What's the Bills team identity?!?

[Sweats]

5 minutes ago, ChronicAndKnuckles said:

I have no freaking clue what the offensive identity is the past 2 weeks. I guess put the game on Josh Allen and hope for the best. 

The defensive identity is to let the other team march down the field with time consuming touchdown drives while converting impossible 3rd and longs in the process. I call it the “bend AND break” Tampon 2 defense. 

 

 

 

 

I call it the "bend over and take it " defense

[billsfan714]

Its weird that everyone in the city and around the league knows we have to have something besides Josh put the cape on, yet we employ a defense that says Josh put the cape on, because we're rarely going to stop anyone.

 

Watching the Eagles stop KC on their first 7 possessions in the SB was like, wow we could never do that.   Also anyone who plays fantasy knows Mahomes wasnt exactly lighting it up last year but they won a lot of close, lower scoring games because they have a good defense.

Josh doesnt have that margin for error.

 

 

To make an analogy, we expect the offense to pass an organic chemistry final at a top college and hope the defense can pass a remedial high school basic math test.

 

Edited 23 hours ago by billsfan714

[hondo in seattle]

Our Defensive identity is we'll let you run all day but we'll meekly try to stop you from passing downfield.

Our Offensive identity is Josh is our hero but if you sit in a soft shell all day, we'll give Jimbo the ball.  

[RkFast]

23 hours ago, Sweats said:

Honest question.......

 

What is our team identity?

 

I mean, we're not a run first or pass first team. We're not a down your throat running team. We're not a finesse passing team. We're not field stretchers.........and on D, we're not aggressive, we're not "in your face", we're not tough, etc.

"Taking what the defense gives us" is not an identity, it's a system.

 

I have tried to figure out an identity to describe this team and how it plays and i have no clue.

 

"But we have Josh Allen" 

 

THATS the whole mindset around the entire org and fanbase. 

[SoCal Deek]

I kid on here all the time, but in this case I’m not. The Bills identity/ philosophy centers on mistakes. Force the opponent to make mistakes and limit your own mistakes. In a word ….TURNOVERS. Why did they lose the last two games? Turnover margin. What streak has had them vying for playoff seeding the last few years? Turnover margin. What was the traditional knock on Josh Allen? Hero ball….aka turnovers. What papered over so many of the Bills defensive holes….turnovers. 
 

It’s pretty simple really. 

[Negan]

On offense: Predictable and boring, and can't score.

On defense: Break but break

[BillsVet]

46 minutes ago, 90sBills said:

From Reid to Mahomes to that famous guy literally said they were spreading it around with no clear cut #1 target that year. It may be that I watch more general NFL football coverage than just Bills so my perspective made be more macro and not confine to just Bills. 

 

KC may have been spreading it around more to lower-tier receivers in 2022, but Kelce had almost a quarter of Mahomes' targets and Smith-Schuster had another one-sixth.  Those two guys combined for 40% of the pass attempts that year.  No doubt having top-end Kelce that year opened other options up in a way Buffalo didn't reflect in 2024.  Also allowed someone like MVS to have a decent year w/42 catches for almost 700 yards.

[90sBills]

5 minutes ago, BillsVet said:

 

KC may have been spreading it around more to lower-tier receivers in 2022, but Kelce had almost a quarter of Mahomes' targets and Smith-Schuster had another one-sixth.  Those two guys combined for 40% of the pass attempts that year.  No doubt having top-end Kelce that year opened other options up in a way Buffalo didn't reflect in 2024.  Also allowed someone like MVS to have a decent year w/42 catches for almost 700 yards.

Just because the ball went more to 2 guys doesn’t mean anything more than that. Shakir and Coleman combined for 40% of the Bills passing yards last year. What does that prove? Those two are studs?

 

How did JuJu do after that great season when he cashed in with NE? Also how did KC do on offense the year after in 2023 when Rice took over JuJu’s spot? No pass catchers, including Kelce, got to 1000 yards. It’s literally spreading it around and everyone eats offense. Not sure why you’re so opposed to that comparison. KC doesn’t have a #1 guy. Especially the last 2 years with Kelce losing a few steps. The only difference is KC has had more success with this method. Now it looks like Rice might be emerging as the #1 guy for them. Which is not good for the rest of the AFC. 

