Question: How Do You Beat The Best Team In Football?

[Jan Reimers]

With 111 yards rushing and 17 pass plays?

Answer: You don't, despite solid defense, great special teams play (with one notable exception) and winning the turnover battle.

A passing attack would really have helped, but the coaching staff's total lack of confidence in JP practically assured us of a very respectable loss. I'm not all that thrilled with respetable losses. I would rather see us go for it offensively and fail miserably than play the way we did yesterday.

If the staff is not willing to let JP play a normal QB role, then it's time to let Holcomb play the game manager role, or to test Nall. Their current treatment of Losman is not doing him or the Bills any good.

[Inetpub]

Agreed.

The total lack of commitment from Jauron leads me to believe JP isnt really a help out there. When your plays are designed to limit the QB, that just gives you all the information you need to know about his faith in the QB. Im not a JP fan but that was just bad. Although I dont blame all of it on the coaching, That did factor in. Another thing I didnt appreciate was JP's lack of ability to get third downs and convert TDs.

10 first downs, 5 of them in the first series. 4 red zones, 11 plays, -8 yards.

Sums up the day. Props to the Defense for a great game.

[Earthquake Enyart]

Jauron is trying to win the game. He (and / or his staff) call the plays they think will work. IMO, I thought the game plan was brilliant. That was the only way we could stay in the game with the Colts. If we go bombs away, we are much more likely to have a catistrophic JP fumble or pick that loses the game. We didn't give it away and hung in there until the end. One more Indy mistake, and we win.

To me, it's obvious that the staff has no confidence in JP ( and who can blame them?), but they are giving him every chance. One more game, then the JP experience will be over.

[patmoran2006]

With 111 yards rushing and 17 pass plays?

Answer: You don't, despite solid defense, great special teams play (with one notable exception) and winning the turnover battle.

A passing attack would really have helped, but the coaching staff's total lack of confidence in JP practically assured us of a very respectable loss. I'm not all that thrilled with respetable losses. I would rather see us go for it offensively and fail miserably than play the way we did yesterday.

If the staff is not willing to let JP play a normal QB role, then it's time to let Holcomb play the game manager role, or to test Nall. Their current treatment of Losman is not doing him or the Bills any good.
great post

[ICE74129]

The game plan sucked. Take 3 step drops and get rid of the ball. Instead on 3rd and medium in FG range we decide AGAIN (constant theme this year) to go with a play that requres a 5 step drop and longer routes. The result is a sack.

At what point does this staff understand the line sucks and quits calling that stupid ****?

[HHURRICANE]

Jauron is trying to win the game. He (and / or his staff) call the plays they think will work. IMO, I thought the game plan was brilliant. That was the only way we could stay in the game with the Colts. If we go bombs away, we are much more likely to have a catistrophic JP fumble or pick that loses the game. We didn't give it away and hung in there until the end. One more Indy mistake, and we win.

To me, it's obvious that the staff has no confidence in JP ( and who can blame them?), but they are giving him every chance. One more game, then the JP experience will be over.

The gameplan wasn't that they were afraid of JP turning the ball over or lack of confidence. If that's the case you don't throw on 3rd and 5 when you are already in field goal range to take the lead. It was to control the clock and keep the ball out on Mannings hands. JP and our offense was not going to win an air battle with the Colts. Are the fans on this Board that stupid?! Geez.

[Saratoga Slim]

Jauron is trying to win the game. He (and / or his staff) call the plays they think will work. IMO, I thought the game plan was brilliant. That was the only way we could stay in the game with the Colts. If we go bombs away, we are much more likely to have a catistrophic JP fumble or pick that loses the game. We didn't give it away and hung in there until the end. One more Indy mistake, and we win.

To me, it's obvious that the staff has no confidence in JP ( and who can blame them?), but they are giving him every chance. One more game, then the JP experience will be over.
I pretty much agree. Until the last sentence. It is obvious that the staff doesn't fully trust JP at the moment, but am not sure whether that's b/c they think he's still a work in progress or because they think he sucks. Thus I don't think you can say they have "no" confidence in him.

I don't think he's going to lose the starting job yet.

[Saratoga Slim]

The gameplan wasn't that they were afraid of JP turning the ball over or lack of confidence. If that's the case you don't throw on 3rd and 5 when you are already in field goal range to take the lead. It was to control the clock and keep the ball out on Mannings hands. JP and our offense was not going to win an air battle with the Colts. Are the fans on this Board that stupid?! Geez.

I agree we had the right game plan. They only way to beat the Colts is to do exactly what we did - keep Peyton off the field as much as possible by eating up the clock on the ground. That's the way to do it whether you have JP Losman or Tom Brady at the helm. And we never had to put the game in JP's hands, as it was so close to the end, so there was never any incentive to abandon the run.

[patmoran2006]

The gameplan wasn't that they were afraid of JP turning the ball over or lack of confidence. If that's the case you don't throw on 3rd and 5 when you are already in field goal range to take the lead. It was to control the clock and keep the ball out on Mannings hands. JP and our offense was not going to win an air battle with the Colts. Are the fans on this Board that stupid?! Geez.

Stupid?
How many times did they run on 3rd and long in the first half alone?

They played not to get blown out, because they have NO confidence in Losman.

and btw, they SHOULDNT.. Losman isnt a victim here. They have no confidence in him because he doesnt deserve to have any.

[HAMMER]

It is more a case of the coaches not trusting the line, protection was nonexistent.

[Jan Reimers]

I agree we had the right game plan. They only way to beat the Colts is to do exactly what we did - keep Peyton off the field as much as possible by eating up the clock on the ground. That's the way to do it whether you have JP Losman or Tom Brady at the helm. And we never had to put the game in JP's hands, as it was so close to the end, so there was never any incentive to abandon the run.
While that PHILOSOPHY sounds good, we obviously DID NOT have the right game plan - or execution - to win. It might have been different if we had an LT or Tiki Barber at RB, or were getting a Willie Parker-type performance out of A-Train, but other than our first drive, we were not that good at keeping Manning off the field. Our D did a good job of forcing Manning to throw underneath and getting us a touchdown and good field position for the field goal try on turnovers; and McGee had a nice runback to set up a field goal.

But the offense was virtually nonexistent after the first drive. After that, we needed some offensive plays to compliment the fine defensive and special teams play. A 28 carry, 109 yard rushing performance - coupled with a nonexistent passing attack - will not beat the Colts.