Keep Pounding The Rock, Hackett

[BillsImpossible]

4 passing TD's and what would have been 5 but Sammy got a little carried away.

None of those passes by Orton would have been possible if the Bills didn't run the ball against the vaunted NY Jets run defense.

The Bills running game was like a slow cooked pot roast that helped set up the 4/would be 5 TD passes that blew out the Jets.

I saw a big difference between CJ Spiller and Boobie Dixon.

Dixon never once tried to break outside, he pounded and punched the ball for 3 or 4 yards up the middle on first down instead of 1 or 2 yards by Spiller, and Dixon got another 2 or 3 on second down setting up 3rd and 5 situations throughout the game.

Dixon and Brown delivered punishing runs against the Jets defensive front and wore them down over time. That's why coaches like to run the ball up the middle of the defense, to soften them up by delivering small, punishing blows that gradually wear them down throughout the game.

Gaining 3 yards up the middle against one of the best run defenses in the NFL is not easy.

Doug Marrone delivered some of his own, "ground and pound," chuck meat medicine to Rex Ryan.

Orton got sacked 4 times. Sure, let's pass more....seriously?

Look how that worked out in Houston. The Bills passed all day and got burned.

Imagine how many times Orton would have been sacked if the Bills threw the ball more?

Zero turnovers and 4 scores on 17 passes.

Win.

On a side note, I think the Bills have a lot more plays designed for Sammy Watkins that haven't been seen yet...routes that haven't been run or seen on film.

If your defense is in total control of the game, why whip out your offensive plays for the rest of the NFL to see when you don't have to?

[B-DON]

If Dixon was getting 4-5 yds every first down and 2-3 every 2nd/3rd down how did he only end up with 44yds on 22 carries? Play calling was unimpressive once again.

[YardRat]

Pounding the rock is one thing...running into walls over and over again quite another.

[BillsImpossible]

If Dixon was getting 4-5 yds every first down and 2-3 every 2nd/3rd down how did he only end up with 44yds on 22 carries? Play calling was unimpressive once again.

The Bills ran the ball to set up the pass. It worked.

[BillsImpossible]

Pounding the rock is one thing...running into walls over and over again quite another.

At least Dixon didn't try to bounce the run outside and lose 3 yards.

Bills were facing one of the best run defenses in the league, and they didn't pussy out.

[B-DON]

The Bills ran the ball to set up the pass. It worked.

I saw it more as trying to force the run

[BillsImpossible]

I saw it more as trying to force the run

I completely agree. They forced the run, even though the run wasn't going for much.

The run still set up the pass.

[BertSquirtgum]

The Bills ran the ball to set up the pass. It worked.

No.

[YardRat]

If 'running the ball to set up the pass' is equal to 'forcing yourself into a passing situation on third down after failing to gain 4 or 5 yards on the first two downs running the ball after being gifted field position' then I guess that could apply.

[Jry44]

Marrone is a very conservative coach. As a die hard Syracuse fan he drove me mad with his conservative style. When he gets a lead with his defense playing well, he will take the air out of the ball and rely on his defense. It's not entirely Hacketts play calls, it's equally Marrones directives.

[BOBM253]

all those 3 and outs will kill your defense too. Not a wise strategy to the extent the bills do it. Thankfully, this game, the jets helped us....

[DynaPaul]

I have no problem letting the running game go to set up the pass but do we have to run into the middle of the line EVERY SINGLE TIME? How about some "Power O", tosses, sweeps, pitches, screens? Anything besides running up the gut everytime. It's so predictable and makes for poor production. No imagination at all.

[mysticsoto]

I have no problem letting the running game go to set up the pass but do we have to run into the middle of the line EVERY SINGLE TIME? How about some "Power O", tosses, sweeps, pitches, screens? Anything besides running up the gut everytime. It's so predictable and makes for poor production. No imagination at all.

I do agree with BillsImpossible, but I also agree with this - they could stand to add variety even in their running game. However, I do think they should keep the RUN 1st attitude we have. When FJ was interviewed this past Monday after the Jets game, they asked him about the game plan and he said, "The Game Plan is to run! We're going to run and we're not going to give up on it or stop!" I love that! Forcing other teams to address the run is what is making our passing game look so much better that everyone wants more of it. But setting that up with the RUN is what is causing it. Our Oline needs to do a better job. We've had our Dline become dominant. Our secondary was dominant for the 1st time in the Jets game - now we need a game where our Oline steps up and becomes dominant! If that happens, we will massacre many teams we face!

[better days]

At least Dixon didn't try to bounce the run outside and lose 3 yards.

Bills were facing one of the best run defenses in the league, and they didn't pussy out.

Dixon doesn't have the speed to even think about trying to bounce the run outside.

[BOBM253]

At some point you have to be productive in the run game. Forcing three and outs by slamming repeatedly into a brick wall is not the answer. That one dimensional run play that keeps getting stuffed is not working. As others have said, we need to mix the run game up. Stop giving up yards and field position om the first 2 downs.

Running the same play for no gain is ridiculous and puts too much pressure on the third down play.

[justasportsfan]

The run game might have sucked but it was needed to stop the jets from killing Orton by blitzing him from who knows where.

Orton made it out of the game alive. So its all good.

[better days]

The run game might have sucked but it was needed to stop the jets from killing Orton by blitzing him from who knows where.

Orton made it out of the game alive. So its all good.

I think we all agree it is important to run the ball, especially against an aggressive blitzing Defense like the Jets.

The problem people have with Hackett is the run plays that he calls. The same plays over & over again when it is obvious they are not working.

Here is a clue for Hackett, draw plays can be very effective against an aggressive defense.

[mysticsoto]

The run game might have sucked but it was needed to stop the jets from killing Orton by blitzing him from who knows where.

Orton made it out of the game alive. So its all good.

I agree with this, but I sure wish they would develop screen plays to counter this instead. Previously with FJ and CJ, they can both catch the ball really well, so I know it wasn't b'cse of them. The only thing I can think of...points again to the Oline. I'd love to know, is the Oline that limited, is it that Hackett doesn't like screens much? Is it the inability of the Oline coach to get them to learn what to do? I'd love to know where the disconnect is...

[better days]

I agree with this, but I sure wish they would develop screen plays to counter this instead. Previously with FJ and CJ, they can both catch the ball really well, so I know it wasn't b'cse of them. The only thing I can think of...points again to the Oline. I'd love to know, is the Oline that limited, is it that Hackett doesn't like screens much? Is it the inability of the Oline coach to get them to learn what to do? I'd love to know where the disconnect is...

Screen plays & draw plays should have been the staple calls against that Jets Defense.

[justasportsfan]

I agree with this, but I sure wish they would develop screen plays to counter this instead. Previously with FJ and CJ, they can both catch the ball really well, so I know it wasn't b'cse of them. The only thing I can think of...points again to the Oline. I'd love to know, is the Oline that limited, is it that Hackett doesn't like screens much? Is it the inability of the Oline coach to get them to learn what to do? I'd love to know where the disconnect is...

I don't think our OL coach knows how to draw a screen pass. I miss D'Alessandris

[djjimkelly]

polian yesterday on nfl insider said he believes the jets front seven is the best in football. so i wont make any judgement on bills running game with dixon and brown yet.

2 yards a carry wont cut it vs the chiefs

[Meathead]

both sides have valid points here but the bottom line to me is its working so these are weeks it probably doesnt make sense to criticize offensive philosophy

two yds a carry is definitely weak but its a lot better than less than two yards a carry. by that i mean every extra yard on third down drops it by roughly close to ten percent so third and six is a lot better than third and ten. some drives youll have third and threes and some drives third and twelves

so on that part i agree, with a team with a good defense its part of a system, you have to keep running to keep the system working. as long as it produces five and threes im on board

secretly i would give my left coconut for chan as oc right now but hey you cant fire a guy at five and three lol

[cookie G]

If 'running the ball to set up the pass' is equal to 'forcing yourself into a passing situation on third down after failing to gain 4 or 5 yards on the first two downs running the ball after being gifted field position' then I guess that could apply.

Yeah, this reminds me of how some talked after the Dallas game a few years ago.

The D forced 6 turnovers and scored 3 times, but there were people talking about how good Trent Edwards looked while being shut out of the endzone.

A case of seriously misplaced credit.

As far as "setting up the TDs" or how none of the TD's would have been possible...

The Woods TD was on a 2nd and 16;
the long Watkins pass was on a 3rd and 7;
the Chandler TD was on a 3rd and 8;
the 2nd Watkins TD was on a 2 and 13.


The run game would have contributed as much to this game if they took a knee 32 times.

In the previous wins under Orton, against the Lions, they scored twice in the 4th Quarter by passing.
Against the Vikings, the first TD came from a 25 yard pass play following an INT. The other TD was on the final drive where they passed exclusively.

The Bears game seems like eons ago, and the running game hasn't contributed diddly since then.

The sad thing is...most people love a good running game, and know what it can do for an offense.

The sadder thing is..we don't have one, and we aren't going to get one as long as Hackett does what he does.

[Mr. Cynical]

Pounding the rock is one thing...running into walls over and over again quite another.

This.