Fake-Fat Sunny Posted September 20, 2005 Posted September 20, 2005 Given the responses that you and another poster (DCSabres I think) had to my post finding fault with McGahee;s blitz pick-up on two (2) plays during the series that ended with our safety I went back and took another look at the tape, Given your reads on his play I thought that perhaps I had reacted too harshly in my judgment of his role in the multiple errors that led to this debacle because the RB clearly failed to do his role on the first down pass which was blocked an perhaps he did the best he could on the safety as he unfortunately had to block 2 players. I looked again toniight and I am afraid Willis wiffed on this one. Now this conclusion is simply a niggling detail point. There should be no change in the current Bills line-up or past Bills actions because WM seems to be suffering the same blitz pick-up problems most young RBs suffer from. Willis is paid the big buck to pick up yargage running and chip in with the occaisional reception. He does that with a vengeance with speed, toungness and a powerful stiff arm. He was such a better back than Henry last year as this former contributpr to the Bills simply gave up last year. The savubng grace is that TD was smart enough to take advantage of his poor money-management to get a nother year of ownership to his rights and also resisted the whines of those who wante to cut this "cancer" last year and instead traded him for value that Clayton, pundits and some watchers said he would never get because he had been too greedy, TD is far from perfect (ex. the horrible hiring GW decision) but the Henry and Peerless cases show he can read the market better than most others. At any rate, these were the two plays I saw. 1. On 1st down TC made an overly-aggressive call in tight D battle on the road trying to pass from the 1 yard line or so rather than run for space, and worse comes to worse get Moorman to hit a big one. Instead he called for a pass. The OL was not able to pick up Spires rushing in. The deep RN II could not see his number but it was almost certainly McGahee rather than Shaud Williams came in on the blitz pick-up and failed not only in his cut block attempt to take him down but did not even effectively engage the rusher so he stuck his arms up an blocked the pass (which fortunately fell to the ground. If McGahee had dobe even a mediocre job and forced the rusher to toss him aside the pass would have not been blocked. However, the RB (again I simply assume it was WM based on the position the blocker came from and the down and distance) he just did nothing on this play which got us into very hot water. 2. The contention was that WM bore no fault on the 3rd down play which ended ina safety because two men were rushing the passer and he had to pick one. This is true and WM should not be expected to block 2 men. However, he did not even block one man as he did not engage the second blitzer, and did not even effectively chip block him. The player was deterred from his path little because he did not run over WM. However, in my review of the tape it is questionable whether WM even touched the rusher very much or at all rather than chip him. The rusher went around him leaving WM sprawled on the carpet and got right after RJ/ he may have been sacked or pushed OB for the safety anyway as the guy that McGahee whiffed on was but one of three rushers closing in on JP. In fact, the sacker had the time to actually let the other rushers go after the sack and he peeled back in s short zone to catch any tipped passes and force JP to hang onto the ball allowing him to forced out for the safety. Anyone who claim that WM made an effective block on this rusher is simply wrong as the feeble WM effort was an obstacle which was run arounf at best. He should not be cut or beaten up at all by the coaches, but it is clear that as good a runner as he is (except for last Sunday) he still has a bit to learn about blitz pick-up. I know he will learn it eventually (he has run the ball so well it is easy to forget he has yet to log a full season of starts yet). If even an eggplant like Henry can improve his blitz pick-ups then I have few doubts that a committed player like WM can also improve this facet of his game.
VABills Posted September 20, 2005 Posted September 20, 2005 FFS, if you read my post, I said he missed the block, but did chip enough to slow the guy down. The problem was Shelton didn't pick up the outside guy like he should have. Mcgahee made at least the right read.
Simon Posted September 20, 2005 Posted September 20, 2005 he missed the block, but did chip enough to slow the guy down. 447423[/snapback] The guy was Ronde Barber and McGahee did not chip him or slow him down. He completely whiffed and because of it Losman had no pocket to step into and was forced to bail back to his right. I understand that Barber is not an easy guy to block, and even if Willis had picked him up it's doubtful the skittish Losman would have made anything out of the play. But McGahee's whiff was a major reason the play blew up as quickly as it did. Cya
Gavin in Va Beach Posted September 20, 2005 Posted September 20, 2005 From today's Rochester D&C, on the side under "Three Things We've Learned"- http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/p...327/1007/SPORTS Three things we learned *Willis McGahee's fire needs rekindling. McGahee had a bad game, gaining just 34 yards. But more alarming than the low yardage total was the way he ran. He looked slow, indecisive and, quite frankly, uninterested. Also, his missed blitz pickup led to the safety on J.P. Losman. *Eric Moulds is slowing down. Do you realize Moulds hasn't had a 100-yard receiving performance in his last 13 games? J.P. Losman needs Moulds to be great, and Moulds hasn't been. *The backup linebackers are backups for a reason. When London Fletcher exited in the second quarter, Angelo Crowell took his place in the middle. For the rest of the day, Crowell looked like a special teams player trying to play linebacker.
Fake-Fat Sunny Posted September 20, 2005 Author Posted September 20, 2005 Okay 447478[/snapback] Naw, thank you and nuff said (unless somebody wants to run through this dead horse again).
SDS Posted September 20, 2005 Posted September 20, 2005 FWIW, Losman blamed the safety on miscommunication between him and a receiver.
34-78-83 Posted September 20, 2005 Posted September 20, 2005 FWIW, Losman blamed the safety on miscommunication between him and a receiver. 447551[/snapback] You are correct, though that miscommunication was on a hot read due to the blitz which McGahee whiffed on.
GG Posted September 20, 2005 Posted September 20, 2005 FWIW, Losman blamed the safety on miscommunication between him and a receiver. 447551[/snapback] I hope they did it in private this time around.
SDS Posted September 20, 2005 Posted September 20, 2005 I hope they did it in private this time around. 447896[/snapback] Press conference. He didn't say who was to blame though, although you could assume it was the receiver. He didn't call him out by name ala Doug Flutie. Plus, he was probably right where Dougie needed to be corrected.
Rubes Posted September 20, 2005 Posted September 20, 2005 Looking at the play as it was drawn out in the Buff News today, I really wish we had tried to run to the left on that play. I think Willis would still be running.
YOOOOOO Posted September 20, 2005 Posted September 20, 2005 FFS, if you read my post, I said he missed the block, but did chip enough to slow the guy down. The problem was Shelton didn't pick up the outside guy like he should have. Mcgahee made at least the right read. 447423[/snapback] Shelton wasnt in the backfield that play...it was Mcgahee and Shaud....Shaud went out into the flat on a pattern to the left....Mcgahee whiffed but to his defense they overloaded the blitz on his side..he still should have blocked one of the two guys blitzing but he whiffed big time...
YOOOOOO Posted September 20, 2005 Posted September 20, 2005 Looking at the play as it was drawn out in the Buff News today, I really wish we had tried to run to the left on that play. I think Willis would still be running. 447974[/snapback] A screen to the left would have been nice too....they really loaded the blitz from the right side...
Rubes Posted September 20, 2005 Posted September 20, 2005 A screen to the left would have been nice too....they really loaded the blitz from the right side... 447981[/snapback] Perhaps, but a screen pass from your own 4 yard line is asking for disaster. Not that we didn't have a disaster anyway...
GG Posted September 20, 2005 Posted September 20, 2005 A screen to the left would have been nice too....they really loaded the blitz from the right side... 447981[/snapback] For good reason. Losman did not look left until the fourth quarter.
BRH Posted September 20, 2005 Posted September 20, 2005 Perhaps, but a screen pass from your own 4 yard line is asking for disaster. 447994[/snapback] See, e.g., Fiedler, Jay; Konrad, Rob; and Spikes, Takeo. Ralph Wilson Stadium (2004).
BRH Posted September 20, 2005 Posted September 20, 2005 For good reason. Losman did not look left until the fourth quarter. 447996[/snapback] He didn't look RIGHT all game!
nobody Posted September 20, 2005 Posted September 20, 2005 Too bad Losman just didn't run to his left on that safety. With the overstack on the right there would have been a little more room for him to at least have another second to throw the ball away.
Ghost of BiB Posted September 20, 2005 Posted September 20, 2005 Too bad Losman just didn't run to his left on that safety. With the overstack on the right there would have been a little more room for him to at least have another second to throw the ball away. 448116[/snapback] Isn't it natural for a right hander to run left? With the jailbreak in the backfield that play, I wonder if he could have gotten anything on a throw running right. If he was going to just flat run, that's one thing, but to throw? Hate to have to make those decisions in a split second. Some will be good, some will be bad.
Guest BackInDaDay Posted September 20, 2005 Posted September 20, 2005 Isn't it natural for a right hander to run left? With the jailbreak in the backfield that play, I wonder if he could have gotten anything on a throw running right. If he was going to just flat run, that's one thing, but to throw? Hate to have to make those decisions in a split second. Some will be good, some will be bad. 448147[/snapback] It's easier to roll a righty to his right, than his left, and vice versa. The mechanics involved, setting his feet and getting his hips turned, makes it tougher to make a strong, accurate toss. It's something that's taught to young QBs (especially option QBs) and by HS, most kids know what it takes. The only problem is when there is backside pursuit (real or imagined - sorry, son ), and he can't take that extra second to set himself properly.
Recommended Posts