Last offensive series was a joke

[qdawg in philly]

 

 

The coverage on the punt was not fine. Our gunners are getting down the field way too late, which is a reason for the bad tackling, The returner is already at full steam when our guys get there. Recall the Browns game. This is becomning a trend.

 

Would I have liked to see them air it out in the OT? Yes, sure. All I am saying is that it is easy to second guess any playcalling when you don't execute the play.

 

Did you see the 3rd down pass? It looked to me like the receiver was a secondary option. He was open and he was past the first down marker. The pass missed him. That is EXECUTION. Make the pass, make the catch, and we get another set of downs. EXECUTION.

WRONG!! Watch it again!! The coverage was good and he didn't have a full steam of momentum. He ran straight towards the bengals sideline and as the two bills defenders came in, he split them. He was covered and they should have had him right there. Really Bob, look at again. I screamed good coverage, we got him.....AND HE SPLITS THEM. That was game right there.

And the coverage guys were all slow. By the time the caught him, he's in fg range.

[Bob in STL]

WRONG!! Watch it again!! The coverage was good and he didn't have a full steam of momentum. He ran straight towards the bengals sideline and as the two bills defenders came in, he split them. He was covered and they should have had him right there. Really Bob, look at again. I screamed good coverage, we got him.....AND HE SPLITS THEM. That was game right there.

And the coverage guys were all slow. By the time the caught him, he's in fg range.

 

Moorman boomed a long one with very good hangtime. We did not cover the punt - i.e. the coverage was poor. When I say the coverage was bad I am talking about the results. I could care less if we have two guys in the right place if neither of them can make the play. A mistackle is still bad coverage.

 

We got burned by punt coverage two games in a row now.

 

Going into this game we were tied for last in the league in net average yards per punt. Opponents were returning 14.7 yards per punt against us on average. Firing the punter was a step to correct it. Looks like that is not the only problem.

[AJ1]

You knew the Bills were going to pay for coming away with no points just after start of 2nd quarter. On 3rd & goal, I was hoping they would fake the run into the line and rolled Lewis out to the wide side (left) of the field, he probably would have walked into the end zone.

Perfect example of Hackett's, at times, mindless play calling. Maybe an experienced QB could have overridden the call(s). Then in the last series, you have to at least move the ball a few yards or you are sure to lose. You don't get a another chance to score when it's sudden death. I would have gone for it on fourth(a fake punt) and I also would have called 3 pass plays. That was the exact time to NOT be conservative.

[ganesh]

I had no expectations going into this game. I think the game shouldn't even had gone to OT based off of how we played.

 

And lastly, this is now two weeks in a row where we've scored enough points to win and our Defense is just getting owned. I don't care who is hurt, but we got Byrd back this week and McKelvin the past two weeks. It's getting to be pathetic

But our defense has also been on the field for 43 minutes of the regulation time. The Bengals OL and DL played just better than ours. That was the difference in the game.

[cosmo]

It seems like Hackett does a decent job calling plays until it gets to high pressure situations (like on the goal line early in the game, in overtime, crucial 3rd downs, etc.), which is to be expected from a guy in his first year calling plays in the NFL. He definitely deserves the criticism he's getting but we should remember that the dude is really young, but if he doesn't start learning from these mistakes then by all means we should be looking for a new OC.

[reddogblitz]

I'm going to disagree with the play calling on the last drive. Hulk Hogan was open past the sticks. If either Thaddeus makes a better pass or Hulk Hogan is able to pull it in, it's a first down. Hackett can only make the play calls, he can't execute them too.

 

Our offense is pretty decent I'd say. It's our D and kicking teams that are getting us beat.

[enlightener]

I had no expectations going into this game. I think the game shouldn't even had gone to OT based off of how we played.

 

However, even with all of that, way to just give up at the end. That was the most pathetic play calling I've ever seen, especially knowing that a punt from there usually puts a team a first away from FG range and that wins the game. That was seriously a joke. And don't tell me about having Thad in there. You trusted him all game to make throws. I just don't get it. And also, why Hogan is in there when you have Woods, Graham, and Goodwin is beyond me.

 

And lastly, this is now two weeks in a row where we've scored enough points to win and our Defense is just getting owned. I don't care who is hurt, but we got Byrd back this week and McKelvin the past two weeks. It's getting to be pathetic

wyay to totally miss the pointof what happened out there....OT comes down to a possession, we ran it,had a hold, got a third and 5 and coudnt covert, it happens don't blame the D or the O, you actually blamed both, its called football.

[Wayne Cubed]

I read through this thread and find it funny that no one brought up that fact that maybe Thad was already hurt before that last drive. He was on the bike, trying to keep loose.

 

I'm not sure what people expect from an offense that has had it's QB switched and missing their #1 WR and a hobbled RB. To even be in the game at that point was just crazy. Hackett can only call the plays, of which he called a lot of good ones against Cincy. It's up to the players to execute that play. Hogan was open. The pass was there. He didn't catch it.

