A Few Thoughts About The Game, in no particular order.....

[Bill from NYC]

1) Obviously, it was a shame that EJ went down. What sucks too is that he had time to run out of bounds. He is young and unpolished, but I sense that he is going to be very good.

 

2) Sure, the punt return before the deuce at the half was a killer, but the stupid play calling led to it. Two useless runs out of the hurry-up, and an incomplete pass under pressure. Then Marrone ran out the clock.

 

3) Aaron Williams played like the Aaron Williams I remember. He was beaten like a drum, turned around, and smoked all night. At one point an announcer called him "our best corner." Just a pitiful performance.

 

4) Mario Williams played as well as he did in the 4.5 sack game. Almost constant pressure and he forced several plays.

 

5) Colin Brown threw a nice block on a 3rd and 6 run in the 1st quarter. Then, he promptly gave up 2 brutal sacks. What a mess.

 

6) Robert Woods plays like a polished professional. It is SO easy to forget that he is a 21 year old kid!!! Nothing but high hopes for this player.

 

7) You imagine me sipping champagne from your boot,

For a taste of your elegant pride.

May be going to hell in a bucket, babe,

But at least I'm enjoying the ride.

At least I'm enjoying the ride.

At least I'm enjoying the ride.!

 

8) Because Marrone, (who is getting on my nerves more and more) just wouldn't stop with the hurry-up, some of the defenders appeared to be a little winded at the end of the game. This might explain some of the key gains by an old, hobbled Magahee.

 

9) I'm saying that there must be better punters on the street looking for work. The best part of Powell's game was his ability to go after returners who were of course streaking down the field.

 

10) Dareus played very well today. I could see the effort he was putting into his game. The kid hurried up to scrimmage, and appears to be in 10 times better shape than I have seen him in since he has been on the Bills.

 

11) Note to Searcy....catch that ball kid. You had a pick six.

 

12) Tuel? Someone forgot to tell me that he has no arm. In terms of arm strength, he made Fitz look like Drew Bledsoe.

 

13) Hughes, Kiko and Lawson all had big games. You wouldn't know it from the score, but it's true.

 

14) A challenge flag because you saw motion. Is this how it works Marrone? I have a better idea...."Hurry up" and learn the rules of professional football.

 

15) GO BILLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Edited October 4, 2013 by Bill from NYC

[John Adams]

On your first point, EJ has to learn to slide and avoid the big contact. I feel like I've seen him hit awkwardly 3-4 times already when he could avoid it. If he doesn't learn this soon, he's going to end up like Hoyers hit, which was awful. I hope EJ just comes out of that with a sprain and nothing more. He's turning into way too important a player to lose.

 

When Maycock called Aaron Williams a key defender, I had to laugh. Talk about shortsighted. I'm glad Williams made plays last week but how about the rest of his career thus far? Nice to see Mckelvin back and every time Robey is out there, he seems to make a play.

Edited October 4, 2013 by John Adams

[Andrew Son]

I believe that marrone was challenging that Cameron stepped out of bounds before the pass interference, which he did. Would have been a good challenge exept illegal contact was called, not pass interference, which could not be challenged.

[JM57]

re: blaming the hurry up for winded defenders....

 

That may be true. But its much more likely that they were gassed because this is what the offense produced under Tuel:

3 and out

3 and out

3 and out

5 plays for 14 yards; punt

4 plays for 20 yards; pick 6

 

18 plays, 38 yards in 5 drives. Bleh.

[BuffaloBill]

This game simply exposed how thin our roster is. One thing you did not mention is how disheartened Kyle Williams looked at the end of the game. You do have to wonder if like us he is tired of the very few bright spots the team has had over his career.

 

Finally, the season could get very long and difficult with a loss next week. Marrone's coaching honeymoon just ended .

[Boolay]

I see a defense that gets some higlhlight reel sacks but continues to give up huge plays; continues to get goughed on 3rd and long; continues to get 3rd down penalties that lead to points.; hasn't been able to cover a tight end this century. I see an offense that goes into prevent mode when they get a lead; an offense that will continue to pound it up the middle on first and ten leading to second and 9; an offense unable to defend a blitz. Sorry but 3-13 is not out of the picture look at the schedule 12/08 is our next easy game because this team will not win on the road.That is what you get when you hire a coach who is at best .500 in a weak college conference. He doesn't know what it feels like to be a winner at the college game, how in gods name do you think he will be a winner at the NFL level.

