GaryPinC

I don't think Marrone refuses to fire Hackett, otherwise he's seen as a fraud because he always preaches best chance of winning. Thing is, I think Nate Hackett's playcalling improved (though still not good enough) the last quarter of the season and he has a lot of passion for the job. I simply think he needs to learn from an experienced NFL OC guru for a year or two. Chances are he gets let go, especially when PR savvy Russ Brandon publicly questions the playcalling. There's a lot of fluff corporate-speak that comes out of Russ's mouth, but when he voices displeasure concerning the Bills, changes get made. I don't get why so many here want to get rid of Marrone? It sounds like there's a good locker room and he consistently has this team playing good, hard-nosed football. For the first time in I-don't-know-when, in-game injuries happened noticeably more to our opponents instead of us. This year, I didn't have to cringe always watching other teams run over us when the game's on the line. I do believe he is building a successful culture behind the scenes. I think Brandon Spikes' words about enjoying his time here are heartfelt and not purely contract motivated. It's clear Marrone got a little too full of himself and over-tinkered with the O-line and was too conservative on 4th downs at times. He's a young NFL head coach with an unreliable offense/QB to influence his decisions so give him a chance to learn. Hopefully in his 360's players are empowered enough to mention going for it more on fourth down. This is a team that hasn't achieved anything yet, but opponents don't want to face. The last time I felt that way was in '87. Yeah, let's blow up the system, locker room and get rid of our 2nd year head coach working with an unreliable QB situation. Makes perfect sense.

Mallett would be my top choice also. Looked like he can read a defense and play in this league watching him against Cleveland. Big unknown is that muscle tear affecting his arm strength, but worth taking a chance on. Hoyer, no way. Not the strongest arm and predictable tendencies. Draft one also.

Awfully bold statements about Pears' QB abilities! ;-) I get what you're saying about Orton and trust what you've seen of him in the past but also wonder if for whatever reason he's just declining. Didn't do training camp and wonder how much he works out and takes care of himself? As I said that slide on 3rd and 2 spoke volumes to me about his heart being in it. He had at least another step or 2 before a defender caught him so take those and dive forward and try and reach that first down! Even if he didn't make it I couldn't fault the effort. What he did showed me his first priority out there is to protect himself before trying to make a critical play for the team. That compromises aggressiveness and could be at the root of his dropoff.

I kind of think it's a combination of things. Hoyer started off great in Cleveland then the bottom fell out. I think part of it is that once there's enough scouting reports and film out there, opposing defenses really clamp down on QB tendencies. With backups like Orton and Hoyer they don't have the talent to make certain situational throws consistently and I think that's what catches up to them. I know that's how Searcy got the INT's with Hoyer, just sat on his favorite pattern. Then for Orton you have an immobile QB who can't throw on the run with a bad offensive line and I think at this point in his career he's a bit gunshy because of it. He may have a competitive, aggressive streak but his slide on that 3rd and 2 said it all to me. It seems preposterous to me that coaching is making him this way. I understand Marrone and/or Hackett may coach Orton to make safe throws but plays are run with a variety of patterns and a progression of reads. Even if his first read is the short pattern and he throws to a wide open deep pattern is the coach going to try and correct that? Coaches call the plays but QB's have the final decision.

It's not dirty at all! Wood never lowered his head, he dropped his body down and exploded his shoulder through Clay Matthew's chest. Wood's helmet never contacted Matthews at all. The buffalo rumblings link has 2 angles that show it was a good hit. I get what you are saying about Woods targeting Matthews rather than targeting someone closer to the play, but he wasn't dirty with his hit. It may have been payback for something else, but I am sick of the past years of our team having the opposition's will physically imposed on them. It's nice to see us doing it for a change! If they can keep it up I'm really looking forward to that Patriots game.

If true, maybe Doug should let her do press conferences for him. Alternatively, it'd be fun to watch a reporter ask Marrone about the incident this week.

Probably a good time for him to buy some more fracking land...

With all the concussion problems the NFL is facing, I believe the refs are taking steps to protect the receivers a la quarterbacks. If they see a reciever's head snap sideways or backwards while trying to make a catch it's going to get called even if contact is made with the shoulder around high chest level. Even if it's technically a legal hit it will still be unsportsmanlike because the defender is trying to hit a defenseless receiver as hard as he can. It may be changing the game but I do think it needs to be done. Let the DB hit the reciever at the tucked level of the ball or use his hands to get it loose if he wants to cause an incompletion or turnover. When I was a kid in the 70's and 80's I don't think the CB's were as adept at using their hands to knock the ball away from a receiver as today. Seems like much more of a coached skill these days. I know when I played in high school DB's were coached to to tee off on the receiver and very little emphasis on using hands to force an incompletion.

