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Polian says Andre Reed was the prototype for Slot Receiver


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On NFLR, HoF Saturday, Andre was a call in guest. Polian was directed to go see this Tight End at Kutztown U (Andre). Said he for sure was the best player on the field and endorsed him as a pick. From his very 1st Bills practice session, he was the best Receiver on the team and Jerry Butler was our star WO. Chris Burkett was also drafted that year, but they had to get Andre in the line up in an era where there were only 2 WR's and a FB. Bill claimed Andre was part of the discussion with Jimbo that convinced him to stay with the Bills after the USFL folded. Paraphrasing, he said 'you're the last piece to this puzzle. We've assembled an offense tailor made for you to excel -with 3 WR's.' He -and we were at our best with Lofton (HoF) and Beebe and Andre on the field at the same time.

 

I just found it interesting, though I lived through the era, that this tough, smallish college TE with great RAC#'s would become the standard by which offenses developed into today's pass-happy game.

Did he mean Jimbo was the last piece to the puzzle? Because his recollection is way off if he did. Not even close, actually.

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Earlier this year James Lofton was on NFL Network and described Reed as being the focal point of the offense that defenses had to game plan around. Olividati used to spend entire games yelling Reed Reed Reed to try and get him covered. It was something to hear coming from another hall of fame receiver. I always knew Andre was great but not focal point of a great offense great.

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Earlier this year James Lofton was on NFL Network and described Reed as being the focal point of the offense that defenses had to game plan around. Olividati used to spend entire games yelling Reed Reed Reed to try and get him covered. It was something to hear coming from another hall of fame receiver. I always knew Andre was great but not focal point of a great offense great.

I'd quibble with Lofton on this point and suggest Thurman was the focal point of those offenses.

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I'd quibble with Lofton on this point and suggest Thurman was the focal point of those offenses.

 

Reading the bio on Parcells and Belichick came up with the 2-3-6 for the SB, wanted to gladly allow Thurman to run for 100, jam up the passing routes and let Ottis grind 60 seconds off the clock each run, keep the K-Gun to a minimum.

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Reading the bio on Parcells and Belichick came up with the 2-3-6 for the SB, wanted to gladly allow Thurman to run for 100, jam up the passing routes and let Ottis grind 60 seconds off the clock each run, keep the K-Gun to a minimum.

The Giants defense didn't do diddly that day, unless you think giving up a point a minute to the opposing offense is doing something. And if not for Kelly's stubbornness and Levy's and Marchibroda's lack of insistence that we run the ball, Thurman would have had a field day. As it was, they couldn't contain him anyway. Sure, they punished Reed over the middle, but the first time Kelly saw that D alignment, he should have pounded the ball. You wanna stand up 5 defenders at the LOS, great; OLinemen love nothing better than ready-made leverage and pancaking anyone standing in their way. Just a poor job by Kelly and our coaches all the way around that day.

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The Giants defense didn't do diddly that day, unless you think giving up a point a minute to the opposing offense is doing something. And if not for Kelly's stubbornness and Levy's and Marchibroda's lack of insistence that we run the ball, Thurman would have had a field day. As it was, they couldn't contain him anyway. Sure, they punished Reed over the middle, but the first time Kelly saw that D alignment, he should have pounded the ball. You wanna stand up 5 defenders at the LOS, great; OLinemen love nothing better than ready-made leverage and pancaking anyone standing in their way. Just a poor job by Kelly and our coaches all the way around that day.

 

Giants see it a little different, and they won, so they get to tell the official story.

 

Great bio on Parcells, the best coach to me since Lombardi (also a great bio to read.)

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Giants see it a little different, and they won, so they get to tell the official story.

 

Great bio on Parcells, the best coach to me since Lombardi (also a great bio to read.)

The "official" story? Right.

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The "official" story? Right.

 

Yeah, like Churchill kinda spelled out for history...

The official story is Marv got totally outcoached and lost a game the Bills should never have had trouble with.

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Yeah, like Churchill kinda spelled out for history...

The official story is Marv got totally outcoached and lost a game the Bills should never have had trouble with.

This is true. And most people realized that as the game was unfolding. Him and Marchibroda should have gotten in Kelly's grill and demanded he take advantage of a front seven with 5 guys standing up and punished them. The only reason it was "effective" (and I don't think it was given the fact we scored a point a minute), is because we didn't take advantage of it like we should have. Otherwise, it would have been exposed as a gimmick defense that didn't work and Belichick would have abandoned it after a series or two.

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