What's Wrong with Another Game Plan

[ghz in pittsburgh]

I don't quite understand the need to "openning up", "throwing deep" on offense that fans are suggesting to cure our ills. Compared to last year, Mularkay and Co. are doing exactly what we have hoped for and what they promised. So now we are expecting them to have a great run offense and a great pass offense to be the world beater from the get-go?

Superbowl winner NE has a passing game; runner up Carolina has a running game. No one is perfect to be world beaters, but they are very good at what they do. Why can't we give Mularkay and company a chance to work on something they said that is going to be the mainstay of this team - running attack behind Henry and McGahee?

I think from Donahoe and Mularkay down, they are using Carolina as Bills model for 2004. So opponents may stack up the line anticipating we run at them, but why can't we still be successful at that, especially it is our strength? I just don't think our defense is quite good enough yet. I'd imagine John Fox would be quite happy to have our first 58 minutes of the Jaguars game for any game they played last year or this year, and their defense would preserve the victory in the last 2 minutes.

The sign of success of this strategy is to win close games. It requires a good defense and a little luck. I seem to remember Carolina was very lucky to win the first game last year with a good bounce. I don't know I can attribute the Bills lost last Sunday to some unlucky bounce or calls. But I don't fault the offense that much. Sure I'd like to go into the last 2 minutes up by 2 touchdowns every game. But I think we will be in great shape if we can go into the last 2 minutes of the remaining 15 games up by 4 points, be it 4-0, 14-10, or 35-31.

[Drive 4 Five]

Couldn't agree with ya more ghz. I think that the gameplan we had against Jax was very smart. You don't come out slinging the gun on a defense like that. You have to be patient. Take what the defense gives you, but the key is to avoid mistakes (which we did not), and capitalize on opportunities (which we had plenty of). That was a heart breaking loss. I still hurt. But you gotta love how we pushed them around. We got real physical with they ass. Already you can see this team molding to Mularkey's character.

[TigerJ]

Asside from the fact that the Bills lost?

Maybe that's a bit unfair. We all agree that they could have won. Actually, I would not prescribe a radically different game plan. However, Lee Evans was drafted soelly because he is a deep threat. If elite speed was not a key criteria, then Buffalo could have drafted receivers later on that were bigger, have great hands and can run solid routes. Speed was the reason they drafted Evans and deep routes are the reason for speed. However, we all know he's probably not ready for any kind of primary role yet. I think there is going to be a gradual evolution of the offence as everyone gets more comfortable with it, and Bledsoe in particular gets used to a quicker pace in the passing game. In general the less a defense has to think about, the easier it is to defende the fewer things they are facing. If the defence has to account for mor things (like a deep threat) then in theory other areas of the game should open up more. It becomes easier to run the ball because safeties are not crowding the line. If safeties are off guarding against deep routes, underneath routes should be more open. I would never suggest a return to the days of Kevin Gilbride where every play is designed to be a potential deep route, but the threat of having it in the offence is a good thing.

[TedMock]

I think the gameplan was actually pretty good. We moved the ball up and down the field fairly well. Nothing spectacular, but we did have a decent offensive movement. The problem is a couple of fumbles in the redzone and a missed field goal. Add that to not being able to get lower than the DT's on the one-yard line and having to settle for 3. That's 21 potential points because of very correctable problems. If we don't have the fumbles there's at least 6, if not 14 of the 21 potential points. I'm not upset by the game plan at all. Don't forget, it's only game one. Lee Evans will be wisely used during the season. It's best to pick and choose the long ball. When we really need a huge play and people forgot all about him, that's when it'll happen......I hope!

[Typ0]

It was only one game...I hardly think we are against going down field with weapons like Bledsoe and Moulds...I expect they thought that was the proper game plan to win against JAX. Unfortunately we didn't win and it was a critical game as far as I'm concerned.

[lunatic_bills_fan]

I think what we did was good, however everyone still pretty much knows that Bledsoe can still sling the ball, and with a reciever like Moulds, people expect to see the downfield play. I think that will come, but right now we need to develop an identity of sorts. Running the ball well will eventually enable us to utilize all aspects of this offence.

[LABillzFan]

This is cliche, but I think without question you should see a similar offensive gameplan IF IT CAN WORK. We need to run to dominate the clock, rest our D, tire out their D, and lull their stadium to sleep. Raider fans are not unlike Patriot fans in that if their team is losing and the game is slow and grinding, they're less likely to kick up the noise a notch. They're more likely to go find a Starbucks and order a fraggacino latte mocha time waster.

