Greg Estabrook on NFL.com

[Guest BackInDaDay]

You know it may seem like piling on or whatever...But we have had 2 consecutive Head Coaches who simply were not ready to be Head Coaches IMHO...

 

Both of these Men are good Football Minds, heck they are good Coaches...I don't doubt that...But the HC Job in the NFL is a completely different deal... The pressures and responsibilities are magnified 100 fold...And sometimes it takes REAL good Coaches years and even multiple stints as a HC before they "get it."

 

I truly believe that this whole problem of getting a good HC goes back to TD's fall out in Pittsburgh with Cower, and the Bills as an Organization have suffered greatly for those scars TD carries around...

 

Maybe it's just me...I don't know...

522385[/snapback]

 

I'm way farther out there than you KOK...

 

in case you missed it, here's my Oliver Stone conjecture on Mularkey with a great history (facts by God! ) added by Mark VI.

 

http://www.stadiumwall.com/index.php?showtopic=35867&hl=

[KOKBILLS]

Obviously you have to weigh the risk/reward of a call like that before you send it in. I have a lot of concerns about Mularkey's, but I really don't have a problem with him giving our young QB a tough assignment.  If JP makes the read Mularkey talked about, the ball's in the stands and we run twice. 

 

He was confident in Losman's ability to make the right choice. 

I can't fault that.  Let the kid make plays.

522379[/snapback]

 

 

You know I do understand that take on it...I really do...But I still think in that very specific situation, unless you've got Manning or Brady at QB, you just don't make that Play Call...

 

Again to me it has much more to do with the Game situation and the point differential at that time of the game than anything...I think the fact that JP is a Young QB should have factored into the situation also, but not as much as the need for a FG minimum...I also think to a MUCH lesser degree MM should have given the Home Town HB a shot at a TD...But that's just me I realize...

 

But again I understand your point on it...I'm just viewing it differently...

[KOKBILLS]

I'm way farther out there than you KOK...

 

in case you missed it, here's my Oliver Stone conjecture on Mularkey with a great history (facts by God!  ) added by Mark VI.

 

http://www.stadiumwall.com/index.php?showtopic=35867&hl=

522391[/snapback]

 

Ya Bro I responded somewhere in that thread...Great reading it was!

 

And I'll tell you this much, I dont disagree that is for certain...

[fairweather fan]

Speaking of High School, see also the Pat's "radar" defense game of a few seasons ago, and how GW/KB couldn't figure out that maybe running the ball against it might be profitable...

522371[/snapback]

Regarding the Patriots "Radar" defense, the new book about Belichick says that the Saint Louis players on the sidelines in the first Pat's superbowl victory kept telling Marx that the Pats were concentrating on the pass, and ignoring the possibilities of St. Louis running the ball, and Marx told them that he was going to win the game his way, which meant that the St. Louis Rams kept passing against a defense which would have been killed by the run.

[ganesh]

and as usual, Easterbrook is dead on.

 

Buffalo coaching is embarrassing...not the reactions to it.

522390[/snapback]

 

Exactly....This has been the biggest problem with this team...startlng from

the HC to the OC, DC...to the Line coaches....they have struggled mightily....

[MDH]

Guess I'll be the voice of disent.

 

Easterbrook makes it sound so simple in retrospect. Somehow the Bills should have known that if they didn't pass the ball 5 times then the game would have been won. First of all, had the Bills run the ball on every play the game wouldn’t have played out like it did…which means one can’t claim that the game would have ended in the exact same way (with the Phins on the 4 yard line with 6 seconds left). This kind of “logic” annoys me to no end.

 

I'm not defending Mularky, he did a worse job at play calling than Easterbrook leads the reader to believe, and its not "because the Bills threw the ball 5 times" which is one of the most ridiculous things I've heard. Does he really think that an entire quarter of 3 and outs by an offense running the ball on every single play is going to eat the clock?

 

The playcalling in the quarter went like this:

 

(last play of the 3rd quarter)

1-10-BUF20 (:23) W.McGahee left guard to BUF 24 for 4 yards (C.Crowder; M.Wright).

2-6-BUF24 (15:00) W.McGahee right end ran ob at BUF 27 for 3 yards (T.Daniels).

3-3-BUF27 (14:35) (Shotgun)

PENALTY on BUF-B.Anderson, False Start, 5 yards, enforced at BUF 27 - No Play.

