Kelly Holcomb talks about the Steve Fairchild

[ghz in pittsburgh]

http://dnj.midsouthnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060705/SPORTS/607050310

I was very interested in his comments about Fairchild's offense. Frankly no one knows about his offense so far because he has not really run a show by himself in NFL yet. And being a 12 year vet, Holcomb should have a pretty good idea comparing this offense to what he has seen in the league. And here is his comments:

Holcomb — He's aggressive. I think he is going to be a little bit more run-oriented than Mike Martz was. But we'll have to see. Time will tell. You have to be able to run the ball in Buffalo when the weather gets bad. I think he is more prone to do that. But I also think he is very aggressive. In practice so far, he sure has been. This offense, you can make some plays. He gets the ball down the field. He's not scared to take shots. He wants you to force balls into some holes that sometimes in other years you might not think. But he knows what he is doing. He has been in this offense for a while. And I really enjoy it. I like it so far.

So Holcomb thinks agressiveness is the main characteristics of this offense. Without much details, I can only guess that Fairchild wants the ball go deep, to the point where if there is open space deep, then the ball should go there. And the running game will be set up by the pass.

This will be such a departure from last year and the year before under Malarkay where conservative, don't-turn-the-ball-over, run setting up pass are the norm.

I don't care how much Holcomb is saying that he loves the offense, but it can't be good news to him. Holcomb came across as a veteran well suited for check-downs, high completion percentage guy, though he did have some hugh games in the past. Fairchild's offense sounds like more yardage driven, not completion percentage driven. He is interested in big chunks and scores, not so in terms of a 10+ play drive or time of possession. He wants the defense to defend deep to allow him to run a little more. Now if you ask me, does this sound more suited for a free spirit, strong armed guy like Losman who happens to throw a deep ball very well? (Maybe Nall, too but I just have no idea what he's like)

[HHURRICANE]

Re: Kelly Holcomb talks about the Steve Fairchild

Good post. Bye-bye Kelly!!

[BuffaloBillsStampede]

Re: Kelly Holcomb talks about the Steve Fairchild

Great news for this team becuase after JP lights it up we won't have to hear this garbage about Brady Quinn and we can focus on other areas of need. "Losman goes deep for Evans, and it's caught for a touchdown!!!!!!!!!!!" That will be heard an awful lot this year in my opinion. I am pumped.

[ICE74129]

Re: Kelly Holcomb talks about the Steve Fairchild

This offense will be JP's or someone else not on this rosters. It wont' be holcomb, he doesnt' have the arm for it and won't take the chances needed to make it work.

Hey its a risk/ Reward offense.

[ghz in pittsburgh]

Re: Kelly Holcomb talks about the Steve Fairchild

Great news for this team becuase after JP lights it up we won't have to hear this garbage about Brady Quinn and we can focus on other areas of need. "Losman goes deep for Evans, and it's caught for a touchdown!!!!!!!!!!!" That will be heard an awful lot this year in my opinion. I am pumped.

Or Losman goes deep and ... it's intercepted by xxx

Seriously I think this will be a boom or bust type of offense. Consider this: the pass defense supposedly got better with personnel and a scheme designed to give no short completions; the run defense theoretically got no improvement in personnel but a different concept (penetration and running to the ball vs holding off the O-Linemen). If the offense scores a bunch, it forces the opposing offense to play into our defense strength and we'll win with big margin. But if the offense run into quick outs and turnovers, it allows opponents to tax more out of our smallish defense, which means run us out of the field early.

It sounds like it will be a more exciting brand of football. But I do want to see how it plays out in the cold and snow.

[ICE74129]

Re: Kelly Holcomb talks about the Steve Fairchild

Or Losman goes deep and ... it's intercepted by xxx

Seriously I think this will be a boom or bust type of offense. Consider this: the pass defense supposedly got better with personnel and a scheme designed to give no short completions; the run defense theoretically got no improvement in personnel but a different concept (penetration and running to the ball vs holding off the O-Linemen). If the offense scores a bunch, it forces the opposing offense to play into our defense strength and we'll win with big margin. But if the offense run into quick outs and turnovers, it allows opponents to tax more out of our smallish defense, which means run us out of the field early.

It sounds like it will be a more exciting brand of football. But I do want to see how it plays out in the cold and snow.

The KGUN had NO issues in snow or wind. Right there in Buffalo too. I have several 90's playoff tapes. Kelly had no issues going 250-330 in snow, neither should JP.

[Captain gameboy]

Re: Kelly Holcomb talks about the Steve Fairchild

Smoke and mirrors at this point.
We are evaluating the QB position at this point and what better way than running longer routes and making tougher throws in OTAs and training camp.

When the real season starts, we'll start out running and dumping and if we can't run we'll try to throw deeper.

Same as every other year, except I think Willis will be more Thurman than OJ.
In other words, get him on a LB and dump to him asking him to move the chains.

I really doubt they intend this to be a long ball, high risk O.

Evans isn't a certifiable number one yet, and what's behind him is even more a question.

[OpIv37]

Re: Kelly Holcomb talks about the Steve Fairchild

Well, Mularkey was criticized for not stretching the field and taking enough deep shots, so hopefully this will be an improvement. I don't like the "boom or bust" concept though- it reminds me too much of the KG-Drew Bledsoe days.

I'd like to see Fairchild go over the top enough to make the D back off, then concentrate on the running game. Anything that eases pressure on JP and keeps our D off the field is going to work to our advantage.

[Patrick76777]

Re: Kelly Holcomb talks about the Steve Fairchild

The KGUN had NO issues in snow or wind. Right there in Buffalo too. I have several 90's playoff tapes. Kelly had no issues going 250-330 in snow, neither should JP.

Let's work on getting JP some 100 yard games in the nice weather first.

[Earthquake Enyart]

Re: Kelly Holcomb talks about the Steve Fairchild

Let's work on getting JP some 100 yard games in the nice weather first.

Every one is too focused on the weather. How many games are really effected by weather when it stops you from doing what you want to do? One? Two?

[Patrick76777]

Re: Kelly Holcomb talks about the Steve Fairchild

Every one is too focused on the weather. How many games are really effected by weather when it stops you from doing what you want to do? One? Two?

Usually I would agree. However, this year we have 4 of the last 6 at home. Each against beatable warm weather teams. SD, Jax, Miami and Tenn. It could play into it this year.

Plus our 2 road games in the last six are in NY and Baltimore. It’ll be a cold final 6 games.

[KMA]

Re: Kelly Holcomb talks about the Steve Fairchild

First of all, who is Kelly Holcomb that anyone should be listening to him. He becomes a starter for half a season and he's some sort of expert here? Right.

Second of all, if Fairchild is so run oriented, then WTH was he doing in St. Louis?

Third of all, "taking shots downfield" is great when you have the Rams' OL and WRs. The Bills have none of it and we'll be lucky if Holcomb, JPL, or Nall have more than a few seconds to get rid of the ball with any kind of regularity at all. .

St. Louis was bad because their defense sucked, not because their offense did.

But their offense ranked 6th in scoring, 11th in yardage, and 25th in scoring.

It wasn't because they were a strong running team. It was more like what we say under Gilbride and Bledsoe when we couldn't do much when we got into the red zone.

[Earthquake Enyart]

Re: Kelly Holcomb talks about the Steve Fairchild

Usually I would agree. However, this year we have 4 of the last 6 at home. Each against beatable warm weather teams. SD, Jax, Miami and Tenn. It could play into it this year.

Plus our 2 road games in the last six are in NY and Baltimore. It’ll be a cold final 6 games.

Yeah, but you went to all the games last year. How many of them was the weather bad enough where it would effect play calling?

[OpIv37]

Re: Kelly Holcomb talks about the Steve Fairchild

Usually I would agree. However, this year we have 4 of the last 6 at home. Each against beatable warm weather teams. SD, Jax, Miami and Tenn. It could play into it this year.

Plus our 2 road games in the last six are in NY and Baltimore. It’ll be a cold final 6 games.

Baltimore isn't that cold, even in January. It'll probably be in the mid 30's- it can be windy that close to the bay though.

[Patrick76777]

Re: Kelly Holcomb talks about the Steve Fairchild

Yeah, but you went to all the games last year. How many of them was the weather bad enough where it would effect play calling?

I thought of that as I was writing. Usually you get a game in late October that ends up being worse then any game in December. Terrible winds and damp rainy weather. By December, it’s usually just cold and it only gets really nasty if the snow starts flying.