Buffan00 Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 Buffalo Last summer TMQ's AFC preview said Bills' coaches faced "a vexing choice, whether to sacrifice the season to the education of J.P. Losman" or play veteran Kelly Holcomb and try for the postseason. Instead Buffalo did neither: The Bills started Losman for a while, then Holcomb for a while, then Losman, then Holcomb. The result was a worst-case outcome; Losman did not have his learning year and the Bills did not mount a playoff run. Departed coach Mike Mularkey wasted the 2005 Buffalo season by refusing to make up his mind about who should be under center. Compare to Marvin Lewis, who in 2004 stuck with Carson Palmer during Palmer's learning season, and in 2005 was rewarded with premium quarterbacking. Because 2005 was bungled away, Buffalo again faces the choice it faced last year: keep Losman on the field and let him struggle, or let Holcomb try to gain the team its first playoff appearance of the 21st century. After winning more than any NFL team during the 1990s, Buffalo has been one of the league's worst clubs in the new century. Maybe the football gods are simply balancing the books. Quarterback turmoil and poor offensive lines have been themes of the Bills' decline. Since Jim Kelly retired nine years ago, Buffalo has invested in the quarterback position three first-round draft picks, one second-round pick, plus third-, fourth- and fifth-round choices -- and has no clear starter to show for it. Plus, the Bills just passed on drafting Matt Leinart, arguably the most Kelly-like signal caller to leave the collegiate ranks since Kelly last taped his ankles. Yumpin yiminy. The Bills also have struggled under novice coaches. Former president Tom Donohue hired two consecutive gents with no pro or college head-coaching experience -- the tastefully named Gregg Williams, then Mularkey. Both were in over their heads. Now the Bills finally have a taskmaster with substantial head-coaching experience, and Dick Jauron is well-regarded. But there's a comparison that concerns TMQ. As this column has documented, over the last five seasons, Williams and Mularkey led the league in Preposterous Punts: punting in opposition territory, even when trailing or facing fourth-and-short. Two of many examples. Trailing New England by 10, Williams ordered the Bills to punt from the Pats' 32 on fourth-and-2; trailing San Diego by 25, Mularkey ordered a punt from the Chargers' 40. Now I review my file on Jauron and find it contains numerous entries regarding him ordering Preposterous Punts. Last year the Lions were trailing Cincinnati by 17 in the second half, facing fourth-and-1 at midfield: Jauron sent in the punter. From that play on, the Lions were clobbered. Is there one chance in a million Bill Belichick orders a punt on fourth-and-1 at midfield when down by three scores in the second half? Victories don't come in the mail, they must be seized. Buffalo gets its third consecutive coach with a weird tendency to punt the ball away in scoring position, rather than go all-out to win. Bills note No. 1: One of Marv Levy's opening moves was to give up on tackle Mike Williams, fourth overall choice in 2002 and among the worst draft busts in NFL history. A reason the Bills have descended toward the cellar is the 2002 draft -- Buffalo had the fourth overall choice plus two second-round selections, yet likely will have no 2006 starter to show for it. Bills note No. 2: With the trade of Eric Moulds to Houston, there is no one left on the Buffalo roster who played with Kelly. The last link to Buffalo's Golden Age is gone. http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story...ht&lid=tab1pos1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokinandjokin Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 Compare to Marvin Lewis, who in 2004 stuck with Carson Palmer during Palmer's learning season, and in 2005 was rewarded with premium quarterbacking. . 744029[/snapback] It's a fair comparison of coaching decisions, but probably not a fair comparison of QBs. Palmer was a Heisman winner from a big-time school and a #1 overall pick. Losman was a 2-year starter for Tulane and the #23 pick. I'm not saying by any means that Losman does not have the tools to be as good or better than Palmer. I'm saying that a #1 overall pick SHOULD give you premium quarterbacking. With a #23, certainly you expect results, but maybe not in his 2nd year as a starter. Preposterous Punts: trailing San Diego by 25, Mularkey ordered a punt from the Chargers' 40. 744029[/snapback] Ahh yes, the memories are a bit cloudy due to massive alcohol intake, but thanks to this article, I can pinpoint the exact moment that I said "F--- this" and walked out of Qualcomm Stadium last November. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffan00 Posted August 15, 2006 Author Share Posted August 15, 2006 It's a fair comparison of coaching decisions, but probably not a fair comparison of QBs. Palmer was a Heisman winner from a big-time school and a #1 overall pick. Losman was a 2-year starter for Tulane and the #23 pick. I'm not saying by any means that Losman does not have the tools to be as good or better than Palmer. I'm saying that a #1 overall pick SHOULD give you premium quarterbacking. With a #23, certainly you expect results, but maybe not in his 2nd year as a starter. Ahh yes, the memories are a bit cloudy due to massive alcohol intake, but thanks to this article, I can pinpoint the exact moment that I said "F--- this" and walked out of Qualcomm Stadium last November. 744049[/snapback] Yes, those punts were quit nerve recking! Didn't know that Jauron was a "punt first" type coach! Hope it's not the case here for us this year! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phlegm Alley Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 I just read that article as well over at ESPN and the thing that I was most alerted by was the punting in the opponents territory on 4th and short while trailing. To go for it and make it, that gives your offense a boost of confidence. To go for it, and not make it, still shows that you have faith in your offense to convert on the play. But to punt the ball away...that is the preverbial kick in the balls to every player on the offense that they can't get the job done when it matters the most. No wonder why the team gave up on Meatface. Hopefully DJ can break this trend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly the Dog Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 Matt Leinart is not even remotely close to the most Kelly-like QB to come out of college since Kelly retired. That's a ludicrous thing to say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROSCOE P. COE TRAIN Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 How are Kelly and Leinart similar? Mentality wise? Kelly was recruited by Howard Schnelenbarger as a LB -- I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly the Dog Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 How are Kelly and Leinart similar? Mentality wise? Kelly was recruited by Howard Schnelenbarger as a LB -- I think. 744093[/snapback] They both play QB and both of their first names have an "m" in them. That's as far as I got in the comparison. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jester43 Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 How are Kelly and Leinart similar? Mentality wise? Kelly was recruited by Howard Schnelenbarger as a LB -- I think. 744093[/snapback] kelly chose to go to miami because he WASN'T recruited to play lb. it was joe pa who wanted him to play linebacker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BADOLBILZ Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 How are Kelly and Leinart similar? Mentality wise? Kelly was recruited by Howard Schnelenbarger as a LB -- I think. 744093[/snapback] I believe he is referring to Kelly's swagger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catholic Guilt Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 The jury is out on Matt. I wouldn't compare him to Kelly. If anything we should have picked Jay Cutler over Matt! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tasker Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 I would have taken Cutler over Leinart too. But I think we will rather have Losman plus Whitner over one of those guys over the next 4-5 years. I could be wrong, but I'm going to pretend I know what I'm talking about until it's proven otherwise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROSCOE P. COE TRAIN Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 I would have taken Cutler over Leinart too. But I think we will rather have Losman plus Whitner over one of those guys over the next 4-5 years. I could be wrong, but I'm going to pretend I know what I'm talking about until it's proven otherwise. 744121[/snapback] Yeah, Whitner gives the club a sound servicable body out there for years to come and then we roll the dice on JP again. Otherwise we would have a scub at SS and a lot of pressure on a #8 picked QB and a wasted JP acting like a cancer in the background. I like Cutler, but again, it is nice to play on a great team (Denver) and have Plummer taking the pressure. Guy throws a great ball, but untill he is named #1 starter, he can paly with no pressure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts