Strength And Conditioning Coaching Is What's Killing The Bills

by kev83 on Oct 13, 2009 11:26 PM EDT Comment 23 comments

Who would disagree with the proposition that the Bills would be 3-2 at least, maybe 4-1, if they had everyone healthy. We would be looking at the season thus far from a completely different perspective.

Brad Butler, Derek Schouman, James Hardy, Leodis McKelvin, Paul Posluszny, John McCargo, Demetrius Bell, Donte Whitner, Bryan Scott, Marcus Buggs, Kawika Mitchell, Jonathan Scott. And there are others. After only five games! And this is basically a repeat of the disastrous spate of injuries the Bills have faced the previous two seasons.

Individual injuries are a random event. But groups of injuries, patterns of injuries, are not. Injury prevention is the function of strength and conditioning coaching. In fact, there is almost no other function for strength and conditioning coaching. Think about it. Athletes do plenty of work -- in practice and on their own time -- on the muscle groups they use to perform the tasks assigned to their positions. All the motions that are required in the normal course of their jobs, they do. You don't really need a strength and conditioning coach to tell professional athletes how to work their primary muscle groups. That stuff's fun, that's exciting -- most athlete's will do that on their own. The focus of strength and conditioning should be to train the weaker muscle groups, the overlooked muscle groups, muscle groups that are NOT primary to the functions performed at an athlete's position. The boring stuff. Why? Football injuries are not the result of repeated use. Football injuries usually happen as a result of odd, unexpected movements. A balance of supporting muscle groups that are strong and flexible reduces the chance of injury when an athlete is thrust into these unfamiliar, unexpected movements. And not just muscle injuries, either -- all injuries. Ligaments. Tendons. Broken bones. They're all prevented by stronger, flexible, more balanced muscles.

There's no such thing as bad luck in football. None of us think that fumbles are bad luck, or interceptions, or sacks -- or penalties. Well, neither are injuries.

If injuries aren't being prevented, there's only one place to point the finger. I don't know the details of what the Bills have their players doing. But we can all see the results and they aren't good. There's only one thing to conclude: whatever the Bills are doing for strength and conditioning isn't working.

Every press conference Coach Jauron starts with an update on injuries, so it's clear he knows how important they are. But then there's no discussion of what to do about it. They're just viewed as an act of God, I guess.

Injuries are not an act of God. They're preventable. The Bills aren't preventing them.

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

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Uh...

I’m not a physical therapist, but I don’t believe that there are exercises a person can do to keep from breaking their forearm. And I’m positive no amount of weight room work will keep a person from tearing knee ligaments when another 300-pound person rolls on their leg.

Some of the injuries the team has suffered over the past few years may have been preventable, but most probably were not.

by Mark Parisi on Oct 14, 2009 2:03 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I will be attending Medical School Next fall so heres my take

although I am far from being a doctor and do not know much as of now I will tell you that you are right that there is nothing that can be done to prevent some of these injuries. When a 300lb lineman falls on your knee, there is not much at can be done. What could have been done, which they failed to do in regards to Poz, was provide Poz with a longer plate in his arm, which they have corrected this time. I will tell you that I do not think it is coincidence that after three years we have put 10+ people on IR. No other team is close to this number. Most teams may put a couple guys on IR, we already have 10 and were only at week 6. I do believe that the conditioning program is part to blame and the other is this teams way of going about practicing and coaching. Training camp is a joke. I graduated from Saint John Fisher and went to a ton of practices. They do not do anything, nor do they hit. This team is getting hurt (not all of the injuries) because they are not in game shape when the season rolls around. They’re not used to being hit and making tackles. This is just my opinion. I don’t what other teams do in training camp or practice because I have never been to another teams facilities, but I can tell you that the bills training camp is a joke. O and I wouldn’t sign up for that “8 weeks and become a Bill” program that there physical therapist is offering lol.

by csc06258 on Oct 14, 2009 3:03 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I graduated from Saint John Fisher and went to a ton of practices. They do not do anything, nor do they hit. This team is getting hurt (not all of the injuries) because they are not in game shape when the season rolls around. They’re not used to being hit and making tackles.

Then why did so few players suffer an injury during the preseason games? Why only the regular season?

I signed up for Second Life about a year ago. Back then my life was so great that I literally wanted a second one. In my Second Life I was also a paper salesman and I was also named Dwight. Absolutely everything was the same. Except I could fly. - Dwight Schrute

by kaisertown on Oct 14, 2009 3:55 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

there are plenty of injuries during the preseason. Vick went down for the year that one year and that tight end from Green Bay broke his leg versus the Bills this year. Almost every year some star player gets hurt during the preseason and everyone then says how much a waste it was to have played them. Thats why you don’t see your starters in the those games. I wish they just do away with preseason or reduce it down to 2 games. This way you risk less injuries and you give your players two weeks to get ready for the season. Injuries are injuries, things can be done (like a good conditioning program) to prevent the strains, cramps and the pulls, but nothing can really be done about broken bones and torn ligaments- well you could take more calcium or some how boost your osteoblasts to an insane amount! ;)

by csc06258 on Oct 14, 2009 5:57 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

But why did no Bills go down?

