Gray Beard Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 I am as disappointed as anyone the Crossman wasn't canned, however could the problems be caused by a lack of emphasis during practice? Could the special teams be relegated to the last 15 minutes of practice with little concern from the entire coaching staff? How hard is it to tell these guys to stay in their lanes and wrap up when they tackle? I'm sure that I am over simplifying, and believe me I have no desire to look for excuses for anybody. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TC in St. Louis Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 There is no reason to keep the guy. We had a top 10 special teams unit last year with a similar pile of humanoids. This guy dropped them to the bottom of the pile. The mistakes cost us 2 or 3 games. If they keep him I will have a hard time supporting the head coach. That's a bad decision. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SactoBillFan Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 This appears to be a knee jerk reaction thread. I was under the impression that everyone was still being evaluated. If they retain Crossman it's as much on Whaley as Marrone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TXBILLSFAN Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 This appears to be a knee jerk reaction thread. I was under the impression that everyone was still being evaluated. If they retain Crossman it's as much on Whaley as Marrone. This appears to be a knee jerk reaction thread. I was under the impression that everyone was still being evaluated. If they retain Crossman it's as much on Whaley as Marrone. and BRANDON !!! ..... sorry, but the buck stops with the HEAD CLOWN in this circus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San-O Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Interesting. So much for accountability garbage from Marroone. Also, it's interesting that the 1st year of his coaching ST for each team shows much different than the subsequent years. Maybe it take a full year of his sucky coaching to actually sink in? Coaches don't tackle. Players do. It only took you 3 or 4 posts in to get the official Bills apologist post completed. Awesome! How come Bills ST ranked 8 or 9 overall list year, however under Crossman they are ranked 30th overall? I guess they just liked tackling BETTER last year than this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSerotte Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Am I the only one who thought are ST was not that bad earlier in the year? Near the end it imploded, but the start was not to bad. I am always under the idea that you have to have at least 2 years to fully evaluate an coach/player. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey D Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 (edited) Interesting. So much for accountability garbage from Marroone. Also, it's interesting that the 1st year of his coaching ST for each team shows much different than the subsequent years. Maybe it take a full year of his sucky coaching to actually sink in? It only took you 3 or 4 posts in to get the official Bills apologist post completed. Awesome! How come Bills ST ranked 8 or 9 overall list year, however under Crossman they are ranked 30th overall? I guess they just liked tackling BETTER last year than this year. Actually if you look at the internal numbers from Innovative Stats where these rankings come from, the Bills were actually better in terms of kickoff coverage than in 2012-- of course that includes touchbacks which Carpenter likely improved upon over Lindell. As to punting, we were bad both years, but just slightly worse in 2013 than in 2012. Where the big changes occurred were in punt and kickoff returns. The Bills were number 1 for both in 2012 and just about last for 2013. McKelvin dropping lots of punts did not help, and we had an inordinate amount of touchbacks. But the drop from 9 to 30 is almost exclusively caused by the difference in return yardage between 2012 and 2013. Outside of last year, the Bills ST were decidedly mediocre, ranging from 17 to 24 over the past few years. Again the improvement last year was due to return yardage exclusively. Edited January 6, 2014 by Casey D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebandit27 Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Interesting. So much for accountability garbage from Marroone. Also, it's interesting that the 1st year of his coaching ST for each team shows much different than the subsequent years. Maybe it take a full year of his sucky coaching to actually sink in? It only took you 3 or 4 posts in to get the official Bills apologist post completed. Awesome! How come Bills ST ranked 8 or 9 overall list year, however under Crossman they are ranked 30th overall? I guess they just liked tackling BETTER last year than this year. I've got an even better question: How is it possible, since ST is so important as to incite a 10-page thread when the coach isn't fired, that the Bills were a losing team despite having top 5 ST units virtually every year during Bobby April's tenure? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Cubed Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 (edited) I've got an even better question: How is it possible, since ST is so important as to incite a 10-page thread when the coach isn't fired, that the Bills were a losing team despite having top 5 ST units virtually every year during Bobby April's tenure? This is kind of where I fall. Were thoses special teams units exciting? Sure. In 2008, according to football outsiders the Bills ST unit ranked 1st. Would I trade that exciting special teams to be in the place where the 23rd and 28th ranked special teams were(if you couldn't figure out those are Pit/Arz rankings, bother where in the SB in 2008)? In a heart beat. It bothers me a little, but if the team gets better, I won't care. And if they don't, Marrone will be gone anyways. Edited January 6, 2014 by Wayne Cubed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEAST MODE BABY! Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 Marrone is sounding more and more like Greggo everyday. Marrone definitely does NOT sound like Greggo. Greggo was a pompous ass. Marrone isn't without fault, though. His best hire was Pettine. We (mostly) all lauded it based on Pettine's previous body of work. Many of us questioned the Crossmen hire, and asked "What the hell has this guy done before??" I know the fans aren't always right, but I do think a lot of times fans have a more objective view of things. I mean, if you had a job candidate come in for an interview, and he said that his units performed in the bottom 6% of the league for 4 or 5 years, you'd say "Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebandit27 Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 This is kind of where I fall. Were thoses special teams units exciting? Sure. In 2008, according to football outsiders the Bills ST unit ranked 1st. Would I trade that exciting special teams to be in the place where the 23rd and 28th ranked special teams were(if you couldn't figure out those are Pit/Arz rankings, bother where in the SB in 2008)? In a heart beat. It bothers me a little, but if the team gets better, I won't care. And if they don't, Marrone will be gone anyways. ^ this...way better than how I put it Thanks Wayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CardinalScotts Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 Heard Jeremy White on WGR mention that Crossman has been retained. Bad move on Marrone's part the whole accountability spiel is a joke. if the head coach believes the coverage problems were not the coaches fault he deserves to keep him, but if it happens again in year two its a force fire or the head guy is gone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob's House Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 I've got an even better question: How is it possible, since ST is so important as to incite a 10-page thread when the coach isn't fired, that the Bills were a losing team despite having top 5 ST units virtually every year during Bobby April's tenure? I think it's one of those things that won't win you the game but it can lose you one. It's maybe an oversimplification, but that NE game was the perfect example of horrid ST play taking away any chance the team had at a win. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloBillsForever Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 Crossman's special teams in Detroit was the first team since 1940 to give up a kickoff and a punt return for touchdowns in consecutive games last season. ---interesting fact Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewildrabbit Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 Brandon is linked directly with the Marrone hire and was actively involved in the interviewing process. And if Russ is involved, it's his reputation on the line as well, so they'll wait until the bitter end if Marrone doesn't succeed. I recall a few years ago Brandon, Overdorf, Littman, and RW meeting in Detroit to determine if DJ's fate. Rumor was Brandon voted against, but ultimately they retained a guy who'd be fired in less than a year. With this in mind, I seriously wonder if going 8-8 or 7-9 in year 2 of Marrone would result in the HC being fired. After all, every HC search opens the team up to attention from the outside which is something Buffalo despises. At this point i don't thinks wins has much to do with it anymore. It seems like its more about how many season tickets they sell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloBillsForever Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 if the head coach believes the coverage problems were not the coaches fault he deserves to keep him, but if it happens again in year two its a force fire or the head guy is gone Well it's 3 years in a row under two teams...if it happens again next year it's going to be 4 in a row. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reddogblitz Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 I am as disappointed as anyone the Crossman wasn't canned, however could the problems be caused by a lack of emphasis during practice? Could the special teams be relegated to the last 15 minutes of practice with little concern from the entire coaching staff? This was the excuse in Detroit. Schwartz didn't emphasize kicking teams and wouldn't let starters play on them. If Coach Marrone doesn't understand the improtance of kicking teams, he should read Marv's book. He explains it pertty well in there backed up by analytics. Am I the only one who thought are ST was not that bad earlier in the year? The Clowns game was the 5th game of the season and we gave up 179 yards in punt returns including one for a TD and another very long one. If that in and of itself didn't cost us the game, it was a major contributor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoSaint Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 I am as disappointed as anyone the Crossman wasn't canned, however could the problems be caused by a lack of emphasis during practice? Could the special teams be relegated to the last 15 minutes of practice with little concern from the entire coaching staff? How hard is it to tell these guys to stay in their lanes and wrap up when they tackle? I'm sure that I am over simplifying, and believe me I have no desire to look for excuses for anybody. If in a decade and in 3 cities he hasn't been able to advocate for sufficient practice times or personnel for his units, it's still a failure as a coordinator. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloBillsForever Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 If in a decade and in 3 cities he hasn't been able to advocate for sufficient practice times or personnel for his units, it's still a failure as a coordinator. I believe it was the final New England game where the broadcasters had to make a point that they found it strange they never saw their special teams unit practicing onside kicks before the game (they said this was the norm with all the other teams they watched that year). ...and what do you know, the onside kick by Carpenter was the worst executed onside kick I watched all year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3rdand12 Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 Obviously people, obviously . No one else would come here under these settings when Maroone was setting up shop. Danny is a friend and probably said i will try to bridge you . Isn't that tad closer to reality ? Lets hope one of these house sweepings going on after Black Monday will shake a coordinator free and we are able to improve the Position . Go Bills Coordinators ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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