Play-calling was great, and terrible

[Kelly the Dog]

Boy, Tom Clements got away with one today. I understand he is still learning, with the first time he has been calling the plans on his own. And I don't want to downplay a great win. And he made some gutsy calls that ended up working, as well as some clever stuff, like the Lee Evans TD with Evans lining up at fullback and going in motion which gave him the jump on the DB. Plus they kept to the run and ran, ran, ran #21... but there was a lot of bonehead calls out there, and not just in retrospect.

 

Not running McGahee down their throats with 1st and goal late in the second was downright stupid. Putting Jabari Greer in for one play and then giving him a reverse when we were moving the ball was totally unnecessary.I was yelling, what the hell is Jabari Greer doing in the game and surely the Jets were, too. Some of the plays are designed well, and I'm starting to like how he uses Shelton and even Joe Burns. And we scored 20 points, so that should be enough to win 90% of the games with this defense. I hope he learns on the job though and doesn't get too cute.

[Campy]

Putting Jabari Greer in for one play and then giving him a reverse when we were moving the ball was totally unnecessary.

106514[/snapback]

Kinda' like that 4th down play were they went for it instead of taking the automatic 3 points. Dumb.

 

Oh, they scored on that play? Genius!

 

When it works it's a good call, and when it doesn't, it's a bad call. Been that way forever, and I don't expect it to change anytime soon.

[BuffOrange]

I've defended the coaching staff as much as anyone this season, but the clock management at the end of the 1st half was a joke - it was like they were trying to help the Jets. MM gave a GWesque explanation at halftime.

Frankly, I thought the bomb to Evans at the end was a stupid call too, even though it worked.

I don't have a problem with trick-plays in general, but we seem to have this strange tendancy to use them when we're moving the ball, which is stupid since they can be drive-killers when they don't work. I mean, the time to think outside the box would've been the Ravens game when it was obvious our offense wasn't going to do anything the conventional way.

[BuffOrange]

Kinda' like that 4th down play were they went for it instead of taking the automatic 3 points.  Dumb.

 

Oh, they scored on that play?  Genius!

 

When it works it's a good call, and when it doesn't, it's a bad call.  Been that way forever, and I don't expect it to change anytime soon.

106585[/snapback]

 

Forgot about that one - to be honest, I thought that was highly questionable as well. We needed at least a half yard and it was 0-0 at the time.

[_BiB_]

I want that stupid reverse thrown out of the playbook. They run it every week, every week it fails. Gone, dead, buh bye. Other than that, it didn't seem too bad.

[Kelly the Dog]

I've defended the coaching staff as much as anyone this season, but the clock management at the end of the 1st half was a joke - it was like they were trying to help the Jets.  MM gave a GWesque explanation at halftime.   

Frankly, I thought the bomb to Evans at the end was a stupid call too, even though it worked.   

I don't have a problem with trick-plays in general, but we seem to have this strange tendancy to use them when we're moving the ball, which is stupid since they can be drive-killers when they don't work.  I mean, the time to think outside the box would've been the Ravens game when it was obvious our offense wasn't going to do anything the conventional way.

106600[/snapback]

I agree we havent been using the trick plays at the most opportune times. I really have a problem with putting Jabari greer in there and running it. The Jets seemed to be pointing at the guy like it stuck out like a sore thumb and nobody went for the fake.

 

Mularkey gave a good explanation for the bomb to Evans at the end. he said the play call was a run, but that play has a pass-option on it, and if the defense puts an extra guy in the box it is automatically changed to a streak to Evans. The Jets put that extra guy up there to stop the run and Drew and Evans both read it right and made the play. That was beautiful.

[Guest Guest]

I thought the worst play selection occured when we had 3rd and 2 at about the Jets' 35. We were up 7-3 and driving for more points. Bledsoe fakes a hand off lumbers on a roll out and throws incomplete to our invisible stoned handed TE. We follow that up with Lindell pooching ia punt into he endzone on a fake FG. What kinda crap is that? I was happy that the Jets punished us with an 80 yard drive. We deserved it.

 

I would have punched the ball on 3rd and 2. If you get only part way there punch it again. That's what teams committed to the run do. Egads.

[Bear]

I want that stupid reverse thrown out of the playbook. They run it every week, every week it fails. Gone, dead, buh bye. Other than that, it didn't seem too bad.

106622[/snapback]

 

I agree and disagree. Running plays like that every week can set you up down the road. A good example will be if they try something new next week vs. the Pats.

 

The Pats will be ready for the play, so if they change it up a bit, it could break something big.

Maybe fake the reverse, or let the WR throw one downfield after the reverse as those DB's come up to make the stop.

 

That said...Trick plays can be fun to watch, but in general I don't like them. Since they seem to be intent on using them, I hope they can make them work, but I would rather see them play straight up football every week.

[Kelly the Dog]

I agree and disagree.  Running plays like that every week can set you up down the road.  A good example will be if they try something new next week vs. the Pats.

 

The Pats will be ready for the play, so if they change it up a bit, it could break something big.

