Thoughts on Trent

[I Billieve]

I hear and read alot of trashing on both Trent and the O-line so I wanted to get everyones opinion on one thread.

 

Is Trent's status as a rookie (starting roughly 20 NFL games) finally catching up to him? Was his flawless play in the first 4 weeks a fluke? Does anyone billieve that he will come around this week so we can make a toe to toe push for the playoffs?

OR

Is the o-line just crap? Jason Hold-out Peters isn't playing like the pro bowler he wants to be paid as. I don't know whats worse, Fowler or Preston? How can the O-line push the Chargers D-line 5 yards deep into the endzone allowing Marshawn to practically walk across the goaline but now we have to throw on a 3rd-1 b/c our line can't do their job.

 

In the last 3 games trent has been sacked more times then the first 6 combined. And it isn't b/c Trent is holding on to the ball to long. For F$%k sake he can barely get the ball off in time.

 

 

I will always be a Bills loyalist but this team sure doesn't make it easy for us!

[Mularkey]

Add playing calling to the mix because they are not calling the right plays to keep other teams off balance and confused. They are not playing to the teams strengths. No screens or dink and dunk. You call those plays when your QB is struggling and/or when you cant run the rock. I'm not giving either the line or Trent a free pass by any means but the only difference I see is coaching. Now I'm not sure if that is why the players look like they are asleep but I sure hope not cause if you cant get fired up to play a division game when your on top or near the top of the division then clean house.

[I Billieve]

I agree with the coaching and play calling. Was it just me or did anyone else see alittle bit of Farechild on sunday?

[macaroni]

IMHO it is a combination of things;

 

Combine

The opposing teams have figured out our only running play is to hand the ball to "the beast" who runs full speed into the back of one of his guards (who has been pushed three yards off of the LOS)

 

with

the opposing team can most times pressure, and some times sack, the QB by rushing only one player confident in the fact our O-line will trip each other clearing a direct path to our QB.

 

with

When the opposition is on offense .... and faced with a 3rd and 9yards, our defense will drop back from coverage 15 yards to prevent "the big play".

 

with

in an attempt to avoid amassing the dreaded roughing the passer penalties/fines, our "pressure package" amounts to running around their QB and making loud noises while waving our arms.

 

Add them all up and what do you get?????

 

(hint

We are watching them every Sunday afternoon)

[bizell]

add in the fact that edwards is missing receivers that earlier in the year he'd hit perfectly in stride.

[bills44]

IMO, it's a combination of poor line play, poor QB play, and unimaginative play calling.

 

EDIT: I will say that the pass blocking, while still not good, is far better than the run blocking.

[ExiledInIllinois]

Maybe he is still concussed?

 

Not making excuses... This is not the team that opened the season with regards to injuries. Let alone defensive... Anytime you have to juggle the OL starting with the center, a team can be in trouble.

 

Quite a pefect storm and Trent is not held blameless.

[keepthefaith]

IMO, it's a combination of poor line play, poor QB play, and unimaginative play calling.

 

EDIT: I will say that the pass blocking, while still not good, is far better than the run blocking.

 

It's the all too predictable game plan by the coaches that allows the other team to know run or pass on virtually every play. No QB would have succeeded last Sunday playing for Buffalo.

[DrFishfinder]

IMO, it's a combination of poor line play, poor QB play, and unimaginative play calling.

 

EDIT: I will say that the pass blocking, while still not good, is far better than the run blocking.

The OL did do a better job of pass blocking VS NE, but they still can't run block or pick up blitzes worth a pig's ear. Fixing the OL has to be the #1 priority for this team to get a sniff at the playoffs.

[macaroni]

I know it's simplistic but it almost seem like changing our run blocking scheme to "run forward and knock somebody on their a$$" would be a hell of a lot more effective than what they are using now.

[Thoner7]

Trent's footwork has gone to hell. He never stands in the pocket, he is constantly drifting right or left. This causes his throws to be off the mark. Most times he has to avoid the rush, other times he clearly doesn't trust the o-line to be able to block a three man rush. If he can sit in the pocket he cannot step into his throws. Trent could play better, but does anyone say that Tom Brady lost that Super Bowl for the Pats, or do they point to the poor play of the O-line. ESPN's golden boy looks like a second rate QB without good protection. If we can fix the line, our run game and passing game both improve. The main problem with our line is not our tackles either, its teh interior. I really think this team is missing Butler, our problems came to a head when he went down, however he probably is not starter material. Dockery is playing like an F'ing chump and if his play doesn't improve lets save the $$ and part ways. This team needs a center in the worst way. If Jauron could teach a big rock to snap a football it would be an improvement. We need a new line coach too.