Edited October 4, 2013 by Boolay

[Kellyto83TD]

Here are my thoughts, its same old **** different year at OBD. Fans are so desperate that they ignore how ****ty this team really is. EJ sucks. The kid is not going to be a good QB, you can just see it. No fire, no decisiveness that I see in rookie QB's that have been successful the last couple years. Outside of Kiko and Woods and a couple others this team is devoid of talent. The coaching sucks balls. Nothing but the same old **** in Buffalo

[Livinginthepast]

The Bills should have won this game going away. The special teams gaffes swung the momentum. Not just the 2 terrible punt covers, but 2 mediocre punts by Powell in the 2nd half. We lost the field position game and once EJ was knocked out there was zero chance that Tuel would be able to string some passes together. Speaking of Tuel, He was really awful. He didnt even look like he should be on the practice squad let alone a backup. What could they possibly have seen in him in the preseason that would have made them think they could rely on him in an emergency like last night? Finally, I am very disappointed in the defense. They played OK but when they really needed a pick or a stop (the 3rd and 18 play!!!) they blew it. They couldnt intercept Brandon Wheeden? Not even once? Not acceptable! This and the Jets game were opportunities lost that will bite them in the butt come playoff time when they are struggling for a WC.

[RuntheDamnBall]

Here are my thoughts, its same old **** different year at OBD. Fans are so desperate that they ignore how ****ty this team really is. EJ sucks. The kid is not going to be a good QB, you can just see it. No fire, no decisiveness that I see in rookie QB's that have been successful the last couple years. Outside of Kiko and Woods and a couple others this team is devoid of talent. The coaching sucks balls. Nothing but the same old **** in Buffalo

Oh, brother. Should we pull up Russell Wilson's stats first four games in Seattle?

[Wayne Cubed]

Oh, brother. Should we pull up Russell Wilson's stats first four games in Seattle?

 

No point in arguing with him.

[RuntheDamnBall]

Tuel certainly wasn't ready and he may just not be talented enough to ever be. The ST momentum swings were killer, and I particularly loathed seeing McGahee succeed against us. There was some stellar play, ESP from the defense, but not 4 quarters of it. Our coaches have as much to learn as our players.

 

I do feel that Searcy was victimized by a BS call in the end zone. He was being grabbed the whole time then got called for grabbing back on a ball thrown out of the back of the end zone. That gave Cleveland another chance and they took advantage.

[silvermike]

The Browns scored on drive starts from:

 

BUF31 (FG)

CLE26 (TD)

PR

CLE26 (TD)

BUF32 (FG)

CLE43 (FG)

and

INT.

 

Two real drives against, one entirely to blame on a depleted secondary. 20 points were given up before the defense stepped on the field, given the starts in FG range. 3 more came from the doorstop of opposition territory. They got beat twice and forced six punts. I can live with that.

[bowery4]

Bad game wasn't it, our O has problems with certain kinds of Ds. Ej takes too long to warm up, although they were doing alright 1st quarter, he just seems off early a lot to me.

 

I am still encouraged by our D but the lapses because of being tired or just young and inexperienced suck. Lots of runs up the middle, which works against us a bit too well still. It also seems they play a don't give up the big play, I don't like bend don't break, never did never will. I hate seeing the wrong types of players playing cover two, in fact cover 2 isn't attacking, it's reacting.

 

I don't put too much blame on Tuel. He should be on the PS; he does have some talents worth developing BUT I was never happy that he is the #2 and may well have started the season. We need a vet who isn't too much a loser or injury prone, although the results may have been the same.

We also need EJ to learn to slide! Slide damn it! 9 days ... I hope he feels better soon. Worrisome and lost us a winnable game. That said the game will slow down for him.

 

Kiko is really good but good blockers can move him, he still plays lights out but does have weaknesses in especially the run game (still over commits too).

 

Worst ST game in a long time and yeah it looks like this guy is just a &^*$y punter.

