My completely uninformed opinion on the Bills' philosophy this pre

[eball]

...is that Gailey & Co. have one, and only one, goal in mind -- open the season healthy. They aren't worried about gameplans and schemes and the 53-man roster is essentially set. There are a couple of position battles but all are for backup spots (QB, WR, LB ), so they're letting those guys play to sort it out. As I'm watching the game, I see the rookies and "desperate" players going balls to the wall, while the vets are running at 75% speed.

 

This is the third year in the offense for Fitz so they don't have a learning curve. Wannstedt's defensive schemes aren't going to be complicated, and they have a lot of veterans out there.

 

I think Gailey has looked at what injuries have done to the roster, particularly last season, and he's bound and determined to start the year with a full tank of gas.

 

These games really are glorified scrimmages for the Bills; an opportunity to let the guys hit somebody in a different uniform and get into "football shape" for the only thing that matters -- September 9.

 

And note -- I'm not just writing this because the Bills are 0-2 and have looked spotty. I see a lot of good things. Fitz was on target last night and we were seeing Wood and Pears finally take some snaps. FredEx is FredEx. Donald Jones showed some real giddyup on that TD, and what can you say about Graham -- the bomb from Vince is exactly what they want from this kid, and he is definitely not intimidated out there. The DT tandem of Williams/Dareus got two sacks on the first drive with nothing more than a bull rush up the gut.

 

Discuss.

Edited August 18, 2012 by eball

[Nanker]

You might be right. So far, both opposing HCs have done a lot more than put up a plain vanilla game plan against The Bills.

The new CBA has really made the off season a Twilight Zone of sorts. Conditioning and training isn't what it was two years ago. I think some coaches are eager to work more on packages and schemes because of the low level of hitting allowed in TC now. They're looking at PS games as a laboratory and training. Whereas Chan sticking to vanilla pudding. He's going to need to get them cranked up come September though. But if they come through the PS healthy - that's likely a better outcome than if two or three starters pop a nut in "meaningless" PS games.

[jimmy10]

I'm far from an X's and O's guy, but I too saw not much effort on the part of those who are guaranteed to start opening day. Why should any of them go balls to the wall? They are all known quantities at this point and there are no awards given for preseason performance, either individually or as a team.

 

Get ramped up to the speed of the game and above all else, STAY HEALTHY. That appears to be what we're doing and I'm a-ok with that.

[fansince88]

I dont know. I would like to be on record for I just dont know. I only listened to the game last night as I couldnt see it but we sounded more sloppy than bad. But I couldnt say how we looked. Just hope we dont start hearing 1st pick overall soon.

Edited August 18, 2012 by fansince88

[joey greco]

I applaud your self-awareness.

 

If this was the first year, not the 12th consecutive, that opponents' receivers were consistently wide open, Bills' receivers couldn't create space for themselves, and the offensive line looked entirely overmatched physically, you might have been on the right track. The only bright spot is that for the first time in many years the defensive line doesn't look physically overmatched. None of this is about scheme, it's about ability and physical talent, and the team continues to struggle there.

 

They may be able to make up for these deficiencies when the games start, but experience has taught us otherwise.

 

The final score of these games doesn't matter, but the clear inability of this roster to physically impose themselves against very inferior opponents (which, make no mistake, the Vikings are, especially without AP) 1st team vs. 1st team, or even 1st team vs. second team, continues to be troubling. Good teams do not look like this-they can string some basic plays together whether they're scheming or not. They have at least a couple of go-to plays that they run perfectly every time by this point in the preseason. They can cover recievers. They can find an open reciever once in a while. They can at least move the ball a little bit, even if they can't string together a long drive. They definitely don't make inexperienced QB's look like Tom Brady week in and week out. This is a joke.

[KGUN34]

I think your completely uninformed opinion is pretty good.Nothing more than a scrimmage and certainley not giving anything away.The bills coaching staff will be busy game planning for the regular season opener and hoping to have all their starters available.I guess they have the roster ninety five percent set apart from a couple of special teamers they will be looking at over these pre season games.I am looking forward to seeing an improved Bills this year who will push for a playoff spot and maybe go to the show the following season.Go Bills!!

