vincec

Other that his run blocking and pass blocking, he's doing great. He works hard in practice and really believes in the coach. Maybe in a few years he'll be ready to play in the NFL (for the next coach).

And our backs averaged 1.8 yds per carry. It doesn't seem to be anyone's fault though... certainly not anyone on the offensive line.

It's interesting that you agree with me and then make the exact opposite point. Obviously, it's a matter of perspective, but good coaching is getting the most out of what you have (as Bum Phillips used to say about Don Shula- "He can take his'n and beat your'n and take your'n and beat his'n"). People that jettison players because "they don't fit their system" or draft less talented players higher because they do don't know what they're doing.

In the NFL, QBs need to be able to pass the ball. If you want somebody to run back there, you'd put your running back at QB the way Miami does. There's no way to have an effective pro offense without making big plays and the vast majority of big plays (plays over 20 yds) in NFL games come via the passing game. It's a nice bonus if your QB can run, but great passing QBs that can run (ie. Steve Young) are VERY rare. QBs that can run and are only so-so passers are a dime a dozen (e.g. Vick, McNair, Vince Young, Cunningham, Flutie, etc.), but you don't win championships with them. Most QBs stop trying to run once they figure out how to make big plays in the passing game anyway so their career can last a few years.

No worries. If Jauron were the kind of coach that could turn this team around and make the playoffs then he wouldn't be who he is... a loser (nice guy though).

I think we'd be better off trading for Manning first, then Rogers.

Why do people think it's such a big leap from the "spread offense" to other traditional pro offenses? The Pats don't run the spread option. It's just a multi-receiver set like most teams have. They just use it more often (although not exclusively). That's probably because they have Tom Brady, Wes Welker and Randy Moss. In the NFL, teams use pieces of whatever works for their personnel in a mish-mash of offensive plays and concepts. They key is to adjust your philosophy and play calling to your personnel. Football is about physically imposing your will on your opponent. If you can do that, you will be successful no matter what offense or defensive system you run.

Probably means that it's time to stop talking and start signing...

If only it was as easy as writing down what we wanted: I think that we should hire Cowher as the head coach with Mike Holmgren as the offensive coordinator, Mike Shanahan as the QB coach and Jon Gruden as the receivers coach. We could take Tony Dungy as the new defensive coordinator with Marty Shottenheimer as the linebackers coach. I think that they're all available. Then we can trade for Peyton Manning...

As a transplanted Buffalonian, I have to say that I think the lack of fanaticism about professional sports in Charlotte is refreshing. If the team is entertaining, the fans follow along and support them. If they stink it up, they do not. That goes for pro football and basketball. Professional sports are a form of entertainment. If they are not entertaining, then people move on. They are a little crazy about college basketball down here, which is too bad, but it's no where near as bad as people are about sports up north. FYI, the number one sport in the south both in terms of participation and viewership is golf. I think it's the weather...

That defense was ridiculous. Not only was it a 4-2-5 with Whitner playing LB, but one of the other LBs was Ellison who is basically a DB anyway. The Bills played that defense even when the Saints went with a FB and a TE. No wonder the Bills wore down and the Saints ran it down their throats. If you're going to play with such a small group you need some serious meat up front and the Bills don't have it.

I'm sure our offense would look a lot better with a real OL, a real QB and and OC that wasn't hired a week before the season started.

I agree. Jauron needs a winning season to save his job. Not only would that be an improvement, but given the Bills poor start and injury problems it would mean that they win at least 8 out of their last 11 games with several starters out. That would probably warrant retaining him. It's not going to happen though... Jauron is a loser for a reason. If he could close out a season winning 8 out of 11 he wouldn't be who he is.

How does a knee injury to Kyle Williams "look pretty good"?

Let's see: we averaged 1.8 yards per carry and our QB was hit or hurried on about 3/4 of the pass plays. I saw Meredith get beat on every single passing play that I watched him and Bell "had his hands full" with Peppers. I would say that it was much more than Hangartner's fault.

Don't underestimate Scott in the mix. He's better in run support than either Wilson or Whitner and if Byrd is your ball hawk, then the other safety needs to be stout around the LOS. Whitner doesn't make any more plays in the passing game than Scott... The O-Line got annihilated. It's a tribute to Fitzpatrick that he didn't turn the ball over. He didn't have time to go through any progressions, and he didn't try. It was basically one read and then tuck it under and run. The O-Line needs a couple more years of maturity and at least 1 or 2 new starters. It's the worst line that I've seen so far this season with maybe 2 legitimate starting caliber players out of 5.

LB don't make too many tackles for losses unless they blitz. That's a DL statistic. Also, if people were targeting at the "weak link" on our defense, it would be against Schobel and Draft. I don't think that opposing offenses care where they run it as long as it's not at Stroud. We are last in the league in run defense and that's not all Ellison's fault. I wonder how Ellison would look if Richard Seymour was playing in front of him instead of Chris Kelsay? I think that Ellison is doing remarkably well given his size. He has made a lot of tackles and several big stops. If we could get a bigger LB to play on running downs, Ellison would be a great 3rd down LB... or we could get a more dominating LDE and keep Ellison behind him. He is a very small problem on this team.

This is the classic "False Hope Game". I don't care. I'm going to enjoy this and talk all kinds of smack this week.

Reed was too tough for the DB on that play.

No it's not your imagination. They own the line of scrimmage. Frankly, it's a tribute to our QB and RBs that there hasn't been any fumbles.

Play action would've been better on 1st down...

Don't panic. Jake Delhome is NOT Tom Brady.

He hasn't lost his confidence... yet. Just give him a few more weeks of getting pounded behind this OL and he'll be Sergeant Checkdown...

Who is that behind center?

I guess it's the Jauron approach. If you keep drafting DBs in the first round, eventually people can't really pass on you anymore and all you need to do is make a play or two in each drive against the running game to force a punt.