Richard Noggin

They are PERFECT for what Reid and Mahomes want to do. Different kinds of speed and quickness and RAC and possession guys who can attack every part of the field. RB is that offense's only average-to-meh group, imho. Could see KC drafting a TE and/or RB on Day One or Day Two. Or of course a CB or S or DT. So...really narrowing it down here. But enough about Hoecht and Ogunjobi...

Young has won 3 straight and 4 of last 5, and his escapability has been key in converting 3rd downs and red zone trips. That sort of guy gives the Bills trouble. Dalton, on the other hand, is more apt at pre-snap reads and getting the ball out super fast. That sort of guy also gives the Bills trouble.

Really solid writeup that I also happen to agree with almost note for note. The responses questioning Allen's on-field fire/desire are curious/interesting, but too heavily reliant on unrelated off-field circumstances and very recent poor results. Correlation is not causation. What I've seen on the field hasn't looked great the last two weeks especially, but in no way suggests to me that the guy isn't putting it all on the line out there. One COULD reasonably question what playing this long for the same conservative (some might say gutless) head coach eventually does to a DAWG like Allen. Like maybe he's being robbed of a small piece of his competitive soul each week, each camp, each season, since 13 seconds. But the off-field, personal conjecture is kinda silly and undeserved for a dude who risks it all in ways most QBs won't and consistently plays through all kinds of damage.

While I still cannot understand how anyone is anguishing more over the defense than the current offense (who has struggled more recently imho despite a strong OL and a future HOF QB)...I do agree that the Panthers actually present a specifically challenging matchup for the Bills. They are very physical and aggressive defensively, with heavy run and pass games up front (possibly something you can exploit on the ground and in the screen game) and man coverage on the boundaries. Not unlike the Patriots, but with a much better rushing attack on offense. Not an ideal opponent for the current iteration of the Bills. One bright spot would be if Bryce Young can't play, or if he does play, he does so with somewhat limited mobility. Apparently, his escapability has been on display during their winning streak, and that's a quality that really exposes the Bills shortcomings in the front 7. While Dalton could potentially execute a quick game and play action passing attack, he is less likely to break contain or elude pressure. If the Panthers are able to establish some success on the ground, then it might not matter who is under center for them. Our D has difficulty against physical, balanced offenses who stay on schedule.

Little all over the place here, as you want them to run more 4-3 Over (which I agree with, with Hoecht as the SAM), but also Hancock should play the Nickel and Johnson should switch to safety? So Johnson would move to full-time safety (big increase in snap count) in an alignment (4-3 Over) that would actually ask MORE of its safeties in coverage, given you're effectively replacing an NCB with a big OLB. And Hancock wouldn't see the field as much as Johnson does now, depending on game script and matchups. It's a bit of a mashup of different ideas, which includes switching a strict lifelong NCB to full-time S. Hmm

Remember a few seasons back, that ONE game against Tampa when Gabe Davis was used in the way you suggest for Coleman now (slants, screens, etc.)? Davis had 9 for 87 and a TD. THAT's exactly how we should be using Coleman, no doubt.

But did he really ever master it? Had some big moments down the field against man coverage (which is something the team needs now for sure). But was kind of Coleman-like against the zone and on option routes and with identifying pressure and whatnot. Had difficulty adjusting post-snap, and was therefore super inefficient. His habit of "clapping" his hands together to let Allen's heaters clang off him was basically the WR yips. Total degradation of fundamentals.

This somewhat contentious decision has been forgotten of late, even with all the angst over Babich's defense. "Chose wrong" isn't easy to declare with certainty, but also isn't easy to rebut. This is a weird way to say Frazier coached multiple top-5 defenses over a 4-year stretch (and it might have been 3 out of 4, no?)... I also did not disagree with moving on from Frazier at the time. Quite the tea being spilled here; I've not heard this before. Has anyone else? (This does align with my worst case suspicions of McD's leadership in the locker room.) I heard some player yesterday admit post-game that a big TD play call had just been installed the day before, and that the TD was actually their first live rep of it... And while they were NO FLY, they were kinda YES RUN by comparison, at least with respect to avg Y/A. Game scripts probably helped cap their rushing yards allowed in many games.

Did you mansplain what an Irish Goodbye is on a WNY sports forum?

Wasn't "MATT Jones" the Arkansas WR/QB who "blew" his career (as a WR) on nose beers?

The difference in QB availability for these two franchises is insanely slanted in favor of the team that pays offensive linemen, but that could have a lot to do with the QBs themselves.

Schematically you gotta mix it up and disguise pre-snap where possible. Post-snap you need sound tackling and coverage assignments, alongside timely DL disruption and opportunistic plays at the 2nd and 3rd levels. The actual alignments and techniques are less important, although obviously one-gapping, aggressive fronts are more common nowadays. I still hold onto a preference for more multiple defensive fronts/alignments, which we haven't seen much of in Buffalo this millennium.

This dynamic provides us with a fascinating experiment, wherein both orgs have franchise QBs on vet deals, but one organization concentrates remaining offensive cap in wide receivers, whereas the other funnels it into the OL.

Hell yeah

What in the heck are they doing kicking into the endzone??

Indeed. Unless it isn't, of course. But yeah, apparently the kicking balls this season are super bueno.

Suddenly a nearly 40-yard field goal, gang.

🤌

Appreciate the receipts AND completely agree with your reluctant criticism of Brady's play calling.

Where did you see "defenders...saying they're reading our plays"? That's been a growing complaint of mine on BOTH sides of the ball, tbh. The players are at a disadvantage far too often because the play callers rely on poorly disguised tendencies/concepts. The Bills seem easy to scout, overall. Also, the (offensive) players seem to do a shite job of executing wrinkles and creative calls, which potentially speaks to how little practice time is spent on diverse concepts each week. Their comfort zone is incredibly narrow, apparently. It's truly unfortunate that Allen will spend the absolute prime of his career with substandard NFL offensive play design and play-calling. Really robs us of so much joy when watching the Bills. There is a GULF between offenses like the Bills and those of McVay, Shanahan, whoever the eff is calling Tampa's plays this season, etc. All this ignores or sidesteps how easily opposing offenses can motion our defense into predictable and vanilla concepts most of the time. Again, putting the players at least at a disadvantage.

Most "old school" head coaches prefer this approach (Tomlin, Carroll, Harbaugh, McD, etc.) but that's not the structure that works lately. Kind of agree. But also, he wants to entrust someone else to call the D for legit reasons, too.

Should have one already in 2021, and now should be fighting to cement and build upon legacies each season. Instead, we're stuck in the cycle where good has been and still seems to be the enemy of great.

Finally, analysis that matters.