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Chris Simms: The Bills are a perfect matchup for the Pats right now. Can't run, can't stop the run.


Thurman#1

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Stopping the run against teams with wide open offenses is IMO the Bills weakness. Even in the bad weather, KC and Mahomes and the weapons they have needed to be respected.

 

We've seen McD Ds struggle versus this template often. The Pats are not that team, and neither is Cam. Worse, with the conditions turnovers may be a factor. They just don't have the talent to execute that notion. 

 

Then there is stopping Allen and the Bills O...which has advanced since we last faced a better Pats D and moved the ball well.

 

Get behind to this Bills team, could get in trouble.

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You wouldn’t be on this forum if you had no hope. There’s a type: puts up a bristly front, despises optimism, says pessimistic things constantly, secretly happy when things turn out well but can’t show it. Looks like this:

Oscar-dup.jpg?fit=500,375&ssl=1


 

Edited by benderbender
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The 49ers chewed up NE with their 21 personnel - basically two backs and Kittle as the TE. They can either use a back as a lead blocker or as misdirection to attack weak gaps, or as extra blockers where Kittle is a mismatch.

 

I think in this regard our offense has very little practice executing this alignment, in fact we probably spend most of our snaps in an empty-set (I have not looked that up - just a gut feeling). Not only are we not running the ball when we go empty, we are not even threatening to run the ball so we cannot leverage any play-action. Then on early downs when we go with a 11 or 12 personnel look we signal to teams to load the box and play the run.

 

Earlier this year when teams were committed to playing man against our receivers then that empty look helped Allen see the field and we were able to create a lot of confusion and rub plays with crossing routes. We were chewing up the field and scoring in bunches. I know folks hate that ground and pound philosophy, but as Chris alluded to NE packs the box with their coverage personnel and those guys are at a disadvantage against blockers and runners. Bill loads the box to get teams to abandon the run... it is a bluff unless he swaps out personnel.

 

This is not a great match-up for the offensive game plans that Daboll has cooked up the past few seasons and how poorly our offensive line has been run-blocking. I know there are folks on this board that see a weak and vulnerable NE team, but they are actually well matched against the things our team is weak at executing.... their run vs our stopping the run, their mobile QB vs our containing a mobile QB, our ability and commitment to running the ball vs throwing against zone looks, etc...

 

I want the Bills to win this one, but the sky is not falling if the chips do not fall our way, but I am hopeful that our coaching staff recognizes that they will need to get this team to play out of character to create a better match-up against NE.

 

 

 

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But is it that we CAN'T run .... or is it we WON'T run. We only had one carry by someone not named Josh Allen the entire first half of last week. Don't get me wrong I think designated runs and scrambles are an important and effective part of Allen's game, but a stat line something like 3 designated runs by your QB, 1 run by your WR, and 1 run by your RB for an entire half sounds kind of goofy to me. (that stat line may not be exactly right other than the 1 run by Motor, I'm going off memory here and I'm too damn lazy to look it up)

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9 hours ago, Thurman#1 said:

 

 

 

 

The Pats - Bills content starts around 42:00.

 

Some excerpts:

 

Burmeister: What's going on with Cam Newton?

 

Simms: Well, he's off. No doubt about that.

 

Simms argues that the Pats last week were a terrible matchup against the Niners, as the Niners are "a run-first-centric team" and Shanahan's the run genius of football. And the Patriots on defense are built to stop passing offenses. He argues Belichick tries to scare you out of runs by packing the box, but then backs away, and some of the eight guys in the box are littler guys than are usually up there and wouldn't be especially effective against the run.

 

Simms: "What you've got to do is go, ' Oh, OK, we're outnumbered in the box, so what, that guy's 195 pounds, that guy's 205 pounds, our right guard can block both of them with his right arm.' " And Shanahan stuck with the run.

 

Asked what he thought were the Pats biggest offensive problems he said offensive line injuries and post-COVID Cam hasn't been the same after missing three weeks of football. They both thought his motion is off right now. But what made me a bit worried is something Simms said about that.

 

Simms:  "[Newton] gets into this almost once a year his whole career. ... where his front shoulder gets way high in the air."

 

Goes on to say (quite a bit later) that Newton has had this problem many times before for a week or two or three and then either he or a coach figures it out and corrects it and he starts playing better again.

 

... and ...

 

Simms: "And now they've got Buffalo this week, and that's the perfect team for them. Again, matchups. ... The Bills can't stop the run and they can't run the ball, so they have to throw it every play. Perfect for New England. So don't be shocked if New England upset Buffalo this week."

 

 

 

And later, his preview of the game:

 

 

 

He and Florio both pick the Pats, saying the Bills strength is passing and the Pats strength is stopping the pass, and that on offense the Pats strength is running while the Bills weakness is stopping the run.

 

Makes some sense.

 

If they're right, we'd better do a good job in the run game on both sides of the ball. Hopefully Feliciano's return will make a real difference.

 

 

 

Whattya think?

I think they're spot on.  But Simms said something that I think is important to hear.  He said that as long as the game stays close, if favors NE.  We need to get out early and often and get up a couple of scores.  Then it favors us.

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2 hours ago, RichRiderBills said:

Stopping the run against teams with wide open offenses is IMO the Bills weakness. Even in the bad weather, KC and Mahomes and the weapons they have needed to be respected.

 

We've seen McD Ds struggle versus this template often. The Pats are not that team, and neither is Cam. Worse, with the conditions turnovers may be a factor. They just don't have the talent to execute that notion. 

 

Then there is stopping Allen and the Bills O...which has advanced since we last faced a better Pats D and moved the ball well.

 

Get behind to this Bills team, could get in trouble.

Was just gonna say this...when we can't load up the box we struggle making plays against the run because our linebackers have been historically horrendous 🤣  id have to rewatch the Tennessee game which i really don't want to do but Henry really didn't do much because we played with a safety in the box id assume 

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The first four games of the 2020 season the Bills offense was #4 overall because of Allen's passing. The Bills defense was 27th or so and that was against the pass. 

 

Currently the defense picked it up and are 15th overall and 21st against the run. The Bills offense is 20th in points, 13th in yards, 6th in passing yards, 5th in passing TDs.

 

 

New England defense is 12th in points allowed, 17th in yards allowed, #1 in pass attempts against them. 10th against the pass. 12 in pass TDs. The Patriot offense is 29th in scoring points, 24th in yards, #3 in rushing attempts, #4 in rushing yards, #5 in rushing TDs. 

 

 

The Buffalo Bills should crush this one dimensional Patriots team simply by stacking the box and daring Cam Newton to throw. Who has looked out of sorts the last games. Run blitz and knock the NW receivers / backs off their routes at the LoS. Spy Newton and it should be game over fast. That stat of the Patriots receivers getting only 13% separation is so telling. 

 

No Edelman and that story of Gilmore "tweeking" his knee might be an excuse when Diggs jukes him out of his cleats on Sunday. 

 

I don't care what anyone else says, this is a "must win" game for Buffalo as they face the Seahawks, Cardinals next and after the BYE, Chargers, 49ers, Steelers, Broncos, Patriots, Dolphins. If the Bills want to keep a lead in the division against Miami and take the division they need this win. If McD ever wants to beat Bill Belichick, now is the time. A sweep would be even better. 

 

 

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11 hours ago, Thurman#1 said:

 

 

Simms: "And now they've got Buffalo this week, and that's the perfect team for them. Again, matchups. ... The Bills can't stop the run and they can't run the ball, so they have to throw it every play. Perfect for New England. So don't be shocked if New England upset Buffalo this week."

 

 

Whattya think?

 

 

I generally like Simms but this is so simplistic.  So let me respond with simplistic counter arguments.

 

The Bills will have a balanced attack this game this Sunday.  The Bills passing attack is one of the most prolific in the NFL this year.  And against the Pats, they'll finally find success on the ground because the Pats run defense is putrid (6th worst in the NFL).    Expect the Bills to be effective on the ground as well as in the air.  

 

At the same time, the Patriots offense will remain one-dimensional.   The Pats dysfunctional, 28th ranked passing attack isn't likely to do much harm.  So Frazier and the Bills D will be able to focus almost entirely on the run.  

 

Statistically speaking, the Bills are clearly a better team than the Pats.   At this point in the season, the Bills have gained more yards/game, given up fewer yards/game, achieved a better point differential, and found more ways to win.  

 

Advantage: Bills.  

 

 

Edited by hondo in seattle
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4 hours ago, benderbender said:

You wouldn’t be on this forum if you had no hope. There’s a type: puts up a bristly front, despises optimism, says pessimistic things constantly, secretly happy when things turn out well but can’t show it. Looks like this:

Oscar-dup.jpg?fit=500,375&ssl=1


 

 

This is great.  It could be a self-portrait of a dozen or so here.

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3 hours ago, Gen2 said:

But is it that we CAN'T run .... or is it we WON'T run. We only had one carry by someone not named Josh Allen the entire first half of last week. Don't get me wrong I think designated runs and scrambles are an important and effective part of Allen's game, but a stat line something like 3 designated runs by your QB, 1 run by your WR, and 1 run by your RB for an entire half sounds kind of goofy to me. (that stat line may not be exactly right other than the 1 run by Motor, I'm going off memory here and I'm too damn lazy to look it up)

 

We can't run.  We've tried.  Against LV, Tenn, and KC Motor had 18, 11, and 10 carries and averaged 3.1, 2.3, and 3.2 YPC.

Zach Moss did even worse against KC.

 

The Jets were a bit of a "get well game" for our running, but only a bit...76 yds between 2 backs.  But 55% of the yards from someone not named Allen was still an improvement.

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Stack the box and dare Newton to pass.  I think the Bills will do this often.  NE is successful running and have a weak receiving corps.  It will be a tough game for the Bills.

1 hour ago, hondo in seattle said:

 

 

I generally like Simms but this is so simplistic.  So let me respond with simplistic counter arguments.

 

The Bills will have a balanced attack this game this Sunday.  The Bills passing attack is one of the most prolific in the NFL this year.  And against the Pats, they'll finally find success on the ground because the Pats run defense is putrid (6th worst in the NFL).    Expect the Bills to be effective on the ground as well as in the air.  

 

At the same time, the Patriots offense will remain one-dimensional.   The Pats dysfunctional, 28th ranked passing attack isn't likely to do much harm.  So Frazier and the Bills D will be able to focus almost entirely on the run.  

 

Statistically speaking, the Bills are clearly a better team than the Pats.   At this point in the season, the Bills have gained more yards/game, given up fewer yards/game, achieved a better point differential, and found more ways to win.  

 

Advantage: Bills.  

 

 

Secret weapon for the Bills offense will be Moss.  He has a running style that wears down a defense

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