Tyhe Search for a Balanced Offense

[Fake-Fat Sunny]

It is ironic that last year we saw virtual screams for the Bills to run the ball more (screams which were certainly justified by the Kevin Killdrive offensive approach) and now we see even after one game cries for the (the cacaphony is certainly less than last year but the tone perhaps amped up by our heart-breaking loss this weekend is a bit too strident for reason) Bills to throw it deep.

 

The answer to this quandary is obviously that a balance must be struck. The Bills must and should rely on the run as our primary form of attack. However, in order for the run to work well and efficiently in today's NFL, the team must establish a deep threat and the capability to throw deep in order to keep the opposing D from simply stacking 8 in the box to stop the run.

 

Even better, if the run is successful, opportunities to go deep with the quick strike are actually improved and the team can put up a quick 6 if the opposing D is too oriented to stopping the run.

 

As far as this past weekend and the season, I think things are obviously not solved with what potentially is an emerging problem (and it was a problem with grievous results this weekend) but overall i would say so far so good in terms of striking a proper balance with the play call. i say this based on the following occurences:

 

1. The run/pass ratio was fairly even in this game and unpredictability is a key to success for any O.

2. The TEAM was fairly successful in hitting the pass this weekend. We saw shortcomings in the play selection as it did not produce enough deep strikes to be successful but given the patpatpatshufflesack (as Foxboro Mike labeled it) the most important change for the Bills was to get DB to change and be successful with the quick release and we saw a good chunk of that with a fairly immediate payoff of far fewer sacks.

3. There was one medium range TD to Moulds on a missed coverage by a fairly good D which bodes well. The Raiders will put up more points but the Raiders D should be even more confusable.

4. The TEAM showed the ability to run for tough yardage and run some more as THs overall yardage was OK and WM came off the bench and also earned some tough yardage and moved the pile a bit ( a very good thing to see from this player recovering from injury.

 

Nevertheless, there were some clear shortcomings which must be improved if the TEAM is not going to make every game a grindfest where we lose on the final play:

 

1. Tough yards are good, but lots of yards are better- Though both TH and WM showed positives in running the ball, the Bills must produce better yards per carry. I suspect that the elusiveness of TH and WM against lesser Ds and poorer tacklers can do some of this, but the real long-term answer must be that the OL really opens some holes. They were better than expected but not reat or even good on run production yet (it is ironic that they were actually more productive in pass pro rather than the run attack when their performance was the reverse last year).

2. The vertical pass is a great way to gain big yards but a 5 yard pass that gets 30 yards of RAC counts just the same as a 35 yard vertical pass. There are real reasons why our OL should not be forced to hold blocks for 6 seconds to get off the bomb because of the problems we had last year. I'd love to see more play calls that produce RAC opportunities.

3. Tape lasts a long time- One of the tough things for us fans is our impatience. though we want production now and there is some logic to focusing only on the game in front of you if you want to win, a team's tendencies for the season are being written as we speak. Clements might see a play that might work well against Jax, but will almost certainly work really well against the Raiders (or maybe even the Pats) and it is reasonable for him to not tip our hand that a particular play is in our tool chest or to set-up a play woking well next week or against a more important opponent by showing a scheme now and getting the opponent to defend it in a particular way. This is a dangerous game as opponents schemes and reactions can also change (maybe they kno what we're thinking and fool us in to thinking we know what they are thinking or something like that). Clements simply needs to play the game well of setting up our O for the future but not compromising immediate opportunties to do so. If he held back something that he thought might work on Jax because it might work better in game 16 this was a bad choice as life will obviously change the further in the future you plan and we lost because we did not put up enough points on Jax.

 

Overall, though the format for future improvement of the O is there, current O failure to put up points is a more pressing problem however.

[Jon in Pasadena]

3. Tape lasts a long time- One of the tough things for us fans is our impatience.  though we want production now and there is some logic to focusing only on the game in front of you if you want to win, a team's tendencies for the season are being written as we speak. Clements might see a play that might work well against Jax, but will almost certainly work really well against the Raiders (or maybe even the Pats) and it is reasonable for him to not tip our hand that a particular play is in our tool chest or to set-up a play woking well next week or against a more important opponent by showing a scheme now and getting the opponent to defend it in a particular way.  This is a dangerous game as opponents schemes and reactions can also change (maybe they kno what we're thinking and fool us in to thinking we know what they are thinking or something like that). Clements simply needs to play the game well of setting up our O for the future but not compromising immediate opportunties to do so.  If he held back something that he thought might work on Jax because it might work better in game 16 this was a bad choice as life will obviously change the further in the future you plan and we lost because we did not put up enough points on Jax.

30625[/snapback]

This exact thought occurred to me during and immediately following the Jax game. I suppose it's a constant tightrope walk between using (and showing) your best stuff, and keeping a few things in reserve to be pulled out in desperation time in a crucial situation against your division foes. In this case they almost got the balance right except for a couple of brain-farts by NC and CV. Oh well, at least we should have something nasty saved up for the Patsies! Maybe Sam Adams on the 'go' route!!

[Campy]

You call it Balanced Offense, I'll call it the Holy Grail. It's exact being exists only in the minds of those who dare to seek it...