Gregg Easterbrook’s Tuesday Morning Quarterback fo

[fairweather fan]

Gregg Easterbrook’s Tuesday Morning Quarterback for 12/13/05 on NFL.com

 

Eric, Next Time Say, "The Coaches Did a Really Great Job and None of Us Wanted to Hold That 20-Point Fourth-Quarter Lead Anyway": It's a cryin' shame there was a flap involving Eric Moulds, who numbers among the most respected veterans in the NFL. Moulds has been a consummate competitor and a model citizen despite constant turmoil at Buffalo: enduring four head coaches and eight starting quarterbacks in his 10-year Bills tenure. Moulds has never complained and until last week always said the right things in public. Moulds' transgression was to criticize Buffalo play-calling during the Bills' meltdown at Miami. As reader Brian Sodeman of Baltimore notes, punishing Moulds was an example of shooting the messenger: the meltdown happened largely owing to play-calling. Buffalo coach Mike Mularkey, who calls the plays, created a huge distraction for his team by suspending a respected leader, rather than simply dealing with the criticism. Several veterans have clashed with Mularkey this season. When one player acts up, it is almost always the player's fault; when multiple players act up, it is almost always the coach's fault.

 

Best Blocks: One-thousand one, one-thousand two, one-thousand three, one-thousand four, one-thousand five, one-thousand six -- that's how long Tom Brady had to scan the field before jogging up the middle for a touchdown on a play that started at the Buffalo 3. Coaches around the league must be saying to their scouting departments: Get me some metaphors!

 

Stats of the Week No. 3: Stretching over two games, Buffalo was outscored 56-0.

Stats of the Week No. 5: Tom Brady is 14-0 when the kickoff temperature is below 1.66666667 Celsius (35 Fahrenheit).

 

Stats of the Week No. 9: New England has beaten Buffalo in nine of its last 10 meetings, outscoring the Bills by more than double (245 points to 121 points).

 

Draft Revisionism: This space has noted that cover-your-eyes awful tackle Mike Williams of Buffalo, fourth overall selection in 2002, is among the major draft busts of recent years. (In Buffalo's defense, the Bills were hardly the only ones wrong about Williams). The next tackle taken in 2002, Bryant McKinnie of Minnesota, selected seventh overall, is so-so. But consider the third tackle selected in 2002, Levi Jones of Cincinnati, taken 10th overall. Jones has developed into a fabulous player; one reason Cincinnati's offense is hot is that Jones is having a Pro Bowl season. Yours truly thinks Levi Jones is the second-best offensive linemen in the league -- after Walter Jones of Seattle, who is TMQ's NFL MVP to the 81 percent point (See below.) Next time Cincinnati is on the tube, watch No. 76. Nobody gets around him and he "plays to the whistle," which a distressingly small number of NFL offensive linemen do.

I mention Jones not only to praise him, but to make a point about draft commentary: when the Bengals selected Jones, the team was widely derided by sports pundits. It was said Jones had no business going so high, that he wouldn't make it in the NFL or if he did, would never be in the class of Williams or McKinnie, both of whom weigh more. Instead Jones has proven significantly better than the tackles drafted before him, and his relative trimness is one reason -- Jones is fast and active where Williams and McKinnie are roly-poly and sluggish. Of course, no one is ever sure which college players will succeed in the NFL: though certain draft commentators pretend they are sure. Three years later is when a draft can be graded, and three years later it is apparent Buffalo tossed the fourth pick of 2002 out the window while Cincinnati used the 10th selection wisely -- making it not surprising that today the Bengals are headed to the playoffs while the Bills are in meltdown. As for those touts who said Levi Jones didn't belong at 10th slot, they're right: he belonged higher. If the 2002 draft were held again today, the top half might look like this, with the player's actual draft position in parenthesis:

1. Dwight Freeney (11)

2. Julius Peppers (2)

3. Levi Jones (10)

4. Ed Reed (24)

5. Alex Brown (104)

6. John Henderson (9)

7. Jeremy Shockey (14)

8. Roy Williams (8)

9. Deion Branch (65)

10. David Thornton (106)

11. Clinton Portis (51)

12. Will Witherspoon (73)

13. Javon Walker (20)

14. LeCharles Bentley (44)

15. Albert Haynesworth (15)

16. Pick one of Philadelphia's -- Michael Lewis (58), Lito Sheppard (26) or Brian Westbrook (91).

David Carr, first selection of the 2002 draft, today probably would go late in the first round. Carr has toiled without complaint on a dreadful team; he might be a star on a good club. Joey Harrington, third pick of 2002, today might go in the middle rounds. Mike Williams, fourth selection of 2002, today would not be drafted at all, and he'd have to do some mighty fast talking to get a free-agent tryout.

 

Buck-Buck-Brawckkkkkkk No. 2: Trailing 14-0, Buffalo faced fourth-and-3 on the New England 46. Boom goes the punt, and it took the Flying Elvii just five snaps to pass the point where they would have been had the Bills gone for it and missed. Most fourth-and-3 running attempts succeed (64 percent, to be precise). Plus you're 4-8 and in opposition territory , why not go all-out to defeat the defending champions before the home crowd? And now you are 4-9.

 

Best Blocks: One-thousand one, one-thousand two, one-thousand three, one-thousand four, one-thousand five, one-thousand six -- that's how long Tom Brady had to scan the field before jogging up the middle for a touchdown on a play that started at the Buffalo 3. Coaches around the league must be saying to their scouting departments: Get me some metaphors!

 

(Fairweather Fan comment, I don't agree with everything Greg says, but it does make for interesting commentary.)

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

Gregg Easterbrook’s Tuesday Morning Quarterback for 12/13/05 on NFL.com

 

Eric, Next Time Say, "The Coaches Did a Really Great Job and None of Us Wanted to Hold That 20-Point Fourth-Quarter Lead Anyway": It's a cryin' shame there was a flap involving Eric Moulds, who numbers among the most respected veterans in the NFL. Moulds has been a consummate competitor and a model citizen despite constant turmoil at Buffalo: enduring four head coaches and eight starting quarterbacks in his 10-year Bills tenure. Moulds has never complained and until last week always said the right things in public. Moulds' transgression was to criticize Buffalo play-calling during the Bills' meltdown at Miami. As reader Brian Sodeman of Baltimore notes, punishing Moulds was an example of shooting the messenger: the meltdown happened largely owing to play-calling. Buffalo coach Mike Mularkey, who calls the plays, created a huge distraction for his team by suspending a respected leader, rather than simply dealing with the criticism. Several veterans have clashed with Mularkey this season. When one player acts up, it is almost always the player's fault; when multiple players act up, it is almost always the coach's fault.

 

Best Blocks: One-thousand one, one-thousand two, one-thousand three, one-thousand four, one-thousand five, one-thousand six -- that's how long Tom Brady had to scan the field before jogging up the middle for a touchdown on a play that started at the Buffalo 3. Coaches around the league must be saying to their scouting departments: Get me some metaphors!

 

Stats of the Week No. 3: Stretching over two games, Buffalo was outscored 56-0.

Stats of the Week No. 5: Tom Brady is 14-0 when the kickoff temperature is below 1.66666667 Celsius (35 Fahrenheit).

 

Stats of the Week No. 9: New England has beaten Buffalo in nine of its last 10 meetings, outscoring the Bills by more than double (245 points to 121 points).

 

Draft Revisionism: This space has noted that cover-your-eyes awful tackle Mike Williams of Buffalo, fourth overall selection in 2002, is among the major draft busts of recent years. (In Buffalo's defense, the Bills were hardly the only ones wrong about Williams). The next tackle taken in 2002, Bryant McKinnie of Minnesota, selected seventh overall, is so-so. But consider the third tackle selected in 2002, Levi Jones of Cincinnati, taken 10th overall. Jones has developed into a fabulous player; one reason Cincinnati's offense is hot is that Jones is having a Pro Bowl season. Yours truly thinks Levi Jones is the second-best offensive linemen in the league -- after Walter Jones of Seattle, who is TMQ's NFL MVP to the 81 percent point (See below.) Next time Cincinnati is on the tube, watch No. 76. Nobody gets around him and he "plays to the whistle," which a distressingly small number of NFL offensive linemen do.

