BillyT92679
01-02-2005, 06:42 PM
I attended the game, genuinely thinking that the Bills would win easily. I guess the feeling of dread came over me when I saw the litany of Steeler fans walking up Abbott Road. My theory is they purchased the tickets during the dead time of the Bills season, when sales for this game was slow. At least 20K at the Ralph were waving the Terrible Towel. That's pathetic.
It's hard to break down exactly what was so dreadful. Drew, as his wont, played eminently Drew-like with the Big Game. Drew is the Paul Pasqualoni of NFL quarterbacks. Just like Pasqualoni, he will occasionally beat a high powered team, will occasionally lose to a dreadful team, but will almost always pound the bad teams and lose to the great ones. Drew is such an emotionless automaton as well. He inspires no one. Forget Jim Kelly, Drew is no Frank Reich at circling the wagons.
McGahee, other than the one scoring drive, was very Antowain Smith-esque, running into areas where no gaps existed. As much as I love Willis, I would argue that Travis is still a bit better at keeping his legs churning and finding the little creases. I still think, with another year to learn the NFL, Willis will be the elite back in the game.
The O-Line, was, natch, distressingly inefficient. No holes, little protection.
The receivers got no separation, and dropped catchable balls. Moulds deserves about 40% of his ballon payment of 8 million dollars next year.
Lindell is self-evident.
BUT, the biggest disappointment today was the playcalling by Messrs Mularkey and Clements. Perhaps unconsciously, their old boss Cowher got into their heads. This game was a repeat of Jacksonville and Oakland. NO DEEP BALLS! They never stretched the field, and although Drew deserves heaps of blame, Mularkey and Clements called a game that magnified Drew's weaknesses. If anything, have Drew chuck the ball! Hitch routes and five yard curls are not his specialty. Yes, the scheme that Dick LeBeau had against Drew was effective, but a team needs to throw a deep ball at least ONCE down the field, if only to foul up the scheme a little bit. Mularkey and Clements coached scared, and it cost them a playoff berth. These are the typical Buffalo Bills, sad to say as much as I love them. Even with luck, they pull defeat from the jaws of victory.
(P.S. it was also a repeat of Jacksonville and Oakland with the defense not forcing any real three and outs during the game. Jerry Gray disappointed as well.)
It's hard to break down exactly what was so dreadful. Drew, as his wont, played eminently Drew-like with the Big Game. Drew is the Paul Pasqualoni of NFL quarterbacks. Just like Pasqualoni, he will occasionally beat a high powered team, will occasionally lose to a dreadful team, but will almost always pound the bad teams and lose to the great ones. Drew is such an emotionless automaton as well. He inspires no one. Forget Jim Kelly, Drew is no Frank Reich at circling the wagons.
McGahee, other than the one scoring drive, was very Antowain Smith-esque, running into areas where no gaps existed. As much as I love Willis, I would argue that Travis is still a bit better at keeping his legs churning and finding the little creases. I still think, with another year to learn the NFL, Willis will be the elite back in the game.
The O-Line, was, natch, distressingly inefficient. No holes, little protection.
The receivers got no separation, and dropped catchable balls. Moulds deserves about 40% of his ballon payment of 8 million dollars next year.
Lindell is self-evident.
BUT, the biggest disappointment today was the playcalling by Messrs Mularkey and Clements. Perhaps unconsciously, their old boss Cowher got into their heads. This game was a repeat of Jacksonville and Oakland. NO DEEP BALLS! They never stretched the field, and although Drew deserves heaps of blame, Mularkey and Clements called a game that magnified Drew's weaknesses. If anything, have Drew chuck the ball! Hitch routes and five yard curls are not his specialty. Yes, the scheme that Dick LeBeau had against Drew was effective, but a team needs to throw a deep ball at least ONCE down the field, if only to foul up the scheme a little bit. Mularkey and Clements coached scared, and it cost them a playoff berth. These are the typical Buffalo Bills, sad to say as much as I love them. Even with luck, they pull defeat from the jaws of victory.
(P.S. it was also a repeat of Jacksonville and Oakland with the defense not forcing any real three and outs during the game. Jerry Gray disappointed as well.)