Yes the passing game sucked BUT

[Mike in Syracuse]

I realize we're all busy talking about how much Trent sucks and how bad a QB is but lets not overlook the dismal effort yesterday on the ground.

 

We had FIFTY FREAKING YARDS rushing the ball. Our QB had twice as many yards rushing as our starting running back who also happened to be our #1 draft pick. That my friends is just dismal.

 

We can survive a season with Edwards being a dismal QB, we can't survive if we can't gain more that fifty measly freaking yards on the ground.

Edited September 13, 2010 by Mike in Syracuse

[Wayne Cubed]

People are just gonna respond that its because trent didnt set up the running game.

[Fan in Chicago]

I realize we're all busy talking about how much Trent sucks and how bad a QB is but lets not overlook the dismal effort yesterday on the ground.

 

We had FIFTY FREAKING YARDS rushing the ball. Our QB had twice as many yards rushing as our starting running back who also happened to be our #1 draft pick. That my friends is just dismal.

 

We can survive a season with Edwards being a dismal QB, we can't survive if we can't gain more that fifty measly freaking yards on the ground.

As several posters have pointed out elsewhere, the running game will go nowhere without a passing game. Even a semblance of a passing threat can soften defenses. If this type of performance persists, it will re-open the debate about the FO's decision to go BPA versus trade-down for need.

[akm0404]

Yeah, the running game was terrible. But at least the running game was terrible only running half the plays that the passing game ran.

 

I'd contend that we'd prefer to have a good quarterback than a good running back though. Most of the good, contending teams do it with elite-level quarterback play, and with their running games being an afterthought. Not always, just most of the time.

 

It's also easier to stop the run without the fear of the forward pass, than it is the other way around.

 

No arguments though with your post in general though - it is a disaster to only rush for 50 yards, given that you drafted a running back so highly and running back was previously thought of as a strength of the team.

[Koufax]

Looking at individual plays, we did not block well and they started stacking the box, not fearing our passing game.

 

I would have liked to see a little more Marshawn between the tackles the way things developed.

 

But what we really needed was Trent completing 10-15 yard passes and the line blocking better and opening up holes. CJ outside the tackles is too similar to Trent's check down passing game, and it seems like Miami was successfully defensing both of those. So either our linemen performing better individually against their linemen for interior running, or some medium passing making them adjust their defense.

[mpl6876]

I realize we're all busy talking about how much Trent sucks and how bad a QB is but lets not overlook the dismal effort yesterday on the ground.

 

We had FIFTY FREAKING YARDS rushing the ball. Our QB had twice as many yards rushing as our starting running back who also happened to be our #1 draft pick. That my friends is just dismal.

 

We can survive a season with Edwards being a dismal QB, we can't survive if we can't gain more that fifty measly freaking yards on the ground.

 

Mike it is due to a weak offensive line and good game planning by the fins. They stacked the box like all us of knew teams would do. Heck, it has been working for years against us. There is no secret on how to beat this team. Gailey doesn't have the players and he didn't have an effective game plan to counter the box being stacked. The nightmare continued yesterday. In retrospect, we as fans shouldn't be surprised as to what happened. You can make all the excuses you want, the fact is this regime failed to address two very critical components to winning football games which is the QB and OL positions. Nothing was more evident than that yesterday. Gailey has gotten the benefit of doubt with many posters here. Many of you have talked him up to be some great offensive minded coach. Well, I didn't even see a remote kernel of truth of that yesterday. I dare to say it was a "DJ like" performance from a coaching and play calling and game planning effort. I never did jump on the bandwagon but I was starting to believe maybe we found the "diamond in the rough." After one game the benefit of doubt has shifted and now this coach must prove to me he is able to deliver some wins to us the deserving fans. Yesterday was utterly disappointing...

[todd]

I realize we're all busy talking about how much Trent sucks and how bad a QB is but lets not overlook the dismal effort yesterday on the ground.

 

We had FIFTY FREAKING YARDS rushing the ball. Our QB had twice as many yards rushing as our starting running back who also happened to be our #1 draft pick. That my friends is just dismal.

 

We can survive a season with Edwards being a dismal QB, we can't survive if we can't gain more that fifty measly freaking yards on the ground.

 

 

The answer is simple. Some people will try to say it is one thing, but is a combination of a few:

 

1. The O-line couldn't open holes.

2. We don't have TEs to block.

3. Trent checked down all the time, allowing the dolphins to stack the box.

4. Spiller danced around like a fruitcake.

5. God. It's God's fault.

[Gavin in Va Beach]

The answer is simple. Some people will try to say it is one thing, but is a combination of a few:

 

1. The O-line couldn't open holes.

2. We don't have TEs to block.

3. Trent checked down all the time, allowing the dolphins to stack the box.

4. Spiller danced around like a fruitcake.

5. God. It's God's fault.

 

This. No one fears that the Bills will go down the field with Capt. Checkdown.

[todd]

This. No one fears that the Bills will go down the field with Capt. Checkdown.

 

Yep, If asked to rank them I'd rank the checkdown problem as #1 and then the oline problem as a close second. Remove those issues, and problem solved. The other stuff can be overcome if the above two are solved. Except maybe the God part. If he's pissed off, we're screwed.

[Da Big Man]

bottom line... We were all fooled into thinking that Ralph Wilson really was going to bring in a quality GM, a quality Head Coach and an experienced QB. None of those things happened...we got retreads and has been nothins. I am not surprised at any of this and it ALL lays at Ralph Wilsons feet.

[....lybob]

bottom line... We were all fooled many were fooled into thinking that Ralph Wilson really was going to bring in a quality GM, a quality Head Coach and an experienced QB. None of those things happened...we got retreads and has been nothins. I am not surprised at any of this and it ALL lays at Ralph Wilsons feet.

 

Ralph may want to win but he lacks a burning desire to win- as for the RBs they are ok but get overrated by Bills fans for the same reason Average looking chicks get overrated in a bar full of ugly.

[Maddog69]

you have to be able to pass the ball to be able to run the ball effectively and vice versa.

The Bills cannot do either.

[bills_fan_in_raleigh]

well the game plan appeared to be throw ball to free up the run however when you have a QB that shouldnt have the ball for any other purpose than to handoff to RB's this is what ya get. Trent couldnt even complete a simple screen pass on first play of the game. All attempts to get 9 out of the box fail when captain checkdown wont even throw the ball

[BuffaloBill]

Think about it this way - if you are the opposing team's defensive coordinator how do you gameplan for the Bills? Well in nanoseconds you come to the amazing conclusion that the Bills do not have the ability to throw the ball, their QB can't carry them and oh (big secret here)they have no real receiving threats other than Lee Evans. So what do you do?

 

Stack the box with seven, eight or 9 to shut down the run, put your best coverage guy and safety help on Evans and ink a "w" for the week (assuming your team's offense is no more inept than the Bills).

 

Until the Bills show they can throw against teams then by default their run game will go nowhere.

[Da Big Man]

Ralph may want to win but he lacks a burning desire to win- as for the RBs they are ok but get overrated by Bills fans for the same reason Average looking chicks get overrated in a bar full of ugly.

This isn't Zen it's football, we were promised something and never got it, Bamboozled. Yesterdays loss was set in motion the minute Nix took the podium, the minute Gailey was hired and the second Gailey decide that TE was the QB. As for Ralph I have it on good authority that the team has already been sold and the binding factor is Ralph must assume room temperature. Low salaries help keep profits up to make the team more appealling. It's not about winning to the owners...it's about money. Ralph already has it and when he dies the Bills will be playing in one of the three NFL style stadiums being built right now as we speak. Two on the west coast and one in mid west.

 

well the game plan appeared to be throw ball to free up the run however when you have a QB that shouldnt have the ball for any other purpose than to handoff to RB's this is what ya get. Trent couldnt even complete a simple screen pass on first play of the game. All attempts to get 9 out of the box fail when captain checkdown wont even throw the ball

I was at the game, recievers were open, the ball was never delivered. Trenative Checkwards is afraid and lacks arm strength.

[bills in va]

Yeah, the running game was terrible. But at least the running game was terrible only running half the plays that the passing game ran.

 

I'd contend that we'd prefer to have a good quarterback than a good running back though. Most of the good, contending teams do it with elite-level quarterback play, and with their running games being an afterthought. Not always, just most of the time.

 

It's also easier to stop the run without the fear of the forward pass, than it is the other way around.

 

No arguments though with your post in general though - it is a disaster to only rush for 50 yards, given that you drafted a running back so highly and running back was previously thought of as a strength of the team.

Exactly. Who heard of Adrianne Foster before yesterday? We had good enough RB's this year, couldn't afford the luxury pick in the first round. The Bills front office has things backasswards, they want the neat toys instead of the grinders who let the toys work properly. I knew this season was shot when Nix ignored the QB and OT positions all offseason. I called it in July and said Nix failed miserably his first season by not addressing the teams 2 biggest needs. I was chastised by all the Spiller lovers and Best player available proponents, well you guys got your wish. How does that turd sandwich taste now? You CANNOT win in the NFL with 2 terrible OT's and a horrible QB....Period!

I've been watching the Bills for over 30 years. It is frustrating to think that I could run the team better. Give me control over personnel for 1 year and we're in the playoffs. I would do whatever it took to get a top rank QB and a LT, we have enough talent for a playoff run with upgrades at 2 positions. I cannot believe that the idiots at OBD screwed up again by going into the season with the worst OT's and QB in the NFL. But you know what, we're still buying the product so they have no reason to improve. An empty Ralph might initiate change. I wish I could stop being a fan but after 30 years I'm stuck in this dysfunctional relationship.

[CodeMonkey]

Despite what Buddy Nix was saying after drafting Spiller about getting a back that can make things happen on his own, you do need a line capable of giving you at least some kind of a seam to work with.

[Da Big Man]

The only positive from yesterday is that Washington got a victory over Dallas with a new quality HC and A quality experienced QB disproving all this .."well we need to develop" and "we're a couple seasons away". All we needed was something we didn't get...something we put up billboards to convey. But what the hell do we know, we're just the piss poor fans of this BS franchise.

[bills_fan_in_raleigh]

 

 

 

I was at the game, recievers were open, the ball was never delivered. Trenative Checkwards is afraid and lacks arm strength.

saw the same on TV and Kelso mentioned many times om the radio how open Stevie and others were. This QB is scared to toss the ball. A QB that can trust and throw the ball will make the OL look better.

[BuffaloRebound]

Our offense versus their defense didn't even look like a fair fight. They played so much more aggressive than we did and simply man-handled us. I'll leave the in-depth analysis to the experts, but sometimes the leadership and toughness has to come from someone out on the field.