Jump to content

The Shuffling O-Line


wjag

Recommended Posts

The one thing it does tell me is they love Williams at RT. If they are swapping Cody at both guard spots that means they want to confirm he can play at either well. That allows them to tinker with Feliciano when he gets back. I think they are giving Winters a look but he will be the cut when Feliciano comes back. He got eaten alive in the 2nd half. He was pretty much laughed out of the worst team in football and Feliciano is a great backup center so he is a lock for this roster of healthy. I doubt they walk from Spain because this if this is a deep run year you need 3 quality guards. We have 3 quality tackles. 

  • Like (+1) 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Some teams will swap linemen on plays - better short yardage run blocking linemen in short yard plays and redzone, more mobile linemen for screens, an extra 3rd tackle which comes in to give starting tackle a breather, jumbo goal line package, etc.  It does not necessarily mean that play will be made but it can force defenses to practice against it and have defenses change to counter it.   It is not a bad strategy on teams with depth in OL in experience and talent.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, CEN-CAL17 said:

What is the timeline on Feliciano? Can the Bills legitimately expect him back by week 12? From what I read is 6 months.

 

Is Feliciano realistically gonna be able to play this year?

 

I think we are seeing a rotation just to get everyone playing time. To be able to later on in the season to throw a player in there if needed. 

8-12 weeks from 7/31. He was out of the sling by end of August, which was a good sign rehab was progressing well. 

Edited by YoloinOhio
Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 hours ago, YoloinOhio said:

8-12 weeks from 7/31. He was out of the sling by end of August, which was a good sign rehab was progressing well. 

So if you had to guess.... would you say week 12? First game? After bye week. I’d supposed he may get back on the field week 9 or 10. But not be cleared until full go week 12. 
 

I think that’s even pushing it.... has there even been words on his rehab?
 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 hours ago, Buffalo716 said:

Bill belichick has been doing this for 15 years

 

He always tinkers with lineup's for the first five six weeks before settling on one

Not at all bothered. No ota's, no preseason. I would've been shocked if they didn't tinker. Ford needs to stay at LG. That is the best position for him and his skill set. Feliciano will eventually be at RG. Nsekhe will be ready to come in at a moments notice. Winters is not the answer. 

Edited by LABILLBACKER
Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 hours ago, CSBill said:

The Spain situation is intriguing. It appears it was a last minute decision, so I speculate if it was for disciplinary reasons?

 

He has been consider one of the strengths of the line, so this was a surprise.

 

Any word from the Bills?

Cody is officially the starter on the left and Winters on the right based on the updated depth chart.

 

https://www.buffalobills.com/team/depth-chart

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, it looks like Dawkins, Morse and Williams are having good years but our guards are struggling.. that’s the easiest way for me to put it.. Also, Dawkins and Morse strike me more as pretty decent pass protectors but very average run blockers.. Ford and whatever other garbage we have at guard has been really underwhelming.. At least Allen has a pocket to throw in most of the time... that’s valuable.. but overall I’d say our line is pretty average.. Both guard spots need to be upgraded... there’s a chance that Cody Ford comes around but I think we could use some more competition there..  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Victory Formation said:

Well, it looks like Dawkins, Morse and Williams are having good years but our guards are struggling.. that’s the easiest way for me to put it.. Also, Dawkins and Morse strike me more as pretty decent pass protectors but very average run blockers.. Ford and whatever other garbage we have at guard has been really underwhelming.. At least Allen has a pocket to throw in most of the time... that’s valuable.. but overall I’d say our line is pretty average.. Both guard spots need to be upgraded... there’s a chance that Cody Ford comes around but I think we could use some more competition there..  

 

I'd agree that our guard play is underwhelming so far. 

 

I'd encourage you to revise your thoughts on Ford as a promising guard prospect.

 

And I'd vehemently disagree with the coaches' decision to play Winters over Spain, despite Spain's apparent mediocrity this season. We've all watched Winters get effing blown-up from training camp through week three. When that man loses a rep HE REALLY LOSES A REP.

  • Like (+1) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

One thing in particular that I like about the front office is that they understand how rare it is to find offensive lineman who are capable of starting games. In the last 3 years we've seen them bring in feliciano, Spain and Williams and all three of those are situations where they saw a guy who had starting duty and now for whatever reason was on the outside looking in with their teams and they were able to bring those guys in and have been rewarded with good offensive line play the past couple years for it. It also helps with depth because the offensive lineman can have long careers, the position is so physical that at some point one of them is going to go down and then they can shuffle it..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is all about getting the most out of Ford and finding a home. I assume that they love what Daryl Williams is doing  and he is young enough (and needs to be re-signed) that it makes sense to put your former second round pick in the best place to succeed. Winters, Spain, Feliciano are not important imo when it comes to the choices they are making here. This is all about Ford. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Spain has lost his job to Ford. 

 

It looks like based on the last two weeks Ford will be the LG going forward.  Because when Winters got hurt, Spain didn't move into his customary LG spot.  Instead Ford Stayed there and Spain came in at RG.  

 

I think once Feliciano is back Spain gets dealt.

Edited by MAJBobby
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 9/30/2020 at 3:09 PM, DrDawkinstein said:

Eric Wood was on WGR Monday and spoke about this. Said McD did the same thing in 2017. Started the year with Miller at Guard and by week 3 had Vlad Ducasse in. Which was unusual to see, but it showed that McD is constantly evaluating, and constantly looking to tweak and improve.

 

Couple that with the injury to Feliciano, and it makes sense to see some changes early in the season.

 

We'll see some more changes once Feliciano gets back.

 

But the good news is, the culture is so strong with this TEAM, and especially in the OL room, that they seem to take it all in stride and do not hit many bumps along the way.

I heard him talking about that, he also said switching from side to side as a tackle or guard is not easy. 

 

Your hands have to reverse everything.

  • Like (+1) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Earlier this year one of our members here posted that rotating O line guys like they do with the D line was a possibility for the Bills this season. The poster was in effect shouted down.

 

 

Go Bills!!!

Edited by Don Otreply
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 9/30/2020 at 12:52 PM, wjag said:

3 weeks, 3 different O-line configurations.  Most teams seem to pick 5 guys and unless injury or sub par performance forces a change, they stick with it for cohesiveness reasons.  The Bills change O-linemen situationally, or so it seems.  This bucks the trend.  I'm curious what folks think about this strategy. 

 

Curious, what do you see as situational substitutions?

 

The primary OL has been Dawkins-Ford-Morse-Winters-Williams since the Rams.  You can see this from the snap counts.  After Miami, they benched Spain and quickly settled on Ford at LG and Winters at RG which was most of the Rams game.

 

In LV, Winters was injured and Spain came in for him, played about half the snaps. 

In Tennessee, Spain was mysteriously "Out" just before the game.  Ford and Winters both went out injured for a few snaps and Boettger (LG) and Bates (RG) came in for them.  Dawkins also out for a few snaps, substitute by Bates (I think-bad idea) then Nsekhe

vs KC, Ford went out injured at the end and Boettger came in for him. 

In NY, Ford DNP, was declared out, and Boettger played for him

 

A few jumbo packs with extra linemen and some other injury substitutions - otherwise when did you see the situational changes?

 

21 minutes ago, wjag said:

From NFL.com

 

Buffalo's offensive line struggles are a concern. Josh Allen was pressured a season-high 14 times by a middling pass rush on Sunday and had his second-shortest average time to throw of the season (2.78 seconds), per Next Gen Stats.

 

Boettger is a big downgrade from Ford at LG. 

Winters is also struggling and probably wasn't helped by the fact that his tendencies and weaknesses are an open book to the Jets.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...