3-8-BUF22 (14:08) (Shotgun) J.Losman pass incomplete to E.Moulds (T.Daniels).

 

Now, if Anderson hadn't false started the Bills could have ran on 3rd down but with a 3rd and 8 I don't have a problem with attempting to keep the drive alive with a pass.

 

Now, later in the 4th:

 

1-10-BUF15 (11:29) J.Losman pass incomplete to L.Evans.

2-10-BUF15 (11:22) J.Losman pass to R.Parrish to BUF 22 for 7 yards (S.Madison; T.Tillman).

PENALTY on MIA-D.Spragan, Defensive Holding, 5 yards, enforced at BUF 15 - No Play.

1-10-BUF20 (11:01) W.McGahee right guard to BUF 21 for 1 yard (J.Zgonina; C.Crowder).

2-9-BUF21 (10:14) (Shotgun) J.Losman pass incomplete to R.Parrish (R.Howard).

3-9-BUF21 (10:08) (Shotgun) J.Losman pass incomplete (R.Howard).

4-9-BUF21 (9:53) B.Moorman punts 36 yards to MIA 43, Center-M.Schneck. W.Welker to BUF 49 for 8 yards (R.Baker).

 

This is where the play calling began to become pathetic. Holding a 23 to 10 lead with 11+ min remaining the coaches call 4 passes out of 5 plays. That's just horrid and I agree with Easterbrook here, they should have been looking to run the ball way more. However, not on every single play, that's just not going to get it done either. The 1:30 eaten up on this drive is a joke.

 

Later in the quarter:

 

1-10-BUF20 (7:35) W.McGahee up the middle to BUF 28 for 8 yards (J.Zgonina).

2-2-BUF28 (7:13) W.McGahee up the middle to BUF 29 for 1 yard (K.Carter).

3-1-BUF29 (6:34) (Shotgun) J.Losman right end to BUF 31 for 2 yards (D.Bowens).

1-10-BUF31 (5:51) W.McGahee right guard to BUF 33 for 2 yards (J.Zgonina).

2-8-BUF33 (5:02) S.Williams left end to BUF 35 for 2 yards (J.Zgonina; D.Pope).

3-6-BUF35 (4:21) (Shotgun) J.Losman pass incomplete to L.Evans.

PENALTY on MIA-R.Howard, Defensive Pass Interference, 6 yards, enforced at BUF 35 - No Play.

1-10-BUF41 (4:00) W.McGahee right guard to BUF 42 for 1 yard (J.Zgonina).

2-9-BUF42 (3:24) W.McGahee right guard to BUF 44 for 2 yards (D.Spragan).

3-7-BUF44 (3:16) (Shotgun) J.Losman pass incomplete to L.Evans (T.Daniels).

 

The Bills are now leading 23 to 17 with 7:35 left in the quarter. The score is too close and there is too much time left on the clock to simply go into a shell and hope for a victory. At this point the objective should have been to pick up some first downs, at the least, or even better kick a FG.

 

Simply running the ball on every single play isn't going to eat the rest of the clock up (unless our offensive line suddenly became bulldozers). Again, the proper call here is to mix it up. Don't simply run the ball in obvious running situations and throw it on 3rd and long...but this is exactly what Mularky did. Despite this, the PI call let the drive continue with a new set of downs so in a way Mularky was lucky here.

 

It should be noted that the D was simply teeing off on JP on the two 3rd and long calls, which is exactly what we don't want. A smartly called short pass (perhaps a screen?) on one of the first downs might have caught the D off guard as they were stacking the line and put us in better down and distance on 3rd. I would have liked to have seen some play action here as well. Hell, I would have liked to have seen anything that would have taken advantage of the Phins playing the run overagressively. But Mularky went into a shell which cost the team. The 4 min chewed off the clock here wasn't nearly enough. The Bills needed to run the clock down under a min or put up some points. Anything less and I think everybody was expecting another Bills D collapse.

 

And finally:

 

1-10-BUF49 (2:29) W.McGahee up the middle to BUF 48 for -1 yards (C.Crowder).

2-11-BUF48 (2:24) J.Losman to 50 for 2 yards (T.Daniels).

3-9-50  (2:17) (Shotgun) S.Williams up the middle to BUF 45 for -5 yards (C.Crowder; Y.Bell).

4-14-BUF45 (2:00) B.Moorman punts 38 yards to MIA 17, Center-M.Schneck. W.Welker to MIA 27 for 10 yards (M.Schneck).

