Archives for January 2010

‘The process has confirmed that Buffalo is the worst job in the NFL. Yes, even worse than Oakland.’

‘Right now, the Bills simply are not an attractive option to the highly qualified people who have turned down Bills overtures, because they’re all hoping to have better options in the near future. They are not desperate for an NFL head coaching job because they’ve either had one and can wait for a great situation, or they haven’t had one yet but like where they are enough to wait for a more tempting situation to arise.’

‘”From that very moment, he took ownership of the team,” Wilson, the Bills’ veteran safety, said the other day by phone. “He changed expectations, he changed the way we traveled, he changed the way we practiced. Guys rallied around it, and we played our best football when he was leading the way. He’s matured as a coach. He has a complete perspective of a team now and that, in turn, will make him a better defensive coordinator.

‘The Bills haven’t had much success finding a new head coach so far as several candidates have either taken themselves out of consideration or declined interviews. But with no one else targeting the candidates the Bills are pursuing, one would think their chances of landing someone still on their wish list are good.’

‘Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh turned down an offer from the Bills to be their head coach, according to a report from CBS analyst Charley Casserly on Saturday.’

‘”We ran the veer in college, where the quarterback would almost ride you, and in Buffalo, with Joe Ferguson being a pro-type quarterback, the ball always seemed to get lost somewhere between us,” Ritcher recalled Saturday. “After my first year, Coach Knox decided I’d be better at guard. I agreed with him.”‘

‘Buffalo Bills wide receiver Terrell Owens showed his sense of humor to three ex-girlfriends after being named one of Cosmopolitan’s Fun Fearless Males. He mailed each a copy of his profile in the February issue with a note that read, "I know I’m not in your life, but wanted to show you where I’m at in mine."’

‘"It’s always flattering when you’re considered for [the job]," Grimm said Tuesday, "but you’ve got to wait and see what it all contains and pertains to and how it’s run – but that’s all down the road."’

‘Instead, the Bills have a 70-year-old GM who has never been in this position of power, searching aimlessly for a coach to fill a job that seems unfillable, while trying to get ready for the Senior Bowl – not to mention the East-West Shrine Game this coming week – with a college scouting director (Tom Modrak) who anyone who follows the Bills thought would be fired by now.’

‘But with the quarterback position in limbo on One Bills Drive, shouldn’t Buffalo’s front office be compelled to pick up the pride of the Central Michigan Chippewas?’

‘”He’s an upbeat guy. He’s a very optimistic guy, doesn’t try to find the bad in everything,” said Wilson, who completed his fifth year with the Bills. “You can talk to him about football, you can talk to him about life. The guys respect him the in the locker room, and at the end of the day, that’s what you have to have as a coach. They will battle for him and lay their bodies on the line for him.”‘

‘”I was happy with that, but you know how it is, you always look back even after each game and say, ‘Man if I did this just a little bit better,'” said Posluszny. “I think it’ll always be like that, but I definitely feel like this year was better than last.”‘

‘It’s absolutely no surprise that a veteran head coach would have no interest in coming to the Bills, given the team’s uncertain future in Buffalo after the 2012 season, the dysfunctional “old boy network” front office, a 91-year-old owner and severe talent shortages at several positions. But there are only 32 jobs as an NFL head coach. When promising young coordinators won’t even grant the courtesy of an interview – Schottenheimer was polite about it (Related story this page) – it’s an emphatic message as to how the Bills are viewed, league-wide.’

‘D.O.A. … Doomed on arrival. That best sums up the Bills’ 2009 season in which dubious decisions made by the front office and coaching staff in the months and weeks leading up to kickoff made missing the playoffs for a 10th consecutive season and the firing of coach Dick Jauron a foregone conclusion.’

‘Fitzpatrick was signed to be Edwards’ backup but wound up starting eight games after Edwards’ early struggles and his inability to shake his injury-prone label. Fitzpatrick did admirable work (1,422 yards passing, 9 TDs, 10 INT) but nobody’s kidding himself into believing is a viable NFL starter with his limited athletic talents. Edwards’ career is clearly at a crossroads but could be resurrected under the right coaching staff. Brohm, a former second-round pick signed off Green Bay’s practice squad, lost his one start against Atlanta but showed signs that he could challenge for the position in training camp. With rebuilding the offensive line and the defense the top priorities, Buffalo’s new coaching staff may have to live with this trio for a year.’