Evans/Owens 5 - 71 yds, Moss/Welker 24 - 234 yrds

[San-O]

I think the Bills are going to faze out the No Huddle as the seson goes on for that very reason. They also have an excuse by saying that was Turk's thing.

I think it works in spots but as we lose our depth on D (I know your asking what depth?), I think we are in trouble.

 

I think we should use it depending on the opponent. Especially against teams who run the 3-4 because your catching their big LB's and DL and that will cause problems in coverage underneath. We shall see. I was very nervous about AVP until that game, but now I'm excited to see what else he's got.

 

That will be very interesting to keep an eye on. I was thinking with giving Turk the axe so close to the start of the

season, AVP had no choice but to go into the season with whatever O they had in place at the time.

 

[PDaDdy]

Welker and Moss were successful because of our defensive scheme. Plain and simple!

 

 

I don't know if it's our implementation of the Cover 2 or if we don't have the right personnel. These are the problems that I see on most plays:

 

1) Our CBs give WAY too much cushion to opposing WRs. 8 - 10 yards.

2) Our LBs drop back WAY WAY to far on pass plays and cover zones instead of opposing WRs and TEs.

3) We cover opposing TEs with undersized LBs that don't have great hip turn, feet or cover skills.

4) Our FS may as well be sitting in the stands as they're rarely a factor in pass defense.

[San-O]

Welker and Moss were successful because of our defensive scheme. Plain and simple!

 

 

I don't know if it's our implementation of the Cover 2 or if we don't have the right personnel. These are the problems that I see on most plays:

 

1) Our CBs give WAY too much cushion to opposing WRs. 8 - 10 yards. CHECK

2) Our LBs drop back WAY WAY to far on pass plays and cover zones instead of opposing WRs and TEs. CHECK

3) We cover opposing TEs with undersized LBs that don't have great hip turn, feet or cover skills. CHECK

4) Our FS may as well be sitting in the stands as they're rarely a factor in pass defense. CHECK

 

Sounds like the Buffalo D alright.

 

The playing soft by the CBs is constant.

[Thurman#1]

It may possibly have helped just a weensy little bit that as the game went on, the Pats were able to get mroe pressure on, but at the end, where Brady got a very large percentage of his yardage, the Bills got almost no pressure at all.

 

I think it's juuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuust possible that that may have had some impact.

[TDO'Kearney]

It may possibly have helped just a weensy little bit that as the game went on, the Pats were able to get mroe pressure on, but at the end, where Brady got a very large percentage of his yardage, the Bills got almost no pressure at all.

 

I think it's juuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuust possible that that may have had some impact.

I hate to say this, and go ahead and flame me, but the pressure seemed to diminish the moment, how do I put this, *ahem* Kelsay left the field. I don't know if he reads this board or not but he was playing like he did for that first quarter or so.

[Stussy109]

Glove wearing Checkdown Mary vs. God

[Wilson from Gamehendge]

Why can't Edwards get the ball to the receivers, and why can't the Bills stop the other teams?

 

I think Edwards played a nice game, late sacks aside, but you can't have Moss and Welker having career days in the

same game!

 

 

And another things, with all the DBs drafted over the past four years, you would think the Bills would be able to

stop someone's throwing game. Was that the game plan, force Brady to throw all night long?

 

Bottom line:

 

Brady > Edwards

Moss > Owens

Welker > Evans

[AF88Bills]

Why can't Edwards get the ball to the receivers, and why can't the Bills stop the other teams?

 

I think Edwards played a nice game, late sacks aside, but you can't have Moss and Welker having career days in the

same game!

 

 

And another things, with all the DBs drafted over the past four years, you would think the Bills would be able to

stop someone's throwing game. Was that the game plan, force Brady to throw all night long?

 

The Patriots have a really good scheme, and the players to make it happen. Our DBs back off and they throw it short. Our DBs come up, Randy Moss beats em deep. It's very flexible. I don't think it's a complicated scheme, it's just reacts faster than the defense...In the military, we call this getting inside the enemies OODA loop. Observe, Orient, Decide, Act...

[GrudginglyOptimistic]

Why can't Edwards get the ball to the receivers, and why can't the Bills stop the other teams?

 

I think Edwards played a nice game, late sacks aside, but you can't have Moss and Welker having career days in the

same game!

 

 

And another things, with all the DBs drafted over the past four years, you would think the Bills would be able to

stop someone's throwing game. Was that the game plan, force Brady to throw all night long?

Thia post really misses the key point of the Bills D problems on Momday.

 

By far and I mean way big way by far the big negative receiving stat on the Bills in this game was Ben Watson's line where he got 2 TDs on long passes in the final 5 minutes of the game which cost us big time.

 

The bulk of the 24 Moss/Welker catches added up to the Bills having a two score margin on the Pats until the Watson receptions did us in.

 

The key to these receptions in my book were:

 

1. The Bills going to their prevent D in the final 5 which statistically was the right thing to do I could grant them but the stats do not take into account:

 

2. The Bills D simply failing to have anyone step up and make what could have been a game-winning play at crunch time

 

3.. The injury to Pos likely hurt us big time as he has shown great game speed and after two years with our version of the Cover 2 (including not to be undervalued time watching how it should work when he go hurt as a rookie) switching to Buggs when it is the MLB who bears lots of responsibility for deep middle coverage in our Tampa 2 style D this loss was a big one that Belicheat exploited big time.