 

Man, we have been at this for 10 years and aren't much closer to the post season...

[Dan]

I know it's simplistic but it almost seem like changing our run blocking scheme to "run forward and knock somebody on their a$$" would be a hell of a lot more effective than what they are using now.

I agree. I commented a few weeks back that it seems they do to much pulling and stunting and crap. Just line your big ash up and knock the piss out of the guy in front of you. How hard is that?

[reddogblitz]

I'd say it's about 40% Trent and 30% Offensive Line and 30% play calling. But, it's hard to say if long passes are being called but Trent is electing to check off due to the long guy being covered or just that he likes to throw short. I've read some interviews that seem to indicate that long passes are called. Pass blocking is not great, but it's good enough. No NFL QB plays a whole game without getting hit frequently.

 

It is also true that our run blocking is hurting. But we're really giving up on it too early IMHO. I saw Sunday Lynch run one play and get 3 or 4 and then on the next play get 9 and then after that it was pass pass pass. They should have been feeding him some after that to try to open up the pass better.

 

All that said, Trent get's the most blame. The two interceptions he threw Sunday, he had good protection and was untouched. They were just bad passes. He fumbled 3 times against the Fish losing 2. In the Fish and Jets game he played well except for the turnovers. If he can stop the turnovers, all will fine. So to me, he gets most of the blame beause he is no longer doing what was his strength was which was "taking care of the football."

[reddogblitz]

I agree. I commented a few weeks back that it seems they do to much pulling and stunting and crap. Just line your big ash up and knock the piss out of the guy in front of you. How hard is that?

 

I wonder about this too. Maybe it's not the players, but the plays being called. Last year the OL was able to block and ML ran for over 1000 yards and was Rookie of the Year. It's pretty much the same line. Did they forget how to block? What's changed? The Offensive Coordinator.

[I Billieve]

The change is that the O-line went through training camp and preseason without Jason Hold-out Peters and had to switch things up. Then the tub of lard realized he needed to play to earn money, came back and they had to switch everything back around. Throw a couple injuries in the mix and you have a crap o-line that hasn't helped a top 5 RB get a 100 yard game through week 10.

 

Its pathetic and I would love to see Marshawn or even Trent step up and tell them to start doing their Jobs!

[Beerball]

Thoughts on Trent

Is it him & the O-line

yes it is

[StupidNation]

Last game was 70% Trent, 20% O-line, 10% play-calling but I think looking at the last few games made that stat worse than it is.

 

The other games it's 50% no run-game, 30% O-line pass protect, 10% Trent, and 10% play calling. Unless you are unfreaking real as a QB you aren't going to win without a run game. Yes Trent has done so, but to continually expect that type of pressure on the QB is unreasonable.

 

Would better play calling make the O-line better and the run game? Maybe. I do know I was able to predict what they were doing roughly half the time and that's pretty lame, but when the run game is not producing of course it's easy to predict what they are doing.

 

If they want to improve the offense with no run game here's the solution:

-Throw more screens to Roscoe or Johnson

-Make Evans run a slant and prepare for contact

-Pitch to the outside runs off tackle

-Throw a deep ball every 15-20 attempts and roll the dice

 

Sadly, that's all they can do. If the D can step up we might score 20 pts and win close games. We need more players over 6 ft that are fast and quick as well. (I can dream can't I?)

[Big Turk]

when you have no threat of a running game and teams have no respect for it, it makes it all the more difficult to succeed in the NFL. You hear all the time about "making a team one dimensional". Well, we basically make ourselves one dimensional because our C and RG are in the backfield with Lynch on way too many plays, along with the guys they are attempting to block. This ends up allowing other teams to drop into coverage and not even worry about any type of fakes or bootlegs since they have no respect for the run anyways. With Evans basically the only receiver we have right now that makes teams think twice, it puts the whole offense in a very bad position. Edwards hasn't played very well either, but at the same time, he is getting little to no help from anyone. If the QB is struggling, the Bills should be able to count on the running game to help them out a little and take some pressure off him. Unfortunately that just doesn't happen, either because we have no faith in our line to run block or because Schonert is pass happy.

 

Trent isn't getting a free pass, but at the same time, the guy could use some help too...he IS still a 2nd year QB, only having played in about 20 games....he isn't supposed to look as good as he did...funny how the Bills were at least getting some respectable yards on the ground when that was happening....