Dawgg Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 It it has been posted already, then Buffalo: This year's Miami "at" Buffalo game in Toronto reduces the Bills' home dates to seven. But unlike the Dolphins and Saints, penalized by losing a home game for "home" appearances in London, developing a Toronto relationship should be good for the Bills. Now check the favor the league did for Buffalo in this year's sked -- only one Orchard Park game in December, and that against the sinister-but-popular Patriots. The Bills always sell out their pre-Thanksgiving games, but struggle to move December tickets, since locals know snow will have set in by then. For 2008, Buffalo has only one December true home game to sell, which won't a problem with the Patriots as the opponent. The Toronto game is in December; though north of Buffalo, Toronto gets considerably less snow, owing to lake-effect weather patterns. Even though the game will be played indoors at Rogers Centre, it will likely be easier to get around Toronto than Buffalo on Dec. 7. For several seasons now, the NFL has both limited Buffalo's December home dates, and made sure that December visitors are attractive to ticket buyers. Between scheduling favors and the new revenue-sharing deal, which is favorable to small-market teams, the NFL seems to be signaling it wants the Bills to be successful in Buffalo. Last year, Buffalo had a league-low 20 offensive touchdowns. Bills draftees James Hardy and Xavier Omon combined for 53 touchdowns last season in college, more than double the entire Buffalo offense. The Ivies played well on special teams and on defense -- subtract two blowouts by New England, and Buffalo allowed 18 points per game, a strong figure. But the offense was cover-your-eyes awful: predictable (57 percent rushing on first down, despite opponents OBVIOUSLY stacking the box on first downs), throwing almost exclusively short, unable to kill the clock to hold late leads created by defense and special teams (Buffalo lost to Dallas and Denver despite having late leads and possession of the ball). Buffalo's Ivy League coach, Dick Jauron, is a fine man but low-voltage personified; he's like a car battery that won't turn the engine on a cold morning. Jauron has just one winning season in seven as a head coach. Losing does not seem to bother him; he's never animated on the sidelines or upset after a loss, and he wasn't upset even after the Bills allowed two scores in the final 20 seconds to lose 25-24 to Dallas before a national audience on "Monday Night Football." Team spirit is high in Buffalo, but the team mindset is all wrong, mirroring the coach. Jauron's gift is lowering expectations; this is his third season in Buffalo, yet he's still talking only about "improvement," not winning. Much of the time, the objective seems to be to lose with dignity. Trailing New England 42-7 in the second half, the Bills kicked a field goal. Trailing New England 56-10 in the fourth quarter, Buffalo punted from midfield. Those were Jauron's decisions and the message sent was, "Oh well, another loss, right you are chaps, pip pip." For a once-proud franchise that has not made the postseason in this decade, the Bills need an attitude adjustment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eball Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 Yep, you've nailed it. The Bills didn't make it to the playoffs in either of the past two seasons because Jauron didn't throw a tantrum on the sidelines over a bad call, or insist that his anemic offense inflict further self-punishment during a blowout. Glad it's so simple and has nothing to do with personnel or coordinators. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyT Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 For probably the first time with TMQ, I'm underwhelmed... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawgg Posted August 19, 2008 Author Share Posted August 19, 2008 Yep, you've nailed it. The Bills didn't make it to the playoffs in either of the past two seasons because Jauron didn't throw a tantrum on the sidelines over a bad call, or insist that his anemic offense inflict further self-punishment during a blowout. Glad it's so simple and has nothing to do with personnel or coordinators. I actually like Dick Jauron & think he's a very good head coach. The past 2 seasons he has been coaching with 5-11 personnel and the squads have managed to overachieve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Big Cat Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 I actually like Dick Jauron & think he's a very good head coach. The past 2 seasons he has been coaching with 5-11 personnel and the squads have managed to overachieve. Uuuuh doy, if he doesn't throw post-game tantrums, he'll never end up on a Coors Light commercial! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckeyemike Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 Meh...not one of Easterbrook's better analyses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IDBillzFan Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 Meh...not one of Easterbrook's better analyses. I need me a "Meh" replithentic jersey. Seriously. Only then will we all be assured that people will stop using this phrase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chilly Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 "Meh" is an excellent phrase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IDBillzFan Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 "Meh" is an excellent phrase. Yep. Right up there with pwned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chilly Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 Yep. Right up there with pwned. Meh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckeyemike Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 I need me a "Meh" replithentic jersey. Seriously. Only then will we all be assured that people will stop using this phrase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvermike Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 It's not about gameplanning, it's about anger. TMQ is half serious, intelligent analysis, and half superstitious bullhonkey, and he doesn't seem to know the difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drnykterstein Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 Regarding his comments on the 18-1 season and how memorable it will be... Yeah I agree it will be memorable, but moreso because of the cheating than anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave mcbride Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 Gregg Easterbrook, who has written some good pieces and some horrible pieces in his career (here I'm talking about his political stuff for The Atlantic and The New Republic), is not a person that one should cite as any sort of authority. This is a man who is dogmatically opposed to blitzing, and simply because he's a Bills fan and neither Walt Corey nor Ted Cottrell blitzed much when the Bills were good. In other words, he's a a worse analyst than you and most of the good posters here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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