Don't necessarily expect Bledsoe's problems to get better!

[WG]

I was readin' thru the post-game reviews in several places, and one thing hit me. It's this recurrent theme that we've heard since the N.E. game. Namely that teams are simply throwing different blitzing schemes and such at Drew and the passing game each week.

This is nothing new as teams who played N.E. used to do the same to neutralize him. We have a decent OL, so we can't really pin it on them. Sure, they're not perfect, but if we're waiting for an OL that is, we may be waiting a while. Plus, we've had no major injuries there all year.

I simply think the cat may be out of the bag here on this one. I have a hunch that the uncertainty of the new system, players, enthusiasm, coupled with the absence of any game tape of Bledsoe w/ the Bills may be the primary reason for his early success. So I'm not necessarily expecting this to improve. It could level off somewhere less than desireable or acceptable.

We'll see. But he has to play well against the Phins and Pats.

[Ingtar33]

Blitzing schemes?
Ha!

Miami blitzed 10 times, the Lions just 4 times, NE blitzed on like 6 plays total, KC blitzed just 7 times, and (while I haven't gone over Sunday’s game yet) it looked like the Jets blitzed just 5 or so times (by my unofficial count). Explain where the exotic blitzing is coming from? The sacks on Bledsoe have gone down the last 5 weeks... so have the big plays... if you look at the big plays the Bills got in the first few weeks they were almost all against either an 8man box or a 6 man blitz... now we get no big plays because teams are playing 2-4 deep zones against us, with very little blitzing and we almost never face 8man boxes. NE's scheme was actually very conservative (if strange to look at), and like everyone else, they sold out against the deep pass, forcing us to win with short controlled passing and running the ball... we aren't doing either good right now, which is what is really beating us.

You're right Wys, things will not get better until we start to gain 150-200 yards on the ground, and eat them up with the short passing game. Until this starts to happen, we will not see too many more big plays or huge numbers by Drew.

[Sabre Ally]

And we keep trying to force the passing to happen, instead of using the run. Why?

[The_Philster]

That's the $64Million question, Ally.

[shelby]

Ask Gilbride.

[SABURZFAN]

Originally posted by shelby
Ask Gilbride.

BINGO!!!!!that's where bledsoe's problem lay.to echo Sabre Ally's question on the running game,why the hell aren't we running the ball more?our OL is decent enough to establish a running game.our WR's are athletic enough to make something happen with quick slant passes to establish a short passing game that Ingtar33 stressed in his post.we could be a much better football team if drew throws 25-30 passes a game instead of 35-45 passes.i don't think it would hurt if we get other RB's involved with those extra 10-15 carries.

[Billsbabee]

About the run...

Agree on the lack of the running game and have a question. Why do we only use one guy, T Henry, to do all our running? How can we have a running game if everytime we run the opposition knows it's going to be Henry? Name me another team, cuz I can't think of one right now, that only has one guy for their run game side of the ball. We, they and everybody always mentions how many offensive weapons we have, but all of them relate to the passing game. Shut that down with good coverage and what do they have left to plan for? Blocking and stopping T. Henry, our run game. We can't rely on one guy for the run, IMO.

[Pride]

Exactly right, why put 8 men in the box if the the bills are going to throw it 70% of the time??

[itsandthings]

I have watched Drew his entire career and he is the same player he has always been. He is a good QB, but good teams can defense him. If you take away what he likes to do best, he becomes average, and usually will take a few chances a game that can lead to turnovers. He just isn't patient when teams force him to rely on the underneath stuff.

The key with Bledsoe has always been to put pressure right in his face. The idea is to make him bring the ball down and move a little, because once he does that he makes as many bad plays (sacks, ints) as good ones. If he can sit in the pocket all day and throw the ball on rhythm he puts up big numbers, but he can only do that against poor teams.

That is why he has never been a good playoff performer. In the playoffs his completion percentage is 51.2%, his yds/att is 5.3, his TD-to-Int is 6-to-10 and his QB Rating is 58.2. He just isn't effective unless he has nobody in his face.

Nice guy, good numbers, but he rarely wins the big games.

[WG]

Right on its!!

Also, teams are playing us via the "bend don't break" D as one article put it. They're realizing too that the longer they keep us on the field the greater the chances of us making a mistake are.

[TedMock]

I think he has to learn to be more patient. The Bucs did the same to Favre yesterday. These guys are very good, strong armed qb's who don't like "taking what the D gives" but now that teams are playing deep zone he has to accept the short routes. I understand how hard it is when Reimersma keeps dropping balls. On the interception, the pass was behind him but was very catchable with just a tiny ounce of effort. That was pathetic. The other pick was Drew forcing a bad pass. A few years ago before his injury JR was on pace to be the number one receiving tight end. What the heck happened? I still say that D-line would help the Offense tremendously. Drew is a very good qb but can't shoulder the team. Henry's been a pleasant surprise and the line is young but getting better. They still look very young on certain plays. ie. the fumble at the end of the game caused by Mike Williams getting burned within .5 seconds. Eddie Robinson is disappointing. I really liked him as a player over the years but he's lost it. Time has passed him by. They desperately need another big fat DT to help PW. He's getting double teamed and then chipped by the RB. The other DT's can't take advantage of this? Pathetic.

[itsandthings]

Favre may take his chances, but he is patient. If Favre has a flaw, it is that he never gives up on a play, however, Favre makes a ton of big plays for the risks he takes (so you live with it). Bledsoe can't make the kinds of plays Favre can. Bledsoe is what he is at this point, he isn't likely to change.

The good news, for Bills fans, is that once Travis Henry conquers his fumbling problem he looks like the kind of back that can carry the offensive load. That is the guy they should be building this team around. The Bills should pound the ball on offense and find a smart, efficient QB who will manage the game and make the plays when they have to. Playing that sort of complementary game would take a lot of pressure off their defense.

[WG]

Yeah, I wholeheartedly agree its!!!

Especially "Bledsoe is what he is at this point, he isn't likely to change."

We knew what we were getting w/ Drew and that's why I was one of the few originally against it. It's still too early to tell whether this thing is going to work out or not.

I will say this however, if Henry does become the focal point as I agree he should be, then Gilbride is a fish out of water. He needs to coach a team that passes first b/c that's what he's always done in this league either as a HC or OC.

Conversely, if he remains the OC here, then don't look for Henry to become the focal point of this offense. That's why IMO he needs to go and quickly.

[Ingtar33]

You guys are right on your critiques of Bledsoe, but too spare on your compliments.

He is a slow pocket QB, who has an arm without equal. It is his arm and head which teams fear, it is his arm and head which is putting opposing Ds into nickels and dime defenses, which in turn give the Bills running game absolute free reign to chew up big yards. You put a "smart efficient" (ie. J.Fiedler) QB back there and you will see 8 men in the box, and the stifling of the bills running attack. It is the fear of Drew's arm that is making our running game look so good.

[Dozerdog]

Any player from the history of the NFL can be defensed, from Earl Campbell, Dan Marino, Jerry Rice.

It's what the offense does to counter those defenses that make the difference. 8 men in the box? Go over the top. Nickle and dime defense? Get the stones to run the ball and stay with it. Blitzes? Keep Max protection on or have the quick outlet/slant over the middle.

The Coach is the one who has to make the adjusments, not the players.