Clayton on Bills-Raiders

[justasportsfan]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=clayton_john&page=/ten/2004week2

5. Buffalo Bills at Oakland Raiders: Talk about a bad time for a bye week? The Bills get a chance to rest after Sunday's game against the Raiders. That's bad. If they lose, the Bills will be under two weeks of intense criticism heading into a key home game against the Patriots. Mike Mularkey is in his first season as head coach and he is already facing a crisis. "Where's the offense?" fans scream. Mularkey was hired to turn around Drew Bledsoe's career and reviews weren't good in Week 1. Bledsoe completed 17 passes for only 153 yards. The good news is that he was sacked just once. The bad news is that he got rid of the ball so quickly the offense was invisible. They possessed the ball and did nothing with it, holding onto the ball for almost 34 minutes and losing to the Jaguars, 13-10, on the last play. Raiders new defensive coordinator Rob Ryan knows Bledsoe from his days as the Patriots linebacker coach. Though his 3-4 scheme is off to a slow start, he will devise plenty of blitzes to affect Bledsoe. He will also blitz to stop the Bills solid running game. Though the Bills have a great back in Travis Henry, they have an inferior offensive line. With games ahead against the Patriots, Jets and Dolphins after the bye, the Bills season could be determined in the next few weeks.

[LtBillsFan66]

It makes sick to think about a loss.

If we lose, I'm off the boards for the full 2 weeks.

[Mr. Cynical]

"The good news is that he was sacked just once. The bad news is that he got rid of the ball so quickly the offense was invisible."

Very good point. The fact is that if you try to dramatically change a person's style after 11 years, the odds are it won't be very effective.

Though the Bills have a great back in Travis Henry, they have an inferior offensive line. With games ahead against the Patriots, Jets and Dolphins after the bye, the Bills season could be determined in the next few weeks.

Tell us something we don't know.

Raiders new defensive coordinator Rob Ryan knows Bledsoe from his days as the Patriots linebacker coach. Though his 3-4 scheme is off to a slow start, he will devise plenty of blitzes to affect Bledsoe.

I wasn't aware of this. Well, if there was any doubt we were going to lose before, there is even less now imo. I don't even know if I can watch it now. The thought of Drew getting creamed by blitzes all day and floundering behind a crap line will make me go ballistic.

[finsrclowns]

Man, that's harsh. The Bills struggled last year so let's take the glass is almost completely empty view after 1 game. You could argue there should have been more plays downfield, but look at what actually happened in the game. 10 possessions, 2 scores, 1 missed fg. The other 7? 3 drops on 3rd down, 2 fumbles, one huge holding penalty and 1 actual stop by their D. Credit their D for some of the drops and fumbles too, those guys were hitting hard. Acceptable? No but it wasn't all about the QB or the length of the passes. 3 years ago Tom Brady won a SB with 90% of the balls thrown under 5 yards. And we WILL open it up more as we go- don't forget this was Tom Clements 1st game as an OC too.

And I'm concerned about the line too but I thought they held their own last week. This week is a good test, but I'm not ready to give up on what amounts to a revamped line with a new coach after one week. If one week was that big a deal we would have been SB bound last year. But he is right about 1 thing- we do need a W Sunday.

[Drive 4 Five]

I just finished watching yesterday's edition of NFL Live and they have already written us off for the season. With the Coyboys no less....LOL

You know what I say? Screw em'. But you better believe that this is a must win for us. The Jags are much better than the Raiders, who cannot even run the ball. Guys if we cannot win...I hate to even think about it...but it would be hard to disgree with those dopes. The Raiders are a bunch of toothless pussies. We absolutely better not lose this game.

[ScottLawrence]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/column.../ten/2004week2

5. Buffalo Bills at Oakland Raiders: Talk about a bad time for a bye week? The Bills get a chance to rest after Sunday's game against the Raiders. That's bad. If they lose, the Bills will be under two weeks of intense criticism heading into a key home game against the Patriots. Mike Mularkey is in his first season as head coach and he is already facing a crisis. "Where's the offense?" fans scream. Mularkey was hired to turn around Drew Bledsoe's career and reviews weren't good in Week 1. Bledsoe completed 17 passes for only 153 yards. The good news is that he was sacked just once. The bad news is that he got rid of the ball so quickly the offense was invisible. They possessed the ball and did nothing with it, holding onto the ball for almost 34 minutes and losing to the Jaguars, 13-10, on the last play. Raiders new defensive coordinator Rob Ryan knows Bledsoe from his days as the Patriots linebacker coach. Though his 3-4 scheme is off to a slow start, he will devise plenty of blitzes to affect Bledsoe. He will also blitz to stop the Bills solid running game. Though the Bills have a great back in Travis Henry, they have an inferior offensive line. With games ahead against the Patriots, Jets and Dolphins after the bye, the Bills season could be determined in the next few weeks.

I said something about Bledsoe getting the ball out toooo quickly in preseason but, I guess everyone ignored me. And, like Clayton said it doesn't work.

He makes a point that I agree with, the next few weeks determine our season.

[LABillzFan]

I just finished watching yesterday's edition of NFL Live and they have already written us off for the season. With the Coyboys no less....LOL

You know what I say? Screw em'. But you better believe that this is a must win for us. The Jags are much better than the Raiders, who cannot even run the ball. Guys if we cannot win...I hate to even think about it...but it would be hard to disgree with those dopes. The Raiders are a bunch of toothless pussies. We absolutely better not lose this game.

I am FAIRLY certain many respected members of the media felt the same way about NE last year after getting their asses handed to them in week 1.

You're right: screw 'em. You can take everything those guys know about how this season will play out, write it down on a piece of paper, crumble it up and shove it up the ass of a fly.

Week 2. Coming at ya. One game at a time. One play at a time. That's all you can do. Writing us off would be severly poor judgement.

[thenry20]

I knew that if we didn't start off hot, we'd wouldn't make the playoffs. The second part of our schedule is brutall--four away games in the last six weeks!

[G. Host]

Considering help of '12th Man' on opener that is not necessarily a bad thing. Too many people leaving before game is over and Wave are just a few of things which hurt the Bills. I remember one season when Oilers/Titans had a better record on the road than at home.

[BAM]

I like the new nickel, G.

[Drive 4 Five]

I don't know about that. All that matters is how you finish. It is way too early to know how this team is going to perform the rest of the way. But do you get the feeling that this is a must win?

[Typ0]

Considering help of '12th Man' on opener that is not necessarily a bad thing. Too many people leaving before game is over and Wave are just a few of things which hurt the Bills. I remember one season when Oilers/Titans had a better record on the road than at home.

During that last drive it was very loud. Criticize if you want but we did our part.

[G. Host]

I like the new nickel, G.

Thanks.

I saw it and decided it will be the symbol of our run for playoffs in 2005
(it is a 2005 nickle)

Here is article on it:

http://www.usatoday.com/money/2004-09-16-nickel_x.htm

Now is someone who is better who photoshop can change "E Pluribus Unum" to "Go Bills" in Latin I'll be all set

[Drive 4 Five]

I like the new nickel, G.

Yeah G. I didn't even notice it until Bam said something. But it's tight and I like the symbolism even more. Go Bills!

[Mr. Cynical]

Couldn't find latin for Bills, so I just used English.