Buffalo Rumblings: All Posts by Jon RamseyBuffalo Bills news, notes, discussions, opinions and analysis. 24/7/365 since 4/7/2007.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48063/buffalorumblings_fave.png2018-03-14T10:00:00-04:00https://www.buffalorumblings.com/authors/jon-ramsey/rss2018-03-14T10:00:00-04:002018-03-14T10:00:00-04:00All-22 analysis: Star Lotulelei a mammoth in the middle
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<p>A match made in heaven,</p> <p id="t1Sqbp">So far the NFL offseason has been an adventurous one in Orchard Park, mainly because of the trades made by <a href="https://www.buffalorumblings.com/">Buffalo Bills</a> general manager Brandon Beane. Beane, however, has made one rather large (pun intended) free agent signing. That signing is <span>Star Lotulelei</span>, who will reunite with his former defensive coordinator Sean McDermott here in Buffalo.</p>
<p id="cSO9wH">This is just a brief overview of Lotulelei and what he will bring to the Bills defense. First of all, Lotulelei will mainly play the nose tackle (or 1-tech) in the Bills defense. He will be the guy whose main duty is to clog things up in the middle and keep the linebackers free of offensive linemen coming to the second level. This position differs from the one that you usually see <span>Kyle Williams</span> at, which is the “3-tech” or “under” defensive tackle. That position is more of a penetrator and disruptor. Lotulelei is the Dareus replacement that the Bills run defense didn’t have last season. If you are looking for an impact pass rusher from the tackle position it is not Lotulelei. This isn’t to say he isn’t athletic as the big man does have great short-area quickness, it is just that his strength is his power at the point of attack. Below are some GIFs that can help illustrate what type of player the Bills are getting.</p>
<p id="uzm3ey">This first play shows the power and hustle of Lotulelei, as he manhandles his man and then chases the RB down from behind after the defensive end to that side does a nice job setting the edge.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">For your viewing pleasure some GIFs of Star Lotulelei<br><br>Lined up as a tilt NT on most of the plays, his power his noticeable, and does show some good short area quickness <a href="https://t.co/9nGXqdwWJ0">pic.twitter.com/9nGXqdwWJ0</a></p>— YardsPerPass (@YardsPerPass) <a href="https://twitter.com/YardsPerPass/status/973561392828698624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2018</a>
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<p id="aiINCV">This next play has the guard giving the big DT a quick shove to help the center get across the face of Lotulelei on this outside zone running play. However, Star does a great job in not getting reached here, fighting across the face of his blocker, and is able to blow up the play in the backfield.</p>
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<p lang="und" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/oKPAfBvADc">pic.twitter.com/oKPAfBvADc</a></p>— YardsPerPass (@YardsPerPass) <a href="https://twitter.com/YardsPerPass/status/973561559996862464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2018</a>
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<p id="760eej">Looking at this next two GIFs, we can see the type of pass rush that Star will provide. As stated above, Star is a powerful defensive tackle and his pass rush will be pushing his man into the pocket and into the quarterback, not beating his man with finesse. The Bills pass rush in 2017 at times struggled to get a push up the middle and allowed opposing quarterbacks the space to step up and avoid edge rushers. </p>
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<p lang="und" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/CW8Wk6ebF2">pic.twitter.com/CW8Wk6ebF2</a></p>— YardsPerPass (@YardsPerPass) <a href="https://twitter.com/YardsPerPass/status/973561674149089280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2018</a>
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<p lang="und" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/rht6z2L4sz">pic.twitter.com/rht6z2L4sz</a></p>— YardsPerPass (@YardsPerPass) <a href="https://twitter.com/YardsPerPass/status/973561972053725184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2018</a>
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<p id="zrhPEj">Finally, I want to illustrate why a defensive tackle’s stats are not the end-all, be-all. This is a huge tackle for a loss that if you were just reading the box score you would credit to the great Carolina linebacker Luke Kuechly. However, when you watch the play, you can see most of the credit should go to Lotulelei who absolutely blows up the play completely. Plays like this were sorely missing from the Bills nose tackles last season.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Watch this one... Kuechly makes the tackle, but Lotulelei makes the play <a href="https://t.co/gcJmKBR5ou">pic.twitter.com/gcJmKBR5ou</a></p>— YardsPerPass (@YardsPerPass) <a href="https://twitter.com/YardsPerPass/status/973564451143241729?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2018</a>
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<p id="Fur2nh">Most people were under the impression that linebacker was the biggest need on the Bills defense for 2018. It is a flashier position that posts bigger stats and makes more highlight plays. However, I would say that, without a solid nose tackle up front, those linebackers aren’t able to make the highlight plays that we all love. Lotulelei will be the guy to keep the linebackers clean and should provide a very nice upgrade to the Bills run defense in 2018.</p>
<p id="APq8UI">This last GIF is just for fun...</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">"These are not the draft picks you are looking for"<br><br>- Brandon Beane <a href="https://t.co/jAM84XV9hW">pic.twitter.com/jAM84XV9hW</a></p>— YardsPerPass (@YardsPerPass) <a href="https://twitter.com/YardsPerPass/status/973757874311704576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2018</a>
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https://www.buffalorumblings.com/2018/3/14/17118308/all-22-analysis-free-agent-dt-star-lotulelei-was-born-for-sean-mcdermott-defense-carolina-panthersJon Ramsey2018-01-05T07:45:00-05:002018-01-05T07:45:00-05:00Analysis: O’Leary’s TD catch and the Bills’ favorite play action pass
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<figcaption>Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Rick Dennison has been employing this play with great success.</p> <p id="qDGhRf"><a href="https://www.buffalorumblings.com/">Buffalo Bills</a> offensive coordinator Rick Dennison gets a lot of crap around Western NY and some of it is definitely justified, but he deserves some praise too. Who would’ve thought they would have read that as an opening sentence? One thing I want to look at today is one particular wrinkle the Bills have put into their passing game that has yielded huge results for the offense is the past couple of weeks.</p>
<p id="L6AhSU">Below is a video of one of the Bills favorite pass plays, the naked boot PA off of the outside zone run play. The “Denver offense” that Dennison runs is based off being able to run the outside zone run play. Then the offense builds the play action pass game off of that main run play. This is the Bills’ favorite play action pass, I am sure you will recognize it.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">One of the Bills favorite pass plays, and a staple of the "Denver offense"<br><br>The 3 level flood off of the outside zone w/ naked bootleg <a href="https://t.co/DutncDboj6">pic.twitter.com/DutncDboj6</a></p>— YardsPerPass (@YardsPerPass) <a href="https://twitter.com/YardsPerPass/status/949027193220366336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2018</a>
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<p id="WfbHTT">Notice the hard run fake to one side and then a three-level flood to the other side. Taylor mainly will hit either the over route or the flat pattern. The deep route is usually just something to “take the top off” the defense, though occasionally it does get thrown. It is a great play for Taylor because it gets him outside the pocket and it is an easy read for the QB.</p>
<p id="hXyiNL">However, as you all know, once you run a play a lot, teams start to gameplan against it. Which is why the Bills have developed a little wrinkle to their favorite play action pass. Take a look below. It looks just like the normal naked boot pass play the Bills run all the time. However, the deep over instead of continuing across breaks it back to the opposite corner and is wide open. The <a href="https://www.patspulpit.com/">Patriots</a> secondary is completely fooled and it is a big gain for Thompson.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">1st the big play to Thompson, looks like the 3 level flood and then Thompson breaks it back to the other side <a href="https://t.co/XwAuqzSba2">pic.twitter.com/XwAuqzSba2</a></p>— YardsPerPass (@YardsPerPass) <a href="https://twitter.com/YardsPerPass/status/948229599959437314?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2018</a>
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<p id="QMcx8F">Now, let’s look at a play last week vs Miami. Sure does look familiar doesn’t it? Many fans were wondering how O’Leary got so wide open for the touchdown. It was because this is basically the same play the Bills ran last week against New England. This time, however, nobody even covers the bare-handed tight end. That is two straight weeks with huge plays with this little wrinkle.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Now look at the O'Leary TD, same type of changeup, all the routes going to one side and O'Leary breaks his back across to the other side.<br><br>Also helped that it looks like man cov and the LB ate up the PA fake <a href="https://t.co/TjO0CMyLR3">pic.twitter.com/TjO0CMyLR3</a></p>— YardsPerPass (@YardsPerPass) <a href="https://twitter.com/YardsPerPass/status/948229942772469761?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2018</a>
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<p id="PHpdPT">Now you might be wondering, but how will work on Sunday? To answer that I happened to take a look at a Week 16 game between the <a href="https://www.bigcatcountry.com/">Jacksonville Jaguars</a> and the <a href="https://www.ninersnation.com/">San Francisco 49ers</a>. I took a look at this game for a few reasons. If you didn’t know, the 49ers coach is Kyle Shanahan who happens to run a pretty similar offense as the Bills do. (Kyle’s dad, Mike, worked on the offense with <span>Gary Kubiak</span> and Dennison and later his son.) Also I wanted to see how the 49ers were able to score more than 40 points against a Jags defense that is one of the best in the league. Take a look below at the videos to see what I found. (These are all these plays were from the first half.) </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Well this certainly looks familiar <a href="https://t.co/v0H1BlcOTj">pic.twitter.com/v0H1BlcOTj</a></p>— YardsPerPass (@YardsPerPass) <a href="https://twitter.com/YardsPerPass/status/949028100658159617?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2018</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">49ers ran it a bunch of different ways vs JAX and killed them with it <a href="https://t.co/ASDt7v9feJ">pic.twitter.com/ASDt7v9feJ</a></p>— YardsPerPass (@YardsPerPass) <a href="https://twitter.com/YardsPerPass/status/949029493083131905?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2018</a>
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<p id="svm5DV">Looks like some deja vu to me. In fact, look at the play below to see the big play wrinkle the 49ers put in their playbook for the Jags.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Here was the 49ers big wrinkle... FB instead of going to the flat, takes it deep on the wheel <a href="https://t.co/YVFfOA3T0p">pic.twitter.com/YVFfOA3T0p</a></p>— YardsPerPass (@YardsPerPass) <a href="https://twitter.com/YardsPerPass/status/949029155215171586?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2018</a>
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<p id="wT4jXE">I would imagine the Bills will try an attack a very aggressive Jaguars defense the same way. A way that was very successful for the 49ers only two weeks prior. The main caveat to this game plan is that in order to be effective in the play action pass game, there needs to be some threat in the run game. A healthy <span>LeSean McCoy</span> does that, but can a limited <span>McCoy</span>, <span>Mike Tolbert</span>, and <span>Marcus Murphy</span> do it? </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">When you see that playoff berth is right in front of you <a href="https://t.co/riIYvGDQs6">pic.twitter.com/riIYvGDQs6</a></p>— YardsPerPass (@YardsPerPass) <a href="https://twitter.com/YardsPerPass/status/948565147018256384?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2018</a>
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<p id="nhDIAq">That is a question I don’t have an answer for. But, with all that being said, I do think the Bills have a good shot in this game and I cannot wait to watch a 21st century Bills playoff game!</p>
https://www.buffalorumblings.com/2018/1/5/16851086/analysis-nick-oleary-touchdown-catch-buffalo-bills-favorite-play-action-pass-dennison-shanahanJon Ramsey2017-12-11T12:30:00-05:002017-12-11T12:30:00-05:00Analysis: McCoy's touchdown run sprung by Incognito
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<figcaption>Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>What a great block.</p> <p id="E3sFMz">In a game that will be tough to forget, the <a href="https://www.buffalorumblings.com/">Buffalo Bills</a> beat the elements and the <a href="https://www.stampedeblue.com/">Indianapolis Colts</a> Sunday led by a fantastic performance by their star running back LeSean McCoy. McCoy who grew up in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, looked like one of the few players who knew how to run in the snow (maybe from experience?) and delivered several big runs. No run was bigger than his 21-yard touchdown to win the game in overtime.</p>
<p id="DJHGXd">It was 3rd and 4 with 1:40 left in overtime, when <span>Stephen Hauschka</span> ran onto the field and it looked like the Bills were thinking about kicking a field goal on 3rd down, just in case any there were any problems with the snap. However, the offense stayed on the field and the Bills went home as the Kings in the north when McCoy produced the run shown below.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Dashing through the snow... <a href="https://t.co/IQAeF6z7Y0">pic.twitter.com/IQAeF6z7Y0</a></p>— YardsPerPass (@YardsPerPass) <a href="https://twitter.com/YardsPerPass/status/940266196095635456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2017</a>
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<p id="86pFO3">In watching the end-zone angle there are a few things to look at when watching this play. The first is that there is nothing magical about the play call itself, just a basic inside-zone run play with Groy in as a sixth lineman. The second thing is that the Colts have a free defender on the play (the safety, No. 41) and he stumbles and then just whiffs on McCoy. The key block to create such a huge hole is the double team with Incognito and Dawkins. Richie gives the defensive tackle a nice bump and then Dawkins just manhandles him on the turn. Richie then comes off and does a good job on the linebacker as well. This creates the huge hole for McCoy and after the whiff, it was game over. </p>
<p id="Z7HfPn">As everyone who has played in snow football knows, you can’t really change direction so any type of misstep means you are toast. This was why you see the free safety coming in at the end having no shot, he took a wrong angle at first and had no chance to adjust.</p>
