The Hail Mary from Rodgers

[Ethan in Cleveland]

The hail Mary was terrible but so were the two plays before. They again were defending against a TD and conceding a FG. If they just play dime and rush four none of that happens. 

[YoloinOhio]

I thought your thread title was referring to the Adams trade 

[DrDawkinstein]

1 minute ago, Ethan in Cleveland said:

The hail Mary was terrible but so were the two plays before. They again were defending against a TD and conceding a FG. If they just play dime and rush four none of that happens. 

 

And in the end they conceded a TD by trying to defend a FG. Classic McDermott.

[JimmyNoodles]

1 minute ago, DrDawkinstein said:

 

If we are going to rush 2, that means we get to drop 2 extra guys back into coverage. Surely, McD must understand that the Hail Mary is an option here.

 

So rush 2 if he must, but make those extra 2 guys like Mack Hollins and Dalton Kincaid. Instead of the munchkins Rapp and Johnson back there.

 

He doesnt even understand his own bad strategies well.

Agree on the bodies.  You can add Coleman too.  But, still don't like giving a QB whatever time they want to scan the field.  Rodgers finally threw the ball when a LB came to add pressure.  Rush four, drop seven and the ball comes out much faster.  No time to pick and choose what you're going to do.  

[BeastMaster]

I don't know what else anyone needs to see from McDermott to realize that he will be the demise of this team...it's just a matter of when, not if.

 

These guys have also put Josh in bad situations year after year and have surrounded him with lesser talent at receiver, which may ultimately lead to him breaking down and not ever seeing the success he is deserving of.

 

 

[DrDawkinstein]

3 minutes ago, JimmyNoodles said:

Agree on the bodies.  You can add Coleman too.  But, still don't like giving a QB whatever time they want to scan the field.  Rodgers finally threw the ball when a LB came to add pressure.  Rush four, drop seven and the ball comes out much faster.  No time to pick and choose what you're going to do.  

 

I dont trust Coleman as a rookie right now to make that play. No major offense to him. I'd just go with more experienced Pros right now.

 

Hollins for the size and experience. Kincaid for the size and hands.

 

But yes, agreed we shouldnt be rushing only 2 to begin with.

[Einstein]

24 minutes ago, Don Otreply said:

IMO, the defensive coaching calls on that sequence possession for the Jets was just terrible

 

Horrendous.

 

I’ve said it before (after hail-murray) but i’ll say it again: Blitz on hail mary’s!

 

The receivers have to run 50 yards downfield. That takes at least 5 seconds. I don’t care how bad your pass rushers are - you will get to the QB by 5 seconds. 

[bills_fan]

I was at the game.  So I'm not sure what was shown on TV, but we had Rousseou and Espensa lined up on opposite sidelines about 7 yards off the LOS and 3 yards from the sideline.  Waaaay out wide.  Trying to keep the ball inbounds on a quick throw to ensure the Jets could not stop the clock and get their FG team on the field (they had no timeouts). Everyone else was deep or in the middle of the field with 2 pass rushers.  

 

I cannot recall ever seeing a formation like that.  It may have worked if we had 2 more pass rushers and sacrificed the middle of the field for more pressure.  Still covered the deep middle obviously.  

[jethro_tull]

Completely horrible play by the Bills and unfortunately the demons we thought were eliminated with Leslie Frazier are still present.  

Rushing two guys when the Bills had good pressure on Rogers all night?  

Does anyone in the backfield actually look for the ball? 

Good grief.  

[DrDawkinstein]

1 minute ago, bills_fan said:

I was at the game.  So I'm not sure what was shown on TV, but we had Rousseou and Espensa lined up on opposite sidelines about 7 yards off the LOS and 3 yards from the sideline.  Waaaay out wide.  Trying to keep the ball inbounds on a quick throw to ensure the Jets could not stop the clock and get their FG team on the field (they had no timeouts). Everyone else was deep or in the middle of the field with 2 pass rushers.  

 

I cannot recall ever seeing a formation like that.  It may have worked if we had 2 more pass rushers and sacrificed the middle of the field for more pressure.  Still covered the deep middle obviously.  

