The Big Cat Posted October 20, 2015 Posted October 20, 2015 Missing A Williams hurts. I would have liked to see him on that bomb by Dalton. Might have helped. Heck, it took a great play by them even as it was. GO BILLS!!! I've been harping on this to anyone who will listen: if Rex's defense is predicated upon safeties to dictate coverages and blitzes pre-snap, and given the precipitous dropoff from Aaron to Duke Williams, we are SORELY missing a player who's questionable to return...ever. Right now his absence hurts/has hurt more than any other.
K-9 Posted October 20, 2015 Posted October 20, 2015 I've been harping on this to anyone who will listen: if Rex's defense is predicated upon safeties to dictate coverages and blitzes pre-snap, and given the precipitous dropoff from Aaron to Duke Williams, we are SORELY missing a player who's questionable to return...ever. Right now his absence hurts/has hurt more than any other. I agree entirely. He and Graham needed as many reps as possible together at the position but that tandem never had a chance to really get untracked starting with the very first play of the year. Too bad, too. Hope the kid can just be healthy and live a normal life at this point. I fear he may be precluded from resuming his career. GO BILLS!!!
Rob's House Posted October 20, 2015 Posted October 20, 2015 I keep reading about how a holding penalty on the first drive of the second half is what lost us the game. Okay. Well, there was more than one half of football played prior to that. And, in spite of four consecutive three and outs and consistently gracious field position for the Bengals throughout the first half, we were still only trailing by three points to one of the most potent offenses in the league. The game was not lost on the first three drives of the second half. The game was lost when the Bengals were sufficiently slowed in the FIRST half but our offense had no ability to provide a buffer. Touchdown on the opening drive followed by a three and out for the Bengals, that's when the boot heal should go into the throat. Instead, four straight three and outs, and the Bengals have the opportunity to claw their way back in with the help of gift-wrapped opportunities. Sorry, but we lost this game because EJ Manuel couldn't effectively move the ball with a seven point lead. Once our lead was surrendered, it was hopeless. We lost this game because EJ was lousy. Period. I think you slightly overstate the case against EJ, but I agree with your overall point. We're beating up on the defense, who did not look like a shutdown unit Sunday, but you're right about the offense doing very little to help. You can't keep handing the ball to a high output offense on a short field and expect good things to happen. Sure, the two scoring drives were nice (the 3rd was borderline garbage time against prevent D) but that's not enough. You have to move the ball and help the defense out. They also need a breather.
Coach Tuesday Posted October 20, 2015 Posted October 20, 2015 If safety is that important to Rex's D, they should've made more of an effort to keep Searcy.
The Big Cat Posted October 20, 2015 Posted October 20, 2015 I think you slightly overstate the case against EJ, but I agree with your overall point. We're beating up on the defense, who did not look like a shutdown unit Sunday, but you're right about the offense doing very little to help. You can't keep handing the ball to a high output offense on a short field and expect good things to happen. Sure, the two scoring drives were nice (the 3rd was borderline garbage time against prevent D) but that's not enough. You have to move the ball and help the defense out. They also need a breather. Well, we both agree that the gameplan was hamstrung by the offense. Perhaps I'm overstating EJ's culpability in that, but if not him, then who? Shady looked slick as ever. He was very effective running the ball, but the passing game simply couldn't compliment his efforts. So who gets the blame for that?
thebandit27 Posted October 20, 2015 Posted October 20, 2015 (edited) Missing A Williams hurts. I would have liked to see him on that bomb by Dalton. Might have helped. Heck, it took a great play by them even as it was. GO BILLS!!! Actually, it needed a better play than the one Jones made: I wondered why Gilmore was so adamant that Jones didn't catch the ball... Edited October 20, 2015 by thebandit27
The Big Cat Posted October 20, 2015 Posted October 20, 2015 (edited) If safety is that important to Rex's D, they should've made more of an effort to keep Searcy. If you simply must blame someone other than the players, then fine. But I don't think many people went into this season confident in our safety depth. This isn't a startling development. Right now Searcy is the 16th highest paid safety (both FS and SS) in the league. So, out of 64 starters league-wide, he's 16th. If you want argue he was worth that money he went looking for, fine. I happen to disagree. Edited October 20, 2015 by The Big Cat
Coach Tuesday Posted October 20, 2015 Posted October 20, 2015 If you simply must blame someone other than the players, then fine. But I don't think many people went into this season confident in our safety depth. This isn't a startling development. Right now Searcy is the 16th highest paid safety (both FS and SS) in the league. So, out of 64 starters league-wide, he's 16th. If you want argue he was worth that money he went looking for, fine. I happen to disagree. What do you mean "other than the players." You, yourself, are saying that Rex's scheme is safety-dependent. Well if that's the case then shouldn't he adjust and simplify his scheme given the lack of depth at the position and the frequency of turnover we've had?? And as I've said elsewhere, Duke Williams is an idiot.
K-9 Posted October 20, 2015 Posted October 20, 2015 (edited) If safety is that important to Rex's D, they should've made more of an effort to keep Searcy.This is another one of those hindsight arguments that depend on random events to occur to even be made in the first place. There was no need to give Searcy the deal he got from the Titans when the plan was to move Graham, anyway. And yes, safety is very important in these schemes. RR, like most DCs, likes to funnel everything to the middle of the field and good safety play is paramount in defending the middle against both run and pass. I think not having Williams means not playing as shallow as they would sometimes do otherwise, not to mention his mental command of the game, his loss of composure vs. NE**** notwithstanding. GO BILLS!!! Edited October 20, 2015 by K-9
The Big Cat Posted October 20, 2015 Posted October 20, 2015 What do you mean "other than the players." You, yourself, are saying that Rex's scheme is safety-dependent. Well if that's the case then shouldn't he adjust and simplify his scheme given the lack of depth at the position and the frequency of turnover we've had?? And as I've said elsewhere, Duke Williams is an idiot. Rex acknowledged after the game they scheming for coverage didn't work against New England or Cincy and that he expects to change. I have been up and down this board and elsewhere saying we don't have the players to run Rex's scheme against teams like those. What more do you want? He's said he plans to change...so?
K-9 Posted October 20, 2015 Posted October 20, 2015 Actually, it needed a better play than the one Jones made: I wondered why Gilmore was so adamant that Jones didn't catch the ball... Great, now I am ill. Thanks, Bandit. GO BILLS!!!
Coach Tuesday Posted October 20, 2015 Posted October 20, 2015 Rex acknowledged after the game they scheming for coverage didn't work against New England or Cincy and that he expects to change. I have been up and down this board and elsewhere saying we don't have the players to run Rex's scheme against teams like those. What more do you want? He's said he plans to change...so? But you're also suggesting we blame the players - so, which is it?
NOVABillsFan Posted October 20, 2015 Posted October 20, 2015 (edited) Because you didn't read anything I've written in the past 40 minutes. For what it is worth. There might be a good reason for that. Who wants to read it was all EJ's fault every other post day in and day out these past two days? It is enough to drive people away. Look, the team scored 3 TD's on Sunday. Something good must have happened or are you saying that NFL fairies put points on the board for Buffalo. Edited October 20, 2015 by NOVABillsFan
Rob's House Posted October 20, 2015 Posted October 20, 2015 Well, we both agree that the gameplan was hamstrung by the offense. Perhaps I'm overstating EJ's culpability in that, but if not him, then who? Shady looked slick as ever. He was very effective running the ball, but the passing game simply couldn't compliment his efforts. So who gets the blame for that? EJ certainly deserves a good portion of the blame. Some of the penalties and poor return game contributed as well, and the defense still didn't look great regardless so I think it was a team loss, but Manuel was definitely a significant part of that.
The Big Cat Posted October 20, 2015 Posted October 20, 2015 But you're also suggesting we blame the players - so, which is it? I think Rex's scheme was highly questionable. But it doesn't top the list for why we lost. There were far too many execution errors that caused much more systematic issues. That's consistent with everything I've said. EJ certainly deserves a good portion of the blame. Some of the penalties and poor return game contributed as well, and the defense still didn't look great regardless so I think it was a team loss, but Manuel was definitely a significant part of that. As far as how badly the defense looked, if you erase the 42 questionable bomb to Jones and the "let's only rush three" third down play on the following drive, they did just about everything they could to be competitive. Eifert's a beast and Rambo is subpar. Receivers were making catches over the middle with Bills defenders draped all over them. The LB's really whiffed on the long Bernard run, I'll give you that, but on the whole, we've experienced far bigger defensive breakdowns from this team!
dave mcbride Posted October 20, 2015 Posted October 20, 2015 I was wrong to trust Watkins' locker room quote. EJ stunk last year when he missed wide open receivers in Hackett's scheme and he stunk Sunday when he was trying to aim the ball throwing awkwardly off one foot. He stunk when Marrone supposedly hewt his feewings and he stunk when Shady was standing in the flat and he still missed him. He stunk when he was afraid to let it rip and he stunk when he spiked one off the turf rather than lead Clay into the endzone on the opening drive. Psyche, double takeback. I was right last year just like I'm right this year. What about when he got the ball up 7-0 nothing in the first quarter? Then got it twice with the score 7-7? Then got it again when the score was 14-7? I think we're being awfully choosy about the opportunities EJ and the offense had to keep this game close/put it away. If you're expecting a backup QB to produce more than 2 TDs on legit drives in one half, then I have to say that you're standards are unfairly high.
The Big Cat Posted October 20, 2015 Posted October 20, 2015 If you're expecting a backup QB to produce more than 2 TDs on legit drives in one half, then I have to say that you're standards are unfairly high. Okay. That wasn't my expectation, nor did I ever state my standards as such.
Maddog69 Posted October 20, 2015 Posted October 20, 2015 Well, we both agree that the gameplan was hamstrung by the offense. Perhaps I'm overstating EJ's culpability in that, but if not him, then who? Shady looked slick as ever. He was very effective running the ball, but the passing game simply couldn't compliment his efforts. So who gets the blame for that? Like I said in the Shout box (and got made fun of for), how different is the game if we have Taylor, Watkins and Harvin and Cincy is without Dalton, Green and Sanu (plus their starting RT, CB and Safety and their #2 Running back). Injuries are killing this team right now. To expect all of the backups to come in and not miss a beat is unrealistic. Turn the tables with injuries and we crush the Bengals. If the Bills don't get healthy, none of the rest of it is going to matter.
Maury Ballstein Posted October 20, 2015 Posted October 20, 2015 Another bash Ej thread sweet!! Tyrod 14 points vs Titans = stud Ej 21 points vs bengals = bum. Never change tsw...
TheFunPolice Posted October 20, 2015 Posted October 20, 2015 Is Aaron Williams' injury that severe that it could be career-ending? If so WTF was he in there 2 weeks after suffering it?
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