Gil Brandt looks at the six teams with the longest playoff droughts.

[3rdand12]

"Realistically, I don't see Buffalo competing for a postseason berth until 2015."

 

Which might come too late to save this regime.

Obviously , thats a concern.

 

I sure would like to see this group have some more leeway than the Bills standard 3 years and out method of past

[mannc]

All four teams in the NFC West are good. The Rams are probably 4th best. Not good enough for the playoffs.

Hey, it's about time. For 10 years that division was embarrassing.

[BuffaloFan68]

Let's just go with the Bills taking the AFC East this year.

[Dibs]

Obviously , thats a concern.

 

I sure would like to see this group have some more leeway than the Bills standard 3 years and out method of past

 

3 years would mean that success in 2015 would keep them their jobs. I guess the iminent sale has everyone assuming that this regime only gets 2 years to fix things.....with 2014 being a win, or lose your job year.

 

Personally I think that regardless of who buys the team, this FO & coaches with get the 2015 season.

Edited May 24, 2014 by Dibs

[Bill from NYC]

 

This meme has been repeated so often people take it as gospel. Not happening. Russ, Doug and Doug aren't going anywhere, new owner or not.

Are you being serious? If the Bills don't make the playoffs all of them will be out.

 

It won't take a week.

Edited May 24, 2014 by Bill from NYC

[Dibs]

Are you being serious? If the Bills don't make the playoffs all of them will be out.

 

It won't take a week.

So if we end up with a 9-7(or 10-6) record.....hell even an 8-8.....where by seasons end EJ, Watkins,the D, the OL(new rookies), running game, the 2nd year players(Woods, Kiko, Goodwin).....all look to be legitimate that the new regime is gone?

 

Why does this regime get only 2 years? Sure, if it all looks crap they might geg the chop but c'mon, 2nd year on the improve generally keeps people their jobs for year 3.

[3rdand12]

Are you being serious? If the Bills don't make the playoffs all of them will be out.

 

It won't take a week.

But its only two years in Bill !

I think they will need to have a very strong showing especially second half of the season. Its a very young team and should get some leeway. Unless they look like last year i think they hang on . with some adjustments .

But i truly think these guys can get into the playoffs

[Bill from NYC]

 

So if we end up with a 9-7(or 10-6) record.....hell even an 8-8.....where by seasons end EJ, Watkins,the D, the OL(new rookies), running game, the 2nd year players(Woods, Kiko, Goodwin).....all look to be legitimate that the new regime is gone?

 

Why does this regime get only 2 years? Sure, if it all looks crap they might geg the chop but c'mon, 2nd year on the improve generally keeps people their jobs for year 3.

 

Fair enough. I should have been more specific in my prediction.....

 

10-6 they probably stay.

 

9-7, probably fired.

 

8-8 or below, so long.

 

But i truly think these guys can get into the playoffs

 

And I am not saying they cannot.

 

As you know, we are rabid fans. We are patient to the point that there is a thread about Gilmore being a shutdown corner. A new owner will have nothing invested in this crew and would dump them in a heartbeat if they continue to lose.

 

Jmo, but a strong one.

[26TrapDraw]

Obviously , thats a concern.

 

I sure would like to see this group have some more leeway than the Bills standard 3 years and out method of past

See I disagree. 3 yes should be plenty enough time to put your stamp on the roster and offensive and defensive plans in place with the starters buying in and being on board. For the first time in a long time I have seen something different in this group. Accountability. Stevie was not a true number one boom trade him away and get a real one. Bring in serious beef on the the online through the draft(bringing in Williams was a joke he'll be lucky to even make the team. Marrone can whip these behemoths into fighting shape. The pieces are there. EJ needs to take the next step period. I believe that our atrocious run D will improve and these Bills got a shot. This management team has to teach this team how to win.

[3rdand12]

Fair enough. I should have been more specific in my prediction.....

 

10-6 they probably stay.

 

9-7, probably fired.

 

8-8 or below, so long.

 

 

 

And I am not saying they cannot.

 

As you know, we are rabid fans. We are patient to the point that there is a thread about Gilmore being a shutdown corner. A new owner will have nothing invested in this crew and would dump them in a heartbeat if they continue to lose.

 

Jmo, but a strong one.

If they continue to lose the staff should be dumped ! On that we may agree. 6-10 is NOT acceptable with this talent and depth

last year was just weird as far as bad things happening to the team. Some say it was poor planning (QBs , not enough depth etc ) but i felt they had some horrid luck too . I mean who the hell slips on a field mat and then gets career ending concussion. Uh the starting QB for the Bills . You cant make that sht up !

