Typical TBD Guy Posted September 13, 2004 Author Posted September 13, 2004 Ahhhh, OK. Now I see your point! It's not that Drew can directly control the mistakes made by his teammates, but that he actually has, indirectly, psychologically produced these mistakes in them. So Travis was so preoccupied with whether Drew can actually lead them to victory, he doesn't remember for which side of the field the current play has been called. Moulds is so burdened with Drew's lack of ability that he can't hold onto the ball even when Drew throws a perfect pass to him. The O-line is so traumatized by Drew's poor play over the past year and a half, they just can't muster the strength to get our RBs more than a yard at a time inside the opponent's three yard line, or is that the RBs are so depressed with Drew's rather uninspired play and leadership that even though the holes are there, they just can't muster the strength to run through them and score a TD? Perhaps the whole team is need of antidepressants and it's all Drew's fault? 28392[/snapback] Actually, yes. That's precisely my point. Your obvious sarcastic points aside, I believe that a team takes on the personality of their team captains...normally the head coach, the QB, and several other of the most talented and most experienced players on the team. Don't believe this "psychological theory?" Fair enough. But many guys who played for HOF coaches and HOF QB's have attested to this psychological factor. I've conceded that the conservative play today of Bledsoe that I'm complaining about probably has more to do with Mularkey and Co. than Bledsoe himself, but there must also be a reason why MM and Co called a conservative game plan, no? Because they have ZERO faith in Bledsoe playing to win. So far, I wonder if the coaches have completely bought into Bledsoe's turnaround. I don't think they are comfortable in letting Drew take control of a game. They probably are thinking that he will inevitably screw up if they let him try to play to win/score lots of points/aggressively attack the opposing defensive secondary. Unfortunately, without a truly dominant Bills defense a la the Ravens and Bucs a couple years back, the Bills offense is going to have to be more aggressive downfield for SOME situations in a game and in a season. The Jags have a weak secondary, for example, and we did little to test them deep. Anyway, just please let this thread die now. It was a bad idea for me to have started it. Besides, we can all agree that Lindell was probably the real reason for us losing...
unpaid_bills34 Posted September 13, 2004 Posted September 13, 2004 It is not all Bledsoe's fault. The fact is he is the best we have right now. Losman will be out for sometime and is a rookie. Missed FG, Defense plays solid to the end but gives up big play. Offense had fe big plays -- really did not even attempt many down the field. Not so sure that is all Drew. Mullarkey is supposed to be the master of "trickery", the only trick play i recall was a botched end around to Reed. How about putting Henry and McGahee in the backfield split at the same time? We also need a decent TE that can block and can catch a pass. Bottom line its the first game they played well just came up short on a nice play at the end. They need to pound the ball and play conservative with Bledsoe. Lets see how they play this week against the Raiders on the road before we right them off. Remember last year at this time we were all riding high after Week 1-2. Then it was all downhill Go Bills!
John from Riverside Posted September 13, 2004 Posted September 13, 2004 What worries me is that people would actually think Drew WAS the reason for this loss...... I shudder to think what will happen on this board when his O line has an off day and allows him to take some sacks.....which inevidabally is going to happen......
disco Posted September 13, 2004 Posted September 13, 2004 What worries me is that people would actually think Drew WAS the reason for this loss...... I shudder to think what will happen on this board when his O line has an off day and allows him to take some sacks.....which inevidabally is going to happen...... 28410[/snapback] It's funny that last year it was non-stop "he takes too many sacks" "too many interceptions" "bad decisions" "hold the ball too long". He essentially doesn't make any of those mistakes and the thread is "it's all bledsoe's fault!!" We win the game today if any ONE of the following happened today: - Moulds doesn't fumble at the 2 yard line - Lindell doesn't miss a 41 yard kick - Clements tries to bat the ball down/punch it away from jimmy smith on the 4th & 14 rather than try to pick it off. - the jags don't make a great play as time expires - we don't try some silly lateral to moulds - villarrial doesn't take a key holding penalty - london fletcher doesn't boot the football into the end zone in frustration after the 4th & 14 penalty. - we don't call a screen play to damion sheldon on 3rd & 1 from the 1.