 

You certainly can't expect them to go out there and pass, pass, pass. Especially with a QB who was certainly hobbling at that point. There was no reason to be desperate at that point. Why give up on the run?

[Beerball]

As disappointed as I (and plenty of others) was at some of the play calls yesterday I offer up two words: Sean Payton. There's a coach with a SB win, tons of respect & experience and boy did he screw up yesterday.

[Dean Cain]

3rd & 3 vs 3rd. & 6, thanks to Glenn's false start really hurt us.

[Bob in STL]

I read through this thread and find it funny that no one brought up that fact that maybe Thad was already hurt before that last drive. He was on the bike, trying to keep loose.

 

I'm not sure what people expect from an offense that has had it's QB switched and missing their #1 WR and a hobbled RB. To even be in the game at that point was just crazy. Hackett can only call the plays, of which he called a lot of good ones against Cincy. It's up to the players to execute that play. Hogan was open. The pass was there. He didn't catch it.

 

You certainly can't expect them to go out there and pass, pass, pass. Especially with a QB who was certainly hobbling at that point. There was no reason to be desperate at that point. Why give up on the run?

 

Thank you. Agree 100%.

 

It is too easy to blame the OC everytime the offense stalls. I think that Hackett and the entire offense has been good so far, especially considerating the injuries and lack of experience.

 

If you are going to blame the OC for the 3-and-out then give him credit for the deep bomb and the two TD passes in the 4th Q.

 

Our running game was in the top 5 in the league into the game. This was accomplished in spite of the fact that Spiller is hobbled and defenses are stacked and daring our young QBs to pass.

 

More disturbing was the defenses poor tackling and the fact that they took 3 quarters to adjust, not to again mention the clear trend we are seeing of poor punt coverage.

 

The Bills lost because the players did not make enough plays. Not the coaches, not the refs, not the sun in their eyes.

[Boatdrinks]

Thank you. Agree 100%.

 

It is too easy to blame the OC everytime the offense stalls. I think that Hackett and the entire offense has been good so far, especially considerating the injuries and lack of experience.

 

If you are going to blame the OC for the 3-and-out then give him credit for the deep bomb and the two TD passes in the 4th Q.

 

Our running game was in the top 5 in the league into the game. This was accomplished in spite of the fact that Spiller is hobbled and defenses are stacked and daring our young QBs to pass.

 

More disturbing was the defenses poor tackling and the fact that they took 3 quarters to adjust, not to again mention the clear trend we are seeing of poor punt coverage.

 

The Bills lost because the players did not make enough plays. Not the coaches, not the refs, not the sun in their eyes.

 

You are missing the point. We give credit for those 4th quarter plays that WERE NECESSARY due to the scoreboard. NH was aggressive there because he had no choice. WE are not giving the D a pass either, they acted like a WR screen was revolutionary. But the disturbing trend is a lack of aggression by our OC when he has A CHOICE, i.e. the game is close, and a seeming lack of awareness of the rules of OT. You are not entitled to a second possession no matter how much time is left on the clock in OT, nor how poor your starting field position. That is the card you were dealt. Aggressive doesn't mean sling it 50 yards into double coverage, it means move the ball by the best means possible vs that defense. TL was healthy enough to be out there, period. The fact that you have a high amount of rushing yds vs the rest of NFL due to tons of attempts means nothing either. The "best" way to move the ball there was through the air, especially on 1st down vs defense that was seeking the run. That offensive series was doomed from the start. 1st down is truly the most important down in football. The fact that you ran on downs 1 and 2 virtually guaranteed a pass on 3rd down and CIN knew this. Passing is not "desperate" here. It is smart football, and by the way, the way most teams move the ball in today's NFL. Being timid on the final offensive posession got us beat, regardless of what preceded it. A FG drive produces a win there and erases all bad plays before it. Dalton threw a pick in the game. It didn't matter because they won. Most teams go straight for a deep PA pass after a TO by the other team. This guy is just too safe. Just good enough to get you beat. The players didn't make enough plays in the end because the right plays weren't called in the most pivotal possession of the game. The players may not have had sun in their eyes,but our not ready for prime time OC had fear in his heart. Run, run, incomplete, punt....we lose.