All your tshirt needs.

by twoeightnine on Oct 14, 2009 12:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

DUH

Because the starting players barely played this preaseason.

There's not a wide receiver who is fast enough, that J.P. Losman can't overthrow him on a fly pattern.

by The Buffalo Kid on Oct 15, 2009 1:46 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

They played well over a game. And the backups didn’t really get hurt either.

by kaisertown on Oct 15, 2009 10:26 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I totally agree

if we were healthy we would be winning. Thats why this season stinks so much.

We got your back Leodis!

by poz on Oct 14, 2009 3:38 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

we’d be doing better, but like this dude says, every year we go through this, its ridiculous.

by csc06258 on Oct 14, 2009 5:58 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Injuries

Problem is we would be winning if our offense could score. Granted loosing Poz hurt immensely against the the Pats at the end of the game, and against the run vs Saints and Fins.

Also, for roster considerations players are put on season ending IR to save a roster spot for someone else. All things considered, I do agree with kev83 that strength and conditioning coaching needs a serious review.

Keepin' the faith!

by nickdaniels on Oct 14, 2009 8:40 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I would say our soft team attitude is part of the problem

I made the point earlier in the season about delivering a blow vs absorbing a hit. We don’t play with a deliver a blow attitude. When is the last time you saw a Bills defender make a slobber knocker kind of tackle? Now, that is not going to eliminate all injuries (see Bob Sanders), but it would help, IMO.

Poor ball security leads to very painful outcomes

by Joe P. on Oct 14, 2009 9:41 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I completely agree Kev, great post. I’ve thought the same exact thing through out the Jauron regime. When history repeats itself it isn’t coincidence.

To date, there have been 220 players in the NFL put on IR which is an average of 6.9 per team. The Bills are tied for the lead with 13, almost double the average. Not to mention how many other games missed by players not on IR….

Also, I think it speaks volumes when Jason Peters made public comments how much harder the Eagles training camp is then the Bills, pathetic take on our organization:

How big is the difference between playing for the Bills and now playing for the Eagles?

Peters: “It’s night and day. In Buffalo, not having a chance to get in the playoffs was pretty rough. You might get off to a strong start, but then you lose four or five in a row and you’re out of it. And then I was trying to get a contract done. If you’re human, that’s going to affect you. Sometimes I’d be thinking about it too much. Now, I’ve got a chance to go to the Super Bowl. The work ethic is stronger here. There’s a lot more running and conditioning. That first minicamp was a wakeup call for me. I think we ran something like 16 100-yard sprints. We didn’t do that in Buffalo.”

I’ve often wondered why so many Bills players stand up for Jauron and my only conclusion is that they like no accountability and lighter workloads.

by Harris on Oct 14, 2009 9:41 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

AGREED

I’ve known all along that Dick “the players coach” Jauron was well liked b/c he is not tough on his team, both in holding them responsible and conditioning them. That is why I believe Cowher (who will never come to B-lo) or Gruden is the best candidate to replace Dick.

Um, it’s raining out, so we’re not going to push these guys too hard.
-Dick’s (not word for word) comment made during training camp

They are hard to play but not hard to beat.
- Mike Lombardi on the Buffalo Bills

by Sluss88 on Oct 14, 2009 11:33 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think you guys miss the point

I’m not saying better conditioning wouldn’t help things, but you think these guys aren’t in shape? You’ve got to be kidding me. Besides, sprints don’t help you win football game. Trust and knowledge in your systems is what wins or loses you games. If aren’t comfortable enough in your offense / defense you can’t get to that place where your actions are instinctual and everyone is always where they’re supposed to be. The only way to fix what’s broken now would be to pay a coach big bucks who has a proven record. Perry fewell is OK at best and most of the offensive / defensive coordinators over the last few years have inspired no confidence whatsoever, hence the lack of anything productive on the field for the Bills for the past 10 years.

The Bills had the right idea with the getting x number of plays they are comfortable with and running them ad nauseum, just the no huddle business is keeping things out of sync. For years it seems the Bills have been without a “thing” they’re good at, and that really is what they need to look for. Whatever they are doing in practice does not seem to be getting them comfortable and confident in their offensive system, and thus on gameday it shows up as a train wreck like that Browns game. Confidence is key. The Bills need to have a set of plays that always work, like New England and the Bubble Screen to Wes Welker, or the 5 yard planned dump off to Kevin Faulk on 3rd down. That is the biggest difference between NE and Buffalo – lack of system confidence. That is also the difference between the week 1 Buffalo Bills and what you see currently. In week 1 they were confident because the season was new, and they are mostly young and idealistic. Somewhere in the New Orleans game the offense’s confidence was shattered (or maybe just Edwards’), and they just don’t trust the game plan anymore, the result is what we all saw against the Browns and Dolphins.

