Canadian'eh!
04-06-2004, 10:35 AM
Hey, I caught this game and posted this on billsaddiction.com, i thought i'd throw in my 2 cents here.
so i'm surfing the dish last night and come across the NFL network replaying the AMAZING game between the BILLS and Vikings from 02. First off. WOW. what an amazingly exciting game that was. I mean it was non stop action, back and forth. the play by play guys were practically screaming every play by the end.
note to NFL: DO THIS MORE! the game takes 2 hours to show. they edit out most of the "between plays" time. but they show from the time they start lining up to the end of the play, and any replays. so it's not cut down too far but just enough to get it to 2 hours and you don't feel like you are missing anything, the way they do when it's down to 30 mins or an hour like "game of the week" or espn classic replays. If the NFL network would take all the good to great games of the last few years and just replay them a few nights per week i would be locked on this station. As fo right now that are only doing 1 game per week from 98-02.
OK, on to my point.
I know there are a lot of debates over this team from last year, the main one surrounds Drew BLedsoe. BUT MAN WAS THAT OFFENCE GOOD IN 2002!
I mean they just coudn't really do wrong.
the big differences I saw?
1- Drew looked supremely confident. He really believed in those recievers. he showed no hesitation in throwing to anyone. he was directing traffic at the line and reading the D in split seconds. there was one play near the 8 yard line that went to Reed for the TD that may or may not have been his primary reciever (he was looking farther left first) but Drew found him over the middle almost instantly. The throw was not perfect but Reed was fearless and Drew knew that. Completely different than last year when he looked hesitant to let the ball go for numerous reasons.
2- The recieving core is NOT adequate right now. I was pretty upset with Reed last year, but i'm telling you he was money in that #3 role. He made HUGE plays. Moulds, being healthy, looked like the top 5 WR in the NFL that he is. It was extremely clear how much that injury hurt his game last year. it was like watching 2 different players. Another thing, RIEMERSMA and CENTERS were very important to that offence. especially JR. He had some really great plays and it really made the difference in the game. Of course, this may have been PP's best game as a pro. He was open often and made the most of it. What a difference he was making to every player on the field. There was always someone open because if the D focussed on PP than moulds was open and vice versa. If they managed to stop EM and PP on a play, there was JR and the other JR. Even on the best play from teh D centeres would pick up a few yards. it was just unstoppable. BIGGEST THING OF ALL: NO DROPS!!!! anything and everything that was within 5 yards of the reciever was gobbled up. OUR RECIVERS LAST YEAR WERE NOT GOOD ENOUGH. I'm 100% convinced we had the wrong system for what we had.
3- The Oline was better, even though it was not great it was good enough. It was obvious form this game that our line took a major step back last year. I'm not sure why but it did. I assume it coachign since most of the players are the same.
4- The D has improved vastly. it nearly cost us that game and definately cost us the playoffs. one thing that was similar? No playmakers on that D either. Newman had a nice strip on Culpepper, but Daunte fumbles a lot anyway (3 times in that game?) I expect this year's D to be as good or better as last year. Even if they are not as good yardage wise, and increase in turnovers would be ideal.
5- It was obvious then that Gilbride's playcalling was terrible. The Bills started passing on every down near the end of the game, even with the lead at one point!! overtime was the same thing. and it nearly cost us the game when KG called stupid passing play with a long dropback that pushed the Bills from the 20 to the 30 and caused Hollis to miss a field goal in overtime. (also, Hollis was 10x better than Lindell. he was clutch. Lindell sucks)
Anyway, my point is there are many causes to our offensive problems last year. I have to admit, despite defending Drew, i was starting to really wonder if age had caught up with him. But after watching this game it really showed me where the problems lie.
in order i would put it:
RECIEVING
PLAYCALLING
FIELD POSITION
OLINE
DREW'S CONFIDENCE (not his ability, though he needed more coaching to help solve small probelms, and to help him adjust when thigs weren't going well)
To solve this I think we still need recieving help. I think TD knows this as well. He will look at WR very early in this draft and only if he really really thinks some player (QB or otherwise) is a much better value will he not go for a top WR in the draft. I wouldn't even be surprised if he traed up to get some sort of impact receiver, be it Larry Fitzgerald, Roy Williams or Kellen Winslow Jr. Still a proven guy would help take pressure off Moulds and Reed. It always takes time for a reciever to make an impact going from College to the NFL. But, there are not a lot of options out there. maybe after June 1. Reed needs to be in the slot as #3. That's the spot he can do the most damage. He's not suited for the role PP had.
Oline is all about coaching and depth IMO. Maybe 1 more affordable vet after the june cuts and rookie and we are gonna be okay. I would prefer to see another starter level player come in but all we need is depth and coaching more than anything and we can at least get back to the 02 level.
Playcalling should be solved with the coaching changes. I'll hand it to Malurkey, he got more out of those players in Pittsburgh than i thought he could. especially the QB's.