Maybe fake the reverse, or let the WR throw one downfield after the reverse as those DB's come up to make the stop.

 

That said...Trick plays can be fun to watch, but in general I don't like them.  Since they seem to be intent on using them, I hope they can make them work, but I would rather see them play straight up football every week.

106653[/snapback]

I don't mind calling a reverse, even once or twice a game. I mind putting a rookie defensive back with #37 out wide and then running him. It's not as though the Jets weren't looking for a weird play with Jabari Greer out there.

[Coach Tuesday]

Do not look at those trick plays in a vacuum - esp. the reverses. Yes, they often backfire, but they also tend to keep the D honest for the rest of the game. Very often the Bills will run an unsuccessful reverse in the first half, and then use motions and fakes for the rest of the game to freeze defenders who now have to play as if they may see the reverse again. However, like you, I question the timing of some of these play calls - they often occur when we're really driving, and when they backfire they can shift the momentum completely.

[Simon]

Not running McGahee down their throats with 1st and goal late in the second was downright stupid.

 

The end of the first was absolutely atrocious. But I thought the biggest problem was cookig their timeouts with 1:30 left when the Bills had the ball around the 10. That particular piece(s) of stupidity is what put them in the position where they had to unnecessarily pick their spots when Shelton got them the 1st/down inside the 5.

I've been very happy with rookie Clements, but right now he is strategically sound yet tactically haphazard.

Cya

[_BiB_]

Do not look at those trick plays in a vacuum - esp. the reverses.  Yes, they often backfire, but they also tend to keep the D honest for the rest of the game.  Very often the Bills will run an unsuccessful reverse in the first half, and then use motions and fakes for the rest of the game to freeze defenders who now have to play as if they may see the reverse again.  However, like you, I question the timing of some of these play calls - they often occur when we're really driving, and when they backfire they can shift the momentum completely.

106661[/snapback]

 

Thank you.

[34-78-83]

Do not look at those trick plays in a vacuum - esp. the reverses.  Yes, they often backfire, but they also tend to keep the D honest for the rest of the game.  Very often the Bills will run an unsuccessful reverse in the first half, and then use motions and fakes for the rest of the game to freeze defenders who now have to play as if they may see the reverse again.  However, like you, I question the timing of some of these play calls - they often occur when we're really driving, and when they backfire they can shift the momentum completely.

106661[/snapback]

 

 

Very well said CT

[Kelly the Dog]

Do not look at those trick plays in a vacuum - esp. the reverses.  Yes, they often backfire, but they also tend to keep the D honest for the rest of the game.  Very often the Bills will run an unsuccessful reverse in the first half, and then use motions and fakes for the rest of the game to freeze defenders who now have to play as if they may see the reverse again.  However, like you, I question the timing of some of these play calls - they often occur when we're really driving, and when they backfire they can shift the momentum completely.

106661[/snapback]

So later in the game they are going to reinsert Jabari Greer in there for one more play and then FAKE a reverse to him and the Jets are going to bite all over that Jabari Greer misdirection?

[Bob Lamb]

The end of the first was absolutely atrocious.

 

I was ready to rip the SIRIUS radio off the roof at the end of the first.

 

I'm willing to wager that you, me and KTFABD could have scored

[Campy]

So later in the game they are going to reinsert Jabari Greer in there for one more play and then FAKE a reverse to him and the Jets are going to bite all over that Jabari Greer misdirection? 

106708[/snapback]

If the first one worked, absolutely.

[Simon]

I was ready to rip the SIRIUS radio off the roof at the end of the first.

 

For the first time since Flutie tossed that horrid pick at the end of the firsthalf in the phish p'off game, I actually threw something during a Bills game>-(

Fired an insulated Bills cup with a brand new Cptn/Coke into a tree just off the front porch as I stomped out the front door at the end of the first. My buddy ducked the cup but he couldn't escape the splash;-)

Cya

[Buftex]

I was yelling, what the hell is Jabari Greer doing in the game and surely the Jets were, too. Some of the plays are designed well, and I'm starting to like how he uses Shelton and even Joe Burns.

106514[/snapback]

 

 

Kelly, I was yelling, "who the hell is Jabari Greer, and what is he doing in the game?" Seriously, I forgot this guys was even on the roster.

 

Personally, I have not had a lot of problems with the play calling this year. Like the cliche goes, genious when it works, stupid when it doesn't. The only play this year that I had a huge problem with was the New England game, where we are near positioned to tie the game up, 4th and 2, and they call a play designed for Bledsoe to scramble around the left end. We all know what happened. Even if that play had worked, I would seriously have to question putting your hopes of winning a game, on the legs of Drew Bledsoe.

 

One thing I have to give Clemons and Mularkey for, is their committment to running the ball, win or lose. They are not just paying it lip service like the previous (GW?) administration. I know they may get a little "cute" sometimes, but I think having guys like Burns, Bannon, Adams, etc. keeps the offense focused, and on their toes. The last few weeks, they are executing things much better, and being much less lackidaisical (sp?) than they had been. It really seems like things are starting to set in, and click...