I think the play calling on those two lost drives in the 3rd quarter could definitely have been better, but I don't think it was as bad as some think. And the one which I thought was a really dumb call - the tight end screen to Knox - watching back was a clear audible. 

59 minutes ago, Pete said:

18 0f 22 passes were within 10 yards.  8 passes of 22 were behind the line of scrimmage.

 

Yep. Some of that was design but not all of it. 

[TH3]

11 hours ago, Thrivefourfive said:

Gave the ball to Knox behind the line of scrimmage with seven yards to go for a first down. Does anyone know how this play fits into a bigger schemes thing?

Maybe it was …you know…- bad play call?

[Pete]

12 hours ago, Thrivefourfive said:

Gave the ball to Knox behind the line of scrimmage with seven yards to go for a first down. Does anyone know how this play fits into a bigger schemes thing?

This was an audible by Josh, and the right adjustment call from what I have watched.  Knox was supposed to run outside, and there was room.  Everyone was blocked inside.  For some reason, Knox ran inside into traffic, and not outside as blocked

[PaattMaann]

22 hours ago, JohnNord said:

The TE screen to Knox was 100% a Josh Allen audible and not a very good choice

 

not a good choice by Knox. He had blocks set up to the outside of the field and he took it inside. 

[JP51]

On 1/20/2025 at 9:42 AM, Shaw66 said:

Whether it was Josh or Brady, I don't know.  I just know I was sitting there saying over and over "throw the ball downfield a bit."  Not bombs away, not 25-yard strikes, just get some 8- and 12-yard gains to get the defense back on its heels.  It seemed all night the Bills were attacking with runs and passes at the line of scrimmage. 

I was not enamored with the play calling either... I did start to wonder if they were conservative by nature prioritizing ball security knowing it was gonna be difficult out there to hang on the ball... if they did... they werent wrong... 

[Ralonzo]

On 1/20/2025 at 2:18 PM, colin said:

iirc, is that the one allen was flipping out at someone about?  im thinking now he was screaming and knox for not picking up the free 10 and potentially more yards in front of him.

 

Yes, Van Noy lifted Knox off the ground and drove him into the turf with full body-weight on top as well. Both of those being points of emphasis in the offseason as to PF-UR penalties.

[harmonkillebrew]

On 1/20/2025 at 8:32 AM, CincyBillsFan said:

The first Bills play of the 3rd quarter was the pitch play that had burned the Ravens in that last drive of the half.  It was stuffed for no gain.  All I could think was didn't Brady assume that the Ravens D coaches discussed THAT play extensively in the locker room and adjusted their D?  Sure Allen may have changed some calls but there was a clear intention of not being aggressive on offense the entire 2nd half.  It worked as we won the game but it was very risky IMO. 

 

 

Yeah, that pitch play has become predictable, especially with Ty in the game. It worked a bit 1st half but they needed to stop it 2nd half.

Brady didn't seem to account for the Ravens making the needed adjustments, and therefore didnt' make his own in anticipation. 2nd half play calling and execution was really flat. Almost cost us the game.

13 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

 

I agree he was slow to adjust. But the Bills ran into some stacked boxes first half and churned yards out of it. I think the play calling on those two lost drives in the 3rd quarter could definitely have been better, but I don't think it was as bad as some think. And the one which I thought was a really dumb call - the tight end screen to Knox - watching back was a clear audible. 

 

Yep. Some of that was design but not all of it. 

It was an audible, but why they still called it as the alert option and hose Knox as the hot read/blitz beater? At least get it out to a guy with a little more sizzle

[Thrivefourfive]

14 hours ago, Pete said:

This was an audible by Josh, and the right adjustment call from what I have watched.  Knox was supposed to run outside, and there was room.  Everyone was blocked inside.  For some reason, Knox ran inside into traffic, and not outside as blocked

To Knox is a bridge to far maybe. For me. But know nothing. I can close my eyes and see Knox sprinting unscathed and that feels nice. But I just don’t see that one happening—Knox weaving through three DBs

 

Thanks for your comment. It was a serious question. Brady and Josh at top level so there was a reason for it. 

[DapperCam]

On 1/20/2025 at 9:46 AM, BuffaloBillsGospel2014 said:

 

I disagree that he audibled out at the 2 since the play started with him in shotgun and he was never at the line of scrimmage at all so it was definitely at least imo a designed shotgun sneak which to me made 0 sense since the push has been so reliable for us. 

 

I think on that play he can probably hand it off, keep it, or throw it. He called his own number, but probably should have thrown it (several receivers would have been wide open, Ravens sold out on the run stuff).

It isn't a great play design IMO for the goal line, because he has to wait for the fake handoff which takes time, then starts running from a stand still after defenders are already in the backfield if they are run blitzing. It gives no chance to break a tackle or bounce off somebody into the end zone. Realistically you just have to break one tackle to score there.

If they had to do shotgun I would have preferred he handed off, or no RPO and just a straight up QB dive. If he immediately ran from the snap and launched himself like a torpedo I bet he gets in.