When Marv Levy coached the Bills, I loved his references to historical events in his cerebral descriptions of football games. "We've liberated Berlin but we haven't won the war yet", he said in a post-game press conference in December of 1990, as the Bills came to within a game of clinching home field through the AFC playoffs. They would earn that home field advantage the following week and go on to lose Superbowl XXV to the NY Giants 20-19. Marv knew a lot about football - and obviously still does as he is now 90 - and had a unique the ability to boil the game down to its highly quotable basics. One of the things I heard him say more than once was that to win games in the NFL, a team need only be able to do simple things well: run the ball and stop the run. These were the two things, as it tuned out, that the Bills were unable to do much at all yesterday against the 2015 Giants in Orchard Park.
The pre-game crew on WGR were suggesting that the game's most glaring mis-match would be the Bills front 7 against the Giants offensive line and running backs. The Giants would have trouble establishing the run against Buffalo's fearsome defensive line and Manning would have to win the game for them. What won the Giants the game was their running game, especially on first down, and their run defense. Just like Marv used to say.
So, after 4 weeks, are the Bills a good team? Are the Giants a good team? Both are 2-2 but this morning, one is feeling much better than the other. The Bengals, Packers, Panthers, Falcons and Broncos are all 4-0 with the Patriots having an early bye this week at 3-0. Will they all make the playoffs? Probably not but its still very hard to tell who's actually good and could contend at the end of the season. I thought the Bills were good after pasting the Dolphins last week then I watched the Dolphins look horrible again against the Jets yesterday, making the Bills win last week seem considerably less impressive. After yesterday's game, it certainly looks like the Giants are good but maybe they'll fall back next week. One thing is clear: the Packers are good.
So, the Bills travel to Nashville next week, scene of their most recent playoff game in January, 2000 which will forever be remembered as the Music City Miracle. Rob Johnson, where are you now? You had that game won and then it slipped away on what I firmly maintain was a forward pass which was ruled to be a legal "lateral" on a kick-off return. I realize I'm referencing a lot of Bills history in this post; its the influence of Marv Levy.
Also, the Bills lost the game yesterday largely because of 17 freakin penalties which cost them 135 yards and two called-back touchdowns. I like how Rex defended his team and said he was still proud of their effort but he will have to address the ongoing issue of discipline if his team is going to find a way to be good this season. Imparting a commitment to individual personal conduct with every player on his team, including temper control and finding a balance between playing with passion and playing within the rules, is a critical part of any football coach's responsibility. Even more important than conducting entertaining press conferences.
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