thewildrabbit

I'm with BB on Bray, just like Jay Cutler / Matthew Stafford with that arm. The Bills QB needs that big arm to cut thru the crazy winds at RWS http://www.sbnation.com/nfl-mock-draft/2013/1/25/3912978/tyler-bray-2013-nfl-draft-scouting-report

Why is everyone so obsessed with taking a QB in a draft that simply doesn't have any top "elite" prospects. This makes no sense to me as investing in any rookie QB that is not up to par will set the team back 3-4 years while trying to make an inferior player work out. The Bills have other obvious needs besides a QB,such as LBers, a top WR, a TE, depth on the O line.BPA would fit the bill. I would be fine with the Bills filling other needs,and then taking someone like Tyler Bray (or not) in the 2nd or 3rd to develop while letting Fitz or some top FA play in 2013. (his arm reminds me of Jay Cutler) ESPN currently has 2 QB's going in the first round, Geno Smith and Matt Barkley, and neither are worthy of a first round pick at this point. The Bills have other more pressing needs IMHO. Did you happen to catch the last Miami game, or the Titans game where there was still time to win the game by running the hurry up offense (2 min drill)? In several occasions this past season Fitz looked totally inept trying to make a play when it counted most. The Titans game really showed me the Bills coaching was horrid, and getting worse then in 2010. Fitz had a min to go 60 yards for a FG against one of the very worst defenses in the league. Not only didn't he succeed in getting 60 yards in 60 seconds, he couldn't even get a first down! 4 consecutive pass plays that couldn't even gain 10 yards against the 27th ranked defense. This was a totally different look then what I saw Fitz do in 2010 against the Ravens, Steelers, in OT, also against the Bengals. Even in 2012 he looked so much better against the Patriots 34-31 win. Gailey pushing Fitz to a 1-8 record the last half of the season while playing injured in 2012 did some damage on many levels. Hopefully some new coaching can correct some serious flaws in the Bills offense, and QB.

I wouldn't give Nix a pass on anything!! Buddy Nix has been the head of football operations and thus is responsible for every move made in Buffalo. The man chose Chan Gailey as his head coach and stuck with him the very same way that Gailey stuck with Fitz the last 3 years. Halfway thru this past season Nix gave Gailey his endorsement and stated he would be his HC for 2013 and beyond! What happened with that? Nix also stated he thought Gailey was one of the premiere offensive minds in the NFL. If that were even remotely true Gailey would have been offered a job as OC or HC on another team. Gailey couldn't identify talent at any position and neither can Buddy Nix, a man who everyone around here has been touting as the greatest thing since Bill Polian. BTW it was John Butler who picked Drew Brees and Charger HC Marty Shottenheimer who had coached Phillip Rivers in the senior bowl that year, and liked what he saw. Buddy Nix did a worse job as GM then Marv Levy! Besides CJ Spiller (who was Gaileys waterbug pick), what player has turned out to be a future pro bowler, superstar? Look at all the maybes and bums over the last 3 years, on a team desperate for a pass rusher, desperate for a QB, desperate for a WR, desperate for LBers. Not to even mention how badly the defense has performed over the last 3 years despite all the draft picks spent on defense, its moronic some how some of you still defend this failure of a GM. Buddy Nix is responsible for the entire team, offense and defense !!! 16-32 is horrid. How this man still has a job as GM is beyond me.

Exactly, because Pete Carroll is the HC & GM and great coaches who don't have the ability to make a great QB like Bill Walsh or the eye for evaluational of a great QB like Bill Polian then you have to go thru a progression of players until you find the right guy. Buddy Nix stated he didn't bring in any QB's because he didn't think that any rookies would have survived behind that podunk O line until he found a decent LT in Glenn, and he was right! My personnel take is that O line still isn't where it needs to be to be able to start a rookie QB. Clearly this was the reason why the Bills had no interest in Peyton Manning as a free agent. The biggest problem is that if Nix is this shrewd talent evaluator then how did he miss on Andy Dalton, Colin Kaepernick, Russell Wilson or not even attempting to bring a half way decent rookie QB in for Gailey to groom the last 3 years. Looking back over the last 3 years of drafting I don't see how anyone could be hopeful about anyone that Nix pulls the trigger on. Spiller was all Gailey, and other then that one pick I don't see the bills making better picks in the top 10 then the Patriots do it the latter part of the draft. I sure hope the combination of Whaley / Marrone do better then Gailey / Nix.

