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Suggestions on how to address the Bills sudden offensive struggles?


Simon

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They just don't use anybody but Diggs and Gabe. Of course, staying on the field has been an issue 2 weeks in a row so we are not seeing additional opportunities for the 3rd and 4th options. 

Kincaid was supposed to be a dazzling wizard and they're NOT GIVING HIM A CHANCE TO RUN DOWNFIELD AT ALL. Every pass he's caught has been for 3-5 yards its ridiculous. Set him FREE. 

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9 hours ago, Einstein said:

Speaking only of this game…

 

We run the most amount of play action in the NFL and the Giants called our bluff the entire first half.

 

The LB’s we’re not biting on the play-action at all (they weren’t even moving). Thats why the running attack was so successful when we finally ran it (when the linebackers aren’t crashing the gaps, you can run nearly at will).

 

It was a scenario where the Giants were begging us to run the ball but Dorsey didn’t figure it out until the second half.

 

 

Or more likely McDermott told Dorsey to run it more. I'm not sure the OC is even sharp enough to recognize this. 

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The stupid thing is the first two offensive drives were fine, stopped by a bad drop from Diggs (which IMO was easier than what Knox is being crucified for), a missed tripping call and Davis' fumble. After that, the offense seemed to crumble until the third quarter.

 

So what to do to improve the struggling offense? Just go back to what worked at the start of first quarter and second half.

 

ETA: Watching back, even the start of the third offensive drive was nice - good plays using Diggs and Murray. Then it started to get quirky, with a weird incomplete and Diggs coming close quarters.

Edited by UKBillFan
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IMO, it starts with Allen setting protections properly up front.  Too many pressures seemed to be from Allen not setting protections properly last night and the Giants getting quick pressures from guys that should have been blocked but weren't.  

 

Seemed very similar to the Bengal playoff game...Allen was under duress a lot during that game also, and again, it seemed he didn't seem to know what he was seeing or how to get it blocked.

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9 hours ago, Simon said:

 

I think if Dorsey is more conscientious about not always letting defensive sets dictate to him, that he can call an efficient diversified offense that better suits this team. It feels like he gets in ruts at times and defenders can smell it, which makes things harder on everybody.

Some hard positional coaching from the WR and TE coaches to minimize all the self-inflicted wounds is probably necessary as well.

Thoughts?

 

Edit: 

Please feel free to take any screaming "Fire Him, Cut Him, light his yard on fire!" takes elsewhere.

I will help you with that if necessary.

IMO, Dorsey is fine. Josh lost the Jets game. We had enough plays called by Dorsey that should have been successful in that game, but Josh crapped the bed. Dorsey didn't lose that game. Last night we had 2 wrs wide open on long plays, but they were tripped up by the defender. Not on Dorsey. Diggs dropped a big pass, not Dorsey, Gabe fumbled the ball away, not Dorsey. Bass missed 2 FGs, not Dorsey. We could have easily gotten 30 points if not for these gaffs. Not on Dorsey. The Harty TD was a helluva call and that was coming off of a helluva drive to end the 3rd qt. We also drove down field on our next possession for a TD to Morris. Was that a great play by Josh? Sure, but let's not pretend the Bills didn't move the ball down the field on that score. I think we took about 6 minutes off the clock on that drive. I'm glad you mentioned self-inflicted wounds. If not for the players (not Dorsey) making mistakes in the 1st half, we win by a comfortable margin. 

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4 minutes ago, Dopey said:

IMO, Dorsey is fine. Josh lost the Jets game. We had enough plays called by Dorsey that should have been successful in that game, but Josh crapped the bed. Dorsey didn't lose that game. Last night we had 2 wrs wide open on long plays, but they were tripped up by the defender. Not on Dorsey. Diggs dropped a big pass, not Dorsey, Gabe fumbled the ball away, not Dorsey. Bass missed 2 FGs, not Dorsey. We could have easily gotten 30 points if not for these gaffs. Not on Dorsey. The Harty TD was a helluva call and that was coming off of a helluva drive to end the 3rd qt. We also drove down field on our next possession for a TD to Morris. Was that a great play by Josh? Sure, but let's not pretend the Bills didn't move the ball down the field on that score. I think we took about 6 minutes off the clock on that drive. I'm glad you mentioned self-inflicted wounds. If not for the players (not Dorsey) making mistakes in the 1st half, we win by a comfortable margin. 

