Dec. 30, 2003

Notes, quotes, anecdotes | Strategy and personnel Coach Gregg Williams is already gone, and offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride might soon follow him out the door as the coaching staff undergoes major changes.

Williams had some supporters in the Buffalo locker room as the players liked him. The same cannot be said for Gilbride.

Quarterback Drew Bledsoe, who endured the worst season of his 11-year pro career, refused to criticize Gilbride, but it was clear that he recognizes a change probably needs to be made.

"We were getting so much pressure we started throwing shorter, getting rid of it quicker," Bledsoe said, a reference to Gilbride's protection schemes which usually failed. "If that's what we're going to do, what the hell do they need me here for?"

Bledsoe feels he can still be effective as a drop-back, in-the-pocket, down-the-field passer, but he needs more help from his offensive line and his receivers. Neither unit played well in 2003, and when you throw in Bledsoe's own struggles with inaccuracy and his lack of mobility, it made for an offensive nightmare. Buffalo's total offensive production of 4,348 yards was only seven yards more than the franchise record-low for a 16-game season, set in 1984. Incredibly, Bledsoe passed for 4,359 yards in 2002, 11 yards more than the offense gained as a collective unit in 2003.

"We need to be more precise in what we do on the field," said Bledsoe. "Could there have been more help at times? We can all get better. In the league right now you can make a dramatic change with just a few little changes. A player here, a player there, a little tweak in the system and you can make a dramatic change without having to overhaul everything."

In other words, leave the players alone and bring in an offensive coordinator with a workable system.

General manager Tom Donahoe took issue with all the criticism Bledsoe received this year and without pointing the finger at Gilbride, seemed to indicate that a change was in order.

"He took more bullets than a Packard in one of those Al Capone movies," Donahoe said of Bledsoe. "And I don't think it was fair. I think some other people on our team, some of our coaches, should have stood up. I don't think Drew deserved to be treated the way he was treated this year. He's a quality quarterback and he's an even better person. We didn't help him enough. We put him in too many situations where he couldn't win."

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strozewskina39 Reputation:95 Level:Superstar Since:Jan 23, 2008	November 18, 2008 1:27 pm Score: 95 Log-in to rate: Log-in to rate: Log-in to rate: I hate this team For whatever reason this is not the same team that started 5-1, and I put all the blame on the coaching staff. Yes the've had injuries but so has every other team. Most of the injuries are on defense and though the defense is not playing great, the reason they are losing is the offense and the miserable play calling. I dont subscribe to the theory that they didnt earn their 5-1 record and didn ...(more) Reply to this thread
Lymanacoconut Reputation:97 Level:Superstar Since:Sep 4, 2007	November 18, 2008 11:59 am Score: 94