Week 2 Recap: Offense
by Raybin
on Sep 21, 2008 9:48 PM PDT
And I've never gotten used to it
I've just learned to turn it off
--Bob Dylan
No two ways to disguise this one, kids: this loss hurts. I had a lot more to write at first, but the more I think about the loss, the more depressed I get. So let's get right to the grades
QB: Another underwhelming week stats wise for JaMarcus. I continue to be impressed with his decision making abilities. Aside from his hesitation that led to the fumble today, it's hard to find a big, prototypical "rookie mistake." Really, just a very average performance. He's coming along fine. That ball he threw to Higgins was a bee-yoo-tee-ful laser beam. That gets him the "+" in C+.
RBs: Not a whole lot to say....which is half the problem. When a team built to run has a combined 98 yards on the ground, there's going to be trouble no matter what the score says. McFadden was a warrior, out there playing through the pain, though a 3 yard per rush average combined with his constant slipping and falling shows how much it was affecting him. Bush averaged 4 yards a carry....someone tell me again why he only had 14 carries? Let's call it a B-.
O-Line: They only yielded one sack and that was due to J-Russ hanging on to the ball way too long. McFadden's low YPC average is more a function of his injury than ineffective run blocking. Notice how we haven't been talking about Mario Henderson very much? That's as it should be. B.
WRs: Weak. Weak weak weak weak weak. Unbelievably bad. HORRIBLE. Non-existent. 2 catches for 18 yards for Javon Walker? That's not worth all that guaranteed money, my man. 1 catch for Lelie?!?!? ZERO for Curry?!?! Sure, some of it is Russell's fault due to inexperience, but you HAVE GOT TO HELP YOUR YOUNG QUARTERBACK. This means GETTING OPEN CONSISTENTLY so he's not forced to complete two thirds of his passes to the goddamn running backs and fullback.
Some of this is also play-calling though. How can this team expect to win and not get Zach Miller a single completion. GET HIM IN THE GAME, COACHING STAFF. (yeah I know he's a tight end, but it's easier to put him here)
Speaking of play calling, if I may digress for a minute....what kind of lame-ass conservative bullshit were we running out there today? What the hell happened to Lane Kiffin the gambler, the risk taker, the "damn-the-torpedoes-full-speed-ahead" play caller?
The bright spot: Johnnie Lee Higgins. He caught a bullet and ran like hell. Nice returns too.
Higgins gets the A. Everyone else? D-.
We'll move on to the other side of the ball tomorrow. Or, rather, later today... It's damn near 1 a.m. here on the East Coast. I'm out for now!
0 recs |
7
comments
Email
PrintComments
I Love This Line:
Speaking of play calling, if I may digress for a minute….what kind of lame-ass conservative bullshit were we running out there today? What the hell happened to Lane Kiffin the gambler, the risk taker, the “damn-the-torpedoes-full-speed-ahead” play caller?
That’s what I’m talking about. I have no idea why he didn’t start Bush. He will be fired today and it has as much to do with his BS play calling as it does with him poking his finger in the eye of the tiger. I just hope that the media gets it right. Then again, I guess that’s why we’re here, and why people read what we write.
But when they start scheming us the way these guys did, and we weren't particularly ready for it, anything can happen."
by saint on Sep 22, 2008 6:50 AM PDT 1 recs
I've been saying it for over a week now...
Kiffin’s play calling is appalling, particularly in the red zone. You can attempt to blame the WRs all you want, but putting those receivers in a bad position is only going to lead to what we saw yesterday and last week: 50% completion for nominal yardage and Russell throwing balls away under coach’s orders.
The first drive should have netted a TD, especially from 2nd & Goal from the 5 yard line, where was Bush?!? Where was Miller to the middle?!? Instead Kiffin calls float passes to the back of the endzone? In the famous words of Charles Barkley…just terrible, terrible.
Same thing when the game was 6-7 and we kicked another field goal. 2nd & 6 AND 3rd & 6 from the 11 yard line and Kiffin decides NOW is the best time to call the same damn run play for a net of -3 yards over the two plays. Again…terrible.
