Anyone else concerned with run game being the “top priority”?

[ShakAttack]

I am a bit concerned with reports that fixing the run game is supposedly our top priority during the bye week. 
 

While I definitely recognize the lack of production here, this is also the best offense we have had in years and it was at its best in the Seattle game, a game in which we practically neglected the run altogether. 
 

My concern is if we come out of the bye with too much of an emphasis on establishing the run game against the Chargers when we already have something that is working for us at a high level right now. 
 

Guess you could say I believe the offense has already established its identify and I would put more of an emphasis on making the pass game even more potent, perhaps work on where it has struggled at times against zone coverage and fixing the run game becomes a secondary priority. 
 

Having said that, I realize that - unfortunately - the weather will dictate the game plan to some extent and it will be important to be able to call on the run game as needed in the month of December, but again, my concern would be over-committing to establishing the run game to where it has a negative impact on our pass attack. 
 

There is something to be said about being on pace to have the least number of punts in team history and I am sure we would all like to keep it that way.  

[teef]

no.  improving the run game is a top priority for the offense, but i don't think they want it to be the centerpiece.  why draft backs 2 years in a row not to get more production?  that being said, i like the offense they run now.  

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

I’d like to see more throws to the backs as blitz beaters to act as extension of the running game to sustain drives. That’s something the k gun thrived on and both backs can beat guys in open field. 

[H2o]

We need to be able to run the ball effectively when we attempt to. There has to be a balance. Josh can sling it 40 times for 300+ every week, but at some point our running game has to produce more than 2 yds per carry. If we get that going it will just open things up even more.  

[Comebackkid]

You can't really relate the success in Seattle and not running the ball to other teams.   

[Mark Vader]

6 minutes ago, teef said:

no.  improving the run game is a top priority for the offense, but i don't think they want it to be the centerpiece.  why draft backs 2 years in a row not to get more production?  that being said, i like the offense they run now.  

I agree. Improving the run game is very important.

 

Yet I still think that we will run the same type of offense, because it has worked.

[Brianmoorman4jesus]

If you want to be true players in this thing, you need balance. Not just a balance of run and pass, but also a balance of offense and defense. I don’t understand where the “all that matters is passing” movement came from. It’s ludicrous. You need to be able to do everything well, or you aren’t going to beat by the good teams. We absolutely need to fix the run game. It should be a priority because it’s a glaring weakness right now. We also need to be fixing the run defense. If you can’t stop the run, the good teams are going to just keep running it at us. We have already proved that we can throw it. Now fix the issue with the run game and there will be no way to stop us.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

19 minutes ago, BobBelcher said:

I am a bit concerned with reports that fixing the run game is supposedly our top priority during the bye week. 
 

While I definitely recognize the lack of production here, this is also the best offense we have had in years and it was at its best in the Seattle game, a game in which we practically neglected the run altogether. 
 

My concern is if we come out of the bye with too much of an emphasis on establishing the run game against the Chargers when we already have something that is working for us at a high level right now. 
 

Guess you could say I believe the offense has already established its identify and I would put more of an emphasis on making the pass game even more potent, perhaps work on where it has struggled at times against zone coverage and fixing the run game becomes a secondary priority. 
 

Having said that, I realize that - unfortunately - the weather will dictate the game plan to some extent and it will be important to be able to call on the run game as needed in the month of December, but again, my concern would be over-committing to establishing the run game to where it has a negative impact on our pass attack. 
 

There is something to be said about being on pace to have the least number of punts in team history and I am sure we would all like to keep it that way.  

 

So look at it a different way.

 

Seattle was a team with a strong run defense and a weak pass defense.  It made a lot of sense to attack them with a passing game

 

Arizona, on the other hand, has a defense that is balanced against the run and the pass.

 

Any team, if you have a gap in your game, it represents a weakness the opponent can exploit.  They can focus on other things and dare you.  When we were not able to pass deep OR execute screen passes successfully last year, teams were able to pin their ears back and  come after us with Blitz 0.  When we've been able to either pass deep or execute a good screen, we force them out of that because they need to defend the whole field and they get the memo "if you do that we will pick you apart"

 

Look at Baltimore this year - the word is out that if they can contain Lamar and smother the middle of the field,  you can slow them down or even stifle them.  They've gone from being the #1, most explosive offense in the league on points last year, to being just OK at currently #12.

 

Because we couldn't run the ball at need, we allowed Arizona to focus on exotic coverage looks that were hard for Josh to sort out - and he had to sort them, because we couldn't run.  Forcing AZ to have to defend the run would make the passing game more effective and efficient.

 

That doesn't mean you run a lot or pass deep a lot or whatever.  It just means if it's not something the defense has to worry about, it allows them to smother other aspects of your game.

[billspro]

19 minutes ago, BobBelcher said:

I am a bit concerned with reports that fixing the run game is supposedly our top priority during the bye week. 
 

While I definitely recognize the lack of production here, this is also the best offense we have had in years and it was at its best in the Seattle game, a game in which we practically neglected the run altogether. 
 