https://www.buffalorumblings.com/2017/12/11/16762368/analysis-lesean-mccoys-touchdown-run-sprung-by-richie-incognito-buffalo-bills-snow-game-coltsJon Ramsey2017-11-30T15:30:02-05:002017-11-30T15:30:02-05:00Analysis: Applying what Buffalo’s defense did against the Chiefs to the Patriots
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<figcaption>Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Bills defense showed some new wrinkles on Sunday. We break them down and discuss how they will be used against New England.</p> <p id="62IsqS">After three straight games of defensive ineptitude, Leslie Frazier and his defense turned things around and produced an excellent performance in Kansas City on Sunday. The run defense was spectacular holding <span>Kareem Hunt</span> under 20 yards. The pass defense was just as good holding <span>Alex Smith</span> under 200 yards passing and then putting the clamps on <span>Tyreek Hill</span> and <span>Travis Kelce</span> to a combined 10 catches for only 80 yards. I want to look at three things the <a href="https://www.buffalorumblings.com/">Bills</a> did on Sunday and then relate them to facing Brady and the Pats on Sunday.</p>
<h2 id="upMo1f"><strong>Coverage deception</strong></h2>
<p id="2Rza4r">The Bills were excellent in their late defensive rotations vs the <a href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com/">Chiefs</a>. They did an excellent job hiding their true coverage until the very last moment. You will be able to see this in pretty much all of the GIFs but the following ones were my favorite examples.</p>
<p id="68Jhcb">The Bills show some type of 1-high coverage with five defenders lined up over the five offensive linemen in a pressure look. In actuality, the Bills only rush three and drop into a Tampa-2 coverage with <span>Lorenzo Alexander</span> spying Smith. Being able to confuse the QB with his coverage reads is a huge advantage which can lead to turnovers and holding onto the ball for an extra second which can lead to sacks. </p>
<p id="RX2In1"><span>Tom Brady</span> is a master of reading coverages pre-snap and getting rid of the ball quickly for positive yardage. The <a href="https://www.patspulpit.com/">Patriots</a> often use motion and split their tight ends and running backs out wide to help Brady decipherthe coverage before the ball is snapped. If the Bills can keep up this level of deception against the Patriots, it will be a great help to the defense. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">This is right before the snap... turns into Tampa-2 w/ Alexander spying Smith (vid in next tweet) <a href="https://t.co/GNz3bh57qN">pic.twitter.com/GNz3bh57qN</a></p>— YardsPerPass (@YardsPerPass) <a href="https://twitter.com/YardsPerPass/status/935597360901697536?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 28, 2017</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Tampa 2 w/ QB spy, tough to get that from presnap look <a href="https://t.co/aFoeuL6CNN">pic.twitter.com/aFoeuL6CNN</a></p>— YardsPerPass (@YardsPerPass) <a href="https://twitter.com/YardsPerPass/status/935597491885690880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 28, 2017</a>
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<p id="7AUI25">This one even has Alexander showing blitz pre-snap, then faking a drop into coverage, and then actually blitzing. The Bills show a quarters look but after the snap switch to a Cover-3 coverage with the safety buzzing down into the hook zone. <span>Alex Smith</span> drifted backwards into pressure here; something that Brady rarely does. Against Brady the Bills can use more overload pressures because of his lack of mobility, but they must also make sure that he cannot easily step up into the pocket because that is the best way to negate outside pressure. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Quick example of what I meant. Watch the rotation post-snap and Alexander faking the drop back into coverage and then rushing <a href="https://t.co/56QzbYsE4p">pic.twitter.com/56QzbYsE4p</a></p>— YardsPerPass (@YardsPerPass) <a href="https://twitter.com/YardsPerPass/status/935596408920510464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 28, 2017</a>
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<h2 id="pQokKw"><strong>Press coverage</strong></h2>
<p id="2wKZ2W">One thing I noticed from the Bills on Sunday was they were in press coverage a lot more than they had been in previous games. The <a href="https://www.canalstreetchronicles.com/">Saints</a> took advantage of the Bills playing off early in their game and the Chiefs are known for their screen game to their receivers, as well. This is something that I spoke with <a href="https://twitter.com/SalSports/status/935916548228829184">Sal Capaccio about on twitter </a> and he said that he specifically asked Frazier this and Frazier said it was something that they did use more against the Chiefs because of those reasons. He also thought it put them in better position to make tackles, as you can see below.</p>
<p id="3BIA4Q">Normally, I would expect something similar vs. the Patriots passing game. However, this year they have become much more vertical with the addition of Cooks and the loss of Edelman. So, while I do think the Bills will hope to confuse Brady and throw off his timing, I’m not sure that they will be as press-heavy as they were in Kansas City. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">3rd and 6 here, press coverage was something that the Bills did a lot vs the Chiefs. Late rotation to tampa 2 (drop 8) here. Gaines is in position in the flat to make the tackle <a href="https://t.co/7zfgd2soRp">pic.twitter.com/7zfgd2soRp</a></p>— YardsPerPass (@YardsPerPass) <a href="https://twitter.com/YardsPerPass/status/936283719509401600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 30, 2017</a>
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<h2 id="6272H0"><strong>Strategic Blitzing</strong></h2>
<p id="Ffj2yz">Finally, I want to talk about blitzing. While Gaines was injured it seemed like the Bills really dialed back their pressure packages in deference to their coverage. Now with Gaines back, the Bills certainly have been able to be a bit more creative in their blitz packages. McDermott has been known has a guy that uses double-A gap pressure, but what the Bills showed a lot against Kansas City was double-B gap pressure with a 3-man defensive line. I liked that plan by the defense as it also allowed them to drop eight into coverage easier, something that was very successful last week and something that teams have had success with against the Patriots. One of the key guys to this plan was Lorenzo Alexander. Alexander has shown the ability to be a hybrid DE/LB in that if he feels at home on the edge in a four-man defensive line, but also can be used as a linebacker (as he is here) and drop into coverage, while showing blitz. Obviously, he isn’t a “coverage” linebacker, so you have to be careful getting him matched up on a speedy guy in zone coverage, but he did a great job in pass rushing, zone coverage, and spying Alex Smith.</p>
<p id="1koVce">Blitzing is something that I think needs to be used sparingly against New England, but still needs to be used. While, coverage is important, history has shown that teams that can get to Brady and hit him are the ones that do the best. Therefore, it is vitally important that there is a pass rush that is affecting the quarterback and sometimes the best way to do that is to confuse the offensive line with blitzes and exchanges.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Bills show Alexander and Brown in the middle. Humber and Johnson are the guys that actually come <a href="https://t.co/uGYwu9j4Vz">pic.twitter.com/uGYwu9j4Vz</a></p>— YardsPerPass (@YardsPerPass) <a href="https://twitter.com/YardsPerPass/status/936282380410736641?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 30, 2017</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">EZ view, you can see how the Chiefs right side gets confused <a href="https://t.co/NdeanEkRNM">pic.twitter.com/NdeanEkRNM</a></p>— YardsPerPass (@YardsPerPass) <a href="https://twitter.com/YardsPerPass/status/936282494588071936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 30, 2017</a>
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<p id="ZuBXPw">Overall, it was a fantastic effort against the Chiefs. Run defense and pass defense worked hand-in-hand to hold an explosive offense to 10 points. They will need an equally impressive effort this Sunday against New England. Football is a symbiotic sport in that points are scored by different guys than try to stop the opponent from scoring. It doesn’t matter if you win 34-31 or 13-10, the ultimate goal is to score more than the other team. </p>
<p id="DH13oX">As a quick statistical note, the Bills offense has scored over 24 points in just two games this season. While the Patriots offense has scored 24 points or under in only 4 games this season. If the Bills want a chance to win on Sunday, they need a great defensive effort, and will have to make it game number five for Brady and company this season. </p>
https://www.buffalorumblings.com/2017/11/30/16719850/buffalo-bills-defense-lorenzo-alexander-leslie-frazier-kansas-city-chiefs-all-22-analysis-tom-bradyJon Ramsey2017-11-16T08:30:00-05:002017-11-16T08:30:00-05:00Analysis: the good and bad of Nathan Peterman
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<figcaption>Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>We take a closer look at the new QB1.</p> <p id="bUsHn7">In a surprising move, the <a href="https://www.buffalorumblings.com/">Buffalo Bills</a> have <a href="https://www.buffalorumblings.com/2017/11/15/16655024/nathan-peterman-will-start-for-buffalo-bills-on-sunday-los-angeles-chargers-tyrod-taylor">decided to start </a>rookie <span>Nathan Peterman</span> against the <a href="https://www.boltsfromtheblue.com/">Los Angeles Chargers</a> this weekend. What I want to do today is examine what Peterman has done well in a Bills uniform, what he will bring to the offense, and also look at some things that could get him into trouble.</p>
<h2 id="9SMnxx"><strong>Strengths</strong></h2>
<p id="YXK6X1"><strong>Anticipation</strong><br>One of Peterman’s biggest strengths is his anticipation. What I mean by this is if he sees post-snap what he thought he was going to see pre-snap he will throw the ball to receivers before they are open. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">This is a west coast offense play that the Bills have run this year. Ran it last game vs the Saints.<br><br>Peterman does a nice job fitting the ball into tight coverage anticipating the open area when the "rat defender" moves to cover the curl <a href="https://t.co/LR84u8JuVO">pic.twitter.com/LR84u8JuVO</a></p>— YardsPerPass (@YardsPerPass) <a href="https://twitter.com/YardsPerPass/status/931115602806231041?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 16, 2017</a>
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<p id="4YLrsE">The pass to <span>Kelvin Benjamin</span> on Sunday is another good example:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Best throw of the day by a Bills QB<br><br>Dagger route is a good one vs cover 2 <a href="https://t.co/h4bDGCmaKA">pic.twitter.com/h4bDGCmaKA</a></p>— YardsPerPass (@YardsPerPass) <a href="https://twitter.com/YardsPerPass/status/930235685021343745?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 14, 2017</a>
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<p id="KC3Lp1"><strong>Tight window throws</strong><br>Another strength of Peterman is his ability to make tight window throws. This one against the <a href="https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/">Philadelphia Eagles</a> in preseason is an absolute dime. Tight underneath coverage and a safety coming down hard:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">One of my favorites <a href="https://t.co/B3Z6FdJynd">pic.twitter.com/B3Z6FdJynd</a></p>— YardsPerPass (@YardsPerPass) <a href="https://twitter.com/YardsPerPass/status/931123767518035970?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 16, 2017</a>
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<p id="XC28KF"><strong>Getting rid of the football</strong><br>Peterman gets the ball out on time and this is just a basic example, but more often than not his back foot hits on his dropback and he is getting rid of the ball. I would imagine the Chargers will focus on the short stuff on Sunday because of this.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">The ball will come out on time though <a href="https://t.co/liu4iDGp2g">pic.twitter.com/liu4iDGp2g</a></p>— YardsPerPass (@YardsPerPass) <a href="https://twitter.com/YardsPerPass/status/931118627939602433?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 16, 2017</a>
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<p id="adn3w9"><strong>Pocket Passing</strong><br>He will stand in the pocket and take some shots, he doesn’t have nearly the escapability that Taylor has. This is both good and bad, you don’t want you QB getting beat up. But you also want a guy that isn’t afraid to stand there and deliver the football.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Stands in the pocket and takes a big hit <a href="https://t.co/239j5g3sXs">pic.twitter.com/239j5g3sXs</a></p>— YardsPerPass (@YardsPerPass) <a href="https://twitter.com/YardsPerPass/status/931120280201809920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 16, 2017</a>
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<h2 id="sj7Rd3"><strong>Weaknesses</strong></h2>
<p id="6Kclrb"><strong>Footwork</strong><br>One thing that I have seen from Peterman is that his footwork can get messy at times. Here he makes a great throw to Jones and Zay’s catch is fantastic. But I wanted to look at the footwork on this throw. Now, no QB has perfect footwork all the time, but as a rookie, the speed of the NFL can cause problems and throws that would have been fast enough in college get defended in the pros. This one just happened to be perfect, but don’t confuse process with results. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Fantastic catch from Jones <a href="https://t.co/ylzAEfVz66">pic.twitter.com/ylzAEfVz66</a></p>— YardsPerPass (@YardsPerPass) <a href="https://twitter.com/YardsPerPass/status/931121557325385728?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 16, 2017</a>
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<p id="AkeLaT"><strong>“Gunslinging”</strong><br>I use this term because it is what <span>Micah Hyde</span> <a href="http://www.newyorkupstate.com/buffalo-bills/index.ssf/2017/11/why_micah_hyde_calls_buffalo_bills_rookie_qb_nathan_peterman_nate_favre.html">called the young QB</a>. Peterman looks like he is the type to always think he can make a play, this can have some negative consequences. You can’t let a bad play become a disaster and this is what almost happens here. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">It isn't all rainbows and butterflies w/ Peterman <a href="https://t.co/eiVyMFcbr6">pic.twitter.com/eiVyMFcbr6</a></p>— YardsPerPass (@YardsPerPass) <a href="https://twitter.com/YardsPerPass/status/931114839929491457?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 16, 2017</a>
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<p id="tONeDE"><strong>Anticipation </strong><br>I wanted to end on this one because I think that while Peterman’s ability to anticipate will be one of his biggest strengths it also might be the trait that causes some turnovers to occur as well. Peterman tries to throw the 2nd slant through, thinking that the 1st slant would occupy the defender. He’s incorrect and the <a href="https://www.canalstreetchronicles.com/">Saints</a> almost had a defensive touchdown to add to their collection. Peterman is still a rookie and will get fooled at times. As we all know getting fooled and not waiting until you see it can lead to interceptions.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">On another day, this might be 6 the other way <a href="https://t.co/2tTLm9h1hD">pic.twitter.com/2tTLm9h1hD</a></p>— YardsPerPass (@YardsPerPass) <a href="https://twitter.com/YardsPerPass/status/931125263697612800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 16, 2017</a>
