R. Rich Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 And so, another season is finished. Mercifully. Another year that started out w/ plenty of high hopes and finished w/ plenty of frustration. That makes it an even ten years now. Woo hoo! As for the game? Well, they won....I guess that counts for something. Sure, they blew the opportunity to draft a few spots higher, but 'til we see what the front office is going to look like, that may not even be an issue. If the Bills turn out to be, "more of the same", then it wouldn't matter if they had the chance to draft Ndamukong Suh, they'd still find a way for it to turn sour. Ryan Fitzpatrick had a really good game vs the Colts, so props to him. W/ the weather being as poor as it was, it was that much more impressive to see the throws he made (that TD to Lee Evans was a work of art, and the bomb to Terrell Owens wasn't so shabby, either), even the ones that were misfires (the "shoulda been TD" to TE Joel Klopfenstein was another terrific throw). Even though there were some miscues (more missed passes, including a few to Owens that could've gone for TDs and clock management snafus), this very well could have been Fitzpatrick's best game as a Bill. How timely, as everyone was playing for their 2010 jobs and/or positions on the depth chart. The running game took center stage on Sunday, which is to say Fred Jackson took center stage. Fred seems to like center stage....a lot!! He run w/ a sense of purpose, making people miss (excellent footing, considering the weather conditions) and, when necessary, plowing (pun intended) ahead to get tough yards. His performance, as well as the "performance" of Marshawn Lynch, just goes to show that Jackson is the lead back while Lynch isn't much more than the backup for the Bills. A 200 yard game for a Bills RB? Nice. Been a while since we've seen those. Overall, this was a good game for the receivers. Evans and Owens both had TD catches, and TEs Jonathan Stupar, Shawn Nelson, and Klopfenstein each got involved w/ a catch. I even saw Evans go downfield and make a nice block for Jackson! Seriously. Of course, there were a few plays where they did nothing away from the play (one in particular, in the red zone, where Evans, on the left side, took 3 steps, turned 'round, and did nothing else as the play was a run to the right side; Owens' run blocking left a lot to be desired for the most part), but these guys produced when given the chance. Good job. The true stars of this game were the offensive line. These guys made public their desire to get Jackson the yardage needed to get to 1,000 yards (needed 150 going into the game) and they delivered, as Jackson finished w/ 212. The left side, yes, the LEFT side, was very strong as tackle Jermon Meredith and guard Andy Levitre did a tremendous job of knocking guys off the line and allowing Jackson to get to the second level all day. The one guy I really would like to commend though is beleagured (certainly by me this season) center Geoff Hangartner. On more than a few plays Sunday, I saw Hangartner go and lead the way for Jackson on runs to the outside and he made nice blocks past the line of scrimmage. There was one play where he made his block on the line, released to lead block, and then took out the LB on a play that went for big yards in the red zone. Outstanding run blocking and, seeing as though Fitzpatrick wasn't sacked @ all, they were solid in pass protection as well. The defensive line had a workman like day, as everyone did their part for the common good. Aaron Schobel brought the pressure and showed that he still has plenty in the tank for a guy who talked 'bout retirement earlier. Chris Kelsay and Ryan Denney were soild in terms of run defense, forcing action back inside and letting the pursuit clean up. Speaking of, Kyle Williams had another good game, pressuring the QB and coming up w/ a sack while also finishing w/ 7 tackles and being tough vs the run. Spencer Johnson was a bit more stout than usual, as I didn't observe him being knocked 8 yards off the ball in this one. Same for Marcus Stroud, who did okay coming off blocks and actually was double teamed a few times in the first half. There was even another Aaron Maybin sighting, though he really didn't do a whole heck of a lot. I can only hope that the more reps he gets, the more he'll develop the skills needed to be productive. Right now, he's just far too raw to step in and be a dominant player. Much like the D line, the linebackers had a nice overall game. Though they weren't much of a factor in rushing the passer, they did neutralize the Colts' running game as they finished w/ 25 yards total. Paul Posluszny and John Corto both had plenty of tackles and did a good job of getting to the play and making stops, something we haven't seen much of out of Bills linebackers all season. Chris Draft didn't have quite as productive a game as the other two, but I did see him make a play or two in coverage. A bit more size to help stuff the run better, and a bit more speed off the edge to get to the QB and force hurried throws or come up w/ sacks and turnovers, and this unit will really scare people. The secondary probably were the only ones who appreciated the lovely weather conditions @ RICH on Sunday, as it certainly helped their cause. Case in point: the first INT by Cary Harris, a pass by Peyton Manning that got hung up a tiny bit, plus the receiver slipped, allowing Harris to dive for the pick. Manning did recover to make some nice throws, including a really nice Manning-led TD drive. But, when they went to backup Curtis Painter, it was not so pretty. He could not make the kind of throws that Manning and Fitzpatrick did, and he looked lost out there. That, plus the terrific