A Few Thoughts About The Game

[webtoe]

Changed that up a bit. The hold and the trip killed big plays in the 1^st half.

 

I looked at the penalty twice in slow-motion on the DVR and I just don't get it. Fowler attempted a cut block, but the defender avoided his shoulder pads, but cut his foot on Fowlers legs. It all happened in one motion, I don't know how he makes that call.

[Lori]

James Hardy is green and RAW! I remember Eric Moulds being the same way.

That red-zone series showed that Hardy definitely still has some learning to do. As the game crept into the late stages of the third quarter with Buffalo still behind, I began to wonder if missing those four points might cost Buffalo a win.

 

Thanks to Jabari Greer, that thought lasted all of about 10 seconds into the fourth. And while I'm not going to go overboard in comparing the current squad to the Kelly-era "Super Bills," these guys are beginning to make the kind of game-turning plays those teams thrived on.

 

4-0, folks, and there's still room for improvement. Let's give the Rams some credit while we're at it; contrary to some pre-game forecasts, they showed up and played hard. Would they still be 0-4 if Little hadn't missed the last two games? Maybe, maybe not. Today, we saw -- and Trent Edwards felt -- what his return meant to that defense.

 

While watching Walker get beat for the umpteenth time, I couldn't help thinking that maybe Schonert should have given him a little more help on that side. Not like Royal was a factor in the passing game, you know? And the penalties ... oy. Peters' hold cost the Bills 30 yards, negating a first down at the Rams 12. Add his false start and Fowlers' trip (another 34-yard setback), plus the beating Edwards took early on, and line coach Sean Kugler is going to have plenty to talk about in their next film session.

 

That said ... 4-0. And as these young players continue to grow up while we watch, we have every right to believe they'll only get better as the season goes on. Bill, I'm not sure you should book your January flight to Buffalo just yet ... but if this keeps up? Soon, my friend, soon.

 

 

An addendum, courtesy of our friend Tim Graham's ESPN blog:

Here's a stat that shows how far the Bills have come since last year:

 

Over their past three games, the Bills have scored 55 fourth-quarter points. They called off the dogs in their opening-day rout of the Seattle Seahawks.

 

The Bills scored only 64 points in the fourth quarter last year. In 10 of their 16 games, they failed to score at all in the fourth quarter.

 

Quarterback Trent Edwards had a pedestrian first half, but in the second half he went 7 of 8 for 88 yards and a touchdown. He completed all three of his fourth-quarter passes for 66 yards, including a 39-yard TD hookup with Lee Evans to put the game out of reach.

 

Edwards in the fourth quarter this year: 27 of 35 for 349 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions.

In a recent conversation about Edwards, one of the beat writers (who made the same Montana reference we were whispering in Lot 1 after the Raiders game) told me, "I really believe — with apologies to Bill Walsh — that he'll be something special."

[IQ]

Since our defense is playing great (for the most part) and we are 4-0 I hate to be one of those guys that picks on things to do better, but that's probably what mos of the players are doing anyways.

 

Our edge pass rush is simply lacking. I became a Schoebel fan over the last few years but he seems like he may have lost a step over the last year or two. If you heard him miked up vs. Seattle he was insinuating the same thing on the sidelines when talking to another player (Kawika, I think). Kelsay, as a poster has mentioned on this thread earlier, is not exactly a pass rushing specialist. As a result, it puts pressure on the backers to come with blitzes.

 

Fewell has called his boys off the last few games. I personally would like to see a lot more early blitzing like we saw in the first half of the Seattle game. Whether they disguise it or fall into a zone blitz doesn't matter, we need to get some pressure on the QB to help create turnovers in the secondary.

 

Whenever we've brought a safety/cb with either the Mike or the Will, we've had success and it definitely has helped contribute to our excellent 3rd down D. I'd just like to see it a bit more on 1st and 2nd downs and let the corners play a little more man.

 

I think this is the best way to compensate for our weaker edge rushes.

[Simon]

Our edge pass rush is simply lacking.

 

It could be a concern as the schedule toughens up, but I think like last year the Bills are making a concerted effort to have their Ends play the run first. They recognize they're vulnerable to opponents ground attacks off the edges (particularly with Ellison as a starter) and are protecting themselves by having their Ends do an awful lot of anchoring.

The sacks aren't piling up but that doesn't mean Schoebel and Kelsay aren't hurrying throws and bruising up QB's.

 

I'd just like to see it a bit more on 1st and 2nd downs

I'd bet my house that Fewell blitzes on 2nd down more than any other down. And that it's probably not even close.