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

Well, it's the most hopeful of all possible explanations... I'll go with it

[Best Player Available]

Who cares if its vanilla? Who cares if Gailey doesn't want to show his hand?

Neither do the other 31 teams.

Players need to execute the "vanilla" plays. The Bills haven't. 10-22 under this regime, The same receivers

from last year mostly suck. Or is it Gailey's "gameplan" to suck? I doubt it.

These are not the super bowl teams of past. This is a team that is10-22 under this regime. Worse than the DJ teams

Someone in the FO better be feeling some heat.

Vikings were 3-13 last year. Their first offense manhandled the bills on their first drive.

[PromoTheRobot]

You are probably right. We go thorough this every year. Even so it's very discouraging seeing the Bills flounder.

 

PTR

[mead107]

It is preseason. They are going to show nothing. That's the way it should be.

[Booger]

I applaud your self-awareness.

 

If this was the first year, not the 12th consecutive, that opponents' receivers were consistently wide open, Bills' receivers couldn't create space for themselves, and the offensive line looked entirely overmatched physically, you might have been on the right track. The only bright spot is that for the first time in many years the defensive line doesn't look physically overmatched. None of this is about scheme, it's about ability and physical talent, and the team continues to struggle there.

 

They may be able to make up for these deficiencies when the games start, but experience has taught us otherwise.

 

The final score of these games doesn't matter, but the clear inability of this roster to physically impose themselves against very inferior opponents (which, make no mistake, the Vikings are, especially without AP) 1st team vs. 1st team, or even 1st team vs. second team, continues to be troubling. Good teams do not look like this-they can string some basic plays together whether they're scheming or not. They have at least a couple of go-to plays that they run perfectly every time by this point in the preseason. They can cover recievers. They can find an open reciever once in a while. They can at least move the ball a little bit, even if they can't string together a long drive. They definitely don't make inexperienced QB's look like Tom Brady week in and week out. This is a joke.

 

Finally someone that is willing to admit what we are all seeing. Players do not play at 75%, 50%, 20% or whatever other excuse you are going to give them. This is the NFL. You play below 100% you get injured or get a teamate injured. Its athlete against athlete. Even if the offense is "vanilla" as some suggest it is not as if they say "just go out there and run around". If they we only worried about injury they would not play the starters at all. As he said, they have a history of looking exactly the way they did last night. They have no idea if this thing is fixed by looking at all the "great" players they have on paper. Its ok for Green Bay or New England to look poor because we all know what they are capeable of due to the given of Rogers and Brady...we have Fitzpatrick...a qb that has played well in far far fewer games than he has looked terrible. Not giving up, not saying they are doomed but you are only kidding yourself if you think the coaches are no scrambling today to figure things out quickly. That was very apparent in their interviews, the player interviews and the media (tim graham)....you may discredit me, but don't discredit the players and coaches

[Mr. WEO]

By this logic, why play the starters at all? If the "53 man roster is set", why should there be any risk of injury to the starters?

 

The major injuries came well after opening day last year, not in preseason.

[bowery4]

Last years first (PS) game was similar, if I remember right, I am not panicked yet.

[Booger]

You are probably right. We go thorough this every year. Even so it's very discouraging seeing the Bills flounder.

 

PTR

 

LOL. Reread what you just typed. "We go through this every year"....exactly...and every one of those years the Bills have sucked. Anyone ever think that maybe if they showed decently in the preseason it could lead to goo things over the course of a season. I am not talking the W/L record of the preseason, that means nothing as games could be won/lost by 2nd and third stringers. One thing that I do believe is very important in the preseason is how your first string offense/defense play against the opponent....so far (against two poor teams). Bad guys 2 - Bills 0........

[bowery4]

Finally someone that is willing to admit what we are all seeing. Players do not play at 75%, 50%, 20% or whatever other excuse you are going to give them. This is the NFL. You play below 100% you get injured or get a teamate injured. Its athlete against athlete. Even if the offense is "vanilla" as some suggest it is not as if they say "just go out there and run around". If they we only worried about injury they would not play the starters at all. As he said, they have a history of looking exactly the way they did last night. They have no idea if this thing is fixed by looking at all the "great" players they have on paper. Its ok for Green Bay or New England to look poor because we all know what they are capeable of due to the given of Rogers and Brady...we have Fitzpatrick...a qb that has played well in far far fewer games than he has looked terrible. Not giving up, not saying they are doomed but you are only kidding yourself if you think the coaches are no scrambling today to figure things out quickly. That was very apparent in their interviews, the player interviews and the media (tim graham)....you may discredit me, but don't discredit the players and coaches

By this logic, why play the starters at all? If the "53 man roster is set", why should there be any risk of injury to the starters?