 

To me, a lot of it is on Allen not setting protections properly.  I keep saying it, but it looked very similar to the Bengal playoff loss from last year.  Allen seemed confused by the blitzes the Giants were running, didn't have the protections set properly and didn't know where the "answer" was on offense to get the ball out quickly.  Seemed to get much better in the 2nd half, so hopefully that is a positive sign moving forward. 

 

There were several plays where multiple Bills OLinemen were standing around blocking air as 2 Giant defenders were on top of Allen almost unblocked from the snap...IMO, that points to protection calls being wrong and telling them to block the wrong people.

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9 hours ago, CincyBillsFan said:

It's a tale of two half's no?  In the first half the O and Allen struggled a great deal.  In the 2nd half they were surgical.  Three possessions and 2 TD's on two very long drives.  A 3rd possession and we just missed a game sealing completion on a nice call & play.

 

Again the defense didn't lay as well as the score indicates. No TO's and they allowed the Giants to go on multiple long drives that while not yielding points took a lot of time off the clock and robbed the O of 2 and probably 3 more possessions.

 

 

 

I wouldn't say Josh struggled in the first two and a bit series - thought he looked excellent, albeit let down by his receivers. Then it all went to pieces until the third.

This may be blasphemy but I don't think Diggs is playing as well as usual at the moment. He ran the wrong route last week whilst this week dropped a catchable ball, committed a false start and dropped a further tough catch, but one top quality WRs get their hands on, to end the third offensive series.

 

Regarding the defense, they're down White, Milano and Jones so, IMO, they've decided to rush Miller back to offset that before he's fully ready. I have every sympathy for them and it's down to the offense to make plays and help them out. Not the other way round.

 

 

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3 minutes ago, TheyCallMeAndy said:

Gabe has had 2-3 drops, but has otherwise been really solid. Knox is playing injured. 
 

There are no roll outs, no screens, only draw we run is the delayed SG handoff on 2nd and 10, and we tend to abandon the run once the passing offense starts to sputter. 
 

The personal is fine. 


Knox is playing injured?

 

What is the injury? Broken hands?

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10 hours ago, FireChans said:

In all seriousness, we need a legitimate, intentionally-schemed, slot position player that can run option routes that Josh trusts.

 

It is, by far, the biggest problem going with the offense currently. It was the biggest problem last year as well. We have ZERO players in that role. Part of that may be a lack of talent there. Part of may be an unwillingness of Dorsey's to use.

 

With Diggs and Davis on the boundary, both as deep to intermediate route options, we need a guy running 8-12 yard routes with the freedom to cut up the seam, or curl in on the soft spots in the zone. This offense doesn't have it. They haven't had it since Cole Beasley lost his legs. And Josh desperately needs it.

How many plays have you seen Harty or Shakir used as slot receivers? I’m not saying we don’t ultimately need upgrades to our receiver corps but these guys are quick and shifty and we need to use them more. 

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Just now, Dubie54 said:

How many plays have you seen Harty or Shakir used as slot receivers? I’m not saying we don’t ultimately need upgrades to our receiver corps but these guys are quick and shifty and we need to use them more. 

Slot receivers are about being able to repeatedly run option routes, and that requires total trust between the QB and the receiver. It's why Kelce is always open. They are trying to work Kincaid up to being that player, but it takes time. Shakir and Harty aren't that player. 

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I would like to see Dorsey on the field.  I cant find anything but I think I remember Daboll and Josh did better when he moved down to rhe field.

 

It helps with communication and having a presence is important I feel.  

