Old Coot

It's risky, that's for sure. So why do it? As has been pointed out our run game was non-existent except for Josh's runs. With zone blocking you get the DL moving laterally and gap control can be difficult. Invariably, there is a hole which the QB can scoot through. The success of the QB runs forces the defense to account for the QB as a runner and that usually takes a man out of pass coverage which makes the passing game more successful. Still, I'm worried about the wear & tear on Josh's body. Look what happened to Cam Newton.

This has been a problem for decades. In 1965 the Colts lost a sudden death playoff for the Western Conference title as a result of a last minutes Packer FG that sailed higher than the uprights and was ruled good. Photos later showed that it was beyonf the upright. The "FG that wasn't" tied the game at 10 @. The game went into overtime & the Pack won 13-10. The Pack went on to beat the Browns to claim the last NFL championship pre-Super Bowl. As a result of the blown call the height of the uprights was extended from 10 feet to 20 feet. In 1974 the height was again extended to 30 feet and to 35 feet in 2014 at the behest of the coach we love to hate, Bill Belichick. Can 50 feet be far behind? BTW the goalposts originally were right on the goal line providing an extra blocker on running plays but also an extra defender on pass plays.

Screens don't work well when the defense's back 7 are playing primarily man. In the past we didn't have enough top notch skill players on offense to force defenses to zone schemes. Now we do.

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Interesting vid evaluating Devin Singletary in pass protection: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIDNvu3fiZA&feature=youtu.be

Shades of our Jack Kemp acquisition. We hornswoggled the Chargers on that one. They tried to sneak him through waivers over a weekend. Read the story here: http://www.profootballresearchers.org/archives/Website_Files/Coffin_Corner/22-03-853.pdf

Good discussion. Two points: 1. WE did defense the Ravens well. Belichick knows that and he'll have analyzed what we did in that game so we better have some wrinkles to throw at him. 2. RPO is blocked as a run but the QB needn't run it if he reads run. He can hand off to the RB.

The forum has been quiet -- too quiet. So let's discuss the Run Pass Option (RPO) Cam Newton likely will be the Pats QB. At Carolina, he ran a lot of RPO. Belichick is thus quite likely to make use of it. As I understand it, the QB reads the playside safety or outside LB. If that man plays run, the QB passes; if that man plays pass, Cam will give to the RB or run it himself. I've read some articles on defensing the RPO but they weren't very clear. How will the Bills defense deal with the RPO? BTW Belichick may be building a defense to stop the RPO. see this article: https://www.si.com/nfl/patriots/gm-report/patriots-appear-to-be-building-rpo-proof-defense If so, you can bet he'll have a thorough understanding of how the RPO operates and will use it to maximum advantage so we better know how to stop it.

Re his accuracy on long throws: He's changed his throwing technique. Initially he threw his long throws on a rope. In one of the patriots' games the DBs undercut the receivers & got some interceptions or broke up the reception. Last year he put more air under his throws. He needs more practice in actual games to get used to doing that.

That's one of the theories; see the link I provided

Goodbye Mr Spalding from the Natural

On a related note, no one knows why the city is called Buffalo. I don't think that buffalo ever ranged in WNY. I know that someone will point out that the city is named after Buffalo Creek but that just shifts the question to how did the creek get its name. I once read an after-dinner speech by Grover Cleveland delivered about 1885 on this issue. I can't find it on the web now but here's a link that includes much of what was in that speech: https://owlcation.com/humanities/How-Buffalo-New-York-got-its-Name

Expect a healthy does of RPO from the patriots offense this year.

The Old Coot's memory isn't what it used to be. I think that I was thinking of the Bill's last playoff victory -- 30 Dec 1995 against the Dolphins. The Bills rushed for 341 yards. Tasker only for 7 but he did have 108 yards receiving on 5 receptions. Plus they may have run the Wing-T not the single wing. That game was also Shula's last game.

Tasker was uncoverable as a receiver. I don't know why he wasn't used as a slot receiver more often. Edelman reminds me of the kind of receiver Tasker was. Tasker could also be an effective ball carrier. I recall a game in which the Bills used the old single wing formation and ran the pants off of whomever they were playing. Tasker had almost 200 yards rushing. This guy could do it all.

In response to MrEpsYtown: You are right. I should have said Tilted one technique. I know better than that. What I had in mind was Oliver lining up tilted over the center's ball hand. If the center tries to block him, he can't. Thus, the OL must double team him using the right guard. This is a technique that favors a quick undersized DT and so I thought it would play to Oliver's skill set. Star doesn't have Oliver's quickness.

Here's a discussion of the tilted 3 technique. It was developed by Mean Joe Greene. Warren Sapp used it to good effect. https://www.bucsnation.com/2013/5/4/4290148/the-4-3-tilted-nose-tackle-history-scheme-and-the-buccaneers

I think that using Oliver in a tilted 3 technique would add an interesting wrinkle to the Bill's D. It forces the technique-side guard to double team Oliver to prevent him from blowing past the center. What do you think?

More film study of some Bills defense and offense plays, courtesy of Cover 1. The recent studies are only days old. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClL6eJS1s8xmRoYRQbYgxQQ

Good interview with nickel safety Dean Marlowe with his extended analysis of some plays. His commentary shows the mental side of his play not just the physical.

During the sports lull lets do some speculating. Presumably Diggs will be WR 1 and will often draw double coverage. Can our WR 2 (presumably Brown but feel free to discuss whomever you think will be WR 2) consistently beat one on one coverage? If not, can play design accomplish this, for example by stick or other route combinations.

Screens aren't difficult to design but they are difficult to execute, particularly when a defense can play man because they don't respect your receivers. In man LB's can key on the RB's. Next year we may be better at screens because we upgraded at receiver.

Ritchie Lucas.. Look him up.

Interesting story behind the Bills' initial switch to red helmets in the 1980's. It involves QB Joe Ferguson. Read it here: https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/06/23/the-story-behind-the-bills-red-helmets/