A Few Thoughts About The Game, in no particular order.....

[yungmack]

Thanks for doing this every week.

[LB3]

 

 

Well you said that Graham sucks as a stretch guy because Goodwin is better than him at it. I just proved he wasn't. If Graham sucks, Goodwin sucks even more.

 

Damn you editing that before I made a joke.

[Bufcomments]

You saved your best post for last Bill.

 

I see Thad getting better every time out. No INT's. He missed some passes and that one to Graham where he jumped maybe a bit strong but still he should have made the catch.

 

I like Thad tho. Thad I think has earned the backup job. They can still draft a QB just in case EJ doesn't work out. But they gonna give EJ some more time. Thad is in a good place with me.

 

Dareus is in the doghouse. For sure. We will see how that shakes out but its a concern now.

 

I know what we went though with Beast Mode but I still would prefer him over Spiller.

 

I like C.J. tho, he gonna get better with better blocking.

 

Which leads me too.we HAVE to upgrade the line .

 

And the run D was pitiful today.

[GG]

 

 

Well you said that Graham sucks as a stretch guy because Goodwin is better than him at it. I just proved he wasn't. If Graham sucks, Goodwin sucks even more.

 

Goodwin's primary job a the #4 receiver is to stretch the field. TJ' s job as the #3 receiver should encompass more than one catch more than the #4 receiver, no?

[FireChan]

Goodwin's primary job a the #4 receiver is to stretch the field. TJ' s job as the #3 receiver should encompass more than one catch more than the #4 receiver, no?

 

He had 7 more.

[purple haze]

The bigger concern to me is who else did we have as an option on that route? Woods has not shown up when it mattered all season in those types of cases. We don't have a good enough TE and that is the exact type of play we need him on. Graham as a #4 is fine, he's open, not great. SJ13 is who that play should have gone to on THIS team, but he was out. We had no options on that play, it was a poorly called play given the personnel we had.

 

It wasn’t a poorly called play. The play worked. TJ was wide open. Pass was on point. He’s got to catch the ball.

[boyst]

It wasn’t a poorly called play. The play worked. TJ was wide open. Pass was on point. He’s got to catch the ball.

aarggglebargglebarglebargle...

 

You can't tell me the play was good or ever going to work with TJ Graham being the primary go to guy with that play being the best option.

 

We should have had a serious running play. Or have two able TE's. We were without our #1 WR who on most teams is a #2.

[GG]

 

 

He had 7 more.

 

Whoopie. The only WR who hasn't missed a game this year, finishes up with 23 catches. Let's have a parade.

[oman128]

T.J. has been on my s*** list for two seasons. He doesn't catch many balls he doesn't score many points he is the epitome of mediocre.

Edited December 30, 2013 by oman128

[billsfan714]

TJ Graham is a 300+/- yard a year, 1.5 TDs a season receiver. I give any street free agent his snap counts I get the same or more than likely better results. Debating how good he is would be like debating how attractive Mayim Bialik is......pointless.

[Bill from NYC]

But, I don't think any amount of experience is going to really make Thad more poised in the pocket, or give him better ball-handling skills, or make him more mobile, etc.

 

I could be wrong, but it seems like the ceiling on Thad is pretty close.

Maybe you are right, but Thad played well enough to win the game yesterday. This in the elements, on the road, and with NE needing the game. As we speak he just isn't a worse quarterback that Manuel.

Edited December 30, 2013 by Bill from NYC

[thebandit27]

I'm just not seeing the same Thad that others are...he just doesn't look any better than EJ overall.

 

Sure, there are things he does better than EJ right now, just as there are things that EJ does better.

 

To me, it isn't a question of EJ or Thad, but rather EJ or someone else.

 

As for the rest, I mostly agree. I'd also give a nod to the job the DBs did today; they all played well IMO.

 

 

Maybe you are right, but Thad played well enough to win the game yesterday. This in the elements, on the road, and with NE needing the game. As we speak he just isn't a worse quarterback that Manuel.

 

I know what you're saying in principle; I have trouble with defining "plays well enough to win". I can't go there when there were certainly plays to be made late in the game that weren't. Now, that's not to say I put the loss on Thad; just that I believe a better QB could've made plays to win that game. Plays like not rolling into the pressure on 3rd down in opponent territory when there's a clean pocket to the right, or not sliding sideways on a QB sneak.

 

Again, not putting the loss on him explicitly, just saying that the idea of playing well enough to win is highly subjective.

 

Just as a side note: I use the same criteria for EJ.

[Dibs]

I'm just not seeing the same Thad that others are...he just doesn't look any better than EJ overall.

 

.......

 

If you are refering to Bill in NY, he didn't say that he thought Thad was the better QB.....he said he thought that Thad wasn't a worse QB right now.....which I would agree with.

Neither are good, both have flaws.....and though I could imagine EJ having a better game against the Pats than what Thad did, I can also imagine him having a worse game.....most likely having a similar game though.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

It wasn’t a poorly called play. The play worked. TJ was wide open. Pass was on point. He’s got to catch the ball.

 

Perhaps we need to agree on the definition of "worked". The play did not "work", in that we did not convert the 3rd down.