 

Colin Brown. I admit I was a big supporter but he struggles. I don't see why sometimes, good position decent push and then whamo too high (he doesn't finish his block and rather stands up straighter which would seem to be coach-able but it is now week 4) and pushed out of the way, too lanky to be a guard maybe? Not sure but yeah it's not working.

 

Our D line is impressive 90% of the time. OLBS/DEs are great and rotation is nice. Hughes did have a good game. Branch was less this game but they did stop some drives. The D isn't the problem really.

 

This staff....... they have some real talents on the team. They need to have people play to their strengths. This game was lost by execution but coaching mistakes as well. I hope they are ALL learning and growing.

Injuries are biting us hard, I wish it would stop. Can't really blame that on anyone either but that also cost us the game.

One last coaching mistake they should have run over Mingo all day, they di twice and it worked and didn't go back to it after.

 

NFL officiating is trashy even more this year than in the past and reviewing everything really slows the game down and bores me to tears with all the commercials. That was also my least favorite team of announcers, although Maycock does diagram plays nicely. They were incredibly biased.

Edited October 4, 2013 by bowery4

[zow2]

Bottom Line: Not having a Vet backup...or at least a backup QB that has played in a real NFL game...cost us this game. I can't blame Tuel too much, but he was pretty bad. Some relatively easy throws were low and in the dirt, or behind the receivers.

The Bills had 3 or 4 possessions while the game was either tied or behind by 3....and they could not move the ball one iota. Get that kid (Thaddeus?) from Duke in there as the 2nd string QB from now on. He could not possibly be worse.

[bowery4]

I believe that marrone was challenging that Cameron stepped out of bounds before the pass interference, which he did. Would have been a good challenge exept illegal contact was called, not pass interference, which could not be challenged.

That was my understanding as well.

[BillsInMaine]

Do we look at Josh Freeman now?

[Maury Ballstein]

I see a defense that gets some higlhlight reel sacks but continues to give up huge plays; continues to get goughed on 3rd and long; continues to get 3rd down penalties that lead to points.; hasn't been able to cover a tight end this century. I see an offense that goes into prevent mode when they get a lead; an offense that will continue to pound it up the middle on first and ten leading to second and 9; an offense unable to defend a blitz. Sorry but 3-13 is not out of the picture look at the schedule 12/08 is our next easy game because this team will not win on the road.That is what you get when you hire a coach who is at best .500 in a weak college conference. He doesn't know what it feels like to be a winner at the college game, how in gods name do you think he will be a winner at the NFL level.

Here are my thoughts, its same old **** different year at OBD. Fans are so desperate that they ignore how ****ty this team really is. EJ sucks. The kid is not going to be a good QB, you can just see it. No fire, no decisiveness that I see in rookie QB's that have been successful the last couple years. Outside of Kiko and Woods and a couple others this team is devoid of talent. The coaching sucks balls. Nothing but the same old **** in Buffalo

 

Pitchforks ! Clear em all out !

 

Kelly to reed how does EJ Suck ? Game was 24-24 and we were driving when he went out.

 

Misery! Doom ! Aaaaaaaaaa.

 

 

Just remember we do have Gilmore and mck in the pipeline.

 

[silvermike]

So, what's the official TBD **** list right now?

 

1.) Colin Brown

2.) Shawn Powell

3.) Aaron Williams (back from his one-week reprieve?)

[thewildrabbit]

The biggest standout to me in this game was how bad the Bills special team are... 179 return yards. Benjamin 79 yard punt return for a TD broke the game open for the Browns.

 

Then the Bills went into a mysterious wannstache type defense in the 4th QTR and only rushed four.

 

LG Colin Brown went back to his usual sub standard play this week. Worst player on the team IMO, and they have nobody better behind him.The Bills need to bring in a FA tackle, and slide him to guard or something. This kid continues to stink up the field.

 

Tuel looked like he was crapping in his pants out there, so not a very good backup QB. Maybe an OK 3rd stringer, but I hope the Bills bring in a decent vet.

[BillnutinHouston]

#11 - if only it were that simple. The Browns WR got a hand on the ball and tipped it before it got to Searcy. Had Searcy hung onto the ball, it would have been a near miracle.