 

The major injuries came well after opening day last year, not in preseason.

 

By that logic why PLAY Rodgers or Brady in PS then? and are they giving 100%?

[Wayne Cubed]

Who cares if its vanilla? Who cares if Gailey doesn't want to show his hand?

Neither do the other 31 teams.

Players need to execute the "vanilla" plays. The Bills haven't. 10-22 under this regime, The same receivers

from last year mostly suck. Or is it Gailey's "gameplan" to suck? I doubt it.

These are not the super bowl teams of past. This is a team that is10-22 under this regime. Worse than the DJ teams

Someone in the FO better be feeling some heat.

Vikings were 3-13 last year. Their first offense manhandled the bills on their first drive.

So your saying a team who's playing base schems should still be able to execute effectively against teams who are being more exotic?

 

Look the Bills have played 2 teams, who were worse off last year, have young QBs and have done lots of changing in the offseason. These teams have obviously chosen to be more arrgressive in preseason. Maybe it's because they want to give their fan base hope, sell more tickets. Maybe they need to find out earlier what they have with these young QBs. Who knows, but obviously the Bills are taking a different approach, but that doesn't mean what's happening now will translate to real meaningful regular season games.

[sllib olaffub]

I've walked away from watching both preseason games thus far thinking the same thing: the Bills are not out there trying to win. That is something that should be kept in mind. I see our opponents actually game planning, to some extent, against a Bills team that is DELIBERATELY NOT showing anything that they'll actually be using in the regular season.

 

Washington wanted to give Griffin III a chance to have success early - for confidence sake - and so ran a more complicated game plan against a very vanilla Bills team. Minnesota was very much pressured to have the appearance of success, of growth, as they've been critisized and looked at as a fallen team - both teams priority was to come out and WIN, to look good, to have success, against a Bills team whose priority was NOT to show what they'll really be doing, and NOT to get hurt.

 

If I hadn't seen last year's team come out of preseason and look night and day better than what they did throughout the preseason, I'd be more worried. However, this is now something I recognize as being planned. You can bet their critisisms (Bills coaches) are going to be much different while watching the game than a Bills fan's would be. They just weren't trying to do what a football team normally tries to do, which is win at all costs.

 

Two things have, nevertheless, made me wonder leading up to the regular season - Mario Williams and Mark Anderson haven't really been in the backfield much (I'm hoping they're waiting for the real season to go nuts), and our recievers don't look that good at getting separation. We'll just have to see how this pans out.

[Dorkington]

I desperately hope you are right. I haven't been encouraged.

[Best Player Available]

So your saying a team who's playing base schems should still be able to execute effectively against teams who are being more exotic?

 

Look the Bills have played 2 teams, who were worse off last year, have young QBs and have done lots of changing in the offseason. These teams have obviously chosen to be more arrgressive in preseason. Maybe it's because they want to give their fan base hope, sell more tickets. Maybe they need to find out earlier what they have with these young QBs. Who knows, but obviously the Bills are taking a different approach, but that doesn't mean what's happening now will translate to real meaningful regular season games.

 

Sorry, first drive BIG runs up the middle don't strike me as exotic. More like the suck arse inability too stop the run with 1st stringers, that reminded me of how many years now?

Edited August 18, 2012 by Best Player Available

[PeteBills4ever]

Why do people still get caught up reading too much into those preseason games and already predicting doom and gloom for the season??? Did you forget last year preseason, when the first string offense failed to score a TD in 3 of the 4 games and everyone was going crazy?? We ended up starting the season with one of the highest scoring offenses in the league before losing key starters one by one to injuries... And as for the defense, I'll admit I'm a bit worried about our LB's but I trust Wanny to make adjusments when needed, don't you think that opposing offenses when they'll see a full game of our starting d-line that we won't get our share of turnovers and sacks?? Come on guys , preseason and regular season are two different animals...