Perhaps your definition is "resulted in an open player and a throw in catchable vicinity of said open player"? Effort vs results?

 

Here's the thing. To me, good plays take into account the capabilities of the players. TJ can run fast. TJ lacks the ability to catch. Thad seems to lack touch on his short and mid range passes. So you have a called 3rd down play from a QB who whips it in there on short, to a WR who doubts his own ability to catch a zinger in his hands, thus tries to put his stomach behind the ball.

 

That sounds like a low percentage of success, which to me means it was a poorly called play.

 

I was screaming at the TV for a run play. It's been pointed out (correctly I fear) that the Bills have had poor success running on 3rd and short. That's another problem.

[Dibs]

 

....... It's been pointed out (correctly I fear) that the Bills have had poor success running on 3rd and short. That's another problem.

 

I can't recall how we have been in the last handful of games, but I'm fairly confident that our short yard run game was very good throughout the season(though it sucked at the goal line).

[Centerline]

I like your posts also, but, on 4th and 1, the decision to run up the gut was crap. There are an infinite number of plays that could have been used instead. I believe the whole organization should be reviewed.

 

Analytics - I wouldn't hire anyone from Xerox to mow my lawn.

 

Would you rather pay $100 mil for a DE (maybe $50 ml) or a top QB.

 

Tackling Blount - missed tackles, tackling high instead of low - is that coaching or stupidity??? Defensive game plan should have been better. A Plan, B Plan, etc.

 

Hire Bill Polian as an advisor to review ever position, trades, free agent hires, draft.

 

If the Bills sink the 2014 draft, they are toast!!!

 

I am amazed at how people making millions of dollars can be so ineffective???

 

Stafford had to get NFL fit, EJ is going to have to hit the gym. If he is the answer or not is still up in the air

[CodeMonkey]

I'm just not seeing the same Thad that others are...he just doesn't look any better than EJ overall.

 

Sure, there are things he does better than EJ right now, just as there are things that EJ does better.

So the QB the Bills signed off of another teams practice squad was no better or worse than the Bills first round "franchise" draft pick. That alone is a very scary thought.

Some of that comes from being a rookie, while more comes from being injured so much (both knees suspect which is also a concern going forward). But is still not a good sign.

 

I'm certainly not jumping up and down demanding Manuel be cut or that the Bills use their #9 in this draft to take a QB. And I do not have enough knowledge to make a intelligent decision in this matter. But those lines I quoted from you certainly got me thinking.

Edited December 30, 2013 by CodeMonkey

[FLFan]

Thanks for doing this Bill. One of the few posts worth reading on a weekly basis.

 

That said, I think you are off base on EJ vs. Thad. Lewis played descent enough yesterday, but clearly not good enough to win. As others have pointed out, I do not see his indecision in the pocket or occasional lapses in ball security getting much better. His arm is just OK. I think he has shown enough to be a decent backup option. To my eyes, he has done nothing Manuel has not been able to to do, and lacks Manuel's poise, arm strength, and presence. I am frankly not sure how anyone can watch Lewis's performance and think he is a better option, even now. The loss was clearly on the special teams and run defense, not the QB, but there were certainly a number of plays Lewis failed to make, especially in the first half.

[Nitro]

I enjoy reading these post game "rants". Thad Lewis played well but he is a back up QB, he is not starter material. EJ has 1 last shot to prove he is a NFL starter next season. The Bills have to, collectively, be more disciplined in their play and accountability. I have more problem sitting Dareus. He showed a lack of character by continuing the behavior that got him in trouble the week prior Overall I see this team progressing this year.. Next season, make it to the play offs.

[thebandit27]

If you are refering to Bill in NY, he didn't say that he thought Thad was the better QB.....he said he thought that Thad wasn't a worse QB right now.....which I would agree with.

Neither are good, both have flaws.....and though I could imagine EJ having a better game against the Pats than what Thad did, I can also imagine him having a worse game.....most likely having a similar game though.

 

Yes, he did:

 

5) There is NO doubt in my mind that Lewis is a better QB than EJ RIGHT NOW. Seriously, if the Superbowl was tomorrow and the Bills were playing, which one would you want to start? I am not talking about floors, ceilings, missed time in camp, missed time due to injuries, etc. I am talking about NOW!!! This tells me that:

a) We will have a very interesting off season.

b) The entire situation isn't pretty.

That said, Lewis played well enough today to have beat NE on the road. The loss was not his fault.

 

So the QB the Bills signed off of another teams practice squad was no better or worse than the Bills first round "franchise" draft pick. That alone is a very scary thought.

Some of that comes from being a rookie, while more comes from being injured so much (both knees suspect which is also a concern going forward). But is still not a good sign.

 

I'm certainly not jumping up and down demanding Manuel be cut or that the Bills use their #9 in this draft to take a QB. And I do not have enough knowledge to make a intelligent decision in this matter. But those lines I quoted from you certainly got me thinking.

 

As I said, I'm not anywhere close to anointing EJ anything. My point was in regard to Lewis. I don't see anything that makes him a better QB than EJ.

 

I have no problem with the team bringing in competition for EJ--in fact I endorse the idea--that competition cannot come from Lewis...they need a better player than Thad to compete for the job.