 

I'll tell you exactly what happened on TV.

 

McD takes a Time Out and Troy/Buck immediately launch into how it was a smart idea since Rodgers throws so many Hail Marys, and everyone knows it, to take the TO and get your guys ready to defend a Hail Mary properly. They even take the time to show Rodgers' numerous Hail Mary attempts.

 

But instead, McD decides to "defend the sideline" so we dont give up a Field Goal. And let's them score a TD.

 

Everyone in the world knew Rodgers was going to throw a Hail Mary there, except McD.

[PoundingDog]

14 minutes ago, Ethan in Cleveland said:

They again were defending against a TD and conceding a FG

No they were not. You can see a defender right on the sideline at the top of the frame in the video. Hindsight is 20-20 and you say they were going for Hail Mary. But I'd not be surprised Rodgers told his receivers in the huddle something like "if you see them defending the sideline, go to the endzone." Rushing 4 and drop all 7 deep would indeed concede a field goal attempt because Rodger can probably complete a sideline 15 yard out in 6 seconds - and that is a high percentage play. That's why I advocate for just a normal defensive play, rush 4, zone coverage, 2 deep safeties. With the current version of Rodgers not able to extend play like Mahomes/Jackson etc., the ball would be out of his hand within 3 seconds. Breakdown may happen, like the Texans game where they gave up a 75 yarder. But you got to trust your players executing what they have spent most of their time preparing for - the normal defensive plays. 

[Billsatlastin2018]

26 minutes ago, HomeskillitMoorman said:

We’re in McD’s 8th season where this has happened to him a number of times and he’s done absolutely nothing learn from it. We’re actually fortunate it hasn’t happened to us a couple more times like last year vs TB. 
 

I’ve never seen a coach work less hard at improving himself than McD. 

I do not know whether the following scenario happened internally, but there has never been any mention of it.

 

OFF SEASON, post the worst HCing decisions in NFL history (13 Seconds), McD should have had a rigorous internal end of half/ game time v.s. TOs left game test situations!
 

And responses required in 10-15 seconds! 
 

Starting with the Offense.

 

1) Very rudimentary, 3rd & 7 from the 50 yard line, up 3, 1 TO for the opposition and less than 1 minute to go. What do you call with Josh Allen?

 

2) Game tied.

 

3) Down 3.

 

4) Down 6.

 

5) Add on 1 or both opposition TOs. 
 

6) From your own 36 yard line. You have 3/2/1/0 TOs

 

7) From your own 6 yard line, 3 opposition TOS. You have 3/2/1/0 TOs

 

8 The opposition QB is Mahomes, Stroud or Jackson.

 

9) The opposition QB is Cousins or Rodgers.

 

10) The opposition QB is a stiff.

 

11) etc. up to 50.

 

Defense. How you defend?

 

1) Multiple similar scenarios.

 

2) QB is Mahomes, Stroud or Jackson.

 

3) Cousins or Rodgers.

 

4) The opposition QB is a stiff.

 

5) When specifically is it correct to call a TO? Why? Against whom?

 

CLEARLY, McD hasn’t learned anything in these few critical scenarios.

 

HE needs to.

[DrDawkinstein]

1 minute ago, PoundingDog said:

No they were not. You can see a defender right on the sideline at the top of the frame in the video. Hindsight is 20-20 and you say they were going for Hail Mary. But I'd not be surprised Rodgers told his receivers in the huddle something like "if you see them defending the sideline, go to the endzone." Rushing 4 and drop all 7 deep would indeed concede a field goal attempt because Rodger can probably complete a sideline 15 yard out in 6 seconds - and that is a high percentage play. That's why I advocate for just a normal defensive play, rush 4, zone coverage, 2 deep safeties. With the current version of Rodgers not able to extend play like Mahomes/Jackson etc., the ball would be out of his hand within 3 seconds. Breakdown may happen, like the Texans game where they gave up a 75 yarder. But you got to trust your players executing what they have spent most of their time preparing for - the normal defensive plays. 

