One more for news and notes

by Zumone on Dec 2, 2008 9:05 PM EST Comment 10 comments

I thought Chuck Pollock, sports editor for the Olean Times Herald (whatever that is?) hits the nail on the head with this one, "It’s times Bills’ coaching staff got scrutinized". Read the whole thing but heres the last half of the piece:

Coordinator Turk Schonert was seen as an encouraging upgrade from his predecessor, Steve Fairchild. But in recent weeks, it’s been tough to tell where Fairchild ends and Schonert begins.

The most disturbing reincarnation is the "we’re going to outsmart you" hubris he’s displayed.

Buffalo has one of the NFL’s biggest offensive lines, but on 3rd-and-short, despite the presence of a pair of hard-running backs, the Bills invariably pass.

Not only does that decision show a lack of faith in the offensive front, it also displays a degree of play-calling arrogance ... we don’t have to out-muscle you, we going to outsmart you?

Against the 49ers, Buffalo had seven plays on 3rd or 4th down of four yards or less. The result was three runs, three passes and a sack.

AND, FINALLY, of course, there’s the issue of the team reflecting Jauron’s always-controlled persona.

Clearly it worked for Marv Levy, the man who hired him.

But Marv had the right team - a self-starting veteran squad overflowing with leadership - for his laissez-faire, let-the-assistants-coach approach.

Jauron has one of the league’s youngest rosters with precious-few leaders - Donte Whitner excepted - and a little fear for job security or an in-you-face blasting from coaches for repeated errors would probably serve it well.

Even Jauron is aware that the heat’s been turned up by frustrated fans.

On Monday he allowed, "I definitely understand (the criticism). I’m where it stops. I’m the guy. The things that go wrong, I’ve got to get them corrected."

Yet clearly, he can’t be somebody he’s not ... ie. an old-fashioned hard-line disciplinarian.

Unfortunately, you get the idea that nobody on Jauron’s staff, other than special teams coach Bobby April, is willing to get into a player’s grille.

Too bad, because maybe, just maybe, if these Bills played with a bit of fear of being called out on their failings, we wouldn’t be talking about five losses in six games.

This FanPost was written by a registered user of Buffalo Rumblings. Its views do not necessarily reflect the reviews of Rumblings' editorial staff, but are just as valued as our own.

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The discipline of a young team comments are good ones. Maybe Jauron would be a more successful coach if he had a veteran team that knew what it took to win and stay focused. A younger group that hasn’t won much really needs that extra kick in the pants to perform, IMO.

by Kurupt on Dec 2, 2008 9:10 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

The value of the "situational leadership model"

One of the best things I studied in all of my leadership training as an Air Force officer was something called the situational leadership model. It discusses troops/airmen/followers at four different phases and how each phase needs a different style of leadership.

This writer is dead-on about how Marv had the kind of team that could succeed under the laissez-faire, even-keeled management style, but Jauron doesn’t. (I’m not entirely convinced Marv did everything necessary for the “bickering Bills”; they never could win the SB). Jauron will not get Marv’s results with Marv’s style unless he has the caliber of players Marv had (at the experience level when he had them).

by thefourwinds on Dec 2, 2008 10:01 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Did he really

say Marv was ‘always controlled?’

AND, FINALLY, of course, there’s the issue of the team reflecting Jauron’s always-controlled persona.

Clearly it worked for Marv Levy, the man who hired him.

Did anyone else watch Marv jump down the ref’s throats when he saw bad calls? Compared to Jauron, Marv was a Mike Vick owned pit bull. Yes, Marv could be pretty ‘even-keeled’ for streches, but the man could get fired up. Can’t say the same for DJ.

Sweet home Orchard Park.

by thurman on Dec 3, 2008 12:07 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Agree with you to a point, and I don’t mean to take this thread off on too much of a tangent, but I actually think this was one area where Marv’s tendency was not all that helpful for the Bills. Please don’t tell me I’m saying passion isn’t a good thing. I’m not.

But on the Bills of that era, their one weakness was falling apart when things were going badly (either by bad calls or being outplayed or outcoached by the other team). Screaming at the officials in that situation, in my opinion, just passes along a victim mentality, as in, “The only reason we’re doing badly is because of the officials.”

The Bills came out fired up in 3 of the 4 SBs they played in (with the exception of the one against Washington). But they got outplayed and outcoached later on (in-game adjustments). The Bills never really adjusted, just kept running the same plays, hoping their playmakers could make they plays work even though they weren’t working.

