gil
08-15-2006, 05:09 PM
This is from ESPN's "Tuesday Morning Quarterback" AFC preview by Gregg Easterbrook - some of it a rehash of what we already know, but I found the part about "Preposterous Punts" a bit interesting - take it for what's it worth (excerpting the Bflo part only):
Last summer TMQ's AFC preview said Bills coaches faced "a vexing choice, whether to sacrifice the season to the education of J.P. Losman" or play veteran Kelly Holcomb and try for the postseason. Instead Buffalo did neither: The Bills started Losman for a while, then Holcomb for a while, then Losman, then Holcomb. The result was a worst-case outcome: Losman did not have his learning year and the Bills did not mount a playoff run. Departed coach Mike Mularkey wasted the 2005 Buffalo season by refusing to make up his mind about who should be under center. Compare to Marvin Lewis, who in 2004 stuck with Carson Palmer during Palmer's learning season, and in 2005 was rewarded with premium quarterbacking. Because 2005 was bungled away, Buffalo again faces the choice it faced last year: keep Losman on the field and let him struggle, or let Holcomb try to gain the team its first playoff appearance of the 21st century.
After winning more games than any NFL team during the 1990s, Buffalo has been one of the league's worst clubs in the new century. Maybe the football gods are simply balancing the books. Quarterback turmoil and poor offensive lines have been themes of the Bills' decline. Since Jim Kelly retired nine years ago, Buffalo has invested in the quarterback position three first-round draft picks, one second-round pick, plus third-, fourth- and fifth-round choices -- and has no clear starter to show for it. Plus, the Bills just passed on drafting Matt Leinart, arguably the most Kelly-like signal caller to leave the collegiate ranks since Kelly last taped his ankles. Yumpin' yiminy.
The Bills also have struggled under novice coaches. Former president Tom Donohue hired two consecutive gents with no pro or college head coaching experience: the tastefully named Gregg Williams, then Mularkey. Both were in over their heads. Now the Bills finally have a taskmaster with substantial head coaching experience, and Dick Jauron is well-regarded.
But there's a comparison that concerns TMQ. As this column has documented, over the last five seasons Williams and Mularkey led the league in Preposterous Punts: punting in opposition territory, even when trailing or facing fourth-and-short. Two of many examples: Trailing New England by 10, Williams ordered the Bills to punt from the Pats' 32 on fourth-and-2; trailing San Diego by 25, Mularkey ordered a punt from the Chargers' 40. Now I review my file on Jauron and find it contains numerous entries regarding him ordering Preposterous Punts. Last year, the Lions were trailing Cincinnati by 17 in the second half, facing fourth-and-1 at midfield: Jauron sent in the punter. From that play on, the Lions were clobbered. Is there one chance in a million Bill Belichick orders a punt on fourth-and-1 at midfield when down by three scores in the second half? Victories don't come in the mail, they must be seized. Buffalo gets its third consecutive coach with a weird tendency to punt the ball away in scoring position, rather than go all-out to win.
Bills note No. 1: One of Marv Levy's opening moves was to give up on tackle Mike Williams, the fourth overall choice in 2002 and among the worst draft busts in NFL history. A reason the Bills have descended toward the cellar is the 2002 draft -- Buffalo had the fourth overall choice plus two second-round selections, yet likely will have no 2006 starter to show for it.
Bills note No. 2: With the trade of Eric Moulds to Houston, there is no one left on the Buffalo roster who played with Kelly. The last link to Buffalo's Golden Age is gone.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=easterbrook/060815
Last summer TMQ's AFC preview said Bills coaches faced "a vexing choice, whether to sacrifice the season to the education of J.P. Losman" or play veteran Kelly Holcomb and try for the postseason. Instead Buffalo did neither: The Bills started Losman for a while, then Holcomb for a while, then Losman, then Holcomb. The result was a worst-case outcome: Losman did not have his learning year and the Bills did not mount a playoff run. Departed coach Mike Mularkey wasted the 2005 Buffalo season by refusing to make up his mind about who should be under center. Compare to Marvin Lewis, who in 2004 stuck with Carson Palmer during Palmer's learning season, and in 2005 was rewarded with premium quarterbacking. Because 2005 was bungled away, Buffalo again faces the choice it faced last year: keep Losman on the field and let him struggle, or let Holcomb try to gain the team its first playoff appearance of the 21st century.
After winning more games than any NFL team during the 1990s, Buffalo has been one of the league's worst clubs in the new century. Maybe the football gods are simply balancing the books. Quarterback turmoil and poor offensive lines have been themes of the Bills' decline. Since Jim Kelly retired nine years ago, Buffalo has invested in the quarterback position three first-round draft picks, one second-round pick, plus third-, fourth- and fifth-round choices -- and has no clear starter to show for it. Plus, the Bills just passed on drafting Matt Leinart, arguably the most Kelly-like signal caller to leave the collegiate ranks since Kelly last taped his ankles. Yumpin' yiminy.
The Bills also have struggled under novice coaches. Former president Tom Donohue hired two consecutive gents with no pro or college head coaching experience: the tastefully named Gregg Williams, then Mularkey. Both were in over their heads. Now the Bills finally have a taskmaster with substantial head coaching experience, and Dick Jauron is well-regarded.
But there's a comparison that concerns TMQ. As this column has documented, over the last five seasons Williams and Mularkey led the league in Preposterous Punts: punting in opposition territory, even when trailing or facing fourth-and-short. Two of many examples: Trailing New England by 10, Williams ordered the Bills to punt from the Pats' 32 on fourth-and-2; trailing San Diego by 25, Mularkey ordered a punt from the Chargers' 40. Now I review my file on Jauron and find it contains numerous entries regarding him ordering Preposterous Punts. Last year, the Lions were trailing Cincinnati by 17 in the second half, facing fourth-and-1 at midfield: Jauron sent in the punter. From that play on, the Lions were clobbered. Is there one chance in a million Bill Belichick orders a punt on fourth-and-1 at midfield when down by three scores in the second half? Victories don't come in the mail, they must be seized. Buffalo gets its third consecutive coach with a weird tendency to punt the ball away in scoring position, rather than go all-out to win.
Bills note No. 1: One of Marv Levy's opening moves was to give up on tackle Mike Williams, the fourth overall choice in 2002 and among the worst draft busts in NFL history. A reason the Bills have descended toward the cellar is the 2002 draft -- Buffalo had the fourth overall choice plus two second-round selections, yet likely will have no 2006 starter to show for it.
Bills note No. 2: With the trade of Eric Moulds to Houston, there is no one left on the Buffalo roster who played with Kelly. The last link to Buffalo's Golden Age is gone.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=easterbrook/060815