Poll: The Bills' No. 1 Solution

[Just in Atlanta]

We have a lot of problems right now. But many problems are not fixable. One is. What is the No. 1 thing we can do that will make us respectable?

 

Sorry for not providing more options on D. I can't think of anything else that will make it better. Firing George Edwards ain't going to happen though, and I'm not even sure it should. Given our weak D, we need to start scoring points again and hope we can continue getting INTs.

 

Fitz does need to be more accurate. But I don't think that alone will improve things much. Count me in for a tentative No. 2, although play action is a close second choice. Seems like adding two playmakers in the mix would be an easy fix as opposed to changing offensive philosophies.

Edited November 15, 2011 by JustinAtlanta

[KD in CA]

Keep drafting more talent on defense, get the OL healthy again and find a decent WR.

 

Relying on gimmick plays for guys that aren't talented enough to win a starting job isn't going to take the Bills anywhere.

[2020 Our Year For Sure]

You guys are nuts. Spiller and Brad Smith are not the answer here.

[1B4IDie]

We used the bunch formation extensively, I haven't seen the WR in a bunch to relieve the man press coverage much the last two games. I find that curious.

 

An 8-8 or 9-7 finish is going to have this team ahead of schedule on a rebuild.

 

They need to draft about 4 LBs some CBs that can play and maybe pickup a real WR or real Tackle in free agency for the 2012 play off push.

 

Remember they play the NFC west next year.

 

If they can go 2-2 in the AFC south, 3-1 in the nFC west 4-2 in division then 1-1 in the Afc north and west match ups that's 10-6 in 2012 and a possible playoff spot. If the Jets implode next year (like I expect; age on defense; sick of Rex's BS) even better.

 

This year isn't over but now the San Diego and second Jets game are basically playoff games.

 

Ten is no slouch, Den is no slouch but at home those have to be wins. Miami in Buffalo. Gets you to 8-6 (after the Dolphins loss this weak)

 

If they can somehow pull off wins @NYJ (not likely) and @SD (somewhat likely) they can still get to 10-6 but I'm not holding my breath.

Edited November 15, 2011 by Why So Serious?

[Ozymandius]

An 8-8 or 9-7 finish is going to have this team ahead of schedule on a rebuild.

 

I would say they would be on schedule, not ahead. In any rebuild with a new regime, you would expect the team to suck Year 1, be .500-ish Year 2, and make the playoffs Year 3. Ahead of schedule would be making the playoffs Year 2.

 

Consider also that the Bills already improved a lot last season, going 4-4 after starting 0-8. You would think that with another year of experience in Gailey's system, they could get ahead of the .500 pace a bit.

 

Finally, how many times can we really expect this team to start 3-0? How rare is a win over New England? To waste those two things and finish 8-8 would be a bitter pill to swallow.

[Just in Atlanta]

This is a post on immediate solutions to our woes. Drafting is irrelevant for any (longshot) possibility of making the playoffs this year. Spiller/Smith is a legitimate possibility. This team still has a chance.

 

We all know we need to draft more talent next year.

[1B4IDie]

This is a post on immediate solutions to our woes. Drafting is irrelevant for any (longshot) possibility of making the playoffs this year. Spiller/Smith is a legitimate possibility. This team still has a chance.

 

We all know we need to draft more talent next year.

 

The answer for 2011 is go back to using the bunch formation extensively and go back to getting turnovers on defense.

 

If that were an option I would choose that.

 

I didn't chose any option because non of the above would make a significant difference.

Edited November 15, 2011 by Why So Serious?

[silvermike]

We need to get back to our midrange passing game. I think that's what's being taken away right now: Fitz started the year dynamite on those 10-15 yard outs. Now it seems like they've disappeared in favor of this ultrashort game, with inaccurate attempts downfield. I think those short passes aren't going to do it for us alone, and if we're playing inside, we should start relying on our star player: Fred Jackson. Power through on first and second, set up third-and-short situations, and then start using that short game. If we can start drawing 8 in the box, those mid-range passes will re-emerge. Bringing in more tight ends will keep extra DBs off the field, and we can start working Chandler a little further downfield.

[Just in Atlanta]

The answer for 2011 is go back to using the bunch formation extensively and go back to getting turnovers on defense.

 

If that were an option I would choose that.

 

I didn't chose any option because non of the above would make a significant difference.

Fixed. See poll.

 

Seems that's what the Pats did to the Jets to prevent defenders from locking on, so bunch formations seems valid.

 

As for turnovers, that's a result, not a solution. If that were the case, I'd say "score more touchdowns."

Edited November 15, 2011 by JustinAtlanta

[philip316]

When Fred got 114 yards on 13 carries, why do the Bills bother to throw the ball? Buffalo's success was to run right up the gut early in the year. Even Stink on ESPN said our front 3 were mauling guys. I know Woods is out now and he's a great player. Go with what works: give 'em a whopping dose of Fred Jacktastic who gets better the more he touches the ball!

