Anatomy of a Play

[Mr. WEO]

You don't think it was a big deal? Beating the super bowl champions in the PLAYOFFS? Wow. Haha!

 

No, don't get me wrong--it was very nice. He will be rewinding that clip endlessly in about 5 years, when he is back living in his moms's house in O-town.

 

Back on point! They were a good one two punch together and the fan hatred of him helped drive him out of town, caused us to use the #9 pick on a RB and set us back.

Fan hatred?? This site was littered with posters who were excusing every moronic screw up by Lynch. You guys were sharpening your knives for Goodell when the 4 games were handed down.

 

Lynch was traded because we didn't need a guy of his abilities compared to his liability. Very simple.

 

If you were electrified by Lynch's performance in Sea last season, good for you--you have to take your pleasure where you find it. Out him in your fantasy league.

[offyourocker]

hmmm...did anyone notice that he had an EFFECTIVE OFFENSIVE LINE on that play? Gee...we ought to maybe get one of those things.

 

 

People just can't comprehend that. It has been an achille heels for the Bills for years. The front office has done nothing to address it in years other than signing players the raiders did not want. Every year I keep hoping Ralph spends some money on at least a RT and Guard.

[PDaDdy]

Also, he's the one who held out of OTAs and requested a trade.

 

I wonder why he would do that with such support from the fan base through a tough time and learning experience in a young mans life who came from a situation less than an ideal 2 parent suburban home?

[Alphadawg7]

Your argument is seriously flawed. David Tyree was never the level of player Lynch is. Tyree's most productive year he had 19 catches for 197 yards and 2 touchdowns. Lynch is a far better player and comparing the two, as you are trying to do...is ridiculous. Are you saying Lynch has had only one good run his entire career? That argument should be for Mr. Tyree. I'm not saying Lynch is a HOF'er but the man has talent that isn't "average" in my opinion.

 

I did not compare the players, I compared the significance of a single play. One play that made Tyree a Super Bowl hero was not enough to even keep him on the roster. You are the one making a big deal of important the play was. So the point is, one play does not matter in the evaluation of overall impact and success. Yes it was a great play, one that will be talked about for a long time, but A) all it did was win a wild card playoff game and B) It won't be enough to overcome an average yards per carry below 4 if he doesn't figure out how to be consistently effective.

[PDaDdy]

Hey, this was a conciliatory post by PDaDdy. Last week was the debate over how good/bad Marshawn is/was.

 

The original point was that it was a shame that the locals and other Bills fans were not more forgiving towards Marshawn… that he wasn't given the benefit of the doubt.

 

Addressing that, I would say that he did have multiple incidents which eroded his goodwill in the community. Yes Bills fans can be tough but I'm not certain that we're any more or less forgiving than fans in other cities. I joke about Bflo fans having run certain athletes out of town and we have. But that happens everywhere, not just in Bflo.

 

And I agree with Rockinon that a change of scenery was probably the best thing for all parties concerned.

 

I don't think anyone wishes any ill will towards Marshawn. He's the captain of his own ship… Pete Carroll has given Marshawn the opportunity to prove all of his detractors wrong.

 

Marshawn has the opportunity to re-build his reputation as a player and a person, all the while making pretty good money. He probably feels like he has a new lease on life and I think most people are happy for him.

 

Good points in there man. Measured and mature post.

[Alphadawg7]

See comments above about coming in during the middle of the season to a new city, program offense, etc.

 

As explained earlier if you paid attention Jackson does have better vision and cut back running. I would hope a 9 year veteran would. No dispute there. Lynch and Jackson are different styles of RBs. Lynch is more of a pounder who is shifty and Jackson is a shifty guy who can pound. This isn't an indictment of Jackson as you would like to make it a Jackson vs Lynch thing. You guys are ridiculous with the polar opposite crap. "My guy is the best in the league and is so incredibly underrated and your guy is absolutely horrible and overrated." They are both good. Grow up!

