Back From Game - A Wakeup Call For Our Fans

[DieHardBillsFan]

Moulds has definitely been dropping the ball all season. I hope hes just been putting too much effort on helping evans and not enough on himself. Evans is good now. He should help himself. Otherwise, I don't see a reason he keeps dropping.

[JCBoston]

Shifting topics......A couple of the coaching decisions were questionable.  I still couldn't fathom the pitch/lateral/pass to Shaud Williams on 3rd and one in the fourth quarter.  That kind of play is nice when you're leading in a game, but when you're down, you'd think they'd just play it as a straight run.  I know they weren't getting much  on direct runs, but with all the possible things that could wrong....which did.

188922[/snapback]

 

I don't think it played out as intended. IIRC, Bledsoe looked to pitch but Williams wasn't ready for it; the resulting play was his making something out of nothing. Or, in this case, less than nothing out of a lot of nothing.

[Fan in San Diego]

I learned that the Bills are a good team that made significant strides during the 2004 season. Terrible day but rather than fingerpoint, which many here will do, I'll calmly offer my outlook on what the Bills need to improve/ take the next step.

 

1. Still need some beefing up on the OL. Bills probably need a new OT with Jennings leaving ( I believe he will ). Guard depth is needed. We were exposed today when Chris V. was out. L. Smith and Pussywillow aren't even good backups.

 

2. Kicker - Lindell just lacks consistency and seems to be a head case. Can't depend on him anymore, not even inside the 40. Whatever is left on his contract, eat it and find a new Kicker. This is a must.

 

3. Drew was terrible, even with time to throw. Held the ball far too long. Brain dead decisions.  Had some rough stretches even during the winning streak. Not buying into him anymore. Still makes glaring mistakes that cost your team games. Will no longer listen to the apologists. If he can't take you deep into the playoffs, then what is the point ?

 

4. Coaching - Stress the discipline angle to cut down on the penalties. Make them pay in practice. Too much self destruction, costing us valuable field position and first downs.

 

9-7 is a good year, with a 1st year Head Coach. Today was technically week 1 of the playoffs for us and we could NOT win, at home, against a good team playing many 2nd/3rd stringers. How on Gods green earth were the Bills going to do anything on the Road in the real post-season ?  That means winning 3 road games to reach the SB.

That should be a sobering wakeup call to how much we need to improve.

 

Conclusion :

 

1. ST's - Needs a Kicker, Strong everywhere else

2. Defense - More Depth due to aging - Good starting 11 for now

3. Offense - OL help needed, more depth, QB change To Losman

4. Coaching - Work on Discipline ( less penalties)

 

This team is moving in the right direction, heading into 2005. Make some key improvements and you can win 1-2 more games, cementing a playoff position and actually being able to play with the Steelers, Pats and other elite teams.

 

Certain key players came up small today and it's time to turn the page. The blame game doesn't mean a thing to me.  We are a B+ team that can improve with certain key moves, listed above.

188616[/snapback]

 

You forgot to mention upgrade at QB. Bledsoe will never take us anywhere in the playoffs except heartbreak hotel.

[Mark VI]

It is exciting to hope for Peters to have a future at tight end (although I agree he will probably end up at tackle). I know the game has changed greatly since his time, but I remember John Mackey literally running over people after he would catch a pass. He was incredible. I like to envision Peters in that fashion.

189106[/snapback]

 

You make a great point.

 

Mackey was the best TE I ever saw. He could just run over the entire Defense on his way down the field.

[Fan in San Diego]

Great points Mark, thanks for taking the time.

 

I'm happy we were playing a meaningful game in December for the first time in a few years.

 

I think its a testament to how good a coach McNally is that this offensive line was able to perform as well as they did the second half of the season. Their  talent level is below average and they played above themselves which is a sign of good coaching.

 

Lindell is horrible. It's not his stats as much as it is his lack of consistancy. Every time he lines up you wonder if he is going to make it. There's gotta be a better kicker available this off season. Someone automatic inside of 40 yards.

 

Drew - well what can you say? I've been hearing since Drew got here from Pats fans that he'll make boneheaded plays in big games that will kill the team. That's exactly what he did. The Pittsburgh DBs dropped at least 3 picks that were right in their hands. Drew's fumble was classic Foxboro Mike - Pat Pat Pat BOOM!. Drews a great guy, my grandfather is a great guy, I don't want either of them QBing the Bills next year.

 

I think the team is going in the right direction. Most of Donahoe's moves are starting to pay off.