I agree with everything you are saying but if true that Johnny Football doesn't even know their offense yet, you can't put him in there. He'll have no respect as a leader. I thought he was further along than that. It's obvious the scouts have picked up on Hoyer's tendencies and Searcy did too last week because by the second half he was sitting on all the routes he knew Hoyer would go to. Pettine and Shanahan need to retool their offense a bit and coach up Hoyer to change his tendancies. And Manziel gets the direct message that a few glory plays doesn't annoint him starter, he has to put more work in. Once the Browns are out of contention than Manziel is in line for playing time but only if he can correctly call the offense.

Yea, sorry. It wasn't in reference to your grounding point (thanks for that, by the way!) but when I looked at your link and saw the tuck rule up there I did a double take and wanted to set that part straight since it's relevant to the thread.

It's actually not. Look at my link with the red writing in Section 1 article 1 (b) in the first paragraph compared to your document. That's where they pulled out the tuck rule.

Actually, that's the rule from 2013 which still incorporates the tuck rule. Here's the 2014 version which conveniently has the rule change in red: http://static.nfl.co...Pass_Fumble.pdf To summarize, there has to be clear evidence that Johnny was pulling the ball back towards his body and the replay official felt he wasn't so he overturned the call. There is no intentional grounding because when it struck off Kyle Williams' helmet it became a batted ball which negates a grounding call. The thing why the officials are wrong is because Johnny started the pass and quickly dropped his arm angle right after he started to bring his arm forward. I understand the refs looked at the play and saw the ball swinging out towards Kyle and decided it was not coming back towards the QB but by dropping his elbow just after he started his throw that downward angle to shorten his swing was bringing the ball back towards his body. It's there on replay. The other annoying thing is that I swear I saw the play from a camera in the back of the endzone and it was much more obvious from that angle. Anybody else see this or have access to that shot or am I remembering wrong? Two things that should come out of this: If the QB changes the angle of his arm swing that should constitute a fumble if it gets knocked loose and any QB looking to avoid intentional grounding inside the box should bounce a pass off the defender to negate the possibility of a flag. Some version of the rule will always remain as it is there to protect the QB's arm while in a throwing motion.

I hear you. It's easy to talk in generalities because generally you'll always be right but that doesn't speak to the mentality behind the decision making which is my point. Also, it's not an easy decision for Marrone when we're down late in the game as evidenced by the 4th quarter of the Miami game. Miami was moving the ball decently most of the game against our defense and IMO with 9+ minutes left we needed to take a chance on that 4th down he decided to punt away. Wrong message to send your team, Doug. As far as a 1st quarter 4th and 3 from the 50, let's say we started with it on the 2 and have overcome multiple penalties, including multiple holding calls to move the ball out to our 43. It's the first signs of life our offense has shown and every play we're getting 4+ yards a play but penalties are killing us and we're already losing to Denver 10-0. Let's say after a 1st and 10 from the 43 we had more penalties that moved us back to a second and 25 but we ended up fourth and 3 from the 50. As the head coach, Denver has already beaten your defense twice and we're trying to sort that out, but right now you are moving the ball well and you know their defense will make adjustments after they get off the field. You're playing Payton Manning. No question old Marrone punts in that situation but your offense is finding a rhythm and chomping at the bit. I would like to see a new Marrone go for it in that situation.

I disagree. Marrone needs to challenge our offense at certain points in the game to dig deep and make a play to keep a drive alive. At certain points of the game, our offense needs to stomp on the throats of the opposition to break their will, momentum and take control of the game. Field goals and trying to pin them deep doesn't cut it long term. How can you task your offense to come up with a string of positive plays/drives when we are losing late in a critical game if you don't have the confidence to take chances when we're winning and a touchdown will break the opposition? It shows the utmost confidence in your players and they will relish the opportunity. Do it intelligently, do it to challenge your offense to improve themselves, and do it to instill an attitude and confidence. Plus, we have the defense to cover it if they can't get it done on occasion. Kudos to Aaron Williams for being willing to discuss it publicly recently. I know it goes against the team and handling it in the locker room but Marrone needs to change and I would rather not have another coach fired to start the cycle over again.

Johnny's a playmaker. He's balls to the wall and lays it all on the line to make plays. He'll grow out of the punk stage and is starting to already. What teammate doesn't love a guy like that? Hoyer executes an offense and is one of the league's top backups. I can't say if Manziel is good enough for this league but he'll make the most out of his opportunities. The league's scouts have Hoyer pretty well figured out. Knowing how Pettine coaches, I think Manziel gets his first start next weekend.