My concern is if we come out of the bye with too much of an emphasis on establishing the run game against the Chargers when we already have something that is working for us at a high level right now. 
 

Guess you could say I believe the offense has already established its identify and I would put more of an emphasis on making the pass game even more potent, perhaps work on where it has struggled at times against zone coverage and fixing the run game becomes a secondary priority. 
 

Having said that, I realize that - unfortunately - the weather will dictate the game plan to some extent and it will be important to be able to call on the run game as needed in the month of December, but again, my concern would be over-committing to establishing the run game to where it has a negative impact on our pass attack. 
 

There is something to be said about being on pace to have the least number of punts in team history and I am sure we would all like to keep it that way.  

It should be the top priority. They are not going to be a running team this year. I wouldn’t worry about that. The priority is improving the run game efficiency, they need to add at least 1ypc to their runs. If they do that this offence goes to the next level. Arizona being able to go all out against the pass cost us the game in Arizona. We just need the other team to respect our run game enough to keep the play action effective. 

[Comebackkid]

5 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

So look at it a different way.

 

Seattle was a team with a strong run defense and a weak pass defense.  It made a lot of sense to attack them with a passing game

 

Arizona, on the other hand, has a defense that is balanced against the run and the pass.

 

Any team, if you have a gap in your game, it represents a weakness the opponent can exploit.  They can focus on other things and dare you.  When we were not able to pass deep OR execute screen passes successfully last year, teams were able to pin their ears back and  come after us with Blitz 0.  When we've been able to either pass deep or execute a good screen, we force them out of that because they need to defend the whole field and they get the memo "if you do that we will pick you apart"

 

Look at Baltimore this year - the word is out that if they can contain Lamar and smother the middle of the field,  you can slow them down or even stifle them.  They've gone from being the #1, most explosive offense in the league on points last year, to being just OK at currently #12.

 

Because we couldn't run the ball at need, we allowed Arizona to focus on exotic coverage looks that were hard for Josh to sort out - and he had to sort them, because we couldn't run.  Forcing AZ to have to defend the run would make the passing game more effective and efficient.

 

That doesn't mean you run a lot or pass deep a lot or whatever.  It just means if it's not something the defense has to worry about, it allows them to smother other aspects of your game.

If you flip that, as great as Russell Wilson is and Seattle's offense, look at the damage Buffalo could do to them and now other teams when they don't have to worry about controlling a run game.  You can see the difference against teams like kc, AZ and the titans when we had to try and contain both. 

[JPP]

A good run game opens things up.....currently our run game is god awful.....it needs to be improved....however we will not go from a pass first offence as we are now to a run first....

[Hapless Bills Fan]

Just now, Comebackkid said:

If you flip that, as great as Russell Wilson is and Seattle's offense, look at the damage Buffalo could do to them and now other teams when they don't have to worry about controlling a run game.  You can see the difference against teams like kc, AZ and the titans when we had to try and contain both. 

 

Yes - exactly!  And why developing and maintaining a run game has been so important to KC.

[Victory Formation]

Well.. I think if you can’t run the traditional way then you need to utilize almost a WCO approach to running the football.. I love some of the escort plays that Daboll has drawn up.. Dumping the ball off quickly to WRs and having 3 OL in front of them paving the way against helpless DBs and LBs... Probably do more jet sweeps to WRs not named Isaiah McKenzie... More draw plays.. more short throws to our RBs, screens and maybe even empty sets where Allen can hit Moss or Singletary for a quick gain..

[HOUSE]

I think we need to work on the Hail Mary.

 

Edited November 20, 2020 by HOUSE

[Warcodered]

No it absolutely should be a priority things are a lot harder when they know you can't run.

[Call_Of_Ktulu]

Just now, HOUSE said:

I think we need to work on stopping the Hail Mary.

 

Tre White just needs to do calf raises all off-season. Problem fixed.

[teef]

25 minutes ago, Mark Vader said:

I agree. Improving the run game is very important.

 

Yet I still think that we will run the same type of offense, because it has worked.

it's important to have that tool in the tool belt.  it would be nice if this team could impose its will if needed.

[Kwai San]

Without question they need to work on the run.  Hopefully with a week off, and the O-Line stabilizes some the Bills can get that rushing Mojo back.....

[BillsToast]

Pittsburgh, KC, GB, and NO are the teams that shows us why running the ball is so important. It's not as important as it used to be, but it gives you another way to move the ball. 

 

So far 1 game doesn't cut it. If Allen is having an off game we need it. 

 

No team should rely on the QB just to win the game every game. 

Edited November 18, 2020 by BillsToast

[The Jokeman]

43 minutes ago, teef said:

no.  improving the run game is a top priority for the offense, but i don't think they want it to be the centerpiece.  why draft backs 2 years in a row not to get more production?  that being said, i like the offense they run now.  

The offense they run now is good but you add a running element and you might turn some of those long FGs we saw against Arizona be lesser and realistically easier to make or may lead to a TD here and there but would definitely help us on the field and  kill more clock or allow our D to rest more. The struggles we've had in the 3rd quarter on both sides of the ball need to be addressed.