A Few Thoughts about the Jets Game, in no particular order

[Virgil]

For the first time in years, I watched a Bills game without taking notes and I'll be honest, my retention of the game went straight out the window.  I had to wait and re-watch the game on Youtube, which was actually pretty cool to see without all the clock stoppages between plays.  It's interesting the things you pick up a second time, but more so, you lose all real feel for the flow for the game.  Fortunately, that part I remembered.

 

1 - Adjustments - I believe there were three plays in a row where Josh's target ran a different route.  The announcers mentioned that both Josh and the receiver are both expected to recognize the coverage and adjust their route accordingly.  It's just another detail of the game that most of us probably don't think about and just how much of a science all of this is.  In either case, I've never seen that happen on back to back plays so badly.  Regardless, I hope they are able to get this corrected in film study.

 

2 - The Cheerleaders - One thing I've felt that's been missing all season is the on-filed hype train led my certain players.  When we had Lawson and Phillips, they absolutely fed off each other on the field.  Mongo, good or not, was also a catalyst for the offensive line.  While a few weeks back, we saw their energy lead to penalties and loss of control, Oliver and Brown seem to really be getting their respected lines playing a lot better.  The relationship between Oliver and Harrison is very apparent and they are clicking at just the right time.  With the slightly off passing game, having a rushing attack and front 4 pass rush attack gel going into the playoffs is a huge boon for us.  Think about the year the Colts finally won the big game, because the defense and rushing attack finally needed to be respected.

 

3 - Diggs - I really need to understand if Diggs is always this open and we choose to not utilize him like we did in this game, or did the Jets just play a defense that let him do whatever he wanted?  I'm sure the target bonus was part of the reason Josh was trying to take care of Diggs, but it was almost alarming how easy it was to feed him the ball.  This was the Diggs of last season who made the defense adjust their strategy altogether. 

 

4 - I admit it, what's to say?
I'll relive it, without pain
Hm, back-street lover on the side of the road
I gotta bomb in my temple that is gonna explode
I got a sixteen gauge buried under my clothes, I play

 

5 - Motor - When I looked up the stats post game, it's crazy to see how close Motor is to eclipsing 100 yards.  While not spectacular or breaking off huge runs, Motor is getting the tough yards in clear rushing situations and really opening up the passing game for Josh.  Had he been the undisputed starter all season, I think we are looking at a 1200 yard season for him, which is unheard of in this Daboll offense.  Moss did a good job in his limited spot duty, but I hope to see this trend continue and make opposing defenses have to account for Motor.

 

6 - Pass Rush - While Wilson's inability to scramble forward was a big help, the Bills front 4 just terrorized the Jets on 3rd and long, leading to numerous negative plays.  If I'm not mistake, the Jets finished with negative yards in the second half.  C'mon, that's crazy!  This defense keeps spiking at the right moments and does an amazing job in the bend, but don't break concept, and this is with limited blitzing and the DE's dropping back in contain on some plays.  Again, a great job of this unit gelling at the right time.

 

7 - The Big Play - When I think of some of our losses this season, I think about the big play by the opposing teams that wind up being the difference maker in the overall score.  We had big runs against us in the Pats, Titans, Colts, and Bucs game.  The only moment in this game where the Jets made the score look interesting was on a mis-tackle pass that broke big for a touchdown.  It feels like these plays happen against us more than anyone else, but I also don't watch a lot of other games.  I'm not sure what the fix is, but I'm really hoping our season doesn't end on one of these.

 

8 - Haack - We all know that quarterback is one of the toughest positions in all of sports.  Did you know that a punter who can hold a snap and make punts is the second hardest player to find?  What the crap was that in this game?!?  I will grant Haack that the punt snaps were slightly off to his left, but c'mon man.  When you get a standing ovation from the crowd for punting the ball through the end zone, you know there's a problem.  I'm honestly surprised McD hasn't brought anyone else in this week.

