I feel like the tide is turning

[zow2]

I don't know, i get this weird vibe about this team. Last year they started 5-1 and then everything caved. This year, they absorb that soul-crushing opening night loss at NE, then spiral down to 1-4 after that horrible home loss vs. Cleveland. Everything that could go wrong did including a crazy amt of injuries. I mean things could not have been worse.

Now all of a sudden, at rock bottom...Trent gets hurt- new QB, the D and Byrd emerge to create a remarkable amt of turnovers, stopping 4th and shorts...the patchwork D is finding a chemistry together. If they can't smother teams, they certainly change the game with turnovers. The O is making just enough plays to score a couple offensive TD's while breaking in a new QB. SPecial teams is suddenly playing up to their potential, covering punts and KO's and pinning teams back....plus, the weirdest of all, our opponents special teams are botching and missing easy FG's that would change these games. It all gives me just enough hope that if they beat Houston on Sunday, I'm going to be pumped for the 2nd half of the season.

[Beerball]

I don't know, i get this weird vibe about this team. Last year they started 5-1 and then everything caved. This year, they absorb that soul-crushing opening night loss at NE, then spiral down to 1-4 after that horrible home loss vs. Cleveland. Everything that could go wrong did including a crazy amt of injuries. I mean things could not have been worse.

Now all of a sudden, at rock bottom...Trent gets hurt- new QB, the D and Byrd emerge to create a remarkable amt of turnovers, stopping 4th and shorts...the patchwork D is finding a chemistry together. If they can't smother teams, they certainly change the game with turnovers. The O is making just enough plays to score a couple offensive TD's while breaking in a new QB. SPecial teams is suddenly playing up to their potential, covering punts and KO's and pinning teams back....plus, the weirdest of all, our opponents special teams are botching and missing easy FG's that would change these games. It all gives me just enough hope that if they beat Houston on Sunday, I'm going to be pumped for the 2nd half of the season.

A win is a win is a win.

 

BUT...have you ever witnessed three worse QB performances back to back to back than what we've just witnessed?

 

Anderson

Sanchez

Delhomme

 

We're not likely to run into such a bad batch of QB play and opposing coaching in my remaining lifetime.

[Clippers of Nfl]

I don't know, i get this weird vibe about this team. Last year they started 5-1 and then everything caved. This year, they absorb that soul-crushing opening night loss at NE, then spiral down to 1-4 after that horrible home loss vs. Cleveland. Everything that could go wrong did including a crazy amt of injuries. I mean things could not have been worse.

Now all of a sudden, at rock bottom...Trent gets hurt- new QB, the D and Byrd emerge to create a remarkable amt of turnovers, stopping 4th and shorts...the patchwork D is finding a chemistry together. If they can't smother teams, they certainly change the game with turnovers. The O is making just enough plays to score a couple offensive TD's while breaking in a new QB. SPecial teams is suddenly playing up to their potential, covering punts and KO's and pinning teams back....plus, the weirdest of all, our opponents special teams are botching and missing easy FG's that would change these games. It all gives me just enough hope that if they beat Houston on Sunday, I'm going to be pumped for the 2nd half of the season.

unfortunately u probably are too optimistic.

1. texans may put us back in reality. a nasty loss at home. 3-5

2. @tenn, we could be the sucky team to give titans their first win. yes, we are that dreadful sometimes. 3-6 (season basically over...)

 

having said all that, i loved the fact that we won 2 in a row!!!!

[iinii]

unfortunately u probably are too optimistic.

1. texans may put us back in reality. a nasty loss at home. 3-5

2. @tenn, we could be the sucky team to give titans their first win. yes, we are that dreadful sometimes. 3-6 (season basically over...)

 

having said all that, i loved that fact that we won 2 in a row!!!!

and we won on grass!

[Dr. Fong]

Don't worry, as soon as they play a good team the tide will go back out.

[zow2]

Yeah, i hear you guys. If they lose to Houston, we're probably looking at 6-10. I'm still not giving up hope until they get that 7th loss though!

[RyanC883]

Yeah, i hear you guys. If they lose to Houston, we're probably looking at 6-10. I'm still not giving up hope until they get that 7th loss though!

