YoloinOhio Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 "It's not the alignment, it's the assignment." Stop getting hung up on "scheme." Mario was asked to play a lot of 5-tech with 2-gap responsibilities. That was not a priority of Pettine's or Wade's philosophies. Rex is hell-bent on stopping the run, and he was essentially asking the DL to stay home. That is clearly not the strength of our DL. I don't know if you noticed, but the rest of the DL was pretty much invisible all season (aside from Hughes' flags). Kyle Williams did absolutely nothing in the 6 games he was healthy, aside from occasionally lining up 10 yards behind the line of scrimmage and getting a running start (WTF was that Rex?). Dareus did a great job of plugging his gaps on the line, but that's not what you paid him $90M dollars to do. You're right that the entire defense shouldn't be built around him and what he wants. It should be built around what they do best -- and it certainly wasn't. Rex just took the best pass rushing DL in the entire league and effectively neutered it. stopping the run is actually what he does best ... If rushing the passer is what he does best he has a strange way of showing it getting blocked by TEs and mediocre OTs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave mcbride Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 Asked another way, even if you don't count this year, was Mario worth the highest contract in Bills history at the time he signed it and has he delivered on that contract? My memory is hazy, but over the span of 4 years, how many game changing plays/series did he deliver? Because that's what you expect from your highest paid player. He was a difference maker against the Panthers in early 2013 and against the Dolphins a couple of times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Big Cat Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 stopping the run is actually what he does best ... If rushing the passer is what he does best he has a strange way of showing it getting blocked by TEs and mediocre OTs this over and over and over and over and over and over and over again, please Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebandit27 Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 He was a difference maker against the Panthers in early 2013 and against the Dolphins a couple of times. He was outstanding in the Green Bay game--I know he had the game-sealing sack, but he and the whole DL harassed Rodgers all day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FireChan Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 (edited) ok, how many playoff games has Mario appeared in? jw Bold play coming back with an equally stupid metric. How many did Barry Sanders? Asked another way, even if you don't count this year, was Mario worth the highest contract in Bills history at the time he signed it and has he delivered on that contract? My memory is hazy, but over the span of 4 years, how many game changing plays/series did he deliver? Because that's what you expect from your highest paid player. Quite a few. Some game-winning forced fumbles (Jordy Nelson won us that game though!). Terrorized Cam Newton in that Panthers game. Edited February 11, 2016 by FireChan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave mcbride Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 (edited) If anyone is looking for a comp for Mario vis-a-vis size/talent/position (6'5/295 with the ability to play both end spots in a 3-4), I suggest Trevor Pryce, who fell off the cliff after his age-31 season. Mario just turned 31 in January. http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/P/PrycTr00.htm . was 32 exactly going into his decline season, and Mario will be over 31 and a half come this September. Pryce was more versatile position-wise but he was a pretty similar player. He had a good season under Rex in 2006, but went downhill after that. Edited February 11, 2016 by dave mcbride Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Cubed Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 "It's not the alignment, it's the assignment." Stop getting hung up on "scheme." Mario was asked to play a lot of 5-tech with 2-gap responsibilities. That was not a priority of Pettine's or Wade's philosophies. Rex is hell-bent on stopping the run, and he was essentially asking the DL to stay home. That is clearly not the strength of our DL. I don't know if you noticed, but the rest of the DL was pretty much invisible all season (aside from Hughes' flags). Kyle Williams did absolutely nothing in the 6 games he was healthy, aside from occasionally lining up 10 yards behind the line of scrimmage and getting a running start (WTF was that Rex?). Dareus did a great job of plugging his gaps on the line, but that's not what you paid him $90M dollars to do. You're right that the entire defense shouldn't be built around him and what he wants. It should be built around what they do best -- and it certainly wasn't. Rex just took the best pass rushing DL in the entire league and effectively neutered it. Define "a lot". And he most certainty played some 5-tech in Pettines scheme. I can point to plays where he was playing 6-tech and 7-tech and didn't get home. He was lined up against a TE in 7-tech and didn't get home. Rex had him line up in multiple places. Sometimes 5-tech and sometimes 6-tech or 7-tech and I even saw him lined up wide 9. Players have succeeded in Rex's scheme. Some have even flourished. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YoloinOhio Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 He was a difference maker against the Panthers in early 2013 and against the Dolphins a couple of times.strip sack on Aaron Rodgers 2014-> safety Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave mcbride Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 strip sack on Aaron Rodgers 2014-> safety yup, that one too. Define "a lot". And he most certainty played some 5-tech in Pettines scheme. I can point to plays where he was playing 6-tech and 7-tech and didn't get home. He was lined up against a TE in 7-tech and didn't get home. Rex had him line up in multiple places. Sometimes 5-tech and sometimes 6-tech or 7-tech and I even saw him lined up wide 9. Players have succeeded in Rex's scheme. Some have even flourished. And some players who have fluorished in Rex's scheme who are somewhat similar to Mario (Pryce, Shaun Ellis) also declined in that system. Age-related decline happens, especially when combined with having already made a vast fortune in a sport you don't actually love. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YoloinOhio Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 yup, that one too. he was going against the backup RT after Bulaga got hurt, but hey, he made the play. I give him credit. He's been my favorite player, believe it or not. I just wish it ended better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nihilarian Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 Its not about not recognizing that the coaches misused him.....its understanding that those same coaches are not going anywhere......so it is time to move onto what those coaches feel THEY need at the position To ignore that is just sticking the head in the sand.... It most certainly is about recognizing that the coaches miss utilized him because it destroys the entire reason he and the other D-linemen were being paid so much money to rush the passer. Two hundred and fifty million or 28% of the payroll was miss-used this past year. To ignore that is just sticking the head in the sand.... Marcell Dareus is a 1or 3 technique pass rush tackle and isn't a zero technique nose tackle or a 5 tech fit at DE in a 3-4 and he has been complaining about how he was being utilized all year so should the Bills cut ties with him too? More importantly do you think he would have signed a new contract with the Buffalo Bills had he known he would be playing in a thankless position at nose so that the scrubs at LBer can make the plays? The man is still brilliant at what he did this year but the fact remains he didn't like it and was very vocal about it. So now that the Bills spent a few seasons and hundreds of millions of dollars building a dominate 4-3 defensive line. Then they go on to hire a 3-4 head coach who will tear that all apart to build a scheme he wants to run rather than what best suits the players on the roster. There was a real reason the team went from #1 in the NFL in QB sacks, hits, hurries to 31st and it has more to do with the scheme than the players. I get that the Bills are keeping Ryan as HC and this doesn't mean I'm supposed to be happy about it and go along with it because the losers in charge want to maintain that losing continuity, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Cubed Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 And some players who have fluorished in Rex's scheme who are somewhat similar to Mario (Pryce, Shaun Ellis) also declined in that system. Age-related decline happens, especially when combined with having already made a vast fortune in a sport you don't actually love. Oh I agree with that as well. Age certainly could be a contributing factor into his decline this season. The poster who responded made is seem like players who are asked to do what Rex asked Mario to do don't succeed. So it's entirely Rex's fault, because of the scheme, that Marios play declined. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave mcbride Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 he was going against the backup RT after Bulaga got hurt, but hey, he made the play. I give him credit. He's been my favorite player, believe it or not. I just wish it ended better. indeed, and it's worth noting that he didn't make that play this year when up against inferior talent. His failure to make any plays in the second NE game (0 tackles and 0 assists to go along with a stupid freelancing play that cost the Bills a TD) against the worst RT situation in the league spoke volumes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebandit27 Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 Bold play coming back with an equally stupid metric. How many did Barry Sanders? Quite a few. Some game-winning forced fumbles (Jordy Nelson won us that game though!). Terrorized Cam Newton in that Panthers game. Nah--we don't get to use the Nelson drop as an excuse since Gilmore dropped a pick-6 in the 2nd quarter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FireChan Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 (edited) Nah--we don't get to use the Nelson drop as an excuse since Gilmore dropped a pick-6 in the 2nd quarter. I know. GG always points to the Nelson drop when we talk about the "myth" of the 2014 defense. I was poking fun at him. Edited February 11, 2016 by FireChan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nihilarian Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 "It's not the alignment, it's the assignment." Stop getting hung up on "scheme." Mario was asked to play a lot of 5-tech with 2-gap responsibilities. That was not a priority of Pettine's or Wade's philosophies. Rex is hell-bent on stopping the run, and he was essentially asking the DL to stay home. That is clearly not the strength of our DL. I don't know if you noticed, but the rest of the DL was pretty much invisible all season (aside from Hughes' flags). Kyle Williams did absolutely nothing in the 6 games he was healthy, aside from occasionally lining up 10 yards behind the line of scrimmage and getting a running start (WTF was that Rex?). Dareus did a great job of plugging his gaps on the line, but that's not what you paid him $90M dollars to do. You're right that the entire defense shouldn't be built around him and what he wants. It should be built around what they do best -- and it certainly wasn't. Rex just took the best pass rushing DL in the entire league and effectively neutered it. I agree and its good to know that somebody out there other than myself gets it. I kinda feel like its wasting time writing this stuff because most fans here either don't buy into it or would rather ignore it. It's almost like a QB scrutiny in rather then defining what's wrong and than just simply saying "he sucks". I've been talking about this issue since week two in 2015 after the NE game and most fans just seem to disregard what's happening on the field or just don't care. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleeding Bills Blue Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 Unknown player said it best. For what he is being paid - we could have SEVERAL better players lined up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gobillsinytown Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 (edited) I wouldn't have a problem with Mario if he were a more team oriented player. By all accounts that I've read, he seems to be quite aloof in the locker room and that's not what this team needs. The Bills don't have the talent to overcome that in one of their top players. Besides, very few contracts of this size ever make it to the final year because the cap hit is so large. As far as Mario complaining that he shouldn't have to drop into coverage..................Bruce Smith dropped into coverage a few times during most games. Instead of complaining about it, he worked to get better at it and was pretty good for a guy his size. The reason for having D Linemen dropping into coverage is to throw a wrinkle at the QB and the O-Line. Having a QB like Brady knowing where the D linemen are going to be on every play isn't a good idea. Edited February 11, 2016 by gobillsinytown Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleeding Bills Blue Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 I agree and its good to know that somebody out there other than myself gets it. I kinda feel like its wasting time writing this stuff because most fans here either don't buy into it or would rather ignore it. It's almost like a QB scrutiny in rather then defining what's wrong and than just simply saying "he sucks". I've been talking about this issue since week two in 2015 after the NE game and most fans just seem to disregard what's happening on the field or just don't care. Why were wilkerson - harrison - richardson effective in this scheme? While Mario floundered so badly? It's like his stats were more important than team stats... because they are to him. Thats why i don't want him on the team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mead107 Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 Thanks Mario Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts