kgun12 (09-29-2022),Night Train (09-29-2022)
https://streamable.com/p2yvfy
This is the type of play that drives me insane with Edmunds.
Overall he played ok in that Titans game. This is really the only play Henry made all day. But it shows why his instincts are so problematic at times.
There's a double team block up front. He's behind it. He needs to make a choice. Fill the hole inside (still a TD), fill it to the outside (chance to stop him).
But Edmunds does neither. He gets directly behind the DT and stays there, in the endzone, waiting to watch Henry celebrate or something.
A Good MLB fills one of those two holes. Maybe they pick wrong, but Edmunds was unblocked yet still absolutely useless.
He's done this constantly through his career. He doesn't like getting in the dirty areas, he's perfectly happy to let himself be blocked out of the play or hang back to join in the tackle late.
This thread should turn into another “let’s bash Edmunds” debacle. It’s really boring and stupid.
When I heard about Boomer’s trade idea, I took it as more fantasy musing than a realistic option. Putting aside the improbability (on so many fronts).....what Boomer is suggesting is something that many of us here, including myself, have been saying for at least the past two years.
The Bills need a more dynamic RB and improved running game. With someone like Barkley in the backfield with Allen, the Bills would be virtually unstoppable. The two high safety defense that is now common for defending the Bills (and other dynamic passing offenses) passing game would be made a liability.
Certainly, much of the reason why the Bills running game sucks most of the time is also on the O-line. Which did a terrible job against Miami, with the backups not up to the task, and the player that was supposed to bring experience and stability to the G position, Saffold, the biggest disappointment on the whole team.
Joe B. in his All-22 film review, details the reality....
OUCH!!!
The listless running game is so much more than the RBs’ fault
When reviewing the film, the first thing that stood out was just the sheer volume of dependency on quarterback Josh Allen. Of the 90 total plays run, Allen had direct involvement either as a passer, runner or getting sacked in 75 of them — and an unbelievable Allen-to-run ratio of 83 to 17 percent. And it’s not as though it’s a one-off. The Bills did away with their ground game up until garbage time in Week 2 against the Titans, and the initial inclination is to blame the running backs. But when you analyze the full scope of the ground game against the Dolphins, Devin Singletary, Zack Moss and James Cookreally didn’t stand a chance.
The key focus is on yards before contact. The Bills had one breakout play when Moss busted off a 43-yard run where he was untouched until driven out of bounds. It’s a great run, but it’s like hosting a party and keeping everyone confined to one spotless room when the rest of the house is in complete shambles. On the other 13 carries combined, the three Bills running backs had a total of one yard before contact. That’s an average runway of 0.08 yards before contact per rush. The backs were set up to fail. To advance the point, here is a look at each of the 14 running plays involving the running backs and how they all broke down.
- First quarter, 13:51 – Quintin Morris and Dawson Knox both whiffed on pass rusher Melvin Ingram on a play that looked designed to head outside. It forced Devin Singletary inside and to make something out of nothing. Yards before contact: -3, Yards gained: -2
- First quarter, 10:33 – From the Dolphins’ 5-yard line, this was one of the Bills’ better-blocked reps. Left guard Rodger Saffold and center Greg Van Roten did a nice job to clear the lane, but right tackle Spencer Brown blew his block. That attracted right guard Ryan Bates’ attention enough for him to be a bit too slow getting to the second level and take up the LB, which would have sprung Singletary into the end zone. Yards before contact: 4, yards gained: 4
- First quarter, 6:37 – A delayed handoff to Zack Moss and Bates went to trap the linebacker, but Bates lost his block immediately after Moss read the play and made his cut, and Moss was stuffed on the spot. Yards before contact: 1, yards gained: 1
- First quarter, 6:04 – Moss took the handoff, but Van Roten’s assignment kept the blocker off his pads and filled a lane up the middle, which forced Moss to the left. Saffold’s assignment also didn’t contain his block and secured the tackle on Moss. Yards before contact: 0, yards gained: 1