I think they cut all the QB's on the roster except Fitz. As bad as he looked in some games he wasn't the biggest problem on the team. It was the defense that plagued the team most of the year. Finally after the season was lost they actually started to show some life. Chan Gailey trying to run the same smoke and mirrors plays over and over with the only decent WR in those 5 WR empty backfield sets was another problem. Marrone has his work cut out for him to purge all the bums from the Gailey era

Barkley is a mini me of Ryan Fitzpatrick, smart, can read defenses and make decent throws, but lacks a big arm, and deep ball accuracy....sound familiar? Ask any current NFL QB what it's like to throw a football in the snowy cold blustery winds of December in Buffalo's RWS. For that matter anytime there is a strong wind factor you need a QB with a big arm to put a tight spiral on the ball to cut thru the wind.Jim Kelly could do that! Although Barkley might be more NFL ready atm from playing in a pro set, I'd rather draft a guy like Tyler Bray out of Tenn, 6'5" 215 and an arm as strong as Jay Cutler

Lets not forget that midway thru this season Buddy Nix endorsed his choice for HC by stating that he would be the Buffalo Bills HC for 2013 and probably longer. That he felt Gailey was one of the best offensive minds in the NFL. I have no idea why Russ Brandon feels that Buddy Nix will be able to find him the "elite" franchise QB this team has been so desperate for since Jim Kelly (1995) Perhaps its just as a figurehead GM to allow him to bow out gracefully after this years draft. I have no idea what he has done in Buffalo to deserve that sort of treatment, unless it was a decision from the owner who chose Buddy Nix to begin with. Hopefully Doug Marrone has an eye for talent, and will find the right QB.

Look, this is the same scouting staff that allowed Gailey to go forward with Trent Edwards, Brian Brohm, and Fitz. Let Gailey proceed with Fitz then brought in Vince Young, Tavaris Jackson. Then passed over Kaepernick, Dalton, Wilson. I wouldn't trust them to evaluate my dogs. Hopefully Doug Marrone knows what he is doing! The Raiders (the now departed Mr Al Davis) were always enamored with QB's with big arms that could throw the length of the football field. The fact that this man was drafted with the #1 overall pick doesn't necessarily mean he is worth a damn. Some QB's out there drafted #1 overall and sucked.. David Carr, Tim Couch, Jeff George. QB David Carr is currently on the NY Giants roster as a back up. He was drafted #1 overall in 2002. Should the Bills make a trade because he is a former #1 overall? Why are some Bills fans even debating this subject? This man has enormous red flags and sirens screaming "stay away" with a drug addiction history and gambling addiction problems to even look at him. What does it say about the mentality of people that would condone this type of behavior in any walk of life much less a highly paid professional athlete?

Must be that he isn't very bright concerning monetary investments either.... don't forget he held out for top dollar, 6 year contract worth up to 38 million and 31.5 guaranteed. Career stats, 31 games, 52.1 completion %, 18TD, 23 INT's. QB rating 65.2 He got paid...that is all he really wanted. Also, In an interview with an ESPN reporter he stated he tested positive for codeine at the combine in 2007. He was arrested for codeine possession without a prescription in 2010. Probably running out of money so he wants another pay day. So, do any of you bright boys still want to give this greedy, addicted to codeine loser a job?

What all you Fitz haters don't get is that Nix, Gailey and the cast of buffoons running the team in 2010 clearly didn't know the difference between Brian Brohn -Trent Edwards and Ryan Fitzpatrick. Gailey stated that all three were about equal and then chose Trent Edwards as his starter in training camp. Gave all the pre season first sting reps to a guy he would end up cutting after two weeks into the regular season. Then Buddy Nix has made it clear the ONLY way he is drafting a QB is if one falls to him in the draft. He would have taken Cam Newton if he had been available in 2011. Nix didn't try and trade up for RG3 or Andrew luck, and for that matter didn't even try for Peyton Manning as a free agent. Buddy Nix had his chance to take Andy Dalton, Colin Kaepernick, Russell Wilson, and yet all 3 were QB's who took their teams to the playoffs this year. Kaepernick is with a team going to the super bowl! Why Buddy Nix is still employed with the Buffalo Bills is beyond me! Who is this brilliant talent evaluator on the Bills scouting staff who is supposedly now good enough to find that elusive "elite" franchise type QB? I sure as hell hope Doug Marrone knows how to evaluate a QB because Nix and his staff clearly don't.

Only the NY Jets. Mike Westhoff the now retired special teams coach for the Jets couldn't understand why they didn't ever want to utilize Tebow. Obviously he was brought in by the now fired ex GM, and the HC and OC hated the move so they never used him. Jets HC Rex Ryan has a Mark Sanchez tattoo on his arm...i can only describe that as bizarre. Hey, All the guy does is win, inspires others to win, and is a great team leader. So many other teams have revamped their entire offense around the new running QB. Redskins, Seahawks, Panthers. Denver and Mike McCoy did it with Tebow and won a playoff game with him at QB. Call me crazy, but I'd rather have a player like Tebow that wins and inspires his teammates enough to win then a QB who doesn't know how to win, or lacks the desire and determination.

I will give him the benefit of the doubt ... Marrone hasn't made any moronic player moves yet, no Cornell Green at RT. Announcing the starting QB, giving him all the reps in pre season and then cutting after two games. Both those two moves alone helped cause an 0-8 start in 2010. Announcing the starting RB in 2010 for opening day only to bench him after 4 plays because he didn't know how to do his job on the field. ,,,hasn't tried to force a broken QB to try an win games while almost ignoring perhaps the most gifted RB in the league most of the season. ....hasn't tried to run 5 WR empty backfield sets with only one decent WR. Smoke and mirrors stopped working midway thru the 2011 season. but that didn't stop anyone from calling the same plays over and over. ....hasn't hired the two worst DC's this franchise has ever seen. Both set franchise records for being bad. The latter set both franchise and NFL records for being bad with a 100 million dollar DE!! Gailey was a clustermess from the start. As bad as Fitz was, Gailey was lucky to have him, otherwise the Bills win maybe 2 games each year. The Bills hired a man who has had some success in taking a bad program and turning it around. I'm more willing to give him 3 years then a guy who was fired from his last job with a lesser title.

Its my take that as soon as Brandon was convinced he had found the right guy, he hired him. I'm just as skeptical as most, and yet after reading that some of the Syracuse football teams players quit once they found out what kind of task master had taken control of their team. It made me look deeper into this new HC's background. "The first year for those boys is probably going to be pretty rough, especially in training camp, those sort of things, because he's going to want to find out who's going to stick with him when times are tough," This coming from an ex Buffalo Bills player. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nfl/news/20130117/doug-marrone-bills/ Marrone is an ex-O linemen in the NFL, and an ex-O line coach which to me sounds an awful lot like another ex Buffalo Bills HC by the name of Chuck Knox. I'm not saying he is a Knox clone, just thinking he might just be tho. Look at the two teams in the super bowl this year, both noted for being dominate running teams. I think most Bills fans would welcome a HC with a tendency to pound the ball like the Ravens and 49ers. I look back at coaches like Dick Jauron / Chan Gailey both well liked by everyone who they worked with, and the Bills players loved Jauron and played their hearts out for him. I'm sure Ken Wisenhunt is another good guy, but he would never be my choice for HC because all three men, tho all well liked, are not winners. Lets face facts, 9-7 / 10-6 although winning records, just won't win the division in the AFC East. The Bills need a tough as nails offensive-minded coach with a reputation for being a disciplinarian, along with the ability to turn around a losing program. Remember the line by Marv Levy When its too tough for them, its just right for us" Thats the type of HC the Buffalo Bills need, and not another "nice guys finish last" type of HC. The Big question? Will Marrone be capable of building a team to compete with Bills Belichick? We already know his choice for DC was able to beat Brady many times during his time with the Jets. Plus his defensive philosophy is an “attacking style of defense” that is “relentless” and does not “sit back and let offenses dictate to us.” Rather then the bend but don't break of Jauron's schemes or the vanilla rush only the front four of Wannstedt. On an a different note, its good to know you joined us as a concerned skeptical Bills fan Welcome to the "we care too damn much club".

