JC2002 Posted October 25, 2014 Posted October 25, 2014 While I hope you're right the offense has hardly improved. In EJ's 4 starts we scored 23/19/10 and 17 points. In Orton's 3 starts we scored 23/22 and 17 points. That's not a whole lot of points more than EJ's offense. Although I agree Orton is the answer not EJ at the moment and I like Orton but I can't say I am putting them in the playoffs with an average offense, below average line, and backup running backs. Dixon looked horrible in pass protection last week. the Jets scare me, and unless we win our next 5 games (Jets,Kansas,Miami,Jets again, and Cleveland ) we're not making the playoffs. We're not going to beat New England, Denver or Green Bay.. Oakland is the other must win, and that only puts us at 10-6, but only if we win the next 5...9-7 won't cut it.. matter of fact EJ scored an average of 17.25 points per game while Orton is a field goal more at 20.66 points a game.. But you could argue EJ had the tougher schedule, but at the same time EJ had help with special teams and defensive touchdown.. The offense has improved dramatically.The amount of points the offense has scored is not sole criteria for saying the offense is improving . This offense especially the passing portion of it is basically starting from scratch since Orton took over and is making tremendous strides . We are maybe 20 points outside of the top ten which is a blowout a victory away which is what many of the team ahead of us have had so far in this season . We need to get continue to improve but the offense under EJ was getting worse week to week while under Orton we've already seen a different guy step up each week and when I read things like this Orton is just an ordinary guy with the ability to grow an extraordinary mustache. But that competitive edge is something Orton's teammates have noticed as well. Rookie wide receiver Sammy Watkins said Orton will call a different receiver in each morning at 6 a.m. to go over extra film and get on the same page. "You don't want to do it after practice, because he's got a family," Watkins said. "I don't want to buy into his time, he don't want to buy into mine. He's pretty much here from five (in the morning) to six at night anyways." This tells me that we have someone on the field that can actually move the offense forward . I wont say whether EJ can ever get to that point but I wont say he wont either but right now EJ simply is unable to provide it with what it needs to win games and continue to grow .
Jim in Anchorage Posted October 25, 2014 Posted October 25, 2014 That is why winning the Division is important. The last game of the season against NE could determine the Division Champs. GO BILLS!!!!!! I have read this for so many years....
mikemac2001 Posted October 25, 2014 Posted October 25, 2014 bottom line we need multiple wins in a row and keep losses to single games
YoloinOhio Posted October 25, 2014 Posted October 25, 2014 The offense has improved dramatically.The amount of points the offense has scored is not sole criteria for saying the offense is improving . This offense especially the passing portion of it is basically starting from scratch since Orton took over and is making tremendous strides . We are maybe 20 points outside of the top ten which is a blowout a victory away which is what many of the team ahead of us have had so far in this season . We need to get continue to improve but the offense under EJ was getting worse week to week while under Orton we've already seen a different guy step up each week and when I read things like this This tells me that we have someone on the field that can actually move the offense forward . I wont say whether EJ can ever get to that point but I wont say he wont either but right now EJ simply is unable to provide it with what it needs to win games and continue to grow . i was thinking today that this will be game 4 for Orton. He had no TC and no preseason games with this OL, WRs, etc. it takes time to build that chemistry and trust, yet he has been pretty effective In the passing game against some good defenses. I think he trusts hogan and not Williams for whatever reason and that's why we are seeing the change there. I expect it to get even better as they get more comfortable. I also think urbik at LG will help as they move toward a more passing oriented offense.