 

This is the drive that cost us the game...and it follows what Easterbrook suggests, run on every down. The Phins had the two min warning and their time outs, running the ball wasn't going to eat all of the clock up, but getting a few first downs would have. I don't know how many times I've seen coaches lose games for their teams by running on every down and punting it away with the game on the line.

 

Anyway, my problem with the play calling (in summery) is that it was way too aggressive when the Bills had a 2-3 score lead and way too conservative when it was dwindled down to a 1 score deficit. Mularky couldn’t have called it any worse.

[KD in CA]

Yep...I'm sure that is what Mularkey is telling himself over and over again...

 

 

 

"I should have had Rifleman hold onto the ball".

[colin]

god, are we ever predictable with our packages on different downs and distance?

 

every G damn third down is shotgun, with shaud williams. every single one.

 

we came out in a run package on 1st and ran an obvious and slow to develop run, we get stuffed and we go into shot gun where our routes and protections are exactly the same all game.

 

these coaches are nerds who can over study for the exam, but once something changes a bit they panic and blow it all. they just suck

[MRW]

And finally:

This is the drive that cost us the game...and it follows what Easterbrook suggests, run on every down.  The Phins had the two min warning and their time outs, running the ball wasn't going to eat all of the clock up, but getting a few first downs would have.  I don't know how many times I've seen coaches lose games for their teams by running on every down and punting it away with the game on the line.

522414[/snapback]

This drive killed me, and in one single series Mularkey lost me. A first down ends the game, while a punt in all likelihood costs us the game the way the defense was playing at that point. I agree with your overall point, too, Easterbrook oversimplifies and doesn't highlight the real problem.

[plenzmd1]

I like his column, find it amusing, but he fits his strategy to how things worked out. He also ALWAYS syas play action on first down, when the D is not expecting it an expecting a run. Now, if the play had been complete, and the Bills win, this would be in his Sweet plays of the week.

 

But it failed because of a mistake made by a ROOKIE(okay first year starter) QB. I know its easy to look back, but I think the call was good one, and will serve JP well in a game that means something(hopefully) down the line.

 

 

Now the play that galled me was that deep sideline throw 0n 3 and 7. Low chance for completion, might as well just have run the ball and forced Miami to use a timeout or run 45 seconds off the clock.

[MRW]

Now the play that galled me was that deep sideline throw 0n 3 and 7. Low chance for completion, might as well just have run the ball and forced Miami to use a timeout or run 45 seconds off the clock.

522439[/snapback]

Ouch, I forgot about that one. Thanks for reminding me.

[KOKBILLS]

 

But it failed because of a mistake made by a ROOKIE(okay first year starter) QB. I know its easy to look back, but I think the call was good one, and will serve JP well in a game that means something(hopefully) down the line.

 

522439[/snapback]

 

Well I agree it will likely help JP down the Road, but to me (and admittedly I may be the only one that sees it this way) ANY Game vs. the Fish is meaningful...

[34-78-83]

Regarding the Patriots "Radar" defense, the new book about Belichick says that the Saint Louis players on the sidelines in the first Pat's superbowl victory kept telling Marx that the Pats were concentrating on the pass, and ignoring the possibilities of St. Louis running the ball, and Marx told them that he was going to win the game his way, which meant that the St. Louis Rams kept passing against a defense which would have been killed by the run.

522401[/snapback]

 

Sound like Superbowl 25 to you?

[Mark VI]

I'm way farther out there than you KOK...

 

in case you missed it, here's my Oliver Stone conjecture on Mularkey with a great history (facts by God!  ) added by Mark VI.

522391[/snapback]

 

Pass the geritol.

[Mark VI]

Also a scathing blurb on Nate and the Bills secondary further down.

522311[/snapback]

 

Sour Play of the Week: It's hard to blow a 20-point fourth-quarter lead -- awful tactics are required on defense as well as offense! Score Buffalo 23, Miami 17 -- the Marine Mammals faced third-and-10 on their 27 with 1:41 remaining, Miami out of timeouts. Now class, where might the pass go? Maybe up the field! Yet Chris Chambers got behind the Bills defense for a 57-yard reception that made possible Miami's fantastic finish. When this play started, Chambers already had 12 receptions for 169 yards -- yet he was covered by third-string cornerback Jabari Greer. Buffalo's starting corners weren't hurt, just nowhere to be seen. Worse, Greer got no safety help; no safety was even in the deep center. Replays show three Buffalo defensive backs standing like topiary in the short slant zones, covering no one at all. The sole Buffalo player who went to the deep center was middle linebacker London Fletcher. Every week there is one play yours truly watches over and over again in rapt fascination, and this week, this was it. Buffalo knows the game is on the line and knows Miami must throw deep; Chambers is having a career day; yet Buffalo has a third-stringer guarding Chambers and a middle linebacker is the only deep help. On the winning touchdown with six seconds remaining, the Bills dropped seven into coverage against four Miami receivers. Yet with seven to guard four, Chambers -- who to that point had 14 receptions for 234 yards -- again was single-covered by Greer. Three Bills starting defensive backs stood around like topiary, covering no one as the third-stringer battles to save the day. On the final Miami drive, either Buffalo defensive coaches made awful calls or the Bills' starting defensive backs turned into high-school players. Ye gods.

[Sound_n_Fury]

I'm way farther out there than you KOK...

 

in case you missed it, here's my Oliver Stone conjecture on Mularkey with a great history (facts by God!  ) added by Mark VI.

 

http://www.stadiumwall.com/index.php?showtopic=35867&hl=

522391[/snapback]

 

Gee, I totally disagree with your premise that MM dropped the ball by benching JP. All along, I thought this was a gutsy move by a coach willing to say the grand off season plan wasn't working and the other 50 guys on the roster deserved a chance to win now. In other words, a very "player's coach" type of move.

 

Up to now, I think MM has been a very good "player's coach" and we saw the fruits of it last year when he didn't give up on his team and allowed them to gel during the winning streak (albeit against weak competition).

 

Now, however, the vets seem to be losing confidence in the game planning and play calling aspects of what MM is trying to do. It's almost the same attitude they had about JP. The vets want to win now, and they don't see MM putting them in the best position to do so. Unfortunately, there's no backup HC on an NFL roster, so we're in a bit of trouble....

[Guest BackInDaDay]

Gee, I totally disagree with your premise that MM dropped the ball by benching JP. 

522549[/snapback]

 

That's my point, real or imagined, that it wasn't Mularkey's ( or Clements, or Wyche's ) decision. It only affects the team's future if I'm right, so I'm hoping I'm as off-base as I'm being told I am.

[Sound_n_Fury]

That's my point, real or imagined, that it wasn't Mularkey's ( or Clements, or Wyche's ) decision.  It only affects the team's future if I'm right, so I'm hoping I'm as off-base as I'm being told I am. 

522629[/snapback]

 

I thought it was MMs decision...he was supporting the desires of his roster over the desires of his GM/owner to see JP play. It's moot now...the baby's with the dish water.

[Tortured Soul]

Sour Play of the Week: It's hard to blow a 20-point fourth-quarter lead -- awful tactics are required on defense as well as offense! Score Buffalo 23, Miami 17 -- the Marine Mammals faced third-and-10 on their 27 with 1:41 remaining, Miami out of timeouts. Now class, where might the pass go? Maybe up the field! Yet Chris Chambers got behind the Bills defense for a 57-yard reception that made possible Miami's fantastic finish. When this play started, Chambers already had 12 receptions for 169 yards -- yet he was covered by third-string cornerback Jabari Greer. Buffalo's starting corners weren't hurt, just nowhere to be seen. Worse, Greer got no safety help; no safety was even in the deep center. Replays show three Buffalo defensive backs standing like topiary in the short slant zones, covering no one at all. The sole Buffalo player who went to the deep center was middle linebacker London Fletcher. Every week there is one play yours truly watches over and over again in rapt fascination, and this week, this was it. Buffalo knows the game is on the line and knows Miami must throw deep; Chambers is having a career day; yet Buffalo has a third-stringer guarding Chambers and a middle linebacker is the only deep help. On the winning touchdown with six seconds remaining, the Bills dropped seven into coverage against four Miami receivers. Yet with seven to guard four, Chambers -- who to that point had 14 receptions for 234 yards -- again was single-covered by Greer. Three Bills starting defensive backs stood around like topiary, covering no one as the third-stringer battles to save the day. On the final Miami drive, either Buffalo defensive coaches made awful calls or the Bills' starting defensive backs turned into high-school players. Ye gods.

522516[/snapback]

Wasn't it Nate lining up on him on 3rd and 10? And wasn't Milloy the deep help?