Run Less, Pass More Hackett

[BillsImpossible]

Tastes great, less filling.

It took two injuries to their starting running backs, and now the Buffalo Bills are primarily a passing offense instead of a running offense.

Fred Jackson plays a huge role in the Bills run heavy offense. Boobie can't replace Fred in so many ways.

This might be a good thing. Maybe a great thing because the Bills are now going to be forced to throw more.

"Throw more?!"

:hiclap:

Hackett has a huge opportunity to transform his offense in to a passing machine. The Bills have a lot of talent at wide receiver, the kind of overall talent Tom Brady dreams about.

With Fred Jackson and CJ Spiller out for now, I think that means players like Watkins, Hogan, Woods, Chandler, and Goodwin get more plays.

Duh.

Run blocking is not the strength of the offensive line to say it politely.

Double Duh.

Pass blocking doesn't come easy for the Bills offensive line either, but they're better at pass blocking compared to run blocking.

For 3 straight games Kyle Orton has hovered at or right around 300 yards passing. When is the last time a Bills quarterback had back to back to back games like that?

Every sign in the NFL universe is glaringly pointing in the passing direction.

Follow the signs, Doug and Nathaniel, follow the signs.

[YardRat]

Unless the Jets get up big early, we're probably going to see a healthy dose of Boobie and Brown.

[RedEyE]

I agree with YardRat. This team can't go all Packer pass offense with this line. The bills need the run to be effective to keep the linebackers honest and the pressure off Orton.

[BillsImpossible]

I agree with YardRat. This team can't go all Packer pass offense with this line. The bills need the run to be effective to keep the linebackers honest and the pressure off Orton.

The Patriots line sucks, can't run the ball for nothing so what do they do against the Bills?

Pass. Tom Brady had one great throw in that game for a TD, and it was the longest ball he threw all day. Everything else was short and quick, and they carved up the Bills secondary with small passing slices all day long.

If you can't run, pass!

It's so freaking obvious. Why continue to bang your head up against a brick wall when it's not working?

[Thurmal]

The Jets have a good run D and a weak secondary so, knowing Hackett, he will probably be more than happy to give our 4th-string RB who has never dressed for a game 30+ carries.

[RedEyE]

Tom Brady and the Patriot offense has perfected the quick release nickel and dime. Hackett doesn't understand this concept. His offense tools around the timing plays and screens that take time for development. Its why you see Orton holding the ball for longer periods if time. Its why this decrepit inner line is caving on most pass plays to less talented defensive lines.

I don't believe the running game with Brown and Dixon is too far off from Fred and CJ. We will see a heavy dose of both IMO.

[BillsImpossible]

Doug Marrone recently said in an interview, "We might have to go to our short passing game."

The Bills offense has been based on a heavy dose of the run, and a lot of long passing routes.

Since Orton took over at quarterback, the short passing game has been minimal. Most of his passes are longer than 10 yards.

[Forward_Lateral]

How good is Boobie at catching balls? I'm not as worried about the two guys (Brown Boobies) replacing the running game as I am the passing game. Fred was a huge part of the passing game. How many screens did he pick up the first down on 3rd and long? A lot.

[Night Train]

We keep saying we need to run and Dixon/Brown are much bigger than Fred/Spiller.. but the OL still struggles in run blocking. We'll see.

[Forward_Lateral]

We keep saying we need to run and Dixon/Brown are much bigger than Fred/Spiller.. but the OL still struggles in run blocking. We'll see.

I think the O-line struggled more when trying to run outside than they did when Fred was in there. The playcalling may be part of that as well. Now they might be forced to just try to pound out 3-4 yards on every carry and see what happens.

[WagonCircler]

I agree with YardRat. This team can't go all Packer pass offense with this line. The bills need the run to be effective to keep the linebackers honest and the pressure off Orton.

It's too bad, too. Because I have been really impressed with the Receivers. And not just Sammy. Woods, Hogan and Chandler lately (where did this come from?). If Orton had decent protection, this Offense could be explosive.

The problem is, the protection will be even worse without Fred back there.

Fred is the glue. Fred is the truth. Get well soon, Fred. Please.