- First quarter, 0:49 – A Singletary wide left rush was sealed on the outside, but both Saffold and Van Roten were not quick enough to the spot and lost their blocks, which forced Singletary back inside. A more explosive runner may have been able to get to the edge for more yards, but it would have been tight. Yards before contact: 1, yards gained: 1
- Third quarter, 12:56 – With their back to their end zone, Knox and Bates had an instant loss at the line of scrimmage, forcing Singletary to dodge two tacklers in the end zone. It was a marvelous escape. He somehow didn’t contact either player and salvaged the play for a gain. Yards before contact: 2, yards gained: 3
- Third quarter, 10:19 – James Cook’s first attempt was designed as an outside rush to the right. Morris stumbled during his block and couldn’t secure the lane between him and receiver Gabe Davis, who had his block secured. Defenders were waiting to the outside, so Cook charged forward but was tackled by Morris’ missed assignment. Yards before contact: 2, yards gained: 3
- Third quarter, 6:10 – Morris immediately lost his block and Singletary was tackled well into the backfield. Singletary managed to get a couple of yards back. Yards before contact: -4, yards gained -2
- Third quarter, 0:43 – The Dolphins were in man-to-man coverage and expecting a pass off an RPO. Most of the defenders were taken to the left side of the formation, and Moss took the handoff right. Knox sealed his block and helped take out linebacker Elandon Roberts, who was too far forward. Receiver Isaiah McKenzie maintained a block on his cornerback, and Moss was out in open space. He made one defender miss and went into a full sprint down the sideline for a huge gain. Yards before contact: 43, yards gained: 43
- Third quarter, 0:35 – Right tackle David Quessenberry whiffs on his block and right guard Tommy Doyle couldn’t secure the linebacker on the second level and both defenders hit Moss deep in the backfield. Moss somehow managed to get positive yardage out of the play. Yards before contact: -3, yards gained: 1
- Fourth quarter, 10:05 – The Bills’ second-best rush of the game. A pin-and-pull rush attempt, Quessenberry doesn’t pin his man adequately, but a pulling Doyle and Van Roten did a nice job. At the same time, Knox took out the linebacker and it freed up a rushing lane for Singletary. Yards before contact: 6, yards gained: 6
- Fourth quarter, 7:16 – Saffold completely missed his block on defensive tackle Christian Wilkins for an instant loss and Singletary was tackled immediately after the handoff. Yards before contact: -3, yards gained: -2
- Fourth quarter, 3:14 – Saffold whiffs on Wilkins, but Singletary reacts and ran to the opposite side of Wilkins’ win. Singletary salvaged four yards despite being tripped. Yards before contact: 1, yards gained: 4
- Fourth quarter, 2:36 – Saffold was pushed into the backfield and fullback Reggie Gilliam didn’t pick up the linebacker. Singletary had to sidestep Saffold in the backfield, which messed up the timing. Yards before contact: -2, yards gained: 1
Notice a trend? That leads us to our next takeaway.
Could a first class RB help mask an O-line deficiency?? Maybe. Maybe not. We see so many times how one special player effects other on his team.
If I said it once on this board I said it a 100 times. RB’s are a dime a dozen. If you have a good oline anyone can run the ball! Look at the good Denver teams, one back gets hurt the next guy jumps right in, didn’t matter who it was they produced!
Retired Air Traffic Controller
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DAV
This is the perfect description of Edmunds entire career! Goal line defense is about filling a gap. The sad part is he runs into the ass of his lineman more often than not does this no matter what part of the field the ball is.
When Edmunds makes a play, it’s more of the blind squirrel theory than good instincts.
I could show several similar examples from last years games against Henry and Taylor. He dances behind the defender or engages the blocker instead of shooting a gap.
To his credit, when they sent him on a blitz last week he did well. He got the sack because he was unblocked. He then made a nice play in coverage. But even if "coverage" is he strength, the guy has 4 career Int's in 4+ years. Devin Llyod has played 3 NFL games and has 2.
However.... in that game he had 2 tackles(!) and one was the sack! I prefer my MLB to have more than 1 tackle. He had 5 against Miami, 3 solo and 2 assists.
kgun12 (09-30-2022)