I mention Jones not only to praise him, but to make a point about draft commentary: when the Bengals selected Jones, the team was widely derided by sports pundits. It was said Jones had no business going so high, that he wouldn't make it in the NFL or if he did, would never be in the class of Williams or McKinnie, both of whom weigh more. Instead Jones has proven significantly better than the tackles drafted before him, and his relative trimness is one reason -- Jones is fast and active where Williams and McKinnie are roly-poly and sluggish. Of course, no one is ever sure which college players will succeed in the NFL: though certain draft commentators pretend they are sure. Three years later is when a draft can be graded, and three years later it is apparent Buffalo tossed the fourth pick of 2002 out the window while Cincinnati used the 10th selection wisely -- making it not surprising that today the Bengals are headed to the playoffs while the Bills are in meltdown. As for those touts who said Levi Jones didn't belong at 10th slot, they're right: he belonged higher. If the 2002 draft were held again today, the top half might look like this, with the player's actual draft position in parenthesis:

1. Dwight Freeney (11)

2. Julius Peppers (2)

3. Levi Jones (10)

4. Ed Reed (24)

5. Alex Brown (104)

6. John Henderson (9)

7. Jeremy Shockey (14)

8. Roy Williams (8)

9. Deion Branch (65)

10. David Thornton (106)

11. Clinton Portis (51)

12. Will Witherspoon (73)

13. Javon Walker (20)

14. LeCharles Bentley (44)

15. Albert Haynesworth (15)

16. Pick one of Philadelphia's -- Michael Lewis (58), Lito Sheppard (26) or Brian Westbrook (91).

David Carr, first selection of the 2002 draft, today probably would go late in the first round. Carr has toiled without complaint on a dreadful team; he might be a star on a good club. Joey Harrington, third pick of 2002, today might go in the middle rounds. Mike Williams, fourth selection of 2002, today would not be drafted at all, and he'd have to do some mighty fast talking to get a free-agent tryout.

 

Buck-Buck-Brawckkkkkkk No. 2: Trailing 14-0, Buffalo faced fourth-and-3 on the New England 46. Boom goes the punt, and it took the Flying Elvii just five snaps to pass the point where they would have been had the Bills gone for it and missed. Most fourth-and-3 running attempts succeed (64 percent, to be precise). Plus you're 4-8 and in opposition territory , why not go all-out to defeat the defending champions before the home crowd? And now you are 4-9.

 

Best Blocks: One-thousand one, one-thousand two, one-thousand three, one-thousand four, one-thousand five, one-thousand six -- that's how long Tom Brady had to scan the field before jogging up the middle for a touchdown on a play that started at the Buffalo 3. Coaches around the league must be saying to their scouting departments: Get me some metaphors!

 

(Fairweather Fan comment, I don't agree with everything Greg says, but it does make for interesting commentary.)

531258[/snapback]

 

 

He is 100% correct. TD's downfall will be due to the Mike Williams pick and his abysmal coaching choices.

[Rico]

Stats of the Week No. 3: Stretching over two games, Buffalo was outscored 56-0.

 

Mike Williams, fourth selection of 2002, today would not be drafted at all, and he'd have to do some mighty fast talking to get a free-agent tryout.

Pretty harsh. Someone will sign him after we let him go... he'll probably be able to pick from at least 2-3 teams, maybe more, and he will be paid more millions of dollars.

[BenchBledsoe]

I agree with the point about MM. Where there's smoke there's fire. He's now had multiple run ins with veteran players. Above and beyond the lack of coaching that we've seen on the field, he stinks in handling people, it appears. That is a sure fire way to lose a team for good. Remember Bill Callahan's last season with the Raiders? I see this happening here.

 

How many times is going to call out Willis, Eric, Sam Adams and make them the weekly scapegoats? It appears MM doesn't have a thick enough skin for this job, and won't take much blame for this disaster.

[jarthur31]

MM should be fired for that alone! Is he really that stupid?!

 

He's calling out the wrong guys. Idiot. Call out the girls on the line Mike!!!

[GG]

He is 100% correct. TD's downfall will be due to the Mike Williams pick and his abysmal coaching choices.

531263[/snapback]

 

Actually, it was trading away 2 picks in a deep draft to absolutely, positively draft Denney.

[Geo in Pa]

I won't blame TD for MW, however I sure as hell blame him for Trey Teague. He tried to build his o-line around Teague, big mistake. His personell decisions on the o-line are probably the biggest reason he will be fired. He should have kept Rueben Brown and passed on Anderson.

Second reason is moving up and drafting Denney. His drafting goofs are why the Bills are in trouble - good players trump bad coaching any day.

[ganesh]

I won't blame TD for MW, however I sure as hell blame him for Trey Teague. He tried to build his o-line around Teague, big mistake. His personell decisions on the o-line are probably the biggest reason he will be fired. He should have kept Rueben Brown and passed on Anderson.

Second reason is moving up and drafting Denney. His drafting goofs are why the Bills are in trouble - good players trump bad coaching any day.

531308[/snapback]

 

The Teague experiment was a disaster and the person to blame should be

Greg Williams....He was the one who inserted our starting LT (signed from

FA) to the center (because he played that position in college 4 years prior

to that) and messed up TTs mind.....I actually thought that Mularkey would

have moved TT back to LT, but that did not happen due to Jennings having

established that spot after he had been moved from RT to LT 4 years ago.

what a mess......

[stuckincincy]

The Teague experiment was a disaster and the person to blame should be

Greg Williams....He was the one who inserted our starting LT (signed from

FA) to the center (because he played that position in college 4 years prior

to that) and messed up TTs mind.....I actually thought that Mularkey would

have moved TT back to LT, but that did not happen due to Jennings having

established that spot after he had been moved from RT to LT 4 years ago.

what a mess......

531320[/snapback]

 

I'm not clear as to why an offensive lineman with years of high school, college, and several years of pro play would have his mind messed up by moving to center. Is he some sort of china doll?

[ganesh]

I'm not clear as to why an offensive lineman with years of high school, college, and several years of pro play would have his mind messed up by moving to center. Is he some sort of china doll?

531324[/snapback]

 

The guy signs a FA deal with the Bills to play at the LT spot and boom he

is moved to the Center, where he is a complete mismatch in the NFL against

the speedy and bulky DTs that he doesn't see in College...

 

The guy played without complaining, but I guess his heart was never in it.

[Kultarr]

Actually, it was trading away 2 picks in a deep draft to absolutely, positively draft Denney.

531288[/snapback]

 

The Bills could've had Witherspoon and Brown. BUt, hey, we got Ryan Denney. What's not to like?

[GG]

The Bills could've had Witherspoon and Brown.  BUt, hey, we got Ryan Denney.  What's not to like? 

531333[/snapback]

 

Or they could have had McMichael & Thornton.

[dave mcbride]

The guy signs a FA deal with the Bills to play at the LT spot and boom he

is moved to the Center, where he is a complete mismatch in the NFL against

the speedy and bulky DTs that he doesn't see in College...

 

The guy played without complaining, but I guess his heart was never in it.

531331[/snapback]

he was pretty mediocre at LT for the broncos, and the broncos did not try to keep him beyond offering him a bargain basement salary.

[stuckincincy]

The guy signs a FA deal with the Bills to play at the LT spot and boom he

is moved to the Center, where he is a complete mismatch in the NFL against

the speedy and bulky DTs that he doesn't see in College...

 

The guy played without complaining, but I guess his heart was never in it.

531331[/snapback]

 

I see your point. Thanks.

[BuffaloRebound]

I like Easterbrook, but didn't Moulds start whining after the team was up 21 points and his under-study was the benficiary of 3 td passes?

[scribo]

Holy crap -- I guess I never really realized that TD took Mike Williams; therefore, passing on Dwight Freeney, Julius Peppers, Levi Jones, Ed Reed, Jeremy Shockey, and Clinton Portis.

 

[KOKBILLS]

Holy crap -- I guess I never really realized that TD took Mike Williams; therefore, passing on Dwight Freeney, Julius Peppers, Levi Jones, Ed Reed, Jeremy Shockey, and Clinton Portis.

 

     

531791[/snapback]

 

Well...the list goes on because John Henderson is one heck of a good DT...

[Peter]

MM should be fired for that alone!  Is he really that stupid?!   

 

He's calling out the wrong guys.  Idiot.  Call out the girls on the line Mike!!!

531279[/snapback]

 

That is so true. When he started to pull that bs, that is when he lost me. He also has lost the team. They and everyone else can see through that bs.