Rockinon

This offense is all ready very explosive. They are at their best when they have a single high safety they are going against with the concepts that Dabol created. Our new coordinator is keeping those concepts while taking advantage of Kromer's expertise. Kromer really is a master OL coach and is able to draw one of those safeties up, by merely being effective running the ball. The beauty is, as soon as one of them creeps up, Josh is going to see that and know that he's got them right where he wants them. Single high safety with a WR in single coverage and no safety help. The opposing defense will have to choose their poison. Get run on all game and wear the defense out or take their chances with the deep ball. Either way, it's not a good choice. Defense will have to resort to trickery to disguise what they are doing with the safeties. Teams will need savvy safeties like the two we have. Not a lot of teams have that.

3 minutes left on the clock.

Elam can give them a taste of their own medicine.

To wear that Rams defense out

okay

If the Rams are pissed at being the underdog, they'll be even more pissed when the Bills jump out to a commanding lead by halftime.

I think it's going to come down to what match ups the coaches think they can exploit. One week we may see an extra running back. The next might be an extra WR. We all ready know how dangerous the passing attack is but there were times when we needed to run more effectively last year. I honestly don't think the offense will change much. Passing is still the bread and butter of this offense. The difference is going to be finding out how effective the running backs can be. Finding out not just how well they can rush, but how well they can receive. The pieces that were added in the off season seem to make it clear that the plan is to simply make the offense more diverse. Right now I think they are concentrating on their Thursday night match up and what they can exploit against the Rams defense. The following week it will be a different game plan.

I thought they had to release three players?

If that carries over to the regular season, defenses are going to be super stressed. Don't give them time to diagnose. That constant pressure along with spreading the ball around to different players will keep them on their heels. Hope it continues.

Defense looked better on that series

Kick off all ready! Can't believe how much I miss football.

Shakir is pretty much a lock to make the team. Hodgins isn't. He could cement a roster spot with some good strong play.

Yeah, a college town. Really quiet in the summer months then busy when the colleges open. Great area though. The rivers, mountains and lakes are incredible.

Grew up in Newfane, NY. That sense of humor definitely a western NY thing. Went into the Air Force out of high school, done some traveling and now live up in Potsdam, NY. Western NY is a little different and will always be home to me.

Barkley not looking bad. Struggled early but knocked off the rust. He connect nicely with Hodgins a bunch of times. Nice comeback. Nice grit getting back in the game to win it.

Channel 50 out of Watertown is playing the game locally. Wonder if they have a live stream?

Who still wants Keenum for backup QB?

That was awful. Right up the gut for 2

Keenum is going to play himself out of a job

It's on ABC channel 50 locally here.

McKenzie is all ready doing well in camp and that's a good thing. The slot receiver, I believe, has become a more valued position. Partly because of the production seen by Beasley over the last couple of years. Someone has to make up that production and honestly, I do not think the coaches were expecting a single player to just come in and do that. It's looking like they are pleasantly surprised by how good the new additions are doing so far. But, the position is also valued more because it just so happens that a couple of those guys can play special teams as well. This is going to be something to watch especially when preseason games begin. Who is holding on to the ball and not fumbling. Who is productive return kicks. Who is performing when the offense takes the field. Maybe they do keep 7. The offense struggled when Beasley was hurt. Looking back, I think McKenzie spent a good portion of the season on the hot seat for fumbling the ball. It was a pleasant surprise to the coaches when he tore it up at the end of the season last year. Now I think, the position has clearly become more important to them. They went out and got a couple more slot guys in the off season. It's interesting. This offense since Allen came to town has not been your traditional passing team. Allen delivers a serious fastball. The receivers are mostly smaller quick twitch guys. The offense is more complex than most. Every player is expected to know where everyone else on the field is supposed to be and what their role is. And while we are talking about the players, it should be noted that this is an extremely well coached team.

I think you are on the right track. I am just thinking about the games where the Bills struggled to move the ball. Remembering back, it was when defenses kept 2 deep safeties out there to take away those 20-30yd passes that Allen loves. He makes them look like 10-15yd passes. At the same time the offense couldn't get the run game going. The offense is going through a bit of a transition where those short crossing routes and dump offs to backs is more important. As well as the shorter passes to the TEs. Running the ball will be emphasized more. Again, the short yards have become more important. That's why Allen is talking about yards after catch. It's more about the matchups. The bread and butter is still going to be Diggs, Davis, Knox, Singletary. Now though, they are working on ways to beat that 2 deep safety look and to get the running game going. That means more crossers, more dump offs to backs, more running. That means less balls for Digg and Davis. Certainly, that seems odd because they are stars on this offense, but the ball does need to be spread around more to those slot guys, the TEs the RBs. They have to be able to beat any kind of defense. Now, I do believe there will be a different game plan week to week depending on what they be facing. I think what this team needs is more diversity. The ability to move the ball under any circumstances is what they are shooting for. Diggs and Davis will still get their targets, but in game specific situations, some lesser known players will need to thrive. Davis may actually get more touches merely because he is now the number 2, but that short pass game has to improve. The run game too. Honestly, I think we are looking at an offense that is poised to break some records. Once defenses realize that their 2 deep safety look is no longer going to work, the wheels are going to fall off for some them. They will be trying all kinds of things to stop this offense. Problem is, they won't know where to concentrate their efforts anymore. A diverse offense is hard to stop, especially with a QB like Josh slinging the ball around.

Every WR on the roster must be able to play in the slot and on the outside. It's interesting that there are so many that excel at playing the slot. Honestly, I think the coaches are just trying to put together an offense that capitalizes on what player strengths are. No offense to your input here Alphadawg7. You do make some very good points, but i think there will be a more passes going to the slot and also the flat on screens. They are working on increasing run after catch numbers. I believe the TEs will also see an increase. But only against teams where the game plan calls for it. In other games, the outside receivers will be a bigger factor. One game that comes to mind is the Colts. They were shutting down our deep passing game and also our running game. Against that team, I think there would be a decided increase in short passes to slot WRs and TEs. Maybe some screens. They say they want more run after catch, but honestly it is more about just keeping the ball moving forward in specific situations. The offense basically is diversifying and from that perspective, that is how the coaches will decide who to keep and who to cut. Having lots of guys that can play the slot and catch balls out of the backfield eliminates the possibility of having another game like that. I agree that the most likely scenario is to keep 3 slot guys though. The plan going forward is to have an unstoppable passing attack even against a team like the Colts who had our number that game. Wondering if occasionally there are 2 slot guys on the field at the same time. We all ready suspect more 2 TE sets so why not. Maybe a RB leaking out along with a slot WR. The possibilities are endless and I think this is what they want. And I agree that this is a position to watch. These guys that play the slot will have to bring something else to the table beside just playing that position. They'll need to be able to run the whole route tree and/or play special teams. They'll have to be good at something besides just playing slot. Excelling at run after catch would be an eye grabber to the coaches I would think.

Going to be interesting watching how the RBs get involved. I believe we'll see more screens than we're used to.

The reason for adding a pass catching RB has nothing to do with improving a stat like YAC. It's simply a matter of having an answer to teams that were able to slow the Buffalo Bills down last year. Defenses were able to play 2 deep safeties and also limit the running game. Having some short passing options opens up the play book and will force defenses to choose. 1 deep safety or 2? Yes, the short passing game will improve YAC, but that is not the goal. The goal is to put pressure on the defense. I do believe the offense will continue to be the same dominant passing team, only now there will be more short passes mixed in to limit that 2 deep safety look that gave us problems last year.