 

RunTheBall

188847[/snapback]

 

Ding Ding Ding !

 

Another winner today !

 

forth great post of the day !

[DieHardBillsFan]

Yeah, let's place blame on the defense that spent the entire game on the field.  If the defense were to blame, the score should have been 28-10 at half time.

 

This game was a throwback to the opening weeks.  Defense kept it tight and needed an average effort from the offense to get the win.

189111[/snapback]

 

Yes but when it was time to finish the game on defense they couldn't even tackle a 4th string RB. The point is the bills defense shouldn't let the 3rd stingers score at all. Especially when they gave up first downs on consecutive run plays by a forth stringer. Isn't Our defense suppose to shut down the run. Sorry not buyin it. D choked with everyone else in the end.

 

And whats with the blitzing on every third down so the can make a pass in the beginning. That was how they got so many first downs in the first half.

[Fan in San Diego]

I wouldn't say Drew is a damn good QB.  I personally do not blame him for the loss as I do the coaches and some of the bad penalties that put us in situations for the coaches to make questionable play calls.  He didn't look sharp today, and has look bad in the past.  But if he is given some time and some options with the ball he is effective.  He didn't have those options today, at all.

188705[/snapback]

 

Do you write excuses for politicians for a living? Geesh ! Wake up ! Bledsoe is average on his best day ! we need an upgrade at QB.

[GG]

Yes but when it was time to finish the game on defense they couldn't even tackle a 4th string RB. The point is the bills defense shouldn't let the 3rd stingers score at all. Especially when they gave up first downs on consecutive run plays by a forth stringer. Isn't Our defense suppose to shut down the run. Sorry not buyin it. D choked with everyone else in the end.

 

And whats with the blitzing on every third down so the can make a pass in the beginning. That was how they got so many first downs in the first half.

189199[/snapback]

 

News Flash. We do not have a dominating run stuffing defense. As long as Schobel & Denney/Kelsay are the bookends, teams have and will be able to run on us. The reason the season's stats have been good is that we've had great spurts of scoring points by O, D and ST that put opponents into the passing game. Friggin Sammy Morris had 100 yards in one half on us.

 

It didn't matter that it was Steelers 4th string RB. Their OL was going off the blocks and blowing up our ends, because they can't take the pounding for 4 quarters. Our D played great in the first half, and was the only reason this game was even close.

[theNose76]

I learned that the Bills are a good team that made significant strides during the 2004 season. Terrible day but rather than fingerpoint, which many here will do, I'll calmly offer my outlook on what the Bills need to improve/ take the next step.

 

1. Still need some beefing up on the OL. Bills probably need a new OT with Jennings leaving ( I believe he will ). Guard depth is needed. We were exposed today when Chris V. was out. L. Smith and Pussywillow aren't even good backups.

 

2. Kicker - Lindell just lacks consistency and seems to be a head case. Can't depend on him anymore, not even inside the 40. Whatever is left on his contract, eat it and find a new Kicker. This is a must.

 

3. Drew was terrible, even with time to throw. Held the ball far too long. Brain dead decisions.  Had some rough stretches even during the winning streak. Not buying into him anymore. Still makes glaring mistakes that cost your team games. Will no longer listen to the apologists. If he can't take you deep into the playoffs, then what is the point ?

 

4. Coaching - Stress the discipline angle to cut down on the penalties. Make them pay in practice. Too much self destruction, costing us valuable field position and first downs.

 

9-7 is a good year, with a 1st year Head Coach. Today was technically week 1 of the playoffs for us and we could NOT win, at home, against a good team playing many 2nd/3rd stringers. How on Gods green earth were the Bills going to do anything on the Road in the real post-season ?  That means winning 3 road games to reach the SB.

That should be a sobering wakeup call to how much we need to improve.

 

Conclusion :

 

1. ST's - Needs a Kicker, Strong everywhere else

2. Defense - More Depth due to aging - Good starting 11 for now

3. Offense - OL help needed, more depth, QB change To Losman

4. Coaching - Work on Discipline ( less penalties)

 

This team is moving in the right direction, heading into 2005. Make some key improvements and you can win 1-2 more games, cementing a playoff position and actually being able to play with the Steelers, Pats and other elite teams.

 

Certain key players came up small today and it's time to turn the page. The blame game doesn't mean a thing to me.  We are a B+ team that can improve with certain key moves, listed above.

188616[/snapback]

Great post Mark, pretty much agree all around.

