A Few Thoughts About The Game

[Maddog69]

Matbe Chan should hire an OC so he can concentrate on being HC? Just a thought . . .

 

Better yet, we hire a real HC and a real DC and let Chan focus on being the OC

[Hapless Bills Fan]

1) The offensive gameplan is so predictable, it's ridiculous. We've run the same 5-10 plays over the last 3 weeks. I don't get it. I never want to see another shovel pass as long as I live.

 

2) The lack of a pass rush from the defense is alarming. I saw Moats out there maybe once, and he got swallowed up. Who exactly do we have that's been rushing the passer?

 

JR, I feel this way too. I feel like given 2 weeks or a major truckload of motivation, Chan can get it together and put in a good gameplan. Washington. the 2nd Jets game.

Then there seem to be several weeks of total predictability.

 

No one is rushing the passer. I sometimes feel we'd be better off if we just let the opponents score as quickly as possible, as that seems to be the only way we can get the ball back.

[NoSaint]

Oh yeah. I'm convinced the NFL is fixed, (since the PIT v SEA Superbowl), and not just by a few random officiating mistakes.

 

Consider the Bills v Cowboys game. The only 2 storylines coming into the game for the Bills were David Nelson's girlfriend and the Cowboys stadium being built on Freddy's house. The Bills lost 44-7 but Freddy got his 100 yds and Nelson scored the only TD of the game.

 

Combined there were probably less than 1000 people that cared about either of those. Worth risking a 9 billion dollar industry for a shot of Nelson handing her the ball? Which many fans hated.

 

Or was it Freddy was our best player and Nelson happened to find space on a play? I'd even find it more likely that chan/fitz gave those guys shots as a team knowing the game meant a little extra to them but even that is a stretch. To imply that somehow the NFL got the cowboys corner to give up the catch is laughable. remind me again how many times Freddy didn't get to 100?

 

If you think these guys that tweet their junk or barely speak English are a part of a grand conspiracy and haven't slipped up I don't know what to say. If you think that it exists and is brazen enough to risk it for a backup WR handing his gf a ball, then you are, frankly, crazy.

Edited December 12, 2011 by NoSaint

[jwolf02]

Every week in every season guys make this same wild claim, yet when pressed to explain how on Earth such a scheme could work, they offer nothing---other than "I don't who is doing it or how it works, but it must be true".

 

I can be persuaded fellas--give it better try than that.

 

http://deadspin.com/5392067/excerpts-from-the-book-the-nba-doesnt-want-you-to-read

 

All I'd say is... it's possible. And it's happened on this level of competition before.

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

JR, I feel this way too. I feel like given 2 weeks or a major truckload of motivation, Chan can get it together and put in a good gameplan. Washington. the 2nd Jets game.

Then there seem to be several weeks of total predictability.

 

That's a great point. It's almost like he's phoned it in. Maybe he's not putting in the time it takes to develop an imaginative gameplan every week.

[Fan in San Diego]

And why those games?!?

 

Every game has calls on both sides. If you convince yourself the Refs have an agenda you will always find it.

 

Who is this powerful man betting against buffalo every week?

 

Cancer Man or Ralph Wilson.

Edited December 12, 2011 by Fan in San Diego

[Bob in STL]

My comments to Bill:

 

1) Marcel Dareus - looking good

 

2) Kelsay - one of our better players on defense, and that is a big problem.

 

3) Hairston - looked lousy. We need a LT. I see you finally agree. Hairston should push Pears at RT.

 

4) Moorman - the least of our problems

 

5) Spiller - not big enough

 

6) Fitz - looks hurt

 

7) Duprees diamond blues. (The Dead as usual)

 

8) No flag for pass interference just before the 1st half - pass interference has not been consistently called from game to game all year.

 

9) Stevie Johnson - very slow. I want to keep him and pay him well as a #2. Still not totally sold on his hands and like I said, he is slow.

 

10) bad Bufflo Bills football teams - every decade except the 90's have had some horrific Bills teams. Nix/Gailey will win 9 games in two years, making Jauron/ Brandon look like studs.

 

11) Hang tough people. - just wait till next year

 

12) GO BILLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[NoSaint]

That's a great point. It's almost like he's phoned it in. Maybe he's not putting in the time it takes to develop an imaginative gameplan every week.

 

Or maybe the lack of talent is severely limiting the variety of schemes? It's something I was worried about coming into the year, on both sides. You can hide a weak line, or receivers, but not 16 times. You can get pressure without a guy that can win battles consistently, but it's not going to give you many options.

 

Not every week has been a perfect plan but considering that pretty much every week we have a team across from us with equal or greater talent, what do you expect to do to win consistently?

