THE ROCKPILE REVIEW - Uninspired

[clayboy54]

36 minutes ago, ILBillsfan said:

IMcDermott does not seem like a coach that gets complacent but maybe there is some complacency in the Bills.

 

My guess is that they wont be complacent next week. McDermott looked mad as hell in the postgame presser. As others have said, we weren't going to go 15-1 anyway, so whatever. Whether or not we come out swinging next week will tell the tale moving forward. If we do, we're good. If we don't, Goodnight Irene.

[Mark80]

I agree on the Foster effort, or lack thereof.  However, you do have to consider the perspective in which you are watching though.  If its on TV, I'm sure things can look like they are closer than they actually are.  Like hockey, for example, it looks completely different live than on tv perspective wise IMO.   Maybe it wasn't as close as it looked...at least I hope so because that was a noticeably bad effort.

Edited October 28, 2019 by Mark80

[ctk232]

46 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

his is really cool.   thanks.   I need to look what Graham wrote.

Not sure if you have a subscription, but if interested: https://theathletic.com/1328440/2019/10/27/we-had-to-endure-that-ass-whupping-eagles-use-same-run-play-to-bludgeon-bills-defense/

[HappyDays]

1 hour ago, BillsDude said:

Your posts are usually spot on, but you are spot off for a few things here. I am going to give another side, as debate is how people really learn, and not by everyone agreeing...

 

Bottom line is, the better team won. One can analyze as much as they want otherwise, how the Bills played  very poorly, but does it ever occur that the reason the Bills played poorly is because the Eagles are really much better than the Bills? Heading into the season the Bills were ranked around 27 or 28,, and the Eagles I  believe at #5. Just because the Bills were 5-1 and the Eagles 3-4, that sample is not big enough to drastically change the pre-season rankings, as other variables early on in the season come into play. The Bills easily could have lost most of their games.

 

As for Allen, who says all rookie qbs have to be at the top of their game in year two? It was not long ago qbs were given 5 years to develop. Bill Polian said to give Josh up to 4 years I believe, if I remember correctly, as some qbs take longer to develop than others, because of raw talent, their college competition level and system they played, the current system, and so on. I see Josh taking steps to improve his short to medium game throws, his footwork, and decision making. Yes, there are still hiccups there, but to be down on Allen, when the last 3 games he has committed 6 TDS and 1 INT, any critique is a bit unjustified, based on the mentioned.

 

The Bills team need not apologize to anyone. Simply put they “likely” played their best. learned from any mistakes, and got beaten by the better team. Before the season, only a fool would have said the Bills should definitely beat the Eagles. The fact the Bills got blown out is more a reflection on how good the Eagles can be, and not how bad the Bills are. Since when can a team other than the Patriots not lose a game like this. No apologies are needed to me by the Bills, as I have faith in where they are headed. Trust the Process. Do not jump to conclusions when a game goes against unreasonable expectations, based on falsehoods, and not reality.

 

And the reality is the Bills are likely not a 11-5 or 12-4 or better team, as we still have defensive line, wr, holes, and a qb who just needs more time to fix some tendencies or flaws. Some may have hyped the team too much based on the record, not taking into consideration how hard it was for us to win those games, and taking into account who we won against. We have yet to a great game, for more than a half for any game. This tells me the Bills despite their record and lofty predictions about their D, they still are not guaranteed any wins against easy teams,, much less against teams that were forecasted to be the cream of the crop.

 

We lost fair and square, despite likely giving it our all. It’s time Bills fans not overreact to such rarer losses. It is what is is. 

 

 

 

 

 

Good post. I expected a loss this week but I didn't expect it to look this bad. I predicted the offense would score 17 points, all things considered I think that was a solid prediction. But I only predicted 20 points for the Eagles. The run defense is a real concern moving forward. I thought we had it figured out this year but it was exposed. And I don't think it will be fixed until next year. I guess losing Harrison Phillips was a bigger deal than I thought. Defense is supposed to be the strength this year so the last two weeks put a damper on my hopes this year. I expect the offense to struggle this year, but the defense disappoints me.

[Do The Reich Thing]

Well written and factual OP

[bmur66]

1 hour ago, Shaw66 said:

his is really cool.   thanks.   I need to look what Graham wrote.

The wind was at Allen's back, so I don't know how that would happen, but wind is tricky and you may be right.  

 

The play was right in front of me.   When the ball was just past half-way there I could see it was short, and I think Foster should have been able to see it then, too.  He never stopped running.  As I said, the wind is tricky.  

You were there and I wasn’t. I couldn’t see the ball on TV so we will go with what you saw. Nice write up by the way

[notwoz]

Once again, a thoughtful and sober analysis. Thanks.

[Shaw66]

1 hour ago, bmur66 said:

You were there and I wasn’t. I couldn’t see the ball on TV so we will go with what you saw. Nice write up by the way

Thanks.

As for Foster, I was hesitant even to say anything about it, because it isn't easy to put on the breaks going flat out downfield.  But I like Zay a few weeks ago, I didn't even see him try.   It was weird to me.  And I and others complain that Josh needs to get air under the ball to give his receiver a chance, but that one was in the air plenty long enough.  

 

What I do know is Foster and the coaches will be talking about what happened and whether he could have caught it.  

[CincyBillsFan]

5 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

his is really cool.   thanks.   I need to look what Graham wrote.

