thewildrabbit

Excellent coaching...YGBK right? looking at the mistakes made last season I completely, whole heartedly disagree with that! Bill Belichick, Sean Payton, Mike McCarthy are excellent coaches, Buffalo hasn't had an excellent coach since Ted Marchibroda. Considering everything that occurred on this team last year I still remain very skeptical that this staff will ever build a team that can compete with the Patriots and Jets for the division. I still think Gailey is stretching himself to thin trying to do way to many things on that offense and its taking away from him seeing the bigger picture This team feels more like the 84 Bills to me with Kay Stephenson as HC and journeyman Joe Ferguson at QB, lets not forget that Stephenson did manage to draft Jim Kelly, Darryl Talley and Bruce Smith. IMHO What really propelled the Bills into a top offense was the hiring of OC Ted Marchibroda ex -HC of the Colts, because he was the one who taught Jim Kelly to call his own plays. Saw that Kelly was best in the 2 min drill so he setup the no huddle to run all game long, brought in the old Redskin counter trey running game. Great assistants can make the HC's job so much easier, lets hope Wannstache has that same effect on the defense that Ole ted had on the offense. I know I have been harping on all the mistakes by the team last year only because I've never seen a new staff make that many stupid mistakes their first year, and then go on and build a competitive team. Clearly what has hurt Gailey badly his first year were the choices of inexperienced assistant coaches. I honestly hope I'm wrong with everything I've been bitching about. I hope that O line comes together and plays solidly this year. I hope Scott Chandler turns into another Pete Metzelaars. I hope CJ Spiller turns into another Jamaal Charles- Chris Johnson. I can only hope HC Chan Gailey firmly planted his foot up someones backside for the Spiller and Green debacle so that never happens again. I gotta believe that Modrak was fired and replaced because of Green, among other things. So things do seem to be moving in the right direction now. I would love to see this team beat the Patriots at least once this year, and even 8-8 would be a huge success in my view. I honestly hope I'm wrong and your right SJBF

When the Bills play the Chiefs in the opener here is a player to take a look at on the Chiefs http://espn.go.com/b...ars-tony-moeaki Man, It would be great if Fitz had a TE like this kid to throw to...

x Yea well, that Bills O line makes me want to puke...if you even have to ask who the 3 are that suck ... then I'm not the fool. Everyone is so freaking fixated on the QB that they are all over looking more pressing issues in the fact that Buffalo hasn't had a solid O line since the Jim Kelly era. That fact alone is probably the biggest reason as to why this team has had no luck with QB's since Jim Kelly. Doesn't it bother anyone else that every three or so years this team chews up another QB and then fans want to bring in another, then they all point their fingers at the QB and say he is the problem Good GM's and head coaches build the lines up the very first thing, levy tried to do that with free agency as GM and instead he should have done it thru the draft. Its not stupid to call it like I see it, its my opinion...there are 3 players that will start on that O line that have no business as starters.... 2 of them are cast off scrubs from other teams, that's pathetic . There will be a free agency at some point this year, but what has that got to do with the fact that this team simply hasn't been able to find one single player worth a damn as a TE for the last 10+ years, this problem just seems to get worse every year. A great TE can help the running game immensely, they also help the offense in first downs and are a huge target in the end zone for scoring. Jeez, all anyone need do is look at the Cowboys, Colts, Chargers, Patriots et al. Its like the position doesn't even exist on this team anymore, its almost the same with the fullback position. Is it any wonder why this team can't run the ball very effectively and help take pressure off the QB If I triggered an emotional response because of what I wrote, then good. If it gets people looking at the players on that O line instead of pointing fingers at the QB all the time, even better If it gets others thinking and asking why hasn't this team had a decent TE in ten years, then excellent

In your view exactly what has this GM-HC done so far to elicit such confidence?

Just venting.... more then a decade of watching your favorite NFL team make stupid boneheaded decisions at every turn leads to lots of frustration. Looking at this team from a 90's perspective, I never would have thought that in my wildest dreams would this same owner allow another decade of the 70's to repeat itself, only this time it is with the Patriots and Bill Belichick instead of Don Shula and the Dolphins.

