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John Childress -> RE: RE:NFL News (12/15/2008 10:25:59 AM)
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SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIRED ON THE SPOT:
Dick Jauron, coach, Buffalo, and Turk Schonert, offensive coordinator, Buffalo. Not quite a Miracle of the Meadowlands redux, but a dunderheaded call late in the fourth quarter probably cost the Bills a stunning victory and led to a loss that will jeopardize the jobs of the entire coaching staff.
Buffalo was protecting a 27-24 lead with 2:06 left in the fourth quarter. The Jets had two timeouts left. The Bills had run the ball well all day, and their last four carries had gone for four, five, three and five yards. On 2nd-and-5, Jauron called for J.P. Losman to roll right and look for fullback Corey McIntyre, and if that wasn't there, just run. Jauron figured that the even if McIntyre wasn't open, Losman could either run or throw it away, and because the clock would stop at the two-minute warning, a run play wasn't essential. Schonert agreed.
What they didn't count on was the blitz of backside safety Abram Elam, who leaped on Losman's shoulder and stripped the ball, allowing Shaun Ellis to recover and stumble in for the winning touchdown.
Here's the problem this creates: Owner Ralph Wilson doesn't want to change coaching staffs again. He doesn't want to hire another coach and his SEVENTH offensive coordinator of the decade. But if the Bills fall at Denver and at home to New England in the next two weeks, that would mean they'd finish the year losing nine of 10. Wilson is 90. He is impatient. You connect the dots.
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