[The Senator]

Yeah yeah yeah...I agree with everything you say Bill...we got way too many of these great D-backs that are winning the games for us...and yeah, Ralph was a genius to bring back Levy, and Jauron's a great coach too...but what are we gonna do about our weakness at LT?

[IQ]

I'd bet my house that Fewell blitzes on 2nd down more than any other down. And that it's probably not even close.

 

 

I tried to google this info but could not find it. Do you have a source? If so, I stand corrected. If not, is your house paid off?

 

[stevewin]

That red-zone series showed that Hardy definitely still has some learning to do.

I know people are willing to write off the bad perfomance to inexperience, but the thing that is most disconcerting to me is that we heard so much about him as a former basketball player being such a master at positioning his body and outfighting defenders for the ball - the exact thing that was lacking on those plays that made him look so horrible. Simon mentioned in another thread about the level of competition being higher now, but honestly those plays were less about great defense and more simply about bad receiver play - he looked dazed and confused to me.

 

4-0, folks, and there's still room for improvement.

This is a great point - there have been moments and flashes and quarters/halves of really good/great play from individuals/units - but it still seems like there is so much more room/potential to reallly get all the parts working together at a higher level for entire games.

 

Over their past three games, the Bills have scored 55 fourth-quarter points. The Bills scored only 64 points in the fourth quarter last year. In 10 of their 16 games, they failed to score at all in the fourth quarter.

This is an amazing stat - to me really puts some perspective on the whole difference about being able to finish games this year vs. in the past.

[Saint Doug]

Yeah yeah yeah...I agree with everything you say Bill...we got way too many of these great D-backs that are winning the games for us...and yeah, Ralph was a genius to bring back Levy, and Jauron's a great coach too...but what are we gonna do about our weakness at LT?

 

Don't worry. It's been 1 month and "training camp" is now over.

 

Or, at least, people will stop using this line as an excuse for his poor/pedestrian play.

[Orton's Arm]

This is the biggest issue for me about this team right now. The O-Line is playing well in the Fourth Quarter when their backs are against the wall, but they are going to have to be better in the running game early on. The O-Line is really going to have to be on their game this week and Peters is going to have a lot of work next week to keep that blind side protected. Not having Boldin on offense will hurt them, but Buffalo has a tougher opponent this coming week than we have since the Jax game. Also note, the Raiders looked good today against the Chargers, even though they again relinquished the lead in the Fourth Quarter.

I agree with what you've written. If anything, I'll go even further. In the first half, the offensive line helped the Bills to 18 rushing yards to go along with the four sacks allowed, three penalties, and numerous quarterback hurries and knock downs. While part of the problem was Peters being out of shape, plenty of offensive linemen other than Peters didn't come to play. This is not the first time this season the offensive line hasn't come to play until late in the game, and it's not acceptable. They just looked like boys among men out there in the first half, and at times in the second half.

 

Based on what I've seen of the season thus far, offensive line is by far this team's biggest need going into the 2009 draft. I would have no objection whatsoever to the Bills using their first three picks on offensive linemen. If they only want to upgrade two positions, I wouldn't mind using the 2nd and 2rd round picks to trade up into the lower first or early second.

 

The bottom line is that this level of performance has got to improve. If the guys we have can't improve on it, we need new guys. Marshawn Lynch is a perfectly good RB who gets met in the backfield far too often. His average hasn't been pedestrian this year, but that's totally on the o-line. There's Trent Edwards, who's shown he can light up the scoreboard on the rate occasions when he's given decent to good protection. But it's hard for any QB to look good when you have guys rushing unblocked to the QB. This offense could be something special if we had even a decent o-line. And if we started replacing the weakest linemen with dominant players, watch out!

[Orton's Arm]

The Evans pass was, once again, right on the money. Trent is the mistake resistant, "make a decision" QB we have longed for. Evans deserves major league money; his one fault, consistency, has seemed to fade with the ascendence of the OL. At this point we can split the rest of the games and be 10-6. Home playoff game is not out of the question.

 

OK. So here's the question:

 

Did last year's plague of injuries rise the team to a new level because second teamers (Wilson, Jackson, etc.) got all that experience?

Interesting point about the injuries. In my opinion, injuries hurt a team over the short run, but help it in the long run. Backups gain experience, and the coaches get a chance to see who can play and who can't. If I recall correctly, Fred Jackson started getting playing time due to an injury to the A-train. Trent Edwards started getting playing time because of the injury to Losman.

[bladiebla]

10) Lynch is one of the biggest competitors I have ever seen in my lifetime of watching sports. He risks his entire future for 1 yard.

 

This! Gotta love his dedication!

