John Wawrow: McDermott says offense became too quarterback-dependent, jeopardizing team’s success

[78thealltimegreat]

9 minutes ago, LeGOATski said:

He realized that already. He's preached complimentary football since 2017. The reality is that no team can play complimentary football 100% of the time. They always have to make adjustments.

 

I think you're post illustrates their miscalculations with a number of their players: Feliciano, Boettger, Ford, Sweeney... they probably could have better players ahead of these guys. And the struggles have been magnified by the dip in consistency from Dawkins.

On top of that let’s face it they really only have 1 TE on their roster. They don’t have a back that can get yards after contact not named Josh Allen. The front office missed on the guard position for the last 3 years and it’s coming back to bite us 

[LeGOATski]

11 minutes ago, 78thealltimegreat said:

On top of that let’s face it they really only have 1 TE on their roster. They don’t have a back that can get yards after contact not named Josh Allen. The front office missed on the guard position for the last 3 years and it’s coming back to bite us 

I think Motor and Moss do a good job making the first guy miss and finishing tough. We've seen a number of times this season where they're getting 5 extra yards by just churning their legs. I don't think people give them enough credit for thtlat part of their game. By extension, I think whoever the RB coach is is doing a great job.

 

Edit: Kelly Skipper is the RB coach

Edited November 12, 2021 by LeGOATski

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

On 11/10/2021 at 8:47 PM, Fan in Chicago said:

Instead of golf clubs this Christmas, Allen should buy a mallet and bonk Mongo, Ford, and Boetgger on the head. 

 

As for the Brieda comment by McD, I fully expected them to try him instead of Singletary.

If love to see Beieda get some touches, he might be the fastest player on the team, by far the fastest guy in the backfield 
 

 

[BrooklynBills]

On 11/11/2021 at 1:12 PM, MAJBobby said:

DO NOT REVERT to a run first and 3 yards in a cloud of dust offense. DO NOT DO IT MCD 

 

I hope this is less about reverting to a run first approach and more about having more run calls built in overall. Even when they run, every run is an RPO or a QB read from shotgun. I'm hoping this just means that they are going to build in more under center runs and runs that allow the line to attack more rather than be passive.

[JoshAllin]

Lets be honest if the offense were up to McDermott we'd score a conservative 20pts per game

[Putin]

On 11/10/2021 at 9:02 PM, CincyBillsFan said:

Bingo.  And I would argue it's not subtle.  Allen's play hides the problems with our O-line and RB's.  He breaks off a couple of big runs each game that keep drives alive and then avoids getting sacked in a jail break and converts a 3rd & long.

 

If our problem was only that we were QB centric its an easy fix. But anyone who actually follows the Bills and watches their games knows this is not the case.  That's why we're all so worried.  While McD and company can lesson the dependence on Allen they can't walk away from it because they have NO alternatives.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had the same issues last year , the AFC championship game should have been a perfect example on what should have been fixed , and pass rush was not was not the only issue 

[Shaw66]

7 hours ago, hondo in seattle said:

 

“You cannot lose sight of the core aspects of the game of football.”

 

This quote is a little mysterious but I do not believe he was critiquing himself.  I think he was bemoaning the lack of push by the offensive line. 

 

I believe McDermott understands that finesse is great but football is ultimately a physical game and you have to be able to impose your will on your opponent.  The Bills didn't do that in the 4th and 1 at Tennessee.  And failed all game against the Jags.  

 

I'm not sure how, at this point in the season, you make your OL more physical.   He promises adjustments are coming.  We'll see.

 

Clearly in the offseason, we need to sign/draft different players.  

 

I think you underestimate McDermott.  He understands, and says it often, that he's responsible for the performance of the team.  If the offensive linemen have lost sight of the physicality that's required, play after play, then McDermott knows he isn't getting the job done.   If it's a core aspect of the game, he cannot allow his players to lose sight of it.   

 

I think it's a lesson learned for McD.  

 

And I agree, I think we'll see some changes made in the off-season.   

[97bills]

On 11/10/2021 at 9:02 PM, CincyBillsFan said:

Bingo.  And I would argue it's not subtle.  Allen's play hides the problems with our O-line and RB's.  He breaks off a couple of big runs each game that keep drives alive and then avoids getting sacked in a jail break and converts a 3rd & long.

 

If our problem was only that we were QB centric its an easy fix. But anyone who actually follows the Bills and watches their games knows this is not the case.  That's why we're all so worried.  While McD and company can lesson the dependence on Allen they can't walk away from it because they have NO alternatives.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This sums it up!!!! All we can do is enjoy the ride and fix the oline and running game next year. Unfortunately this want be our year, and that sucks because Bills fans want it so bad. 

[BigDingus]

And just last week we had people complaining that we should just abandon the run & go all-in on passing since that's our bread & butter.

 

Bad idea. When Josh is throwing 40-50 times, it doesn't bode well for the offense. Obviously, he needs to take care of the ball better as well (he said as much), but have to find a way to keep the run game going throughout the game & not just give up when we're not getting much of a push.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

4 hours ago, Putin said:

We had the same issues last year , the AFC championship game should have been a perfect example on what should have been fixed , and pass rush was not was not the only issue 

 

When a lot of things are wrong, you have to prioritize and make educated guesses about which problems might be internally correcting and which might not be.

 

They had lost Ford to injury partway through the season and let Feliciano come back early from injury.  They believed that Dawkins, Morse, and Williams would at least stay the same. They believed Ford and Feliciano would take a step due to being healthy; Boettger and Bates would possibly take a step due to more experience; and FA additions Forrest Lamp and Jamil Douglas would give them a couple of hungry FA reclamation projects who would playing hard for a new contract.  They figured between those 6, they'd come up with 2 guys to give them improved guard play.

 

Right now it's looking as though all those beliefs were mistaken, but it's sort of a "WTF?" moment to be wrong on all counts especially Dawkins and Williams.

 

They thought that between our WR corps hampered by injuries, the OL being at least no worse and probably better, and adding Sanders to give us a guy who could both run the routes Beasley runs AND Get open deep, we'd have enough if Knox took a physical step as a pass catcher and route runner, and Allen took a mental step further along the path of "take what the D gives you"

 

So they focused on D and figured the O would take care of itself.  Bad choice.

[Dr.Sack]

Still trying to figure out how we can use tempo, motion and our WR speedsters to tear up zone defenses. I liked the little flash we saw from our rookie WR Stevenson. McKenzie is always open.

[Putin]

1 hour ago, Dr.Sack said:

Still trying to figure out how we can use tempo, motion and our WR speedsters to tear up zone defenses. I liked the little flash we saw from our rookie WR Stevenson. McKenzie is always open.

Exactly we have to come out with a game plan on offense with s**t they haven’t seen yet on film ,  lets see what Daboll can come up with to keep Jets defense on their heels ,  I hope we can score a TD on our first possession and set the tone on how it’s going to go for the rest of the game , 

[BigAl2526]

I certainly agree.  The primary antidote to an overly QB centric offense would seem to be a reliable running game.  I don't know that Brian Daboll can scheme that given the running backs and interior offensive line personnel he has to work with. 

[frostbitmic]

Question ... Can Brown play LT ?

 

 

[Putin]

40 minutes ago, frostbitmic said:

Question ... Can Brown play LT ?

 

 

Where would you put Dawkins at RT ? 
Or you thinking of keep Williams at RT and moving Dawkins to LG ? At this point I would try everything to see what works 

Edited November 13, 2021 by Putin

[JoshAllin]

13 hours ago, BigDingus said:

Bad idea. When Josh is throwing 40-50 times, it doesn't bode well for the offense. 