[better days]

I think the O-line struggled more when trying to run outside than they did when Fred was in there. The playcalling may be part of that as well. Now they might be forced to just try to pound out 3-4 yards on every carry and see what happens.

Well, the Bills have been trying to pound out 3-4 yards per carry since the first game of the season.

The problem is they were asking CJ Spiller to do that. CJ is a big play RB, not a run between the tackles RB.

[better days]

It's too bad, too. Because I have been really impressed with the Receivers. And not just Sammy. Woods, Hogan and Chandler lately (where did this come from?). If Orton had decent protection, this Offense could be explosive.

The problem is, the protection will be even worse without Fred back there.

Fred is the glue. Fred is the truth. Get well soon, Fred. Please.

I think Frank Summers will see playing time because of his blocking ability.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

Run less, pass more? We had 43 pass attempts vs. 18 called rushes against Minnesota.
But Illuminatus, we lost both our starting halfbacks in that game!

Ok, against New England, we had 38 passes vs. 23 rushes.
But Illuminatus, we had three turnovers and spent the whole game chasing the Patriots' score!

Ok, against Detroit we had 42 passes vs. 21 rushes.
Against Houston we had 44 passes vs. 22 rushes
Against San Diego 40 passes vs. 22 rushes.

This team has already been pass-wacky for over a month. We don't need to pass more, we need to run more and run more effectively.

[Generalissimus Gibby]

Unless the Jets get up big early, we're probably going to see a healthy dose of Boobie and Brown.

Wait you go to see football games at a nudie bar?

[mightysimi]

I think Frank Summers will see playing time because of his blocking ability.

The danger being tipping your hand as Summers isn't really a threat to run.

[Forward_Lateral]

Well, the Bills have been trying to pound out 3-4 yards per carry since the first game of the season.

The problem is they were asking CJ Spiller to do that. CJ is a big play RB, not a run between the tackles RB.

They've tried doing it when FJ and Boobie are in there. With CJ I'd say 75% of the running plays called have been tosses, sweeps, whatever you wanna call them.

[better days]

The danger being tipping your hand as Summers isn't really a threat to run.

I think Frank can run as well as Boobie, & he has good hands so he could catch a few balls as well.

[better days]

They've tried doing it when FJ and Boobie are in there. With CJ I'd say 75% of the running plays called have been tosses, sweeps, whatever you wanna call them.

I would call the play calling a mess, especially run plays.

I agree most of the plays to CJ were tosses, but we have no idea where the play was supposed to go because a defensive player was in the backfield at about the same time Spiller got the ball.

The best play Hackett called for Spiller was the last play that CJ had maybe as a Bill.

[Fletch]

Unless the Jets get up big early, we're probably going to see a healthy dose of Boobie and Brown.

Captain Obvious speaks.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

With CJ I'd say 75% of the running plays called have been tosses, sweeps, whatever you wanna call them.


I would call the play calling a mess, especially run plays.

I agree most of the plays to CJ were tosses, but we have no idea where the play was supposed to go because a defensive player was in the backfield at about the same time Spiller got the ball.

The best play Hackett called for Spiller was the last play that CJ had maybe as a Bill.

I don't know that we've run a single toss this season. It's been a steady diet of dives, draws, and zone read when Manuel was in.

And CJ's last run wasn't anything special in the playcall, it was the execution. The defense overcommitted and the left side of our OL had an uncommonly dominant play, so Spiller cut it back and out ran the contain.

[Fletch]

I don't know that we've run a single toss this season. It's been a steady diet of dives, draws, and zone read when Manuel was in.

And CJ's last run wasn't anything special in the playcall, it was the execution. The defense overcommitted and the left side of our OL had an uncommonly dominant play, so Spiller cut it back and out ran the contain.

That's been the way with quite a few of his longer runs, just great holes and lots of open area. It's gone unnoticed by most people that cite his longer runs that very few have actually been for TDs. With all that speed I would think that it would have been the opposite.

Same for Watkins to a lesser extent. IMO both players have found out (Spiller's case) and are finding out (Watkins' case) that the speed that they had in college isn't accomplishing nearly as much in the NFL. I expect Watkins to be a good WR, but pretty average as starting WRs go.