run defense the Bills played (no, that's not a typo!) made for a great outing for the secondary. Reggie Corner had to be happy that he was playing @ home on Sunday and not in the ATL, as there was no Roddy White there. He had a solid game, breaking up a deep throw and stopping a bubble screen that he diagnosed right from the snap. Drayton Florence was strong in run support and also was reliable in coverage, as he has been for most of the season. George Wilson was in on some nice stops in run support also, which is his forte. Overall, they were there to help lock down the running game and didn't let the Colts get into any kind of rhythm in the passing game. Great job. Overall, I thought the special teams were solid but not spectacular. Rian Lindell came through w/ 3 field goals, but they were all makeable (each below 40 yards). Brian Moorman didn't have any booming kicks, but also didn't hurt the team in terms of field position. The return units left a bit to be desired as Roscoe Parrish didn't even get to 5 yards per punt return and Jackson had just one kick return for 14 yards. The kick coverage units fared a bit better, keeping the Colts in long field position and not being victimized for any momentum changing, heartbreaking big returns. Coaching wise, I think this game showed why they need to look outside the organization for a new head coach. Perry Fewell had a few of those Dick Jauron type moments (a delay of game AFTER a timeout and a punt call on 4th and 2 in the Colts' end of the field???) that we hope not to see any more. Was Alex Van Pelt's game plan genius, or was it just "run the ball more as the weather sucks and we can't effectively throw it all day"? I give 'em credit for not blowing things and for not letting any momentum slip @ any time in the game, but I do think it's time to look elsewhere for leadership. Thanks for the ride, Perry, and best of luck to you in your future endeavors. Okay, so it's on to the offseason. I think it's time for me to work up a few scenarios, something I haven't done here in a few years, but it's always so fun for me to try. Also, it's time to see what direction the new GM, Buddy Nix, will take the Bills. There is hope, as he kinda hinted to the fact that the Tampa 2 may be a thing of the past and that the Bills may bring in some big guys on BOTH lines (YES!!!). I hope he also wants to add size to the LB corps and wants to develop an overall tougher, more aggressive Bills team. Maybe they'll start practicing more outdoors...like daily! Time for the Bills to be a bit more nasty and tough. No more babying these guys; they need to toughen up. Good luck to Mr Nix. As a season ticket holder, I will be watching to see what happens in the next few months, and it may make a difference in whether I remain a season ticket holder. I won't jump the gun 'til I have some kind of idea what direction the Bills are heading in. If I feel it's more of the "same old Bills", then I may just give up my season tickets and go back to buying individual seats. But if I get the feeling that things are going to change, I'll be more than happy to re-up. Even though I could use the extra cash that would come from not renewing, I am certainly hoping to be spending my cash on the Bills yet again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fixxxer Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 Great post Mr. Rich. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rubes Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 Great post, thanks Rich. I agree that Fitzpatrick had a really nice game, which is even more impressive given the conditions. I actually think this guy has what it takes to be a solid QB, just not a game-changing QB. I think we really need to keep this guy around as a backup, but with Brohm on the roster (and not likely to be the starter), I'm not sure who is #2 and who is #3. For that matter, I'm not sure who #1 will be either. As for Jackson...anyone ever remember a 200-yard rushing day without any real breakaway runs? To me, that's what makes his accomplishment that much more amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
todd Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 Great post. I'm all about those lines. It starts and ends with the big men on both sides. Period. Getting solid linemen can make even an average QB look better, or make a good RB into an all-pro. For that matter, a great d-line can make average corners look fantastic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glass To The Arson Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 Can i let out some steam? Why pick Maybin - a player that played 10 games and is undersized What was the front office thinking? :/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuckincincy Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 Much like the D line, the linebackers had a nice overall game. Come draft day, I'd like to hear Goodell say "with Buffalo's first pick, the Bills select the OLB from..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Jack Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 There is hope, as he kinda hinted to the fact that the Tampa 2 may be a thing of the past and that the Bills may bring in some big guys on BOTH lines (YES!!!). I hope he also wants to add size to the LB corps and wants to develop an overall tougher, more aggressive Bills team. You going to sending in your resume and stats? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cale Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 I like Hangman. He's been a great and underrated FA addition. In I don't know how many years... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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