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

[Fixxxer]

I hope Marrone realizes that if he puts ego aside he could have long career in Buffalo, he just needs to replace the OC for a veteran or innovative playcaller and re-shuffle his current frankestein OL.

[Bill from NYC]

 

Robert Woods is plenty tough, runs better patterns, has better hands, is a better blocker, and a ton more experience at the WR in and out of the slot position. He should be there and Mike Williams should be on the outside.

I have always been a fan of Woods and still am. But the possibility does exist that Hogan gets open more than Woods. Notice that I said possibility in lieu of undisputed truth. But if I was pinned down I still think that Woods is a better all around wide out.

That said, we need players such as Hogan.

[Kelly the Dog]

I hope Marrone realizes that if he puts ego aside he could have long career in Buffalo, he just needs to replace the OC for a veteran or innovative playcaller and re-shuffle his current frankestein OL.

There are only a couple coaches in the NFL on either side of the ball where they are so good, and have a terrific system, that for the most part they can plug and play guys into it. They still desperately need a few key players to be able to play in it, but they are very good themselves. Bellicheat is one, on defense. Chip Kelly maybe.

 

Doug Marrone is not one of them.

 

All other coaches, need to put the players they have into the best positions to make the kinds of plays they are capable of making. Marrone and Hackett are forcing their system on a team of players whose talents are mostly the opposite of what they are doing, and it's killing the team.

 

I have always been a fan of Woods and still am. But the possibility does exist that Hogan gets open more than Woods. Notice that I said possibility in lieu of undisputed truth. But if I was pinned down I still think that Woods is a better all around wide out.

That said, we need players such as Hogan.

Hogan is a good #5 WR. This team should play 3 WR, all of which start with the letter W (and Goodwin when he is not hurt), one TE and one RB. Spread the field out. Let the veteran QB scan the field pre-snap. Stop teams from putting 8-9 in the box. Give Orton hot reads with good veteran WRs and Chandler. Get Fred, CJ, and now Bryce Brown out in the open. Get guys that have no business being on the field like Lee Smith off the field. And we wouldn't be in the position late in the game we were in.

[BmarvB]

 

7) I cannot stress enough how much I appreciate how tough Orton is. Seriously, he is a throwback. But when he is forced out of the pocket, it really does suck, no?

 

8) Hackett too was like a knife in my ribcage today. The handoffs up the middle to a seemingly gassed Dixon on first and second down were tough to take, no?

 

 

 

I was thinking the same things. Orton looks so bad on the run, Dixon was clearly gassed, and Hackett's playcalling is so insanely predictable at times

[truth on hold]

 

I have always been a fan of Woods and still am. But the possibility does exist that Hogan gets open more than Woods. Notice that I said possibility in lieu of undisputed truth. But if I was pinned down I still think that Woods is a better all around wide out.

That said, we need players such as Hogan.

Thats what i posted a few weeks ago on woods and of course got attacked for it. Overall he's of course the more dynamic athlete, but he lacks some upper body strength to shed jams at the line. A more clear comparison would be with Sammy, he's got a powerful upper body and consistently brushes off jams and hand checks. Just look at the last first down he made on the final drive and you'll see what I mean.

[Bill from NYC]

Hogan is a good #5 WR.

I sense that you underestimate how important it is for a receiver to actually get open.

 

Watkins looks like a star, no? He doesn't have exceptional size nor speed. But he is quick, has GREAT hands, and gets OPEN! SJ got open too, but his hands were shaky.

 

Hogan plays special teams and can actually shake his defender. I wouldn't take him so lightly. Jmo.

[Kelly the Dog]

I sense that you underestimate how important it is for a receiver to actually get open.

 

Watkins looks like a star, no? He doesn't have exceptional size nor speed. But he is quick, has GREAT hands, and gets OPEN! SJ got open too, but his hands were shaky.

 

Hogan plays special teams and can actually shake his defender. I wouldn't take him so lightly. Jmo.

I don't either. Robert Woods has been doing it his whole life. So has Williams. They have done it in college and in the NFL consistently. They should be playing. Whaley built a team with certain kinds of players for a reason. His coach is blowing it.

 

Hogan made a great play today that was dramatic and was a huge part of the win. I'm happy for him and the team. He should be a role player, and IMO his presence on the field is why we were in that position in the first place. Not that he is causing it, but rather that we have better players on the bench, and if they were playing and doing what they have proven again and again they can do, we would have a much, much, much better offense despite our OL problems.

[bills_fan_in_raleigh]

The intential grounding call was hideous. Brady does this all the time and we get called and lose 10 precious seconds

[filthymcnasty08]

I was thinking the same things. Orton looks so bad on the run, Dixon was clearly gassed, and Hackett's playcalling is so insanely predictable at times

 

Orton was never advertised as anything remotely mobile. He is what he is….tough, fiery and he delivers that ball…I'll take him with his faults. If we can cure the OL, he will be 300 yards 2TD's and probably 1 INT week in/out. That can get this team to the playoffs.

[Beerball]

Surprisingly (to me) poor play by Glenn today. Don't know whether he's looking inside to try to help or what, but, he was soundly beaten more than a few times today.

 

What gives O-line gurus?

[26CornerBlitz]

Surprisingly (to me) poor play by Glenn today. Don't know whether he's looking inside to try to help or what, but, he was soundly beaten more than a few times today.

 

What gives O-line gurus?

 

@VikingsPR

Vikings DE Everson Griffen ties a career-high with his third sack of the day (vs. Green Bay, 12/30/12).

 

This does not bode well for the task of facing the NYJ DL next week.

[atlbillsfan1975]

Great points Bill.

 

Does it seem to anyone else that Robey has taken a step backwards this year?

That long pass play Robey got beat on was one last year he probably picks the ball off...not sure what is going on with him but hope the kid starts looking better.

[Beerball]

@VikingsPR

Vikings DE Everson Griffen ties a career-high with his third sack of the day (vs. Green Bay, 12/30/12).

 

This does not bode well for the task of facing the NYJ DL next week.

I watched him get run over and run around. Perplexed.

[HurlyBurly51]

Probably just me, but when Sammy grabbed that game winning TD I was sure the clock should have run out. I silently thought to myself if that had been incomplete they wouldn't have left a second on the clock giving us another shot. Just some silly musings as I soak up the win!

[atlbillsfan1975]

There are only a couple coaches in the NFL on either side of the ball where they are so good, and have a terrific system, that for the most part they can plug and play guys into it. They still desperately need a few key players to be able to play in it, but they are very good themselves. Bellicheat is one, on defense. Chip Kelly maybe.

 

Doug Marrone is not one of them.

 

All other coaches, need to put the players they have into the best positions to make the kinds of plays they are capable of making. Marrone and Hackett are forcing their system on a team of players whose talents are mostly the opposite of what they are doing, and it's killing the team.

 

 

Hogan is a good #5 WR. This team should play 3 WR, all of which start with the letter W (and Goodwin when he is not hurt), one TE and one RB. Spread the field out. Let the veteran QB scan the field pre-snap. Stop teams from putting 8-9 in the box. Give Orton hot reads with good veteran WRs and Chandler. Get Fred, CJ, and now Bryce Brown out in the open. Get guys that have no business being on the field like Lee Smith off the field. And we wouldn't be in the position late in the game we were in.

Kelly,

i think you are giving them too much credit. Marrone and Hackett have no system except to run the ball up the gut at least once every three downs.

Other than that the dynamic dbags have no clue what to call. IF a play works they run it over and over till it gets stopped for three times, ala the throw to the RB in the flat.

[Gray Beard]

How did the linebackers do today?

I saw Preston Brown blow up a screen play. I find it interesting that he's a rookie with the most snaps of all the Bills LBs this season.

I saw a running back look at Spikes and dive to the ground.

Anything else?

[TPS]

 

 

@VikingsPR

Vikings DE Everson Griffen ties a career-high with his third sack of the day (vs. Green Bay, 12/30/12).

 

This does not bode well for the task of facing the NYJ DL next week.

no way they can beat the Jets playing like today. They got dam lucky, but you need luck in this age of parity.

They will need some more next week. They have to be 5-3 going into the bye in order to have a chance for the post season.

[RuntheDamnBall]

There are only a couple coaches in the NFL on either side of the ball where they are so good, and have a terrific system, that for the most part they can plug and play guys into it. They still desperately need a few key players to be able to play in it, but they are very good themselves. Bellicheat is one, on defense. Chip Kelly maybe.

 

Doug Marrone is not one of them.

 

All other coaches, need to put the players they have into the best positions to make the kinds of plays they are capable of making. Marrone and Hackett are forcing their system on a team of players whose talents are mostly the opposite of what they are doing, and it's killing the team.

 

 

Hogan is a good #5 WR. This team should play 3 WR, all of which start with the letter W (and Goodwin when he is not hurt), one TE and one RB. Spread the field out. Let the veteran QB scan the field pre-snap. Stop teams from putting 8-9 in the box. Give Orton hot reads with good veteran WRs and Chandler. Get Fred, CJ, and now Bryce Brown out in the open. Get guys that have no business being on the field like Lee Smith off the field. And we wouldn't be in the position late in the game we were in.

And this is why it gets really tiring to hear about how awesome this skin-of-the-teeth win was. This team should be much more dominant, and that should be what we all want. I realize that the "little engine that could" or "underrated journeyman" narrative has a lot of cachet around here and in Buffalo generally, but give me a break. I want to see the kind of excellence we saw in the late 80s and early 90s. The Jauron-ball wins against lousy teams are not that inspiring to me. They are all part of a tease act and we know how this storyline usually plays out for Buffalo. I hope I'm wrong, but this coaching staff pulls out too many head-scratchers for me to believe otherwise.

[Lofton80]

I thought Jerry Hughes played tremendous today, his best game as a Bill. Dareus was double teamed quite a bit, a testament to his level of play. I am amazed how much cushion Gilmour gives, practically gave away a few first down throws.

[RuntheDamnBall]

I thought Jerry Hughes played tremendous today, his best game as a Bill. Dareus was double teamed quite a bit, a testament to his level of play.

Hughes and Dareus are incredibly valuable to this team. I hope the FO is smart enough to keep them here for a while.

I am amazed how much cushion Gilmour gives, practically gave away a few first down throws.

That's how we train them up in Buffalo. It's been that way for years. It's part of their manifesto: "How to get shredded by the screen and learn to love losing."