 

9 - Passing game - I don't know if the Bills are trying new plays on offense and tuning up for the post season, or what's going on, but the overall flow of the passing game continues to be off.  The rushing attack and defense really won this game for us and it's hard to not be a little concerns going forward.  Josh was rocketing balls downfield again and did deliver a beautiful deep ball to Knox.  The deep crossing passes were back, but the receivers couldn't get both feet in bounds.  Gabe made some unusual drops, but overall, there were a lot of balls hitting the ground.  I will give credit to the Jets blitzing a lot and the weather wasn't great, but these are both things we should expect to see moving forward.

 

10 - Frazier/Daboll - Am I the only one who's not a fan of this new interview process where assistants can interview during the playoffs?  I don't know what a typical day looks like in regards to prep for a game, but I assume it's a lot of hours.  I don't like the idea of there being the slightest distraction for either guy, as they both have interviews the day after the Pats game.  Maybe I'm paranoid and this isn't a thing, but I just know it would be on my mind if I were either of them.

 

Well, that's a season wrap everyone.  I can't promise these for the playoffs as I am trying to be more present when I'm watching the game.  I look forward to watching the game from the warmth of my own home with my daughter.  I would never dream of trying to take her into that stadium in with temperatures near zero.  But keep telling me how the weather hasn't affected ticket sales this season....

 

Go Bills!!!

[NewEra]

Thanks again for all the time and effort you’ve put into your write ups. 4 more to go!

3- we need to see that Diggs on Saturday. I think we will.  Hopefully he josh takes a little off some of these passes, like Diggs has recently asked him to do. 

 

9- the passing game was scary 2 games in a row. Others have said that our pass plays this week we’re specific to keeping josh in the pocket, keeping him healthy and not showing any new wrinkles.  Even so, too many laser beams with almost no chance of being caught for my personal taste. 
 

10- I hate the interview process being conducted during the playoffs but I don’t see them every making any changes to it

[Ray Stonada]

Great piece. Love the observation about Phillips and Oliver feeding off each other. Also great point that they should feed Motor, and Diggs being open all the time.
 

Sometimes wonder if we make things too complicated trying to feed seven different offensive skill players. (Diggs, Sanders, Davis, Beasley, McKenzie, Knox, Singletary. and it used to be eight when Moss shared time.)

 

[WhoTom]

Thanks for the post, Virg.

 

Regarding Daboll and Frazier, I agree that I'd rather have them undistracted this week. But that made me think - if I were in either of their positions, I wouldn't prep for the interview at all. I'd walk in and let them know that as long as I'm under contract in Buffalo, my sole responsibility is to the Bills, so today I'll discuss general philosophies and how I can customize those according to the players' strengths and weaknesses - the details will be dependent on the personnel. My only prep is to dig up a few examples of game plans and adjustments that were successful. 

 

That shows that I'm loyal, 100% dedicated, and willing to adapt to the conditions, and it allows me to focus on the game at hand.

 

 

[corta765]

Passing wise I am not worried at this time. The games that really mattered down the stretch TB/NE Josh was lights out. I think ATL/NYJ was basically survive and move on regardless of how pretty it was. I will say Davis had some drops that were curious and as I posted somewhere else I think the heavier pressure mixed with the o-lines failing and more exotic pass coverages has Josh either hesitating a touch more OR going to quick.

 

If last year Josh was a Ferrari gliding through the mountians, this year at times he has been an expensive pick up truck. Not as pretty but gets the job done.

[Coach Tuesday]

Re: the passing attack, I really think Daboll treats inferior opponents as lab rats.  I wish he wouldn't but he does.  These games are science experiments for him.

 

Re: punting, Haack is also the holder and I'm sure they don't want to mess with Bass's head at this point in the season which is why I think they won't be making a change (unless Haack truly has The Yips).

[Hapless Bills Fan]

10 minutes ago, Coach Tuesday said:

Re: the passing attack, I really think Daboll treats inferior opponents as lab rats.  I wish he wouldn't but he does.  These games are science experiments for him.