What difference does it make if the search wasn't exhaustive or detailed like as stated. Russ Brandon got his man! This is Buffalo and the Buffalo Bills we are talking about. Ralph Wilson still owns the team, and with that fact there are many questions that people like Bill Cowher / Chip Kelly would want answered. Whereas Marrone is just happy as a clam to have one of the 32 Jobs as an NFL HC. At least this hire was not of someone who was completely out of football the year prior to being hired, nor was he fired as an assistant coach two weeks before the start of that season. In my mind that's about as equal as Gailey cutting Trent Edwards two weeks into the season in 2010 and another team picking Edwards up in 2011 and immediately making him the starting QB. The Gailey hiring reeked of desperation at the time, and Buddy Nix is an idiot for stating mid season that Gailey is one of the best offensive minds in the league. If that were even near true then why doesn't the man have another HCing job yet? Oh wait, he is still getting paid by the Buffalo Bills to do nothing right? Russ Brandon put his future in the hands of Doug Marrone, and should Marrone fail hard Brandon will get all the blame for this hire, and not Nix / Whaley / Wilson. Yea, we will know very soon if this were the right choice.

If you want to talk skeptical or pessimistic, I'm pretty sure PTR, and others here will tell you that I'm about as skeptical a Bills fan as you can get. My take for the hire is when you find the right guy, you hire him asap. Russ Brandon did just that. Doug Marrone really isn't that accomplished even for a college head coach. I mean 25-25 at Syracuse isn't very good at all considering Chip Kelly was 46-7. Plus, there were 3 other teams better then Syracuse in the big east this year. Louisville 11-2, Cincinnati 10-3, Rutgers, 9-4. So Syracuse at 8-5 isn't that good at all. nobody really knows if new HC Doug Marrone and his college OC can make the transition from college to the NFL with great success. This hire could turn out to be a brilliant move by Brandon....or not. When you look deeper into it and see what it took to turn that football program around from a perennial loser, and into a team playing in bowl games at the end of the year. When you hear what other NFL players, coaches FO people around the league have to say about Marrone, all very positive praise. Then the coaching assistants clamoring to get a job on the Bills coaching staff. Which hasn't happened since the Chuck Knox days. Also, I have to admit I'm ecstatic about the hire of new DC Mike Pettine (former DC of the Jets) who could be the fall back plan should Marrone fall on his face hard http://www.nj.com/je..._called_va.html The Jets had the 8th overall defense this year W/O their star CB. 5th in 2011, 3rd in 2010. 1st in 2009. But from everything I've read so far says that Brandon made the correct choice with Doug Marrone. It reads good, but will it translate to wins in the NFL, and against Bill Belichick? All I can say is I genuinely hope this move works out well for the Bills as they are in desperate need of someone who knows WTF he is doing as HC.

What Tom Brady and other QB's like him prove is, its not only about the physical ability. Its also about having a burning desire to win, and the ability to make the win happen.

Buddy Nix hiring Chan Gailey sealed his fate as a GM. Russ Brandon taking over as president of football operations and hiring an 8-4 college coach (which was 4th best in the Big East)... will certainly define his future. Should Doug Marrone beat the odds against him, and build a competitive team in the AFC East, then Brandon's future will be bright indeed.

DJ was a better HC then Chan in terms of winning. But both were on equal terms in hiring the wrong assistants. Both had two chances to hire quality assistants and both failed 2x. I don't think I've ever seen a DC as bad as Dave Wannstedt was the first 1/2 of this season or an OC as lame as Turk Schonert was calling the most horribly stupid plays at the wrong time. The players themselves revolted against Hank Bullough, Bruce Smith in the defensive huddle. "If anyone makes a tackle, I'll beat the **** outta them! Smith had his reasons.... http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1119974/1/index.htm The quotes, We keep beating ourselves...but, we're getting better at it! They took the sails out of our wind. Bullough on Ralph Wilson...I'm not a yes guy, he knows that when I hired him I have to teach these guys the work ethnic http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1955&dat=19851222&id=ew0iAAAAIBAJ&sjid=zKYFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4068,1081979