[Kirby Jackson]

Not sure if this has been posted or not but:

 

 

[NoSaint]

1 minute ago, Kirby Jackson said:

Not sure if this has been posted or not but:

 

 

seems so easy. Win the first half, run the second half. 
 

defend the pass, don’t worry about the run because you are ahead and it bleeds clock for you

 

i keep hearing about complementary football and it seems so obvious 

[HappyDays]

2 minutes ago, Kirby Jackson said:

Not sure if this has been posted or not but:

 

 

 

The crazy thing is that the best thing for our offense might be bringing that pass rate down even more. We still run the ball with Cook better than we do anything else. They've tried opening up the pass game in the last two weeks - the PA rate has gone up, downfield throw percentage has gone up, etc. - and it just isn't working. I'm going to quote @GunnerBill by saying it's not the offense I prefer but it's the one we need to run right now.

 

When Kincaid is healthy 12 personnel should be our base. I'd start making Palmer (when healthy) and Shakir the highest snap WRs in that formation. Pound the run until defenses go into their heavy personnel and then throw it over the LBs. Pepper in some targets to Palmer on favorable 1v1 looks outside to keep defenses honest. If we're not going to trade for a legit WR there's no sense in trying to change our whole approach. We should instead lean even further into what we do well and try to ride that as much as possible.

[Gunsgoodtime]

6 minutes ago, NoSaint said:

seems so easy. Win the first half, run the second half. 
 

defend the pass, don’t worry about the run because you are ahead and it bleeds clock for you

 

i keep hearing about complementary football and it seems so obvious 

Both sides are trash so they are playing complimentary football 

[SoCal Deek]

10 minutes ago, Kirby Jackson said:

Not sure if this has been posted or not but:

 

 

Seems like a totally random statistic. I see virtually no corollary at all between the teams with a winning record and this chart. 

[BillsVet]

15 minutes ago, 90sBills said:

Just because the ball went more to 2 guys doesn’t mean anything more than that. Shakir and Coleman combined for 40% of the Bills passing yards last year. What does that prove? Those two are studs?

 

How did JuJu do after that great season when he cashed in with NE? Also how did KC do on offense the year after in 2023 when Rice took over JuJu’s spot? No pass catchers, including Kelce, got to 1000 yards. It’s literally spreading it around and everyone eats offense. Not sure why you’re so opposed to that comparison. KC doesn’t have a #1 guy. Especially the last 2 years with Kelce losing a few steps. The only difference is KC has had more success with this method. Now it looks like Rice might be emerging as the #1 guy for them. Which is not good for the rest of the AFC. 

 

Mahomes throwing to prime Kelce and a healthy Smith-Schuster in 2022 is definitely not Josh throwing to a slot receiver and the 8th WR taken in 2024.   Don't care how you quibble over it.  

 

That's the topic up for debate, not what happened the following year.  Even if it were, Buffalo's version of "everybody eats" was a fail by week 4 last season and KC's was enough to win the SB with similar quality QB play.  Doesn't add up.  

[Paup 1995MVP]

2 hours ago, Kirby Jackson said:

Samuel, Palmer and Moore all had track records as role players. We overpaid for role players. The AAV of Samuel and Palmer is $18Mish. I’m suggesting that $18M would be WAY better served on one good WR and then the 2nd spot should be filled by a mid round draft pick (like Gabe Davis was). 
 

I think that the problem isn’t how they’re being used as much is it’s “they aren’t very good.” The same goes for Keon. Every guy is playing at a position on the depth chart above their ability (except Shakir). What’s happening is we have 3’s and 4’s playing as 1’s and 2’s. You have guys like Christian Gonzalez lining up across from Palmer and Coleman. 🤣🤣 That’s a total mismatch. If the Bills addressed the TOP of their depth chart (need a 1 AND 2 IMO) that would move everyone to their more natural fit. There’s pretty much never a time that the guys on the outside are lining up across from a player that they’re better than.

I agree we need better at the position.  Look at Jackson Smith Ingigba last night.  An amazing talent.  Jamar Chase, Justin Jefferson.  Amanra St Brown,  Jameson Williams, Mike Evans, etc. etc.  But still the guys we brought in have made more plays with other teams before they came to the Bills.  But I guess they all had other WR's on their prior teams that were better to take pressure off of them..

 

So what does that say about Brandon Beane bringing in a bunch of scrub free agents, and a pretty marginal talent in Keon Coleman?  You seem pretty knowledgeable about football KJ.  Why do we bring in very few players with explosive traits by free agency or the draft?  James Cook is an exception.  And Deone Walker is looking pretty dam good also.  But for the most part a lot of uninspiring guys like Bishop Landon Jackson TJ Sanders Taylor Rapp AJ Epinesa, etc.  

