The Perfect Dual Back Combo

by CanadianBillsFan on Dec 19, 2011 2:28 PM EST

I don't like how everyone is up in arms about how "CJ Spiller isn't a feature back." Especially when you consider that just at the start of last season, and even at the start of this season, everyone was saying that we should have a dual back system. I think that now that CJ is finally coming out of his shell as both a running and receiving threat, we have the perfect situation for that.

Think about it, once Freddy is back next year we could be in line for a killer duo. One that much resembled the Thomas Jones/Jamaal Charles duo from the Chiefs last year. CJ is showing the same flashed that Charles did when he started coming out of his shell 2 seasons ago, and last year showed that he was probably the most valuable back in the NFL not named Chris Johnson or Adrian Peterson. Yet Charles, to his own admission, IS NOT A FEATURE BACK.

Now imagine the Jones/Charles duo if Thomas Jones was also good enough to lead the league in rushing. That's the possibility that we have in Freddy in CJ. We have a hard nosed, between the tackles, complete back (rushing, receiving and pass protection) in Freddy. We also have that change of pace, "can take it all the way on any play" back with CJ. Now spread the touches out between both of them, turn our offense into a run first offense and we really have something.

If Chan is smart enough (and I think he is offensively) then I think that our O will much resemble KC's O from last year, where the two back get a combined 30 to 35 touches per game, and the passing game is centered on quick, possession passes. This would maximize the use of our running backs and diminish the effect of our receiving corps that doesn't have a real deep threat.

And perhaps most importantly, much like Matt Castle is in KC, diminish the glaring weaknesses of our QB. Fitzy is not the answer at QB. That's clear. But in a run first, possession passing offense, he can be a very good QB. An offense based around that is much more sustainable than the spread type, pass first, offense that we have been running (mostly unsuccessfully) for most of the year.

You can say that I'm a hopeless optimist if you want, and I'll fully admit to it, but the emergence of Spiller does give us this great option next season.

Added note: I'm not saying that we're going to see a duplicate of KC's offense. After all Charles>Spiller, and Jackson>Thomas. So it would obviously still centre around Freddy as the main back, with CJ going in for a change of pace. As opposed to KC's offense that used Charles as their main back and Thomas for the hard yards and 3rd down situations. But the ability to use both Jackson and Spiller as the focal point of the offense is there.

Here's a poll just for the heck of it.

Poll

Do you think that we'll see an Offense that's heavily centered on Both Fred Jackson and CJ Spiller next season?

Yes

74 votes

No

46 votes

Uncertain

17 votes

137 votes | Poll has closed

Just another great fan opinion shared on the pages of BuffaloRumblings.com.

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Comments

Gailey likes to throw the ball from the Shotgun

But here’s hoping that we run a traditional I formation offense next year… FB leading as a blocker worked quite well in San Diego when LT was lighting up the record books.

by BuffaloFanFromCT on Dec 19, 2011 2:53 PM EST reply actions

See i think that's a missconception.

Gailey is running a shotgun O right now because he’s working with what he has this year. When he was coaching for Pittsburgh, Dallas, Miami and KC he was running run first offenses. Now that CJ has emerged, i think we’ll see that here next year.

I was just sayin’ that blah blah blah .. he should be a top pick………. blah blah blah …… he’s the heat ……… swear word, cuss word……. blah blah…. I want Tebow ………. blah blah….. Buddy sucks …….. Chan sucks …… blah blah……..
- SERGEANT MAJOR THOR

by CanadianBillsFan on Dec 19, 2011 3:04 PM EST up reply actions

agree. I think he’s been trying to be innovative w/ the O that we have. but to me he seems stubborn, livin’ & dyin’ by the spread. He needs to set that aside, and use what works more (runs).

by dgrid on Dec 19, 2011 4:01 PM EST up reply actions

Regarding your poll

I doubt it.

We’ll probably continue to see a lot of shotgun, a lot of short passes that don’t accomplish much and a lot of headaches while watching…

~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."

by Kurupt on Dec 19, 2011 3:04 PM EST reply actions

Just one more reason why I think Chan needs a real OC.

Fact is i think that Chan is great at drawing up plays, good at making game plans, but average at calling plays and mediocre at changing his approach as the season goes on. I think that simply rest on him being stretched too thin.

Having a real OC would change that. They can draw up the play book and the game plans together, but give the OC the play calling resposibilities. And having a good OC is just one more mind that can help adjust game plans, both in games (which Chan has shown great ability in early this year, not so much lately) and over the season (which Chan just sucks at).

It really could just be as simple as getting a real OC under him.

by CanadianBillsFan on Dec 19, 2011 4:31 PM EST up reply actions

i dont want to add to defense in the draft anymore

we have done that the last few years with little return… meanwhile our quick pass offense is not working well and fitz is not able to go deep even when he can…

1st round pick i want riley reiff, lt…. this would be a huge upgrade in the left tackle position…
2nd – levy adcock rt/rg

the addition of these two will make our run game more powerful, will create bigger holes for spiller and fitz will get a lot more time to throw deeper… we can control the clock better

i want cordarro law in the 3rd round and give merriman another shot…also sign a free agent pass rusher if available

by statcruncher on Dec 19, 2011 3:44 PM EST reply actions 1 recs

yea we HAVE to address pass-rush. and CB really, and QB. however they’ll handle it, they absolutely need to get a pass-rush. And I’m not counting on Merriman, never was really. if he can produce some, nice. maybe show the youngins a move or 2.

O-line- I’d like to see them get some depth, but I think the core is in place. Draft a C/G and /or T in mid-rounds, for depth and dev for future.

by dgrid on Dec 19, 2011 4:05 PM EST up reply actions

i wouldnt be surprised if they pick OL in the first 2 rounds… if you look at nix’s philosophy he never addresses weakness first … he first builds depth in a position and then drafts strength in that position… they said that at the very beginning… they want to stack players at a position instead of drafting for weakness…

i actually like that strategy

by statcruncher on Dec 19, 2011 5:00 PM EST up reply actions

yea not a bad idea

but they already have Pears signed for multi years. Hairston is playing well, hopefully they resign bell. Urbik has played okay. obviously wood and levitre are good. Rinehart for depth.

I think they are going to build this team from the inside out. Now i think we need a QB 1st round but after that we need to draft 2 OLBs between the Round 2-4 and the other 2 picks being WR and CB. That would really build our defense and help our offense. Then in the 5th get a some OL depth. and draft another ILB.

You are now Watching The Throne.

by tomcs on Dec 19, 2011 5:07 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah but if we resign Bell. then we've already stacked players at both Tackles.

And we’ve also stacked players at guard. The only real lack of depth on our O-Line is Centre.

As for the pass rush, what’s wrong with stacking player ON TOP of Kelsay and Merriman?

by CanadianBillsFan on Dec 19, 2011 6:40 PM EST up reply actions

thats what I think

resign bell to be stacked on the OL. And then like you said stack up on OLBs. and CBs. and QB…

You are now Watching The Throne.

by tomcs on Dec 19, 2011 6:47 PM EST up reply actions

Our defense is terrible, and for the first time in quite a while our offensive line is not…why would you want to draft OL that early?

"Slowly all the roles we act out become our identity. And in the end we are what we pretend to be." - Jerry Cantrell.

by stetzwebs on Dec 20, 2011 12:50 PM EST up reply actions

O/L

Isn’t all that. Whole teams been terrible for yrs. get a qb please.

If you didn't like my last post wait till you read the next! :) Until we draft/acquire franchise QB we'll be setting records for losing soon!

by buffalobacker on Dec 20, 2011 1:01 PM EST up reply actions

If we stay in line with how we're playing right now (aka lose both of our last games)...

then we have a shot at RG3.

And i don’t care what our other needs are, RG3 is the PERFECT QB for Chan’s system. Cannon arm, is more precise than people think, especially when going deep, and can run like a cross between Tebow and Vick. Give him a season to sit behind Fitzy and we have our franchise QB for the next 10 years.

If he’s still available when we go up, then we have to draft him. Plain and simple.

by CanadianBillsFan on Dec 20, 2011 6:46 PM EST up reply actions

We keep drafting in positions where we actually have starting-caliber players and we’ll never get starting-caliber players at the other position. OL is not a top need of this team, and I will be disappointed if our first rounder (let alone both first and second rounders) are OL next year.

"Slowly all the roles we act out become our identity. And in the end we are what we pretend to be." - Jerry Cantrell.

by stetzwebs on Dec 20, 2011 6:46 PM EST up reply actions

I voted Yes

but it would have been better worded “hope so”

by dgrid on Dec 19, 2011 4:01 PM EST reply actions

Buffalo has not had a true balanced attack in the past decade so why not shift the focus towards our strengths. It took teams about 6 weeks to figure out how to stop our short passing attack and we have yet to adjust for various reasons. But it is clear we have two great RBs, so why not get everything we can out of them. It is not like we have a QB that sucks or no WRs because Fitz is an above average QB (regardless of how he has played the past few games) He is at his best when he doesn’t have to throw 35 times a game. Steve is another above average WR and is definitely hovering around being elite. Running the ball will keep a Safety down in the box and help him even more if this change is made.

Make a commitment to getting maulers up front. By running the ball in a 60% to 40% split we’re going to control the clock and keep our defense off the field as we continue to improve it.

The old school mentality that we’re just going to be tougher than you and run it down your throat fits Buffalo and the fans would love it.

by wagoncircler10 on Dec 19, 2011 4:03 PM EST reply actions

also Choice

seems like a great 3rd back.

by dgrid on Dec 19, 2011 4:06 PM EST reply actions

I was thinking that. 3rd back option for short yardage.

by CanadianBillsFan on Dec 19, 2011 4:22 PM EST up reply actions

Good post CBF, Rec'd.

But instead of this poll question, “Do you think that we’ll see an Offense that’s heavily centered on Both Fred Jackson and CJ Spiller next season?” Which forced me to vote “Uncertain,” (because I don’t know what the heck Chan will do next year).

If you would have put, “Do you WANT an Offense that’s heavily centered on Both Fred Jackson and CJ Spiller next season?”

My reply would be, “H^ll ya!”

"There is not a loser in this room." Marv Levy.

by SERGEANT MAJOR THOR on Dec 19, 2011 6:20 PM EST reply actions

same sarge

i’m thinking the same thing

by Fernando brazil on Dec 19, 2011 6:33 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah i thought of that after putting it up.

But it wouldn’t let me change the poll for some reason.

by CanadianBillsFan on Dec 19, 2011 6:41 PM EST up reply actions

Spiller wasn't performing at his best with 5-7 touches per game

I feel he will be more efficient when he get the majority of the touches, even if its not necessarily the share of a feature back.

by wagonblaster on Dec 19, 2011 7:14 PM EST reply actions

What I suggested is that both Fred and CJ get 15-18 touches per game.

by CanadianBillsFan on Dec 19, 2011 8:20 PM EST up reply actions

Good post

I voted yes. It’s smart. If the unsubstantiated rumors are correct, and Buffalo hired Norv Turner as the OC, it makes perfect sense. SD doesn’t really have a short passing game. At their best, Rivers was throwing deep, Tomlinson carried the mail, and Sproles was an impact change-up.

If Buffalo does hire Turner, then it could work in Buffalo. Unless Gailey goes West Coast, horizontal timing, it will be hard to feature both in the current offense.

I think in 15 years, we’ll all look back and see that Spiller was better than Charles.

Starting the official Buffalo "Draft a Pass Rusher in the First Round in 2012" campaign.

by Der Jaeger on Dec 19, 2011 8:01 PM EST reply actions

I think in 15 years, we’ll all look back and see that Spiller was better than Charles.

That’s a VERY big statement, as I currently see Charles as the biggest impact back in the NFL. Mainly because if you look at his 2 previous seasons before getting injured, per touch he was the best back in the NFL. But just like Spiller, i don’t think that Charles is a feature back and needed someone like Thomas Jones to make what he does possible.

I see that same scenario here, with the first season or so with Fred being the primary back, then evening out the payload as Freddy ages before CJ takes over the primary role.

by CanadianBillsFan on Dec 19, 2011 8:24 PM EST up reply actions