I mean it did bode well a number of times for the offense this and last season so you can't just nix this for one of those freak anomaly games where everything that went wrong went wrong

[SoCal Deek]

I brought up this very possibility during preseason and unfortunately it’s all coming true. Everyone knew the team wasn’t good at running the ball so it seemed obvious after they didn’t draft a RB or acquire any help in free agency that they would focus on coaching up the roster they have. Work on play design and technique.  It clearly hasn’t worked. I have to blame the coaches. Especially the O Line coach. This team simply can’t block correctly to open holes on even a semi-consistent basis. 

[Orlando Tim]

The headline made me think of the Washington Capitols when they got Ovechkin. It seemed often the team would almost sit around and wait for him to make the play. I do not think this Bills team is the same way but they seem that way in Jax.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

1 hour ago, ScottLaw said:

Too much faith in Ford, who even when healthy last season sucked as bad as he sucks now…. And by all accounts Feliciano was healthy towards the end of the season and he was god awful in the Championship game.

 

What does "healthy" mean?  I don't think a guy who has had surgery and been unable to strength train/condition normally is going to be "healthy" in the same sense as a guy who has had a full off season of strength and conditioning training.  And whose accounts are "All"?  Feliciano said in off-season interviews/articles that he didn't feel strong all last season. 

 

Let's say they weren't at "optimal health"  I think it's fair, especially if the viewpoint of the Bills S&C staff after last season.

 

In hindsight, Yes of course, the Bills FO and Beane appear to have placed too much faith in Ford and Feliciano.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

6 minutes ago, ScottLaw said:

Didn’t Ford play the first 3 games of the season last year? I recall him being just as awful before the injury that kept him out the rest of the 2020 season as he is now.

 

He started the first 6 games last year.  He was injured in game 2 and left the game; injured again in game 6.  He switched sides from RG to LG in game 3 when the Bills benched Spain.

 

I think you're fibbing if you recall him as being "just as awful" in those 6 games, because the Bills were "kicking butt and taking names" in those first 4 games and everyone gets torched by Aaron Donald.  We started to notice Ford being awful against Tennessee and KC, when we needed to run and tried and he got blown up consistently.  It was said to be a knee injury, but to my observation (and keep in mind I'm no OL technique guru, but this was obvious) he didn't use his hands and arms correctly.

 

The story was that he came into the season from off-season surgery and wasn't able to fully condition.  When he played, he was tricked out in some kind of arm or shoulder brace.  I think he "soldiered through" some stuff for the Bills and they knew it and felt he deserved every opportunity.  And he looked good in preseason (famous last words for talent evaluation)

 

6 minutes ago, ScottLaw said:

Feliciano has always been a JAG starter, even in 2019….he’s even worse this season. 

 

Eh, Feliciano played pretty well in 2019.  Part of the problem is we changed run blocking schemes in 2020 and we seem to have a mish-mash of guys who suit different schemes.

[frostbitmic]

12 hours ago, Putin said:

Where would you put Dawkins at RT ? 
Or you thinking of keep Williams at RT and moving Dawkins to LG ? At this point I would try everything to see what works 

Brown ... Dawkins ... Morse ... Feliciano ... Williams

 

Granted last year was last year but Feliciano looked better as a RG and Williams played better at RT with Feliciano next to him.

 

Just an idea anyway.

[Gugny]

58 minutes ago, frostbitmic said:

Brown ... Dawkins ... Morse ... Feliciano ... Williams

 

Granted last year was last year but Feliciano looked better as a RG and Williams played better at RT with Feliciano next to him.

 

Just an idea anyway.

 

Anything that doesn't include Ford would be an upgrade.

[BADOLBILZ]

9 hours ago, ScottLaw said:

Too much faith in Ford, who even when healthy last season sucked as bad as he sucks now…. And by all accounts Feliciano was healthy towards the end of the season and he was god awful in the Championship game. Agree on Dawkins and Williams, can’t put blame on the GM/HC there, especially Williams, he was very good last season and a no brianer to resign for that contract…. It comes down to putting to much faith in Ford and Feliciano. Specifically Ford who’s cost them so many other personnel decisions….

 

 

Cody Ford = DK Metcalf + Wyatt Teller

 

Still astonished they passed on WR with that pick.

 

[Rockinon]

On 11/11/2021 at 8:12 AM, McBean said:

Absolutely hilarious and sad that Sean McDermott is just realizing this.

 

Me and other (Few posters) said this all off season. It's why some of us were pounding the table for more weapons added this offseason, upgrade at RB, and shore up the offensive line more.

 

What did Brandon Beane and McDermott do? Defense. Added more and more defense. That's all they've done since arriving in WNY. Boogie Basham our second round pick is in street clothes on Sundays.

 

It's pathetic that we expect 1 player (#17) to do it all AND, continue to not give him more support by adding more weapons.

 

 

Um, Diggs, Beasley, Sanders and Knox aren't weapons?

[Rockinon]

On 11/11/2021 at 8:46 AM, MasterStrategist said:

Allen's job is to get us into a different play, if the defensive look dictates that.  I think that is what he is pointing out. 

 

Plenty of blame to go around, coaching is primary IMO right now.  Absolutely no reason we are continuing to put no threat of a running game.  Plenty of different blocking/run schemes that they could be trying.  Or formations, etc.

 

No variety=we are counting on our guys just to be more talented and outperform the defense.  It's way too vanilla and I'd be shocked if we didn't see a much different offense this week.  

 

I was just reading another post, talking about how blocking on the OL is entirely different when comparing running the ball and passing. On pass plays, you are in a protective stance trying to keep the QB clean. On run plays, you are firing to hit your man and open a hole. It's a completely different mentality. What is the OL doing on RPOs? Are they pass blocking or run blocking. This is why I hate those RPOs. I could be wrong, but it seems to me the RBs would look much better if the OL is actually run blocking instead of also being tasked with pass blocking on any given play. Those plays are over used in this offense.

 

Another thing that is driving me crazy is watching Allen waiting until the very last second to give the RB the ball. Sometimes Allen is holding the ball in the RBs gut with both hands and the RB has no choice but to sit there and wait for Josh to let go before he can take off running. How about actually calling a run, allowing the OL to fire off of the snap and also allowing the RB to hit that hole before it closes up.

 

And how about just calling a pass play instead of an RPO, again to allow the OL to do it's job and protect the QB. The RPOs can be useful, but it is way overused. The OL will certainly look better if they know ahead of time whether it's a pass or a run.

Edited November 14, 2021 by Rockinon

[78thealltimegreat]

3 hours ago, Rockinon said:

I was just reading another post, talking about how blocking on the OL is entirely different when comparing running the ball and passing. On pass plays, you are in a protective stance trying to keep the QB clean. On run plays, you are firing to hit your man and open a hole. It's a completely different mentality. What is the OL doing on RPOs? Are they pass blocking or run blocking. This is why I hate those RPOs. I could be wrong, but it seems to me the RBs would look much better if the OL is actually run blocking instead of also being tasked with pass blocking on any given play. Those plays are over used in this offense.

 

Another thing that is driving me crazy is watching Allen waiting until the very last second to give the RB the ball. Sometimes Allen is holding the ball in the RBs gut with both hands and the RB has no choice but to sit there and wait for Josh to let go before he can take off running. How about actually calling a run, allowing the OL to fire off of the snap and also allowing the RB to hit that hole before it closes up.

 

And how about just calling a pass play instead of an RPO, again to allow the OL to do it's job and protect the QB. The RPOs can be useful, but it is way overused. The OL will certainly look better if they know ahead of time whether it's a pass or a run.

Another person brought this up Josh seems to have been told to look deep and take the stuff to the backs last there isn’t really a design to get the backs involved as the first priority in the offense…and that’s either cause Daboll has no faith in them to be a center piece of the offense or he’s basically telling Josh look home run every play and if it isn’t there take a single