 

Back on point! They were a good one two punch together and the fan hatred of him helped drive him out of town, caused us to use the #9 pick on a RB and set us back. I have VERY high hopes for Spiller but he hasn't done a damn thing yet and Freddy being north of 30 doesn't give me a good feeling going forward.

 

We should have held on to Lynch, used resources on the OL and we would have been looking pretty good.

 

By the way what low budget school did you go to where you get such a small sample size of carries in the play offs and you just decide to take out the longest run by the player? Why do you bother to post? Take away the immaculate reception and the steelers played a crappy game!!!

 

Oh PDaDdy, it wouldnt be a post by you if there wasnt at least one insult.

 

You are the one holding on to a SINGLE play to erase an ENTIRE SEASON of below average play in both Buffalo and Seattle plus the playoffs. What kind of mindset do you have where it makes sense to judge a player on a single play rather than an entire season...or heck, even his entire career where his YPC is just 3.9? And he played the bulk of that career on the same team, running behind the same OL that FJ was able to put up career averages of 4.4 YPC and was a much better pass blocker and receiver out of the back field.

 

In other words, FJ is a complete back who also runs with almost as much power as Lynch yet is quicker, has better vision, more elusive, and a better receiver.

 

And for what its worth, Lynch ran himself out of town with multiple stupid decisions including a hit and run. He was one ill timed burp away from a season long suspension while not even being the most effective RB on this roster.

Edited June 7, 2011 by Alphadawg7

[Rockinon]

Good points in there man. Measured and mature post.

He's a pretty good poster and tends to get some good responses in return. Kinda jealous. I always seem to tick people off, though I can't imagine why.

[tennesseeboy]

The OL did him no favors on that play. Watch the video again.

 

The OL did not provide him ANY gap. AT ALL! He smashed into TWO defenders at the LOS, bounced right and smashed through ANOTHER defender at the LOS, broke three more tackles in the defensive backfield, B word SLAPPED a D-back and slipped right through two more. The downfield blocking was great, but the O-Line had very little to do with that TOUCHDOWN.

 

Beastmode proved worthy of the name on that play and we will see it on highlight reels from now on.

I don't mean to denigrate the fact that Lynch made an outstanding play, but every lineman in that play completed his assignment and gave Lynch the opportunity to make the play. There is a reason he didn't do that here, and there is a reason that Spiller isn't doing it here. We need the offensive line to play like a professional offensive line in the run game and in the passing game. Needed it since Peters left, Incognito left and through drafts of people like Maybin and Spiller.

[BUFFALOKIE]

I don't mean to denigrate the fact that Lynch made an outstanding play, but every lineman in that play completed his assignment and gave Lynch the opportunity to make the play. There is a reason he didn't do that here, and there is a reason that Spiller isn't doing it here. We need the offensive line to play like a professional offensive line in the run game and in the passing game. Needed it since Peters left, Incognito left and through drafts of people like Maybin and Spiller.

 

I do not disagree about the absolute neccessity of a good Oline to consistently run and throw the ball, but, we're talking about the "anatomy" of this one particular play. I'm not seeing it the same way you do I guess. If the Seattle Oline completed their assignment, one would think that there was an opening to run through. Watch it again. There was no opening to run through. Lynch ran into a brick wall, bounced once, then busted through that brick wall. Then he just made the rest of the defense look silly.

[yungmack]

So why did Lynch average just 3.0 yards per carry in the playoffs outside of that one run? Why did Lynch average just 3.5 yards per carry during the regular season? Why is his career YPC only 3.9? Why were people calling the Lynch trade a failure prior to that one run? Why did Lynch only get 4 carries in the very next game if he such a dominant force?

 

Why is FJ career YPC playing mostly on the same team 4.4?

 

And as far as other comment about TD's...Lynch is more of a goal line back and gets more goal line carries. But I will add that FJ had 5 TD's last year despite not playing the whole year or being the starter the whole year and Lynch had just one more. FJ is by far the better back and proved so constantly with them both here by carry and much more effective YPC and was a better receiver as well.

Nice post. I can support that 100%.

[PDaDdy]

Oh PDaDdy, it wouldnt be a post by you if there wasnt at least one insult.

 

You are the one holding on to a SINGLE play to erase an ENTIRE SEASON of below average play in both Buffalo and Seattle plus the playoffs. What kind of mindset do you have where it makes sense to judge a player on a single play rather than an entire season...or heck, even his entire career where his YPC is just 3.9? And he played the bulk of that career on the same team, running behind the same OL that FJ was able to put up career averages of 4.4 YPC and was a much better pass blocker and receiver out of the back field.

 

In other words, FJ is a complete back who also runs with almost as much power as Lynch yet is quicker, has better vision, more elusive, and a better receiver.

 

And for what its worth, Lynch ran himself out of town with multiple stupid decisions including a hit and run. He was one ill timed burp away from a season long suspension while not even being the most effective RB on this roster.

 

Apparently they didn't teach reading comprehension at your school either. As I already stated that run does not a career make but it was a representative microcosmic example of what the kid is and can be. On display were his power, his speed and his shiftiness. Much to your consternation also on display was what is hopefully the improving vision of a 4th year RB.

 

By the way Jackson and Lynch didn't get to start behind the same line. In 2008 when Lynch was the starter he was behind the crappier line. In 2009 Jackson started behind the revamped offensive line with our 1st and 2nd round pick O-linemen who fans are in love with. So NO. Not the same line. That being said in 2010 Lynch did make some token starts behind the new line while he was trying to get out of town and the front office was trying to get rid of him as the city was already poisoned against him.

 

Also note that while Trent Deadwards was the starter nobody was really that effective running the ball because defenses in no way feared the pass. In 2010 Lynch left and Fitz started around the same time and Freddy got the starting job back and racked up an amazing 0.5 TDs/gm. This with a credible passing game and a QB that could call out protections and move the ball in the air. We needed the one two punch of both of them because Lynch could get in the endzone and make tougher yards while freddy did everything else.

 

I still stand by my comments that statistically you can't just decide to take out an amazing run to try to make the factual stats fit your argument. He and Freddy were a good duo and we messed that up partially because of people that couldn't see past a few screw ups. A large contingent of the fan base turned on him like a pack of dogs as did the media. Which ever side you stand on the issue you know the mistakes are his own. He alone is responsible for them. That is not in question.

 

Whether you try to support and forgive or spit venom is the individual's choice. We obviously know which choice you made.

Edited June 8, 2011 by PDaDdy

[tennesseeboy]

Lynch could fit nicely in a Lynch/Jackson combination and there would have been no need to use our first round pick on a running back (Offensive Tackle would have been a nice choice). Lynch was the beastmode power back and Jackson is a quality standard model running back.

 

Water under the bridge though. This is an example of an unwillingness to lead "problem" players to the point that they contribute to the team.

[bmur66]

I wanna go beef moe!

 

http://kissingsuzykolber.uproxx.com/tag/beef-moe

[PDaDdy]

Lynch could fit nicely in a Lynch/Jackson combination and there would have been no need to use our first round pick on a running back (Offensive Tackle would have been a nice choice). Lynch was the beastmode power back and Jackson is a quality standard model running back.

 

Water under the bridge though. This is an example of an unwillingness to lead "problem" players to the point that they contribute to the team.

 

Right on man. That is basically what I was trying to say. They had complementary skills and I would have loved to have them both and have drafted a solid O-lineman. I hate these predraft discussions but if there wasn't a lineman we "loved" at #9 (Spiller) we could have traded down for the one we "liked" and gotten more picks. Trading down almost never happens and it never happens with the Bills but imagine if.

 

SOME people just want to make this Lynch vs Jackson or just use the opportunity to denigrate his skills on the field because of his issues off of it.

 

I wanna go beef moe!

 

http://kissingsuzykolber.uproxx.com/tag/beef-moe

 

Not sure what that is about. Was there a point you were trying to make or were you just trying to offend every black person in existence?

Edited June 8, 2011 by PDaDdy