Field position is about the Return men and the Defence creating turnovers. Maybe MM has someone in mind for the return role, or thinks he can coach Brown to be better. The D creating turnovers (vincent factor) would really help. An impact DE (Smith/Udeze) would be a good idea if there is no WR/QB worthy of 13. I would not object to a 1st round DE if it gets us a top flight pass rush (note sacks kill drives and pressure causes INT's.... Schobel would be amazing if he was a #2, he's already a good #1 but IMO he's better suited to be the #2 guy)
If we can fix these problems, Drew will regain his confidence and we will be fine.
at least that's what i got from that game......
so i'm surfing the dish last night and come across the NFL network replaying the AMAZING game between the BILLS and Vikings from 02. First off. WOW. what an amazingly exciting game that was. I mean it was non stop action, back and forth. the play by play guys were practically screaming every play by the end.
note to NFL: DO THIS MORE! the game takes 2 hours to show. they edit out most of the "between plays" time. but they show from the time they start lining up to the end of the play, and any replays. so it's not cut down too far but just enough to get it to 2 hours and you don't feel like you are missing anything, the way they do when it's down to 30 mins or an hour like "game of the week" or espn classic replays. If the NFL network would take all the good to great games of the last few years and just replay them a few nights per week i would be locked on this station. As fo right now that are only doing 1 game per week from 98-02.
OK, on to my point.
I know there are a lot of debates over this team from last year, the main one surrounds Drew BLedsoe. BUT MAN WAS THAT OFFENCE GOOD IN 2002!
I mean they just coudn't really do wrong.
the big differences I saw?
1- Drew looked supremely confident. He really believed in those recievers. he showed no hesitation in throwing to anyone. he was directing traffic at the line and reading the D in split seconds. there was one play near the 8 yard line that went to Reed for the TD that may or may not have been his primary reciever (he was looking farther left first) but Drew found him over the middle almost instantly. The throw was not perfect but Reed was fearless and Drew knew that. Completely different than last year when he looked hesitant to let the ball go for numerous reasons.
2- The recieving core is NOT adequate right now. I was pretty upset with Reed last year, but i'm telling you he was money in that #3 role. He made HUGE plays. Moulds, being healthy, looked like the top 5 WR in the NFL that he is. It was extremely clear how much that injury hurt his game last year. it was like watching 2 different players. Another thing, RIEMERSMA and CENTERS were very important to that offence. especially JR. He had some really great plays and it really made the difference in the game. Of course, this may have been PP's best game as a pro. He was open often and made the most of it. What a difference he was making to every player on the field. There was always someone open because if the D focussed on PP than moulds was open and vice versa. If they managed to stop EM and PP on a play, there was JR and the other JR. Even on the best play from teh D centeres would pick up a few yards. it was just unstoppable. BIGGEST THING OF ALL: NO DROPS!!!! anything and everything that was within 5 yards of the reciever was gobbled up. OUR RECIVERS LAST YEAR WERE NOT GOOD ENOUGH. I'm 100% convinced we had the wrong system for what we had.
3- The Oline was better, even though it was not great it was good enough. It was obvious form this game that our line took a major step back last year. I'm not sure why but it did. I assume it coachign since most of the players are the same.
4- The D has improved vastly. it nearly cost us that game and definately cost us the playoffs. one thing that was similar? No playmakers on that D either. Newman had a nice strip on Culpepper, but Daunte fumbles a lot anyway (3 times in that game?) I expect this year's D to be as good or better as last year. Even if they are not as good yardage wise, and increase in turnovers would be ideal.
5- It was obvious then that Gilbride's playcalling was terrible. The Bills started passing on every down near the end of the game, even with the lead at one point!! overtime was the same thing. and it nearly cost us the game when KG called stupid passing play with a long dropback that pushed the Bills from the 20 to the 30 and caused Hollis to miss a field goal in overtime. (also, Hollis was 10x better than Lindell. he was clutch. Lindell sucks)
Anyway, my point is there are many causes to our offensive problems last year. I have to admit, despite defending Drew, i was starting to really wonder if age had caught up with him. But after watching this game it really showed me where the problems lie.
in order i would put it:
RECIEVING
PLAYCALLING
FIELD POSITION
OLINE
DREW'S CONFIDENCE (not his ability, though he needed more coaching to help solve small probelms, and to help him adjust when thigs weren't going well)
To solve this I think we still need recieving help. I think TD knows this as well. He will look at WR very early in this draft and only if he really really thinks some player (QB or otherwise) is a much better value will he not go for a top WR in the draft. I wouldn't even be surprised if he traed up to get some sort of impact receiver, be it Larry Fitzgerald, Roy Williams or Kellen Winslow Jr. Still a proven guy would help take pressure off Moulds and Reed. It always takes time for a reciever to make an impact going from College to the NFL. But, there are not a lot of options out there. maybe after June 1. Reed needs to be in the slot as #3. That's the spot he can do the most damage. He's not suited for the role PP had.
Oline is all about coaching and depth IMO. Maybe 1 more affordable vet after the june cuts and rookie and we are gonna be okay. I would prefer to see another starter level player come in but all we need is depth and coaching more than anything and we can at least get back to the 02 level.
Playcalling should be solved with the coaching changes. I'll hand it to Malurkey, he got more out of those players in Pittsburgh than i thought he could. especially the QB's.
Field position is about the Return men and the Defence creating turnovers. Maybe MM has someone in mind for the return role, or thinks he can coach Brown to be better. The D creating turnovers (vincent factor) would really help. An impact DE (Smith/Udeze) would be a good idea if there is no WR/QB worthy of 13. I would not object to a 1st round DE if it gets us a top flight pass rush (note sacks kill drives and pressure causes INT's.... Schobel would be amazing if he was a #2, he's already a good #1 but IMO he's better suited to be the #2 guy)
If we can fix these problems, Drew will regain his confidence and we will be fine.
at least that's what i got from that game......