Marv also had a weakness of letting Kelly talk him into a bad decision (or out of a good decision).

by thefourwinds on Dec 3, 2008 9:12 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Buffalo has one of the NFL’s biggest offensive lines, but on 3rd-and-short, despite the presence of a pair of hard-running backs, the Bills invariably pass.

Not only does that decision show a lack of faith in the offensive front, it also displays a degree of play-calling arrogance … we don’t have to out-muscle you, we going to outsmart you?

Against the 49ers, Buffalo had seven plays on 3rd or 4th down of four yards or less. The result was three runs, three passes and a sack.

Those comments are just stupid. Here is every play the Bills ran on second or third down with 4 or less to get the first.

2nd and 1 – incomplete pass
3rd and 1 – 3 yard run by Marshawn
2nd and 3 – 4 yard run by Jackson called back on a holding penalty
3rd and 1 – Edwards three yard run for a first
2nd and 2 – play action pass for an incompletion on the goal line
3rd and 2 – Trent audibled out of a run call and threw an imcompletion
3rd and 4 – losman incompletion on 3rd and goal
2nd and 4 – 6 yard completion to Parrish around mid-field
3rd and 1 – 1 yard loss by Jackson
4th and 2 – Losman incompletion
2nd and 3 – 1 yard loss by Jackson
3rd and 4 – 49ers blitz, OL picks it up yet Losman is sacked

Other than Schonert not giving the ball to Lynch, was the playcalling that bad? Two of those 3rd or 4th passes were when the team needed 4 yards. Another one was a run call that Edwards audibled out of. So Buffalo called one pass play on fourth down, during the fourth quarter of a game the team was trailing and needed to score. Is that really something we should string up the coaches for?

by kaisertown on Dec 3, 2008 1:44 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

which of those were in the red zone or inside the 10? I think that’s where a lot of the complaints lie. We’ve gotta be able to run it and stick to the run when we are in short yardage situations inside the red zone…just my 2 cents…

by Kurupt on Dec 3, 2008 2:38 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

The Bills plays inside the redzone:

Early second quarter down 7-0 – missed FG
1st-10, SF19 – 1 yard run by Marshawn
2nd-10, SF19 – 9 yard gain on end around to Parrish out of the wildcat
3rd-1, SF10 – 3 yard run by Trent
1st-7, SF7 – 5 yard run by Jackson
2nd-2, SF2 – play action pass, incompletion
3rd-2, SF2 – run play that Trent audibled out of

Early third quarter down 10-0 – Lindell FG
1st-9, SF9 – Rush for 3 yard loss by Marshawn
2nd-12, SF12 – 8 yard completion from Losman to Evans
3rd-4, SF4 – incompletion

Early in the 4th quarter down 10-3 – turnover on downs
1st-10, SF15 – 1 yard run by Marshawn
2nd-9, SF14 – 8 yard completion to Schouman
3rd-1, SF6 – 1 yard loss by Jackson
4th-2, SF7 – incompletion by Losman

About 6 minutes left still down 10-3 – missed FG
2nd-3, SF18 – 1 yard loss by Jackson
3rd-4, SF19 – Losman sacked for a loss of 3 yards

So the Bills called 8 runs and 7 passes in the red zone. What plays specifically would you change? (other than getting the ball to Marshawn instead of Jackson). Schonert does get way too cute with the shutgun and Fred Jackson. I have no clue why Jackson gets any carries in the red zone and the shotgun is obviously over utilized. But I have a hard time blaming Schonert for 4 runs where the team lost ground. This team needs a new center really bad.

by kaisertown on Dec 3, 2008 10:44 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

"other than getting the ball to Marshawn"

Exactly. If your breakdown is correct, then on 3rd and 4th down in the red zone, Lynch never touched the ball? Appalling.

by Zumone on Dec 3, 2008 11:16 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

My mistake

I just realized he had one rush for a 3 yard loss on 1st down. Still bad.

by Zumone on Dec 3, 2008 11:39 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

The shotgun is over-utitlized

I disagree. Running out of the shotgun makes the defense think pass. They have the same blockers in and nothing really changes with Jackson/Lynch. I don’t mind rushing out of the shotgun.

by MattRichWarren on Dec 3, 2008 1:26 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs