thewildrabbit

The bottom line is there are many coaches who could win with Fitz at QB, its how the coaches utilize him! IMHO Jeff Fisher, Rams- Jim Harbough, 49ers- John Harbough, Ravens- Gary Kubiak, Texans would all know how to use use Fitz properly. Look at Harbough with the 49ers, 3 years ago Alex Smith was more worthless then every QB out there, they couldn't trade him and hated to play him. Harbough takes over and that same bum of a QB takes them to the NFC championship game. Lets face it, Fitz is an average QB at best, but he does have that ability to find the open receiver and get him the ball in under 3 seconds. So build the offense around a power running game and just have the QB hand off along with short quick passes. Instead Gailey just wants to throw all game long and puts the outcome in the back up QB's hands instead of the RB's and the real play makers. Lets also not forget that the Bills were up 21-7 against the Patriots before the defense folded. The offense did manage 28 points on both the Jets and Patriots so they are not completely useless.... unlike the defense

This is where fans some fans mentality of the QB situation really gets me. Chan Gailey picked Fitz, he has had 3 years to draft and develop a rookie. HE CHOSE FITZ, and has stuck with him. Gailey has had 3 years to bring in other free agent QB's like VY and then cuts him because he can't learn the offense fast enough. Tarvaris Jackson is inactive every week because he can't learn the offense fast enough. The reason Gailey likes Fitz is because its all Fitz, he can read the defense and set protections while finding the open receiver and get him the ball in under 3 seconds. If any of the other QB's the Bills have had on the roster were able to do that,they would be starting! What the fans would see with any other QB is a bad O line that can't pass block very well, can't control the line of scrimmage and can't pass block for more then 3 seconds. Most other QB's need 3-5 seconds to run a normal offense, Fitz can get the ball out faster. The real problem isn't the QB at all, its how this HC wants to utilize the QB. If all Fitz had to do was hand the ball off to the two superstar RB's he would be fine. Instead Chan Gailey thinks he has Tom Brady behind center, along with the Patriots receiver corps,and O line. So he is always trying to emulate the Patriots offense by calling 4-5 WR spread shotgun sets, and calling pass play after pass play with a backup QB, one WR and a sub par O line.

The OP has a point! The offense in the strike shortened off season looked way better then this year when the entire play book is being used. Not just for the QB's but for the WR's also, the timing on so many plays looks off this year compared to last year. What Chan needs to do is seriously limit the pass plays and open up the play book on the running plays. The 2 best players on the offense are Fred Jackson and CJ Spiller, feed them the ball and have Fitz only there to manage the game instead of forcing him to shoulder it.

I have complained about Gailey since the day he was hired, and all you have done is defend him! We aren't talking about the nuances of different head coaches that fans don't like, we are talking about actual coaching ability here! The man has made so many serious mistakes in so many areas concerning players I question his ability to judge talent in any position on the team. I also question his ability to coach up players at any position. Gailey is supposedly a QB guru, and yet at QB he has failed with every player brought in except for Fitz, and even now Fitz has been falling on his face recently. Where Gailey really fails is on the defensive side, if Jauron was an offensive moron what do we call defensive Gailey? This HC has set records for worst run defense in the 50 year history of the franchise with DC George Edwards, and now the supposed good 4-3 DC has failed even worse then George Edwards... if that can even be conceivable. This head coach has set new records for being bad. In some fans it takes longer to recognize a bad coach, but after 3 years now everyone but you acknowledges that Gailey is a bad coach. Is it the fans fault that this owner will pay 100 million dollars to a player,and yet refuses to pay a top head coach. Its why the Bills have the 3 years and out on head coaches.

2010 4-12 2011 6-10 2012 2-3 and those 2 wins over the 0-5 Browns & 1-4 Chiefs. Those 3 losses Jets-Patriots-49ers the Bills set new records for being a bad defense 12-25 says it all. The 3rd year is when the team is supposed to come together, instead its falling apart. Worst defense in the history of the franchise Time to concede Gailey IS worse then Dick Jauron, and Mike Mularkey, and Greg Williams!

This point is so valid but escapes almost everyone on this board. Chan Gailey has to be the most single minded pass happy moronic HC / OC ever. What are the Bills offensive teams strengths? 1) Fitz has an uncanny ability to get the ball out in 3 seconds to the open WR, usually to Stevie Johnson because he is the only one open. So keep using that quick short pass offense, and stop trying to throw deep unless you put TJ in to sub for Fitz. perhaps even look at some WCO plays to install to help that short game. 2) The run game, you would think as big as the Bills players are on that O line that they could easily control the line of scrimmage, they can't. So keep running out of the spread formation, utilize the counter trey to keep the defense off balance. Run more then you throw because the RB's (Spiller & Jackson) are both better then Fitz. Just keep handing the ball off, and when the defense moves their safeties and LBers up to stop the run, start throwing over them to the WR's, TE. Keep using those 4-5 WR sets only run more often. Running the ball more with success will keep the opposing offense off the field, wear the opposing defense down by the 4th QTR keep the Bills in control of the clock. Gailey is his own worst enemy by trying to force a backup QB to constantly throw to win games. The defense is another story, Wannstooge has gotta go

Dontcha love the way Bills fans find a way to make excuses for all the bad play and losing In all aspects too. Usually most threads are about the offense. 90% of the NFL is coaching IMO and until the Bills break down and hire another Chuck Knox type they won't win. Knox had won 5 straight NFC West titles with 5 different QB's and had a record of 54-15-1 but had only won 3-5 in the playoffs.Like Knox with the Rams, Andy Reid is in a similar boat with the owner of the Eagles. Bill Cowher is a winner 149-90-1, 12-9 in the playoffs. Marty Schottenheimer is 203-127-1 606% playoffs 6-13 tho The Bills need a top head coach, and even tho Marty S hasn't won in the playoffs, it would be great for Bills and their fans just to have a team with a winning record and a chance to make the playoffs

Being an NFL head coach is darn hard work, 15+ hours a day hard work.,,too much work! Bills fans are people who love to tailgate, party, eat all the wrong stuff and have fun. All the while imbibing enough alcohol to forget who won or lost until long after the game ended. I could be a tailgate supervisor

The Bills already had C Eric Wood and G Andy Levitre when Gailey arrived, it took 3 years to add LT Cordy Glenn(dunno why!) The Bills still don't have a really good RT / RG, not when it comes to pass protecting for more then 3 seconds Most Bills fans knew how good Fred Jackson was in 09, which is why most fans questioned the selection of RB CJ Spiller when the team had more pressing needs at pass rusher, LT, RT, OLB. I sure as hell can tell you that Perry Fewell benched Trent Edwards and started Fitz in 09. Fitz playing in 10 games and starting 8 of them. Fitz's record in 09 was 4-4. If you remember Chan Gailey picked Trent Edwards as his starter for the 2010 season and gave Edwards most of the reps, its the reason Fitz wasn't ready to take over in 2010 and the Bills went 0-8 to start the season Chan Gailey is a hack and a loser, all he knows how to do is emulate the Patriots offense,, and throw throw throw out of 4-5 WR shotgun sets. The problem is Gailey doesn't realize he doesn't have Tom Brady at QB, he doesn't have the Patriots receiving corps. Gailey also doesn't have the Patriots O line, and can't protect Fitz for more then 3 seconds on most passing plays. Sure Gailey can make a backup QB look half way decent with some good stats, and he has done this with several teams. The problem is Gaily doesn't win games that way because for the most part they are always playing from behind and the QB has to throw to try and get back into the game. The strength of the Bills offense when Gailey first got to Buffalo and even now is in the running game. First with Lynch and Jackson and now Jackson and Spiller, the RB's have always been better then the QB's. The problem is Gailey doesn't know how to build a dominate run game to take pressure off the QB and defense. All he knows is running the ball out of a spread passing formation which has yielded good results in some games, but the team still loses because the O line can't control the line of scrimmage. So yea, this coaching staff just on offense is alone is worse then Jauron and his band of clowns in OC Turk Schonert along with QB JP Losman & QB Trent Edwards. The defense, i never in my wildest dreams could have thought someone could field a worse defense then the bend but don't break Tampon 2. But Gailey not only managed to do it switching to a 3-4, he also managed to break NFL records in his 4-3 with all those 1st round draft picks and a 100 million dollar DE. This coaching staff is Hank Bullough / Kay Stephenson bad, or worse. Those 2-14 teams never broke NFL records like the defenses under Gailey George Edwards set a franchise record for worst defense against the run. Dave Wannstooge just set an NFL first for allowing a 300 yard passer and 300 runner in a game.

My take is almost everyone in this thread IS blaming the QB! What about the running game to help out the QB and defense. The Bills have two star RB's in CJ Spiller and Fred Jackson, and wth happened to the running game? The Bills had one fumble and one INT in the game and put up 200 yards of offense. The Bills were getting 4.7 yards per carry running it and yet kept calling for pass plays. It was the same as it was against the Patriots, the D played a decent first half and then gave up 4 TD's in the 2nd half. The 49ers a a freaking ground and pound running team and they opened up their passing game and just threw to whomever, whenever! 300 yards passing and 3 TD's for Alex Smith. A holding penalty on Byrd wiped out a special teams TD by Leodis. The defense set an NFL record for the first ever defense to give up 300 yards passing and 300 yards rushing...but just keep blaming the QB! I'm blaming Chan Gailey for not running the ball more and for allowing Dave Wannstooge to still have a job. The entire team sucked!

Another thread about the QB when the defense just gave up 600+ yards to a running team Chan Gailey has been trying to magically transform a backup QB into Tom Brady and it isn't working, It never worked and it never will. The Bills have a good O line on the left side and sub par right side. The ONLY reason the O line looks half way decent is because Fitz can get rid of the ball so quickly. Wanna blame it all on the QB,,,ok go ahead. Yet its the HC who keeps calling for shotgun 4-5 WR passing plays with only one good WR, and a back up QB.

It wasn't just the meddling in every day operations, draft picks, who to start, Etc. The man had Chuck Knox as his head coach, a version of Bill Belichick who understood every aspect of the game, offense and defense. Helped fill the stadium with his talking proud campaign. Was a shrewd talent evaluator and won despite a moron for a GM in Stew Barber, and Ralph let him simply walk away over money. Ralph Wilson had the very best GM the NFL has seen over the last 40 years in Bill Polian. Building winning teams in Buffalo, Carolina and Indy, and Wilson found a way to get rid of him. John Butler was another top talent evaluator, and GM and again the main reason Butler left was for more money. Sure there were other reasons besides just the money with Knox and Butler, but mostly it came down to top dollar which Wilson didn't care to pay. The bottom line here is that this owner mostly cares about filling his stadium and making a profit, winning is secondary and always has been.

Perfect answer Most everyone is still blaming the QB for the teams woes, and yet Who the hell picked Fitz, and then decided to not draft a rookie to groom over the last 3 years. Who is responsible for the worst ever defense in the history of the NFL? It sure as hell isn't Fitz!

Left to his own devices we all see what team RW puts on the field, just look at the last decade. RW also wanted to draft someone other then Bruce Smith in 85, and again when Denver offered 2, 1st rounders for Bruce, Wilson wanted to take them. Wilson would have drafted Tony Mandarich, Wilson would have drafted Brian Bosworth Nothing will change until ownership changes...

a dozen QB's won't fix the worst defense the NFL has ever seen

The defense is already the worst in NFL history, worst in franchise history, and hemorrhaging points and yards like a someone with the Ebola virus.

Everyone is giving Chan Gailey credit for what Fitz can do, that is read the defense, set protections. Then find the open receiver and deliver the ball in 3 seconds or under. That is IF the opposing defense isn't jamming the one good WR (Stevie Johnson) on the line. Look at all the QB's Gailey failed with so far, Trent Edwards, Brian Brohm, Levi Brown, Vince Young, Tyler Thigen. Lets not forget that Gailey chose Edwards over Fitz to start with. Tyler Thigpen was with Gailey back in 08 when Chan was the Chiefs OC. Why can't Gailey get Thigen to play efficiently or become the starter? Gailey is under the delusion that he has Tom Brady at QB, has the Patriots receiving corps and O line because all he does is call shotgun pass play after pass play. Instead he should understand he has a marginal Qb and should have him handing off to the true superstars in CJ Spiller and Fred Jackson. Building a power running game would make things easier on both the defense and QB. But Gailey would rather have the perennial back up QB throw it all game long As far as TJ is concerned, I highly doubt Gailey is going to be able to utilize the guy at all unless he can figure out a way to get the ball out as quickly as Fitz can. Its just going to be a sack fest every game and people will realize that O line isn't nearly as good as everyone thinks it is with Fitz at QB.