SJDK Posted October 25, 2014 Posted October 25, 2014 (edited) The Bills won ugly last week, and if they can't put away a 1-6 team....then there is not really much hope. I do think its a tough game in NY, but, you have to win where you can and should. A win ahead of the bye week would set the team up for a playoff run..... The injury situation is, of course, a concern. I am happy to see real talent on the roster to step in with the loss of our major talents at rb. And, signing a guy off the street with experience at Dallas for three years, that also OK, as long as he doesn't need to know the offense for a couple of weeks. My bigger concern is at safety, where we are weak if Aaron Williams isn't 100%. They need him this weekend, but, if it means healing through the bye week and being 100% again, do without him. This is THE GAME WE LOSE EVERY YEAR THAT BREAKS OUR SPIRIT. It has all the makings and if AW is out I think Geno even gets deep passes. Why? because the Jets are down and we are up and their is NO REASON we should lose. I hope we change it this year but they really made us look like a bunch of amateurs last year at their place. If we don't move the ball on offense early the crowd could make it an ugly game for us. It's just a question of what field position they get on Ortons first quarter interception. I'm not usually this negative on a game but from our recent history they might as well be playing the Broncos this week. Yes I'm that worried. To me, its the most important game of the year. Edited October 25, 2014 by SJDK
JC2002 Posted October 25, 2014 Posted October 25, 2014 i was thinking today that this will be game 4 for Orton. He had no TC and no preseason games with this OL, WRs, etc. it takes time to build that chemistry and trust, yet he has been pretty effective In the passing game against some good defenses. I think he trusts hogan and not Williams for whatever reason and that's why we are seeing the change there. I expect it to get even better as they get more comfortable. I also think urbik at LG will help as they move toward a more passing oriented offense. One thing that occured to me after reading that was if Williams was showing up in the morning and making an extra effort to jell with Orton . As a vet you would think he would drop everything and move in with Orton to get those targets . and then I read this I think that just Mike has to keep working, keep understanding the system better, get a relationship with the new quarterback, which is different than the one he was with originally. All those other guys have to keep doing the same thing they're doing. They have to keep on working, keep on progressing, so that everyone's progressing.". I think Williams was expecting snaps based off rep and the other receivers at this point have simply been out working out and outproducing him and now his agent is looking for someone to blame but the truth is his client was dogging it for months and the qb change exposed him .
RuntheDamnBall Posted October 25, 2014 Posted October 25, 2014 The offense has improved dramatically.The amount of points the offense has scored is not sole criteria for saying the offense is improving . This offense especially the passing portion of it is basically starting from scratch since Orton took over and is making tremendous strides . We are maybe 20 points outside of the top ten which is a blowout a victory away which is what many of the team ahead of us have had so far in this season . We need to get continue to improve but the offense under EJ was getting worse week to week while under Orton we've already seen a different guy step up each week and when I read things like this This tells me that we have someone on the field that can actually move the offense forward . I wont say whether EJ can ever get to that point but I wont say he wont either but right now EJ simply is unable to provide it with what it needs to win games and continue to grow . wow, that's really cool information from Watkins about the extra film sessions. What piece did that come from? Would love to read the whole thing.
GrassValleyGreg Posted October 25, 2014 Posted October 25, 2014 I couldn't stand when the media started hopping on the Browns bandwagon 2 weeks ago. I knew they were a farce again due to a simple lack of talent. So expect the media to jump on board a bit after we beat the Jets and alot when we slap K.C around and we are 6-3. The only difference is we actually have the talent that most teams lack. When was the last time we could say that? Let's go Buffalo! I've heard this line all year. I understand "W's are hard to come by in the NFL" but the Lions, Texans and Minny games are some of the worst game I have seen in my life. It's amazing how a W masks ineptitude and propels delusion.
folz Posted October 25, 2014 Posted October 25, 2014 (edited) I don't know if it's come together yet, but they could be on their way. I expected that this would be a team that got better as the year went on (whether it be the progression of EJ or now with Orton getting more comfortable with the playbook and receivers---and because it's still a young team). Now, of course, we have O-line issues we have to work on and that could be our downfall if it doesn't get worked out, but we also have better things too. Yes, in years past, this is a game we should win and would lose. But we now have depth. Last couple of years if we lose CJ and Fred...put an L in the loss column. Now we have Bryce and Boobie. Kyle W goes down for a couple of games and Charles and Winn come in and play well, etc. How many seasons in a row were we hit with the injuries and we didn't have a capable replacement (Justin Rodgers, et al.) and we'd lose a few games and be out of contention. We also have more competent QB play (than the triumvirate of EJ, Thad, and Tuel from last year---no knock on EJs potential to become a good QB in the future). And we can stop the run this year (Vikings game excluded). If we can take this game and go into the bye at 5-3, that will be huge for the overall confidence and belief of a young team. They'll have time to make some adjustments during the bye and maybe get on a roll after it. And the division is by no means out of reach. On the John Murphy show the other day, he kept saying that the Pats have a game on us and the tiebreaker. But if we beat the Pats in the second match-up, then there goes their game lead and their tiebreaker. So, we have to keep pace with the Pats in the meantime. If we're really thinking playoffs, then we need to be able to beat the Pats and get them of our backs. So, I think this game is very important. Take it and we can get on a roll and have the confidence to beat a Green Bay at home or the Pats in Foxboro later in the season. Lose and it's the same old Bills for another year. I'm nervous about the game as so many others because of recent history, but we should win this game from a talent/record perspective and something tells me this team is not the same old Bills (despite what happened in the Pats or Vikings game). Edited October 25, 2014 by folz
YoloinOhio Posted October 25, 2014 Posted October 25, 2014 One thing that occured to me after reading that was if Williams was showing up in the morning and making an extra effort to jell with Orton . As a vet you would think he would drop everything and move in with Orton to get those targets . and then I read this . I think Williams was expecting snaps based off rep and the other receivers at this point have simply been out working out and outproducing him and now his agent is looking for someone to blame but the truth is his client was dogging it for months and the qb change exposed him . it also makes sense based off of the poster who was at the lions game (Ortons first) where he saw a couple sideline encounters with Orton and MW where Orton was giving him the business. My guess is they weren't on the same page and as a QB coming in cold during the season all these guys are going to need to put in more effort to make up for lost time. Seems like mw had not, yet. He can still do that but he's losing ground to the guys who take this seriously.