The wind was at Allen's back, so I don't know how that would happen, but wind is tricky and you may be right.  

 

The play was right in front of me.   When the ball was just past half-way there I could see it was short, and I think Foster should have been able to see it then, too.  He never stopped running.  As I said, the wind is tricky.  

 

Watch Hill from KC and how he adjusts to balls like that.  My guess is he makes a big 50 yard catch on that play.  Foster looked like a practice squad player running a deep pattern by the book. 

[Formerly Allan in MD]

8 hours ago, Jrb1979 said:

As far as the Bills go, having a conservative coach is not helping things. Yesterday being a tough game, should have been one where they be aggressive with their offense. 

They need to become aggressive with their defense.  We don't disrupt and frequently give opposition quarterbacks free passes like they're Halloween candy.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

9 hours ago, I am the egg man said:

The amount of blowout losses under McDermott can't be dismissed as incidental.

 

This.

[GETTOTHE50]

Wanted to add Haushka has got to stop missing fields goals. 3's make a huge difference right before the half.

 

[finn]

Thanks for another astute post. 

 

As you pointed out, the game was an even match until the fumble. I think that turnover, deep in the Bills end after the defense had been playing its guts out, was a bridge too far for the defense. Yes, the coaches had no answer for the screens and QB scrambles, but my guess is that the Bills would have shut down many of those third downs if the game was still very close or the Bills had the lead. Emotion plays a critical role in football. It's hard to blame the players, either. There's no equivalent on the other side of the ball to the sense of betrayal and "WTF, man?!" when the offense turns the ball over, especially after a defensive stand and especially deep in one's own zone. It's different if the offense has bailed out the defense in the past, had their back when things the defense played poorly. But that hasn't happened this season. 

[Fixxxer]

I hated the Allen fumble (he needs to protect the ball better going into traffic) and seeing him being ineffective in the fourth was tough to watch.

 

But I have to say that after going down 17-7, Allen and the offense had an amazing drive that I thought was good enough to jump start a very bad defensive performance so far in the game. I believe the offense did it's job to keep the game closer again but the defense couldn't stand its ground after that. Nail in the coffin was the long TD run by Sanders.

 

 

We couldn't stop the run and we couldn't sniff the Eagles screen game all game (our screen game is non-existent)

 

Very disappointed with the D's performance.

 

 

[cd1]

20 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

Tell me about it.  I drive six and a half hours after the game, and usually by the time I get home I have a good idea about what I want to say.   I got home last night and didn't have a clue.  

 

The very definition of the word stunned!

 

I was mostly stunned and then disgusted by the play of the DEFENSE. Who were those guys?

 

I can't help believe they were just doing what they were coached to do for that game. YUCK!

[Shaw66]

39 minutes ago, cd1 said:

 

The very definition of the word stunned!

 

I was mostly stunned and then disgusted by the play of the DEFENSE. Who were those guys?

 

I can't help believe they were just doing what they were coached to do for that game. YUCK!

I'm the opposite.  I believe they were doing exactly what they were coached to do.   I think the coaches failed - miserably - to prepare them for that game.  

 

I agree with some who say that the Eagles were the better team.  That may be true.  But the Bills were steamrolled, and the Eagles aren't that much better. 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

8 hours ago, GETTOTHE50 said:

Wanted to add Haushka has got to stop missing fields goals. 3's make a huge difference right before the half.

 

He's not going to stop missing field goals that are >50 yds especially in crap conditions.

 

Career, he's like a 75-80% guy from 40-49 yds and more like a 60-65% guy >50 yds.

 

Yes, it would have helped "momentum" if he'd have made it so we were back within 1 point, but it was a "hail mary" shot, not money.

 

If you want to point to a difference maker, not fumbling deep in our own territory inside 2 minutes is the play that has to stop.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

15 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

I'm the opposite.  I believe they were doing exactly what they were coached to do.   I think the coaches failed - miserably - to prepare them for that game.  

I agree with some who say that the Eagles were the better team.  That may be true.  But the Bills were steamrolled, and the Eagles aren't that much better. 

 

My not-so-secret concern from that game is that it proved we are being coached by hard-working checker players who came up against a Chessmaster.

 

McDermott and I think some of the players have referenced "fit" on a couple of the key plays, meaning they were out of position.  But if one player being out of position can give you a 56 yd run, maybe that's an issue with the scheme.  And I think the Eagles players are calling it out truthfully - there was one run play they were using over and over again and as Zo heartfelt comment said, "we just had to take that ass-whupping".  The coaches had no answers for it.

[cd1]

27 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

1 hour ago, cd1 said:

The very definition of the word stunned!

 

I was mostly stunned and then disgusted by the play of the DEFENSE. Who were those guys?

 

I can't help believe they were just doing what they were coached to do for that game. YUCK!

I'm the opposite.  I believe they were doing exactly what they were coached to do.   I think the coaches failed - miserably - to prepare them for that game.  

 

I agree with some who say that the Eagles were the better team.  That may be true.  But the Bills were steamrolled, and the Eagles aren't that much better. 

 

We both said the SAME THING... 

[Shaw66]

6 minutes ago, cd1 said:

 

We both said the SAME THING... 

So we did. Sorry.  Read yours too fast.  

 

That's what's so disturbing. For the second week in a row they were poorly prepared.  McD and the coaches have to be better.