Saturday, October 9, 2010

Three Quick Keys to Beating Jacksonville

1. Pass The F**king Ball

Before I started writing this piece, I was sure I would start off by claiming the Bills needed to re-affirm their commitment to the run, and I still believe they need to. After doing some research however, I'm convinced that what the Bills really need to do is attack down the field. The Jaguars defense hasn't been especially potent this year, but its been especially atrocious in the downfield passing game. They're last in the league in both passes of 20+ yards allowed (19) and 40+ (7). There should be some opportunities for Evans, Parrish and the rest of the receiving corps.

2. Stop The Run

You're going to accuse me of relying on cliches for this article, but there it is. The Bills are dead last in the league in yards surrendered per game (174!) and 26th in yards per carry. Its contributed mightily to the Bills being 31st in time of possession and 31st in third down percentage (only ahead of the Patriots interestingly).

The onus is very much going to be on Kyle Williams and the two inside backers for this one. The Jaguars have get more first downs running up the middle that any else in the league- they 20 so far this year (the number two team, Philadelphia, has 13). I would hope to see a lot of Troup in the base 3-4, and/or a heavier 4-3 (with say Kelsay, Stroud, Williams and Edwards for example). The Jags haven't been running over a lot of teams this year (only 4.1 yards a carry), but they are committed. It will be crucial to force them into third and long situations and put the ball in David Garrard's hands.

3. Get Creative on the Edges

The Jags offensive tackle position has been a mess this year, so its a great opportunity for the Bills pass rush to show some signs of life. While the Bills aren't boiling over with talent at the OLB position, they should be able to win some one on one battles. More importantly, they should be able to confuse Jacksonville's young tackles with overloads and stunts along the edges.

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