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<p id="578lLk">I hope I was able to illustrate some of the things that we will see from Nate Peterman on Sunday. The offense is going to look a lot different with Peterman under center, hopefully it looks more good than bad.</p>
https://www.buffalorumblings.com/2017/11/16/16664876/buffalo-bills-scouting-report-what-does-nathan-peterman-bring-to-the-offense-all-22-analysisJon Ramsey2017-11-07T09:00:02-05:002017-11-07T09:00:02-05:00All-22: Bills’ blocking issues against the Jets a team-wide problem
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<img alt="NFL: Buffalo Bills at New York Jets" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/KDgw0lsuBYAWcsJ4Jum_xROr99s=/0x52:2565x1762/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/57497901/usa_today_10387379.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Bills’ offensive line wasn’t good, but their quarterback could have helped them out</p> <p id="QQQIyw">The Buffalo Bills’ offensive line was terrible against the New York Jets. There are a variety of reasons for poor line play - maybe the other team makes a good play, the offensive play called is against the exact wrong defense, something goes wrong downfield, the quarterback runs himself into trouble, or just poor play on the line’s own part can result in negative plays. I hope to show examples of each and discuss what went wrong. Finally, I just want to throw in my usual disclaimer: without knowing the exact play call and assignments, my analyses are just educated (and hopefully very good) guesses. </p>
<p id="d3pSHG"><strong>Play 1</strong></p>
<p id="Xt3bYK">This was the <a href="https://www.buffalorumblings.com/">Bills</a>’ first offensive play of the game, and it is an example of the Jets game planning to prevent the boot action that has been so successful for the Bills’ offense.</p>
<div id="F4MigV">
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Outside zone? I don't believe you <a href="https://t.co/UcKhmDvnwM">pic.twitter.com/UcKhmDvnwM</a></p>— YardsPerPass (@YardsPerPass) <a href="https://twitter.com/YardsPerPass/status/927522362123317248?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2017</a>
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<p id="gWM0BU">The edge defender has no interest in the run action, as his sole focus is on Tyrod Taylor’s bootleg. This is why offenses are systems that build off of themselves. If the Bills were a successful outside zone running team, the edge defender would at least need to honor the run and not take himself out of the play by going directly for the quarterback. However, since the Bills have been unable to run that particular play successfully, teams have been letting their backside edge defender ignore the run action and go right for Taylor, eliminating his ability to boot opposite of the run action.</p>
<p id="CGI8FX"><strong>Play 2</strong></p>
<p id="Y37GMd">I wanted to look at a play that gained positive yardage solely on the effort and skill of <span>LeSean McCoy</span>.</p>
<div id="c1AnqE">
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">McCoy should've had a loss of 3, instead gets 13 <a href="https://t.co/oVke8HgiRs">pic.twitter.com/oVke8HgiRs</a></p>— YardsPerPass (@YardsPerPass) <a href="https://twitter.com/YardsPerPass/status/927527603015168003?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2017</a>
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<p id="zqJvlu">This is a play the Bills have run a lot over the past couple of years; it’s your standard inside zone running play. However, you can see the Jets linebackers jump all over it and shoot the front side A and back side C gaps. This leads to a couple of problems. On the front side, the combo block is supposed to push the nose tackle up to the middle linebacker, but the middle linebacker moves so quickly that he is able to penetrate by the time <span>Eric Wood</span> can hit him. On the back side, the weak linebacker comes in unblocked, and I can tell you that probably isn’t the way it is drawn up. So on this play, it appears to be a combination of the Jets’ aggressive play and a mistake up front that would cause a loss of 3 for any mortal running back. However, McCoy somehow shakes two Jets defenders behind the line of scrimmage and gains 13. </p>
<p id="4ALNN7"><strong>Play 3</strong></p>
<p id="tvLaaC">Something I’ve noticed is that Taylor really needs his space to be a quality passer. This is why when he has been able to move outside the pocket or been given good depth from his offensive line, he has shown better results throwing the football. When the pocket is muddled, you start to see him lose effectiveness.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Interior pressure is killer for TT, especially when DEs are disciplined<br><br>When TT has space in pocket he's effective, not when this happens <a href="https://t.co/POKnZ4pPky">pic.twitter.com/POKnZ4pPky</a></p>— YardsPerPass (@YardsPerPass) <a href="https://twitter.com/YardsPerPass/status/927540317796143105?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2017</a>
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<div id="Rubh0V">
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">McCoy motioned to empty, Jets stick w/ the 5 man rush w/ man cov all around. Ball needs to get out quick <a href="https://t.co/Bmx9hEjp96">pic.twitter.com/Bmx9hEjp96</a></p>— YardsPerPass (@YardsPerPass) <a href="https://twitter.com/YardsPerPass/status/927539773195071493?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2017</a>
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<p id="xu0CpZ">It is tough to blame the QB when a guy basically comes free up the middle. The offensive line needs to give him half a second more. By coming at the Bills like this, the Jets’ defense was basically saying, “we don’t think your guys can get open before we can get to your QB.” They were also counting on the fact that even if guys did come open, the quarterback needs to find them and win from the pocket. When given time, you could say that Taylor had an above-average day throwing the ball from the pocket. </p>
<p id="qVAghQ"><strong>Play 4 </strong></p>
<p id="1cdZWT">I think you can put this play on multiple areas. As you can see, the offensive line is pushed into Taylor’s lap. However, the play is open when Taylor hits the final step of his drop (both the hook and out routes to his left). </p>
<div id="sudZrK">
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">QB needs to get rid of the ball. Needs to know his OL is having trouble holding up.<br><br>This one is on TT <a href="https://t.co/HUtj2UDvdu">pic.twitter.com/HUtj2UDvdu</a></p>— YardsPerPass (@YardsPerPass) <a href="https://twitter.com/YardsPerPass/status/927544134826676224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2017</a>
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<p id="zsyULw">In this view, you can see that Taylor looks to his left but does not release the football. By the time he wants to throw, there is no room for him to do so. If he does release it early, then the offensive line, while pushed back on this play, wouldn’t have allowed a sack.</p>
<div id="stUJPs">
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Like an alligator's jaw compressing on its prey.<br><br>Again 5 man rush vs 5 OL compressing things for Taylor <a href="https://t.co/z4xmzj3gAb">pic.twitter.com/z4xmzj3gAb</a></p>— YardsPerPass (@YardsPerPass) <a href="https://twitter.com/YardsPerPass/status/927543734941704193?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2017</a>
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<p id="36Qmft"><strong>Play 5</strong></p>
<p id="JpWuwy">The final play I wanted to look at was another run play, but not just any run play. It’s our favorite, the outside zone. </p>
