Buffalo Bills: Thoughts on Anthony Lynn’s Debut as OC
After 15 seasons as a special teams and running backs coach in the NFL, Anthony Lynn recently was made the offensive coordinator of the Buffalo Bills. Here are some thoughts on how he fared, during his debut against the Arizona Cardinals.
The Anthony Lynn era as the play caller of the Buffalo Bills began in the best possible way with a win on Sunday, the team’s first of 2016. The Bills didn’t just win, they pulled off an upset, beating one of the best teams in the NFL and did so in convincing fashion.
Given that the Bills put up a season-high 33 points against the Cardinals, the immediate reaction is to suggest Lynn’s debut was a success and an improvement on what former offensive coordinator Greg Roman would’ve achieved.
Fans in Western New York should definitely be optimistic given how well the offensive unit performed, but one game is not nearly enough to declare that Lynn is the better play caller. With just over a week to prepare, it’s highly unlikely the new offensive coordinator even implemented many of his own plays.
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- Buffalo Bills run game providing much-needed boost to offense
In 2015 under Roman’s direction, Buffalo led the league in rushing yards but has had a rough start to the 2016 campaign. On Sunday, the Bills rushing dominance reappeared.
They didn’t attempt many more rushes than they had in their two previous contests, (32 compared to their seasonal average of 25), but the takeaway here is how much more effective they were in pounding the rock. LeSean McCoy easily had his best rushing output of the season (2 touchdowns and 117 yards with 6.5 yards per attempt), because he had gaping holes to run through.
McCoy wasn’t the only one who had productive day running. Tyrod Taylor shredded the Cardinals defense for 76 yards on the ground – including 49 on one carry alone.
Taylor also added a touchdown run and it was obvious it was part of the day’s game plan to feature the quarterback’s legs. But even on improvised plays, it appeared as if he was more inclined than earlier in the season to take off running when his other options were exhausted.
Given how well the Bills succeeded in running the football — Sunday’s total of 208 yards on the ground was more than their combined total of 151 in their first two games — it would appear Lynn’s contribution thus far was most evident in the play of the Bills hogs. Again, McCoy and Taylor could have driven Rex Ryan’s Bills-inspired Ford truck through the holes the offensive line created.
While the Bills resurgence in the rushing attack was a pleasant surprise, the passing game was disappointing once again. Taylor threw for just 119 yards, with most of his attempts being short ones.
T-mobile launched a few deep balls, but uncharacteristically was well off target. It would be nice to see him work the intermediary part of the field more often, which was his emphasis during the summer.
Lynn gets a pass in this department this week, as he was without the team’s number one receiving weapon Sammy Watkins and the reliable Greg Salas. However, the Bills will need to throw effectively in addition to running well, if they hope to beat the New England Patriots in Foxborough next Sunday.
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What are your thoughts on Lynn’s debut as offensive coordinator? What are you expecting off him next week against the New England Patriots? Let us know in the comments section below.