OpIv37's Postgame Review

[shelby]

I feel like I need to write two reviews this week. The first one is about the offense that scored 3 Red Zone TD's and rallied for a fourth quarter comeback, spurred on by a solid defensive performance. The second one is about an offense that took too long to get started and didn't protect the ball, stupid penalties, and far too many mistakes. I'll take an ugly win on the road in Jacksonville in 90 degree heat, but an ugly win at home against a one-dimensional opponent that just traveled 3000 miles sends up all kinds of red flags.
The positive:
-Trent Edwards looks like the real deal. On paper, he had the two turnovers, but the INT was Evans' fault, and the fumble was Peters' fault. The offense sputtered early, but he was extremely effective when it counted the most.
-Josh Reed had a great game.
-The offensive play-calling was good, particularly the pitch to Lynch on the first touchdown, and some of the calls on the final drive. Also, it seemed like they made some quality halftime adjustment, which is something that has been sorely lacking in recent years.
-I'm probably going to say this every week, but Marshawn Lynch is amazing.
-Parrish made a big play on ST, and contributed on offense as well.
-RED ZONE PRODUCTION!!!!


more.... (http://www.billszone.com/mtlog/archives/2008/09/22/opiv37s_postgame_review.php)

[LifetimeBillsFan]

Good article OP!

I would disagree with you (you have to know that I just have to do so!) only on a few points:

1.) Poz said in his lockerroom interview after the game that HE was the one who was out of position on the TD pass to Higgins. According to what was said in the post-game interviews/press conferences, apparently the Bills had a Cover Two coverage called on that play where the safeties were supposed to get to the deep outside, with Poz dropping back into the middle. Poz said he made a mistake on the play (that he said won't happen again!) which allowed Higgins to split the two safeties even though Poz just missed getting a hand on the pass.

Higgins caught the ball in stride and, with his speed, he was not going to get caught by anyone. Give Oakland credit for having the right play called to exploit the defense and Russell for delivering a bullet to Higgins in stride.

Whitner tackling Higgins in the end zone, even though Higgins was taunting him, was stupid because it could have resulted in a crippling penalty (if offsetting penalties were not called) and an ejection for Whitner.

2.) In addition to the plays that you mentioned, Ellison had a big one on one tackle on one of the Oakland RBs who had a full head of steam going just past the LOS on a play where K.Mitchell had been wiped out and Poz was out of the play. Ellison came across from the left side of the Bills defense and took down the RB from the side for about a 6 yard gain that had the makings of a much longer run. If Ellison doesn't get there and make the stop, the RB would have been running free in the secondary.

3.) If you look at Darian Barnes, you can see that the problem that he has with carrying the ball is that, because he does so much blocking, he wears very large, thick rib pads. Like the QBs who used to wear flak jackets, I noticed that the pads make it very hard for Barnes to secure the ball against his body when he is holding it to either side because the padding is in the way and he can't feel the ball except with his arm.

I really don't know what can be done to remedy this, other than for Barnes to wear smaller rib padding--which might result in Barnes being less fearless in throwing his body around while blocking for M.Lynch. Because Barnes' rib padding goes all the way around his torso, I don't know if even changing his grip on the ball would make it more secure if he continues to wear these big pads.

4.) Marshawn Lynch came up big late in the game, but was terrible early in the game. Maybe because it was the Raiders and his family was there, but Lynch didn't seem to have his head in the game during the first couple of possessions when he dropped two passes and ran directly into contact rather than through the openings that were there if he had been just a little more patient on his runs.

5.) James Hardy was in on M. Lynch's first TD run. The Bills lined up in the same bunch formation that they ran for Hardy's TD against Jax and you could see the Oakland DBs pointing at the Bills' receivers before the snap. Lynch's run went in the other direction. Hardy also had a big drop early in the game when Edwards hit him in the hands in Bills' territory. With Reed having such a good day catching Edwards' passes, why risk using the rookie, who had dropped the ball earlier, when the game was on the line (it's kind of the old "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" theory) once the offense got rolling?

[justasportsfan]

One thing I didn't like about the fake FG against Seattle- even though it worked- is that the Bills showed their hand too early in the season. It was the first game- now other teams are going to have it scouted. Obviously, the Raiders did.

that was no trick play. That was a mental lapse on the seahags part. I don't have a problem with that TD. You take what the opposing team gives you. All that TD did was tell the other teams, "don't be stupid and pay attention"
It wasn't meant to be a a fake fg. They were going to take the fg but the seahags didn't cover Denney so they turned it into a TD.

[mybills]

You both make great points, and the bottom line is that they cannot play like this again. Trent looked like the Trent from last year, if not, JP like for most of the game. I'm glad he took responsibility in that sideline interview, and I hope he remembers that every week. He did finally get in the game and got them down field for the win, and it was a pretty thing to see after all the ugliness prior to that. I have a problem with the coaches moving too many players in and out of the line up. For some reason, it didn't work well this week. But as Op mentioned, maybe the opponents are picking up on that too, already.

[yordad]

that was no trick play. That was a mental lapse on the seahags part. I don't have a problem with that TD. You take what the opposing team gives you. All that TD did was tell the other teams, "don't be stupid and pay attention"
It wasn't meant to be a a fake fg. They were going to take the fg but the seahags didn't cover Denney so they turned it into a TD.Actually they called that.

As far as "showing your hand too early" and the defense being ready for it..... good. It means they aren't ready to defend the field goal.

In poker it would be like showing a couple bluff while the stakes are low, gaining a loose reputation, then tightening up when the states are higher.

[OpIv37]

Actually they called that.

As far as "showing your hand too early" and the defense being ready for it..... good. It means they aren't ready to defend the field goal.

Defend the field goal? You don't really defend against a field goal. You basically stand there and hope the other team screws up. Occasionally you get lucky and can block a longer, low kick or maybe you can distract the kicker, but that's about it.

[justasportsfan]

Actually they called that.

As far as "showing your hand too early" and the defense being ready for it..... good. It means they aren't ready to defend the field goal.

In poker it would be like showing a couple bluff while the stakes are low, gaining a loose reputation, then tightening up when the states are higher.
It was no secret weapon we had up our sleeve for future playoff games is what I'm saying. It was more of the seashawks caught sleeping on the job.

[yordad]

Defend the field goal? You don't really defend against a field goal. You basically stand there and hope the other team screws up. Occasionally you get lucky and can block a longer, low kick or maybe you can distract the kicker, but that's about it.Then why don't teams stay in their base D every time?

[yordad]

It was no secret weapon we had up our sleeve for future playoff games is what I'm saying. It was more of the seashawks caught sleeping on the job.So, you are telling me they always line up Denney far along the sidelines?

[justasportsfan]

So, you are telling me they always line up Denney far along the sidelines?

they may try it again but again it wasn't a trick play that we needed to save for future games.

[LifetimeBillsFan]

You both make great points, and the bottom line is that they cannot play like this again. Trent looked like the Trent from last year, if not, JP like for most of the game. I'm glad he took responsibility in that sideline interview, and I hope he remembers that every week. He did finally get in the game and got them down field for the win, and it was a pretty thing to see after all the ugliness prior to that. I have a problem with the coaches moving too many players in and out of the line up. For some reason, it didn't work well this week. But as Op mentioned, maybe the opponents are picking up on that too, already.

I agree with you to a certain extent.

The one thing that we all have to keep in mind is that Trent Edwards is still just a second year QB with all of 12 starts under his belt. He is going to make mistakes and have his "ups and downs"--every second year QB, if he is even lucky or able enough to be a starter, has and does.

I think that you will see some games this season when Trent will play the whole game so poorly that he will cost the team the game. More often than not, young QBs will have 2-3 of those kinds of games in their second season in the NFL. The thing about Trent is that he is so poised and mature in the way that he handles himself on and off the field that it is sometimes easy to forget that his is still just in his second year in the NFL. But, to be fair, we shouldn't lose sight of that and expect that he is going to play like a seasoned veteran in every game that he plays.

What I find interesting about his play the last couple of weeks is that Edwards was able to rebound from not playing particularly well early in the game and play quite well in the 4th quarter. With most young QBs, if things start going bad early in the game, it just snowballs and gets out of control and they end up having really bad games. So far that hasn't happened this season with Edwards (it did last year against the Giants and Eagles).

Part of the problem for Edwards against Oakland was the pressure that the Raiders brought. Another part was the lousy field position. But, another part was the fact that at least five of Edwards' passes were dropped early in the game. Those drops weren't his fault and certainly contributed to the problems that the offense had in moving the ball in the first half.

IMHO, Edwards is still "a work in progress" and has not yet "arrived". He appears to be the kind of guy who is going to keep working to try to get better and will take responsibility for the failures of the offense on his shoulders instead of blaming them on his teammates, even when some of those failures are clearly not his fault. You've got to respect a guy like that and I think his teammates not only do/will but will want to play better and harder for him.

But, we'll see.

[mybills]

oh I give him tons of credit for not letting the early part of the game get to him. He obviously has a positive attitude, and tremendous focus. I don't see him having losing games because of his play alone though. Nobody was on their game until the 4th, and that cannot happen again if they want to dominate all year.