<div id="uhSkYs">
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">I would love to know what the yards per carry on the outside zone is this season. Wonder if it is higher than 2 <a href="https://t.co/imiSP4A9Dr">pic.twitter.com/imiSP4A9Dr</a></p>— YardsPerPass (@YardsPerPass) <a href="https://twitter.com/YardsPerPass/status/927586470008942595?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2017</a>
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<p id="ntCKEG">One thing I have critiqued the Bills about when running this play is the backside cuts. Here, they did a fantastic job, as they cut two Jets down. The edge is a mess, though. This play is about getting horizontal movement and allowing the RB to make one cut upfield and keep going. When the edge defender pushes the offensive tackle three yards into the backfield, there is no chance for the play to even begin. It just illustrates how important setting that edge is. Even if you don’t get it going outside, you still need to give the running back room to make a cut. Without that, the play is doomed.</p>
<p id="5b2fVR">I hope I was able to show that the offensive line problems were a combined team effort. The Jets’ front 7 defenders seemed as if they were on the Bills’ side of the line of scrimmage all game. With their aggressive play, they were able to neutralize the Bills’ offense and win 1-on-1 battles up front. </p>
https://www.buffalorumblings.com/2017/11/7/16611976/nfl-week-9-buffalo-bills-offensive-line-problems-a-whole-team-issue-against-the-jets-tyrod-taylorJon Ramsey2017-10-12T15:45:01-04:002017-10-12T15:45:01-04:00Analysis: the case for Nathan Peterman
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<img alt="Buffalo Bills v Baltimore Ravens" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/uKkbkHc1r1DQ8XgmbqJcV_h_9AE=/0x0:5184x3456/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/57120999/839662096.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Should the rookie get a chance?</p> <p id="zMZR2G"><a href="http://www.wgr550.com/articles/opinion/narrative-buster">Nate Geary wrote an excellent article for WGR 550 </a>about why <span>Tyrod Taylor</span> should remain the starter for the <a href="https://www.buffalorumblings.com/">Buffalo Bills</a> and for the most part I do agree with it. I think Taylor should remain the starter, so please remember that while reading I understand this is a very one-sided piece. Then I started thinking about the offense in general. Would it be more successful with Peterman at quarterback? Which led me to channel my inner hot-takes and make the case for Nate Peterman at quarterback. </p>
<p id="NJkjRj">Currently, the offense (both run game and passing game) has been modified from coordinator Rick Dennison’s preferences. Dennison wants to run the ball mainly using the outside zone / stretch play and couple that with hard play action and a west coast drop back passing game. These three main tenets all do not fit what the talent that the Bills have at quarterback or offensive line.</p>
<p id="P99juA">A few statistics to demonstrate how bad the offense has been. Currently, the Bills rank 31st in yards per play. As a whole, the team has under 300 yards of offense in four straight games and under 200 yards of passing, as well. Out of all teams that have played five games, the Bills have gained the fewest yards. In fact, there are five teams that have only played 4 games that have more yards on offense than the Bills. The Bills have the highest sacked percentage in the NFL at 11.7%, which means that approximately 1 out of every 8.5 times the Bills drop back to pass, the quarterback is sacked. The Bills rank 27th in net yards per passing attempt which takes into account sack yardage. The passing game is 29th in yards per game (165) only topping Jacksonville, Baltimore, and Miami. The offense also is 28th in 1st downs. </p>
<p id="meWad0">Advanced stats (DVOA) ranks the Bills offense 23rd (pass 18th, rush 28th). However, looking at per-drive stats shows that the Bills are 27th in drive success rate (drives that get at least one 1st down or TD). They are 29th in touchdowns per drive, 31st in punts per drive (2nd most), and 29th in 3 and outs per drive (4th most). </p>
<p id="GXT6MX">In the Cincinnati game the Bills had four drives that started in Cincinnati territory and scored one touchdown, kicked 2 field goals, and punted once. Any additional points from those drives could have meant a victory. What all of these statistics say is that no matter how you look at the offense it is quite poor and is wasting amazing efforts from the defense. </p>
<p id="uQ0ntU">With the team struggling to run the football, the other way to stay ahead of the chains is a short, high percentage passing game, something that Taylor struggles with. Taylor over his career has shown that he is a highly variable quarterback; he makes a lot of splashy big plays, but also struggles to make the smaller, more consistent plays. As many have noticed and written, the three-step passing game has been virtually eliminated from the playbook due to Taylor’s inability to be successful in it. Peterman’s strength in college and the preseason has shown to be the quick passing game. He gets the ball out of his hand quickly, accurately, and with anticipation. One of Dennison’s main tenants is the west coast horizontal passing game. Putting in Peterman would allow Dennison to run more of his offense and help an offense that is struggling to just get first downs. The short-passing, timing-based offense that Dennison wants to run does not require a big arm or excellent escapability, it requires a quarterback that can distribute the ball quickly and with precision. </p>
<p id="CHTBzz">Football, of course, is a team game and the Bills struggles with the offensive line have been well documented. With Taylor needing plays that take longer to develop, he puts a struggling offensive line into situation where they need to block longer. A quick passing game would help cover those flaws and eliminate the negative plays that kill drives. </p>
<p id="LXXmDA">The first play of the Bills’ final drive against the <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/">Bengals</a> is an excellent illustration of that. An offense that is missing an explosive passing game will struggle even more when it creates negative plays. One of Taylor’s biggest strengths is his legs, something that can help an offensive line, have not been used in the offense this year. There is a lack of quarterback run game (other than the terrible Tecmo Super Bowl QB sweep that they have run twice). Taylor’s biggest passing strength is the downfield passing game, however, <span>Sammy Watkins</span> is not walking through that door. The Bills do not have any downfield passing threats, so again one of Taylor’s strengths has been nullified. I must say that none of this is his fault, that he is a square peg trying to get jammed into a round hole. </p>
<p id="pJ6sFV">Finally, over the past few years, I think we know what Taylor can do well and what he struggles with. He hasn’t shown the improvement that many thought he would show, especially from the pocket. On the bench, the Bills have a quarterback whose strengths are what the offense wants and needs. The offense desperately needs some consistency and pressure taken off the run game. Peterman showed the ability to spread the ball around to all players including the wide receivers. Under Taylor, only 32% of passing yardage has gone to receivers. Now with Clay out, the wideouts will need to be involved in the passing game. </p>
<p id="SzBw3o">Finally, I want to end with one question, with as bad as the offense has been; could it actually get any worse? </p>
https://www.buffalorumblings.com/2017/10/12/16464060/analysis-buffalo-bills-start-nathan-peterman-bench-tyrod-taylor-west-coast-offense-rick-dennisonJon Ramsey2017-10-06T08:00:01-04:002017-10-06T08:00:01-04:00Video Analysis: Hyde-ing in plain sight
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<img alt="NFL: Buffalo Bills at Atlanta Falcons" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/DrMSUB8pEJLZfdImuHOq1tmifXo=/0x0:5208x3472/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/57028615/usa_today_10321489.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>When skill and luck combine.</p> <p id="fai0qA">The <a href="https://www.buffalorumblings.com/">Buffalo Bills</a> are off to a 3-1 start, surprising many in Western NY. This start has come mainly due to the strength of their defense, which some also might consider surprising due to the fact that in the past couple of years the Bills have had more success on the offensive side of the football. What this says about the past coaching staff, might be best left unsaid for now. </p>
<p id="eIyAl7">However, what I do want to talk about today is what has been powering the Bills strong defense, and that is turnovers. In total, the Bills defense forced three turnovers and scored a defensive touchdown against the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/atlanta-falcons">Atlanta Falcons</a>. One man was responsible for two of those turnovers himself. That man is safety Micah Hyde. Hyde came over to the Bills from the <a href="https://www.acmepackingcompany.com/">Packers</a> as a free agent signing. What is interesting about Hyde is that the Packers used him a variety of ways, including slot corner and both safety positions. The Bills however, have tended to use him most playing deep at free safety. Of course, this isn’t to say that Hyde hasn’t been used elsewhere, just that he has been more of a deep safety here in Buffalo versus when he was with Green Bay.</p>
<p id="xC9ZDR">Now that we have our background on Hyde, let’s take a look at his two interceptions. The first play is a called “shot play.” What this means is that Atlanta was looking for a big play, it is max protection, with seven guys staying in to block along with the opposite side tight end coming across to help sell the split-zone play action. In this situation a very common play call is a deep post along with a deep dig from the opposite side, to try to high/low the safety. The Falcons run something very similar but instead of the deep dig, the WR stops in the middle and then works himself back to the sideline. The Bills are in a basic cover-3 coverage here, with safety <span>Jordan Poyer</span> as the eigth man in the box and Hyde in deep centerfield.</p>
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<p id="8Pz3il">When you watch the play, notice the linebackers come up hard on the play-action fake, but once they realize it is a pass, they do a great job dropping back and finding receivers to cover. When Gabriel runs the post, the defensive backs switch off the coverage like they are supposed to and it is one-on-one with Hyde and the speedy receiver. Being one of the fastest WRs in the league, Gabriel actually starts to step on Hyde and if Ryan throws the ball 65 yards he might have a touchdown here, but Ryan can only manage to get the ball about 57 yards which makes it a jump ball situation. If this was <span>Julio Jones</span>, it might not be as bad of a situation, but Hyde has a good 4-inch height advantage and does a great job attacking the ball at its highest point and coming down with the interception in a four point game. </p>
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<p lang="sv" dir="ltr">Hyde INT#1 <a href="https://t.co/vOaeCwyrb8">pic.twitter.com/vOaeCwyrb8</a></p>— YardsPerPass (@YardsPerPass) <a href="https://twitter.com/YardsPerPass/status/915933549748015104?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 5, 2017</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Go up and get it young man <a href="https://t.co/5Co9ZzerkW">pic.twitter.com/5Co9ZzerkW</a></p>— YardsPerPass (@YardsPerPass) <a href="https://twitter.com/YardsPerPass/status/914921792040521729?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2017</a>
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<p id="ahM4y2">The second of Hyde’s two interceptions takes place on 3rd and 17 with the Bills up 20-17 and under 4 minutes left in the 4th quarter. The Falcons have “11” personnel on the field with one tight end and one running back, but have everyone spread out wide. At the bottom of the picture, you can see linebacker <span>Matt Milano</span> lined up over running back <span>Devonta Freeman</span>, and if you look at the alignments/shades of all of the other defenders you can a pretty good indication that this is man coverage. The Bills also show a late rotation to a 2-deep look, which Ryan seems to notice judging by his throw choice. </p>
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<p id="bIlyVx">When looking at the play you can see Johnson playing excellent trail coverage. The coverage is 2-man, so he knows that he has help over the top, so he can be aggressive and challenge anything underneath. Also by being underneath the receiver any type of throw by Ryan will need to have a bit more air under it to get it to the receiver. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Hyde INT #2. Ryan really trying to thread the needle, WR wasn't open <a href="https://t.co/T15ddaCbWI">pic.twitter.com/T15ddaCbWI</a></p>— YardsPerPass (@YardsPerPass) <a href="https://twitter.com/YardsPerPass/status/915937805422886912?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 5, 2017</a>
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<p id="d84SGa">I included this screenshot because I thought it was amazing that Ryan would attempt this throw. Granted it was 3rd and 17, and his team was down 3, but there is absolutely nowhere to throw this football.</p>
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<p id="nSNWER">The EZ view is here, I am not sure that it is physically possible to get the ball in there, the coverage is perfect. Finally, great credit to Hyde for breaking on the ball. The Bills have tended to play their safeties a bit deeper, so being able to make up that ground and make a play is a huge deal.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">EZ view of Hyde's 2nd INT, great example of trail coverage w/ safety help over the top <a href="https://t.co/rk0w4ZGMAX">pic.twitter.com/rk0w4ZGMAX</a></p>— YardsPerPass (@YardsPerPass) <a href="https://twitter.com/YardsPerPass/status/915949860637077505?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 5, 2017</a>
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<p id="sZND9s">As we all know, Hyde’s interception led to a field goal, which forced the Falcons to have to go for a touchdown instead of a tying field goal on their final drive. The Bills formula for winning this year is stellar defense, forcing turnovers, and not hurting yourself on offense. The <a href="https://www.catscratchreader.com/">Carolina Panthers</a> game is a good example of what happens if the offense struggles and you do not get turnovers. But if the offense can move the ball a little more, and the defense continues its top-tier play, a certain eight-letter word that Jim Mora made famous might be in play.</p>
<p id="tyr9Fb">BONUS GIF!</p>
<p id="24C8ow">Just had to include this one so everyone could watch again, one of Tyrod Taylor’s best throws as a Bill. Especially because <span>Charles Clay</span> isn’t either of the main options for the play.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">All22 view of the big play to Clay. Falcons so worried about the deep over, Clay gets behind the flat defender and the throw is <a href="https://t.co/0PQNeLpUVy">pic.twitter.com/0PQNeLpUVy</a></p>— YardsPerPass (@YardsPerPass) <a href="https://twitter.com/YardsPerPass/status/915953957503213568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 5, 2017</a>
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https://www.buffalorumblings.com/2017/10/6/16429206/buffalo-bills-video-analysis-micah-hyde-intercepts-matt-ryan-twice-atlanta-falconsJon Ramsey2017-09-27T15:00:02-04:002017-09-27T15:00:02-04:00Analysis: what’s going on with McCoy and the Bills rushing attack?