To the point The new ownership may not base it on w/l or playoffs if the team is gaining momentum and appears dialed in . On the other hand if its bon jovi he could toss the baby out with the bath water

 

See I disagree. 3 yes should be plenty enough time to put your stamp on the roster and offensive and defensive plans in place with the starters buying in and being on board. For the first time in a long time I have seen something different in this group. Accountability. Stevie was not a true number one boom trade him away and get a real one. Bring in serious beef on the the online through the draft(bringing in Williams was a joke he'll be lucky to even make the team. Marrone can whip these behemoths into fighting shape. The pieces are there. EJ needs to take the next step period. I believe that our atrocious run D will improve and these Bills got a shot. This management team has to teach this team how to win.

I do think you are right , But the fan in me says they might find a way to F it up.

Most of us need therapy at this point anyways

[Saint Doug]

...it will happen because quarterback EJ Manuel takes a huge leap forward in his second year as a pro. And if anyone can help Manuel do that, it's Hackett.

 

I just don't get this statement. It makes little sense. Brandt is an excellent football mind, but what exactly has Hackett done to deserve this praise? In all likelihood, if EJ doesn't show significant improvement this season, Hackett's walking.

[uncle flap]

I just don't get this statement. It makes little sense. Brandt is an excellent football mind, but what exactly has Hackett done to deserve this praise? In all likelihood, if EJ doesn't show significant improvement this season, Hackett's walking.

 

In all likelihood, if EJ doesn't show significant improvement this season, EJ's walking.

 

Hackett's offense at Syracuse put up staggering numbers with essentially a bunch of scrubs. Hackett isn't perfect, but last year's issues had a whole lot more to do with execution than they did play calling and scheming.

[QB Bills]

Hacketts scheme had guys running wide open all season long. He was not the problem.

[boyst]

Hacketts scheme had guys running wide open all season long. He was not the problem.

Glad someone else saw it. I'll further your theme.

 

Hacketts scheme drew open targets down field but often times execution was the issue, as pointed out a few posts above. The execution of the Hackett offense utilizes the TE as valuable weapon. The TE needs to be athletic and play large to get possessions. Chandler is 99% (ok, maybe 80%) of the ideal candidate. He does not play big enough to open himself up, nor does he generate the break away ability to get 5 or 6 yards quickly. We need a QB who can find the TE before we get to the red zone and give us drive saving pick ups on 3rd downs and more importantly successful 2nd and short plays.

 

I am not saying the TE is the problem because Chandler is a relatively good fit for TE in the Hackett scheme. We need a QB who can look outside of the hashes and play beyond 8 yards of football. Fitzpatrick was limited physically in his play. Manuel is not. He is limited by something I am not sure about that may be related to confidence, bad OL, vision, or something else.

 

Before we get a conclusion on any skillset player on offense other then RB we need a full season at QB.

[Mark Vader]

In all likelihood, if EJ doesn't show significant improvement this season, EJ's walking.

 

Hackett's offense at Syracuse put up staggering numbers with essentially a bunch of scrubs. Hackett isn't perfect, but last year's issues had a whole lot more to do with execution than they did play calling and scheming.

Hacketts scheme had guys running wide open all season long. He was not the problem.

Glad someone else saw it. I'll further your theme.

 

Hacketts scheme drew open targets down field but often times execution was the issue, as pointed out a few posts above. The execution of the Hackett offense utilizes the TE as valuable weapon. The TE needs to be athletic and play large to get possessions. Chandler is 99% (ok, maybe 80%) of the ideal candidate. He does not play big enough to open himself up, nor does he generate the break away ability to get 5 or 6 yards quickly. We need a QB who can find the TE before we get to the red zone and give us drive saving pick ups on 3rd downs and more importantly successful 2nd and short plays.

 

I am not saying the TE is the problem because Chandler is a relatively good fit for TE in the Hackett scheme. We need a QB who can look outside of the hashes and play beyond 8 yards of football. Fitzpatrick was limited physically in his play. Manuel is not. He is limited by something I am not sure about that may be related to confidence, bad OL, vision, or something else.

 

Before we get a conclusion on any skillset player on offense other then RB we need a full season at QB.

I disagree with all of you. EJ Manuel had a lot of problems, I do not dispute that. Having said that, I found a lot of the play calling by Hackett to be highly questionable.

 

jboyst, I highlighted what you said about Chandler, because I think you raise some good points. One thing that frustrated me with Hackett was how the offense would use him. There were numerous times, especially early in the season, when the offense would run designed plays that resulted in 1 yard screen passes to Chandler. That play rarely worked. Chandler is not the kind of Tight End that is going to run for 20 yard gains after he catches a pass. Did Nate Hackett not understand this? Did he not watch any of Chandler's previous games with the Bills?

 

Let's also remember how many times the Bills would run the read option, which about 95% of the time, resulted in handing the ball off to Spiller and having him run up the middle. We saw that a lot last year, and most of the time it would result into 1-2 yard gains. Yes, I'm sure they were afraid that if Manuel kept the ball and ran with it he would get injured, but they could not find any alternatives to the running game?

 

I know I have no proof of this, but it just seemed to me that when Manuel was playing, the coaches had specific instructions for him to do specific plays in order to win, and to strictly adhere to those rules. Yet when Lewis & Tuel were playing, you got the impression that the coaches told them to go out there and win the game at all costs.

 

Yes, Manuel was not perfect, at times he was dreadful, but Nate Hackett shares a lot of blame as well.

 

I feel confident that Manuel can be better. I hope that Hackett can be better.

[uncle flap]

I disagree with all of you. EJ Manuel had a lot of problems, I do not dispute that. Having said that, I found a lot of the play calling by Hackett to be highly questionable.

 

jboyst, I highlighted what you said about Chandler, because I think you raise some good points. One thing that frustrated me with Hackett was how the offense would use him. There were numerous times, especially early in the season, when the offense would run designed plays that resulted in 1 yard screen passes to Chandler. That play rarely worked. Chandler is not the kind of Tight End that is going to run for 20 yard gains after he catches a pass. Did Nate Hackett not understand this? Did he not watch any of Chandler's previous games with the Bills?

 

Let's also remember how many times the Bills would run the read option, which about 95% of the time, resulted in handing the ball off to Spiller and having him run up the middle. We saw that a lot last year, and most of the time it would result into 1-2 yard gains. Yes, I'm sure they were afraid that if Manuel kept the ball and ran with it he would get injured, but they could not find any alternatives to the running game?

 

I know I have no proof of this, but it just seemed to me that when Manuel was playing, the coaches had specific instructions for him to do specific plays in order to win, and to strictly adhere to those rules. Yet when Lewis & Tuel were playing, you got the impression that the coaches told them to go out there and win the game at all costs.

 

Yes, Manuel was not perfect, at times he was dreadful, but Nate Hackett shares a lot of blame as well.

 

I feel confident that Manuel can be better. I hope that Hackett can be better.

 

To the bold: I saw the same thing but have a different interpretation. EJ himself wasn't letting it rip. See here: http://www.buffalobi...f1-8a9e70fa53bd

 

Now, take a look at this analysis, especially Section III. Reads: http://www.buffaloru...t-play-accuracy There's a photo gallery that highlights numerous times where EJ checked down too early, among other issues.

 

To bring it back to the Chandler passes you mentioned, when you look at this photo, does this look familiar to you? Does it look like EJ or Hackett is the "problem?"

http://www.buffaloru...y-reads#4041067

 

Furthermore, I've linked the following and similar articles a lot over the past season, but I think it still bears repeating when Hackett is being knocked for being too one-dimensional.

I’m not sure how good Marrone and Hackett’s offense in Buffalo will be, but they may have won the award for one of the niftiest plays I’ve seen....

The insight Marrone and Hackett — two of the smartest football guys you’ll ever meet — stumbled onto this time last year is that there’s a new kind of option football, one that doesn’t pose extra risk to the quarterback and also combines disparate concepts NFL teams have been successful with for years.

http://grantland.com...ption-football/

 

The read option stuff is not as simple as read the DE/OLB, then decide to hand it off or keep it. If EJ is playing with a risk aversive mentality, perhaps he's going to hand it off more often than he should. Then again, in theory, handing it off most of the time should open up other options. If the D cheats to the RB, EJ should still be able to take advantage of the other 2-3 options available.

 

If QB doesn't take advantage of what the D is giving him, then I'm going to side with the OC. The thing is, sometimes EJ would make the right read, even if the right read is a 3-5 yard pop to Chandler. Other times, and IMO, far too often, he left a ton of yards on the field. Those 1-2 yard runs up the middle shouldn't be a problem if EJ makes the D pay when they key in on Spiller. Defenses dared EJ to beat them, and EJ couldn't consistently deliver, so they kept keying in on Spiller and the running game.

 

Based on Hackett making generally great halftime adjustments, and EJ continuing to develop, I'm confident that some of these issues will be ironed out. Like I said upthread, Hackett isn't perfect, but I expect him to continue to grow with experience, just like we hope EJ will. They were both NFL rookies last year, and I don't think it's crazy to think they'll both improve.

[Marv's Neighbor]

Gil Brandt tells it how it is.

He hasn't had a steady job since we were last in the playoffs.

[Mark Vader]

To the bold: I saw the same thing but have a different interpretation. EJ himself wasn't letting it rip. See here: http://www.buffalobi...f1-8a9e70fa53bd

 

Now, take a look at this analysis, especially Section III. Reads: http://www.buffaloru...t-play-accuracy There's a photo gallery that highlights numerous times where EJ checked down too early, among other issues.