 

 

Houston will destroy us, and show us that our "great pass D" is simply average without a pass rush to help it out. (not a critique of the secondary, which I think is very good.)

[BillsVet]

I don't know, i get this weird vibe about this team. Last year they started 5-1 and then everything caved. This year, they absorb that soul-crushing opening night loss at NE, then spiral down to 1-4 after that horrible home loss vs. Cleveland. Everything that could go wrong did including a crazy amt of injuries. I mean things could not have been worse.

Now all of a sudden, at rock bottom...Trent gets hurt- new QB, the D and Byrd emerge to create a remarkable amt of turnovers, stopping 4th and shorts...the patchwork D is finding a chemistry together. If they can't smother teams, they certainly change the game with turnovers. The O is making just enough plays to score a couple offensive TD's while breaking in a new QB. SPecial teams is suddenly playing up to their potential, covering punts and KO's and pinning teams back....plus, the weirdest of all, our opponents special teams are botching and missing easy FG's that would change these games. It all gives me just enough hope that if they beat Houston on Sunday, I'm going to be pumped for the 2nd half of the season.

 

Scoring 2 TD's in three games against CLE, NYJ, and CAR isn't what I'd call offensive production. As a matter of fact, the offense has exactly 8 TD's in 7 games. They rushed for 53 yards on 30 carries yesterday, and the OL is struggling mightily.

 

It's easy to get emotionally worked up after beating inferior teams. To make the post-season, the Bills have to go at least 7-2 in their final 9 games to have a shot, which means losing only two games to NE, MIA, NYJ, ATL, IND, HOU, JAC, KC, and TEN. After losing to CLE, I'm no game is a sure thing with this team.

[billsfreak]

Yes you are a little too optimistic. Let's win a game where the offense contributes first against a decent team, and we don't win because their QB is color blind and completes as many to our team as theirs. I know a win is a win, but in our last two wins, for the most part the offense was invisible, we won on turnovers.

[MarkAF43]

Houston will destroy us, and show us that our "great pass D" is simply average without a pass rush to help it out. (not a critique of the secondary, which I think is very good.)

 

 

Umm not that we have been great on D, but our pass defense has held a couple of pretty decent QB's semi- in check.... Brees had an average day against us, I am more concerned with Houston running the ball down our throat like most other teams this year

[8-8 Forever?]

I don't know, i get this weird vibe about this team. Last year they started 5-1 and then everything caved. This year, they absorb that soul-crushing opening night loss at NE, then spiral down to 1-4 after that horrible home loss vs. Cleveland. Everything that could go wrong did including a crazy amt of injuries. I mean things could not have been worse.

Now all of a sudden, at rock bottom...Trent gets hurt- new QB, the D and Byrd emerge to create a remarkable amt of turnovers, stopping 4th and shorts...the patchwork D is finding a chemistry together. If they can't smother teams, they certainly change the game with turnovers. The O is making just enough plays to score a couple offensive TD's while breaking in a new QB. SPecial teams is suddenly playing up to their potential, covering punts and KO's and pinning teams back....plus, the weirdest of all, our opponents special teams are botching and missing easy FG's that would change these games. It all gives me just enough hope that if they beat Houston on Sunday, I'm going to be pumped for the 2nd half of the season.

 

Every game is unique. You cannot take from one game and impose it on the next. Houston could come out and play like they did against super pumped up Cinci two weeks ago and crush the super pumped up Bills on Sunday. couple of turnovers, a bad bounce or two and you lose 35-17 and everyone is off the bandwagon again... I will admit that if they win Sunday I am back on the bandwagon, thought... we'll see.. that's why they play the games.

[Endless Ike]

it's just the water changing direction as it spins down the toilet bowl

[zow2]

Aw, c'mon. Just a little positivity here. The Bills could easily lose to the Texans 35-17 but Houston has a history of failing just when it seems like they are poised for a breakout season. The Bills also have a decade of failing just when it seems like they could possibly turn the corner. So these two failing histories collide on Sunday in what should be a VERY interesting matchup.