Typical TBD Guy Posted September 13, 2004 Author Posted September 13, 2004 It's funny that last year it was non-stop "he takes too many sacks" "too many interceptions" "bad decisions" "hold the ball too long". He essentially doesn't make any of those mistakes and the thread is "it's all bledsoe's fault!!" We win the game today if any ONE of the following happened today: - Moulds doesn't fumble at the 2 yard line - Lindell doesn't miss a 41 yard kick - Clements tries to bat the ball down/punch it away from jimmy smith on the 4th & 14 rather than try to pick it off. - the jags don't make a great play as time expires - we don't try some silly lateral to moulds - villarrial doesn't take a key holding penalty - london fletcher doesn't boot the football into the end zone in frustration after the 4th & 14 penalty. - we don't call a screen play to damion sheldon on 3rd & 1 from the 1. 28416[/snapback] The problem is that an ultra conservative Bledsoe isn't good enough. We need our QB to do a little more than just hand off the ball and throw short, quick passes all game. The rest of our offense isn't talented enough to sustain long, mistake-free drives. Our defense is solid, but not outstanding like recent Super Bowl defenses. At times we will need to play more aggressive on offense. We will need Bledsoe to do what he used to do best. Can he still do it? I don't know, but this new conservative Bledsoe - as the Jags came showed - may not be good enough.
John from Riverside Posted September 13, 2004 Posted September 13, 2004 The problem is that an ultra conservative Bledsoe isn't good enough. We need our QB to do a little more than just hand off the ball and throw short, quick passes all game. The rest of our offense isn't talented enough to sustain long, mistake-free drives. Our defense is solid, but not outstanding like recent Super Bowl defenses. At times we will need to play more aggressive on offense. We will need Bledsoe to do what he used to do best. Can he still do it? I don't know, but this new conservative Bledsoe - as the Jags came showed - may not be good enough. 28419[/snapback] Kelso....listen to what you are saying..... Our QB being the playmaker is what got us into trouble and out of the playoffs last year......our offensive line was just not good enough to play a "Chiefs type offense" and while they played a solid game today they were not asked to hold their blocks for extended periods of time...... That is not the way we are going to do it this year......we are going to play smash mouth run football.....and pass when we have open guys......and ask Bledsoe to be a facilitator rather then a playmaker..... We will win more games that way....we WERE WINNING THIS ONE....until that damn 4th and 14 play.....
Typical TBD Guy Posted September 13, 2004 Author Posted September 13, 2004 I really hope this will be the last post in this thread. I titled it in a controversial way just to get some attention to my point that we TBD'ers should expect more from Drew this season than simply mistake-free football. We actually need to score POINTS - like more than 10 - to do well this year. That was all I really meant to say. Yes, overall, Drew had a good game and other players around him failed. However, in future games I would like to see Drew do more than just try not to get sacked or fumble or throw interceptions. The QB is also responsible for moving the ball down the field! A huge part of the problem was Mularkey's game plan, yes, but I hope Drew will show the coaches and the fans that he can still be his explosive old self at times despite the greater emphasis on our running game. BuffaloBob and disco, take note on how other posters repond to people's threads. Fake Fat Sunny did the best job trashing my post, yet he didn't have to use overt mocking and ridicule to get his point across.
Guest Guest_dreamer_* Posted September 13, 2004 Posted September 13, 2004 The denial continues. It's never Bledsoe's fault. His entire career is always someone else's fault. The King of all excuses lives on. The Bills scored twice. Massive drives of 18 yards for a TD and minus 4 yards from the opponents 3 yard line for a FG. Oooh, pinch me. It's never all Bledsoe's fault. The bottom line is he always seems to play the key role in the debacle. The standards have become so low for a Buffalo QB that it is just plain ridiculous. Look around the league you Bledsoe apologists. Winning teams have QB's who can actually make plays when things break down a little. In contrast, Bledsoe just breaks down and makes no plays. I could point out numerous plays today from around the league with QB's scrambling and improvising to make great plays. Bledsoe never makes something happen unless it's bad. Time to wake up.
BuffalOhio Posted September 13, 2004 Posted September 13, 2004 yeah, if you listen to the post game interview that's exactly what he says...was more concerned about giving up an INT on a forced pass. I actually blame the play call on that more than anything. The best we've got on a 3rd and goal is a screen pass to Damion Sheldon? I'd rather have just given it another go w/ McGahee at the line...at least it would have burned more time off the clock which turned out to be vital at the end of the game. 28403[/snapback] Not Damion. Daimon. Nobody seems to be able to get this guy's name right. http://www.nfl.com/players/playerpage/1739
Buckeye Eric Posted September 13, 2004 Posted September 13, 2004 And the Villarial holding penalty cost us this game...BOTTOM LINE 28346[/snapback] Um, how about Moulds fumble at the 4 and a missed field goal? The play that lost the game occured way before Villarial's penalty....
