Some Bills tidbits from TMQ

[nodnarb]

Sour Plays, Sour Excuse-Making: In the run-up to Redskins versus Bills in Toronto, Washington coaches cried woe-is-me to the sports press about having five starters out injured, including the starting left tackle. Bills coaches made no complaints, though Buffalo entered the game with four starters out injured, including the first- and second-string left tackles. Buffalo shut Washington out 23-0. The Bills recorded nine sacks against the Skins, despite entering the contest with only four sacks on the season. After the game, Mike "The Ultimate Leader" Shanahan complained about being plagued by injuries. But then Washington, D.C., is all about excuse-making.

 

Bills leading 13-0 in the third quarter, Buffalo faced third-and-1 on the Washington 15. Washington defensive coordinator Jim Haslett, who's done a fair amount of excuse-making himself, had both safeties, LaRon Landry and O.J. Atogwe, close to the line anticipating run. Just before the snap veteran middle linebacker London Fletcher realized he was the deepest man on the field and pointed at Buffalo tight end Scott Chandler, whom the Bills have been sending deep and who, to that point, had five touchdown receptions on the season. At the snap Landry, the strong safety, completely ignored Chandler going deep. Soon the gentleman had six touchdown receptions on the season.

 

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Fight Fiercely Harvard! Last week Ryan Fitzpatrick became one of the first Ivy League graduates ever to come out ahead on tuition costs. (The Ivies do not give athletic scholarships, though many athletes receive regular financial aid.)

 

Last week TMQ noted the Bears' uncomfortable contract situation with Matt Forte. The Bills face an uncomfortable contract situation with undrafted TMQ favorite Fred Jackson, who's fourth in the league in rushing and second in yards from scrimmage. Jackson arrived at Bills training camp from the Rhein Fire. Two years ago, he signed a four-year, $8 million deal, which at the time was generous. Jackson has dramatically "outperformed his contract," but that agreement lasts through the 2012 season, after which he will be 32 years old and be lucky to command the veteran minimum on the free-agent market. To top it off, Jackson earns less than high first-round draft choice tailback C.J. Spiller, whom he's keeping nailed to the bench.

 

Financially, Buffalo is poised to get what's left from Jackson's body at a low price in professional sports terms. Invisible-hand logic would say to use Jackson up and throw him away. Why pay more to a guy who's bound by a contract he cannot break? But chemistry matters in football, as does appeasement of the football gods. If the Bills want their feel-good season to continue, they need to offer Jackson some improvement to his deal.

 

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Blown Coverage Watch: Nearly halfway into the regular season, the blown-coverages problem has declined as certain forecasters said it would. But the problem has not disappeared.

 

Early in the Detroit at Denver game, Titus Young of the Lions ran a go. Pro Bowl cornerback Champ Bailey simply watched him roar past. Not one, not two, but three defensive backs on the play side covered Detroit tight end Tony Scheffler short. No one at all covered Young as he raced to the end zone and caught an uncontested 41-yard touchdown pass.

 

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Andy Lyons/Getty Images

The Tennessee cheerleaders always take the Halloween costumes prize.

In the Washington-Buffalo game, the Bills went empty with tailback C.J. Spiller split wide. This confused the Skins' coverage, though Buffalo has been splitting tailbacks wide all year. Spiller was open deep and drew a desperation 34-yard pass interference penalty. Bills leading 10-3, ball on their 31 with 34 ticks showing before the intermission, again Buffalo went empty, this time with tailback Fred Jackson split wide. Again the Skins looked confused. Jackson drew only linebacker coverage, despite Washington having a dime on the field, and his 46-yard reception set up a field goal as time expired. Enforcement of rules against helmet-to-helmet hit is not causing blown coverages!

 

 

 

http://espn.go.com/espn/page2/story/_/id/7175444/tmq-says-defenses-solidified-slowed-early-season-nfl-offensive-explosion

Edited November 2, 2011 by nodnarb

[Fan in San Diego]

Thanks for posting that! Good stuff!

[VanCity]

The tailback split wide play has worked well for a few games. The Jets will certainly pick it up better than the other defenses have, but I trust in Gailey to put in a few kinks this week to keep 'em guessing. Really looking fwd to this game.

[Chef Jim]

But then Washington, D.C., is all about excuse-making.

 

Ain't that the truth.

[Dirtbag]

Ain't that the truth.

 

in my head, i hear this response in the voice of the late, great actress helen martin. damn, i miss 227.

Edited November 3, 2011 by Dirtbag