... Looks like many many assistant coaches actually want to work for Marrone in Buffalo. Which in my view is an almost total reversal of past trends. Listening to Nathaniel Hackett talk about Marrone, He is an "old school", "Blue collar guy"! He is a tough tough guy and very inspirational. What does it tell you that other coaches are clamoring, trying to work for the man? Not only that, after reading that Marrone watched every game of the Eagles, Browns, Chargers from last year. This tells me that the man will be a complete 180 degrees from Chan Gailey who struck me as a man who refused to watch past game film and went by what he saw on the field playing for him. Well thats hugely egotistical in my view, not trusting how other coaches coach or just damn lazy. There were Bills players that made it to the field in 2010 that should have never made it out of pre season. I was questioning Gaileys ability to judge player talent from the start. Plus, some of his players just weren't coached up to their responsibilities in their respective jobs on the field. I was highly skeptical of this HC hire at first, and now after reading more and more about them man I have to say I'm starting to drink the kool-aid this time

IMO Rodgers is the best QB in the league. But no QB can do it all himself. Aaron Rodgers was the MVP last year, his Packers were 13-0 at one point in 2011. The hapless KC Chiefs who were 6-8 beat the Packers 19-14. Geez... Then they lost to the NY Giants in the first round of the playoffs. Those Giants went on to win the SB. In that game against the Giants the Packers receivers had a lot of dropped balls plus Rodgers was off his usual pinpoint accuracy. But, I mean how far can you go with the worst defense in the NFL? Yeah, thats right! The packers were 32nd in yards allowed in 2011 My take is that every NFL offensive scheme gets figured out by opposing defenses and they learn how to defeat them. The Pack runs a version of the WCO that relies heavily on only Rodgers making plays. In the past Rodgers would break out of the pocket to buy time to find the open receiver and hit him. The problem IMO is now with pass protection and injuries. GB is much like the Buffalo Bills in they lack depth across the O line. The lack of a dominate running game also hurts Green Bay as sometimes QB's have bad days, and all teams need balance to help the QB out now and again. If the Packers ever find their version of CJ Spiller, Adrian Peterson, Matt Forte they would be unstoppable....well, they also need to fix that defense and O line.

The thing is...nobody really knows if new HC Doug Marrone and his college OC can make the transition from college to the NFL with great success. This hire could turn out to be a brilliant move by Brandon. OTOH it could be just another excuse to waste another 3-5 years of precious time. Brandon's core job it seems to me is to find new and creative ways to fill Ralph Wilson stadium as cost effectively as possible. Can the Buffalo Bills with a HC from college that never won more then 8 games compete against arguably the very best HC in the NFL in Bill Belichick ? In 4 years at Syracuse 4-8, 8-5, 5-7, 8-5. The Big East conference, Syracuse came in 4th this year behind Louisville 11-2, Cincinnati 10-3, Rutgers 8-4. Exactly how would Syracuse fair against in the SEC, against Alabama or even Notre Dame, would they even be competitive on the same field? Or would it be like the Bills played against Seattle and San Francisco 95-13 this year? Now, Oregon HC Chip Kelly with a 46-7 college record, I can see actually having a chance in the NFL. But don't forget men like Nick Saban of Alabama (15-17 at Miami) and Steve Spurrier (12-20 at Redskins) failed at the NFL level like so many other college coaches. Interesting article before this season started 6/25/12 http://espn.go.com/blog/bigeast/post/_/id/33872/any-big-east-coaches-on-the-hot-seat The first and most obvious choice for a new HC by fans was Lovie Smith (81-63), along with forcing him to hire a top OC in Norv Turner or Cam Cameron. I have to admit I'm estactic about the hire of new DC Mike Pettine (former DC of the Jets) who could be the fall back plan should Marrone fall on his face hard http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2013/01/mike_pettine_says_he_called_va.html The Jets had the 8th overall defense this year W/O their star CB. 5th in 2011, 3rd in 2010. 1st in 2009. But from everything I've read so far says that Brandon made the correct choice with Doug Marrone. It reads good, but will it translate to wins in the NFL, and against Bill Belichick? All I can say is I genuinely hope this move works out well for the Bills as they are in desperate need of someone who knows WTF he is doing as HC.