 

Re: punting, Haack is also the holder and I'm sure they don't want to mess with Bass's head at this point in the season which is why I think they won't be making a change (unless Haack truly has The Yips).

 

During the game, the announcers were showing replays where his entire drop was different and speculating about whether he was being coached to punt that way for some reason and what the reason would be.

 

I don't think Haack has (what I understand to be) the Yips because after his shanks of 28, 21, and 22 yds he punted 49, 53, and 43 yds (with a fumble and a 7 yd "just do something" punt sandwiched in there.  What I understand "the Yips" to be is that the player suddenly loses the ability to perform an athletic move that should be well-engrained "muscle memory" to the player, and can't get it back.  He had some good punts around his terrible, horrible, no good very bad day.

 

No question Haack is a scary dude to most of us Bills fans right now!

 

[Bills92]

Great write up as usual.  And if it means anything, over the last 3 games, I  had similar thoughts about how this Bills team reminds me of the 2006/2007 Colts team that won not necessarily on Manning's arm (Ok maybe the AFC championship game again the Pats).. but did it with a Solid D, Addai and Dominic Rhodes rushing attack.  It's kinda funny (and maybe not a coincidence) because the National media was talking about how the Bills weakness was their overdependence on JA17.  Anyhow...  Love that comparison to the 2006 Colts.

 

& 

 

As usual.. Love the Pearl Jam.  

 

Go Bills!

[npeartisgod]

Virgil, your write ups are my favorite part of this board. Thank you!

[BuffaloBillies]

Great job with your "assignment" this week.

 

Haack scares the sh*t out of me... has all season with his slowness... then last week's problems.

You know Belly wants to block one bad. That would be catastrophic in a 0 degree game that is likely to be low-scoring.

I'd be happy with a guaranteed 35 yarder right now

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

1 hour ago, Coach Tuesday said:

Re: the passing attack, I really think Daboll treats inferior opponents as lab rats.  I wish he wouldn't but he does.  These games are science experiments for him.

 

Re: punting, Haack is also the holder and I'm sure they don't want to mess with Bass's head at this point in the season which is why I think they won't be making a change (unless Haack truly has The Yips).

 

Agree 200%  The only way I think they'd ever consider it at this point in the season would be to have someone else punt and Haack still holds, but that means taking one player away at some other position to active an extra punter.

 

Do recall maybe was 20 years ago seemed  like for a year or two (maybe was shorter) the Bills having a second kicker active for kickoffs and even a rare extremely long FG as their kicker was very accurate from close in so wanted him for the FG attempts, but terribly short on kickoffs so had a second player for that.  But think that may have been back when you could still dress all 53 on Sundays too.

[DCbillsfan]

Virgil - thanks for the writeups this season!  Motor seems to have upped his overall game the past several games.  He's getting more touches and even though the Bills are a pass first offense, the Bills are demonstrating an element of ball control in their offensive drives.

[WhoTom]

1 minute ago, Ed_Formerly_of_Roch said:

Do recall maybe was 20 years ago seemed  like for a year or two (maybe was shorter) the Bills having a second kicker active for kickoffs and even a rare extremely long FG as their kicker was very accurate from close in so wanted him for the FG attempts, but terribly short on kickoffs so had a second player for that.  But think that may have been back when you could still dress all 53 on Sundays too.

 

It was more recent. Dustin Hopkins was the FG kicker and the kickoff specialist was Carpenter. Hopkins is still playing for the Chargers.

 

[maddenboy]

2 hours ago, NewEra said:

10- I hate the interview process being conducted during the playoffs but I don’t see them every making any changes to it

Agree wholeheartedly.

 

Its not just the hour or two for the Zoom interview.  Its the preparation for the biggest job interview of your life.  Since it (necessarily in most cases) involves a promotion to a position you've never had before.  Pretty sure I'd want to spend hours prepping for that. 

 

Most of us know the feeling when (1) you NAILED an interview, and (2) when you just wasted everybody's time, and you drive home thinking about how you should have prepared better.

