The Hook and Ladder plays. Just circumstantial and lucky or are we on to something?

[MJS]

It's something you can only do once every few games, and you probably have to switch up how you do it. But yeah, it is something to turn to in those key moments.

[BigAl2526]

The more complicated a play, the more things can go wrong.  That's why you'll never see it used a lot.  In part, the fact that it is so rarely used adds to its effectiveness when t's done well.  I have no problem with it being in Buffalo's arsenal.  Just get it right when you do use it.

[strive_for_five_guy]

1 hour ago, zow2 said:

I told my son after the Broncos game.  The Bills are the only team that can successfully execute three hook and lateral plays in a season...and still lose all three razor thin games.  Some stuff you just can't explain...kinda' like 0-8 in OT games.

Agree, such a good play, all for nothing.

[T master]

It worked each time they used it this season & as long as they don't cover use it I think it should be in the play book of the new OC only to use in case of emergency or at least to fake it and have the opposition set up for it then go in a different direction .

[Matt_In_NH]

The Lions did it a fair amount the last year of Ben Johnson...

[boyst]

Football has the opportunity to go to a more rugby style play with rule changes and the lack of conditioning of players.

 

If set up right it will be great to use but a new HC and OC won't be so apt

[JoshAllin]

He's the type to spam plays that's working, surprised he didn't just call it again at the final drive, instead of wasting early downs 

Edited January 23 by JoshAllin

[Charles Romes]

2 hours ago, Bleeding Bills Blue said:

 

Add a josh allen option pitch behind those shakir screens!!

 

I'm joking... I think...?

I’d actually like to see a designed cross-field overhand lateral by Allen - he’s done it on the fly on occasion. With his arm strength the ball changes to the opposite hash mark instantly. 

[Captain_Quint]

It's a mute point until we get a HC, an OC and an offense installed. 

[stevewin]

When executed perfectly almost impossible to stop - just hard to execute perfectly 

 

I was actually kinds hoping they would pull it out again on the 3rd and 11

[Captain Murica]

5 minutes ago, stevewin said:

When executed perfectly almost impossible to stop - just hard to execute perfectly 

 

I was actually kinds hoping they would pull it out again on the 3rd and 11

I was hoping they’d do it again on an earlier down. Especially when we kept running it on the middle for no gain on first down. 

[Andy1]

I think we are on to something. I just wish we used it more in the Denver game. We should have used it till they could prove they could stop it. 

[Since1981]

…or they hit middle field traffic, drop the ball

[jkeerie]

5 hours ago, TheFunPolice said:

I saw another team run it as well (can't remember which)

 

It's a great play because you don't see it much. I would like it to be something we do semi-often (like every few games) because it gives the D one more thing to worry about. If you fly to the ball you could be in deep trouble. 

Detroit runs this play.   In fact, Ben Johnson called it against the Bills.  Maybe that's where Brady got it?

[dickleyjones]

3 hours ago, strive_for_five_guy said:

Agree, such a good play, all for nothing.

i enjoyed watching it, that's something.

[Buffalo716]

It's not something you could run 20 times a year but on any down and distance where it's 15 plus this is a viable option 

 

It certainly is something that we can see in a big game

[Reks Ryan]

After the season the hook & ladder plays were one of the details that was infuriating to me.    The Bills successfully pulled off the improbable play 3 times for big gains in crucial moments of potential go ahead / game winning drives of each game.     Yet they managed to lose all 3 games.  What a waste of a beautiful play.  Even in the Eagles game, where they actually scored a TD on the same drive, the missed 2 pt conversion made it worthless

 

Instead of being a classic play in a great comeback win, they're just a footnote in the list of heartbreaking losses.

 

 

[nosejob]

6 hours ago, Sammy Watkins' Rib said:

What are everyone's thoughts on these plays?

 

The three plays are listed below. Average gain of 32 yards. These are the only plays I recall us running the hook and ladder play this season but someone chime in if we attempted it at other times this season. 

 

Broncos:  27 yard gain.  2nd 10 @Buf 41 3 yard pass to Shakir, lateral to Ray Davis gain of 24 yards

Eagles: 25 yard gain.  4th and 10 @ Buf 29 4 yard pass to Shavers, lateral to Davis for 21 yards

Texans: 44 yard gain. 4th and 27 @ Buf 30 11 yard pass to Plamer lateral to Shakir for 33 yards

 

All three came in desperation mode in the 4th quarter on the Bills final drive of regulation in got to score mode. The Broncos hook and ladder was on 2nd down where as the other two were on 4th downs. All three 10+ yards to go. 

 

I'd like to see us expand on this play going into the 2026 season but not in these desperation mode scenarios. Can we successfully run these plays in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd quarters? Our guys have looked sure handed running the play. Seems the risk of a turnover might be worth the potential gain.

 

I think Ben Johnson has run these with some success with both the Lions and the Bears? Has anyone else seen other teams run them with regularity and success?

I'm not gonna go any farther on this but it looks to me these few plays were the entirety of Brady's creativity. Watching Stefanski call plays with Sanders I thought, why wouldn't Brady aspire to be innovative like this?. Next play, Cook up the gut.

[SirAndrew]

5 hours ago, Puckman5 said:

Desperation moves. Get cute with them during the regular season and we're all bitching about the fumbles.   

Yep, they worked, but only as a result of being in situations we didn’t want to be in to begin with. 

[Livinginthepast]

I hated Brady's vanilla offense with a passion but I loved this play. It was the only thing that remotely reminded me of Dabols creative offense of 2019-2021. If only Brady had the balls to do more of these plays sprinkled into the offense.