Jeez, I didn't realize I would so profoundly affront your righteous hatred for Trent Edwards..... the guy is gone from Buffalo, deal with it. Nobody is asking you to feel empathy for any of the QB's that NFL teams draft and then turn into badly shell shocked players like Carr and Harrington...Edwards and Losman. The entire point was to get the reader to think about what it must be like for a new young player to have his dreams shattered because some crap team drafted him instead of a good team. You know, put yourself in their place... that is, if you can.

I think this years draft class will become a good draft for QB's down the road as almost every QB in this years draft was a developmental QB. In regards to this year being a great draft, I'd think you might want to wait to see who besides Darius (who fell into their laps) will become a starter. You have to look at last year because not one player started on a very bad 4-12 team Lets not forget that NGU stated that if Cam Newton was there Nix would have taken him.... Sorry If I don't get to excited about the up coming year, I'm still waiting to see that elusive baby

I look at teams like Atlanta and Kansas City who went after the Patriots front office personnel to better their teams, In Scott Pioli and Thomas Dimitroff. What better franchise to steal people from then one of the best teams in the NFL the last decade. I guess this Buffalo Bills owner would rather promote a man who should be retired, then that old fool hires a cast off-reject who got fired in his last job, then promotes him to a higher position. Lets continue to scrape the garbage cans over and over rather then hire top men... Shifting gears, Fitz went to Harvard where he played college ball with future doctors and lawyers, a real smart guy as he scored very high on the wonderlic, almost acing it. I have to wonder if he is agonizing at all over this upcoming season or does he love football so much that he is just grateful to be entering the season as a starter for the first time in his career? I mean I would think that someone like Jim Kelly would take one look at this Buffalo Bills offense and say FU, I'm not even going to try and play QB behind that pathetic excuse for an offensive line, you have 3 guys starting that wouldn't even make the roster of any other NFL team. No tight end...Pete, where is Pete... Pete Metzelaars, that near 7 foot tall manster, not here? Oh well, so sorry guys but my back hurts something awful, I won't be able to play.... Stating that, I gotta wonder who in their right mind would want to come play backup QB for this team, they would have to be desperate in terms of needing money or running out of chances to make it. At some point in this up coming season I will wonder as Fitz is taking brutal beatings week after week and running around like a chicken being chased by the farmers wife, a hatchet in her hand. Sitting in the whirlpool and icing his bruises, will he say to himself.... "F" THIS! I want to be able to walk when I'm 50.... I also wonder if players like Trent Edwards become jaded after awhile. They come into the league filled with hopes and dreams and then find out that they are put into an almost untenable situation on some horribly bad team, with bad coaching and bad players.How many severe concussions does to take to wake a player up to the realization that they are simply a commodity that the team must feel can easily be replaced for something better, because this team isn't making much of an effort to protect them. Then fear creeps in that they will surely become a cripple both mentally and physically early in life if they continue to take a beat down every week. To top that off they look around and the media plus most every fan in the world points the finger at them and states they are the problem.

