One thing that is definitively clear

[Oaf]

Arguements about Fairchild's playcalling and our offensive philosophy can be made until world's end. However, one thing can be said for sure.

We do not have offensive targets that are capable of being a threat at any given time on the field. This became especially obvious on our final drive. When Evans went out on few plays, these were our targets:
Josh Reed
Roscoe Parrish
Michael Gaines
Robert Royal

Are you ****ing serious?
Why is Sam Aiken on this team? He's been replaced by Jenkins on ST anyways from what I can tell. Why would you rather have a 2nd tight end on the field instead of another WR in Jenkins anyways? He can't be that bad, can he? It's not like we were going to fool anyone with a run formation.

Even with Evans back in, when push comes to shove, quite literally in fact, he's not dependable as a redzone or inside target. Evans' and Gaines' huge drops are further evidence that we will not be a competent offense without

A. A solid #2 to take defensive pressure and a number of throws away from Evans. Preferably someone that can actually use his body as a shield over the middle and has hands of glue. There's a reason we never call quick slants.

B. A tight end that can open up the middle of the field further that is athletic enough to consistently catch the ball after it's traveled more than 10 yards and even without separation.

I even liked the call on 4th and 5 to go to Jackson. Even before the play, I was thinking, get the ball to either Reed or Jackson, guys who have done relatively well catching and breaking tackles. Obviously the defense was thinking the same. While I think Fairchild did call a horrible game, what honestly would you have done given our targets in that tight red zone situation?

There's no one to force it into, no one to dominate the defensive back in positioning for the ball.

This probably isn't news to most of you, but I truly believe Edwards will not succeed without those two. That's why I'm actually anxious for the offseason to see if Wilson will get his act together, sign quality at these slots or draft them high, and not be happily surprised when his own team wins seven games.

If he doesn't, I can't see us improving too much on O in 2008, despite a solid line.

If he does, this could easily be a top 10 offense. Just think. Evans will be that much more effective over the top without the constant doubling, Reed and Parrish are quality #3 and #4 guys, we have the line with tandem Jackson and Lynch, Gaines and Royal will go back to what they should be doing, and we have Edwards.


Random Notes:
- Bryan Scott continues to look good out there.
- Schobel actually made a play on a KEY down!
- Kelsay must have sprained his other ankle while wiping his ass with $100 bills.
- Ellison sucks mostly
- Lynch played his heart out again (Easily our team MVP)

I think we lose to the Giants at home next week solely because of our playoff high and hopes ending in this fashion. (a la Baltimore game after Tenn game last year) Then we'll play decent in a win over Philly to finish 8-8.
:sorry: for the long post, hope at least some of you read it all.

[raphael120]

Good post, I agree with everything except the God awful screen play on the final play of the game. Everytime we tried something short, the Browns sniffed it out time and time again, we were moving the ball fine without the screen so what do we do, stop was was effective and try something that hasn't worked all game long.

Good riddance to Fairchild, and I hope Gaines and Royal are 3rd and 4th string next season. We need a WR, we need a tight end that is clutch and reliable.

I continue to be impressed by our defense, as bad as it may be in times, we rarely ever lose games because of them. Which is quite an accomplishment considering it's the side of the ball that has all the injuries.

Our offense continues to be what it has been all season long, unreliable, inconsistant at best, and lacking playmakers outside of Lynch.

I hope Melvin Fowler gets lost in the storm in Cleveland and never finds his way back to Buffalo, and I hope we kept the reciept for Dockery and Kelsay because I want my ****ing money back.

Final thought, I really hope Brad Butlers injury isn't serious, he played his butt off today and continues to impress me. This guy had no expectations at all from most Bills fans and he seems to be one of the brighter spots on the oline.

[Oaf]

The defense finding a way to keep us within 6 the whole game was incredible.

If it wasn't for the safety punt that went out at the 50 AND an 2 minute break in the wind and snow just so Dawson could kick an impossible 49 yarder of the upright, it could have been a 3 point game.

I did notice our right side got a lot more push than our left today in the run game.

Pass protection was excellent again.

I just don't know what else we could have done instead of the screen that had a better chance of sucess. You have to factor the WR size, the number of drops, and the %40 completion percentage for Edwards. A guarenteed catch and run by a shifty runner was a decent call IMO.


I wonder, is it better to have a team stuck in mediocrity for a long period of time, or is it better to have a team that flat out sucks 4 of 5 years, but makes the playoffs that 5th year?

Whenever they bring that playoff drought stat up, I always think about that.

[Philagape]

This is why the Parrish extension was a little bit disturbing to me. Not because I thought it was too much (which I do, but not obscene like the Kelsay deal), but because I have this feeling that we're not going to try to upgrade the receivers. It's what we did last year by giving schizophrenic contracts to Price and Reed: too much for depth guys but cheap for starters. We need a clear, legit second threat.
We desperately, desperately need this, and we have for two years. The importance of this cannot be overstated.
This offense just cannot go on with depth guys starting at WR and TE. Failure to upgrade is grounds for firing.

[Oaf]

Indeed. If Wilson's not willing to shell out for quality this FA period, anything less than at least one day 1 WR and TE is UNACCEPTABLE.