 

Sorry didnt catch you this morning at the tailgate, I talked to Rosen a few times and went over, saw R Rich, Lori, Rosen, OGTEleven, et al at about 12. Everyone was hyped up, and definitely took it into the stadium. It really kills me to read all of this stuff about how the crowd wasn't loud enough from people who weren't at this game -- this wasn't the loudest game Ive been to, but it was damn close. I dont understand how people watching on TV can somehow think it wasnt. Kills me. Almost as much as it killed me to watch Lindell miss that kick. But I digress, again good post.

[seq004]

I learned that the Bills are a good team that made significant strides during the 2004 season. Terrible day but rather than fingerpoint, which many here will do, I'll calmly offer my outlook on what the Bills need to improve/ take the next step.

 

1. Still need some beefing up on the OL. Bills probably need a new OT with Jennings leaving ( I believe he will ). Guard depth is needed. We were exposed today when Chris V. was out. L. Smith and Pussywillow aren't even good backups.

 

2. Kicker - Lindell just lacks consistency and seems to be a head case. Can't depend on him anymore, not even inside the 40. Whatever is left on his contract, eat it and find a new Kicker. This is a must.

 

3. Drew was terrible, even with time to throw. Held the ball far too long. Brain dead decisions.  Had some rough stretches even during the winning streak. Not buying into him anymore. Still makes glaring mistakes that cost your team games. Will no longer listen to the apologists. If he can't take you deep into the playoffs, then what is the point ?

 

4. Coaching - Stress the discipline angle to cut down on the penalties. Make them pay in practice. Too much self destruction, costing us valuable field position and first downs.

 

9-7 is a good year, with a 1st year Head Coach. Today was technically week 1 of the playoffs for us and we could NOT win, at home, against a good team playing many 2nd/3rd stringers. How on Gods green earth were the Bills going to do anything on the Road in the real post-season ?  That means winning 3 road games to reach the SB.

That should be a sobering wakeup call to how much we need to improve.

 

Conclusion :

 

1. ST's - Needs a Kicker, Strong everywhere else

2. Defense - More Depth due to aging - Good starting 11 for now

3. Offense - OL help needed, more depth, QB change To Losman

4. Coaching - Work on Discipline ( less penalties)

 

This team is moving in the right direction, heading into 2005. Make some key improvements and you can win 1-2 more games, cementing a playoff position and actually being able to play with the Steelers, Pats and other elite teams.

 

Certain key players came up small today and it's time to turn the page. The blame game doesn't mean a thing to me.  We are a B+ team that can improve with certain key moves, listed above.

188616[/snapback]

Excellent post Mark and I agree with all of it. The way to go to the next level is with a new kicker and a different QB. I don't want Bledsonians giving excuses game after game next year. He's had his chances and plenty of them it's time to move on. I just hope the GM and coach feel the same way. I think if we shore up the O-line get a DE everything else is in place for a playoff team in 2005

[DieHardBillsFan]

News Flash.  We do not have a dominating run stuffing defense.  As long as Schobel & Denney/Kelsay are the bookends, teams have and will be able to run on us.  The reason the season's stats have been good is that we've had great spurts of scoring points by O, D and ST that put opponents into the passing game.  Friggin Sammy Morris had 100 yards in one half on us. 

 

It didn't matter that it was Steelers 4th string RB.  Their OL was going off the blocks and blowing up our ends, because they can't take the pounding for 4 quarters.  Our D played great in the first half, and was the only reason this game was even close.

189232[/snapback]

 

I'm with you. Good points, but Our LBs are most of the reason no one can run on us but a good O line does seem to handle our ends.

 

Contract question.

Schobel, P Williams, and Jennings hang in the balance this year correct?

[seq004]

News Flash.  We do not have a dominating run stuffing defense.  As long as Schobel & Denney/Kelsay are the bookends, teams have and will be able to run on us.  The reason the season's stats have been good is that we've had great spurts of scoring points by O, D and ST that put opponents into the passing game.  Friggin Sammy Morris had 100 yards in one half on us. 

 

It didn't matter that it was Steelers 4th string RB.  Their OL was going off the blocks and blowing up our ends, because they can't take the pounding for 4 quarters.  Our D played great in the first half, and was the only reason this game was even close.

189232[/snapback]

Yeah, most teams have figured out to run at our two ends. I think that has to be the defensive priority in the offseason. We need a solid DE. Boy, I would have loved to see Peppers in a Bills uni.

[GG]

Contract question.

Schobel, P Williams, and Jennings hang in the balance this year correct?

189259[/snapback]

 

Schobel signed a mid-year extension. The others are free.

