Bleeding Bills Blue

2 challenges didn't cost us the game. The defenses inability to tackle, fill their gaps, cover, or rush the passer more than cost us that game.

Biggest thing - Rex is a players coach. He isn't going to publicly rip his guys for messing up. He might say something in meetings etc, but to the media he'll usually accept responsibility. The accountability for a Rex team has to come from the leaders. And this defense doesn't seem to have any. That's why he wanted to bring in harris, and some of his old jets guys. They lead and make sure to motivate. Kyle and Aaron williams both being out has a major effect on the team and its pretty obvious. If we lose Kyle, i expect we bring in a few veteran RR guys. Wouldn't be surprised to see us move on from Mario too - he doesn't want to play in this scheme and doesn't play hard half of the game.

The defense is not playing well. We played a vanilla scheme and asked alex smith to beat us. He obliged. Dialing up blitzes would've resulted in them using tons of screens to beat us. The way we have tackled recently - i don't want them running tons of screens against our blitz.

They were rushing 3 or 4 all game...? What am i missing here? They even did some wide 9 stuff everyone seems to like so much. Everyone on the defense played poorly. Rex didn't call a great game, and the players did not execute what was called. They lost... as a team.

My thoughts on improving refs: 1 - Reviews in the booth. They're soooo much faster. You can have a team at HQ doing them if you want that way you get multiple opinions, and can radio them into the refs. 2 - Refs in the booth. Whenever there's a conference on a "what just happened on that play? whats the call?" You have another person who was able to view the entire field able to drop in their opinion. And has access to the rule book to actually make the correct call. 3 - Figure out what a catch is! 2 feet? football move? what happens when it's in the end zone? 4 - Remove automatic firsts for anything that isn't a personal foul. PI should be a max 15 yards. 5 - Figure out some of the clock issues. There seems to be an issue with a game every week regarding the clock. The 2 minute warning is terrible, and used solely to generate commercial time.

My only problem was you announced to the stadium that it was a 4th "timeout". NE would have called timeout had they known that the clock was running. It's not that hard to tell everyone - hey the clock starts when we put the ball down.

Oh, and why do we have to challenge things ALL the time? Why can't refs just you know - get calls right from time to time? They get paid pretty well to do that don't they?

Sounded like the smart scheme. You don't blitz an andy reid team. Unless you want to give up 40 yard screens all game. We didn't get any pressure and smith broke contain multiple times. They also gashed us in the run game. That comes down to the LBs and depth linemen. IK, Carrington, Bryant all had miserable games.

I would go for 2 to tie the game.... 100 out of 100 times in that situation. Not even factoring in the carpenter miss.

Agree. It's hard to think about play calls, tendencies, and all that. All while people are probably jabbering in your ear about something else completely. I personally think challenge's are stupid. Just have a couple booth reviewers like they do in college... review what you think is close. Don't have the ref run off the field, just radio in the call.

THIS. I hate being kicked off the field. Or getting a huge turnover, and immediately kicking it for 3 points. It starts with run plays getting stuffed, and it ends with a lot of questionable 3rd down playcalling.

I mean just random ones that fantasy "pros" etc. post online.

Ban it or don't - I honestly dont care. However I don't play, because I realize that it is entirely luck-based. Sure there can be skill involved in picking a lineup, but i can just pick a random lineup i saw someone else is using and still beat you. Not to mention, there are probably hundreds of people doing this for a living, and they're probably really good at it. And they probably play lineups in tons of contests. Oh and for the "its skill based" argument, why are the commercials designed to tell me that I can win? I'm not skilled...? Am i? If it's legal, just put more regulation into it. Look into the winners a bit, etc. I for one think online poker should be legal too. The reason it isn't, was most likely cheaters (and not greasing the right politicians).

I still absolutely detest the 3rd down playcalling. I'd also like to see more passing on 1st and 2nd down. Not a ton, just mix it up a little.

Not to agree or disagree, but to be fair to tyrod - he does drive the ball down the field a lot more. Tannehill doesn't throw more than 3 or 4 yards beyond the line of scrimmage.

I though i read that the money commitment would have made it difficult to swing. But hey, that's next seasons problem.

Running the ball is great when its working - but we are far too passive in even our passing game sometimes. When we lined up in creative passing formations - mccoy as a receiver, 5 wide - there was space to make things happen and we got some first downs. It also makes the defense adjust to different formations. When were this bunched together shotgun with 2 wide, we almost always check down since the receivers are like always in fly routes. That or we check into a run on 3rd and 3 or 4. Or call that stupid roll left disaster play. Romans third down calls are just awful lately, no hitches, no outs, no slants. Everything gets all weird and fancy instead of just - beat your man. I'd like to see a quick easy passing call that allows us to get to the line quicker too. And the lack of screen calls is pretty bizarre. I know contain rushes can play into the lack of screen calls since people are tending to stay home more... but they blitzed a decent amount in that game and we like never call screens to beat that aggressiveness. Better put that in against KC or we're gonna get beat up.

He'll probably be fairly cheap for as long as we'll have him. Unless he has some sort of huge breakout campaign.

It's a really annoying problem. Lining up late means you can't make adjustments if your play won't work. You're forced to just go ahead with what roman wants. The running game has definitely benefited from his calls (mis-direction, cutbacks, traps/veers, sweeps). But if there's like 25 versions of essentially the same play, it gets confusing in the huddle when people have no idea how to line up. Then there's 25 different run options, with different blocking schemes, different pulls. It gets messy really quickly. This is all before we even line up on the field, and see how the defense lines up. The 2 minute offense should only have plays on the wrist band - and they should all be designed to get the ball out quick and line up quick. Clocking it should be an option, as should screens.

With the attitude of many WRs coming out of college, his is a nice breath of fresh air. Keep him around - at least he puts in the work. He's a depth guy forced to learn all the roles on the offense (Z,Y, Slot), and play special teams. He's also pretty big - which is good for a running team.

I seem to remember Thigpen fair-catching balls at the 5 yard line - and everyone saying "what the hell are you doing?". But maybe being cut 5 times will teach the guy to mind his surroundings a little better.

We hadn't had a first down in a few drives. I consider it a force for that reason. Maybe the read is right - but i still try to get a first down on a higher percentage play.

Maybe they were showing a play where we forced it to sammy despite other options?

Don't reach for one. We've got holes all over the roster. Grab an OLB or DT for our 3-4 defense. Grab some Oline help. Wherever there's good value. Sure we could use a better QB - but so could every team that drafts ahead of us.

I was 11 when i watched that game, and i remember it pretty clearly. We didn't line up for the extra point we were so pissed off.