[Just in Atlanta]

You guys are nuts. Spiller and Brad Smith are not the answer here.

Not the answer. A solution.

 

We have one week, two at most, to turn this ship around.

[KOKBILLS]

This Bills have holes and problems on both sides of the Ball...But I think nothing could help more than better Coaching on the Defensive side...And I don't think they have anyone on Staff capable of getting that done currently...The fixes for The Bills are going to start on Week 18...Otherwise known as the off-season...

[reddogblitz]

I don't think Fitz' downfield accuracy is the issue. As I saw it on TV Sunday he threw several long balls. The only bad one was the one where he missed Donald Jones miserably. He hit Spiller and Jones and Johnson in the hands several times on long passes that they just didn't catch. Defense is the main problem obviously. I'd be a proponent of more blitzing. Try to rattle the journeyman Moore and get some picks. Probably the thing that would help our offense the most is for our guys to catch the ball when it hits them in the hands.

 

I'd like to see us come out with the 2 TEs run formation and pound it in and pass off of it some on a series or two, and then come out and run the 5 wide. Mix it up. OK, so they've figured out what we've done the first 9 games. So do something different that at first looks like it's gonna be what we have been doing.

 

Fitz has the 4th highest completion percentage in the NFL behind Rodgers, Brady, and Brees. He's not the problem.

[HeHateMe]

There isn't 1 thing that needs to be done to fix this team. So many holes on both sides of the ball. This is what happens when the defense doesn't force several turnovers per game and when teams have figured out your offense.

[sfladave]

When Fred got 114 yards on 13 carries, why do the Bills bother to throw the ball? Buffalo's success was to run right up the gut early in the year. Even Stink on ESPN said our front 3 were mauling guys. I know Woods is out now and he's a great player. Go with what works: give 'em a whopping dose of Fred Jacktastic who gets better the more he touches the ball!

The Cowboys were playing against the pass for the majority of those yards. While I believe that if the Bills were the ones who jumped ahead 14-0 Fred would have had a field day running up the middle, but the vast majority of plays the Bills ran were passes because they were desperately trying to dig themselves out of an ever widening hole.

 

The Bills did have some early success with running up the middle but I would like to see a lot more sweeps and outside runs, especially against a team like the Jets, who I think is vulnerable to the outside, not the inside like we tried to run on them all day long 2 weeks ago!

[ajzepp]

I'm a long time believer in the Buddy Ryan theory on defense: You always bring one more guy than the offense can account for. I like a high risk, high reward system. We don't really have the talent for it right now due to injuries, but nonetheless the only one of those options that appeals to me would be blitzing. Put Edwards' arse on the bench, tell Wanny to design ten new blitzes before Sunday, and let loose the hounds. I don't care if it's Batten, Moats, one of our CBs off the edge, doesn't matter. But you find a way to get the blitzer into the backfield, ring the QB's bell over and over, and sooner or later we'll get some results.

 

Otherwise I would have liked the two TE set, but with Woods out our running game is going to be a bit handicapped anyway.

[dpberr]

I chose power running game. Beat them mercilessly with running the ball which opens up opportunities to pass. Let's bring back the wishbone offense.

 

 

We have big TEs, one of the better FBs in the game, and one of the best running backs in the game. We should use them.

[tennesseeboy]

power running game for sure. A fullback to hold up the defensive ends and slip away for an occassional dump off or screen and two tight ends. For sure this is the best way to deal with Miami next week. We should hold the ball the way the Jets opened up their game with us. Reggie Bush gets no yardage when he is on the sideline.

[Meark]

I have a few ideas..

 

#1. Move Nelson to the #2 receiver spot and move Roosevelt to the #3 and make Jones #4.. Jones can't seem to catch the ball when it counts..

#2. Blitz more with 5-6 vs trying to get pressure with 3-4.

#3. Stop calling 20+ yard plays on 3rd and less than 5..

#4. Run Fred on 1st down. In the Cowboys game we opened with 3 straight pass attempts.. UGGGGG!!!

[Ozymandius]

I subscribe to the philosophy that when a group or team is failing, the responsibility falls on the shoulder of its leader. For an NFL team, you look at the QB.

 

Fitz has got to play better. I don't think anyone thought that Fitz would ever raise his level of play to the Rodgers / Brady level (at least I hope nobody thought that), but can he please not be a big turd? Especially after signing that big contract.

 

His stats since becoming the $60 million dollar man:

 

2 games, 35 of 62 (56%) completions, 168.5 yards / gm, 2 TDs, 5 INTs

 

Stop playing like a turd, Fitz