So far that Lemonade is very bitter right now as the team got worse last season and not better! Clearly the difference between Todd Haley and Chan Gailey have been the asistants they chose to hire, or perhaps it was at Scott Pioli's insistence. Nevertheless the turn around from a very bad 2-14 team in 08 to 4-12 in 09, then to 10-6 last year is a very dramatic change. Plus the new GM brought in players thru free agency and the draft that have made an impact. The Bills are still waiting for any of last years drafted players to make a significant impact. -GM failure You think Gailey was the entire reason Fitz played as well as he did last year, I disagree as Fitz was already the chosen starter over Edwards the previous season by Perry Fewell. All Chan Gailey managed to do is waste and entire off season grooming a QB he would cut two weeks into the season. C'mon, tell me that doesn't sound like a complete boneheaded Jauron type move. Edwards cut, Brohm released, looks to me like Gailey already failed on 2 of 3 young QB's so far. Isn't this man supposed to be a QB guru?- coaching failure Gailey names CJ Spiller the starter for the season opener, and he only had 7 attempts for 6 yards, this was the very same RB that Gailey Boldly stated would make the O line block better. This RB didn't know the playbook, he didn't know how to block, couldn't find the hole or run his routes, how does this player even get named starter? Fred Jackson had to enter the game with an injured hand in a cast because the starter didn't have a clue. (Just an interesting side note Spiller has not been practicing with the Bills players this off season that I have heard of, I don't see how he will improve his lot as a RB) - coaching failure Cornell Green, how on gods green earth does this player get signed by the new GM for 3 million a year or more importantly how does he make it to even become a starter at RT, was nobody watching him play in preseason? This player was so bad that he couldn't even step in front of the opposing defender to slow them down for a millisecond - he was benched over some mysterious injury and then quietly released- GM & coaching failure The defense, Perry Fewell had that defense playing better for him then it did with Jauron still they were the 16 ranked defense and the secondary was in the top 5 in 09. Then Gailey took over and the team switched to a 3-4 when they didn't have the personnel for it, the result was a disaster a being the worst defense against the run the Buffalo Bills ever fielded, they ranked 32 in the league against the run.- GM & HC failure The Bills ranked 28th in offense and 28th in defense in 2010 My opinion on Chan Gailey is nothing more then a dick Jauron clone only for the offense. Every area of this team got worse rather then better with one exception, the passing offense and I think that had more to do with Fitz himself as a player then Gailey calling the plays. remember Gailey spent most of the pre season grooming Edwards. Perhaps Gailey and Nix both have this grand 5 year plan that will make everything better by 2015, because at the rate they are going it will take that long. I know I'm in the minority right now about Gailey, sok you guys will come around by next year.

Ya know, everyone looks at the QB and how many games he won, how about we look at the 2008 OC for the Chiefs, 2-14 and the QB slinging the ball all over in losing efforts much the same way Fitz did last year. That same 08 KC team seems so eerily similar to last years Buffalo Bills, with a really bad defense, no running game to speak of and the only bright spot was the QB play in running a spread offense. Now go back and look at the 2010 Chiefs team, only 2 years removed from 2-14 and they make the playoffs, have a top tier QB they are developing and about the best running attack in the NFL now....WHAT HAPPENED! in 09 the Chiefs team president Carl Peterson resigned (it was resign or get fired) the Chiefs then steal the NE Patriots VP of player personnel Scott Pioli and he fires the HC in Herm Edwards and hires OC Todd Haley away away from Arizona. Haley tries to make it work with Gailey but then in pre season when he see's so much difference between they way he wants plays called and the offense run, he fires Gailey 2 weeks before the season starts. Todd Haley set up the Chiefs offense and called the plays himself the team improved from 2-14 to 4-12. Then In the 2010 off season GM Pioli and Haley hire ex-patriots coaches in Romeo Crennel as DC, and Charlie Weis as the OC to run the offense. In one year the team went from 4-12 to 10-6, to #14 in offense and #11 in defense. With Thomas Jones as the lead RB and Jamaal Charles who was the #2 RB in the NFL in rushing last year with 1467 yards on 230 attempts, a 6.4 YPC avg. So to those who say 3 yards and a cloud of dust no longer works had better take a long look at last years Chiefs. The Bottom line in all this is....while everyone is lamenting over the play of the QB.... most are missing the bigger picture. The Chiefs hire some top assistants and get better, way better. The Buffalo Bills hire a bunch of unknown college assistants and get worse. What sucks in my view is that the Bills have an almost viable QB in Fitz who was clearly head and shoulders above anyone the Bills have had at QB in years.(The guy threw for 3000 yards on a totally crap team with both starting WR's on IR) and this GM/HC didn't upgrade his protection. The problem in my view is his OC, his HC, his GM and the defense.

