Bills/Raiders Post-Game Thoughts

Here’s a string of thoughts on the heels of the Buffalo Bills losing to the 2-12 Oakland Raiders Sunday and having their playoff hopes officially come to an end:

* I’m not going to spend a lot of time bashing Kyle Orton.  We all saw the game and there isn’t much about it that needs to be said about his play—it’s not good enough.  Due to a lack of desperation for solid quarterback play, perhaps our expectations on Orton were unrealistic immediately upon his arrival. At the end of the day Orton is a solid backup option and a guy who can step in for one or two starts without a team missing much.  What he’s not is a full-time quality NFL starter, and he’s certainly no gunslinger. Unfortunately, for a variety of reasons that’s how the Bills coaching staff perceived him. It’s also something to further delve into, because simply putting this game (and the season) purely on a guy not equipped for success throwing the ball nearly 50 times is incredibly narrow-minded.

* Heads need to roll on the sideline for not only what happened today, but too many times this season.  That’s starts with offensive coordinator Nate Hackett.  I’ve heard, as have many others that the organization’s higher-ups are still very high on him, and I have to wonder why.  Again, I watched the game along with the rest of you and saw the Bills couldn’t run the ball to save their lives.  13 yards on 13 attempts is a disgrace.  My beef is the Bills flat-out quit even trying to run.  27 second half plays and exactly four of them were run calls.  I’m sure Orton checked out of a few runs, but that’s on Hackett.  Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller have talent.  Sooner or later you’re bound to bust a run or two for significant yardage. It’s appalling to me to completely abandon trying to run, and I don’t care how bad the offensive line was playing.

* Doug Marrone is a living, breathing hypocrisy.  The Bills’ offensive identity quite apparently has been slinging the football all over the field in the passing game, yet he constantly elects to punt on fourth and short in critical situations. He did it again Sunday and it may have been the most maddening of all.  How do you punt on fourth-and-one from your own 46 down two points and 8:22 left?  It’s at least the fourth time Marrone has punted with his team down in the fourth quarter in fourth and short around midfield. His explanation post-game verged on silly, saying (I’m paraphrasing a bit) that the goal was for the defense to stop Oakland and get the ball back in better field position.  Ok, so you’re realistically thinking the Bills will get a better drive start than midfield?  Labeling Marrone conservative when games are on the line isn’t good enough. It borders on being cowardice.

* This leads to Marrone’s future here.  Generally speaking the expectation is he stays.  I’m not sold on that, nor do I think he should. There were reports of internal conflict between Marrone and members of the front office before the season even started. I’ve heard from multiple sources that several players on the roster aren’t keen of Marrone, at all.  None of that really matters—when you’re winning. There’s no clause in a coaching contract that says your players and members of the front office have to like you.  Beyond that, I find myself hating his game-day approach, and I think it’s obvious to anyone who covers the team or follows them closely that his demeanor has changed.  At a minimum I think the Pegula’s should bring someone totally from the outside to evaluate this organization and recommend changes. If that happens, I’m confident that ridding it of Marrone and Hackett are very strong possibilities.

* E.J. Manuel has to play against New England, right? I can’t envision a scenario where Doug Whaley or anyone in the front office doesn’t think it’s a good idea to give Manuel a look in a meaningless season finale.  Marrone has said weekly that Manuel “is making progress.”  Ok, well let’s see it.

* The Bills offensive line was absolutely pathetic against the Raiders.   Quarterback isn’t the only position the Bills need to address this offseason. The guard play has been a joke all year, and Eric Wood at center hasn’t exactly been stellar either. I’m not sure what’s going on with Cordy Glenn, but it almost looks like he’s regressing.  I won’t hold Khalil Mack abusing Seantrell Henderson too much against the seventh-round rookie, but it showed he’s got a long way to go. I anticipate Cyrus Kouandjio will step into a guard position in 2015, but the Bills better find themselves at least two more capable lineman than what they have.

* Although the defense was terrible in Oakland, there’s not much you really say. The unit carried the Bills all year and it was a matter of time before the offense needed to finally bail them out once.  Injuries to Marcell Dareus and Stephon Gilmore hurt, but it was pretty inexcusable to see the Raiders basically dominate the line of scrimmage.

* If there’s one player on the defense, not just yesterday but the entire season I haven’t been impressed with, it’s Aaron Williams.  He signed a four-year, $26 million extension over the offseason and hasn’t delivered the way we’d like.  While Da’Norris Searcy, Bacarri Rambo and Duke Williams have combined for six interceptions, Williams has just one.  More importantly he’s made few plays of significance. I expect more from him.

* Through no fault of his own, I’m less confident the Bills re-sign Jerry Hughes to a long-term deal for big money than I was two weeks ago.  Cap room or not, they have plenty of holes to fill and Hughes could be in line for big money elsewhere.

* Jordan Gay is not a very good “kickoff specialist.”

* With one game remaining, Fred Jackson is leading the Bills with 65 receptions. Seriously.  He’s also leading the team with just 467 rushing yards.  Depending how many touches Spiller and Boobie Dixon get against New England, the Bills could finish with a leading rusher having fewer than 500 yards.  The Bills haven’t had a leading rusher with less than 500 yards since Ronnie Harmon (485) in 1987.

* Jackson also leads the team in receptions (65).  The Bills haven’t had a running back lead the team in receptions since Larry Centers had 80 in 2001. This may also be the second consecutive season a non-WR leads the team in receptions.  Tight end Scott Chandler led the team with 53 last year.

* Here’s the bottom line, at least as far as I’m concerned. Over the course of a year this type of team will win a game they weren’t supposed to (Green Bay) and lose at least one or two they were supposed to win (Houston, Oakland).  In my mind Buffalo’s realistic playoff chances ended with the loss to Kansas City.  They had a chance to go to 6-3 and blew it, and that momentum carried over into Miami four nights later. If the Bills are going to be considered legitimate contenders next year, those are the type of games they need to find a way to win. I wouldn’t call this season a disaster—the defense played at a high level and Sammy Watkins will become a star, when he gets a quarterback who can throw the ball.  The future of the team was stabilized thanks to Terry and Kim Pegula, and fan excitement was back, as not one game even came close to being blacked out.

There’s plenty to build on, but don’t fool yourself into thinking that quarterback is the only significant thing that needs to change.