[Cash2Burn]

All I saw were pee-stained towlettes from the smelly opposition fans.

188706[/snapback]

 

 

People, people. The CBS telecast was treated as a ROAD game beamed back to Pitt (and to Steelers fans nationwide, of whom just as many have migrated away from Western PA as folks have from WNY).

 

Of course they're going to play to that audience, not to the home town croud even though the game was shown locally.

 

Venting is good, but the amount of croud noise in RWS was not why this game was lost.

[kasper13]

I was at the game. The crowd noise was just fine except when Bledsoe played like the ass that he is and Lindell missed an easy FG. The crowd had nothing to do with the fact the Bills came out and choked.

[BRH]

People, people.  The CBS telecast was treated as a ROAD game beamed back to Pitt (and to Steelers fans nationwide, of whom just as many have migrated away from Western PA as folks have from WNY). 

 

Of course they're going to play to that audience, not to the home town croud even though the game was shown locally.

 

Venting is good, but the amount of croud noise in RWS was not why this game was lost.

189319[/snapback]

I was there and I have to say I was disappointed that we let 20,000 (at LEAST) Steeler fans buy tickets to this game. Of course, they no doubt snapped them up long before our fan base thought there was a glimmer of playoff hope, but it was still depressing to see. By the way, a big :I starred in Brokeback Mountain: to the fat !@#$ two rows ahead of me who kept turning around and chanting "Buffalo Sucks," and to the 12 Iron City-guzzling azzholes right in front of me who took up eight seats (with four of them standing on the benches in front of us).

 

That said, it was plenty loud when the Steelers had the ball. Plenty loud.

[Turf Toejam]

I think MM at the end of the season will say "we ended where we deserved to be". Watching the game, it just reinforced how far we really are from being a great team. I think we should be thanking Pittsburgh for taking us to the woodshed instead of WNY staying in this delusional state for the entire offseason. If there's still anyone around that thought that we could win a playoff game on the road, please pass me along what you're smoking, 'cause I want some of that.

 

Bledsoe's done, let's cut him and take the cap hit. Doesn't he have a big payment on his contract coming up in November?

 

The answer isn't Shane Matthews minding the store for a year. He only came out of retirement so he could get another year of pension credit. I think he only signed for one year, so he isn't going to be the man.

 

JP could be great, he could totally suck, but he shouldn't be judged on his few mop-up appearances during the regular season. I tend to agree that if MM says it's "open competition" in training camp, that DB will win that fight. But if DB's spent a year with Sam Wyche, and still is making the same mistakes that ran him out of NE, is it really worth it? There are certain concepts that the Bills cannot wait until DB is 35 to understand.

 

Lindell should be history. When he wondered earlier this week why he hadn't had any game winning field goal attempts in a long time, he should have viewed that as a testament to his futility rather than circumstance.

 

The defense is still solid, but a stud DE and a smarter MLB would be appreciated.

 

O-line still needs work. They should lock McNally in a room for a week with the game tapes to figure out what the next steps should be, 'cause after a whole season, there's obviously some folks there that aren't getting the "big picture".

[gflande1]

How did the steeler fans get so many tickets? They seemed to be everywhere.

 

I thought the crowd was pretty loud. You could tell that they had given up by the fourth quarter though. Its hard to see the team fall apart like that, and still cheer as loud. Anyone who thinks this loss has anything to do with the fans is an idiot.

[Indy Dave]

Great post Mark. Great additions to the thread too, particularly by nodnarb and POOJER.

[spidey]

Great post Mark, pretty much agree all around.

 

Sorry didnt catch you this morning at the tailgate, I talked to Rosen a few times and went over, saw R Rich, Lori, Rosen, OGTEleven, et al at about 12.  Everyone was hyped up, and definitely took it into the stadium.  It really kills me to read all of this stuff about how the crowd wasn't loud enough from people who weren't at this game -- this wasn't the loudest game Ive been to, but it was damn close.  I dont understand how people watching on TV can somehow think it wasnt.  Kills me.  Almost as much as it killed me to watch Lindell miss that kick.  But I digress, again good post.

189246[/snapback]

First GREAT POST Mark. I think you nailed it on the head. I would still like to see a little more pressure from the ends on pass rush and better play on 3rd down from the D. I think the CBS goons did losuy job as always showing the yellow towels and implying most of the crowd was for the Bills. If you caught the HD feed you could tell the crowd was jacked up and loud. Yes it would have been better if Steelers fans couldnt get tickets but its a fact that every Steelers game at the Ralph will have about 25,000 of them at the game.