The Big Cat

Nobody in their right mind expected the offense to get better with Fitz/Gailey gone and rookies at OC and QB. Nobody. Also, way to cherry pick cumulative stats for Stevie-12 games-Johnson and CJ-came out of and/or missed no less than three games--Spiller. Fine, I'll ask again: what did Chan do to get CJ in space? Everyone seems to think this is some magical, no fail panacea. So pray tell what DIDN'T Hackett do to make this happen that Chan did, without fail?

Yeah but Marrone is a Greggo clone.

Hilliard, Ike?

Folks also seem to remember fondly the offensive wunderkinder whose Bills tenure began with a record of 0-8.

I think we'll be able to evaluate Jay now that we see what this insanely talented Cincy offense can do without him. Dalton haters are a dime a dozen. The guy is perfectly capable of winning with the talent he's surrounded by.

And in both cases MULTIPLE players had to go down before they saw the field. Tuel: EJ, Kolb, Lewis Rogers: McKelvin,Gillmore, Byrd, Brooks

Didn't Buffalo say 10 days ago they were "taking this approach"?

Couldn't sweep because of the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade. Goes to show: want people to watch TV the old fashioned way, make it the old fashioned way: live. Your program doesn't have 'live' value...then you better start figuring out how to squeeze Hulu et al for every dime you can.

Then I'll ask again: what did Gailey do so differently that Hackett proved capable but unwilling to do?

Absolutely LOVE this guy.

I've been trying to amplify this point you've been making since week 2. The "play calling sucks" crowd and the "I'm sick of shotgun-run on first down" peanut galler usually only get two or three laps in before they go straight to ye olde ignore list.

There's still somebody out there that doesn't think Fitz was better than the QB's we trotted out there this year, huh? Well alright.

Yes, and we had a WR pass at one point, IIRC. PRF doesn't show it, but I'm fairly certain it was Graham who threw one deep.

I'm curious as to what fans think Chan did to get "CJ in space" that was not attempted this year. Was I the only one watching the unmitigated disasters that were 70% of our screen plays?

With a defense that actually brings it we finally have real home field advantage. Why give up 12.5% of that annually?

Well, it's a shame that through all those ridiculous threads the SJ disciples still can't grasp the point. There was little to no just thumping involved, but quite frankly, yes I am that poster, and yes I was right, and still am. The fervor with which so many disputed this claim was the sole purpose for dredging it back up. But fine, make it about me.

Ah yes, when message board fans are now "accountable." From one to another, this is rich.

Yes yes and yes. Precisely. The good doctor has this one pretty well under wraps. Thank you kindly, good sir. Exactly. Our own players don't like going there. What else do you need to know?

Was this year. And I maintain it cost them two games.

Not as essential as winning, which the Bills have proven they can't do there.

That's what I went with too.

I didn't say we don't need a QB coach, nor have I ever said that. Please don't take a page out of the BADOL playbook to argue against points you insist I make/made without providing any evidence therein. Now, having said that: I've also said many times here that it wasn't just the unit's disproportionately poor play (one could argue they were our team's WORST unit), they also just didn't seem to conform to what we've come to believe are Marrone's standards for professionalism. I've made this point many times. But the game ejection, the taunting penalties, the terribly timed drops and fumbles, the goofy preseaon Vines, all these things lead me to believe that Marrone's very curt "it was a difference in philosophy" retort referred to Hilliard letting boys-be-boys when the production was--quite obviously--not there.

Relevant: how much credit does Crossman deserve for the dynamite year Carpenter had? Is there more to his position than coverages and return schemes?

I disagree. I think it was clear that HIlliard didn't have his players toe the line to Marrone's expectations. Also, where in God's name is there evidence that the quarterbacks played significantly below their talent level, like the receivers did. One would argue that goal-line pick six not withstanding, the QB coach (Hackett, and I'm sure that's the point you were trying to make, which is equally invalid) having produced three wins with three quaterbacks with a combined 1 NFL start prior to the season should have been nominated for Bills' coach of the year!