The Great Squib Kickoff Controversy - Have reviewed the film like it was Zapruder

[Captain Caveman]

On 1/25/2022 at 4:11 PM, SoCal Deek said:

I’d expect this thread in any message board other than the Buffalo Bills. The kickoff was NOT the big mistake! Don’t ANY of you remember the Music City Miracle? The mistake was not holding the receivers when KC got the ball at the 25 yard line.

End thread! 

There's more than one way to lose a game (and we're writing a book about them)

[LABILLBACKER]

22 hours ago, NoSaint said:

hand in hand.

 

13 seconds gives 2 two active plays and a fga 

 

a kick return and single pass is the most reliable way to avoid giving up points in 2 touches. Sure you could’ve seen a freak throw ala the diggs catch in minny to knock out the Saints… but almost certainly not
 

 

This isn't rocket science. McDermott royally screwed up.

1. Hill wasn't back there 

2. The perfect kick would've been a short high pop, not a squib. 

3. It would've run 4-5 seconds off easily. 

4. Let's say for argument they return it to the 30.

5. Now with only 8 seconds they can only hail mary a 40 pass into fg range. 

6. Rush 3, drop 8

7.  If pass is knocked down,  2 seconds remain for a 70 yard hail mary.

8. Bills win

[SirAndrew]

I don’t see how a squib kick wins the game if our defensive game plan involved not covering literally anyone. We called the perfect D to keep them out of the end zone, but not field goal range. Let’s not forget that KC had timeouts. Here’s a possible squib kick scenario. They start at the 35 with 7 seconds, quick short pass followed by timeout, and throw another pass right into field goal range. Butker has a big leg as well. The squib kick probably should have been called, but that’s not the reason we lost. You can’t call a defense that solely protects the end zone when a field goal results in a demoralizing tie. 

[LABILLBACKER]

32 minutes ago, SirAndrew said:

I don’t see how a squib kick wins the game if our defensive game plan involved not covering literally anyone. We called the perfect D to keep them out of the end zone, but not field goal range. Let’s not forget that KC had timeouts. Here’s a possible squib kick scenario. They start at the 35 with 7 seconds, quick short pass followed by timeout, and throw another pass right into field goal range. Butker has a big leg as well. The squib kick probably should have been called, but that’s not the reason we lost. You can’t call a defense that solely protects the end zone when a field goal results in a demoralizing tie. 

There's no way 7-8 seconds is enough time to get off 2 quick passes. And as I said several times the squib is the wrong kick. You use the same kick Bass has done 15-20x this year. Pop it up between the 5-10. Allows your coverage to surround Hardman. He's likely not going to fair catch it at the 10. 

[Big Blitz]

59 minutes ago, LABILLBACKER said:

This isn't rocket science. McDermott royally screwed up.

1. Hill wasn't back there 

2. The perfect kick would've been a short high pop, not a squib. 

3. It would've run 4-5 seconds off easily. 

4. Let's say for argument they return it to the 30.

5. Now with only 8 seconds they can only hail mary a 40 pass into fg range. 

6. Rush 3, drop 8

7.  If pass is knocked down,  2 seconds remain for a 70 yard hail mary.

8. Bills win

 

 

The silence from everyone over this after McD essentially says "we didn't execute" thus the ball was not supposed to be kicked out - I don't understand it.  That leaves Bass.  Where is he?  And again, he's not to blame I've said it already this was a collective meltdown.  But the kick call was what we had most control of to dictate the last few seconds of the game.  It's THE pivotal decisions of decisions. 

 

There is no way they called for that then blame "execution."  All the players know what happened I don't believe McKenzie for a second.  McD didn't call that play then goes and blames the "execution." 

 

He immediately loses this locker room if that were the case.  It's admirable if they're trying to protect Bass or someone else at the moment because it's still heat of the moment and they do know the loss isn't on any one person.  But at some point he's going to get asked.  

Edited January 29, 2022 by Big Blitz

[Turbo44]

3 hours ago, Demongyz said:

Better for the Bills than him going to Miami.  I figure he could turn their crap ass team around.

 

57 minutes ago, LABILLBACKER said:

This isn't rocket science. McDermott royally screwed up.

1. Hill wasn't back there 

2. The perfect kick would've been a short high pop, not a squib. 

3. It would've run 4-5 seconds off easily. 

4. Let's say for argument they return it to the 30.

5. Now with only 8 seconds they can only hail mary a 40 pass into fg range. 

6. Rush 3, drop 8

7.  If pass is knocked down,  2 seconds remain for a 70 yard hail mary.

8. Bills win

Yep the pooch kick to the 5 or 10 yard line (something Bass had been very good at this year) was the correct choice. Depending on what was really called,  I don’t know which would be worse; (1) choosing to not pooch it or (2) if he did choose to pooch and Bass was never informed. Our coverage teams had been great covering the pooch kicks this year. Worse case scenario is a kick return to the 30, a pass to the 50 and a Hail Mary.

 

 

 

[LABILLBACKER]

30 minutes ago, Big Blitz said:

 

 

The silence from everyone over this after McD essentially says "we didn't execute" thus the ball was not supposed to be kicked out - I don't understand it.  That leaves Bass.  Where is he?  And again, he's not to blame I've said it already this was a collective meltdown.  But the kick call was what we had most control of to dictate the last few seconds of the game.  It's THE pivotal decisions of decisions. 