 

Also eliminate the shotgun runs from the playbook unless you are gonna have josh pull it and run once in a while.  It's a telegraphed play and a wasted down more often than not.

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I expected a problem with Jax on offense. Jet lag is a real thing. The Jags being there for 2 weeks was a huge advantage. Not mad at all about that one. I expected it. 

As for the Giants game:

Quit dropping passes. 

Quit fumbling the ball.

Bass need to hit his FG attempts.

Josh can't keep throwing picks. 

If players execute Dorsey's plan, we beat the Jets and we're 4-1. First place in the AFCE. That Jets game is what hurts the most so far. And that's on Josh, not Dorsey. I believe we're fine moving forward. 

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3 minutes ago, Dopey said:

I expected a problem with Jax on offense. Jet lag is a real thing. The Jags being there for 2 weeks was a huge advantage. Not mad at all about that one. I expected it. 

As for the Giants game:

Quit dropping passes. 

Quit fumbling the ball.

Bass need to hit his FG attempts.

Josh can't keep throwing picks. 

If players execute Dorsey's plan, we beat the Jets and we're 4-1. First place in the AFCE. That Jets game is what hurts the most so far. And that's on Josh, not Dorsey. I believe we're fine moving forward. 

 

Josh was playing badly, it's up to the OC to speak to him and get him on an even keel. Well, Dorsey or Brady. Josh is human. He will may mistakes, he seems an emotional guy so spiralling is a possibility. So someone needs to be with him to get him out of the funk. They failed against the Jets.

 

Being the OC isn't just about playing calls, it's about man management. Is Dorsey the best person to manage Josh? I have my doubts. Saying that, Josh did seem to reset after going off the rails in the second quarter last night.

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Einstein (name appropriately) pointed out how the g men were very determined in what they were doing, biting on nothing, and stunting and gaming up front to disrupt longer routes.  if they aren't gonna bite, running out of an under center formation would be productive, which it was, but we decided to not bother with all of that, and to just play into the D's trap instead.

 

we need some zone beaters, and to figure out where our run game gives us the best returns.  imo we can absolutely run the ball, but we power into loaded boxes and do foolish things like a telegraphed sprint draw from shot gun over and over.

 

to me, josh's biggest weakness is reading the pre snap d and adjusting protections or audibling into a better play for the situation.  

 

its clear we need to run play action, and we need to actually run the ball.  the runs and passes should look identical to the d, and the thing is they don't.  we have such tendencies that guys just know what we are doing.

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1 minute ago, UKBillFan said:

 

Josh was playing badly, it's up to the OC to speak to him and get him on an even keel. Well, Dorsey or Brady. Josh is human. He will may mistakes, he seems an emotional guy so spiralling is a possibility. So someone needs to be with him to get him out of the funk. They failed against the Jets.

 

Being the OC isn't just about playing calls, it's about man management. Is Dorsey the best person to manage Josh? I have my doubts. Saying that, Josh did seem to reset after going off the rails in the second quarter last night.

I wasn't upset with Josh's play last night. The whole first half was on the players. I listed 3 things before even mentioning Josh. IMO, Dorsey is being made out as a scapegoat for the players. Diggs drop, Davis fumbling, Bass missing FGs, Josh's pick. Not to mention we had 2 wrs wide open and they were tripped up by the db. The Davis trip was a TD in the making, IMO. Crap happens and that's not on Dorsey. That 3rd qt drive was awesome. 2 tds ion the 4th. The players didn't help make this an efficient offense last night. 

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5 minutes ago, Dopey said:

I wasn't upset with Josh's play last night. The whole first half was on the players. I listed 3 things before even mentioning Josh. IMO, Dorsey is being made out as a scapegoat for the players. Diggs drop, Davis fumbling, Bass missing FGs, Josh's pick. Not to mention we had 2 wrs wide open and they were tripped up by the db. The Davis trip was a TD in the making, IMO. Crap happens and that's not on Dorsey. That 3rd qt drive was awesome. 2 tds ion the 4th. The players didn't help make this an efficient offense last night. 

All fair points as well. 

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Dorsey needs to get more creative like they did in the second half. Also, Allen only has 22 carries for 131 yards this season. I get what they are doing, trying to keep him healthy. But I thought the focus was going to be working on him sliding and going down, not completely taking that out of his game. 

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1 minute ago, Dopey said:

I wasn't upset with Josh's play last night. The whole first half was on the players. I listed 3 things before even mentioning Josh. IMO, Dorsey is being made out as a scapegoat for the players. Diggs drop, Davis fumbling, Bass missing FGs, Josh's pick. Not to mention we had 2 wrs wide open and they were tripped up by the db. The Davis trip was a TD in the making, IMO. Crap happens and that's not on Dorsey. That 3rd qt drive was awesome. 2 tds ion the 4th. The players didn't help make this an efficient offense last night. 

 

I was referring to the Jets game - Josh was in a funk there and no one seemed capable of bringing him out of it. This was an issue under Daboll as well, when Dorsey was in the QB room. There needs to be someone within the franchise who can get into his head and calm him down.

 

Yesterday was failure across the offense and, in fairness to him, other than a couple of throws (I don't think the INT was dreadful; it was great defensive play), so I'd put Josh towards the bottom of the list to blame.

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Package our first next year and a player(s) and get another #1 wr...this offense has to pull the weight now that the defense is down 3 star players

30 minutes ago, Bill51390 said:

Dorsey needs to get more creative like they did in the second half. Also, Allen only has 22 carries for 131 yards this season. I get what they are doing, trying to keep him healthy. But I thought the focus was going to be working on him sliding and going down, not completely taking that out of his game. 

Our brilliant coaches have took half of what makes allen elite and completely neutered it..what other coaching staff would ever do that?

30 minutes ago, Bill51390 said:

 

 

Edited by Billever76
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1 hour ago, dave mcbride said:

Slot receivers are about being able to repeatedly run option routes, and that requires total trust between the QB and the receiver. It's why Kelce is always open. They are trying to work Kincaid up to being that player, but it takes time. Shakir and Harty aren't that player. 

If Dorsey were creative he would find ways to utilize their speed more effectively. But the route running of the Bills offense is not creative and is predictable. Harty averaged 14/YPC two years ago on a mediocre Saints team. I think they have the ability to help spread the field and create match up problems on quick slant cross routes. Dorsey is making limited effort to try this out. Kincaid will definitely be an valuable asset on slot routes, but he doesn't have the speed of these guys.

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More easy chain moving passes to Kincaid or early down targets for him to leave manageable 3rd downs.

 

As much as he needs to protect himself, more freedom for Josh to run. 

 

If you're gonna be in the shotgun, more RPO's especially with Cook

 

3-4 targets per game for Cook

 

We did this too much last year, but more designed deep balls rather than just throwing it deep when everything breaks down in front of Josh

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22 hours ago, Straight Hucklebuck said:

Yeah I know, buoyed by those empty Jaguars stats late in the 4th. 

 

Gabe stinks. 

 

You can defend his pace all you want, he had his worst game of the season tonight, 3 for 21 and a fumble. 

 

2 for 32 against NY, 1 for 35 and a TD against Washington, 3 for 21 tonight. 

 

Half of the games he doesn't show up. 

 

Isn't it obvious that Allen to Diggs is the only reliable thing this offense has? 

 

Knox can't do it. Sherfield can't do it. Harty is a gadget player. Shakir can't do it. 

 

 

 

Kind of hard for him to show up when 90% of the passes go to 1 WR.... Dawson Knox makes what? 13M a season, that is the 1 the hate should be towards. 

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So I've been giving this some thought.

I'm influenced by the Cover1 piece https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRlDxAZ2IAI and some other all-22 I've watched.

 

I think there are 3 parts to the problem:

1) Josh. 

a) Josh is fibbing to us in press conferences saying "if Diggs is the first read and he's open, I throw to him".  True and appropriate, but not always.  It's pretty plain in the film cutup above, that at times Josh is ignoring a far more open receiver to throw to a double or even triple covered Diggs.  He needs to cut that out.

b) fast decisions to take what the defense gives him need to improve.  Sometimes Josh, under immediate pressure, could take a quick dump-off to Cook or Knox but still passes them up to extend the play and try to force the ball to Diggs, especially if Diggs is deep.  He still wants those aggressive chunk plays, when sometimes he needs to move the chains

c)trust the run more.  RPO, light box, take the RUN option, don't try to throw it to Diggs.

2) Our personnel.  In 2020, when teams tried to cover us with man, we had Diggs who could still get open, Sanders could open, McKenzie could run away from them.  Seeing too many plays where it's man, and no one is open enough that Josh takes them.  This is pretty simple - we need to figure out who on the team CAN get open against man besides Diggs, and put them in position to get open.  Harty isn't doing it from the LOS, he needs to be off it, or we need some pick plays, or something.  Or maybe he's lost 3 steps and he's just a dud, I don't know - he kind of looks to me like 2022 Beasley, not explosive and way too slow.

3) Dorsey, or how Dorsey is allowing the WR coach to implement his play designs (either way it goes to Dorsey).  I really hate some of the route combos and how they're being run.  Instead of stretching the defenders all over the field, it seems too often we're bunching them up.  Kurt Warner did a piece on this after the Jets game showing how the depth of route impacted the defenders.  And several guys have had good points - we don't have (enough) motion, we don't have trickery, we aren't scheming guys open (see point 2 above).

 

So what are my solutions? 

1) Well, a lot of times what I've seen is that Josh's option in structure is a quick flat route by Cook - and if Diggs is tripled and everyone else is locked down, Cook has grass in front of him.  Josh needs to TAKE THAT and trust his guys to get YAC.

2) Dorsey needs to look at some film cutups with a defensive coordinator and get input on improving the depth of routes and the combination of routes, to better stretch the defense, instead of having everyone all in one spot.  He also needs to bring out and dust off some plays that will scheme the personnel we have open against man coverage, be that giving Harty a free release, or letting Harty or Sherfield go deep if he's putting Diggs in the backfield and letting him run option routes.

3) Figure out who Josh trusts and play them.  Seriously - if Josh doesn't trust Knox, sit him and put in Morris or a 6th OLman.

 

I don't think Fournette is the answer.

 

 

 

Edited by Beck Water
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20 hours ago, Not at the table Karlos said:

We have one. Mike Shula. 

Part of me was hoping we gave him the ball on a Jet. But then I remembered Dorsey doesn't run them. 

You’ve identified one of the problems right there. Mike Shula.

 

A lot of people have already touched on it but things are too precarious requiring perfect execution to sustain drives.  We do something successfully and then try to get too cute executing something else that is playing right into the hands of the defense by not sticking to what they can’t defend. The outside passes were there all night, and so were schemed passes to the shallow flats.  Instead, we were attacking the middle of the field consistently, despite the Giants being most susceptible outside the hash marks. We were running right into the strongest part of the Giants D, albeit more successfully than some other things like the over the middle passing game.  The LBs were waiting for the over the middle playaction and in the lanes, and we could have took them to the woodshed early by just having Cook, Knox, Harty or Shakir running outside routes off motion in the flats if the other receivers flooded the middle or off of chip and releases in play action.  
 

It was a really bad game plan AND poor execution, looking exactly like what it was: the more talented team prevailing on talent despite being out coached and outplayed for much of the game. 

Edited by Ayjent
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3 hours ago, Beck Water said:

So I've been giving this some thought.

I'm influenced by the Cover1 piece https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRlDxAZ2IAI and some other all-22 I've watched.