 

McD said it to Laura Rutledge on his way to the locker room. The Bills were defending the sideline and the Jets went for the Hail Mary. We guessed wrong and/or werent prepared for the change.

[BuffaloBill]

36 minutes ago, WEATHER DOT COM said:

McDermott took a timeout to prepare, though.

 

 

This makes it even more inexcusable.

[ProcessImproverMan]

Considering Rodgers has a history of hitting Hail Mary passes, inexcusable to not prevent that score. One thing you cannot do is let Rodgers run around and get that ball off but our defense did it and Rodgers killed us with a pin point accurate pass. McDermott simply does not learn from past mistakes (Cardinals game some years ago should be enough lesson regarding Hail Mary's)

[Bookie Man]

Rushing 2 made no sense at all. Then dropping Rousseau and AJE into coverage? inexcusable. With how the winds were, you need to play the deep ball and not the sidelines and give them a 50+ yard FG try. 

[turbo044]

I was at the game and saw the very confusing alignment:

 

He rushed only 2 players - Jones and I think Smoot.  Worse is, there was no threat at the snap to rush more, so Rodgers knew he'd have time to step up and throw the hail mary.

 

They had Rousseau and Epenesa 15 yards down field on opposite sidelines defending the sidelines.  They basically did nothing, so in essence the Bills were playing with 9 players.  Stupid strategy because, with the wind, the Jets were never going to try to get in range for a 50 yard FG.

 

So instead of having 2 extra guys deep (defending the hail mary) or 2 more guys rushing the QB, McDermott defended the play with 9 active players.  really 7 players if you consider the two rushers were easily contained.

 

Absolutely assinine coaching

Edited October 15 by turbo044

[GunnerBill]

I didn't like rushing 2 on the Hail Mary. I'd have rushed 4 - though worth saying we rushed 4 on the Hail Murray and got stung. But I'd have rushed 4. That said I understood what they were trying to do on the Hail Mary. Where they were trying to give themselves maximum cover guys to play the HM and the sideline at the same time. Wasn't what I'd have done but understood it to an extent then you just gotta execute better. Lazard beat all the Bills to the prime spot. 

 

The less excusable play was the play before where they also rushed 2 when the Jets had a timeout left and gave them an easy 15 yards. That made no sense to me. Just play your normal defense there. Okay move the safeties back 10 yards if you wish, but otherwise just play defense. Not sure what that plan was designed to defend? 

[JP51]

1 hour ago, HomeskillitMoorman said:

We’re in McD’s 8th season where this has happened to him a number of times and he’s done absolutely nothing learn from it. We’re actually fortunate it hasn’t happened to us a couple more times like last year vs TB. 
 

I’ve never seen a coach work less hard at improving himself than McD. 

Looked a lot like the sequence of events in 13 seconds only this was 21 and a TD. 

[Solomon Grundy]

1 hour ago, PoundingDog said:

 

I guess we will see from the coach's video to see how the defense is set up. Clearly, as McDermott admitted, the Bills were playing the sideline, which is a higher percentage play from the Jets or anyone else's perspective, but the Jets were going for broke on Hail Mary. 

 

Overall, I don't think you can say people are going to live or die on Hail Mary day in and day out but proper preparation for your players matter. I don't know what McDermott said during the timeout prior to the play. If Hail Mary is not mentioned, it is a failure. Having 5 guys right before Rodgers launched the throw near him - not pressuring him - is inexcusable. You gotta tell guys to defend the Hail Mary as soon as you see the receivers are darting for the end zone if your strategy is not to rush the passer.

 

Personally I feel for McDermott and Co. going forward, just play your normal defense in those end of game, end of half scenarios. You are likely to have more success. The strength of McDermott led defense is to have guys in proper position and not giving up big plays. Just stick to that. We have done just that in the Arizona game and this Jets game at the end.

 

Oh by the way for obvious Hail Mary defense, please get Coleman or Elam onto the field. We need some size and better ball tracking guys instead of small-ish DBs and Safeties back there.    

Wasn't playing the sidelines the same reasoning for 13 seconds??