HardyBoy

Looked like the timing was off for the offense. It’s week one, the win counts the same, but it literally tells you nothing. They should all be non-conference games in week one IMO. This might be the best the Steelers are and this is nowhere near the Bills’ ceiling. They will get the offensive timing and the options routes locked down and they will look a lot better.

Bills defense also seemed to figure it out at the end of the season and in the playoffs. I think the lack of a running game to ice multiple possession leads, allowing the other team to get the ball back to score meaningless points when you’re in a prevent defense doesn’t help. Also, bills d had trouble getting off the field because they had trouble getting teams behind the chains early in the game. Allowed teams to stay balanced longer, shortening the game and keeping the ball out of JAs hands. Most teams just couldn’t take score enough other than the chiefs and titans. I’m not sure if I’m agreeing or disagreeing with you! honestly though I’m not sure there is a right answer here, a lot of variables. At the same time, calling the Tenn game a blowout isn’t exactly fair for pt diff purposes. I know the score is the score, but iirc wasn’t that game close in the fourth quarter?

Best advice is don’t get all riled up about every play, it’s super annoying to watch football with people who get all out of shape about a 5 yard run on 2nd and 4 in the 1st quarter. Think of it this way. Anytime the other team comes up to the line, audibles and gets a decent run, instead of getting annoyed, view it as a likely win for the defense. They were probably looking to burn them over the top and the defense figured out the game plan and forced them to audible. Basically the defense won the chess match and conceded a decent run over a chunk play. Even if I’m not right with that way of thinking, people listen, stop getting all angry about inconsequential plays, people are scared to tell you, but you’re super annoying to watch sports with. The nfl comes down to like 6 plays a game, that 7 yard run in the second quarter to cross the 50 is not one of those plays, it really doesn’t matter much at all. Every time your defense does not give up one of those six plays on a given snap is another opportunity for them to be the unit that makes one of those plays on the next snap.

@buffalo716 can you drill into the scheme that was consistently putting Edmunds in the soft spot of the zone and teams started exploiting it into an essentially no win situation last year for Edmunds? Think it was their cover three base shell, but can’t remember exactly. Maybe show how they adjusted the second half of the season? Think it’s important for people to understand some more of the nuance behind Edmunds performance early in the year and that it wasn’t just his injury or really even his ability to read a play in a lot of situations, just the scheme the bills were playing and offenses figuring out a way to exploit it.

Isn’t it kind of a synergy of the orchestrated zone blitzing they did in Pittsburg and Philly for a long time (basically everything designed to get one specific guy to come free, and the others just getting players to move and free up a weakness for that one guy to come free) and what Rex Ryan was doing with the Jets, having guys walking all around super late (instead of just the safeties) and causing a ton of confusion. But less aggressive and realizing it always comes down to a handful of plays, so wait for the other offense to get confused and throw you a few of those plays over the course of the entire game, instead of trying to force it to happen and getting burned. Otherwise, if it’s not one of the game defining plays, rally to the ball, keep them in front of you and make a solid tackle without giving up YAC or something over the top.

With the robber look, having the safety basically coming down into the box, especially with how late and unexpectedly the bills safety’s shift (which was not as significant last year without crowd noise because easy to call an audible even with two seconds on the play clock), gotta think that it basically allows Edmunds or Milano to sell out on the pass and have the safety come in and fill that gap if it is a run. Like it’s not just that the lb is not blitzing, but he is potentially cycling back to the safety’s robber position and having the safety rotate down and the entire defense pivots kind of. lol, that is actually more of a question, I am not a football player, but I try and pay attention to smart people talking about it and have played soccer, lax and bball and understand defensive principles. Basically synergizing what I’ve heard smart people say in parts, along with my conceptual understanding of defense in other sports. Am I right, or at least rightish?!

First level should be a participation trophy no?

Totally appreciate that perspective and you very well might be right. They had the third pick in the draft this year and could have had arguably the first QB on their board still depending on what they value. Instead they traded down and got a bunch of picks, but then spent a bunch trading back up. That trade up to get Waddle honestly felt a ton like the Watkins pick when a bunch of other really good receivers were still on the board. The fact that they made that pick in advance of the draft almost makes me think they all agreed to trade the 3rd pick, Ross changed his mind because he got sad they weren’t going to get a top player, and made them trade back up going against their initial long agreed upon plan. Just speculating, but after hearing he wanted to go after Watson, that chain of events with Ross forcing them to go back up into the top 10 kind of makes the most sense.