 

Edited January 13, 2022 by maddenboy

[Utah John]

Frazier recognized that the weakest part of the Jets' offense was the O line, which has several substitutes playing.  He worked out a way to attack that line and basically won the game right there.  Good for him, but let's not imagine that our D line suddenly got better because they got a lot of sacks in one game.  

 

The Bills' D works as a complete 11-man unit, and getting a lot of sacks isn't necessary (although very nice when it happens).  

 

If any coach has the experience, wiliness, and personnel to match up with whatever Belichick devises, it's Frazier.

[Buddo]

Regarding Haack. The commentary team mentioned that they thought he was trying to put some spin on the football, to get it through the wind.

 

In rugby, this is a common technique, and is referred to as a 'torpedo', due to the spin imparted to the ball.

 

It will be easier to do in rugby, as the football is larger, and you basically have to hold it at a certain angle, then kick through the football with the outside of your foot, which imparts the spin to the ball.

 

Haack obviously wasn't getting it right, if that was what he was attempting, and no doubt reverted to his normal approach eventually.

 

It would also explain why the coaching staff aren't seemingly up in arms about his performance.

 

Fwiw, they do have another punter on the PS.

[Let's Go Buffalo]

Well done as always, Virgil. I was definitely glad to see our pass rush show up loud and clear this time around. The entire D-Line gets the game ball in my opinion. Thanks again for your posts! 

[SactoBillFan]

7 hours ago, Virgil said:

 

 

7 - The Big Play - When I think of some of our losses this season, I think about the big play by the opposing teams that wind up being the difference maker in the overall score.  We had big runs against us in the Pats, Titans, Colts, and Bucs game.  The only moment in this game where the Jets made the score look interesting was on a mis-tackle pass that broke big for a touchdown.  It feels like these plays happen against us more than anyone else, but I also don't watch a lot of other games.  I'm not sure what the fix is, but I'm really hoping our season doesn't end on one of these.

 

 

If I remember that play, I believe Poyer jumped the route trying for an interception and whiffed.

[BobbyC81]

5 hours ago, maddenboy said:

Agree wholeheartedly.

 

Its not just the hour or two for the Zoom interview.  Its the preparation for the biggest job interview of your life.  Since it (necessarily in most cases) involves a promotion to a position you've never had before.  Pretty sure I'd want to spend hours prepping for that. 

 

Most of us know the feeling when (1) you NAILED an interview, and (2) when you just wasted everybody's time, and you drive home thinking about how you should have prepared better.

 

In the many times the Bills have gone thru the hiring process, it has been mentioned that some candidates prepared binders for in-person interviews.  If they are taking these interviews seriously,  I would think they may want to prepare that way for these Zoom interviews so they could easily reference their notes.  So, as others have said, time and focus would be taken away from their current jobs and tasks at hand.  It sucks but it is the current system.  

[Gugny]

8 hours ago, Virgil said:

For the first time in years, I watched a Bills game without taking notes and I'll be honest, my retention of the game went straight out the window.  I had to wait and re-watch the game on Youtube, which was actually pretty cool to see without all the clock stoppages between plays.  It's interesting the things you pick up a second time, but more so, you lose all real feel for the flow for the game.  Fortunately, that part I remembered.

 

1 - Adjustments - I believe there were three plays in a row where Josh's target ran a different route.  The announcers mentioned that both Josh and the receiver are both expected to recognize the coverage and adjust their route accordingly.  It's just another detail of the game that most of us probably don't think about and just how much of a science all of this is.  In either case, I've never seen that happen on back to back plays so badly.  Regardless, I hope they are able to get this corrected in film study.

 

2 - The Cheerleaders - One thing I've felt that's been missing all season is the on-filed hype train led my certain players.  When we had Lawson and Phillips, they absolutely fed off each other on the field.  Mongo, good or not, was also a catalyst for the offensive line.  While a few weeks back, we saw their energy lead to penalties and loss of control, Oliver and Brown seem to really be getting their respected lines playing a lot better.  The relationship between Oliver and Harrison is very apparent and they are clicking at just the right time.  With the slightly off passing game, having a rushing attack and front 4 pass rush attack gel going into the playoffs is a huge boon for us.  Think about the year the Colts finally won the big game, because the defense and rushing attack finally needed to be respected.

