JÂy RÛßeÒ Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 He should have been fired in the locker room after the game. In front of the whole team. On the end zone view didja see Ron Books veer from his containment lane on the far left all the way to the middle of the field? He crossed behind at least 3 of his own guys, only to take pretty much the exact same path back to where he started. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Turk Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 (edited) The handling of this situation, to me, will be one of the biggest ways to evaluate Marrone this offseason. How committed is he to discipline and winning football games? Because the ONLY good thing about Crossman's units was the FG team. Can he fire a friend he has known for 20 years? The punters were both bad. Punt coverage was abysmal. Kickoff coverage was, at times also abysmal. Kick return and punt return games were non-existent and the units as a whole seemed to be good for at least 2 penalties a week. I can't remember the ST units ever being so terrible. Not true, before yesterday our kick return coverage units were ranked 8th in the league and routinely pinned teams inside the 20 yard line if they brought kicks out of the endzone... Edited December 30, 2013 by matter2003 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KOKBILLS Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 (edited) Not true, before yesterday our kick return coverage units were ranked 8th in the league and routinely pinned teams inside the 20 yard line if they brought kicks out of the endzone... Not sure how you're reading it...Maybe I'm reading it wrong... But according to the ESPN chart here...http://espn.go.com/n...osition/defense...They allowed the 8th most KR yards, and the 16th most on average, in the NFL...Also they allowed the 5th most PR yards and the 8th most on average in that category... Edited December 30, 2013 by KOKBILLS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Turk Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 (edited) Not sure how you're reading it...Maybe I'm reading it wrong... But according to the ESPN chart here...http://espn.go.com/n...osition/defense...They allowed the 8th most KR yards, and the 16th most on average, in the NFL...Also they allowed the 5th most PR yards and the 8th most on average in that category... They were 8th, talked about it on WGR, they had allowed 21.3 yards per KR...yesterday's fiasco pushed their average up 2 or 3 yards...that included yesterday's game, my point was, up until that game they had been very good Edited December 30, 2013 by matter2003 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloBillsMagic1 Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 Time for a change. Marrone has made changes at SU when he was there and will do so here as well with coaches that have been subpar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1B4IDie Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 (edited) The handling of this situation, to me, will be one of the biggest ways to evaluate Marrone this offseason. How committed is he to discipline and winning football games? Because the ONLY good thing about Crossman's units was the FG team. Can he fire a friend he has known for 20 years? The punters were both bad. Punt coverage was abysmal. Kickoff coverage was, at times also abysmal. Kick return and punt return games were non-existent and the units as a whole seemed to be good for at least 2 penalties a week. I can't remember the ST units ever being so terrible. The more I think about this. The more I agree. 17 weeks into the season and you're giving up multiple huge KickOff Returns. The Special Teams have been horrible all season, the coach has a history of being a horrible Special Teams coach. Morrone gave his buddy Crossman a chance. He wholeheartedly Flunked. Now this becomes a Morrone problem. Taking quick decisive action to upgrade the coaching position is the clear cut right move Kitty-Footing around and giving Crossman another chance is the clear cut wrong move. This is a pretty easy situation to decide in the bigger scheme of decisions that have to made as a head coach. I agree that this can be used as a litmus test for Morrone. The announcement of the decision to relieve Crossman of his duties should come out in the next 72 hours. I don't know much about this This guy but it looks like he will be available and the Vikings had a Top 10 ranked Special Team unit. http://www.vikings.com/team/coaches/mike-priefer/da2145cd-750f-423a-a6fd-7157e0c3e853 MIKE PRIEFER Edited December 30, 2013 by Why So Serious? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Cubed Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 Here's a very telling stat: Number of returns for the season - 23 (lowest total since 1982 when there was 9 games) Wow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miyagi-Do Karate Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 If there is enough backlash from the fan base I wonder if he will change his mind? It seems that every year the fans generally like to pick one person as a primary scapegoat in this organization and call for their heads. It is human nature (mob mentality really) that has existed since the time before Christ. Suppose the newspaper guys or NFL Channel guys start writing about how bad this special teams unit has been and start talking about how it makes sense to get a new guy in there? Suppose it starts to dominate the conversations on the Bills' own website and on the talk radio circuits. Do you think that forces his hand? Do you think Whaley and Brandon tell Marrone that the team needs to do this for the good of the organization? They need to sacrifice one of the goats so that the natives (fans) settle down? Isn't that what past coaching staffs in here have been forced to do? Give the little vampires (fan base) a little blood so they stay alive and keep coming back? Business is business and these coaches (even assistant coaches) know how the NFL works right? I wonder? I think he will feel like it will blow over. And it probably will. The fire crossman sentiment was felt here and there all season, but no one was hell bent on it. The only reason we all are now is because of rawness of yesterday's loss. Give it another week and it will die down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KOKBILLS Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 They were 8th, talked about it on WGR, they had allowed 21.3 yards per KR...yesterday's fiasco pushed their average up 2 or 3 yards...that included yesterday's game, my point was, up until that game they had been very good Oh OK I see... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cale Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 I don't know much about this This guy but it looks like he will be available and the Vikings had a Top 10 ranked Special Team unit. http://www.vikings.c...fd-7157e0c3e853 MIKE PRIEFER I mentioned this in my post. Priefer would be a good get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PolishDave Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 (edited) I think he will feel like it will blow over. And it probably will. The fire crossman sentiment was felt here and there all season, but no one was hell bent on it. The only reason we all are now is because of rawness of yesterday's loss. Give it another week and it will die down. Based on the interview Marrone just gave on the John Murphy show I think you are probably right. Marrone said the special teams this year has been good except for the Patriots game and one other play this year. That one remark alone degrades my impression of Marrone a lot (and I happen to like him more than most here probably.) Sorry coach, but if you throw out all the bad plays that players and coaches make before you evaluate them, then what is the point of evaluating them at all. Very disappointed in his stance on special teams. Why not throw out all of Ej's crap plays and declare that it was unfair he missed the probowl? Heck while you are at it why not throw out the plays EJ got hurt on and just say he was never hurt at all this season. The more I think about his remarks, the madder I get. Edited December 31, 2013 by PolishDave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hapless Bills Fan Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 (edited) They were 8th, talked about it on WGR, they had allowed 21.3 yards per KR...yesterday's fiasco pushed their average up 2 or 3 yards...that included yesterday's game, my point was, up until that game they had been very good Perhaps the WGR guys misread the chart? It's like golf, low yards wins. To be 8th best (eg, given up the fewest yards, 25th in the league) we would have had to give up <700 yds prior to yesterday. Yesterday's fiasco didn't take us from <700 to our current abysmal >1100 yds; we gave up 189 yds not >400. So I do not believe that until today, we were very good... there was at least one other game that was a total Stinkoswampapotamous of a ST disaster as well. By the way, if you click on "own" at the same link, we are dead last in achieving yards by kickoff and punt returns. Last. If Marrone needs to "consider", I hope Whaley and Russ help him "re-consider". Edited December 31, 2013 by Hopeful Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miyagi-Do Karate Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 Based on the interview Marrone just gave on the John Murphy show I think you are probably right. Marrone said the special teams this year has been good except for the Patriots game and one other play this year. That one remark alone degrades my impression of Marrone a lot (and I happen to like him more than most here probably.) Sorry coach, but if you throw out all the bad plays that players and coaches make before you evaluate them, then what is the point of evaluating them at all. Very disappointed in his stance on special teams. Why not throw out all of Ej's crap plays and declare that it was unfair he missed the probowl? Heck while you are at it why not throw out the plays EJ got hurt on and just say he was never hurt at all this season. The more I think about his remarks, the madder I get. I think crossman has done a very mediocre to poor job. But it's rare for a 1st year coach to fire anyone. If the unit doesn't dramatically improve next year, his hand will be forced though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3rdand12 Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 Danny. your fired. Wanna get a beer ? Dan you know you sucked right ? Alright then . Bartender make it a double for my friend here. done Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cale Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 I didn't understand the hire then and I don't understand the hire now. He took the Lions special teams to new depths of underachievement. And he was working on continuing the trend in Buffalo. http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000126490/article/detroit-lions-fire-special-teams-coach-danny-crossman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sisyphean Bills Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 The special teams coach for Tampa likely just became available. Good hire for someone wanting out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martifal Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 I think he will feel like it will blow over. And it probably will. The fire crossman sentiment was felt here and there all season, but no one was hell bent on it. The only reason we all are now is because of rawness of yesterday's loss. Give it another week and it will die down. I thought it was a lousy hire when they announced it, then Crossman took a top special teams unit right to the bottom. The fact he still has a job at 9:30 on black monday pisses me off, he should have been shown the door with Ike Hilliard today, it tells me Marrone is thinking about keeping him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cale Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 The special teams coach for Tampa likely just became available. Friggin' Wannstedt... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Jose Bills Fan Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 He should have been fired in the locker room after the game. In front of the whole team. On the end zone view didja see Ron Books veer from his containment lane on the far left all the way to the middle of the field? He crossed behind at least 3 of his own guys, only to take pretty much the exact same path back to where he started. The one glaring mistake I saw on the first long kick return was committed by Duke Williams (or whoever wears 27). I haven't yet rewatched the game but my impression was that Duke lost his lane assignment by erring inside by a few spots and then he got wiped out by someone in the wedge. You could hear the impact. I'm kinda surprised no one has mentioned that play yet. The Crossman hire was indefensible when it happened and is less defensible now. BTW, the Bills Assistant Special Teams Coach is John Anselmo who was in his first year as an NFL assistant and who was Marrone's Asst. Head Coach last year at Syracuse. He coached Syracuse's special teams in 2011 and 2012. Because of his close association with Marrone, I have a hard time seeing Marrone firing Anselmo or replacing him with someone with more expertise in an attempt to bolster Crossman's special teams. Marrone did say when asked specifically about Crossman that "everyone will be evaluated" so there's still hope. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ny33 Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 The one glaring mistake I saw on the first long kick return was committed by Duke Williams (or whoever wears 27). I haven't yet rewatched the game but my impression was that Duke lost his lane assignment by erring inside by a few spots and then he got wiped out by someone in the wedge. You could hear the impact. I'm kinda surprised no one has mentioned that play yet. The Crossman hire was indefensible when it happened and is less defensible now. BTW, the Bills Assistant Special Teams Coach is John Anselmo who was in his first year as an NFL assistant and who was Marrone's Asst. Head Coach last year at Syracuse. He coached Syracuse's special teams in 2011 and 2012. Because of his close association with Marrone, I have a hard time seeing Marrone firing Anselmo or replacing him with someone with more expertise in an attempt to bolster Crossman's special teams. Marrone did say when asked specifically about Crossman that "everyone will be evaluated" so there's still hope. It won't happen, but I would love the Bills to hire an independent consultant/consultancy to evaluate the coaching staff after the season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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