Totally agree and he doesn’t take himself too seriously either. Can’t leave the owners off that list though. Can you imagine if Beane was in Miami and said we need to do a full tear down? That was presented to Ross by several GMs and he said no. They finally sort of did it two years ago, but then spent a ton of money in free agency the next year instead of building in the draft and using free agency to sign undervalued flexible pieces that would succeed in your scheme on short term deals. Not to hijack the thread or your post, but what they did with Tua is the opposite of how the Bills went 100% all in behind Allen on day 1 and never waivered. It’s just super refreshing that they are able to build something so strong while also driving a growth mindset and team based approach…very rare in that sport as well.

any word on your sleuthing? I’m f5ing like a mad man over here!

Johnson isn’t going to get in Rousseau’s ear right before the biggest play of the season and tell him what counter to use that he was helping GR set up all game. Addison’s experience and what sounds like his ability and definitely his willingness to convey that experience to others is a huge asset and adds to his value. They just invested a huge amount of assets in young DEs. Five years from now when they are all hopefully playing on their second contracts, I would have to imagine they will all credit the mentorship that Addison offered this season as key reasons they learned to do it the right way, and they will subsequently pass that along to the next batch of DE prospects one day. These guys have never had to go through the game planning other teams will be doing to exploit their weaknesses, they need a calm guiding voice in the locker room that have had success and also have gone through the ups and downs of a season. Hughs and Addison have and they both play differently and can offer different advice to each player.

It’s more I think they will design plays that fit the skill set of whoever is in there and I don’t think the 6th receiver on this team will be used as a decoy. Also, Kumero isn’t even a wide receiver in their minds potentially. He could be a special teams specialist who also plays receiver well enough to get a set of plays game planned around him. A lot easier to set up some film for a defender to get super confident on a route and set him up for a counter in a super key spot with a guy playing 6 snaps a game vs 50 a game or whatever. I don’t know that Kumero isn’t a high ceiling guy either. His route running reminds me a bit of Stevie Johnson maybe. What I mean by that is he uses positioning extremely well to get in a box out position on his defender. The suddenness with which he attacks his cuts allows him to use his arms and his hip to initiate sneaky contact and basically boxes out his defender so he is a lot more open then it looks initially and he’s fast so he is open enough to catch and fall on the break, but also can separate if the route has another window in the next level. Stevenson for sure has a bunch of upside, as does Hodgins, but I think they will figure out ways to make sure both are on the initial roster to avoid going through waivers and then figure out a way to keep them. They don’t have the luxury at receiver to make decisions for this year only. Neither Sanders, Beasley or McKenzie are going to play out Allen’s contract, but those guys, and potentially even Kumero do, and shouldn’t be crazy expensive to resign.

He would come in a sub for whoever he backs up for a certain number of snaps a game. He’d be the primary receiver on plays where he is in the game and the play call calls for that receiver to be the primary option. I don’t think they would call different plays because he was in the game, so he’ll get his shot. Gotta remember the other players are not at the same position and they aren’t going to not let his routes be primary when he subs in ever, otherwise they would know he’s basically in as a decoy while Diggs or Davis catch a breather in their outside receiver position. That said they’ll play different formations to get those guys breathers too, so probably will be more of a matchup thing when he gets in, but he will play and he won’t be hidden as a non option/last option every play.

I mean this is a troll thread…it has to be a troll thread. You guys have no idea what they were working on in the kicking game, they might have asked him to do stuff to test the gunners. Nobody has any clue, it’s preseason.

Agree, but the IR and practice squad rules the last two years make it a lot easier to keep players available, but let them actually recoup more from injuries. Beane and McD love to give rookies a break early or middle of the season and then have them peaking again when they start figuring out the mental part the last quarter of the season. They seem to have workloads pretty well organized across a season where players get chunks where they are less critical in the game plans as a way to manage snaps and workloads in a way I have not seen an nfl team do in the past (doesn’t mean it never happened).