 

3 - Diggs - I really need to understand if Diggs is always this open and we choose to not utilize him like we did in this game, or did the Jets just play a defense that let him do whatever he wanted?  I'm sure the target bonus was part of the reason Josh was trying to take care of Diggs, but it was almost alarming how easy it was to feed him the ball.  This was the Diggs of last season who made the defense adjust their strategy altogether. 

 

4 - I admit it, what's to say?
I'll relive it, without pain
Hm, back-street lover on the side of the road
I gotta bomb in my temple that is gonna explode
I got a sixteen gauge buried under my clothes, I play

 

5 - Motor - When I looked up the stats post game, it's crazy to see how close Motor is to eclipsing 100 yards.  While not spectacular or breaking off huge runs, Motor is getting the tough yards in clear rushing situations and really opening up the passing game for Josh.  Had he been the undisputed starter all season, I think we are looking at a 1200 yard season for him, which is unheard of in this Daboll offense.  Moss did a good job in his limited spot duty, but I hope to see this trend continue and make opposing defenses have to account for Motor.

 

6 - Pass Rush - While Wilson's inability to scramble forward was a big help, the Bills front 4 just terrorized the Jets on 3rd and long, leading to numerous negative plays.  If I'm not mistake, the Jets finished with negative yards in the second half.  C'mon, that's crazy!  This defense keeps spiking at the right moments and does an amazing job in the bend, but don't break concept, and this is with limited blitzing and the DE's dropping back in contain on some plays.  Again, a great job of this unit gelling at the right time.

 

7 - The Big Play - When I think of some of our losses this season, I think about the big play by the opposing teams that wind up being the difference maker in the overall score.  We had big runs against us in the Pats, Titans, Colts, and Bucs game.  The only moment in this game where the Jets made the score look interesting was on a mis-tackle pass that broke big for a touchdown.  It feels like these plays happen against us more than anyone else, but I also don't watch a lot of other games.  I'm not sure what the fix is, but I'm really hoping our season doesn't end on one of these.

 

8 - Haack - We all know that quarterback is one of the toughest positions in all of sports.  Did you know that a punter who can hold a snap and make punts is the second hardest player to find?  What the crap was that in this game?!?  I will grant Haack that the punt snaps were slightly off to his left, but c'mon man.  When you get a standing ovation from the crowd for punting the ball through the end zone, you know there's a problem.  I'm honestly surprised McD hasn't brought anyone else in this week.

 

9 - Passing game - I don't know if the Bills are trying new plays on offense and tuning up for the post season, or what's going on, but the overall flow of the passing game continues to be off.  The rushing attack and defense really won this game for us and it's hard to not be a little concerns going forward.  Josh was rocketing balls downfield again and did deliver a beautiful deep ball to Knox.  The deep crossing passes were back, but the receivers couldn't get both feet in bounds.  Gabe made some unusual drops, but overall, there were a lot of balls hitting the ground.  I will give credit to the Jets blitzing a lot and the weather wasn't great, but these are both things we should expect to see moving forward.

 

10 - Frazier/Daboll - Am I the only one who's not a fan of this new interview process where assistants can interview during the playoffs?  I don't know what a typical day looks like in regards to prep for a game, but I assume it's a lot of hours.  I don't like the idea of there being the slightest distraction for either guy, as they both have interviews the day after the Pats game.  Maybe I'm paranoid and this isn't a thing, but I just know it would be on my mind if I were either of them.

 

Well, that's a season wrap everyone.  I can't promise these for the playoffs as I am trying to be more present when I'm watching the game.  I look forward to watching the game from the warmth of my own home with my daughter.  I would never dream of trying to take her into that stadium in with temperatures near zero.  But keep telling me how the weather hasn't affected ticket sales this season....

 

Go Bills!!!

 

Virg ... I love you, man.