[Bill from NYC]

Lets not forget Josh Reed's third down conversions, a few he had to juke a tackler to get the extra yards.

 

So true. I am nothing less than thrilled by the way Josh looks this year. At one point, I never thought that I would be screaming his number during games, but that is what's happening now.

Josh earns his money week after week with good catches, great blocking, and clutch first downs. Soon he will be getting into the endzone.

I was initially pleasantly surprised by the great chemistry between Trent and Josh but not any more. Trent Edwards is just so freaking good, and I am enjoying every second of it.

[DrFishfinder]

3) Peters was sloppy. OK, he didn't play that well at all, but Walker was getting flat out beat. I refuse to kill the mood and talk about Fowler.

Keep the mood, but if Fowler keeps playing the way he did yesterday, it is likely to become a more serious problem as the season goes on. Other teams are going to look at the way he got steamrolled yesterday, tee off on him and consequently get to Edwards, which happened more than once during the game. He has GOT to start holding his ground, not to mention getting called for "tripping" of all things, otherwise teams are going to come right up the gut and clobber Edwards.

 

As well, the Bills need to do a much better job of handling end blitzes than they did yesterday. It's fortunate that Edwards survived the pounding.

 

But.....it's 4-0 and all of us are really proud of the team!

[1billsfan]

So true. I am nothing less than thrilled by the way Josh looks this year. At one point, I never thought that I would be screaming his number during games, but that is what's happening now.

Josh earns his money week after week with good catches, great blocking, and clutch first downs. Soon he will be getting into the endzone.

I was initially pleasantly surprised by the great chemistry between Trent and Josh but not any more. Trent Edwards is just so freaking good, and I am enjoying every second of it.

 

 

Hey, no mention yet of Jackson's or Greer's contributions? C'mon Bill, nice try to keeping up with this team.

 

 

I too am enjoying every second of it! I don't have any complaints about style points either. In the NFL it's all about the wins baby.

[JStranger76]

We may have to insert Puke Preston at center during the bye and see if he can provide more than Fowler.

[Bill from NYC]

Hey, no mention yet of Jackson's or Greer's contributions? C'mon Bill, nice try to keeping up with this team.

 

You know, I was gonna mention Greer. They actually seemed to be throwing away from him yesterday, and this was not his only good game.

I could point to him as an example of how you really don't always have to be a first round pick to be a good corner, but I was afraid of upsetting my "Jason Peters Sucks and "Ralph/Levy/Jauron are Always 100% correct" stalker.

 

He is in a bit of a tizzy right now, and I don't want to upset him.

[bills_fan_in_raleigh]

This is one game that halftime adjustments worked heavily in the bills favor. I am a little disappointed that they played so piss poorly in the first half, on both sides of the ball... But, after halftime it was lights out on both sides of the ball.

 

Now, if that o-line will actually open some holes for lynch in the first quarter next week, we won't have to sweat out a comeback in the 2nd half. As evidence today, the key to victory on offense is a good running game. Hopefully they get the memo by next sunday.

We run better out of the spread offense with both marshawn and freddie in the backfield, The spread creates space versus the bunch up without a true FB

[Chilly]

I could point to him as an example of how you really don't always have to be a first round pick to be a good corner

 

Kinda like how you don't have to be drafted by your team in round 1 to be a good lineman?

[1billsfan]

You know, I was gonna mention Greer. They actually seemed to be throwing away from him yesterday, and this was not his only good game.

I could point to him as an example of how you really don't always have to be a first round pick to be a good corner, but I was afraid of upsetting my "Jason Peters Sucks and "Ralph/Levy/Jauron are Always 100% correct" stalker.

 

He is in a bit of a tizzy right now, and I don't want to upset him.

 

I hear you, but that McKelvin hit was very impressive. I wouldn't worry about the crusaders, the Bills are finally in a "big picture" situation sitting here at 4-0. It's time to feel great about this team. Who knows, maybe the Bills will eventually figure out this offensive line thing this year. If not, everyone will be singing your tune for that first round pick of the '09 draft.

[Coach Tuesday]

IMO the biggest team need is still a tight end who can add some added pass protection and run blocking, and can open up the middle of the field more (against both cover-2 teams and frequent-blitzing teams). Pro Football Prospectus 2008 labelled Robert Royal as one of the worst starters in the entire NFL. I'm starting to agree. He's good for at least one boneheaded play per game (yesterday's penalty on the two point conversion was no suprirse), he insists on leaving his feet at the end of every catch and run, and he does nothing to scare opposing defenses. With the way Edwards utilizes Reed, just imagine what he could do with a tight end who could make plays in the passing game. It's a huge, glaring need, one that is holding the entire offense back IMO.