He was open downfield second half on at least one other play but never got the ball thrown to him. Did a decent job blocking as TE from the couple of plays I saw. Does ok as a lead blocker but hope they just use him as the TE. Good athlete. "Big Sammy"

Always blows my mind too. Or that offenses and defenses may need time to come together as a unit.

This should be a good game. Biggest advantage for Buffalo: Hoyer hasn't played well the last 2 games and is getting nervous and frustrated. If our D-line can get after him early and force him into mistakes then Hoyer may perform like a Jets quarterback. Biggest advantage for Cleveland: Mike Pettine. This guy is the real deal as a head coach. If the Browns make the playoffs he should be coach of the year. He goes for the jugular, his offense is creative, and the players play hard. Perfect example was the Atlanta game. Losing by a point with time running out they get down to Atlanta 30 yard line with 16 seconds left. Calls time out. Idiot announcers (Burlein and Tasker) can't believe he didn't save his last time out until the final play. Pettine calls for a short pass over the middle and instructs the rest of his offense to stay together and get to the line to spike the ball. Play goes for 10 yards and the receiver actually went down instead of trying to earn any more yards so they can spike the ball. Worked out perfectly and Cundiff had to kick a 37 yarder instead of a 47 yarder. I guarantee Marrone isn't bold enough to execute that and would have tried to run the ball up the middle for little or no gain. Buffalo's got more talent and Cleveland can be inconsistent here and there but they can really play ball. I gotta favor them if the game's within 10 or less.

EJ did look a lot sharper handing the ball off. I am fine with Marrone not putting him in there sooner, but it really pissed me off that EJ didn't get to throw on third and nine. This guy is only one play away from being back in there, we're leading 38-3 with less than 3 minutes left. Worst case he throws a pick-6 and then we're only leading by ummm 28. Let the guy throw for a first down and get some meaningful work out of it!

A bit long, but a good article: http://www.nationalparkstraveler.com/2014/10/guest-columnclimate-changing-and-some-parks-are-endangered-humans-arent-cause25818

+1 By all accounts EJ seems to be a hard worker and has the opportunity to work behind the scenes and learn from Orton what he needs to. I haven't given up on EJ yet and having him sit and learn behind a veteran was the original plan anyways. I feel bad for Geno Smith, I don't know if he's good enough for this league but his situation sucks. It's obvious to me that the majority of college quarterbacks need to hold the clipboard and learn behind the scenes for a couple years to have their best chance of success.

Wow, how 1980's of you. Maybe ISIS is sending jihadists over to West Africa right now to become infected and hop a plane to the States.

totally sodium dodecyl sulfate! ;-)

You're right, anytime there is infected blood present there will be a risk. But your odds of contacting the bloody urine or menstrual fluid? Ulcer laced vomit, saliva? Consider the guy who died in Texas, Thomas Eric Duncan. The only people who have gotten infected were 2 nurses treating him, even though it advanced for 3 days while he stayed with his fiancee and 3 other people. And it's now been more than 21 days for his family: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/11/us/thomas-duncan-had-a-fever-of-103-er-records-show.html?_r=0 The man, Thomas Eric Duncan, 42, had a high fever — his temperature was 103 degrees — during his four-hour visit to the emergency room of Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital on Sept. 25, according to 1,400 pages of medical records that Mr. Duncan’s family provided to The Associated Press. Mr. Duncan reported severe pain, rating it an eight on a scale of one to 10. His fever was marked with an exclamation point in the hospital’s record-keeping system, The A.P. reported. But the hospital sent Mr. Duncan home, even after learning that he had recently arrived from Africa. He was prescribed antibiotics and was told to take Tylenol, then he returned to the apartment where he was staying with his fiancée and three other people. He returned to the emergency room on Sept. 28 and was immediately placed in isolation in the hospital. He died of Ebola on Wednesday, the only person to die from the disease in the United States. Continue reading the main

Uhhhh, no. If you lived in Cleveland you would realize otherwise: http://www.people.com/article/anna-younker-bridal-shop-quarantine-ebola ""I had a customer ask me yesterday, 'Is my dress covered in Ebola?' " Younker says. "Someone told me that I should take all the dresses and burn them. Isn't that crazy?" Even Younker's 10-year-old son, who had no contact with Vinson at all, can't escape the terrible stigma. "There are parents calling my son's school saying they don't want him there," she says. "It's tough."