Justice Posted September 13, 2004 Posted September 13, 2004 Sorry folks, but someone here has to raise the bar for our starting QB and supposed team leader. Bledsoe only turned the ball over once, he was only sacked once, he generally got rid of the ball quicker, and he generally did a better job of scanning the field for his receivers. Congratulations, Drew. Now look at the score board. Only 10 points. Only 1 touchdown. Few sustained drives of any considerable length. Countless 3rd down opportunities wasted. Several opportunities, in particular, wasted toward the end of the game to burn time off the clock and keep our tired D off the field. I don't mean to go off on yet another TBD anti-Drew crusade; I just want to point out that lately here we have really lowered our standards for this QB in question. If we truly want the playoffs this season, then we should demand more from Drew. Super Bowl caliber teams have QB's who rise to the occasion - especially in the final quarter and in the final drive - to WIN a game rather than NOT LOSE IT. Based on last year, a lot of posters here seem to believe that the first week of the season has zero relevance. I disagree. I think today's game will prove to set the tone for the rest of this season - a lot of low-scoring, close games that more often than not end up as losses because our team has taken on the personality of Drew Bledsoe, a man of great character and dedication who nevertheless doesn't have "IT" - that special something people here have called "heart" but which I think of more as "confidence." Maybe JP Losman has it, but Drew doesn't. Prove me wrong, Drew... 28330[/snapback] Don't blame Drew for this one. Chalk this one up to Lindell, the turnovers and the D. The one play Drew messed up on was not throwing the ball to Shelton and taking the sack.
Oneida Lake Posted September 13, 2004 Posted September 13, 2004 All valid points, and I agree that many aspects of today's game made it difficult to distinguish who was more to blame for the inept offense - Mularkey and the O coaches, Moulds, Reed (where WAS he?), the offensive line, or Bledsoe. However, aside from the details of this individual game, I think what I'm really trying to get at is that - deep down and perhaps subconsciously - this offense and team in general has little faith in their QB (based on his play in the past year and a half), and it is showing through their less than inspired play at various critical points of games. The rest of the team feels like they have to play perfect or else they will lose. Thus, you see this offense coming apart at the strings when bad things happen and you see this defense folding at the end of the game when their already herculean efforts for 59.75 minutes are never enough to secure a simple victory. Playoff-caliber QB's can manufacture this missing confidence out of nowhere. If a QB is easily susceptible to losing confidence in himself - like Drew admitted last year - how is the rest of the team supposed to react to this? Drew is a nice guy, but pretty soon we are going to figure out that it's time we get someone in there who will always believe in himself no matter the circumstances. Unwaveringly cocky SOB's like Kelly, Favre, and perhaps Losman don't always make the best friends, the best spouses, the best all-around human beings, etc... but they make for some DAMN good QB's. 28378[/snapback] So subconsciously the individual mistakes made(any single one of which would have meant a win), are because the players have no faith in Drew. That makes perfect sense. I learned one thing from your post. I won't be opening another of them because you are clearly clueless about the game of football.
Bill from NYC Posted September 13, 2004 Posted September 13, 2004 Sorry folks, but someone here has to raise the bar for our starting QB and supposed team leader. Bledsoe only turned the ball over once, he was only sacked once, he generally got rid of the ball quicker, and he generally did a better job of scanning the field for his receivers. Congratulations, Drew. Now look at the score board. Only 10 points. Only 1 touchdown. Few sustained drives of any considerable length. Countless 3rd down opportunities wasted. Several opportunities, in particular, wasted toward the end of the game to burn time off the clock and keep our tired D off the field. I don't mean to go off on yet another TBD anti-Drew crusade; I just want to point out that lately here we have really lowered our standards for this QB in question. If we truly want the playoffs this season, then we should demand more from Drew. Super Bowl caliber teams have QB's who rise to the occasion - especially in the final quarter and in the final drive - to WIN a game rather than NOT LOSE IT. Based on last year, a lot of posters here seem to believe that the first week of the season has zero relevance. I disagree. I think today's game will prove to set the tone for the rest of this season - a lot of low-scoring, close games that more often than not end up as losses because our team has taken on the personality of Drew Bledsoe, a man of great character and dedication who nevertheless doesn't have "IT" - that special something people here have called "heart" but which I think of more as "confidence." Maybe JP Losman has it, but Drew doesn't. Prove me wrong, Drew... 28330[/snapback] Agreed. Drew should have broken up that last pass in the end zone. Also, he could have provided more of an inside pass rush.