Did any of you actually watch the game ? Peyton Manning a top candidate for MVP had 2 INT's and was responsible for 3 turnovers Two TD's of those 35 points of the Broncos came from kick returns. a 90 yard opening kickoff returned by Trindon Holiday and a 104 yard kick return in the 4th quarter. 248 total return yards Without the two special teams scores the score would have been 21-35. That INT Manning threw caused the Broncos to go ultra conservative near the end of regulation. On a 3rd down and 7 when the Broncos should have clearly tried to make a first down passing they ran Hillman for no gain. Denver had the #4 offense in the NFL this season The #6th overall passer with 4659 yards and 37 TD's. I'd say that 17th ranked Raven defense with some players just returning from injuries did very well considering. Plus the game did go into double overtime. Who would have thought that the older Ravens defense could go up to Mile high stadium in the bitter cold and play as well as they did just after getting blown out 34-17 less then a month ago at Baltimore ... not me thats for sure!

1) Tell that to the Ravens who shut down future HoF QB Peyton Manning and his good WR corps. Tell that to the 49ers who shut down the Packers offense .and arguably the very best QB in the league the last few years 2) no argument there from me. A big reason the Bills lost those 4 SB's was all the injuries to their O line at the end of the season. The Cowboys, Giants, Redskins lines were better. Just look at the Niners with those 3, 1st round O line draft picks dominate. I'm still not convinced the Bills have a top O line. RG & RT are very questionable. Plus, how many seasons do the Bills have to lose Center Eric Wood to the IR before they think about upgrading the backup at C. 3) I think its more the Packers lost some players to free agency after the SB and haven't replaced them properly. DE Cullen Jenkins wanted to stay and they let him walk. I'm not so certain Dom Capers is really a top DC anymore. GB was 32nd in defense in 2011. then they got better in 2012 but not by allowing Adrian Peterson 200 yards rushing. The 49ers literally dominated the Pack with the run, QB & RB's. The 49ers had 579 total yards and 323 on the ground. 4) tell that to Seattle who beat the Niners 42-13 in week 16 5) One of the biggest problem with the Bills is the refusal to keep certain players. Tell me the Bills couldn't have used LB Paul Posluszny the last 2 years, 106 tackles this season. Or CB Antoine Winfield as the Bills must have drafted about 20 DB's since they let him walk to Minnesota, and all he did was spend the next 9 years making tackles for the Vikings. The one O linemen who has played injury free since being drafted and would look so much better with better talent around him is Andy Levitre. Wood might have more talent but what good is it if you spend 1/2 the year on IR? Both Byrd and Levitre are no brainers that need to be kept on the team Seattle is one of the hottest teams in the NFL right now IMO. The Hawks vs the Falcons should be a good one.

For whatever reason the Cowboys just seemed to have the Buffalo Bills number, but then so did almost the entire NFC East as the NY Giants and Washington Redskins also beat Buffalo in the super bowl. The Bills defense was ranked 28th against the run that year...Emmitt Smith had 30 attempts for 132 yards and 2 TD's. Yea, Thurman fumbled. stuff happens. I wouldn't say the man quit on his team tho. Bitter much? The Bills only rushed Thurman 16 attempts for 37 yards. and he did catch 7 passes for 52 yards. OTOH, Jim Kelly threw 31 of 50 attempts for 262 yards 0 TD's and 1 INT. Jim Kelly did still call his own plays and Ted Marchibroda was the HC in Baltimore the past 2 years what are you talking about?

Marty in KC did have a great QB in Joe Montana after the Niners traded him away. That 1993 AFC Championship game KC at Buffalo, final score Bills 30, KC 13 I have a pic of Bruce Smith standing over Joe M as he lying on the turf holding his helmet with both hands. Smith sacked him and concussed him. After that Game Marty S complained to the league that the AFC Championship game should be held at a neutral site Wanna know why the Bills were so good back then? 46 rushers, 229 yards, 3 TDs. Thurman Thomas 33 rushes for 186 yards, 3 TD's Passes, 17 for 27 for 160.