I disagree, the thing holding Fitz back is the surrounding cast around him, and because this staff decided not to draft any help for the offense it will be about the same thing again this year. When you talk about QB accuracy, can you state with 100% certainty that Fitz is the problem and not the WR running the wrong route or being in the wrong position? About the only people who really know the answer to that question are the players and the coaches, and Chan Gailey stated that Fitz's accuracy is more then good enough. Which leads me to think that it might be more then the QB to blame here. Another aspect is the QB throwing the ball away or running with it because no receiver is open, or can't get open fast enough, so stats and percentages really can be misleading. The team lacked solid play at both offensive tackle positions so Fitz was almost constantly under duress with every offensive snap, in some games the man was literally running for his life every play. It was really painful to watch at times last year because that team was just so bad in almost every area. The defense couldn't stop anybody, no pass rush...the O line couldn't protect worth a darn, both starting WR's out on IR, no TE, one RB. There was a reason that team went 4-12 last year, they were simply pathetic The difference between Trent Edwards and Fitzpatrick is that while both have a very fast release, Fitz seemed to be able to find an open receiver down field in 3 seconds or under and not dump the ball off as much to the RB's. Plus he was much more bold and decisive then Edwards,he took chances that Edwards wouldn't take . Dunno, perhaps Edwards didn't trust his receivers and only threw the ball down field if they were wide open. Fitz would try and force the ball into areas like a gunslinger, whereas Edwards would hold the ball and wait for a specific receiver to break open. I believe Chan Gailey when he states he can win with Fitz at QB, the real question is how long can Fitz last running for his life again this year.

Blah Blah Blah....Man, you sure can make up crap as you go just to make yourself believe you are not wrong.... This entire argument was stated BY YOU because I stated I'd rather have Fitz as my QB behind that horrible Buffalo Bills O line. How dare anyone even make the slightest hint that Ryan Fitzpatrick could in any aspect be better then Tom Brady, right? You spew a bunch of condescending BS at people like you know everything there is to know about football, and you don't. Now your off on some tangent about "pocket mobility"... who the freak said anything about pocket mobility, oh yeah, that's right, you did! trying deflect the argument away from the entire point! Fitz didn't even have a freaking pocket to be mobile in most of the time last year you imbecile! Rushing yards has everything to do with what happens once the pocket breaks down, try and grasp the concept of.... there is no pocket! I watched Fitz all last season play behind one of the worst O lines ever, he had no pocket to slide around in, and it was either throw the ball up for grabs, take the sack or try and make something positive out of nothing, which he did most of the time. Most of last season was a jailbreak for opposing defenses because they would get the lead, usually by running the ball down the Buffalo Bills throats to 200+ yards a game and then pin their ears back in coming after Fitz. The guy was either able to get rid of the ball to an open receiver in under 3 seconds or he would escape the pass rush and try and make a first down by running the ball. BTW, that 6.7 YPC avg per rush Fitz had was as good as Micheal Vick was last year

First off I don't own an X box, but you must considering you know so much about them. The discussion was not about how many games missed due to injury, it was about how many injuries, and Brady has suffered many injuries over the years and waits until the off season for surgery unless he is forced to like in 08, nice try at deflecting Exactly how many rushing yards did Tom Brady have last year vs Fitz, and that has everything to do with his 40 time and mobility. Fitz had 40 rushing attempts for 269 yards a 6.7 yd/avg, Tom Brady had 31 attempts for 30 yards, that's right a 1.0 yd/avg --Fitz got those rushing yards because he was forced out of the pocket and HAD to run for his life! Again, for someone who is so positive they know what they are talking about, you sure don't have a single clue! Is Tom Brady a better QB then Fitz, heck yeah! Would I rather have Tom Brady as my starting QB, heck yea.... If i also had the Patriots O line.