 

4.. Our safeties really needed to depend upon our CBs doing the same thing they did early in the game when they correctly applied the coverage we were running to effectively deny their great WRs the big play Moss did get one long recept for 31 yds but his effectiveness in this game simply pales against his past multi-TD outings against a feeble Bills D. We really should have required our CBs to step up more and really blanket the WRs with tighter coverage than we ran all game and allowed the safeties to help out the very young and lesser talented Buggs over the middle.

 

On the offensive side of the ball as Jauron, TO, the local media, the national media (though they are missing the real story as they are operating on a TO as cancer story ignoring the fact his MO has been to be very nice his first year (and the fan base knows he needs to challenge the opponent deep more (even if the throw misses and he airmails it and misses everything this is better football than never throwing deep).

 

However, the double teams which NE used consistently to deny our WRs the ball is a big part of why TE had 2 TD throws to TE Nelson and RB Jackson as NE abandoned them one on one to dt the WRs. The stat results were unfulfilling to those who banked on Evans/TO on the fantasy teams, but for those who are interested in the Bills the fact that the O performance teamed with an all important INT by Schoebel to give us a two score lead before we seemed to forget the game was 60 minutes long and not 55.

 

However, focusing on the Moss/Welker #s and not showing any understanding of the dynamics which underlay the poor stat performance of the WRs is simply an incorrect way to view the game.

[Orton's Arm]

Excellent post. I also think AVP did a great job, and this is being overlooked by most due to the way the game ended.

 

For a 1st time OC, in his first game, to go up against the Pats, he did a very nice job.

 

Buffalo will need to find a way to improve the TOP though, IMO.

Improving time of possession needs to start with the defense learning how to get off the field on third down. They allowed the Patriots to convert about 2/3 of their third downs, which is way above what defenses usually allow.

 

I'll grant that the Patriots offense is one of the best in the league. But the defense's inability to get off the field on third downs isn't just something that started happening this past Monday.

 

One of the things I liked about the Wade Phillips 3-4 is that it seemed at least as good at preventing the big play as is our Tampa-2, and yet the defense was a lot more likely to deny other teams third down conversions.

[PDaDdy]

Improving time of possession needs to start with the defense learning how to get off the field on third down. They allowed the Patriots to convert about 2/3 of their third downs, which is way above what defenses usually allow.

 

I'll grant that the Patriots offense is one of the best in the league. But the defense's inability to get off the field on third downs isn't just something that started happening this past Monday.

 

Great point! To quote myself the problems below I think DIRECTLY lead to our lack of efficiency on 3rd down. Our CBs and LBs need to play close and tighter coverage. Unlike one of the other posters I don't think that playing just a couple yards closer would lead to more big plays for the opposing offense. Safeties are supposed to be there over the top to prevent the deep ball. Our CBs also have 4.3 speed and should be able to turn and run with a WR trying to blow past them.

 

1) Our CBs give WAY too much cushion to opposing WRs. 8 - 10 yards.

2) Our LBs drop back WAY WAY to far on pass plays and cover zones instead of opposing WRs and TEs.

3) We cover opposing TEs with undersized LBs that don't have great hip turn, feet or cover skills.

4) Our FS may as well be sitting in the stands as they're rarely a factor in pass defense.

[spartacus]

They used their receivers in short-routes, we used our TE's/RB's.

 

What difference does it make?

 

what difference?

 

how about good teams use their elite playmakers (Owens & Evans) to make plays - not serve as decoys for our less than stellar TEs - who did not make any plays down the field where the holes were from the double coverage in Owens and Evans

[Conch]

Lee Evans is a major problem. He has 25 yards or less receiving in 4 of his last 5 games and 5 of his last 8. This guy needs to be benched for a quarter and given a message. When he does get a tough pass to hang on to vs NE, he drops it. Wish he had half of TO's heart. I'd replace him with Steve Johnson for a series or two just to say it is time for you to put it on the line. A no.1 receiver beats double teams. Lee does not anymore.

[PDaDdy]

Lee Evans is a major problem. He has 25 yards or less receiving in 4 of his last 5 games and 5 of his last 8. This guy needs to be benched for a quarter and given a message. When he does get a tough pass to hang on to vs NE, he drops it. Wish he had half of TO's heart. I'd replace him with Steve Johnson for a series or two just to say it is time for you to put it on the line. A no.1 receiver beats double teams. Lee does not anymore.

 

I wish TO had half of Lee Evans heart when he dropped that 40+ yard bomb that could have potentially been a TD

 

A #1 WR can't beat double coverage if their QB doesn't throw them the ball or throw them a proper ball. The announcers even made mention of this salient point last night. Commenting on how on TO's second chance at a TD that he caught Trent lobbed the ball in there with some arc and that he needed to learn to throw a ball to Lee Evans that way and that they are STILL for some reason working on their chemistry.

 

Lee has been able to beat double coverage but he doesn't have a QB that is willing to risk throwing it into that small window that opens or putting up a ball with some arc deep and letting his WR make a play. I think Edwards suffers from what I might guess you do. A guy can't be a #1 WR unless they are fast, effective and most importantly 6'3" 200+ lbs. If those are indeed your criteria there are about 5 #1 WRs in the entire NFL.

 

PS How much of a #1 WR did Randy Moss look like last night? I think Randy is a #1 WR by anyone's criteria. Over the course of his career there have been large periods of time where he didn't perform like one. Just goes to show there is much more than meets the eye.