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<figcaption>Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Bills run game has been lackluster for sure.</p> <p id="X4lAkl">The <a href="https://www.buffalorumblings.com/">Buffalo Bills</a> running game is having major problems. Whose fault are they? Has LeSean McCoy lost a step? Did the offensive line regress? Is Rick Dennison’s scheme and/or playcalling to blame? Let’s dive in.</p>
<p id="xVIO5e">I want to start this out by saying I am not a professional football coach, everything I am saying the coaches inside One Bills Drive already know. The purpose of this article is just to simplify things a little bit and illustrate where the team is having problems.</p>
<p id="RDRcs7">The first example is from the game against the <a href="https://www.catscratchreader.com/">Carolina Panthers</a> and it is a good example of the variety of issues that the run game is having. This is the outside zone running play that was made famous by Denver and is a core run of the Dennison offense. I don’t want to get into the exact jobs of every lineman in great detail, but on the play side, if there is a defensive lineman lined up over you, you try and pin him inside, and if not you try and get to a linebacker. On the backside of the play, this is generally where you will see cut blocks to try and get the defensive linemen on the ground to allow for cut backs. The running back will aim for the tight end and then read the end man on the line of scrimmage, if he is pinned inside, then he goes outside. If the end man is outside, then you look for the next defensive lineman to make your one cut off of him. This play thrives off of getting the defense to move horizontally to create seams and gaps for the running back to hit. The defense obviously wants to set the edge hard to the outside and then keep gap integrity to the backside, like a set of jaws clamping down, leaving the back with nowhere to go.</p>
<p id="rcFsq0">Let’s take a look at what happened on this play. The first thing to notice is the miscommunication between the tight end and left tackle. Next looking at the left guard, he gets driven back two yards and is unable to reach the defensive tackle. All of this, however can be okay, if the backside has done its job. The center, climbs to the 2nd level, but is unable to engage with the linebacker and the right guard tries to cut the defensive tackle but can’t get him on the ground. The right tackle does seal the defensive end on his side. The video also illustrates the huge holes that can occur with the outside zone run play. You could make the argument that even with all that went wrong on this play, if the linebacker gets blocked it could’ve been a decent gain. It also illustrates the multitude of possible causes for the poor performance.</p>
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<p id="hw55Be">Another example here, this time from game against the <a href="https://www.milehighreport.com/">Denver Broncos</a>. Same problems occur; the front side is shut down and the backside defenders aren’t cut and/or blocked, leaving nowhere for the running back to go.</p>
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<p id="rqAq8y">It is not all outside zone either, even on other run plays, the Bills offensive line is just getting beaten. On this play there is little movement playside and the linebacker shoots the gap and gets into the backfield. At the end of the play there are three Bills linemen on the ground. </p>
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<p id="qlfboS">Finally, sometimes it is playcalling. I think we all remember this 4th down call vs the Panthers. </p>
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<p id="tdNuiN">The main thing I wanted to illustrate with this article was that it is a total team effort on the run game. The run scheme is a drastic switch from what the team ran last year; as drastic of a switch as the defense went through from Jim Schwartz to Rex Ryan. There isn’t one player or coach you can point to and say that it is all their fault. Everyone up front is struggling right now and need to get better. Will the coaches go back to more of a 2016 run game is an interesting question because they did it last week with the passing game. However, I do think a lot of this run game is here to stay as a lot of the play action passing game is based off of it. Atlanta will be a tough test, the offense will need to score points to compete and without any type of success on the ground, scoring points will be a difficult task. </p>
https://www.buffalorumblings.com/2017/9/27/16373358/buffalo-bills-video-gif-analysis-run-game-lesean-mccoy-rick-dennison-tyrod-taylor-richie-incognitoJon Ramsey2017-09-17T16:31:36-04:002017-09-17T16:31:36-04:00Video analysis: whose fault was the final 4th down play?
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<img alt="NFL: Buffalo Bills at Carolina Panthers" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/4Phi9Gh3j9iG-hYIBBtXUk9nqjQ=/3x0:2777x1849/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/56720221/usa_today_10288033.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Whose fault was the 4th down play?</p> <p id="Ux9ldK">After a day where the offense really struggled, the <a href="https://www.buffalorumblings.com/">Buffalo Bills</a> had a long 4th down they had to convert in order to keep their chance to win the game alive. The Bills are in an empty set with McCoy split out wide and Jones in the slot. With a cornerback over McCoy you can get some indication that the Carolina <a href="https://www.catscratchreader.com/">Panthers</a> are playing zone. The Bills a running a smash route combination which is a corner route from the inside receiver and a short underneath route from the outside receiver (usually a hitch or quick in). </p>
<p id="Gz3c8w">You can see in the GIF below that Jones finds open space in the Panthers coverage and is open. The rookie has to spin back for the football but manages to get both hands on the ball and is unable to make the catch. The timing and accuracy between Jones and Taylor isn’t perfect but the correct decision was made. Tough way to lose, and a waste of a stellar effort from the defense.</p>
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<p id="dWX2yK">I don't like to assign blame because we don't know if the wide receiver made his break too early or late, but yeah the throw should probably be better, but the timing and/or accuracy between the two was off. </p>
<p id="hwA8Jm">After the game, Jones said he should have made the catch and it was <a href="https://twitter.com/MatthewFairburn/status/909516999046385664">a good throw</a> from Taylor. Taylor <a href="https://twitter.com/buffalobills/status/909517108907831301">said he has Jones’ back</a>.</p>
<p id="VdZrbJ">Should Jones have been moving more vertically toward the pylon? Did Tyrod throw it behind him to avoid the trailing cornerback (24)? Was it merely just a metter of Tyrod throwing it a split-second late? It’s impossible to know.</p>
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https://www.buffalorumblings.com/2017/9/17/16323118/final-play-buffalo-bills-carolina-panthers-tyrod-taylor-fault-zay-jones-video-analysisJon Ramsey