BackInDaDay

i don't recall, but were we more aggressive with better field possession? i could see the coaches taking more chances where a turnover wouldn't give the Bears great field position, but i thought we mixed it up pretty good.

no argument with your opinion of Knowshon.. been a fan of his since he struggled to make weight to play pop warner as a 14 year-old. unfortunately, he's suffered some recurring knee injuries that have limited his game, but he was always tough between the tackles - so like Willis McGahee, he has a chance to extend his pro career as a ball-control back - but i haven't seen him since Denver. are they trying to get him outside? is he bouncing plays outside? my concern with our wide-9 alignment, is that it may play to their strengths - making our DTs occupy two gaps to keep their guards from getting to the second level - our LBs.. i'm sure Schwartz is on it.

excellent point!

Hackett has to account for Wake.. don't let him wreck the game with pressure.. use his aggressiveness to get upfield against him with screens and read options - something I don't believe the Pats have the versatilty in their personnel to do.. we can show multiple formations with assorted backs that may cause recognition problems for their D overall. Schwartz must keep Miami's guards off our LBs.. Moreno is an inside the tackles RB since his knee problems, so maybe we cheat on our wide 9 DE's.. reinforce the edge with our corners (wonder how well the Fish WRs blocked last week - I'm guessing pretty good), and let our front 7 fill and SS fill and contain. Take away the run and make Tannehill beat us.

it's been a rough go for all involved, throughout this rebuild process - as everyone's trying to get their responsibilities met - but today was the culmination of all their hard work. when coaches and players were tested, they rose to the challenge - they competed, and kept competing to the final whistle. it wasn't always pretty, but it was effective - and if they keep working the plan - they're only gonna get better.. and fellow fans - that's better than the team we just saw defeat a predicted playoff contender in their home opener - no small accomplishment.

isn't this how John Wayne Gacy watched the Bears?

very good news for another lifer .. usually, guys just put on the jersey, bang it around ahwile, and call it what it is.. a job... and then there's guys like Kelly

the fire crackers and banging of pots and pans at about 4:10 might tip ya off..

i see where some of you guys are getting that 'boss's kid' vibe from the way they're handling EJ, and you're right on.. but the thing is, it may be the best approach

Go Bills! what's that? the salute we give each other when one of us does something asinine - like start an EJ Sucks thread on game night? ok, Fan in Chicago, i get where you're coming from.. we all need a do-over sometime.. so yeah.. Go Bills!

yo.. take it easy.. it's the Dude, for cryin out loud

that's cool.. let's hope it's as healthy a relationship as you share

now you're talkin' sense oh yeah.. and you suck

jeez.. where were you 30 years ago? trips into the city don't come often anymore.. but i wish you all the best, and good luck with the place

you suck

ok.. don't quite know where you're going with that.. but ok.. here.. you forgot this..

on some god-awful eu.breakinthelaw website.. feeding me spastic video of.. - OL and EJ approaching los - O is Set - Manuel looks over D - HUT! ball is snapped - Woods gets up after a 14 yard gain ..screw you..

that's a two-hatter.. that is..

thanks for posting this. it's a new take on old drills that seem to have regained their importance with the advent of too many head and neck injuries. Carrol's a great old coach - so the concept of 'breaking down' - squaring up to the ball carrier, dropping your hips, and keeping your eyes up - before driving thru the numbers was something he probably was coaching our very own Bills DBs back in '84.. so kudos to him for recognizing that over the years the effort to teach sound fundamentals ended for most young men in pop warner, and finding new methods to teach. my own sons are tired of hearing me rant how the game would be far safer with less equipment.. that guys would have to temper their aggression with some measure of caution - but since that's never going to happen in the pros- getting back to basics is the best a coach can do for his players.. teach proper techniques and make sure they get their full sets of squats done in the weight room

Brandon: "i'm at the end of my rope.." Whaley: "my god.. how will they react when they find young Hackett's been sleeping with the widow Wilson?" - gradually bring dramatic music up - cut to Hackett in film room with Orton - fidgeting nervously - cut to Wilson pacing her dead husband's office - wringing her hands - top off with crescendo - and CUT! an excerpt from this season's first episode of.. 'As the Bills Turn'

...

if the line gives him 4 full seconds, or he can extend the play - as he did on that brilliant pass to the new guy from Tampa.. which.. by the way, is the kiss that should keep us coming back.. because it shows what he can do when he COMPETES!! - instead of working his program of do's and don'ts.. anyway.. the coaches are doing what they have to do, but i think because he really wants this to happen, they could have lightened up on him weeks ago. hey, what the hell do i know? i thought Losman was gonna come around, too.

I still think EJ and can turn this around, but everything Kelso said confirms my opinion - following the game - on where he's at - and why... "In an effort to develop a pocket passing pro from an option QB collegian, they've replaced whatever natural play making skills he has with a set of rules - reinforced throughout the spring and summer - resulting in the mechanical man wearing #3 who looks little like the athlete they drafted. I'm not familiar with his FSU days, but i doubt EJ would have reached national attention had he played like this for the Seminoles. They've installed a clock in his head by timing his footwork to the routes, and when it hits 4 the ball is coming out - which is fine - wexcept that he starts looking for his safety valve at 3. Look at the numbers.. I find it hard to believe that our talented WRs were draped by TB defenders on 13 of 18 pass plays (i'm counting 5 passes to the RBs and TEs as set plays). My biggest concern is that's how it still looks to EJ when he gets to 3. He has little confidence throwing deep routes, or he's had it drummed out of him - that and the running." Here's the thing.. he has to find the confidence that the mid-to-deep routes will be there.. that he's made a good assessment of what the defense can do to defend where he wants to go with the ball.. that the rush is accounted for.. and that he can let the play develop before quitting on it in after 3 seconds. He's obviously very coachable, but it's easy to suppress a player's instincts and aggression by concentrating too long and hard on techniques. Thankfully, that ends after this week.

by my count.. EJ dropped back to pass 23 times in the first half. he was sacked twice, and went 11/21/84 yards - including going 2/4/17 on plays brought back by penalties, and the one pick. 6/9/35 to RBs - all short range 2/3/13 to TEs - all short range 3/9/36 to WRs - 8 short range and 1 deep i'm sorry, but all this talk of 'not showing anything' is irrelevant to his performance. In an effort to develop a pocket passing pro from an option QB collegian, they've replaced whatever natural play making skills he has with a set of rules - reinforced throughout the spring and summer - resulting in the mechanical man wearing #3 who looks little like the athlete they drafted. I'm not familiar with his FSU days, but i doubt EJ would have reached national attention had he played like this for the Seminoles. They've installed a clock in his head by timing his footwork to the routes, and when it hits 4 the ball is coming out - which is fine - except that he starts looking for his safety valve at 3. Look at the numbers.. I find it hard to believe that our talented WRs were draped by TB defenders on 13 of 18 pass plays (i'm counting 5 passes to the RBs and TEs as set plays). My biggest concern is that's how it still looks to EJ when he gets to 3. He has little confidence throwing deep routes, or he's had it drummed out of him - that and the running. I'd rather they coached him to throw it deep, or run for your life, just to reset the kid.