DeeRay Posted September 26, 2005 Share Posted September 26, 2005 It was painful to sit at the game yesterday and watch, what we all thought was, a top notch defense melt down for the 2nd consecutive week. There was plenty of blame to go around though... JP was just awful... and it wasn't all of the Oline's fault. JP was about 2/3 of the problem. He looked like he was in over his head. So, if the stragtegy was for the Bills to rely on their defense to hold offenses from scoring and put absolutely no pressure on JP to win the game for them, then, based on the defenses' inability to do that, then doesn't this strategy have to go out the window. Now we know the defense is average, at best ,and the offense must score to have any chance at a "w". We know too, that if the offense needs to score points, it ain't gonna happen with JP at the helm. He's just not ready for prime time. So, what happened to this team that was on the cusp of making the playoffs last year? The two biggest things that I see are... 1) Willingly allowing Pat Williams to walk and not brining in a suitable replacement for him. You cannot be soft in the middle and have a top notch defense... it just won't happen. And up the gut is where the Bills have a huge hole and offenses are going to exploit that. I'm sorry, but Edwards is, and always will be, a career underachiever, Bannon is a journeyman at best, Sape has been with the Bills for 3 years and struggles just to make the active list, and Anderson... must have been pancaked about 5 times yesterday and there's nothing evident to make anyone believe he's anything but backup fodder. Sam Adams is a 34 or 35 year old fat slob who occaisionally makes a play.... thus the importance of having an impact DT right next to him... otherwise, Sam is useless. I believe the rest of the defense is solid, regardless whether or not TKO is done. But, the soft middle is undoing the Bills and injuries to the LBs and safties will probably follow until this is shored up and these guys protected by the guys up front. 2) Annointing JP as the starter from day one. I agree with the decision to dispatch Bledsoe. This team went as far as it could with him. But to throw, essentially, a rookie in as a starter, totally unchallenged was a huge gaffe. At the very least, there should have been an open competition and the best guy starts. I'm sorry, but if JP is the best QB on this team right now, what does that say for Holcomb and Matthews? So, what do you think is the problem? Either the talent is not as good as we were led to believe or the coaches are not very good? Which is it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuntheDamnBall Posted September 26, 2005 Share Posted September 26, 2005 It was painful to sit at the game yesterday and watch, what we all thought was, a top notch defense melt down for the 2nd consecutive week. There was plenty of blame to go around though... JP was just awful... and it wasn't all of the Oline's fault. JP was about 2/3 of the problem. He looked like he was in over his head. So, if the stragtegy was for the Bills to rely on their defense to hold offenses from scoring and put absolutely no pressure on JP to win the game for them, then, based on the defenses' inability to do that, then doesn't this strategy have to go out the window. Now we know the defense is average, at best ,and the offense must score to have any chance at a "w". We know too, that if the offense needs to score points, it ain't gonna happen with JP at the helm. He's just not ready for prime time. 2) Annointing JP as the starter from day one. I agree with the decision to dispatch Bledsoe. This team went as far as it could with him. But to throw, essentially, a rookie in as a starter, totally unchallenged was a huge gaffe. At the very least, there should have been an open competition and the best guy starts. I'm sorry, but if JP is the best QB on this team right now, what does that say for Holcomb and Matthews? So, what do you think is the problem? Either the talent is not as good as we were led to believe or the coaches are not very good? Which is it? 454822[/snapback] JP is the best chance for our future. We may go 6-10 with JP and 7-9 with Holcomb this year. We could have gone 8-8 with Drew. So what. None of those equal playoffs. But which is most valuable? What does that mean for next year, or the year after that? You have to have faith. Most first-year starters have a rough go of it, especially early on. JP will find his footing. It's hard to watch and even harder to admit it's the right thing, but if this team was built on satisfying the fickle fanbase week in, week out, it would descend into a chaos far greater than what we've witnessed the past two weeks. Rebuilding? You'd have to raze the foundation and start from scratch with that mentality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pine Barrens Mafia Posted September 26, 2005 Share Posted September 26, 2005 JP is the best chance for our future. We may go 6-10 with JP and 7-9 with Holcomb this year. We could have gone 8-8 with Drew. So what. None of those equal playoffs. But which is most valuable? What does that mean for next year, or the year after that? You have to have faith. Most first-year starters have a rough go of it, especially early on. JP will find his footing. It's hard to watch and even harder to admit it's the right thing, but if this team was built on satisfying the fickle fanbase week in, week out, it would descend into a chaos far greater than what we've witnessed the past two weeks. Rebuilding? You'd have to raze the foundation and start from scratch with that mentality. 454841[/snapback] Good man. Nice to see I have some backup today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VABills Posted September 26, 2005 Share Posted September 26, 2005 The coaches, and I now am starting to belive that TD could also be culpable as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuckincincy Posted September 26, 2005 Share Posted September 26, 2005 Good man. Nice to see I have some backup today. 