Yea sure, keep telling yourself that Tom Brady is an elite mobile QB....Tom Brady run a 5.23 40 yd dash at his combine workout bright boy and is about a supreme a pocket passer as they come. He will never ever be known as a mobile QB, except of course in your delusions. and keep comparing back up QB Matt Cassell, a guy who didn't start one single game in college and hadn't started a game as QB since high school to Tom Brady a SB winning QB, the guy was just learning how to play QB in the NFL after Brady was injured AND he still almost took that team to the playoffs with an 11-5 record. That in itself shows that Belichick could plug in an unknown scrub back up QB into the lineup and the team still wins. How nice, you listed the amount of sacks allowed by that dominate NE O line for me, all that shows is that the Patriots have one of the very best O lines in the NFL and allow the fewest sacks in the NFL. Not to mention that the Patriots have an elite receiving corps, elite coaches and a great offensive scheme. You don't see Brady on injury reports from the Patriots because Bill Belichick likes to screw with the media in that regard. Brady lost an entire season in 08 due to a serious knee injury, he hurt his shoulder and hand in 09 and in 2010 last year he had a foot injury that required off season surgery....so much for that one fluke injury. For someone who is so positive they know what they are talking about, you sure don't have a single clue.

You are correct, there is no evidence Fitz is the long term answer at QB. Also, I'm not debating that Fitz is a top ten QB and he might not ever be simply because his surrounding cast on that O line is still so bad What stands out to me is Fitz's QB play last season over Trent Edwards and Brian Brohm with the same O line and surrounding cast. This particular team is still so far removed from the playoffs considering the division they play in, plus the fact that the team basically ignored the offense in this years draft. I think Fitz will get somewhat better this year as he will get the majority of reps in camp, he will have both Parish and Evans at the start of the season and who knows perhaps that O line and offense might improve a little with some continuity. The entire season will be dependent on how well that offensive line can block and protect Fitz Interesting to see PFF rate Fitz in the top 20 QB's for 2011 http://www.profootba...s-ppr-rankings/ Even LT Bell knows he needs to improve, which is a good sign http://espn.go.com/b...le-bell-on-hold "The lockout is hurting me," Bell said. "I'm still in my learning stages. I'm still picking up the game, still getting stronger. I'm not where I want to be, and this lockout is hitting me hard. I have to find ways on my own to keep my stride, to keep learning, to keep improving."

In response to the OP point...READ THIS! From Lee Evans, per ESPN "It's hard, especially at the quarterback position, to come in and take control as he did," Evans said. "You have to take your hat off to him. It's a remarkable feat to come in and do what he did last year. "Had we been doing it from the beginning, he would have been that much better even earlier. Given all that, I think he did well, and this year, with him knowing that he's the No. 1 quarterback, that gives everybody a vote of confidence moving forward." The change sparked the offense, but it remained erratic. In essence, Fitzpatrick was working through his version of training camp on Sunday afternoons. "He has the respect and the confidence of everybody on the team," Evans said. "He's the type of quarterback that can communicate with you on and off the field. He leads by example, and not just what he says. He's smart enough to be able to handle situations. Guys trust in him and believe in him." http://espn.go.com/b...to-back-edwards The players know what this guy did with basically one WR because both Parish and Evans were on IR, ML traded away and Spiller benched and Jackson the only decent RB, NO TIGHT END , a crap O line From: Pro Football Focus, This was originally titled "Right Tackle", but given Demetrius Bell (-12.9) didn't play all that impressively for the Bills it was changed to "Offensive Tackle". In 2010, the Bills simply could not find an answer at right tackle despite giving four guys the opportunity to win the job. Erik Pears (-0.3), Cornell Green (-4.5), Mansfield Wrotto (-10.8), and Cord Howard (-19.5) all played 60+ snaps but their combined play put them third to last of all tackles. Demetrius Bell – despite starting every game for the Bills at left tackle – was hardly better than his teammates on the right end of the line. Bell finished the season as the 52nd ranked tackle in 2010. He allowed the fifth most QB hits with 10, which won't win him many favors with Fitzpatrick or whoever else winds up being the quarterback in Buffalo. On a positive note, Bell was tied for ninth place among tackles by only allowing 4 sacks all year (minimum of 850 snaps). The tight end position was a black hole for the Bills. The tight ends as a group only managed 23 receptions, 187 yards, and 1 touchdown – the single worst production from a group of tight ends in the NFL. http://www.profootba...-buffalo-bills/ To Alphadouche, Like I said, Tom Brady wouldn't last one game behind that Buffalo Bills O line simply because the guy is always getting injured behind one of the best O lines in the game. Payton Manning wouldn't last one game either, both those QB's don't play well when they are running for their lives every down like Fitz does, even playing behind their own proven better O lines. Stating that, both those teams drafted early for the O line because their teams realize that unless they have a wall of great blockers they won't win the SB. Something that obviously escapes the Bills coaches-GM What I didn't say is that Fitz is the better QB behind a good or even half-way decent O line. Both Brady and Manning are two sure fire HoF QB's who both have good to great O lines, great receiving corps and play in a great offensive schemes with great coaches! BTW, good to know I can slot you in right next to "paintmyhouse"