Our DB's are playing with a ton of confidence and that's half the battle in pass defense. I think Schaub will be in for a tougher day passing downfield than most Houston fans think. I agree though, the running of Slaton and dink passes to Daniels worry me.

[Armchair GM]

Umm not that we have been great on D, but our pass defense has held a couple of pretty decent QB's semi- in check.... Brees had an average day against us, I am more concerned with Houston running the ball down our throat like most other teams this year

 

I think last week could have been the confidence giver that our run D needed. Grated, Carolina abandoned the run in the 2nd half, but they are one of the most prolific rushing attacks in the NFL and we, in their own minds, forced them away from their game plan. Houston has a good ground game and the fact that Andre Johnson probably won't play this week, lung contusion, we'll be watching for the rush. If we hold Houston to < 80 yds on the ground in the first half, we may see a repeat of last week...good for us! We'll see...

[JoeF]

and we won on grass!

 

Cause Jake Delhomme played like he was on grass.

 

Best Case: The worm turns only if the offense starts to give the D a break or two by holding the ball for more than a minute and half a possession (at least we are huddling now--that adds a minute to the time of possession) once or twice a game. This D is a playmaking D -- but is going to get worn out.

 

The last two games this D has displayed what the Tampa 2 is designed to do -- keep plays in front of you, give up yards but not touchdowns and take advantage of mistakes by the opposing O when they get impatient. Special Teams have also cooperated -- giving the opposing O a long field to work with. You can win some games with these two elements performing at a high level but long term we need the offense to sustain drives.

 

So what are we missing on O--here's my list--:

 

1) The screen play - Look how effective this was against NE-- particularly when we used it at uncommon times. Screens are perfect fits for our athletic but young and generally weak o-line--they can use their athletic talents.

2) Traps - This is a little more complex -- but again -- we run a lot of straight to the hole plays -- this is not our o-lines strength -- they get bullied -- we need some designed cut back plays that fake to the defenses strength but mis - direct.

3) Pitch sweeps-Fred Jackson gets to the edge quick. He has football speed -- get him one on one with an OLB or a corner every once in a while -- he wins those match ups pretty often I think.

4) Move Lee and TO around -- if they are doubling one of them -- use motion to help them get off the press and to drive the D to overload to one side...then use the above (Screens, Traps, Pitch Sweeps) to take advantage of the Defensive overload that will occur.

 

All this says--don't make this line try to be something they are not. If they are young and athletic--get them on the move--we did this in NE game but have forgotten how since then.

 

Worst Case: The D wears down, the O stays horrible and we start losing by an average of 2-3 TD's a game...finish 5-11 or so...

[Chandler#81]

Don't worry, as soon as they play a good team the tide will go back out.

 

Yeah, I'm thinking it's actually a tsunami. The waves are being sucked out at first and the witless masses are walking far out onto the beach wondering what's going on, while the animals are high-tailin' it for the hills!

[Wilson from Gamehendge]

Houston will destroy us, and show us that our "great pass D" is simply average without a pass rush to help it out. (not a critique of the secondary, which I think is very good.)

 

Didn't Andre Johnson get hurt?

 

I mean, he doesn't really scare me as much as Andre Davis does...just sayin'.

[Gugny]

Didn't Andre Johnson get hurt?

 

I mean, he doesn't really scare me as much as Andre Davis does...just sayin'.

Classy shirt and slogan. I bet Dick's wife and daughters think it's cool. The guy's not a good NFL coach. He has no business coaching the Bills. Big deal. No man deserves to be publicly humiliated and disgraced because of something related to a game. Come on. Save this kind of crap for Red Sox or Eagles fans.

[SouthernMan]

Classy shirt and slogan. I bet Dick's wife and daughters think it's cool. The guy's not a good NFL coach. He has no business coaching the Bills. Big deal. No man deserves to be publicly humiliated and disgraced because of something related to a game. Come on. Save this kind of crap for Red Sox or Eagles fans.

 

 

Thanks. I agree. By all accounts, Jauron is a decent guy. No reason for this.

[....lybob]

Maybe someday a team goes all the way with great special teams, outstanding secondary, and a managed offense but history says great quarterbacking and dominate Lines.