Pound, pound, pound...if at all possible...and put everyone to sleep.

[justasportsfan]

I would think that this time around we may go downfield to open up the run better. The gameplan was not that different compared to when we beat them last year, but we did go deep then unlike last Sunday.

The more the OL proves it can pass protect, the more we will go deep. I guess MM wasn't so sure how our OL could perform so he was very conservative with the passing game.

[ghz in pittsburgh]

because it can take the genius from guys like Belichick. Running attack is about as simple as there is in pro football: the blockers grab a body to move, the runner try to find open space. All those fancy lineups, blitz packages do not mean that much if your defensive linemen is pushed back consistently. That's why Belichick wanted Ted Washington.

The way I see it, this Bills team has the personnell to be a successful running team. I'm still holding my judgement on Mularkay on his commitment to the running game because he didn't exactly do that in Pittsburgh. And looking in our division, I feel our main rivals NE and NYJ both have a weakness in defending the run. That's why I'm a little optimistic that the Bills may do much better than last year, or in Donahoe's words, "surprise a lot of people."

[justasportsfan]

because it can take the genius from guys like Belichick. Running attack is about as simple as there is in pro football: the blockers grab a body to move, the runner try to find open space. All those fancy lineups, blitz packages do not mean that much if your defensive linemen is pushed back consistently. That's why Belichick wanted Ted Washington.

The way I see it, this Bills team has the personnell to be a successful running team. I'm still holding my judgement on Mularkay on his commitment to the running game because he didn't exactly do that in Pittsburgh. And looking in our division, I feel our main rivals NE and NYJ both have a weakness in defending the run. That's why I'm a little optimistic that the Bills may do much better than last year, or in Donahoe's words, "surprise a lot of people."he did run the ball in Pitts. until he lost his best rb.

[TigerJ]

I think Jackson ville plays almost exclusively a cover two zone. The Raiders play more man coverage and blitz more. That will probably dictate some changes in the game plan.

[finsrclowns]

I'm still holding my judgement on Mularkay on his commitment to the running game because he didn't exactly do that in Pittsburgh.

Mike Mularkey had the # 1 rushing attack in the NFL in his first year as OC and top 5 in his 2nd year. The third year he had OL problems that hurt both his running and passing offense. Mularkey/Clements are committed to a balanced attack, always have been.

[colin]

i think our game plan last week gave us a very good chance to win, moulds just decided to give the ball away and lindel missed an easy FG, drops hurt too.

I think if you pass 5 more times and run 5 less times you end up with an easy 24 points, assuming no one puts the ball on the carpet.

two years ago pits got blown out at home to the jags, with mularky as the OC, he did not change his game, just made it work better. overall what we have installed is a good solid game but we need to make drew's arm and our WR talent work more for us, but if Moulds holds the rock last week we have all kinds of ways to add points.

gilbride was actually a very smart OC and knew how to make mis matches work, he got us a huge out put the one year and great output from Travis both years, what he did though was take risks our line could not handle, and that got us killed late in the year and left us with a not so great running game inspite of good and sometimes great output from a running back.

If our team is ready to smash people in the mouth, and when they get going we all know our line and RBs can do that with the best of them, then we have a position of strength to play from.

Airing it out a couple of times a game at the right time will help, but i like the commitment to the physical running game. Remember the year when the titans dominated right after their super bowl appearance? they lost on a VERY conservative game plan to us in the first game of the season, 13-10 i think, but sticking to the smash mouth game and improving it worked for them, and it will work for us.

go bills go

[TigerJ]

I agree that Gilbride is smart. He was however blind to the fact that he didn't have the presonnel who could do what he wanted them to do. A great coordinator can build an offence around his personnel.

[Dantheman1280]

We should bo ok this week, but a shot down the feild here and there should keep those safties more honest!

[colin]

I agree that Gilbride is smart. He was however blind to the fact that he didn't have the presonnel who could do what he wanted them to do. A great coordinator can build an offence around his personnel.

exactly, but part of it is making your personnel have an identity, the bills have the horeses, but need to become a big mean snot and spit firing bunch of bullies. once we get there, all things are possible.

i really think our d is sure enough of themselves to kick ass and take names, that little breakdown last week will be the exception not the rule. Our o has to get on the bandwagon.