 

I think there are 3 parts to the problem:

1) Josh. 

a) Josh is fibbing to us in press conferences saying "if Diggs is the first read and he's open, I throw to him".  True and appropriate, but not always.  It's pretty plain in the film cutup above, that at times Josh is ignoring a far more open receiver to throw to a double or even triple covered Diggs.  He needs to cut that out.

b) fast decisions to take what the defense gives him need to improve.  Sometimes Josh, under immediate pressure, could take a quick dump-off to Cook or Knox but still passes them up to extend the play and try to force the ball to Diggs, especially if Diggs is deep.  He still wants those aggressive chunk plays, when sometimes he needs to move the chains

c)trust the run more.  RPO, light box, take the RUN option, don't try to throw it to Diggs.

2) Our personnel.  In 2020, when teams tried to cover us with man, we had Diggs who could still get open, Sanders could open, McKenzie could run away from them.  Seeing too many plays where it's man, and no one is open enough that Josh takes them.  This is pretty simple - we need to figure out who on the team CAN get open against man besides Diggs, and put them in position to get open.  Harty isn't doing it from the LOS, he needs to be off it, or we need some pick plays, or something.  Or maybe he's lost 3 steps and he's just a dud, I don't know - he kind of looks to me like 2022 Beasley, not explosive and way too slow.

3) Dorsey, or how Dorsey is allowing the WR coach to implement his play designs (either way it goes to Dorsey).  I really hate some of the route combos and how they're being run.  Instead of stretching the defenders all over the field, it seems too often we're bunching them up.  Kurt Warner did a piece on this after the Jets game showing how the depth of route impacted the defenders.  And several guys have had good points - we don't have (enough) motion, we don't have trickery, we aren't scheming guys open (see point 2 above).

 

So what are my solutions? 

1) Well, a lot of times what I've seen is that Josh's option in structure is a quick flat route by Cook - and if Diggs is tripled and everyone else is locked down, Cook has grass in front of him.  Josh needs to TAKE THAT and trust his guys to get YAC.

2) Dorsey needs to look at some film cutups with a defensive coordinator and get input on improving the depth of routes and the combination of routes, to better stretch the defense, instead of having everyone all in one spot.  He also needs to bring out and dust off some plays that will scheme the personnel we have open against man coverage, be that giving Harty a free release, or letting Harty or Sherfield go deep if he's putting Diggs in the backfield and letting him run option routes.

3) Figure out who Josh trusts and play them.  Seriously - if Josh doesn't trust Knox, sit him and put in Morris or a 6th OLman.

 

I don't think Fournette is the answer.

 

 

 

But Beck, look at all the gymnastics you are having to do to try and come up with solutions.

 

And a lot of those solutions are take more checkdowns.

 

Why? Because we have sub-par personnel that can’t shake coverage. 
 

Throw more to Cook, dump off to Harty, WGRs obsession to try to recreate Cole Beasley, have Sherfield get deep - these are not structures you can build anything on. 

 

Bottom line here is Allen wants to throw vertically to WRs.
 

His preference is WR, not Tight Ends, not RBs. The Bills have insisted that he use the running backs more and it doesn’t happen. Singletary was sporadic, Hines was a joke, Cook catches a ball here or there, the veteran third down back Breida/Yeldon/Harris/Murray are not going to be passing game factors. 
 

The problem is an overall lack of speed in our group, an overall lack of size, an overall lack of talent. We have “guys”. 
 

Our offense right now is dependent on Allen making key-hole, tight window, hole shot throws to anyone not named Diggs.

 

Now we all know Dorsey is a pedestrian OC. There isn’t movement, Knox never catches anything on the move, everything feels like it is to the sidelines, and Allen does lose patient with checkdowns and heave deep (Jets, Jaguars). 

 

We’re the 2017-2021 Packers with Rodgers to Adams. 

Sign Fournette, pound the rock and throw to Diggs. I’m not surprised we’ve ended up in the same logic spot as those Packers did with pedestrian OC/HC McCarthy. 


 

Edited by Straight Hucklebuck
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