Guys, he is probably just some bored dolphin dufas that wants to stir things up. Considering how bad that Buffalo Offensive line is I'd rather have Fitz as my QB then any other AFC East QB, including Tom Brady. If Brady suffers many injuries playing behind the great wall of NE, he would get killed trying to play behind the many clowns on that Buffalo line, and wouldn't last one game.

Lots never see that many consecutive starts and therefore never fully develop as a QB. not many back ups can make it if they never get the chance to start. How many chances does a 7th rounder get as starter vs a 1st rounder, even if he looks great in practice most teams will play the early picks before the later picks and give them more reps. Bill Walsh stated that it took an avg QB 3-4 years to fully develop, meaning with the same coaches, in the same system and as the starter.

The comparison was to JP Losman not Fitz, at least JP can make an actual come back... last I knew Henry is doing 3 years in a federal prison for drug trafficking!

I'll wait until August rolls around before I actually start to think that there will be no NFL season. I can't see Jerry Jones letting that huge new stadium he just built sit there empty, by the same token I can't see the players actually going without a paycheck. One or the other will cave... So if there really is no NFL season (which I highly doubt) I'll watch more college ball.

You can't compare what happened to JP to what happened with Henry, one is a criminal and the other just had the bad luck to be coached by morons. I wouldn't want to see either back as a Buffalo Bill

No matter how you spin it...there simply is no bright side to a decade of bad drafting!

To me, Ryan Fitzpatrick was a football GOD last season! The man managed to take one of the worst O lines in the NFL and make them somewhat viable. Its why Trent Edwards and Brian Brohm looked so bad behind that same O line. No running game to speak of, one WR most of the season, no TE. I mean WTF.... Just like Fred Jackson has managed to do the last few years, that O line isn't the reason he has a +4 YPC avg, its because he makes the first two tacklers miss. Its why Marshawn Lynch looked so bad most of the time, he was always getting hit behind the line of scrimmage. This might be Fitz's team, but who knows how many games he will be able to run for his life behind that unbelievably bad O line. When Fitz does go down, and he will.... you will see what an actual bad QB looks like when the back up comes in.

Its not just drafting well, a team can have the best talent in the NFL on both sides of the ball, if they don't have the proper talent coaching the team ...they aren't going very far. The thing is... everything usually goes hand in hand, you hire a top GM - president who has a very bright football mind, and let them make all the personnel decisions like Ralph did with Tom Donahoe. He had the right idea, just the wrong person. So fire him and hire someone better, If the guy isn't brilliant and makes stupid moves, then fire him and start over. I just don't get the idea that if you a mistake with a bad hire..... like he has done with many many head coaches, just fire the guy, find a replacement and move on. Don't let some moronic head coach take over and make all the wrong moves, like RW did with Jauron What gets me is why Donahoe was hired in the first place, the man lost an internal power struggle with Bill Cowher, who was obviously the one making the correct decisions on talent. It shows me that whatever football acumen that RW had in hiring HC Chuck Knox and GM Bill Polian must have been pure dumb luck, because he hasn't been able to ever replace either man. Bill Polian was a brilliant GM for the Buffalo Bills and then GM & president of the SB winning Colts as we sadly all know. Chuck Knox was a brilliant HC, he managed to build a playoff team despite the fact he had a moron as his GM above him in Stew Barber....stewie. The man was a supreme motivator and had a great eye for talent. Doesn't it bother anyone else that when this owner finds a man who can lead his team to the playoffs...he somehow finds a reason to get rid of them.