all I can say is... have you been watching the games? I look at the schedule and see 2 possible wins against the Titans and Jags.....maybe! The Dolphins just beat the Bengals in Cincy. The Colts just beat Green Bay. The Rams just beat Arizona who is 4-1 Get a grip on reality willyas! The Bills have they very worst defense in the history of the franchise! 600+ offensive yards to the ground and pound 49ers,they set an NFL first record. 1st team to give up 300 yards rushing AND 300 yards passing in a game. P.S. A lot of those games would be winnable if the GM / owner fired the HC and DC today. I could see 8 wins with a better coaching staff

621 yards of offense to that world renowned offensive powerhouse ....San Francisco 49ers with Alex Smith at QB First ever NFL team to give up 300 yards rushing and 300 yards passing.... Nix, fire these clowns willya!!! Hire some real coaches, even promoting the ball boy to DC would be an improvement over wannstooge!! say hello Bob Sanders

The current Bills defense isn't just statistically bad, they are historically bad. First ever team to give up 300 yards rushing and 300 yards passing in the NFL to a known ground and pound team is simply ridiculously horrible. First team to give up back to back 550+ yard games since the 1950 Yanks 621 yards of offense to that world renowned offensive powerhouse San Francisco 49ers with Alex Smith at QB

better coaching, period The Jets were sparked by a kick off return for a TD by Westoff and the special teams. Both teams like to run the ball and play tough defense. It also helps that the Jets are at home. Clearly the Texans have the better QB I'd trade either coaching staffs for the Bills staff in a half a heartbeat, preferably the Texans staff tho

welcome I do agree that wanny needs to go asap, even if he is replaced by current LB coach Bob Sanders the last DC George Edwards was terribad and yet better then wannstedt

I agree with the OP, the talent in the players is there, the talent on the coaching staff isn't there The Bills have a terrific running tandem in Spiller & Jackson, easily 2, 1000 yard rushers if used properly IMO The Bills have more then enough talent on defense to win games,and hold teams to 30 points or under if used in a proper scheme. The Bills even have a decent enough QB to win games if he were to hand off more often in play action instead of constantly throwing and trying to shoulder the entire offense. The Bills currently have enough talent to emulate the Texans and Ravens ground and pound offense instead of forcing a back up QB to emulate the Patriots / Saints offense shotgun empty backfield (even the Patriots are running it more this year)

seriously, who cares how old he is, Dick Vermeil is 75 and I'd recommend him If i thought he could do as well as Marty S Marty might be 69, but I'll bet that burning fire to win is still with him! Marty has a rep of taking teams that suck and rebuilding them fairly quickly. I can see playoffs this year with the same players!!

The real problem in obtaining a top head coach is that the owner wants to micromanage them from his home in Detroit. The man just can't let go as he is still the president and still has total control over everything at OBD. probably the driving force that keeps him alive at this point. (JMO from the days of Dick Jauron and what we heard about him being on the phone for hours every day to Wilson) Nix has shown he is not the astute judge of talent everyone thought he was by brining in guys like Cornell Green. Waiting 3 years to obtain a top LT, top pass rusher, and the team still lacks a top RT, 2nd WR, OLB / ILB. Why does it take 3 years to accomplish anything? Two years of suffering George Edwards catastrophic switch to a 3-4 ,and now even with a defense loaded with a #1 & #2 draft picks wannstooge says that he needs players that "fit" his scheme. To me coaching is everything, Nix hired a loser in Gailey who built the opposite of what every Bills fan would love to see. a finesse passing game, a finesse running game that only works out of a spread passing scheme, a finesse defense that still doesn't have the players required to "fit" it. Gailey keeps hiring these unmitigated morons to run the defense. Nix IS the problem until he fires Gailey and hires someone competent