26TrapDraw Posted October 25, 2014 Posted October 25, 2014 None of this matters unless the Bills take care of their own business on Sunday. +1 Tap your brakes a little. Optimism is great as is the speculation/scenarios. the Bills need to beat the Jets Sunday and also KC. Then they will get my attention as they will have put together 3 straight which they don't do often.
Whites Bay Posted October 25, 2014 Posted October 25, 2014 I'm approaching tomorrow with my normal brand of wary optimism, but the wariness will recede if the Bills can get up by two scores early (13-3? 14-3?). I don't care how they GET the scores. I'm cool with a Pick 6 or a punt return. Geno Smith does, indeed, show occasional flashes of brilliance. If the Bills get up by two scores, however, he has shown his tendency to become a turnover machine. The Bills DEFINITELY have the horses in Hughes and Williams to come after him, and chase him around the field as he scrambles out of the pocket. And the interceptions will rain down on the Bills' secondary like sugar plums in a child's Christmas dream. If the Jets keep it close, however, I'm not feeling too good about the fourth quarter. Not at all.
dave mcbride Posted October 25, 2014 Posted October 25, 2014 The major concern is the tie-breakers. We already lost the tiebreakers to SD and Houston. Need some more head-to-head wins. Another big problem - the Bills are 3-0 against the NFC, and 1-3 against the AFC.
May Day 10 Posted October 25, 2014 Posted October 25, 2014 I agree to a point... the thing is right there for this team to take, but I have seen this so many times. Right when they have a big game they cannot rise up and win. I realize the 2014 bills are not the exact same team... but the Vikings game is concerning, Jackson and spiller out is concerning... and the fact that they haven't had a non smoke and mirrors win since the Miami game. That Kansas City game looks huge. Can't drop another tiebreaker to a wildcard contender
JC2002 Posted October 25, 2014 Posted October 25, 2014 wow, that's really cool information from Watkins about the extra film sessions. What piece did that come from? Would love to read the whole thing. Sorry should've posted link with that http://www.syracuse.com/buffalo-bills/index.ssf/2014/10/doug_marrone_says_you_can_go_out_in_buffalo_and_meet_kyle_orton_mornal.html
PromoTheRobot Posted October 25, 2014 Posted October 25, 2014 With that said if the Jets lose tomorrow I think the wheels come off on the season as you wont even see them playing hard and they'll be lucky to win 4 games the rest of the year. They don't even have to lose the game, just the first quarter. If Orton hits a couple of long TD's the Jets will fold.
rsherman12 Posted October 25, 2014 Posted October 25, 2014 Force Geno to play from behind and the game is over. This is a critical division game, the Bills need to come out strong and TAKE the game from the Jets. It seems every year there is one game the Bills have for a chance at being relevant and they always lose it, and fade away into mediocrity. This is that game.
RuntheDamnBall Posted October 25, 2014 Posted October 25, 2014 Sorry should've posted link with that http://www.syracuse.com/buffalo-bills/index.ssf/2014/10/doug_marrone_says_you_can_go_out_in_buffalo_and_meet_kyle_orton_mornal.html thanks!
YoloinOhio Posted October 25, 2014 Posted October 25, 2014 @TheBillsMafia: .@716SportsGuy breaks down teams #Bills fans need to keep an eye on for the AFC Playoff race http://t.co/ptshFFIN3N http://t.co/CjKso75bl1
GunnerBill Posted October 25, 2014 Posted October 25, 2014 I agree with a lot of what has been said. I think this is that game that comes every year when you either have to put up or shut up. We need to get after the Jets secondary early. Our receivers vs their defensive backs is the biggest mismatch in our favour their D-Line against our O-line is the biggest one in their favour.
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