From: v077mdph@ubvmsd.cc.buffalo.edu (John of Gaunt)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.football.pro
Subject: Re: bills/skins
Date: 14 Aug 92 07:17:00 GMT
Organization: University at Buffalo
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

In article <56335@mentor.cc.purdue.edu>, bubba@mace.cc.purdue.edu (Gary Beason) 
writes...
>In article <Bsn2zw.6ED@acsu.buffalo.edu> evans@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (Doug
Evans - UCS Network Systems) writes:
>>
>>How many times have we been down this road before? Try looking at possession
>>times for Bills opponents (Hint: The Bills use an offense called the
>>No-Huddle.) The "normal" stats that some stat guru arbitrarily
>>decided should be the only performance gauge of a team's performance
>>based on *total* yardage gains, really weren't very accurate ways to
>>assess what the Bills defense did last year. They spent more time on the 
>>field than any other defense last year.
>>
>>Opinions based solely on stats are tenuous ones.
>>
>>Get a little more sophistication and look at the whole picture. You can't
>>get to 3 AFC Championships in 4 years and 2 Superbowls with a "horrid"
>>defense (as Athlon calls them.) I think results are what counts, and even
>>though they have lost two SB's, the Bills have still been one of the most
>>successful clubs over the last four years. They've done it with offense
>>*and* defense.
>>
> 
>I don't know that anyone used *horrid* to describe the Bills' defense;
>regardless, I think their defense is weak.  I disagree that stats
>should be sacrificed for some "whole picture."  What is that?  The W-L
>record?  If so, that isn't analysis which requires a breaking down of
>the whole.
> 
>I think the team is a very talented team, but I question the coaching
>philosophy.  
> 
>A no-huddle offense does not change the criteria by which to judge a
>defense.  It just explains what happened to the defense.  I think the
>critical statistic to look at is the points allowed.  A
>non-statistical aspect is how many times the defense put the offense
>in a situation in which they had to make comebacks.

	Even points allowed is not the whole story.  Possession time is
virtually meaningless.  The Bills gave opponents more opportunites to score.
On the average, one or two extra possessions a game.  Give an offense more
opportunities, and it will score more points.

>If the offensive strategy is one that puts the defense on the field a
>great part of the game, then I think that's an erroneous strategy.
>()(Yeah, yeah, I know--armchair coaching, but that's what this group
>is all about.)

	This is erroneous.  There is one and only one purpose for the offense.
That is to score points.  Whatever maximizes the number of points scored by the
offense is what should be used ( without breaking or taking unfair advantage of
the rules. )  The points scored per possession is how I would judge offensive
effectiveness.

>If your defense is on the field too much, two things happen:
> 
>	1) You give the opposing offense more opportunities with
>	   the ball
> 
>	2) You risk a tired defense against all those opportunities

	Not quite.  Offensive players get tired, too.  I'm not convinced that
fatigue is a major concern, if the players are kept in shape.

>I think football is ball control--a very basic idea, I know.  But
>these high powered offenses, while exciting and talented, seem to
>forget this basic idea.  They aim more at scoring than controlling.
>Look at Houston--a very talented team for the last five years, but
>where have they have gone?

	Scoring is the only purpose for an offense.  The more plays you run,
the more you run the risk of failure.  You need to move the ball as efficiently
as possible.  Controlling the ball is not a valid strategic consideration within
the frame of a game until the time remaining has come down to the point where
you can have some control over how many possessions your team and the opponents
get.

>I think it is the offense, not the defense, that needs revamping for
>the Bills.  And more the play-calling, perhaps, than the talent
>(although they could do with more speed).

	More speed?!  They have speed.  They could use more, but other needs are
more pressing.  They need speed on the defense.  The Bills' offense will be a
little different.  However, the approach the coaches are taking is that the
offense is very good but needs some adjustments.  Changes are already apparent
in training camp, but the Bills always save the "real thing" for the regular
season.

>I am not saying the Bills aren't one of the best teams; I'm just
>opining.
> 
>Gary Beason

Snoopy