[Kirby Jackson]

33 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

 

The crazy thing is that the best thing for our offense might be bringing that pass rate down even more. We still run the ball with Cook better than we do anything else. They've tried opening up the pass game in the last two weeks - the PA rate has gone up, downfield throw percentage has gone up, etc. - and it just isn't working. I'm going to quote @GunnerBill by saying it's not the offense I prefer but it's the one we need to run right now.

 

When Kincaid is healthy 12 personnel should be our base. I'd start making Palmer (when healthy) and Shakir the highest snap WRs in that formation. Pound the run until defenses go into their heavy personnel and then throw it over the LBs. Pepper in some targets to Palmer on favorable 1v1 looks outside to keep defenses honest. If we're not going to trade for a legit WR there's no sense in trying to change our whole approach. We should instead lean even further into what we do well and try to ride that as much as possible.

I don’t disagree but the flip side is the point made by @NoSaint. The Bills are certainly better at running it. Running it successfully though, takes time off the clock, keeps the game close and allows other teams to continue running vs. the Bills. Are we better off, attacking through the air even if we aren’t as good at it? Basically, are we better off trying to methodically control the ball and be efficient vs. fire it all over the place with both good and bad results? If you can open up a 2 score lead, teams will be one dimensional against you and it won’t impact your undersized defense. You can just rush the passer and hope to get stops.

 

My issue with the style that they play now is everyone is always in the game. Bad teams can hang around even if you’re effectively running and sustaining drives. Less possessions benefits bad teams. My belief is that this team should play with their foot on the gas. Make teams try to keep up with Josh Allen. That’s how they should be built with speed and playmakers to support him. They try not to lose more than they try to win. Attack, attack, attack and let other teams adapt to you. 

[90sBills]

19 minutes ago, BillsVet said:

 

Mahomes throwing to prime Kelce and a healthy Smith-Schuster in 2022 is definitely not Josh throwing to a slot receiver and the 8th WR taken in 2024.   Don't care how you quibble over it.  

 

That's the topic up for debate, not what happened the following year.  Even if it were, Buffalo's version of "everybody eats" was a fail by week 4 last season and KC's was enough to win the SB with similar quality QB play.  Doesn't add up.  

What? Allen won MVP last season spreading it around. Bills offense was #2 in points scored. Trading for Cooper gave them another viable option. How did they failed?
 

If you say it’s failing at this point then I agree. Just like year 2 of KC’s method was not that great as well. Another similarity. 

[Kirby Jackson]

38 minutes ago, SoCal Deek said:

Seems like a totally random statistic. I see virtually no corollary at all between the teams with a winning record and this chart. 

It’s more, if you have Josh Allen at QB, why would you throw less frequently in neutral situations than if you had Dillon Gabriel or Justin Fields?

[Spiderweb]

On 10/20/2025 at 3:03 PM, Warriorspikes51 said:

It should be founded on the OL's ability to take over games on the ground, 3TE sets & combined with play action and scheming players open 

the defense doesn't have an identity 

Sure it does ..... They're crappy.....

[Kirby Jackson]

4 minutes ago, Paup 1995MVP said:

I agree we need better at the position.  Look at Jackson Smith Ingigba last night.  An amazing talent.  Jamar Chase, Justin Jefferson.  Amanra St Brown,  Jameson Williams, Mike Evans, etc. etc.  But still the guys we brought in have made more plays with other teams before they came to the Bills.  But I guess they all had other WR's on their prior teams that were better to take pressure off of them..

 

So what does that say about Brandon Beane bringing in a bunch of scrub free agents, and a pretty marginal talent in Keon Coleman?  You seem pretty knowledgeable about football KJ.  Why do we bring in very few players with explosive traits by free agency or the draft?  James Cook is an exception.  And Deone Walker is looking pretty dam good also.  But for the most part a lot of uninspiring guys like Bishop Landon Jackson TJ Sanders Taylor Rapp AJ Epinesa, etc.  

That’s the million dollar question. Someone has looked at the talent added with Schoen here vs. without (it might have been @GunnerBill). They really haven’t had the same level of success and he was really the scout.

 

I think that there is also something to roster building philosophy. Beane and co. follow in the footsteps of Gettleman and Hurney from Carolina. They never prioritized WRs and threw tons of valuable assets at DL (and RB too). That’s what they believe. It’s just tough to have that belief with Josh Allen at QB. If you’re buying a Ferrari give it premium fuel.