stevewin Posted September 27, 2005 Share Posted September 27, 2005 This from the latest MM Ask Him Yourself: Paul Gorman (East Amherst, NY): With J.P. Losman struggling it would seem to me that Willis McGahee is your best option right now. I don't understand why he comes off the field on third down. It can't possibly be to give him a rest or is Shaud Williams that much more of a thread in those situations? Mike Mularkey: That's just a chance for Willis to catch his breath so that he's effective on first and second down, which hopefully you're making some first downs on those two early downs so that he stays in there. Really, it's to give him a chance to catch his breath. This I just don't get - it would make more sense to me to say different personnel are better suited to receive out of the backfield for a passing situation etc. - but to just say you are always going to rest your best RB every third down? Or why not every once in a while on first or second down - or in certain situations/formations. Why pick 3rd down - when (normally?) you'd want your best players on the field (to get the first down?????). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsObserver Posted September 27, 2005 Share Posted September 27, 2005 Mike Mularkey: That's just a chance for Willis to catch his breath so that he's effective on first and second down, which hopefully you're making some first downs on those two early downs so that he stays in there. Really, it's to give him a chance to catch his breath. 456153[/snapback] I used to like this feature but the answers are more and more pathetic every week. I agree 100%. Willis must have pretty bad conditioning if he can't catch his breath every 3rd down considering he doesn't run EVERY 1st and 2nd down. Just doesn't make much sense. Willis should be there on one of the most important downs in football. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
34-78-83 Posted September 27, 2005 Share Posted September 27, 2005 Absolutely. Just the threat of him being in there will give us that much more room in the mid-range route areas, as well as the occasional draw vs. an upfield rush that gets him instantly out to the second level with some room to work. It's a damn shame. I realize he is not yet the best of blockers but is Shaud really that much better? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevewin Posted September 27, 2005 Author Share Posted September 27, 2005 Absolutely. Just the threat of him being in there will give us that much more room in the mid-range route areas, as well as the occasional draw vs. an upfield rush that gets him instantly out to the second level with some room to work. It's a damn shame. I realize he is not yet the best of blockers but is Shaud really that much better? 456170[/snapback] Well - according to MM it has nothing to do with blocking or receiving or anything else - just that 3rd down has been designated as the time for Willis to rest. This is what it so unbelievable to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
My Friends Call Me Tebucky Posted September 27, 2005 Share Posted September 27, 2005 He has plenty of time to rest while the defense is giving up 7 minute long drives Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SACTOBILLSFAN Posted September 27, 2005 Share Posted September 27, 2005 the organization as a whole sucks...and a coach i used to respect is quickly falling from grace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crap Throwing Monkey Posted September 27, 2005 Share Posted September 27, 2005 Mike Mularkey: That's just a chance for Willis to catch his breath so that he's effective on first and second down, which hopefully you're making some first downs on those two early downs so that he stays in there. Really, it's to give him a chance to catch his breath. 456153[/snapback] Oh. I guess that explains why he only ran three times on first down against Tampa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly the Dog Posted September 27, 2005 Share Posted September 27, 2005 I think they need to suck it up until we can afford to take him out. We are not getting a lot of long drives anyway. And frankly, Shaud is okay, but I think Willis picks up that vital first down on the draw where Shaud got stopped just short. We are not throwing short passes to Willis like a I expected and really think we need to be doing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis in NC Posted September 27, 2005 Share Posted September 27, 2005 I used to like this feature but the answers are more and more pathetic every week. I agree 100%. Willis must have pretty bad conditioning if he can't catch his breath every 3rd down considering he doesn't run EVERY 1st and 2nd down. Just doesn't make much sense. Willis should be there on one of the most important downs in football. 456166[/snapback] One of the worst things about this horrible game the Bills played is that Mularkey has fallen into that coach-speak jive that is all too familiar. I have lost a lot of respect for Mike after the way this game was mis-managed and then the spin control after the fact. Very disappointing from a coach who I thought had more guts than that. Taking Willis out "to catch his breath" is a load of crap, IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkady Renko Posted September 27, 2005 Share Posted September 27, 2005 Shaud Williams sure has been contributing a lot on those third downs. Do you remember that screen pass for the crucial third down? How about that key draw play he pulled off recently? Oh no? Maybe he plays a crucial role in blocking... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
34-78-83 Posted September 27, 2005 Share Posted September 27, 2005 I think considering the response it comes down to one of two things: 1- He is protecting some deficiency in Willis's game. 2- He and Clements are married to their substitution packages Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrPJax Posted September 27, 2005 Share Posted September 27, 2005 I think considering the response it comes down to one of two things: 1- He is protecting some deficiency in Willis's game. 2- He and Clements are married to their substitution packages 456231[/snapback] I think you are right, for some unexplicable reason Mularkey has committed to these "packages" and seems inflexible to change his thinking during the game. I don't think he did this last year as noticeably. They are trying to do so many shifts and formation looks, yet the actual runs or routes turn out to be the same off tackle plunges or simple outs and hooks. Contrast our playbook to the broncos tonight who have run reverses, options with Plummer, toss options, cirlcle route from the backs, and rollout and bootlegs. JP and Plummer have similar qualities, and I just see very unimaginative play calling from out staff. Willis showed last year he can catch the ball out of the backfield and be a dangerous threat , but he has not be used this way at all this year. They have scaled back the offense so much that it has become very predicatble and easily defendable. This is not an impressive year so far for Mularkey, and is eerily similar to the days of Gregg Williams. Coaching not to lose instead of to win. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elcrusho Posted September 27, 2005 Share Posted September 27, 2005 maybee he was tired.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeeRay Posted September 27, 2005 Share Posted September 27, 2005 Maybe the worst off season loss for the Bills was Rusty Jones. It seems like the whole team is out of shape. Ithought last week was an aberation, but after this week's debacle, I'm concerned. First Villarial winded, then McGahee... Hell, it aint like the offense was on the field for long periods of time. I long for the good old days when men were men, Thermal, Cribbs, and OJ played pratically every down. This organization talks about having a physical presence and toughness... Well, I've got one message for them... "JUST STFU AND LET YOUR ACTIONS SPEAK SO LOUD THAT WE CAN"T HEAR YOU. " "Stop babying these pussies and maybe they'll become men" Sorry folks... just getting tired of the spin doctors that pervade OBD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toledo Bill Posted September 27, 2005 Share Posted September 27, 2005 Maybe the worst off season loss for the Bills was Rusty Jones. It seems like the whole team is out of shape. Ithought last week was an aberation, but after this week's debacle, I'm concerned. First Villarial winded, then McGahee... Hell, it aint like the offense was on the field for long periods of time. I long for the good old days when men were men, Thermal, Cribbs, and OJ played pratically every down. This organization talks about having a physical presence and toughness... Well, I've got one message for them... "JUST STFU AND LET YOUR ACTIONS SPEAK SO LOUD THAT WE CAN"T HEAR YOU. " "Stop babying these pussies and maybe they'll become men" Sorry folks... just getting tired of the spin doctors that pervade OBD. 456359[/snapback] Yeah... Didn't we get rid of Rusty for another "Pittsburgh Buddy". Also, did you notice that Mularky's new "t shirt look" is mirroring the Pittsburgh coaches? It's amazing how the Steelers continue to produce a good product minus "Ol' Whitey" while we appear to be in shambles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickey Posted September 27, 2005 Share Posted September 27, 2005 This from the latest MM Ask Him Yourself: Paul Gorman (East Amherst, NY): With J.P. Losman struggling it would seem to me that Willis McGahee is your best option right now. I don't understand why he comes off the field on third down. It can't possibly be to give him a rest or is Shaud Williams that much more of a thread in those situations? Mike Mularkey: That's just a chance for Willis to catch his breath so that he's effective on first and second down, which hopefully you're making some first downs on those two early downs so that he stays in there. Really, it's to give him a chance to catch his breath. This I just don't get - it would make more sense to me to say different personnel are better suited to receive out of the backfield for a passing situation etc. - but to just say you are always going to rest your best RB every third down? Or why not every once in a while on first or second down - or in certain situations/formations. Why pick 3rd down - when (normally?) you'd want your best players on the field (to get the first down?????). 456153[/snapback] MM answered the question like that because he had to. The alternative would be to tell other teams what we are doing. If you watch the game, it is obvious that on almost all third down passing situations, Willis comes out and Williams goes in. Rather than tell teams that whenever Shaud is in the game we are passing, he gives an answer like that, fig leaf that it is. Every so often we play the down with both Willis and Shaud in but rarely. It seems that we run screens from that formation as often as not. I am sure on occasion, Willis is in fact winded but we pull him on 3rd and long so often that it can't be explained by random temporary exhaustion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffal0 Bill5 Posted September 27, 2005 Share Posted September 27, 2005 MM answered the question like that because he had to. The alternative would be to tell other teams what we are doing. If you watch the game, it is obvious that on almost all third down passing situations, Willis comes out and Williams goes in. Rather than tell teams that whenever Shaud is in the game we are passing, he gives an answer like that, fig leaf that it is. Every so often we play the down with both Willis and Shaud in but rarely. It seems that we run screens from that formation as often as not. I am sure on occasion, Willis is in fact winded but we pull him on 3rd and long so often that it can't be explained by random temporary exhaustion. 456377[/snapback] Great diversion by MM. He is a genius. You figured it out on your own, but other NFL coaches will not be able to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobblehead Posted September 27, 2005 Share Posted September 27, 2005 Great diversion by MM. He is a genius. You figured it out on your own, but other NFL coaches will not be able to. 456383[/snapback] I thought Mickey made sense. Besides, having a different 3rd down package with a different back is not exactly unique and the sole property of Mike Mularkey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokinandjokin Posted September 27, 2005 Share Posted September 27, 2005 Very funny: I heard this on 55 yesterday driving home...(I don't know their voices matched with the names, but I think it may have been Jerry Sullivan who said this on Schop and the Bulldog-) He said Willis coming out on 3rd down is enough to make you believe that the Bills may be trying to keep his numbers down ( ), in anticipation of a Rosenhaus-led contract renegotiation after the season...Now that's a conspiracy theory if I've ever heard one. The Bills (w/ a rookie QB) are devilishly removing Willis to hold back his stats. I just can't get on board with that idea. Willis needs to raise his voice on this issue, which I'm sure he eventually will. Has anyone ever known of an NFL running back who liked being on the sidelines, even for one play or series? I'm sure Willis wants to be in there. He just needs to figure out from MM why he isn't. If it's a perceived weakness in blocking, pass catching, etc. then he needs to improve in those areas. But if he continues to pump out 140-yard games, MM should be shot for taking him out on 3rd and 5. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffal0 Bill5 Posted September 27, 2005 Share Posted September 27, 2005 I thought Mickey made sense. Besides, having a different 3rd down package with a different back is not exactly unique and the sole property of Mike Mularkey. 456385[/snapback] I guess I was pointing more at MM than Mickey, and with a re-read I just Noticed the "fig leaf" statement. If Mularkey thinks he's fooling anybody, well thats just...Mularkey! (sorry) Either way the point I was making is that its kinda stupid to try to hide something that is fairly obvious to everybody. Be it injury status, his game plan, or player substitutions the man rarely gives a straight answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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