Chalkie Gerzowski Posted September 13, 2004 Posted September 13, 2004 Chalkie it up to the team just not being very good. The sour aftertaste of the Greggah era has yet to depart. Penalties, short-yardage tomfoolery.....and now a trip to Oakland to face a ticked off Raiders team.
Nervous Guy Posted September 13, 2004 Posted September 13, 2004 Based on last year, a lot of posters here seem to believe that the first week of the season has zero relevance. I disagree. I think today's game will prove to set the tone for the rest of this season - a lot of low-scoring, close games that more often than not end up as losses because our team has taken on the personality of Drew Bledsoe, a man of great character and dedication who nevertheless doesn't have "IT" - that special something people here have called "heart" but which I think of more as "confidence." Maybe JP Losman has it, but Drew doesn't. Prove me wrong, Drew... 28330[/snapback] If you want to blame this loss on anyone on the offense it's Moulds...that fumble deep in Jags territory cost us at least 3 points...can't blame Moulds on that other fumble, that was a good defensive play, that cost us another 3 points...this is a game that we should have won, the breaks just didn't go our way.
Beerball Posted September 13, 2004 Posted September 13, 2004 It's funny that last year it was non-stop "he takes too many sacks" "too many interceptions" "bad decisions" "hold the ball too long". He essentially doesn't make any of those mistakes and the thread is "it's all bledsoe's fault!!" We win the game today if any ONE of the following happened today: - Moulds doesn't fumble at the 2 yard line - Lindell doesn't miss a 41 yard kick - Clements tries to bat the ball down/punch it away from jimmy smith on the 4th & 14 rather than try to pick it off. - the jags don't make a great play as time expires - we don't try some silly lateral to moulds - villarrial doesn't take a key holding penalty - london fletcher doesn't boot the football into the end zone in frustration after the 4th & 14 penalty. - we don't call a screen play to damion sheldon on 3rd & 1 from the 1. 28416[/snapback] Yet again, our vaunted defense gave it up late in the game. It happened at key times last year--3-4 games where a key stop would have preserved a win or given the offense one more chance--they choked last year and they choked again week 1. Blame this one on Gray if you like instead of the players. The D had been impressive all day long by pressuring all over the field. What happened on the last drive? TKOs hit on the tight end? Extremely impressive, one of the best I have seen from a Bill in years, but next time why don't we wait until stopping them on fourth down to celebrate? Nose tackles--watch the friggin ball. When it moves you move. What is difficult about that? Blame Bledsoe for this loss? Freakin ludicrous (not you disco). He put the team in a position to win this game numerous times. Passes were dropped, passes were fumbled, penalties at key times either killed drives for us or sustained them for the Jags. Blame Bledsoe because he has infected the psyche of the team? Is that why Gray called off the dogs? Was Bledsoe's play perfect? Absolutely not, but he was confident and crisp in his reads. He read his progressions and moved quickly from receiver to receiver and he generally put the ball where it needed to be. Lay this loss on the D and the coordinators.
obie_wan Posted September 13, 2004 Posted September 13, 2004 The problem is that an ultra conservative Bledsoe isn't good enough. We need our QB to do a little more than just hand off the ball and throw short, quick passes all game. The rest of our offense isn't talented enough to sustain long, mistake-free drives. Our defense is solid, but not outstanding like recent Super Bowl defenses. At times we will need to play more aggressive on offense. We will need Bledsoe to do what he used to do best. Can he still do it? I don't know, but this new conservative Bledsoe - as the Jags came showed - may not be good enough. 28419[/snapback] Drew did not lose this game directly - but for $8.75 mil he sure didn't do near enough to win the game either. For what the offense required of Drew, TD sure didn't have to spend the big bucks. Where was the play action pass to take advantage of the commitment shown to the run? Another pass (and sack) from short yardage near the goal line? Play calling at times was not much better than under Gilbride.
Beerball Posted September 13, 2004 Posted September 13, 2004 Agreed. Drew should have broken up that last pass in the end zone. Also, he could have provided more of an inside pass rush. 28554[/snapback] That pass was friggin perfect. Anything less would have been incomplete or intercepted, instead it was friggin perfect.
dib Posted September 13, 2004 Posted September 13, 2004 Since when does Bledsoe play in the secondary?
Bill from NYC Posted September 13, 2004 Posted September 13, 2004 Sarcasm, old friend. He doesn't play DT either.
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