[Wayne Cubed]

 

 

You are missing the point. We give credit for those 4th quarter plays that WERE NECESSARY due to the scoreboard. NH was aggressive there because he had no choice. WE are not giving the D a pass either, they acted like a WR screen was revolutionary. But the disturbing trend is a lack of aggression by our OC when he has A CHOICE, i.e. the game is close, and a seeming lack of awareness of the rules of OT. You are not entitled to a second possession no matter how much time is left on the clock in OT, nor how poor your starting field position. That is the card you were dealt. Aggressive doesn't mean sling it 50 yards into double coverage, it means move the ball by the best means possible vs that defense. TL was healthy enough to be out there, period. The fact that you have a high amount of rushing yds vs the rest of NFL due to tons of attempts means nothing either. The "best" way to move the ball there was through the air, especially on 1st down vs defense that was seeking the run. That offensive series was doomed from the start. 1st down is truly the most important down in football. The fact that you ran on downs 1 and 2 virtually guaranteed a pass on 3rd down and CIN knew this. Passing is not "desperate" here. It is smart football, and by the way, the way most teams move the ball in today's NFL. Being timid on the final offensive posession got us beat, regardless of what preceded it. A FG drive produces a win there and erases all bad plays before it. Dalton threw a pick in the game. It didn't matter because they won. Most teams go straight for a deep PA pass after a TO by the other team. This guy is just too safe. Just good enough to get you beat. The players didn't make enough plays in the end because the right plays weren't called in the most pivotal possession of the game. The players may not have had sun in their eyes,but our not ready for prime time OC had fear in his heart. Run, run, incomplete, punt....we lose.

 

Fact: if a wide open Hogan catches that very catchable ball It's a first down and you aren't making this post. Again, it's execution. Hackett called the right play, he can't be on the field catching the ball as well. It was the right call.

[BuffaloRebound]

Hard to be aggressive when you're backed up inside your 5 yard line. Game was lost when defense couldn't force a 3-and-out on 1st-and-20 on the first possession of overtime.

Edited October 14, 2013 by BuffaloRebound

[NoSaint]

Because they are too busy running it up the middle getting stuffed and forgetting what a Play Action call is.

 

If it makes you feel better watch some of the teams that refuse to run- they'll drive you just as crazy but it'll give you perspective.

 

Every team has issues with both playcalling and execution. Couple that with a practice squad qb, our number 1 WR out and such and it's amazing it wasn't worse

[Boatdrinks]

Fact: if a wide open Hogan catches that very catchable ball It's a first down and you aren't making this post. Again, it's execution. Hackett called the right play, he can't be on the field catching the ball as well. It was the right call.

Hard to be aggressive when you're backed up inside your 5 yard line. Game was lost when defense couldn't force a 3-and-out on 1st-and-20 on the first possession of overtime.

The ball was behind Hogan and he seemed surprised it came his way but that is beside the point. No one would criticize a play that worked, but it DIDN'T. You may have already gotten a bigger gain and fresh set of downs if you didn't call consecutive runs on downs 1 and 2. Then you wouldn't have had to throw in the obvious passing situation on 3rd and 6 with 7 defenders in coverage! The play calling was at least as important as the execution when they had 7 or 8 defenders within a few yards of the LOS on your first two plays. It is easier and higher percentage to EXECUTE when you call the right play for the defense they are in. Why is this so hard to understand? The game was not lost on D in the overtime. You had the ball, and the score was tied. The game was lost when you couldn't move the ball on offense because you played scared. Why is it any harder to be aggressive there? Call passes when they expect runs and keep them off balance, move the chains. Afraid of a turnover? An INT is more likely on third and six into coverage than a play pass on 1st down. 3 and out from there almost certainly loses, so aggressive was the only way to be. Hackett wasn't, the Bills lost. FACT

[RealityCheck]

The Bills number one problem is execution of the play call. Bad throws, drops, and not seeing guys getting open elsewhere is the problem. Once they hit OT, like it or not, running the ball re-enters the big picture.

[Boatdrinks]

The Bills number one problem is execution of the play call. Bad throws, drops, and not seeing guys getting open elsewhere is the problem. Once they hit OT, like it or not, running the ball re-enters the big picture.

 

Running the ball was always in the picture. Playcalling i.e. down and distance, breaking tendencies, was the number one problem. With more imaginative playcalling on downs 1 and 2, it may have been 3rd and 1 or 2, keeping the D guessing. Or perhaps even a new set of downs already. Run, run, pass on third and six isn't going to keep many D's off balance. Exactly what CIN wanted there, we gave them. Execution is a given, give me a series of plays with a high percentage chance of working vs the defense they were in. That is the art of calling plays, Hackett has displayed little feel for this.

[Simon]

Hard to be aggressive when you're backed up inside your 5 yard line. Game was lost when defense couldn't force a 3-and-out on 1st-and-20 on the first possession of overtime.

Yep, I agree with this.

Although I will say that the catch the wide-out made on 2nd down while AWilliams was inside his shirt ripping at his hands was just ridiculous. Williams read that route like a book and played it perfectly but the receiver just made a world class play.

[3rdand12]

Nate should be given some slack.

He has called some damn good plays. I am giving him the pass for the season. Hells bells its the 3rd QB ! With 2 rookie WR 's and a second year guy as the options upfield

i see improvement as we go and consider the staff to be a bunch of rookies. of sorts. much less the players.

If anyone should criticize Nathaniel should also need to swing at Marrone as he oversees Nate's decision making.

i am not unpleased with the team at all

Edited October 14, 2013 by 3rdand12