 

To bring it back to the Chandler passes you mentioned, when you look at this photo, does this look familiar to you? Does it look like EJ or Hackett is the "problem?"

http://www.buffaloru...y-reads#4041067

 

Furthermore, I've linked the following and similar articles a lot over the past season, but I think it still bears repeating when Hackett is being knocked for being too one-dimensional.

http://grantland.com...ption-football/

 

The read option stuff is not as simple as read the DE/OLB, then decide to hand it off or keep it. If EJ is playing with a risk aversive mentality, perhaps he's going to hand it off more often than he should. Then again, in theory, handing it off most of the time should open up other options. If the D cheats to the RB, EJ should still be able to take advantage of the other 2-3 options available.

 

If QB doesn't take advantage of what the D is giving him, then I'm going to side with the OC. The thing is, sometimes EJ would make the right read, even if the right read is a 3-5 yard pop to Chandler. Other times, and IMO, far too often, he left a ton of yards on the field. Those 1-2 yard runs up the middle shouldn't be a problem if EJ makes the D pay when they key in on Spiller. Defenses dared EJ to beat them, and EJ couldn't consistently deliver, so they kept keying in on Spiller and the running game.

 

Based on Hackett making generally great halftime adjustments, and EJ continuing to develop, I'm confident that some of these issues will be ironed out. Like I said upthread, Hackett isn't perfect, but I expect him to continue to grow with experience, just like we hope EJ will. They were both NFL rookies last year, and I don't think it's crazy to think they'll both improve.

You make a lot of good points. As I stated before, I know that Manuel was not perfect, and I acknowledge that he made plenty of mistakes.

 

In regards to Chandler; my point was that I did not like seeing Chandler being used as an option where he runs to the sideline for a screen pass. That play had a very low percentage chance of working, and yet the Bills would continue to use that option. They may as well have lined up Chandler as a Fullback and handed the ball off to him.

 

My theory about the differences in the approach to Manuel as opposed to Lewis & Tuel may be incorrect. Perhaps Manuel was more hesitant and not as confident in his play as the others were. I hope that will not be an issue this year.

 

Yes it's true that Hackett was also an NFL rookie last year, and he deserves just as much of a chance to prove himself as Manuel does. I consider myself to be a fair person, and I hope that Hackett will succeed.

[boyst]

He hasn't had a steady job since we were last in the playoffs.

yeah other then that Sirius gig he does daily.

 

The guy is at the point where he is just enjoying the ride. He loves football and it is his hobby. We should all be so lucky to be so in love with our hobby and make money from it. Brandt does it while retired.

[uncle flap]

You make a lot of good points. As I stated before, I know that Manuel was not perfect, and I acknowledge that he made plenty of mistakes.

 

In regards to Chandler; my point was that I did not like seeing Chandler being used as an option where he runs to the sideline for a screen pass. That play had a very low percentage chance of working, and yet the Bills would continue to use that option. They may as well have lined up Chandler as a Fullback and handed the ball off to him.

 

My theory about the differences in the approach to Manuel as opposed to Lewis & Tuel may be incorrect. Perhaps Manuel was more hesitant and not as confident in his play as the others were. I hope that will not be an issue this year.

 

Yes it's true that Hackett was also an NFL rookie last year, and he deserves just as much of a chance to prove himself as Manuel does. I consider myself to be a fair person, and I hope that Hackett will succeed.

 

My apologies, I glossed over your point about Chandler. I'm not sure those were designed screens, but I'd have to go back and look for them. I know he caught a lot of balls in the flat as a dump off.

 

I agree and also don't like using Chandler as the primary option when running a route to the flat. I'm just not really sure that was the case. If memory serves, they were the result of EJ not allowing the play to develop, and/or simply taking a higher percentage throw when a better option was available downfield.

 

Here's some good analysis on Chandler and his targets, but it doesn't exactly address what other routes were available nor whether or not Chandler was the primary option. The author agrees sending Chandler to flat isn't the most efficient way to use him.

Part 1: http://www.buffalorumblings.com/buffalo-bills-analysis-all-22/2014/4/8/5590978/scott-chandler-stats-targets-routes-from-2013-season

Part 2: http://www.buffalorumblings.com/buffalo-bills-analysis-all-22/2014/4/25/5648456/scott-chandler-stats-targets-routes-from-2013-season

 

Based how the offense looked as a whole, I'm less inclined to pin Chandler catching so many balls in the flat on Hackett as I am EJ. I'm going to assume that Hackett was hoping that EJ would find someone downfield on those plays, and that Chandler was the second or third option on those plays.