Subtle queues that the Bills are for real

[X-Era]

http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcnorth/post/_/id/30908/randall-cobb-announces-his-presence

Watching GB vs. NO last night I was surprised to see a kick-off return for a TD. Sproules returned another 57 yards. I think we all expected to see most all kick-offs go for touch backs. But, GB and NO found a way to make the play still viable for a return. Rather than simply letting it go if it is close to the end zone and accepting the touch back, they now are lining up 5 yards deep in the end zone and returning it. It's two good teams adapting to a new rule to find a way to still compete.

I will be interested to see how the Bills approach the situation. Will they employ a similar tactic or simply go for touch backs. I may be overstating the issue a bit but it seems like there are subtle differences between the good teams and the not so good teams. The good teams quickly adapt to new plays, rules, etc... and still stay competitive. Belicheck seems to do this well. Jauron did not. The not so good teams don't. I think situations like this are tell tale signs that you have good coaching.

So this is one area that I will be watching on the Bills. It may be a hint to how good our coaching is.

Yes, there are more obvious areas to look at. Yes, we have more glaring concerns. But, do you have anything subtle you will be looking for?

[djjimkelly]

http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcnorth/post/_/id/30908/randall-cobb-announces-his-presence

Belicheck seems to do this well. Jauron did not. The not so good teams don't. I think situations like this are tell tale signs that you have good coaching.




lets stop bringing up jauron its like someone being remarried and consistently talking about his old wife.

gross :) its been 2 years we all hated him its time to move on

[zone]

http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcnorth/post/_/id/30908/randall-cobb-announces-his-presence

Watching GB vs. NO last night I was surprised to see a kick-off return for a TD. Sproules returned another 57 yards. I think we all expected to see most all kick-offs go for touch backs. But, GB and NO found a way to make the play still viable for a return. Rather than simply letting it go if it is close to the end zone and accepting the touch back, they now are lining up 5 yards deep in the end zone and returning it. It's two good teams adapting to a new rule to find a way to still compete.

I will be interested to see how the Bills approach the situation. Will they employ a similar tactic or simply go for touch backs. I may be overstating the issue a bit but it seems like there are subtle differences between the good teams and the not so good teams. The good teams quickly adapt to new plays, rules, etc... and still stay competitive. Belicheck seems to do this well. Jauron did not. The not so good teams don't. I think situations like this are tell tale signs that you have good coaching.

So this is one area that I will be watching on the Bills. It may be a hint to how good our coaching is.

Yes, there are more obvious areas to look at. Yes, we have more glaring concerns. But, do you have anything subtle you will be looking for?
Most all kick-offs did go for touchbacks especially when you think about the fact that there were 8 touchbacks in one game, last year at Lambeau there were 3 all year.

That was a great return and I would imagine with teams decreased emphasis in special teams in anticipation of the crippling new rule you will see a touchback or a huge return.

Lets just hope McFumbles stays as far away from kickoffs as possible. He would take it out from 8 yards deep on every return.

[OpIv37]

we better go for touchbacks.

The Bobby April days are gone.

[madness]

we better go for touchbacks.

The Bobby April days are gone.

I'll be livid if we go for touchbacks with one of the best returners in the league.


Mike Westhoff, the Jets’ special-teams coach, whose kickoff and return teams are among the best in the league, said that when he had returner Brad Smith last year, he lined him up near the goal line and gave him orders to return anything in the end zone. Now, with Smith gone to Buffalo and the new rules in place, Westhoff does not seem so sure. He may put his returner up to 6 yards deep in the end zone and as long as the kick does not push him back, allow him to take it out. Westhoff has rarely put his lead blockers inside the 10, but this season, he said, he could put them at the 2 to allow for returns from deep in the end zone.

[Johnny Bugmenot]

Pardon me for being a grammar sticker, but it's cues, not queues. A queue is a backlog, like a line of customers at the DMV.

[better days]

http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcnorth/post/_/id/30908/randall-cobb-announces-his-presence

Watching GB vs. NO last night I was surprised to see a kick-off return for a TD. Sproules returned another 57 yards. I think we all expected to see most all kick-offs go for touch backs. But, GB and NO found a way to make the play still viable for a return. Rather than simply letting it go if it is close to the end zone and accepting the touch back, they now are lining up 5 yards deep in the end zone and returning it. It's two good teams adapting to a new rule to find a way to still compete.

I will be interested to see how the Bills approach the situation. Will they employ a similar tactic or simply go for touch backs. I may be overstating the issue a bit but it seems like there are subtle differences between the good teams and the not so good teams. The good teams quickly adapt to new plays, rules, etc... and still stay competitive. Belicheck seems to do this well. Jauron did not. The not so good teams don't. I think situations like this are tell tale signs that you have good coaching.

So this is one area that I will be watching on the Bills. It may be a hint to how good our coaching is.

Yes, there are more obvious areas to look at. Yes, we have more glaring concerns. But, do you have anything subtle you will be looking for?

Well, except for the fact if Cobb had listened to his coach he would not have scored a TD, he would have taken a knee in the end zone.

[OpIv37]

I'll be livid if we go for touchbacks with one of the best returners in the league.

sorry but 8 of the 11 kickoffs last night went for touchbacks. Even the one that went for the TD was 8 yards into the endzone. Big returns were the exception to the rule before the new rules, and they'll be an even bigger exception with the new rule.

Basically, you are talking about a TD or really good field position 1 out of every 10 times in exchange for starting inside the 10 or 15 the other 9 out of 10 times.

It's not good odds, good KR or not.

[madness]

I'm not arguing there's going to be more touchbacks but 5-6 yards in the end zone will no longer be an automatic touchbacks. The NFL estimates the 16.4% of touchbacks will rise to around 30% with special team coaches and players thinking it will be more around 40-50%. That's still a lot of opportunities for good returns. I expect return teams to start cheating back a little which will lead to a slight rise on surprise onside kicks.

[methos4ever]

And (cue Stevie J) Cobb said God told him to take the ball 8 yards deep out of the endzone, when McCarthy told him to kneel it. So, unless we get calls from on high for our returners, they may or may not repeat it.

[BUFF Bills]

did anyone else notice that the saints kicked off from the 30yd line instead of the 35 (after the sproles punt return td, i think) last night?

could they really have done this on purpose? or was it just a mistake?

[mayotm]

did anyone else notice that the saints kicked off from the 30yd line instead of the 35 (after the sproles punt return td, i think) last night?

could they really have done this on purpose? or was it just a mistake?If I recall correctly, there was a penalty on the extra point that was assessed on the kick off.

[MikeInRoch]

I'm not sure if it was that one, but the Saints did have an offsides penalty on one of their kickoffs which forced a kickoff five yards further back.

[psubills62]

Pardon me for being a grammar sticker, but it's cues, not queues. A queue is a backlog, like a line of customers at the DMV.
So did you mean sticker as in "an adhesive label" or stickler as in "an insistent person"?

[elltrain22]

Here's a non-subtle (or obvious ) reason that we probably won't and aren't for real. His name is Ralph Wilson

[Johnny Bugmenot]

So did you mean sticker as in "an adhesive label" or stickler as in "an insistent person"?
Yeah, I snickered at that... but that was a typo, not a grammatical error. I had intended to type "stickler" (with the L).

[Oaf]

How is this a queue that the Bills are for real again?

[X-Era]

Pardon me for being a grammar sticker, but it's cues, not queues. A queue is a backlog, like a line of customers at the DMV.Sorry for being so offensive... :rolleyes:

[gochiefs]

"FOR REAL?"

Try winning a game first...you have to give a hint of being good before you can offer proof that the improvement is real.

[better days]

"FOR REAL?"

Try winning a game first...you have to give a hint of being good before you can offer proof that the improvement is real.

Well, Sunday looks like a good time to start winning games.

[YardRat]

Funny that both of Cobb's TD's were actually errors on his part. Not only did he bring the ball out against instruction on the kickoff, but he ran the wrong pattern on his TD reception also.

[YardRat]

If you're looking for subtle cues in the details, than ponying up for a wildcat QB is a positive one.

[BUFF Bills]

I'm not sure if it was that one, but the Saints did have an offsides penalty on one of their kickoffs which forced a kickoff five yards further back.

gotcha... that makes sense. i almost thought they were trying to pull a chicago for a minute

[X-Era]

If you're looking for subtle cues in the details, than ponying up for a wildcat QB is a positive one.I agree. However, I was talking more about what in game changes, adaptations, etc... separate a well coached team from a mediocre coached team.

[YardRat]

I agree. However, I was talking more about what in game changes, adaptations, etc... separate a well coached team from a mediocre coached team.

I think the 3rd QB rule qualifies per the op...

The good teams quickly adapt to new plays, rules, etc...