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How I think we can beat the Patriots
What the Bills need to do to beat the Patriots.
by BillsWin
The Bills will be on the road to open the 2009-2010 MNF schedule against the New England Patriots. This is a game that about 90% of the fanbase has already written off as a loss, and for good reason. The Bills have not been able to beat the Patriots in years, and the last time they even came close was in 2006, when they managed to lead at half-time only to lose the game19-17.
The Bills have been out-scored, out-played, out-coached and out-right demolished by the Patriots in recent memory. In order for that to change, the Buffalo Bills will need some help from some rookies, some old veteran emergence, some good gameplanning and consistent, solid quarterback play. But it is not as impossible as everyone thinks...
Keys to the Game:
Get to Brady, and get to him often.
Tom Brady is a good quarterback. He only has one weakness. He has played behind a pretty good o-line for his entire career. Regardless of the play of his big men in the trenches, Brady is always consistent. The key is to make him an average quarterback which isn't as impossible as us Bills fans think it is. If you pressure him, and I mean really get after him and do it often, Brady gets flustered. Hard to believe right? Well, thats because the Bills never do it. So we almost never get to see it happen personally. But, everyone remembers the Super Bowl a few years ago... Brady is a smart QB, he'll throw the ball away just to not take a sack. When you get after him often, he'll do that more often which can get the Pats into a 3rd and long situation. Common sense right? It also helps to sack the guy. But at least hit him! The Bills never do that. They never get to Brady often, and hit him consistently. I'm not saying the Bills should take a roughing the passer penalty, but you shouldnt ease up and wait for him to throw it. The Bills need to attack Brady, and hit him again and again and again. Make him feel that injured shoulder and thats when even the BEST quarterbacks will make mistakes. And sometimes it only takes one mistake to shift the tide of the game. Hit Brady early and often all game long and the Bills get a chance to pitch the upset. If BillsWin was the defensive coordinator I would send so many exotic blitzes and defensive end stunts at Brady that he would start questioning whether or not he should have sat out the week with that sore shoulder. I'd let the dogs loose, hell I'd offer a reward for everytime you sack the guy. Whatever it takes. Schobel eats Brady's sack lunch when he is healthy. Maybin is a freak, and he is hungry to prove the haters wrong. Set them lose.
Enough with the conservative crap, go for the gold!
Three points is great. It is points on the board, and sometimes three points will win you the game. But when you're playing a team like the Patriots who will at the very least put up three touchdowns, three points will not cut it. The Bills' first team offense couldnt punch it in all offseason. There are many excuses for that such as the formations were too complex, Turk refused to call plays that would put the ball in the endzone, we didnt gameplan for that specific team or defense.
Shut up. Forget it. Those games don't count and neither do the excuses.
If the Bills want to win this game points must be had and they must come in six packs.
Alex Van Pelt needs to be more aggressive. I'm not talking hail mary's every play, but yes, we do have a wide receiver who specializes in getting past single coverage and sprinting deep. Oh, and we now have a hall of fame wide receiver who can go up and get the ball. So why not go for the gold? Why not call more passes down field. Our power runner is suspended and now we have a finese back. Which is not really a bad thing. He did torch the Pats in the season finale last season. use him! We are not good enough on defense
so that we can just pound the rock. At least not against the Patriots and not without Lynch. So be aggressive. Go for the six points, take chances early and often. Throw those "majestic" deep balls that we apparently ran to perfection ALL SUMMER LONG!!!!!!! To beat the Patriots, you have got to score, and to score this team needs to start going for the touchdown.
Slow and steady wins the race in fairy tales, but fast tempo will win you football games.
The tempo of our "no-huddle" offense is pathetic. The Patriots aren't the best defense in the league. They aren't too shabby either. If we are going to stick with the "no-huddle" then why not run it like it is supposed to be run? Get up to that line and snap that ball. Know what play you are going to run in a certain situation. Wear down that defense, don't stand around playing pocket pool, giving them time to set up. Even if you don't have a play ready, everyone needs to get set on that line so that the defense can't have time to change the play or substitute their players. Wilfork is a great DT, but if you are running a play, then getting set forcing him to run back to the line and get set, pretty soon you will be able to drive that fat bastard back into the linebackers and open up a hole I could drive my pick up through. thats when we can gash them with the run. Thats how you will beat this defense. Up-tempo, simple plays that work and that we can execute.
Special teams, we need you...
Its not a secret, the Bills rely on their special teams to help them win games. This game will be no different. The Bills need their special teams to come through and maybe score some points, if not at least give the offense some good field position.
Other notes:
The Bills need to play disciplined. If you are following my plan I layed out above, all you need to do is be the more disciplined team. Cut down on the mistakes and more importantly penalties.
If Buffalo wants to win this game they need to win the turn over battle. They need to take advantage of their talented CBs and make plays. We led the league in interceptions this preseason and if the Bills are getting pressure on Brady I fully expect some balls to be interceptable.
Finally, although I know it will be an uphill battle and we are some big underdogs, but I am telling you guys right now that if our pass rush is solid this game is winnable. At the very least, I believe this game will be closer than we all are picking it to be.
Go Bills!
by BillsWin
The Bills will be on the road to open the 2009-2010 MNF schedule against the New England Patriots. This is a game that about 90% of the fanbase has already written off as a loss, and for good reason. The Bills have not been able to beat the Patriots in years, and the last time they even came close was in 2006, when they managed to lead at half-time only to lose the game19-17.
The Bills have been out-scored, out-played, out-coached and out-right demolished by the Patriots in recent memory. In order for that to change, the Buffalo Bills will need some help from some rookies, some old veteran emergence, some good gameplanning and consistent, solid quarterback play. But it is not as impossible as everyone thinks...
Keys to the Game:
Get to Brady, and get to him often.
Tom Brady is a good quarterback. He only has one weakness. He has played behind a pretty good o-line for his entire career. Regardless of the play of his big men in the trenches, Brady is always consistent. The key is to make him an average quarterback which isn't as impossible as us Bills fans think it is. If you pressure him, and I mean really get after him and do it often, Brady gets flustered. Hard to believe right? Well, thats because the Bills never do it. So we almost never get to see it happen personally. But, everyone remembers the Super Bowl a few years ago... Brady is a smart QB, he'll throw the ball away just to not take a sack. When you get after him often, he'll do that more often which can get the Pats into a 3rd and long situation. Common sense right? It also helps to sack the guy. But at least hit him! The Bills never do that. They never get to Brady often, and hit him consistently. I'm not saying the Bills should take a roughing the passer penalty, but you shouldnt ease up and wait for him to throw it. The Bills need to attack Brady, and hit him again and again and again. Make him feel that injured shoulder and thats when even the BEST quarterbacks will make mistakes. And sometimes it only takes one mistake to shift the tide of the game. Hit Brady early and often all game long and the Bills get a chance to pitch the upset. If BillsWin was the defensive coordinator I would send so many exotic blitzes and defensive end stunts at Brady that he would start questioning whether or not he should have sat out the week with that sore shoulder. I'd let the dogs loose, hell I'd offer a reward for everytime you sack the guy. Whatever it takes. Schobel eats Brady's sack lunch when he is healthy. Maybin is a freak, and he is hungry to prove the haters wrong. Set them lose.
Enough with the conservative crap, go for the gold!
Three points is great. It is points on the board, and sometimes three points will win you the game. But when you're playing a team like the Patriots who will at the very least put up three touchdowns, three points will not cut it. The Bills' first team offense couldnt punch it in all offseason. There are many excuses for that such as the formations were too complex, Turk refused to call plays that would put the ball in the endzone, we didnt gameplan for that specific team or defense.
Shut up. Forget it. Those games don't count and neither do the excuses.
If the Bills want to win this game points must be had and they must come in six packs.
Alex Van Pelt needs to be more aggressive. I'm not talking hail mary's every play, but yes, we do have a wide receiver who specializes in getting past single coverage and sprinting deep. Oh, and we now have a hall of fame wide receiver who can go up and get the ball. So why not go for the gold? Why not call more passes down field. Our power runner is suspended and now we have a finese back. Which is not really a bad thing. He did torch the Pats in the season finale last season. use him! We are not good enough on defense
so that we can just pound the rock. At least not against the Patriots and not without Lynch. So be aggressive. Go for the six points, take chances early and often. Throw those "majestic" deep balls that we apparently ran to perfection ALL SUMMER LONG!!!!!!! To beat the Patriots, you have got to score, and to score this team needs to start going for the touchdown.
Slow and steady wins the race in fairy tales, but fast tempo will win you football games.
The tempo of our "no-huddle" offense is pathetic. The Patriots aren't the best defense in the league. They aren't too shabby either. If we are going to stick with the "no-huddle" then why not run it like it is supposed to be run? Get up to that line and snap that ball. Know what play you are going to run in a certain situation. Wear down that defense, don't stand around playing pocket pool, giving them time to set up. Even if you don't have a play ready, everyone needs to get set on that line so that the defense can't have time to change the play or substitute their players. Wilfork is a great DT, but if you are running a play, then getting set forcing him to run back to the line and get set, pretty soon you will be able to drive that fat bastard back into the linebackers and open up a hole I could drive my pick up through. thats when we can gash them with the run. Thats how you will beat this defense. Up-tempo, simple plays that work and that we can execute.
Special teams, we need you...
Its not a secret, the Bills rely on their special teams to help them win games. This game will be no different. The Bills need their special teams to come through and maybe score some points, if not at least give the offense some good field position.
Other notes:
The Bills need to play disciplined. If you are following my plan I layed out above, all you need to do is be the more disciplined team. Cut down on the mistakes and more importantly penalties.
If Buffalo wants to win this game they need to win the turn over battle. They need to take advantage of their talented CBs and make plays. We led the league in interceptions this preseason and if the Bills are getting pressure on Brady I fully expect some balls to be interceptable.
Finally, although I know it will be an uphill battle and we are some big underdogs, but I am telling you guys right now that if our pass rush is solid this game is winnable. At the very least, I believe this game will be closer than we all are picking it to be.
Go Bills!
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