Rubes

I do recall seeing Sam Aiken in for a play or two, and we were in a two WR set. What in the world does that mean?

True, but you may have noticed that the Pats brought the exact same blitz time and time again, play after play in that fourth quarter, and it still took us a couple of tries before we realized it was just going to keep coming, and then the passes to Moulds started appearing. And yet, we still couldn't get a first down out of it. I really think this team, from the center and the offensive line, to the running backs, to the wide receivers, to the QB, still just cannot recognize, react to, and take advantage of the blitz. We blitzed the Pats the entire game. We got a little pressure on Brady in the first half, but in the end he and the Pats just made us pay for it. They know how to recognize blitzes, pick them up, and respond by hitting the open man. They are extremely well prepared. We, on the other hand, continue to lack the ability to do this, and the result is that we end up looking like fools on 4th down and the game on the line.

Well, one of the things I did notice in that game is that, in the first half, Bledsoe actually did have decent protection and TIME to throw the ball. That's why we got to see the big pass plays. I'm not sure what happened in the second half (injuries and adjustments are my guess), but it was an entirely different story. As for the Bledsoe "looking pretty good at the end of the game making the correct quick read when the Pats were blitzing heavily every down"...funny but I had the exact opposite reaction. The Pats blitzed Rodney harrison the exact same way down after down and it still took us a few tries before we could actually see it and react appropriately...and we still didn't get a first down. I really think that the problem isn't that Bledsoe is susceptible to the blitz, it's this entire offense that is susceptible to the blitz. Blitzing can kill a defense if the offense can recognize it, react to it, and take advantage of the openings it leaves. This offense simply cannot recognize, react to, or take advantage of any blitzing defense. It requires a well-prepared group of guys that are all on the same page. Right now we are neither well prepared nor on the same page, which is why a team like New England wins in crunch time, while we just get crunched.

No kidding! Right now I'm wishing that was the only thing I saw.

Woo hoo!!!

Oh, my bad I guess. I thought that's what this was for.

I still can't figure this one out. So the call is a QB bootleg to the left. Leaving the utter hilarity of the call aside for a moment, I noticed four things: 1. The right guard (Villarial), who was situated right over the blitzing Bruschi, pulled immediately to the right. 2. The center (Tucker) blocked down to the left. 3. The right tackle (Williams) just kind of did his usual thing with the defensive end in front of him, whatever that usually is. 4. Henry immediately ran to the left. Now, one thing I am not sure of is if Henry ran to the left in order to block someone, because one of the Buff News stories today (Gaughan?) mentioned that someone was coming in on the left of Bledsoe, who would have disrupted the play anyway. I certainly would have expected Henry to take the blitzing gentleman directly in front of him, but maybe that's just me. The other thing I'm not sure of is why Villarial was pulling out to the RIGHT. What is that all about? Was this designed, or a screw up on someone's part? So this is a play that is, by design, leaving a gaping hole between the center and right tackle, a hole which must have appeared dangerous to anyone lining up before the snap, since there was a linebacker ready to sprint his ass right into that hole. And this is on a designed QB bootleg which, undoubtedly, is going to take an eternity to run given the primary ball carrier. So who blew it? Who knows. Probably Henry, but I'm getting the impression that there were at least three or four guys out there who really didn't know what the play was supposed to be. I put this one completely on the coaches. After all, when you take a timeout to think things over, and the game is clearly on the line, and you not only come up with an incredibly boneheaded play call, but one that clearly shows the lack of preparation and discipline on the part of the players, then I blame the guys who were calling the shots. Does anyone here doubt that if Bledsoe were still the Pats QB, that Belichick would have even considered calling that play? And if he did somehow have a stroke right before the play and told his team to run it, that they would have been completely unprepared to run it or execute it? Or to recognize that a big ol' blitz was coming that was gonna wreak havoc on it? I don't.

True, but I think you need a little better defense than what we have. They've done a pretty good job, but not championship good. If the defense could have held Brady and the girls under 24 points we might have had a chance.

What in God's name is this about???

Didn't he recover a key fumble? Or was that Kelsay? I can't tell them apart.

The offense can continue to improve all they want but if they continue to keep scoring 10 points they can improve themselves right to the bench for all I care.

Your favorite and mine, Coy boy, I believe. What the hell is a "bit fart up"??

God I hope so. That would mean 4 grand for me!

Okay, this is my last rant because I can't take myself anymore. The playcalling at the end of the 1st half was killing me. KILLING me. Bills have the ball with over a minute left, Pats just tied it and kicked off out of bounds, giving us great field position to maybe get a FG before the half. 1st down, and what do the Pats show us? Just what we always wanted to see: two down linemen and a crapload of linebackers and DBs. I'm yelling: RUN THE F'IN BALL YOU MORONS. You have timeouts and five big fat guys ready to beat the living crap out of the smaller guys. No go. 2nd down. Same defense. Two down linemen and a bunch of smaller gus standing up waiting for it. RUN THE BALL FOR CRYING OUT LOUD. Nope. 3 and out, including a penalty that could have given the Pats decent field position for a FG. Luckily, the Pats made a big personal foul on the punt and moved it back. Argh. Okay, I'm done. Back to my happy place!

Everyone did seem to be going left, but we will never know what that play was designed to do. If Tucker really did go the wrong way, which I hadn't considered (I mean, really), then he should be dragged out of the stadium and flogged with a large wet trout.

I was terribly disappointed in the play calling in that game. I kept begging the Bills to stick with the run, which was working. I begged them. They refused.

I disagree that it was the offensive line's fault. This was anyone's fault but the offensive line. The 4th down call was absolutelyl awful, and on top of that, it was this QB's inability to recognize the blitz and react appropriately that killed us. Look at the play. The man blocking the blitzing linebacker (the right guard) is designed to pull outside to the right on the play. The center is designed to block down to the left. The right tackle has his own man to worry about. That play, BY DESIGN, is leaving a huge gaping hole between the center and tackle. And there is a linebacker ready to blitz right in that gap. Not a great call to begin with, but this is the kind of crap that Bledsoe should be seeing and saying to himself "hmm...I know this play is designed to leave a HUGE GAPING HOLE over right guard, and there won't be anybody there to block him, so MAYBE THIS ISN"T A GREAT CALL and I should take a timeout. Or switch plays. Or something. I have said it before and I will say it again: The problem with this team is their inability to recognize and react to blitzes. I mean, at the end of the game, how many times did they have to see Rodney blitzing right over the right guard (unblocked) before they decided to do something about it? Bledsoe is partly to blame, the coaches are as well.

Maybe you'd better PM me if you need help with that!

If we keep making little mistakes and losing every week by 3 points to end up 0-16, will things still not be as bad as they seem?

Not as much as if we went 4-12 and beat Miami and New England twice

Finally rented "Kill Bill 2" to see the conclusion, and I'm ready! Hopefully tomorrow every man on this team will be saying "I am gonna KILL BILL" I know I will... you know, Belichick....get it? Never mind

How do you people find these things?

Wow.

That was a really interesting post, thanks. My belief is not that Bledsoe is to blame for the sacks, or the offensive line is to blame for the sacks, or whoever. The real reason for all the sacks? We just have a bunch of guys on offense that, after all these years of playing football, still can't recognize a blitz and react appropriately, whatever position you're talking about (OL, RB, QB, WR,...)

No, although here in Utah everybody knows a whole lot about her now. And about her husband. Very odd story. I know Mark Hacking's brother a little, we work in the same hospital. Very sad.