As far as the defense, we now know how much Poz and Whitner mean to this team, especially the run defense. Their injuries were not conditioning related at all. The Bills suck because they suck, it’s pretty much a self-fulfilling prophecy. The only way I think they can break the cycle would be a massive front office and coaching shake up in the offseason. Whatever Jauron may be able to pull out of his hat, it won’t be anything resembling the playoffs. I think the Bills definitely need to bring in one of Cowher, Shanahan, or Shottenheimer. Jon Gruden is a mirage, as much as I like his “spunk” he can be a whiny little b*tch.

by syrbillsfan on Oct 14, 2009 10:14 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Who would disagree with the proposition that the Bills would be 3-2 at least, maybe 4-1, if they had everyone healthy

I would disagree, we lost a game last weekend where our D kept them to 2 completeions out of 17 for a total of 23yards and we still lost the game. Bell was back and so was Scott. I’m sorry to burst your bubble but our problems are way worse than our injuries.

I definitely think that we need a serious upgrade in our strength & conditioning programs & staff. I also heard rumors that Jauron goes too easy on the players in pre-season and camp, choosing less impact practices to avoid injury. If that is true, then I blame that “soft” mentality as well.

I have nothing left to say, these Bills have sucked me dry of any hope. Loosing to a team that completes 2-17 for 23y with 1 INT, that is beyond pitiful!

by keysh67 on Oct 14, 2009 10:35 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Remember being told this when you were a kid

If you’re not trying 100% and going through the motions yo will get hurt in this game. just thought of that and it could have some merit

by csc06258 on Oct 14, 2009 12:07 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

It's not about strength in the bones...

it’s how you react to situations and muscle memory. I refuse to believe it’s “bad luck”, I believe it’s lack of 100% speed drills to develop the individuals muscle memory for certain situations. I’ve taken Judo for a number of years and we always practice break falls, because when you are really thrown you can’t think fast enough to fall correctly – it has to be a reaction. I believe all the injuries are the result of not drilling and practicing enough. When I’ve seen these guys at Fisher they spend 15 mins doing drills and the rest of the time in scrimmage, with most of the starters standing around. This coaching is part of the injury problem as well.

Defend the Herd

by TatonkaDonk on Oct 14, 2009 11:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i agree 100%

by csc06258 on Oct 15, 2009 1:12 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Then I’ll ask the same question I asked csc, why weren’t there any injuries in the preseason if the soft camp was at fault? And these guys are professional football players. They played four years of high school, four or five years of college and a lot of these injuries have come to veteran players. Football is a game of constant contact too. Guys hit each other constantly and most guys hit the ground quite a bit too. Do you really think that because of a camp that’s less physical than most, these guys forgot how to fall down?

by kaisertown on Oct 15, 2009 1:44 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Totanka makes a good point...

In any contact sport, it’s not whether you’re gonna be hit, it’s how your body reacts to it… And yes, it has to be trained, through constant practice, how to react… I’ve fought a bit as well, so look at it this way.. If I get hit in the head, (maybe happened too often :-)… If I fight the blow, but keeping my head still, I’m gonna get hit a lot harder than if I “roll” with the punch… If you ski, and take a tumble, natural reaction is to dig in, and try to stop your fall, and you’ll get hurt if you do… Likewise, if someone falls on your legs unexpectedly, natural reaction would be to tense up, and go against the blow, and you will prolly tear ligaments in the process… Just my 2 cents…

by Cinga on Oct 16, 2009 2:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

But at Fischer you’re seeing two hours out of their 12+ hour day.

Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Ignoring the grumblings on Rumblings.

by MattRichWarren on Oct 15, 2009 9:02 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/injuries/pup

Here is the list of all the guys in the NFL on PUP or IR right now. The Bills have 12 guys on IR including people who wouldn’t have made the roster without being on IR like Lydell Sargeant. Ours is the longest list in the league but it’s not like other teams are unscathed. I also don’t blame torn knee ligaments like Schouman’s and Butler’s on the S&C coach. They got caught wrong. Broken legs & broken forearms can’t be prevented by stretching or moving differently… unless he is teaching them to move out of the way.

Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Ignoring the grumblings on Rumblings.

by MattRichWarren on Oct 14, 2009 3:22 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I think there is something to this premise.

Some injuries are unpreventable.

But one of the things that got my attention, was a Bills Focus report from a year or two ago where Tasker was reporting how they load up carbs on the players for lunch.

Breakfast is the place to load up for carbs, for energy, lunch and dinner is the place to load up on protein and non starchy vegetables, for muscle development while the body rests.

Made me wonder after seeing that,

Are the Bills letting the players Drink Flouridated water?

Are they feeding them GMO vegetables instead of Organic?

I am alarmed at the number of Bills on IR since Jauron got here,

I beleive it was 17 in season 1 from memory,

from what I have seen, the nutritionists might even be more responsible for the injuries from what I have seen.

There's not a wide receiver who is fast enough, that J.P. Losman can't overthrow him on a fly pattern.

by The Buffalo Kid on Oct 15, 2009 2:00 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs