Utah John
-
Posts
3,949 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Gallery
Profiles
Forums
Events
Posts posted by Utah John
-
-
We're gonna need a bigger boat.
-
I've been assuming 10 wins will be needed to get a WC berth, but it seems like all our competition has to play each other. Unless exactly two other teams run the table, 9-7 gets us tied up. Then the tie breakers come in, which looks bad for us now but who knows how all those other games will go. 9-7 could be enough, which almost absolutely requires beating Miami, NJJ, Cleveland, and Oakland. And really if you can't beat those four, go home, because you don't deserve to be in the playoffs.
-
Wilcots is a time-filler, nothing more. He fills up the time between plays reciting cliches we all know, and when he tries to get specific he's usually wrong.
I don't think I heard Wilcots mention Hackett even once during the game. All the references to play calling were about Marrone, who doesn't call the plays although I'm sure does make the decision whether to go for it on fourth down.
I actually think the Chiefs game was Hackett's best so far. The pulling linemen (see the All-22 Review), the variety of play calls all were good moves. Hackett just didn't compensate when it was clear that Orton was having a sub-par game. Too many situations where it was Orton success or bust, and we busted.
-
There are two reasons why it would have made more sense to run instead of pass on the last drive. First, Orton was not playing as well as he can, and he hadn't all day. So don't put the game in the hands of the guy who's having a tough day. Second, you don't do it against the top pass defense in the league.
Another reason is that if you're thinking it's four down territory (obviously the Bills were thinking that) then the idea should be to use up as much of the clock as possible so Smith has little time to come back.
I'll give Hackett some slack because he saw his receivers getting open, and hadn't seen Orton have a below-par day previously. But, he should have recognized that another approach was needed in this situation.
-
Orton was not throwing accurately at the end, and I think the mistake was putting the game in his hands at that moment. I agree there was no reason not to try a couple of shorter routes or runs, at least to get the first down.
But the larger question is, what kind of clock management was that? Four passes, if you're successful you get 3 point lead and leave over 3 minutes of the 4th quarter for Smith to work with. If the idea is to get a TD or bust on that drive, use up the clock!
The largest question is, FG or pass on 4th down. I think the FG is the smart play. Carpenter is lights out, the wind was at his back. If all they needed was another FG, all the Bills needed to do was get to the Chiefs 40, or maybe not that far, and Carpenter could do the rest. Even starting with only 25 seconds or whatever they had, they could have made that work.
-
Maybe someone else mentioned, i have not read this entire thread
Am i the only one who saw the Chiefs kickoff returner step out of bounds, then return the ball to the 30? Chiefs went 3 and out and punted, but i would have thought that would be an illegal touching penalty? have no idea where the ball would be spotted, but i got a feeling it aint the 30
I missed that. When did it happen? How could a kickoff returner step out of bounds before catching the ball?
-
There was a post a couple pages back that I'm too lazy to dig up, that suggested younger referees would be in better position, and there would be fewer missed calls.
Was it last year, or the year before, when we suffered through the clown show of replacement refs? Being an official at this level is really hard, and I'll take a 50 year old guy with 25 years of experience over some whippersnapper who gets the wool pulled over his eyes.
Anyway, not trying to start an argument, but I think that suggestion would be a bad idea.
-
1. The Bills screwed up enough to lose.
2. The Chandler call was ridiculous.
3. The non-call on the out of bounds hit was ridiculous.
4. The non-call for trying to wrench our guy's leg up and out of the socket was ridiculous.
5. The Henderson call is marginal. He did twitch, slightly, but not so the guy who came across the line could have seen it. If Henderson was trying to draw a defender over the line, he wasn't being obvious enough. I think he was just as still as most guys usually are, but after the guy lined up over RT or RG jumped, they had to call something.
6. The Williams call was correct.
Sorry, I meant the guy lined up over LT or LG. Henderson was the RT.
7. The Bills screwed up enough to lose.
-
By the way, on the Henderson call. That was fourth down. On second down the Bills were screwed out of half a yard on the ball placement (go back and check the replays). Instead of 3rd and half a yard, it was 3rd and a yard. Then the Bills gained half a yard on 3rd down. Would have been enough for a first if the spot was accurate after second down.
This is not why they lost the game. But it happened.
-
1. The Bills screwed up enough to lose.
2. The Chandler call was ridiculous.
3. The non-call on the out of bounds hit was ridiculous.
4. The non-call for trying to wrench our guy's leg up and out of the socket was ridiculous.
5. The Henderson call is marginal. He did twitch, slightly, but not so the guy who came across the line could have seen it. If Henderson was trying to draw a defender over the line, he wasn't being obvious enough. I think he was just as still as most guys usually are, but after the guy lined up over RT or RG jumped, they had to call something.
6. The Williams call was correct.
7. The Bills screwed up enough to lose.
-
I think this is a must-win if the Bills have to get to 10 wins. There are a lot of AFC teams in the WC mix right now and many of them will play each other, so it's not clear at all whether 10 wins is actually necessary. But that ought to guarantee a WC slot.
The Bills need to run the next few games to get to 9-3, then beat the Raiders. Or, beat NE at NE, Denver, or Green Bay, all of which are likely SB teams. It could be that one of those teams has home field advantage locked up and won't play their best players, but I would rather not have to beat any of them to get in.
That Houston game will haunt us all spring if we don't get in.
-
Why trade for Clowney? Wait till his contract runs out, and steal him from the Texans as a FA like we did with Mario Williams.
-
Houston wanted bookend DEs so teams couldn't double team Watt. As if Watt is having problems. Even without Clowney I think Watt's the defensive player of the year. Now, put Mack into the LBs and Houston really could have a dominant front seven.
This isn't just Monday morning QBing. I saw a lot of pre-draft shows discussing whether Clowney or Mack should be the top overall pick. And about the idea that the Bills could have drafted another WR and kept their first rounder for next year, that really is Monday morning QBing. The Bills have the demonstrated capability to pick the wrong player. Year after year they get people who don't turn into much while lower picks develop into stars. I'll take the Watkins bird in the hand, and give up the pick next year.
-
The fans in Dallas probably feel the same way about Kyle Orton as we do about Byrd. Orton was on their team, then he wasn't, and another team scarfed him up and paid him big bucks but no compensation to the losing franchise. Orton worked the system as a good progressive would approve of, for once showing how labor can beat management in contract negotiations, then signing on where he wanted to work. Byrd worked the system by faking his plantar fascitus or whatever the invisible, undetectable, convenient injury is called. He didn't get injured during the games he stabbed his teammates in the back while not playing, and when he did play enough games for the season to count toward his benefits, he still made it clear to management that no offer was going to be good enough. Or Parker did. The threat of another plantar flareup was enough to keep the Bills from tagging him. Anyway, I would trade Byrd for Orton in a heartbeat, so as things balance out, we came out ahead.
-
Do the math. The AFC has a lot of decent teams this year, and 10 wins will be needed for a playoff spot. The Bills need to win the next four, plus Oakland, to get to 10 wins. Or, if they lose any of those games, beat the Pats, Broncos, or Packers. Hmmm. The KC game is not a must-win but almost is one. If the Bills lose to KC because Orton doesn't have time to throw, the season is almost over anyway.
That Houston game is looming larger every week.
Fred Jackson has only a couple years left, max. He wants to get to the playoffs before he retires. He will play if he possibly can.
-
1. The Bills have the best starting QB playing now, that they've had since Jim Kelly retired. In 1996. EIGHTEEN YEARS AGO.
2. He is not as good as Jim Kelly, but ... see above.
3. Ryan Fitzpatrick was a serviceable QB who could win some games and who was better than anyone the Bills had since Jim Kelly retired. Orton is better. Let's be happy for Fitz that he's still employed and gets to play sometimes, and be glad we've got Orton.
-
Why so much hate for a guy who got injured? He's a talented athlete who the Bills took a shot with. They couldn't wait around till he got healthy, but if he's OK now, why shouldn't he sign with another club?
-
It's gotta be tough to be a really good athlete, almost but not quite good enough for the NFL, always on the bubble, but not willing to give up the dream. Roosevelt must be thinking about calling it quits. Best of luck to him. I think he's always given his full effort, but there are just too many guys a little better. At least he's got his memories of being on the team, getting into a real NFL game, and will have stories to tell his grandchildren.
-
The 64 team was better. Any team with Cookie Gilchrist was better.
My understanding is that it was Saban who got fed up with Gilchrist's antics, and not Wilson, who wanted him gone. Also note that Gilchrist had only one good year left after he was traded so maybe Saban figured he'd sell high.
-
The fish beat the Chargers because Rivers stunk. The Miami defense helped him stink but it was largely an individual effort. Also the SD defense was getting beat by ordinary players making ordinary plays, not by superstars making amazing plays. This was SD's third loss in a row. Something has come off the rails for the Chargers. Miami is looking good, no question, but they happened to hit a wounded opponent when their own game peaked. It happens.
-
What a great argument to be able to have. I think all four of them, including Hughes, as well as Wynne and Charles, are all being given the chance to shine, since the guys surrounding them are all good. No weak links, no soft spots. However the other way to read this is that they'd all be less effective if they were the only good lineman on some other team, and the other team could game plan for him. So who would be great in that situation? MW would keep playing hard but would be double teamed to death. KW was actually in that situation with the Bills before MW and MD arrived, and while the league recognized his ability, the fans didn't, because he was negated. Only MD, in my opinion, would hold up as the stud among twigs, if he were in that situation. He can beat double teams and still disrupt plays. He's finally arrived after a couple of years of waiting, and what a force he is.
-
TJ Graham made TJ Graham worthless...
This.
-
You ready for that pass rush, Bills Mafia?
You can take that question two ways. Are we ready to see the Bills pass rush dominate the Chiefs? Or, are we ready to see the Chiefs pass rush against our bad O-line. Either way it will be a good day for the sack stats on both teams.
Boy I hope Fred Jackson is ready to return.
-
The Bills have four winnable games coming up before the December gauntlet. Good teams win the games they're supposed to, and they compete and win sometimes in their tough games. The only letdown so far this year was the Houston game, which I still fear will be the difference.
If the Bills are 9-3 at the end of November, which is entirely realistic, they have a very good chance because they'll have beaten their direct WC competition with games against four other teams remaining.
Some things i know about this team.
in The Stadium Wall Archives
Posted
In defense of Hackett, the play calling is limited by the situation. In obvious passing downs, the Bills had to throw quick passes because the lousy O line couldn't pass protect, and even then Orton had to throw a lot away. Must have been 5 or 6 plays where he intentionally threw it into the ground.
We'll never know what this year's team could have been with decent O line play. They tried to patch it instead of investing in it, and Marrone's arrogant assumption that he could coach up bottom feeders is what really cost the team this year. Will the defense all be back next year? Can they pay Jerry Hughes what he's worth, plus keep the other three stars on the D line? Brandon Spikes disappeared tonight but he has been playing well on a one year contract. I'd like to see him back along with Brown and Bradham fighting for snaps with Kiko next year, plus there's no guarantee that Kiko will have the same year next year that he did last year. The secondary needs one more play maker. I think Dixon and Brown were brought in since Spiller probably won't be back, and Fred Jackson, all praise and honor to one of my top favorite Bills, but he's getting old and won't be around long. Are Dixon and Brown the answer at RB? I think we're set at WR, really loaded, and just (just?) need two good guards and maybe a RT. The Bills are allergic to athletic TEs so just stop thinking there's an answer there.
Look at it this way. We made it to mid-November before we gave up and started thinking about next year. That's improvement.
Finally, the only way to break the Flutie curse is to bring him back in some capacity, maybe a QB coach. If 15 years hasn't convinced you yet, benching Flutie for Rob Johnson has voodoo'd this team.