 

There is no way they called for that then blame "execution."  All the players know what happened I don't believe McKenzie for a second.  McD didn't call that play then goes and blames the "execution." 

 

He immediately loses this locker room if that were the case.  It's admirable if they're trying to protect Bass or someone else at the moment because it's still heat of the moment and they do know the loss isn't on any one person.  But at some point he's going to get asked.  

 

27 minutes ago, Turbo44 said:

 

Yep the pooch kick to the 5 or 10 yard line (something Bass had been very good at this year) was the correct choice. Depending on what was really called,  I don’t know which would be worse; (1) choosing to not pooch it or (2) if he did choose to pooch and Bass was never informed. Our coverage teams had been great covering the pooch kicks this year. Worse case scenario is a kick return to the 30, a pass to the 50 and a Hail Mary.

 

 

 

Big Blitz & Turbo both so true. I believe there was a miscommunication between Sean and Bass. And the fact that Tyler has been silent tells me the coaches are honorably protecting him from scrutiny. We'll probably never know the total story. I know the majority of fans are justifiably angry over the inept D on those last 2 passes to Hill & TE.  But I'll go to my grave knowing if we could've just knocked  off those 5 seconds,  we probably win a championship this year.

[McBean]

On 1/25/2022 at 2:38 PM, Billsfan1972 said:

I have posted in other threads so apologies.  And yes still pissed at all the mistakes in the last 13 seconds.

 

I can accept (though inexcusable) that there was miscommunication (and that is an epic fail), but not that Bass was not trying to kick it out of the endzone.

 

Yes in another thread....  I had to go back and watch every kick......  

 

Bass was kicking into the endzone.  His approach was 7-8 yards.....

 

The 29-26 kick, same approach 7-8 yards, After the 75 yard TD, he actually did a 5-6 yard approach and in the end zone.   After HT, 5-6 yards and through the endzone.....  

 

Just before HT and the TD, 7 yard approach and touchback.  At 7-0, again 7 yards and he did not catch it clean and would have bounced in the endzone but Pringle fielded the line drive and returned it to the 25.  

 

No chance he was told to kick it short and blew it!!!!!! 

 

A good pop up or squib kick goes to the 5-10 yard line.  Squibs are often muffed & pop up kicks usually means defense is downfield to defend.

 

You want to know how many short kicks (to the 5-15 yard line) were returned for TD's in 2021 in the NFL (I counted 1,200 kick returns)????

 

0!!!!!!! 

 

Kicks returned were all line drives to the goal line and returned 98-102 yards.

 

Bass was so proficient that the Bills were third in Kickoff defense & the longest return was 31 yards.  That would have eaten 7 seconds minimum.  

 

When he did those short kicks he approached them as FGs, has a 60+ yard leg, and would take a 3 or less step drop.  A 60 yard kick goes to the 5 yard line.  

 

So let's say Bass does kick it to the 5, best return is to the 36 & 7 seconds off the clock.  That gives KC one play to get to the 32 (which is where they ended up) or another 32 yards in 6 seconds.

 

If an average return they are at the 22-25 yard line and 7-8 seconds left.

 

The math is simple, you kick it to the 5 or squib it and eat clock.

 

 

Kudos to the legend and great Sean McDermott for this one.

 

Utter a negative word on here about lord Sean and you get head ripped off.

 

He hasn’t done crap since being here and got awarded the best QB In the NFL to make up for his sorry tail

[LABILLBACKER]

2 hours ago, McBean said:

Kudos to the legend and great Sean McDermott for this one.

 

Utter a negative word on here about lord Sean and you get head ripped off.

 

He hasn’t done crap since being here and got awarded the best QB In the NFL to make up for his sorry tail

He's far from being on the hot seat as the Pegs love him. But they didn't become billionaires being dumb. They are aware he can struggle with gameday tactical decisions.  That is his biggest weakness. If he doesn't clean these mistakes up that warm seat becomes hot.

[Turbo44]

11 hours ago, LABILLBACKER said:

 

Big Blitz & Turbo both so true. I believe there was a miscommunication between Sean and Bass. And the fact that Tyler has been silent tells me the coaches are honorably protecting him from scrutiny. We'll probably never know the total story. I know the majority of fans are justifiably angry over the inept D on those last 2 passes to Hill & TE.  But I'll go to my grave knowing if we could've just knocked  off those 5 seconds,  we probably win a championship this year.

Joe B’s all 22 review this am indicates a pooch kick was called to the left side (where Pringle was). The Bills defenders were running that way and when the kick went through the endZone, 2 or 3 players looked back at the sidelines and to Bass with arms raised basically asking what happened? Bass lined up 7 steps back from the ball instead on 3-5 steps back like he normally would do with pooches. So, it seems doubtful that Bass screwed up the pooch, seems he was never giving the instructions?? If this is true, it’s a major coaching miscommunication mistake. Don’t be surprised is Ferrel (or whatever his name is) is fired over this.

 

as for the next two plays, they’re just terrible, inexplainable formations, the coaches put them in. These formations would have been proper if following a pooch kick. Was McDermott so flustered by the lack of the pooch that he he failed to adjust the defense? Strange considering he properly called a timeout before each play.

 

epic coaching breakdown any way you look at it. Players deserved better