 

No LT even when healthy, only one WR with any real experience playing at a high level and that's about 25 games of real play, our #1 RB hurt, our center out, and an average qb. What's are the gameplans you propose to consistently put us in matchups our players can win?

 

No passrusher on the other side, average back 8, our probowl NT out.... What scheme covers that regularly?

 

 

The fact that we so clearly outplayed several teams speaks volumes. When healthy this was an average bunch. With injuries they are outmanned every time they walk on the field.

[reddogblitz]

I don't know if Fitz looks hurt. Didn't seem that way to me really. What makes you think so? Anything you can point to and say there, right there, see, he's hurt?

 

My theory is that without a run game, without a defense, and without decent WRs who can catch the football, he's trying to do it all himself and trying too hard to make something happen. He needs help.

 

That picked up flag on the PI was a horrendous no call.

 

No one has mentioned this, but I though Hagan looked decent today. I hope he gets more balls thrown to him next week.

[MattM]

So for this to work, 100% of the refs would have to be in on it. How did they get to all of them? DO they all get a taste of the take?

 

 

You're conflating the two ideas--in the first, all it takes is getting to one official in the gambler, one off game case. That could (and has, in the NBA) been done before.

 

In the second, it would admittedly take a wider conspiracy, making it less likely, but something similar to it has also happened--see the Serie soccer scandal in Italy. In that case, they found that certain officials were being designated to ref certain games and said refs were on the take, as was the assignor. That one was indeed a league-wide scandal. Not saying it's happened or is happening here, but it's ridiculous to categorically say it couldn't happen in the NFL, when it has in fact happened in another major league....

[todd]

1) The offensive gameplan is so predictable, it's ridiculous. We've run the same 5-10 plays over the last 3 weeks. I don't get it. I never want to see another shovel pass as long as I live.

 

2) The lack of a pass rush from the defense is alarming. I saw Moats out there maybe once, and he got swallowed up. Who exactly do we have that's been rushing the passer?

 

I agree with you on both points. Regarding the offense, having guys who have only been on the team for a month really limits what you can do regarding playcalling. They just don't know them all.

 

Regarding the pass rush, if you don't have the players to do it by beating the guys in front of you, you need to be creative and manufacture one. I don't think Edwards is capable.

[Bill from NYC]

Fitz certainly looks hurt, but the reason he can hardly hit an open receiver is because the OL is a sieve. Without a pocket to step into he simply can't execute the throws. This is where he falls very short of being a franchise QB. To be an elite QB you have to be able to make good throws even when your mechanics are forced to break down(back foot, on the run, etc..). Fitz does not have great natural arm strength or the size to stand tall in the pocket and it shows up week after week.

 

Yeah, this team has allowed the least amount of sacks in the league, but the QB just throws the damn ball away all day and the offense doesn't score so yes, they need OL help.

 

Yes, they need to keep Stevie. The problem is that Stevie is a "#1A" receiver and not a pure #1. If teamed with a true #1 receiver, a guy who can stretch the field vertically as well as horizontally, the receiving corps could be extraordinary. The problem.......he will command #1 money and the truth is that great receiving corps are flashy but don't equate to wins the way a dominant QB, OL or front 7 does. It would be just like the Bills to look past the long term need to solidify these positons and use their top pick on another perimeter player.

 

BTW, I kinda like Lee Smith. The Bills haven't had the amount of waiver wire and UDFA finds that they had last year but Lee Smith is one and he can play. A lot of people are whining about the Bills lacking depth. The truth is they have found depth. It's quality starters where they are short and what do you expect when you expend 10 years of top draft picks and only have 1 starter to show for it (Dareus).

 

You make a great case for having a franchise QB. But I must admit, I get a bit confused as to who is, and who is not a franchise QB.

 

For instance: Schuab, Ryan, E. Manning, Cutler, and Flacco. Would you consider them to be franchise QBs? I have mixed emotions. Clearly, Brees, P. Manning, Rogers, Big Ben, Brady, and probably Newton and the kid on the Lions earn that designation. Personally, I would place Ryan there as well, and have not seen enough of Bradford to make a pertinent comment. Rivers? He has the tools but I'm not sure of his head.

 

Btw, stats notwithstanding, I would place Romo and Sanchez off of my own list of franchise QBs. The Jets are stacked and would be in first place imo with a better QB. Romo seems to rarely play well at crunch time.

 

In any event, looking at the standings, strong QB play does seem like a mandate. I don't know what SF is doing (again, I haven't seen enough of them) but I don't recall Smith being good. They would seem to be the only exception.

