fergie's ire

What bothered me most was that it seemed to take EJ out of his rhythm. He looked great on the second drive of the game when they let him throw. In the second half it seemed like every possession was 2 runs and then EJ forced to throw on 3rd and 5 or more. A tough situation and seemed like he just couldn't get going again. I worry because it seems the coaches don't trust EJ. Now, I DO understand why they don't trust him, but if this team is going to win, we need to let EJ play. I don't mean throwing on every down....but more than they are and more on 1st down.

Man, your wife is a bummer. She even pissed in my Wheaties by proxy.

TODAY'S THE DAY!!!!! TODAY'S THE DAY!!!!! I'm a kid and it's Christmas morning.

Pass to Watkins down the left sideline (same play that EJ overthrew in pre-season). 82 yards for the touchdown.

I KNOW this is wishful thinking, but I keep thinking about that Jets team of a couple years ago. Their offense was a joke, had to get some last minute tackle off the scrap heap and couldn't score at all in the preseason. They played us in the first game, and we had just signed Super Mario who was going to crush them. I think the media speculation was about whether the Jets would be able to cross mid-field....and then they went out scored like 85 points against us (at least it felt that way)....I just keep hoping we can have that kind of turnaround from pre-season to the first game and EJ throws 3 or 4 touchdowns. Hey, it COULD happen.

And let's not forget when Thurman Thomas said quarterback was the weakest position on the team. So, Kelly had a few dark moments as well.

Happy OTA day, everybody!

Don't forget to include Duke Williams in our Dukies collection.

Thanks Yolo...have been keeping up with those visits....just venting because I am like a kid before Christmas who just can't wait to see what I actually will get. I think the later draft date is really getting to me.

I need a draft.....and I need it bad. No disrespect to anyone posting on here, as your interesting opinions keep me somewhat sustained through these doldrums. However, I keep going to TSW and seeing the same subjects (like this one) about whom we should select. Maybe we need a tackle, maybe we need a receiver or tight end....I don't know....I just don't know. Every now and then there is a fresh bit of info (like the Williams trade) but for the most part I am just dying to read discussions about actual players who will be part of the Bills. Sorry for the interruption....please continue....just needed to vent.

Are we wagering pastries on this?

I am also interested to see how EJ plays when/if he can stay healthy. The horrible pass attempt when TJ was wide open (think it was against Tampa) was an eye opener to me. As has been pointed out, his footwork was awful on the play. His chest was facing TJ and so he tried to throw the ball without stepping into it at all. What I have not seen pointed out is what I saw on the play. Pressure comes up the middle but just from EJs left (from the left guard position--surprise) and EJ moves his left leg back and away from the pressure, creating the bad body position. I don't think EJ trusted his line OR his leg....which may have created a lot of the footwork problems.

Yes, the same thing happened to the Patriot's Ridley in our first game this season. Impact with the ground jarred the ball loose but, because he was not "down by contact" and had fallen over his own feet...It was a fumble. As for the Calvin Johnson play, although there are a couple of stumbling steps, he is not "taking steps" in the sense that he is under control. In other words, if a receiver goes up for a ball and "goes to ground" in the process of making the catch, he needs to maintain control of the ball when he hits the ground. If he is under control and "takes steps" of his own volition, even if it is just a couple of steps, and crosses the goal line, it is a touchdown.

I think the belief that Spiller gets his yardage on outside runs is a bit of a myth. In the Cincinnati game, for example, when Spiller was routinely running the ball for 8-12 yards, he would go through the line between guard and tackle and THEN bounce it outside. It is only at the second level that he would run to the outside. Linebackers, and even linemen, are so fast at the NFL level that if a running back runs parallel to the line of scrimmage, he is doomed to be tackled for a loss (as Spiller seems happy to demonstrate repeatedly). A toss-sweep (as described by the o.p.) can be effective, but usually in goal-line and short yardage situations when the defense is bunched in the middle expecting a power run.

They actually used to play two or even three games a year at Milwaukee County Stadium until 1994. I think they are the precedent for what Buffalo is trying to do in Toronto. Green Bay needed to make its fan base regional...and, in particular, they wanted to solidify the Milwaukee fan base, since MIlwaukee is just as close to Chicago.

I am in the "they're both still rookies, let's wait and see" camp....but I did hear an unbelievable statistic on Mike and Mike yesterday. Greenie was angst ridden over his Jets....and he pulled out a statistic which showed, in his terms, how "biblically bad" the Jets offense has been. He said that over the last 40 drives, they are averaging just over 4 plays per drive. Wow. That is bad. Now, when we were starting to hear rumors about why the Bills picked EJ instead of Geno, we, of course heard about the texting. But if you heard what the people behind the scenes (in Buffalo and around the league) were saying the real problem was that Geno seemed uncoachable....that he was above coaching. He had the most ability at draft time....but the Bills were betting that EJ would be better down the road. If Geno really can't be coached and this is as good as he gets....the Jets are in real trouble.....with EJ, though, I think we have seen enough learning AND enough talent that we have reason to hope.

To me, Manual's game seemed like a microcosm of his season. Started out very accurate....but very safe. Lots of running plays and when he did they were to outlet receivers or short crossing patterns. Then, the defense took that the way, and, frankly, he looked a little lost. Not only were his safe passes gone, but he seemed to get flustered and his footwork fell apart. Later, he took some chances deep and while he missed on some (both passes to Goodwin) and hit others (Woods), they were close enough to loosen the defense, and he started making some nice throws (both fumbled catches) and really won us the game (twice). As for the Gilmore haters, I don't see how you can criticize the guy. He has looked awesome.....like the best shut-down corner in the league. ......Okay, some of you are going to nitpick and say Gitlin has only looked that way in OTAs......and well, that's true. But we may have the best spring cornerback in the league....so we have that going for us.

Hey......Foketi 'bout it.

I think that the question is: Did the defender blow his coverage...or did he recognize that Tuel does not look off defenders...that he stares down his intended receiver, so that a defender can ignore his assignment and just go where Tuel is looking?

I guess it's clear now that Graham, not Goodwin, should be the third receiver.

I agree that mental illness is serious...and that IF that is what is going on with Martin he should get the help he needs, and getting that helps should be a higher priority than his football career. That said, his reaction really sounded familiar to me. I had a friend in college who was a really good guy and then his personality changed. In particular, he had a really hard time with any kind of teasing. We would be joking one second and the next he would flip out feeling he was being picked on. I remember one time he flipped out and demanded to get out of the car....miles from home in a bad part of town. That was pretty much the end of the friendship....not because we cut him off, but even though his behavior had been completely irrational, he refused to admit that. He further seemed to refuse to associate with us any more because doing so would force him to face the fact that he had been acting irrationally....so, he cut off all his friendships over some really mild joking...the kind that is part of almost anyone's daily interaction. Later, we found out what was going on. He had been trying to make the football team as a walk on and had decided to bulk up....and had been taking steroids. It was the infamous roid rage. His behavior was so similar to Martin's....flying off the handle...but then unable to face others and admit flying off the handle...that it makes me wonder.

This was a really well designed play against the Bills defense. I don't think that Gilmore was in man. Gilmore probably has deep third...which means he would take the deepest man on that third of the field....and the receiver hugs the border of that third...running up along the numbers...until the last moment....and then Stills follows behind and to the outside meaning the man with the shallow third has to follow him up. Now, I agree in questioning what Byrd's responsibility. Because, at the very last moment, Gilmore's man does peal off to the middle and Gilmore still follows....Maybe it was too late in the play for him to feel comfortable passing him off? Not sure....but for most of the play the man is careful to, just barely, stay in Gilmore's zone. Now, as for Pettine's call. yes, the coverage got us burned and burned badly. But aren't we all excited that we have a defense play caller who is aggressive and gambles? Well, it aint gambling if you can't lose. With this kind of defense we will get torched sometimes...but the feeling is we will also make big game winning plays instead of dying from 1,000 paper cuts.

Does anyone know when Gilmore will be back? I think this defense will be something special when we have him. I know....there was some guy out there wearing his uniform and wearing a Gilmore wig....but that was not Stephon Gilmore out there. My working theory is Justin Rogers in disguise.

Somebody always has to take it TOO far.

Nickell Robey was playing for USC last year.