The Future of the Offense

[ColdFront_USAF]

I see a lot of people on here complaining week in and week out about this offense, and I agree that it is abysmal. It ranges from hard to watch, to below average at best. That being said, I think there are some things to keep in mind as fans.

 

First and foremost, many are wondering why we didn't just keep the offense from last year, and I think there are several reasons.

 

We were never going to be able to retain Lynn without making him the head coach, and I think everyone on this board would take McD over Lynn at the helm. So we would have needed another coordinator that specializes in the Power 0 system, and I hate to break it to you, but that is not a common system. This is a passing league, and there are just not many OCs out there that run that.

 

Next up, while the jury is definitely still out on whether or not Rico is the guy to give us a Super Bowl caliber offense, his hire shows me that this coaching staff is trying to give us an offense designed to work in 21st century football. The West Coast is where it's at right now, and the teams that can run it at a high level are mostly on top. Run first systems require a lot of things to go right on game day. They need a defense to play lights out because they need to be playing with a lead, it is not a come from behind and win style of play. The drives are long and slow and chew a ton of clock, and that doesn't work when you're down a score or two with not a lot of time left. They also require a passing game that's at least adequate enough to force defenders to lay off the box, and we just do not have that. See Seattle or Dallas if you want proof.

 

I think the most important thing though, is that this team isn't being built around the players we have right now. Just because Tyrod ranges from terrible to barely passable in this offense, does not mean it's going to remain that way. We stockpiled draft picks for a reason, and I think most of us can make a reasonable guess as to why. They are most likely going to either make a move up for their idea of a franchise qb in this draft, or sit back and take what falls to them and spend the remaining picks on weapons and help on the o line. Whaley is gone, and the team is no longer perennially in "win now" mode en route to a .500 season.

 

It's alright to be frustrated with this offense and the piss poor results it's shown us, but as fans we have to at least appreciate that our brass is trying to give us a modern offense, and it is going to take another season or 2 of solid drafting to make it happen.

[dayman]

There's no reason we need to run an offense that doesn't work with our personnel this season. We should be running more option and more downhill stuff. Stretch plays to the outside for a loss of 2 have nothing to do with having a good offense in 2 years.

[SoTier]

Well, OP, speak for yourself when you say "everyone on this board would take McD over Lynn at the helm" because it sure doesn't apply to me. I've been skeptical of McDermott from the beginning, primarily because his philosophy and attitudes seem to bear too strong a resemblance to those of Dick Jauron.

 

Additionally, the Bills FO, along with Beane and McDermott, stripped the team of much of its talent, especially on offense. Except for McCoy, the Bills no longer have a single game breaker. Aside from Taylor, Glenn, Charles Clay, Incognito, and Wood, the rest of their offensive players are, at best, JAGs, and most aren't even that good. I do not want a team full of choirboys lacking in NFL caliber talent who are JAGs and STers at best. I want a team full of smart, talented players who regularly win football games, and if they have opinions about stuff or they want to join in a protest or they complain about targets, I don't really care unless it affects their performance.

 

Dennison has insisted on a blocking system that doesn't fit the OLers he's got, which has resulted in emasculating the Bills running game. That the Bills have only Tobert and Banyard behind McCoy means the Bills are finished if Shady gets hurt. Of course, I suppose it doesn't matter to the Bills OC who envisions the passing game opening up the running game ... despite the fact that except for the injured Matthews, the Bills don't have a single NFL caliber WR. I want an OC and DC who adapt their "systems" to fit the talent they have, not throw away talent to bring in "their guys".

 

I especially don't want to play not to lose, and I get a sense that that's how McDermott plays the game. He does gamble on the rare occasion but the offense that Dennison's put together is designed to nibble defenses to death rather than just stick a fork in them (as NE does). It's a prescription for losing.

[Webster Guy]

The biggest mystery to me is the Oline. I really think its being mismanaged.

 

I know the PFF grading system has its flaws, mainly because the evaluators often don't know specifics of player assignments on each play, but one thing it does well is evaluate individual blocking skills in one on one situations.

 

With that in mind, I am at a loss as to why Groy isn't in for the inconsistent John Miller, and Dawkins doesn't slide to the right side this week and replace Mills. Get Cordy back at LT and lets run with our best 5 in place for the rest of the year.

 

This offense can move the chains with decent Oline play. Our receivers can get open, we can run the ball (yes even Tolbert can be a solid rb2), Tyrod can stay in the pocket a bit longer.

 

We could have AJ Green and Julio at WR and we would still sputter until the Oline gets shored up.

[row_33]

I watched about a half-dozen teams go out there with a very mediocre QB who tried to drop back 3 and let it fly.

 

At least it seemed an honest try to pretend they are playing football.

 

In the end a tinker-toy rag-tag bush-league panic option QB is far worse than what the Fish and Jets and Bears and Jags trotted out there yesterday.