[Coach Tuesday]

For me it is still all about the defense. I just think everyone is underestimating the impact it has when your D gets you in the hole by 2 or 3 TDs to start every game. Your margin for error becomes so small. Things get stressed and rushed. Half the gameplan goes out the window. Coaches and QBs start forcing things. Other teams' defenses start playing with more confidence and taking more chances. It's been the story every week for about 2 months. It really makes it difficult to evaluate Chan, Fitz, and Spiller.

Edited December 12, 2011 by Coach Tuesday

[Fixxxer]

I loved how Levitre destroyed the DB that picked off Thigpen. He looked pissed off on that play.

 

They OL gets no love but sans the Dallas game they were a good OL all year. I like Wood and I hope he can come back healthy from another injury but he gets too much credit sometimes. He's a good player but you would think the OL has become a disaster since his injury and they're not.

 

I like Fitz but he needs to realize that he's the man and that he needs to take command of the team. He needs to rally the troops, he was handpicked by his HC and since he got paid he can't hang his head fast enough when things go wrong in a game. It's not acceptable behavior for a leader and QB.

 

Yes, Edwards' gameplan doesn't help the offense very much, yes Chan can be predictable but when that happens Fitz should talk with his HC about it, call some audibles at the line, take command of the offense and the team.

 

Dareus had a monster game, the kid will be a star. Rogers showed some good instincts and had a beautiful pass break-up.

 

I wish Chan could do himself and his career as HC a favor and get rid of Edwards. Yes the defense played better down the line but a defense can't surrender 3 scores in the first 3 drives of the game.

Edited December 12, 2011 by Fixxxer

[NoSaint]

You're conflating the two ideas--in the first, all it takes is getting to one official in the gambler, one off game case. That could (and has, in the NBA) been done before.

 

In the second, it would admittedly take a wider conspiracy, making it less likely, but something similar to it has also happened--see the Serie soccer scandal in Italy. In that case, they found that certain officials were being designated to ref certain games and said refs were on the take, as was the assignor. That one was indeed a league-wide scandal. Not saying it's happened or is happening here, but it's ridiculous to categorically say it couldn't happen in the NFL, when it has in fact happened in another major league....

 

But your missing the point that every Sunday this thread pops up. I've seen 3 different fan bases say the games are rigged this week, and only looked at two boards. It's possible that the refs get a "Keep it close" off the record instruction as was happening in the NBA but that doesn't fit the allegations going on here.

[CodeMonkey]

I too think Fitz is injured. I don't think he has looked right ever since he got hit in the ribs against the Eagles(?).

I don't think there is any way Fitz is injured. He got knocked down several times yesterday and a couple of them were pretty hard shots and he got up without any wincing. Plus he ran a couple times and took on defenders head on, no slide. If he had any injury, particularly ribs, this would not be the case.

 

The only look I saw on Fitz's face was the same one that was probably on my face, disgust.

[The Poojer]

I'm in the fitz is hurt camp...his throws have been condiserably and noticeably worse than earlier in the season...some just terrible...also I seemed to notice SJ13 seemed VERY frustrated almost mad...at one point he was sitting at the end of the bench by himself...wonder if he is frustrated with Fitz's inability to make accurate throws....

 

also...why was CJ not in the offense in the 3rd/4th quarter? he wasn't even lined up wide....

 

this team really lacks in fundamentals...our pass d is way to soft...we give up easy 8-12 yard receptions.

 

it's beyond frustrating...it took every ounce of my being to head into Center City and watch the game with the Bills faithful...but I did...

[Bill from NYC]

it's beyond frustrating...it took every ounce of my being to head into Center City and watch the game with the Bills faithful...but I did...

 

I too must admit that I was tempted to leave the place in which I watched the game in the first quarter, but I couldn't.

[The Poojer]

i left early in the 4th quarter...of course I am tied to train schedules so it was either leave then or be forced to wait for the 8.40PM train instead of the 7.40 train...but i still left early....

 

I too must admit that I was tempted to leave the place in which I watched the game in the first quarter, but I couldn't.

[CodeMonkey]

I'm in the fitz is hurt camp...his throws have been condiserably and noticeably worse than earlier in the season...some just terrible...also I seemed to notice SJ13 seemed VERY frustrated almost mad...at one point he was sitting at the end of the bench by himself...wonder if he is frustrated with Fitz's inability to make accurate throws....

He isn't physically hurt, just watch how he gets up after his runs or knockdowns. No issues at all.

The reason his throws are looking worse now is the defenses are taking away the 1-5 yard stuff a lot more so his throws need to be longer, which he is incapable of consistently.

 

also...why was CJ not in the offense in the 3rd/4th quarter? he wasn't even lined up wide....

All game when Spiller was dancing he would go to the sidelines and some coach was telling him to stop it and go upfield. He kept dancing so they sat him. That's my guess anyway.