Yes, our prevent defense is flawed, but it should have been 17-7 going into the half and the game should not have even been in reach for a Buffalo comeback.
by LiveAdam on
Sep 22, 2008 9:52 AM PDT
up
0 recs
Kiffin played (coached) like he didn't really care...
I think Lane knew he was going to be fired this week (or next week), so … What the Hell. His coaching was pretty uninspired.
I really don’t get why more coaches don’t watch (and learn) from other successful coaches. I hate the Broncos but Shanahan knows how to craft a gameplan and call plays that open the (short) passing game when his quarterback is in trouble AND the running game is getting snuffed.
To the next Raider coach: PLEASE watch Andy Reid, Bill Parcels, and Shanahan and LEARN!!!
There is a common thread to what these coaches do when faced with a tiny lead (2 points) with 4:03 to go and you have the ball… They attack!! and get first downs!!!
If the Raiders would have picked on 1 first down, they would have killed the rest of the time remaining and won the game. Grrrrrrr…
by TStark on Sep 22, 2008 7:29 AM PDT 0 recs
You can't blame Kiffin
our offense is not that great. It’s easier said than done to get a first time. You have to remember this is the same Bills defense that shut down Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones Drew. The run game is all we have at the moment and they were doing a pretty good job of slowing us down. I like JaMarcus but he still has a long way to go. We got lucky on that touchdown pass because if you look at it he was staring down his reciever the whole time. Zach Miller can’t get open any mory because teams know that JaMarcus likes to go to him so he will see doubles and zones. Shannahan can craft a game plan because he has control over his team and personnel. Kiffin has not had that luxury. Their is no excuse for giving up 17 pts in the fourth quarter or 9 pts with 6 minutes remaining.
by Raider76 on
Sep 22, 2008 9:47 AM PDT
up
0 recs
You have to mix up play-calling on 1st down
Yeah, the Bills have a good run defense… But that mean you have to craft the short and quick passing game to mix it up. This is not an option! I saw WAY too many deeper patterns (15 yds+) — that went incomplete. I understand that Zack Miller is a favorite of Russell, and he has a good reason to make Miller a favorite! He’s got good instincts and a great set of hands. Zack definitely draws the attention of the opposing team’s offensive coach. Nonetheless you have to adjust and take advantage of the slot receiver for passes in the middle of the zone creases.
The offense played FAR TOO cautiously in the 3rd quarter. In particular there was a 3rd and 2 on the 50-yard line! And you run between the tackles! They of course snuffed it. In fact they snuffed most of 1st and 2nd down plays especially in the 3rd quarter where we desperately needed to pile on the points.
The coach(es) need to watch Andy Reid and Bill Parcel (and Martz) in how the craft the short passing game to get their players into space and hopefully get some RAC.
by TStark on
Sep 22, 2008 1:54 PM PDT
up
0 recs
Miller is getting double and triple covered, because the WR's SUCKKKKKKK,
everyone in the NFL knows where Russel is going to throw the ball. None of the receivers can shake the intial bump, and gain any seperation, and they are getting single coverage, so the safety, probably both of them, can roll towards Zach
by theblackpearl on Sep 22, 2008 11:10 AM PDT 0 recs
The reasons we lost were
1. The breaking down of the defense. That long drive at the end really hurt. Which you can blame on hall for consistently getting beaten. But the main problem was Kiff’s inability to call a timeout when it was much needed. Just one timeout could have bought the D the rest it needed to stop Buffalo and force a three and out and maybe halt a fourth down conversion.
2. Kiffin’s play calling. Which you guys all have pretty much covered.
Who knows, maybe the new coach will work on it in practice. After all in the famous words of the guy who’s name I can’t remember. “We talkin bout practice.”
"Whoever appeals to the law against his fellow man is either a fool or a coward. Whoever cannot take care of themselves without that law is both. For a wounded man shall say to his assailant, 'If I live, I will kill you. If I die, You are forgiven.' Such is the rule of honor." Omerta by Lamb of God
by KA1Z3R on Sep 23, 2008 4:09 AM PDT 0 recs
New FanPost
