Pirate Angel Posted December 6, 2006 Share Posted December 6, 2006 There have been some positives this season, like reasonably hanging around the Colts and Chargers, and making the final scores of those games look closer than they really were, but on the other side of the equation is needing the last play of the game to beat Houston, losing to Detroit, and coming up with a ridiculous pass-happy gameplan against Chicago. Ultimately, though, in this week's game Dick Jauron made lots of little mistakes that made an already-tough game even harder for the Bills to win. 1) On 4th and inches, Dick Jauron decides to not go for it, down by 10. (I also wonder if the play might not have been challengeable - I thought that we got a bad spot.) O.k., reasonable people can disagree on this one - especially since he's been burned on some bad 4th downs earlier this season. Dick Jauron also, for whatever reason, chose not to challenge a possible fumble early in the game as well. 2) After the big sideline catch, Dick Jauron took a timeout, and then decided during the timeout to conduct a challenge. That's pretty bad. What is absolutely unacceptable is that Dick Jauron did not have anyone on his staff in the coaches box who KNEW THE NFL RULES!!!! This play had an absolutely crystal-clear replay angle with it, and Dick Jauron's staff had a full timeout to look at the replay - at minimum, all they had to do was watch the CBS feed of the game. It is essential for his staff to be able to make an accurate "red flag" recommendation to him when they have a full timeout to review the play. It is sad to me that the Bills beat writers are slow to criticize Dick Jauron for this, since most sportswriters don't know the rules - but Ralph Wilson is spending hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of our ticket revenues on Dick Jauron's staff. Is it really so much to ask that Dick Jauron hire a staff who KNOWS THE NFL RULES??!!!!????!!!!??? Ed Hochuli knew the rules, surely the Buffalo Bills can hire someone who knows the rules. 3) Speaking of not knowing the rules, at the end of the first half, the Bills were stopped just shy of a 1st down deep in their own end, and San Diego quickly called a timeout. The referees, however, decided to conduct a measurement, and so San Diego was not charged a timeout. What the Bills inexplicably forgot, however, is that after this measurement, the clock starts again!!! Instead, the Bills went ahead and snapped the ball for the punt without thinking - giving the Chargers just enough time to score a touchdown before the half in a game that they ultimately won by three points. Yes, this is just a little thing, but little things win football games - and right now, I am not convinced that Dick Jauron is doing them.... JDG 857252[/snapback] The 4th and short was deep in there own end of the field and it was still the first half Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2020 Our Year For Sure Posted December 6, 2006 Share Posted December 6, 2006 I don't really know why you're worrying about the little things. I'm just glad we have a coach who knows how to gameplan and make this team feel like a team again. Who cares if he's any good at challenging? The big things are far more important, thats why they're called "big". I look at your post as petty criticism, but what the hell... 1) On 4th and inches, Dick Jauron decides to not go for it, down by 10. (I also wonder if the play might not have been challengeable - I thought that we got a bad spot.) O.k., reasonable people can disagree on this one - especially since he's been burned on some bad 4th downs earlier this season. Dick Jauron also, for whatever reason, chose not to challenge a possible fumble early in the game as well. I can't believe you even listed this. Are you out of your mind? Let's give San Diego the ball deep in our own end when they're already leading 10-0 in the first half. I myself love going down three scores early to vastly superior teams. As someone else already said, I'm glad you're not the coach. This isn't Madden. 2) After the big sideline catch, Dick Jauron took a timeout, and then decided during the timeout to conduct a challenge. That's pretty bad. What is absolutely unacceptable is that Dick Jauron did not have anyone on his staff in the coaches box who KNEW THE NFL RULES!!!! This play had an absolutely crystal-clear replay angle with it, and Dick Jauron's staff had a full timeout to look at the replay - at minimum, all they had to do was watch the CBS feed of the game. It is essential for his staff to be able to make an accurate "red flag" recommendation to him when they have a full timeout to review the play. It is sad to me that the Bills beat writers are slow to criticize Dick Jauron for this, since most sportswriters don't know the rules - but Ralph Wilson is spending hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of our ticket revenues on Dick Jauron's staff. Is it really so much to ask that Dick Jauron hire a staff who KNOWS THE NFL RULES??!!!!????!!!!??? Ed Hochuli knew the rules, surely the Buffalo Bills can hire someone who knows the rules. This is an easy one. IT WASN'T A QUESTION OF KNOWING THE RULES. Ed Hochuli told Jauron about the stupid toe-heel rule before the challenge. Jauron felt there may have been long enough of a pause between the toe hitting and the heel hitting for it to be called a reception. This is excusable when you take into consideration the fact that this was the likely the first time anyone had seen this rule enforced, and thus everyone is inexperienced with it. Its also excusable because of what it would have meant to the team had the play been overturned. Well worth the risk. As for using two timeouts, JP called the first timeout on his own because the play clock was down to 1. During that timeout the staff had extra time to look at the play. What are they supposed to do, believe they can overturn a play and keep the flag in their pocket anyway, just because they already used a timeout? Thats nonsense, if you think you can get a play of that magnitude reversed you take your shot. And I've already said why I think its excusable for DJ to think he could've gotten it overturned. This certainly wasn't bad enough of a decision to make me doubt Dick Jauron's long-term future on its own! 3) Speaking of not knowing the rules, at the end of the first half, the Bills were stopped just shy of a 1st down deep in their own end, and San Diego quickly called a timeout. The referees, however, decided to conduct a measurement, and so San Diego was not charged a timeout. What the Bills inexplicably forgot, however, is that after this measurement, the clock starts again!!! Instead, the Bills went ahead and snapped the ball for the punt without thinking - giving the Chargers just enough time to score a touchdown before the half in a game that they ultimately won by three points. Quick, easy answer. If you watch DJ's postgame comments, you'll find that he and his staff were aware that the clock would be running, but had no way of relaying that information to the punt team. They were already in formation, there was nothing the coaching staff could do. That simple. Dick Jauron is a good coach and I'm on his bandwagon. I'm appreciative that an intelligent, stable guy such as he is our head coach after the last 2 nitwits we've had here. This season just feels different: I really believe this team is moving in the right direction. Lets upgrade some of our talent this offseason and hope to be contenders come next year. Go Bills! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob in STL Posted December 6, 2006 Share Posted December 6, 2006 There have been some positives this season, like reasonably hanging around the Colts and Chargers, and making the final scores of those games look closer than they really were, but on the other side of the equation is needing the last play of the game to beat Houston, losing to Detroit, and coming up with a ridiculous pass-happy gameplan against Chicago. Ultimately, though, in this week's game Dick Jauron made lots of little mistakes that made an already-tough game even harder for the Bills to win. 1) On 4th and inches, Dick Jauron decides to not go for it, down by 10. (I also wonder if the play might not have been challengeable - I thought that we got a bad spot.) O.k., reasonable people can disagree on this one - especially since he's been burned on some bad 4th downs earlier this season. Dick Jauron also, for whatever reason, chose not to challenge a possible fumble early in the game as well. 2) After the big sideline catch, Dick Jauron took a timeout, and then decided during the timeout to conduct a challenge. That's pretty bad. What is absolutely unacceptable is that Dick Jauron did not have anyone on his staff in the coaches box who KNEW THE NFL RULES!!!! This play had an absolutely crystal-clear replay angle with it, and Dick Jauron's staff had a full timeout to look at the replay - at minimum, all they had to do was watch the CBS feed of the game. It is essential for his staff to be able to make an accurate "red flag" recommendation to him when they have a full timeout to review the play. It is sad to me that the Bills beat writers are slow to criticize Dick Jauron for this, since most sportswriters don't know the rules - but Ralph Wilson is spending hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of our ticket revenues on Dick Jauron's staff. Is it really so much to ask that Dick Jauron hire a staff who KNOWS THE NFL RULES??!!!!????!!!!??? Ed Hochuli knew the rules, surely the Buffalo Bills can hire someone who knows the rules. 3) Speaking of not knowing the rules, at the end of the first half, the Bills were stopped just shy of a 1st down deep in their own end, and San Diego quickly called a timeout. The referees, however, decided to conduct a measurement, and so San Diego was not charged a timeout. What the Bills inexplicably forgot, however, is that after this measurement, the clock starts again!!! Instead, the Bills went ahead and snapped the ball for the punt without thinking - giving the Chargers just enough time to score a touchdown before the half in a game that they ultimately won by three points. Yes, this is just a little thing, but little things win football games - and right now, I am not convinced that Dick Jauron is doing them.... JDG 857252[/snapback] I am tired of this commentary. Yes -- Jauron made a mistake with the challenge after the time out. OK. There was confusion and indecision. Name a coach who has not made a few mistakes over the course of a season. Head coaches make hundreds of decisions every game. Even the great Bellichek makes some questionable moves from time to time. The Bills problem is talent and youth in key positions. They are making good and steady progress but they still have a ways to go to be a strong playoff team. I think the Bills are very well prepared. Other than maybe two games they have been very competitive and could easily have have a few more wins. Jauron is doing fine, and so is his staff. Give them time. It took Levy several years to get the Bills winning and he had far more talent to work with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDG Posted December 6, 2006 Author Share Posted December 6, 2006 I can't believe you even listed this. I was giving Dick Jauron one ding for three questionable decisions, one was not going for it (on which reasonable people can disagree - but on that infentisemally short distance, down by 10, with the wind such a huge factor, I go for it to keep a drive alive with the wind). The other two were not challenging the spot on the 4th and inches, and also not challenging the Hargrove fumble recovery. Somewhere in those three things is a full ding in my book. This is an easy one. IT WASN'T A QUESTION OF KNOWING THE RULES. Ed Hochuli told Jauron about the stupid toe-heel rule before the challenge. Jauron felt there may have been long enough of a pause between the toe hitting and the heel hitting for it to be called a reception. There isn't a provision for a "long enough pause" in the rules.... Dick Jauron and his staff got the rule wrong, plain and simple. They should have never blown our final timeout of the second half on a challenge that we had little to no chance of winning. This is excusable when you take into consideration the fact that this was the likely the first time anyone had seen this rule enforced, and thus everyone is inexperienced with it. Its also excusable because of what it would have meant to the team had the play been overturned. Well worth the risk. If Ed Hochuli can know the rule, Dick Jauron's staff can know the rule. We are paying this staff millions of dollars - for that amount of money, I expect them to know the rules *better* than the referees. And you are dead wrong about "worth the risk" - if there's no chance of it being overturned, because it wasn't a catch, then it isn't worth the risk. "Being worth the risk" isn't just based on the possible reward, its also based on the probable cost. Otherwise, teams would throw the ball deep on every single play, because the play *might* result in a TD, and so would be "worth the risk". Quick, easy answer. If you watch DJ's postgame comments, you'll find that he and his staff were aware that the clock would be running, but had no way of relaying that information to the punt team. They were already in formation, there was nothing the coaching staff could do. That simple. Again, it is Dick Jauron and his staff's fault for not properly preparing the team for the situation - especially given that they just had a timeout to do so. Dick Jauron is a good coach and I'm on his bandwagon. I'm appreciative that an intelligent, stable guy such as he is our head coach after the last 2 nitwits we've had here. This season just feels different: I really believe this team is moving in the right direction. Lets upgrade some of our talent this offseason and hope to be contenders come next year. Go Bills! 858221[/snapback] I really hope and wish you are right. JDG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDG Posted December 6, 2006 Author Share Posted December 6, 2006 talk about changing the subject - it was 17-14 with 8 minutes to go in the third. turnovers and special teams are part of the game, btw, and not just flukes. re burying heads in the sand, feel free to continue to delude yourself that the bills' talent is any better than the raiders or the cardinals. 857466[/snapback] O.k., so I guess that in the future I will only analyze Dick Jauron's decision-making after games against opponents with inferior talent. How many evaluated games a year is that then? JDG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave mcbride Posted December 6, 2006 Share Posted December 6, 2006 O.k., so I guess that in the future I will only analyze Dick Jauron's decision-making after games against opponents with inferior talent. How many evaluated games a year is that then? JDG 858275[/snapback] i'm not sure what your point is. to spell it out: which nfl team do you think has the most talent? reasonable people may disagree, but many would say the san diego chargers. re teams with inferior talent, there ain't many, but one could argue that teams like green bay, miami (truthfully, they're probably a more talented team, but it's close) and houston fit that bill. the bills beat them. they also lost to a bad detroit team, but i don't think it was because of coaching. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Big Cat Posted December 6, 2006 Share Posted December 6, 2006 After thinking about this, I gotta say, fans focus *way* too much on one play when it involves a challenge rather than the full assortment of 130-140 plays. Basically, it's too goddamn easy for fans to focus on easy stuff like that, which in turns skews their view toward how well a game was coached. The Bills played probably the most talented team in the league, got down by 17, and almost came back *despite 8 clearly bad calls that hurt them while enjoying the fruits of precisely zero bad calls against the chargers*. but carry on: blame the coach. 857439[/snapback] Amen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDG Posted December 6, 2006 Author Share Posted December 6, 2006 i'm not sure what your point is. to spell it out: which nfl team do you think has the most talent? reasonable people may disagree, but many would say the san diego chargers. re teams with inferior talent, there ain't many, but one could argue that teams like green bay, miami (truthfully, they're probably a more talented team, but it's close) and houston fit that bill. the bills beat them. they also lost to a bad detroit team, but i don't think it was because of coaching. 858289[/snapback] My point is very simply this.... I don't get why more talent or less talent; win or lose; whatever - excuses Dick Jauron from fulfilling certain minimum competencies for his job, no matter what other things he does well. Its like losing a game on a kick return, but saying that you can't criticizing his special teams coaching because it was his defensive coaching that kept us in the game against a superior team. As a head coach, you have to do a lot of things well to succeed in this League. Dick Jauron did some things well, on other things he failed. All I'm doing is pointing out those failings. JDG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clownments22 Posted December 6, 2006 Share Posted December 6, 2006 My point is very simply this.... I don't get why more talent or less talent; win or lose; whatever - excuses Dick Jauron from fulfilling certain minimum competencies for his job, no matter what other things he does well. Its like losing a game on a kick return, but saying that you can't criticizing his special teams coaching because it was his defensive coaching that kept us in the game against a superior team. As a head coach, you have to do a lot of things well to succeed in this League. Dick Jauron did some things well, on other things he failed. All I'm doing is pointing out those failings. JDG 858301[/snapback] jdg- great post. i agree with a lot of what you and others have said in the discussion. you've said that to win in the nfl a coach has to do a lot of little things right, which is true. other posters have said it's hard to pin this loss on the coach because we were playing a team with far greater talent that we currently have, which is also true. i think my main point is that i agree that jauron and his staff will need to do a better job of getting the little things right on gameday if we want to be a winning franchise once again, but currently our team has bigger things to worry about. going into the game, we pretty much knew we would have to play a close to perfect game in order to beat a very complete san diego team, as well as get lucky on some calls, which we didn't. i also agree with others that coach jauron has done an overall very good job of game planning and putting together some nice wins this year with a team that's low on talent. once the team takes care of some of the bigger problems, the smaller things will fall into place. this is all, of course, very trivial because when you're a good team, you don't need every single tiny call or coaching decision to go your way to win football games, you win them because you're a better football team, which we currently are not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oneonta Buffalo Fan Posted December 6, 2006 Share Posted December 6, 2006 There have been some positives this season, like reasonably hanging around the Colts and Chargers, and making the final scores of those games look closer than they really were, but on the other side of the equation is needing the last play of the game to beat Houston, losing to Detroit, and coming up with a ridiculous pass-happy gameplan against Chicago. Ultimately, though, in this week's game Dick Jauron made lots of little mistakes that made an already-tough game even harder for the Bills to win. 1) On 4th and inches, Dick Jauron decides to not go for it, down by 10. (I also wonder if the play might not have been challengeable - I thought that we got a bad spot.) O.k., reasonable people can disagree on this one - especially since he's been burned on some bad 4th downs earlier this season. Dick Jauron also, for whatever reason, chose not to challenge a possible fumble early in the game as well. 2) After the big sideline catch, Dick Jauron took a timeout, and then decided during the timeout to conduct a challenge. That's pretty bad. What is absolutely unacceptable is that Dick Jauron did not have anyone on his staff in the coaches box who KNEW THE NFL RULES!!!! This play had an absolutely crystal-clear replay angle with it, and Dick Jauron's staff had a full timeout to look at the replay - at minimum, all they had to do was watch the CBS feed of the game. It is essential for his staff to be able to make an accurate "red flag" recommendation to him when they have a full timeout to review the play. It is sad to me that the Bills beat writers are slow to criticize Dick Jauron for this, since most sportswriters don't know the rules - but Ralph Wilson is spending hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of our ticket revenues on Dick Jauron's staff. Is it really so much to ask that Dick Jauron hire a staff who KNOWS THE NFL RULES??!!!!????!!!!??? Ed Hochuli knew the rules, surely the Buffalo Bills can hire someone who knows the rules. 3) Speaking of not knowing the rules, at the end of the first half, the Bills were stopped just shy of a 1st down deep in their own end, and San Diego quickly called a timeout. The referees, however, decided to conduct a measurement, and so San Diego was not charged a timeout. What the Bills inexplicably forgot, however, is that after this measurement, the clock starts again!!! Instead, the Bills went ahead and snapped the ball for the punt without thinking - giving the Chargers just enough time to score a touchdown before the half in a game that they ultimately won by three points. Yes, this is just a little thing, but little things win football games - and right now, I am not convinced that Dick Jauron is doing them.... JDG 857252[/snapback] Somewhere I've heard this before. Oh yeah. I stated something like this Sunday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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