Jimmy Johnson Halftime Adjustment Against the Bills in SB XXVIII

[Matt_In_NH]

The Bills had a great gameplan and schemed their way to a first half lead.  They were not at all on par with that Cowboys team and were also doing some different stuff on offense with s misdirection trap play.  It was frankly shocking they had the lead.   Thurman fumbled and it was returned for a TD, that flipped momentum and after that it just snowballed.  THey litterally ran the same play all the way down the field, you knew it was over.

[Brand J]

1 hour ago, transient said:

I can't remember which Cowboy they interviewed in the "Four Falls of Buffalo" 30 for 30 but they mentioned how, despite dominating the first half of the game, the Bills looked listless and defeated going into the tunnel at halftime, like they didn't have anything left to give after the four SB runs.

Troy Aikman. I found that observation fascinating too.

[ticketssince61]

I always thought that the long halftimes were very detrimental to us because

1) the long delay took away any momentum we were having

2) gave way too much time to the other coaches to make adjustments

 

I think with a regular length halftime, we win against the Giants and the 2nd Cowboys

[2003Contenders]

All of this rehash about Dallas' 2nd half adjustments looks good now based on the outcome of the game -- but if things had gone differently, the Bills could have had a sizeable lead before Dallas ever touched the ball in the 2nd half. That may very well have put the Cowboys into more pass-happy mode, which undoubtedly would have been in Buffalo's best interest.

 

I think the biggest issue was that despite game-planning properly and dominating the Cowboys in the first half, they were only up 13-6 at halftime. As much as I love Thurman he really was a big part of the reason we lost that game. His fumble in the first half when the Bills were moving the ball, gave the Cowboys 3 of their 6 points. An INT (I think by Nate Odoms) late in the 1st half, set the Bills up nicely to go up by more than one score; however, questionable play calling down inside the redzone led to settling for a FG before the half. That is probably what led to the pep in the Cowboys' step versus the lethargy that Buffalo displayed.

 

When Thurman's fumble on the opening drive was returned for a TD, the game was effectively over -- even though the score was tied. The momentum was forever shifted -- and you could just see the "Uh oh. Here we go again" body language on the part of Bills players.  It didn't help that Thurman wimped out, feigning a cramp, and stewed on the sidelines most of the rest of the game. I believe Marv said that his biggest regret as a head coach was allowing Thurman to sulk like that -- rather than motivating him.

 

Oh well. Can't change the past...

[MJS]

1 hour ago, transient said:

Parcells, Gibbs and Johnson were all big game coaches. Marv... not so much. He can credit his HOF talent for getting him into the HOF, cuz it wasn't his coaching.

The players all give him immense credit. He deserves a ton of credit for his leadership and for his ability to keep all those finicky, intense personalities going in the same direction.

 

And you're just wrong. He is a great coach and everyone who ever worked with him or played under him only has great things to say about him.

 

I mean, yeah, he got out coached by a handful of the greatest coaches in the sport's history, but that does not make him a poor coach.

Edited July 27, 2021 by MJS

[Kwai San]

1 hour ago, TC in St. Louis said:

Halftime at the Super Bowl is way too long.  During regular season and playoffs, it's about 12 minutes.  Teams have more time than ever to make adjustments.  And if you're ahead, why make adjustments?  Look what happened to Atlanta when they were killing New England.  They were so far ahead they didn't need any adjustments.  Mean time, New England changed everything and won the game.

 

But but but the old dinosaur halftime shows MUST go on!!!!  The "fans" love that show dammit!

[RiotAct]

good read.  I watched SB XXVIII on youtube a few months back.  Painful stuff (although, I’m sure it was a lot more painful as it was unfolding live)

[Mark Vader]

1 hour ago, TC in St. Louis said:

Halftime at the Super Bowl is way too long.  During regular season and playoffs, it's about 12 minutes.  Teams have more time than ever to make adjustments.  And if you're ahead, why make adjustments?  Look what happened to Atlanta when they were killing New England.  They were so far ahead they didn't need any adjustments.  Mean time, New England changed everything and won the game.

Atlanta lost because they refused to run the ball. Had they done that, they would have won.

[wnyguy]

I remember Marv's halftime speech in that game - " I'm tired, you guys tired? "

[RobbRiddick]

Here's the quick version of what happened (that's Jimmy at the back)

 

[John from Riverside]

This whole goddamn thread sucks

[NoHuddleKelly12]

1 hour ago, MJS said:

The players all give him immense credit. He deserves a ton of credit for his leadership and for his ability to keep all those finicky, intense personalities going in the same direction.

 

And you're just wrong. He is a great coach and everyone who ever worked with him or played under him only has great things to say about him.

 

I mean, yeah, he got out coached by a handful of the greatest coaches in the sport's history, but that does not make him a poor coach.

This…and BTW, he consistently outcoached one of the best of all time in Don Shula, year in, year out. 

[RoyBatty is alive]

What lost super Bowl IV was on play, Thurman Thomas fumble,  We had a 13? pt lead and were on a roll for more, Thurman fumbles the ball they pick it up for a TD.  after that even though we were still ahead the game was effectively over.

1 hour ago, 2003Contenders said:

All of this rehash about Dallas' 2nd half adjustments looks good now based on the outcome of the game -- but if things had gone differently, the Bills could have had a sizeable lead before Dallas ever touched the ball in the 2nd half. That may very well have put the Cowboys into more pass-happy mode, which undoubtedly would have been in Buffalo's best interest.

 

I think the biggest issue was that despite game-planning properly and dominating the Cowboys in the first half, they were only up 13-6 at halftime. As much as I love Thurman he really was a big part of the reason we lost that game. His fumble in the first half when the Bills were moving the ball, gave the Cowboys 3 of their 6 points. An INT (I think by Nate Odoms) late in the 1st half, set the Bills up nicely to go up by more than one score; however, questionable play calling down inside the redzone led to settling for a FG before the half. That is probably what led to the pep in the Cowboys' step versus the lethargy that Buffalo displayed.

 

When Thurman's fumble on the opening drive was returned for a TD, the game was effectively over -- even though the score was tied. The momentum was forever shifted -- and you could just see the "Uh oh. Here we go again" body language on the part of Bills players.  It didn't help that Thurman wimped out, feigning a cramp, and stewed on the sidelines most of the rest of the game. I believe Marv said that his biggest regret as a head coach was allowing Thurman to sulk like that -- rather than motivating him.

 

Oh well. Can't change the past...

Couldn't agree more, that one play was the game.

[transient]

31 minutes ago, NoHuddleKelly12 said:

This…and BTW, he consistently outcoached one of the best of all time in Don Shula, year in, year out. 

I don't think this makes the point you think it does. Don Shula, during Levy's tenure with the Bills, won a total of 3 playoff games and had a total of 3 double digit winning seasons... Miami was basically a 0.500 team with Shula at the helm despite a HOF QB behind center over the time Marv coached the Bills.  It's not like he was going head to head against him in the 70s when the legend of Don Shula was cemented.

[RobbRiddick]

As far as Levy is concerned, he gets a raw deal by many because he was such a nice guy, and therefore is seen as not tough enough. In a lot of ways that is true, in the big game he was beaten by tougher coaches, in the same way the Bills were beaten by tougher teams. But he also beat so many of those tough NFC coaches in the regular season. His record against the NFC in the regular season was great. He beat Parcels a few weeks before the Super Bowl. He beat the Cowboys the year of Super Bowl 28 (admittedly Smith was holding out at the time). He beat a great 49ers team at Candlestick in the no punt game. 

 

The Bills could and did beat anyone, but after the second SB loss they had two opponents out there, the Cowboys and the thought of "*****, what if we lose again". Psychology is a huge part of sports and I think mentally the Bills were really screwed after the seconds loss.

[Utah John]

What's especially frustrating is that the Bills regularly went 4-0 against the NFC teams they played in the regular season, then couldn't handle them in the SBs.  

 

I don't blame the Bills for losing the second and third SBs.  They were up against the Redskins and the rising Cowboys, when both those teams were really loaded.  The Skins and Cowboys had better teams. 

 

But in the first and fourth, it was lack of coaching flexibility that did in the Bills.  In the first, Kelly wanted to throw so much, but Thurman was really set up to dominate.  TT did great, but he could have done so much more.  The Giants' defense was keyed to stopping Kelly, and Levy didn't get Kelly to go to what was really working, which was Thomas.  Aside from the defense being hung over and unable to tackle anyone, that was the key.  

 

In the fourth SB, at halftime, while the Cowboys were figuring out how to win, the Bills were, what, napping?  Instead of Levy and the team leaders rallying the troops and getting them fired up, and perhaps even pointing out how something they saw the Cowboys doing that the Bills could take advantage of, I think Levy was handing out orange slices.  

[finn]

I remember that long drive where they just fed it to Emmitt Smith play after play. And Levy/Corey refused to play their two run-stuffing rookie defensive tackles, John Parella and James Patton, sticking with Jeff Wright and Mike Lodish even when they were being humiliated. Thanks for bringing it up. 

[Motorin']

1 hour ago, John from Riverside said:

This whole goddamn thread sucks

 

The only question it brings up for me, is what does McDermott do to become a better Head Coach? 

 

How does he learn from the past, and from the greats? 

 

He preaches becoming the best version of yourself, how does that apply to him as a Head Coach moving into a season where the Super Bowl is within sights?

 

 

Edited July 27, 2021 by Motorin'

[Buffalo Barbarian]

5 hours ago, transient said:

Parcells, Gibbs and Johnson were all big game coaches. Marv... not so much. He can credit his HOF talent for getting him into the HOF, cuz it wasn't his coaching.

 

He knew how to handle men and those with big egos  and so was a great coach there but X O adjustments in game he was lacking.

 

 

[GaryPinC]

1 hour ago, RobbRiddick said:

As far as Levy is concerned, he gets a raw deal by many because he was such a nice guy, and therefore is seen as not tough enough. In a lot of ways that is true, in the big game he was beaten by tougher coaches, in the same way the Bills were beaten by tougher teams. But he also beat so many of those tough NFC coaches in the regular season. His record against the NFC in the regular season was great. He beat Parcels a few weeks before the Super Bowl. He beat the Cowboys the year of Super Bowl 28 (admittedly Smith was holding out at the time). He beat a great 49ers team at Candlestick in the no punt game. 

 

The Bills could and did beat anyone, but after the second SB loss they had two opponents out there, the Cowboys and the thought of "*****, what if we lose again". Psychology is a huge part of sports and I think mentally the Bills were really screwed after the seconds loss.

Levy was a very good coach but our defense got run roughshod by the Giants then same by Washington the next year.  At that point, a great coach would have realized to take that next step you needed to step up and jettison Walt Corey for a new DC.

Edited July 27, 2021 by GaryPinC