The Buffalo Bills’ newest addition, DJ Moore, made an immediate impact on Sunday. His five receptions for 100 yards and a touchdown translated the Bills’ “on paper” wide receiver room into reality.
Moore helped the offensive line’s burden with quick separation. If opponents have their top corner travel with Moore, things like wearing them out in run-blocking plays are an advantage.
With a “guy,” the Bills can tag Moore — change his route if they see a favorable matchup.
He Makes Life Easier
Moore adds the “they have a guy” to opposing teams’ scouting report on the Bills’ wide receivers.
On this play, the Texans play cover 3, with the cornerbacks and free safety splitting the field into thirds. The weakness of cover 3 is the seams — between the hashes and numbers. The Bills attack the seams to answer the coverage.
Moore ran a skinny post and even put his hand up because he knows he’s open against the weak spot of cover 3.
The Bills go play-action again here. With the former Maryland product, they can take shots downfield.
His separation on the go route tremendously helps the offensive line on a developing play where he is the first read. Moore draws defensive pass interference, putting the Bills in position to score from a yard out.
On the touchdown grab, Josh Allen and Moore connected on a deep shot against the Texans’ cover 2. It’s a hole shot between the underneath corner and the safety.
The 29-year-old does exactly what he has to do — turn for the ball after clearing the corner and stopping before the safety can make it to the sideline. The play earlier was Moore getting open; this time it’s his ability to make a contested catch.
It’s Moore and the Bills executing the answers to the coverage. They attacked the weak spots in the Texans’ coverages to make big plays and ultimately put together single-digit-yard drives that ended in touchdowns.
Is Dalton Kincaid More Important?
Dalton Kincaid caught five passes for 130 yards on Sunday. There’s a case for him as Buffalo’s most important weapon.
On a team that likes to go play-action, Kincaid can pass-block before releasing out for a pass in the flats as a first option when the ball needs to come out fast.
As the starter, he stays on the field. But when Buffalo’s personnel grouping changes and they want to go 21 personnel—adding a second tight end—they have options.
The condensed formation usually just has Moore between the hashes and numbers instead of between the numbers and the boundary. But the main key is that the Bills can run their same plays, just out of a condensed formation.
Regardless, Buffalo’s offense in Week 1 showed that they have a guy who can create separation at a high level.
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