I don't think Fairchild is getting enough blame.

[Pride]

I attended the home opener and watched the pitt game at a bills backers bar.

At the opener, myself, and those around me were in disbelief at the horrid playcalling. So much so in fact that we analyzed the formation before the snap and tried to anticipate what the play would be.

Well, by week 2, sitting in the bar... I realized that I was calling 50% of the plays correctly! And this is without study, this is without game film, this is an armchair QB watching a live TV game.

Here's what I see from the playcalling perspective:

- Anytime we have a 3rd and 4+, A-Train comes in. 90% of the time A-Train is in there on 3rd and "long", we pass.

- The formations we are running allow the defenses to stack the box with 9 defenders. When you run out of this formation, you essentially put 9 defenders within 5 yards of the ball. Explain how Lynch is supposed to run through that?

- Parrish only comes onto the field for 3rd downs it seems.

- Too many WR screens.

- If the D is going to stack the box and concentrate on stopping the run. Why aren't we running RB screens to our great handed RB?

- Our TE's are useless in the run blocking game, putting 3 in on 3rd and 1 does us no good.

- We are substituting personnel too much.

Here's what I would do to correct the offense.

- 1st offensive play of the game I have Evans, Price, and Parrish on the field in a spread formation offense with Lynch as the single back. I would run Evans on a fly, Price on a Post, and Parrish on a slant. TE stays in to block JP's backside. I would then fake a handoff to Lynch, pump fake to the slant route, and throw the ball deep to Evans.

- 2nd offensive play, regardless of what happened on 1st down. I would Run out of the same formation to the strong side of our offensive line using the TE to double down on DE or strongside backer.

- 3rd offensive play, bring in fullback, and remove Price. Quick slant to Parrish

What we've just done is show the D that we aren't afraid to throw it deep out of a spread formation. Then we proved that we aren't afraid to run from the same formation... making them realize that we can do either from the same formation. Then we show that while we are in a running formation with the I back set, we will pass out of it on a quick slant.

We've just loosened up the defense! If that hasn't worked... you do it again and again until you get 7 guys in the box, the 2 safeties are making their first step backwards, instead of forwards.

Now you mix in a few RB screens. A single reverse to keep the DE's honest. And throw it deep (40+ yards) at least once per quarter on 1st or 2nd down.

Anyone want to sign me to a coaching contract?

[raphael120]

I saw the same exact things, we are very predictable if you just look at who our personel on the field is, most of the time it will dictate what we will do. Our best players are NOT on the field in critical situations, this is for both offense and defense. If our DE's are getting that much money, tell them to ****in suck it up and be in there on critical downs! And don't have them pass rush every damn play! When they do that they get blown out wide of the play and are nutralized for both pass and run plays, it's just mind boggling the incompetance in this organization! We're paying tons of money for this talent that is only on the field HALF the snaps! We're too light on our players, Schobel should be in on every 3rd down play, all of our best players should be. Lynch should be in on every 3rd down play, A.Train should never hit the field, he has yet to produce a posivite play. Where's Wright in this mess???

Where's Fred Jackson!?!?

[Jaybird]

i agree my man, ive been calling a lot of plays also. Losman needs 30 passes a game. then he looks good

[LtBillsFan66]

i agree my man, ive been calling a lot of plays also. Losman needs 30 passes a game. then he looks good
Kind of hard to get 30 if he can't complete the ones he's given.

[raphael120]

i agree my man, ive been calling a lot of plays also. Losman needs 30 passes a game. then he looks good

Well they can't get that many passes when they only have 9 possessions all game long and they all go for 3 and out.

[OpIv37]

Some people want to blame Losman. Some people want to blame Fairchild. The truth is that it's both. Losman is held back by the play calling, but that doesn't excuse him for holding the ball too long and missing open receivers. It's not Fairchild's fault that Losman can't make a good throw, but the personnel and the predictability are his fault and that only makes Losman's job more difficult.

[LtBillsFan66]

Exactly. The playcalling looks bad when JP throws screen passes in the dirt or 10 feet too high.

[mchurchfie]

That's right, you have to earn those extra passes.

[Elminster]

You MUST attack the defense to be a good team in this league. You must make every attempt to confuse the defense, to make them hesitate but a MOMENT. That is all it takes in this league....a blink of the eye's worth of hesitation to give up a big play. To lose, all you have to do is be predictable and vanilla. We seem to have taken the easy way out. Last year showed me that Losman is, believe or not, capable of throwing good passes. And he hopefully still is....but we really haven't even given him much of a chance. Our receivers outside Lee are somewhat of a weakness which we seem intent on compounding by using predictable play-calling and not having guys go out. In fact, it seems on almost every pass play, the TE and the back stay in to pass-block. And, half the time, we STILL can't pick-up a blitz. DJ is smoking something good if he thinks the line is fine if it routinely needs that much help to pick up one or two blitzers. Losman DOES hold it too long sometimes. but I really am not sure how much he does it since the routes that take all day to develop and a receiver getting open seems somewhat of a rare occurrence. This isn't just about an effective game-plan, but also effectively evaluating JP.

When I saw the Redskins play, I saw their offensive line handle seven blitzers on their lonesome. I saw running backs in blitz protection, in the flat, and sometimes even doing both in one play. I saw a variety of formations, none of which gave the defense a clue as to what was going to happen on that particular play! I saw receivers run all different sorts of routes, even from the same formation. I saw them rolling out their QB, saw him staying in the pocket sometimes...they did ALOT. I'm not suggesting we create a 600-play playbook, but Losman and Campbell are similar in terms of skill-set...why do the Redskins take advantage of it but we seem intent on ignoring it? It is simply maddening to me that we refuse to take advantage of our personnel, and then get to hear that's not a problem!

[Wraith]

Exactly. The playcalling looks bad when JP throws screen passes in the dirt or 10 feet too high.

Okay, that explains one play, what about the other 99% of them?

[Wraith]

Kind of hard to get 30 if he can't complete the ones he's given.

He's completed 63% of his passes. "Can't complete." Bull****. You can't argue that he's not completing passes.

[mchurchfie]

When I saw the Redskins play, I saw their offensive line handle seven blitzers on their lonesome. I saw running backs in blitz protection, in the flat, and sometimes even doing both in one play. I saw a variety of formations, none of which gave the defense a clue as to what was going to happen on that particular play! I saw receivers run all different sorts of routes, even from the same formation. I saw them rolling out their QB, saw him staying in the pocket sometimes...they did ALOT. I'm not suggesting we create a 600-play playbook, but Losman and Campbell are similar in terms of skill-set...why do the Redskins take advantage of it but we seem intent on ignoring it? It is simply maddening to me that we refuse to take advantage of our personnel, and then get to hear that's not a problem!
No comparison other than physical skills. Campbell looked miles ahead of JP the other night. Talk about grabbing an opportunity and running with it. They have a good young QB for the next decade.

[mchurchfie]

He's completed 63% of his passes. "Can't complete." Bull****. You can't argue that he's not completing passes.
He's missing the most important ones. Alot of his completions came after the fact.

[LtBillsFan66]

He's missing the most important ones. Alot of his completions came after the fact.
Garbage time. When the other team is playing prevent D.

[TacklingDummy]

He's completed 63% of his passes. "Can't complete." Bull****. You can't argue that he's not completing passes.

Kelly Holcomb had a high completion % also.

[Wraith]

Looks miles ahead? Campbell is rated lower than Losman. The only about Campbell is his schedule. So far his team has barely squeaked by Miami Dolphins (who have looked pathetic) and Philadelphia Eagles. Those teams have yet to win a game, combined. Campbell has completed 56% of his passes so far, and that's an improvement over last year? He's thrown 3 interceptions to 1 touchdown pass.

[Wraith]

Garbage time. When the other team is playing prevent D.

A) When exactly was the garbage time during the Denver game?

B) Losman's completion percentage in the 4th Q this year is 58%.

Try looking stuff up next time. You'll look smarter.

[mchurchfie]

Looks miles ahead? Campbell is rated lower than Losman. The only about Campbell is his schedule. So far his team has barely squeaked by Miami Dolphins (who have looked pathetic) and Philadelphia Eagles. Those teams have yet to win a game, combined. Campbell has completed 56% of his passes so far, and that's an improvement over last year? He's thrown 3 interceptions to 1 touchdown pass.
More misleading stats. The most important one is that Campbell is 2-0 and JP is 0-2 and they both were instrumental in those results. Campbell was doing veteranlike things that I've never seen JP do which tells me that the lightbulb is going on for him. The good ones can put up ****ty stats and still win games, Jim Kelly immediately comes to mind.

[Wraith]

Kelly Holcomb had a high completion % also.

Interesting tactic but it does nothing to address the fact that billsfanone think Losman can't complete pases. Are you trying to use that as proof that Losman can't complete passes?

[Wraith]

More misleading stats.

No, I included the most important stats: Campbell's opponents have sucked (0-4), and his teams have still squeaked by them, while Campbell himself has put up mediocre numbers. What exactly has he done that Losman hasn't? The Redskins move the ball even less than the Bills!

[Meathead]

pride pwng fairchild from a bar stool

:clap: :cry: :wtf: :pray: :help!: :monkeyp: notevenfairchild

[mchurchfie]

No, I included the most important stats: Campbell's opponents have sucked (0-4), and his teams have still squeaked by them, while Campbell himself has put up mediocre numbers. What exactly has he done that Losman hasn't? The Redskins move the ball even less than the Bills!
Please don't tell me that Phillie's defense is that bad, he carved them up like an old pro. That's what you are supposed to do when you get put in the national spotlight. We all know what JP would have done.:hang:


What exactly has he done that Losman hasn't? Managed the games well enough to be 2-0.:up:

[Ickybaluky]

Interesting tactic but it does nothing to address the fact that billsfanone think Losman can't complete pases. Are you trying to use that as proof that Losman can't complete passes?

Looking at his splits, the big thing that sticks out is lack of success on long passes. He is 0-for-5 on on passes over 20 yards, which is supposed to be something he is good at. The lack of big plays is a big reason his yardage, and YPA, blows.

This is especially true when the Bills lead or are tied. In that situation he is 14-for-21 (66.7%), but with a paltry 4.6 Yds/Att. When the Bills are behind he is 15-for-25 (60%), but his Yds/Att jumps to 6.2, not great but considerably better.

Basically, the Bills don't throw much downfield and aren't being very efficient when they do, especially when it matters. It is efficiency with the longer throws, not shorter ones, that is the problem.

[justasportsfan]

It's the entire team. Even the running game isn't opening up the passing game. All I see is the same old running game when Willis was here. It isn't opening up the passing game because it isn't a weapon but nothing more than a ball control type of O.

[Michael82]

Excellent post, Pride! What kills me is how we can all see it, yet the Bills dumbass Offensive coordinator can't. What an idiot! :mad:

[Night Train]

He gets plenty of blame from me.

Last year, the O was making strides late. So why pull back out of the gate early ? Seemed to have good flow in camp, then goes low risk the first 2 weeks. Baffling.

[njsue]

:up: