Discipline
Things to do for the Bills in 2004:
1. Hire a coach who is able and willing to instill some discipline in a talented but undisciplined team.
The Bills’ galling loss to Tennessee Sunday began and ended with penalties which were models of poor discipline. On the first play of the game, veteran left guard Ruben Brown was offsides, putting the Buffalo offense into an immediate hole on the first play of the game.
On the notorious final play, veteran wide receiver Bobby Shaw caught what should have been a successful two-point conversion which would have sent the game into overtime. Drew Bledsoe threw it low and outside, as accurate as a Pedro Martinez pitch. Shaw made a superb catch, or half catch.
Shaw cradled the ball with this arms and chest. If he had continued to cradle, the two-pointer would have been good. Instead he tried to thrust the ball into the air with his left hand and it escaped his grasp. No good.
Why thrust it prematurely? Why thrust it at all?
Because it’s part of a “Me! Me! Me! Celebration.” The celebration has become as important as the points scored --- at least for undisciplined players.
Who knows what would have happened in overtime?
Incidentally, the Bills got as close as they did because Bledsoe got hot in the fourth quarter. For those who have been busy trying to ride Bledsoe out of town on a rail, this is a reminder that Drew leads all active NFL quarterbacks in directing his team to successful fourth quarter rallies.
Bledsoe had an uneven game, something he’s done a lot in the last season and a half. But those who would wish to see him gone immediately never have an answer to the gigantic question of what would happen in his absence......
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