454845[/snapback] You've got mine. The last 3 top draft picks had me and many thinking "huh?, huh?, and huh?", but the decision was made. Despite the shaky OL and in my view so-so game plans (keeping running is a good thing, tho'), JP is not in as lousy a situation as the B'gals put Klingler and Smith into. It's pretty difficult to complete only 10 passes in today's pass-friendly league, I know, but OTOH my expectations of 5 or 6 ints and 5 or 6 fumbles by him at this point has proven wrong. I''m for staying the course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wnyguy Posted September 26, 2005 Share Posted September 26, 2005 Has anyone been questioning the defensive gameplan against the Falcons? Too many blitzes that the Falcons burned with the run. Once you get through the initial wave of rushers the RB or Vick had smooth sailing for alot of yardage. Did the coaches see this after the first 12 times it happened and adjust their startegy? No, they just kept it up. In my opinion they should have gotten out of the blitz package played their base defense and just kept a spy on Vick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeeRay Posted September 26, 2005 Author Share Posted September 26, 2005 JP is the best chance for our future. We may go 6-10 with JP and 7-9 with Holcomb this year. We could have gone 8-8 with Drew. So what. None of those equal playoffs. But which is most valuable? What does that mean for next year, or the year after that? You have to have faith. I agree that JP is the future... The problem is, you're not going to see a quantum leap in JPs performance from now through the end of the year. It's gonna be baby steps if he stays in. That is going to take it's toll on the players around him. If they're not already, they're going to become frustrated. The defense has their problems too, and the offensive impotence is going to frustrate the defense too after a while. Then, you've got to wonder how long before MM loses the players if that happens. You certainly don't want the team to turn on JP at this point either. If you play Holcomb, you can at least temper that frustration some, plus you can work JP in the mix situationally instead of totally overwhelming the poor guy. Holcomb is the type of guy that would buy in to that philosophy too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuntheDamnBall Posted September 26, 2005 Share Posted September 26, 2005 I agree that JP is the future... The problem is, you're not going to see a quantum leap in JPs performance from now through the end of the year. It's gonna be baby steps if he stays in. That is going to take it's toll on the players around him. If they're not already, they're going to become frustrated. The defense has their problems too, and the offensive impotence is going to frustrate the defense too after a while. Then, you've got to wonder how long before MM loses the players if that happens. You certainly don't want the team to turn on JP at this point either. If you play Holcomb, you can at least temper that frustration some, plus you can work JP in the mix situationally instead of totally overwhelming the poor guy. Holcomb is the type of guy that would buy in to that philosophy too. 454953[/snapback] I don't think so. This is the time when you need a coach to hold the team together. Mularkey was able to do that last year when we were at the breaking point. I'm hoping he is seriously going and looking at film and checking himself out because he needs to improve as much as, if not more than the rest of the team. Things are easier when you have veteran leaders like Drew, not so easy when your leader is also the guy you are teaching. JP has to learn and earn it. Taking it away from him now is only going to f--- him up the way it has effed up other young QBs. It's FAR too early. He sucks like this in game 4 next year and doesn't look like he's learning anything, THEN it's a problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramius Posted September 26, 2005 Share Posted September 26, 2005 I agree that JP is the future... The problem is, you're not going to see a quantum leap in JPs performance from now through the end of the year. It's gonna be baby steps if he stays in. That is going to take it's toll on the players around him. If they're not already, they're going to become frustrated. The defense has their problems too, and the offensive impotence is going to frustrate the defense too after a while. Then, you've got to wonder how long before MM loses the players if that happens. You certainly don't want the team to turn on JP at this point either. If you play Holcomb, you can at least temper that frustration some, plus you can work JP in the mix situationally instead of totally overwhelming the poor guy. Holcomb is the type of guy that would buy in to that philosophy too. 454953[/snapback] You dont know for sure...the bengals stayed the course with palmer last season and looked what happend...they could have just as easily put kitna in, but no, they were playing (smartly) for the future... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seadog Posted September 26, 2005 Share Posted September 26, 2005 Rookie qb growing pains. It's a throw away season. Get some players some reps. Let the coaching try some plays. We just have to try and keep winning and get the players some conidence in the future. Now with Spikes out, well you know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IDBillzFan Posted September 26, 2005 Share Posted September 26, 2005 Good man. Nice to see I have some backup today. 454845[/snapback] I'm with ya, absolutely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obie_wan Posted September 26, 2005 Share Posted September 26, 2005 The coaches, and I now am starting to belive that TD could also be culpable as well. 454846[/snapback] offensive coaching has been horrible. no screens, no draws, no quick passes to build confidence. why are Lee Evans and Moulds being replaced by Aiken and Jonathon Smith?? Are you kiding me? If Moulds has lost so much, why is he still on the team at his inflated salary? Moulds needs to catch some of those passes, instead of looking to the refs to call penalties. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdelma Posted September 26, 2005 Share Posted September 26, 2005 TD gambled on this team being ready. They look good on paper but their not. The veteran players know this is going to be a long season, look at their faces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fan in Chicago Posted September 26, 2005 Share Posted September 26, 2005 So, what happened to this team that was on the cusp of making the playoffs last year? The two biggest things that I see are... 1) Willingly allowing Pat Williams to walk and not brining in a suitable replacement for him. 2) Annointing JP as the starter from day one. I agree with the decision to dispatch Bledsoe. So, what do you think is the problem? Either the talent is not as good as we were led to believe or the coaches are not very good? Which is it? 454822[/snapback] I agree with (1). We tried to rationalize his departure but it is hurting us more than we bargained for. I am guessing PW isn't helping Minn much which means both teams ended up poorer. Don't agree with (2). I think JP will be fine once he finds his bearings like Carson Palmer (as others have already pointed out). I never expected him to have a Ben R season especially with this OL I would add that our OL is also changed from last year and needs time to gel. I think Duke will be starting pretty soon, probably at Center. We just need to finish the first half at 4-4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bills_fan Posted September 26, 2005 Share Posted September 26, 2005 We just need to finish the first half at 4-4. Pass that schit, man!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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