thewildrabbit

From Week 14, What really bothers me in all this was pre draft we all heard that the Bills were very high on Beckham. Then after the draft we hear the choice would have been TE Eric Ebron if the Bills weren't able to make that trade for Sammy. WTF happened? Oh well, here is this weeks update, as Odell Beckham Jr rallies past Mike Evans #20th now to #14 overall in yards. Current ranking, latest game stats. #14 NY Giants Odell Beckham Jr - 12 rec 143 yards, 3 TD's - just freaking unreal for a rookie. Positively the #1 candidate for offensive rookie of the year with two games remaining. #19 Carolina Kelvin Benjamin - 8 rec, 104 yards #20 Tampa Bay Mike Evans -2 rec, 13 yards, 1 TD #26 Buffalo Sammy Watkins - 1 rec, 28 yards #45 Philly Jordan Matthews - 0 #47 Miami Jarvis Landry - 8 rec, 99 yards #59 Jacksonville Allen Hurns - 6 rec, 70 yards #67 Arizona John Brown - 2 rec, 22 yards #74 New Orleans Brandin Cooks, 0 Broke his thumb, and has been on IR for a few weeks now. #86 Pittsburgh Martavis - 3 rec 31 yards

Not every assistant coach becomes a successful NFL head coach in their first attempt. Bill Belichick come to mind as he took the Browns to the playoffs, and next year was fired. His defense was #1 that year, and slid to 24th the next. In 1994 Pete Carroll was the 6-10 NY Jets HC, and then in 1997 the Patriots HC after taking over from Bill Parcells 10-6, 9-7, 8-8. He didn't become a good NFL HC until his 3rd attempt Jim Caldwell took over the Colts in 2009 from Tony Dungy, and went 14-2 and to a SB. To 10-6 in 2010. To 2-14 in 2011. Now he has another chance this year with the Lions, and his team (10-6) is fielding one of the best defenses in the NFL. NFN, but IMO, it was Schwartz that built that #1 defense. All I seem to recall is that every year that Lions QB Matthew Stafford was either injured or fell on his face at the end of every season. Who knows why he failed in Detroit, all I do know is that Schwartz will get another shot at HC, and soon.

Ya might consider Philbin as soft, and yet his teams have beaten the Patriots once every year he has been HC. How many games has Marrone won against Belichick? Philbin was hindered by the moron of a GM in Jeff Ireland, and they fired him last year to our dismay. This season the Dolphins lost their starting RB early, and their starting LT. Besides, this is a new OC for who has no prior experience at OC. So, this can't be easy for Tallywhacker. Still, it was their defense that let them down more the last two games IMO. Looks like Philbin is training his assistants as he goes.

When the team changes general managers they usually want people under them that is of their choosing. 2012 Philbin 7-9 split with Patriots 2013 Philbin 8-8 split with Patriots 2014 Philbin currently 7-7 (split with Patriots) with games against the Vikings & Jets at Miami. That said, I gotta believe that the owners think that they only way to be successful in the AFC East is to beat Bill Belchick consistently. Whats crazy is the Dolphins have a ton of players on IR this year

Sometimes FG's are all you need to win, just ask Chiefs last year at RWS. Hey man, I agree that the Bills offense simply isn't very good. That Kyle Orton has a lot to do with that. I've never touted him as being a top QB, but he is a decent game manager along the lines of an Alex Smith. Give him a decent line, and run game and I'd think we would be seeing a different player. I look at the NFL game as a chess match between master players (OC vs DC) who can read moves ahead by watching previous game film and are prepared in advance for anything. Jim Schwartz having been the HC in Detroit was there long enough to know that Packers offense very well, and he knows Aaron Rodgers tendency's. Hence a great defensive game masterminded by a top DC that limited the supposed MVP to his worst game ever! OTOH, Now some chess players are limited in their thinking and simply can't see ahead or even whats going on during a game. Let me just add WR Mike Williams after the Texans game where he had 2 rec for 84 yards, and caught a TD pass. He remarked after the game "we adjusted a little too late" He went on to say that they expected the Texans to be in a certain defensive scheme, and they came out something different all game. Williams went on to remark that entire event, that when you prepare for one thing and they are playing another. "things tend to not work". The Bills didn't shift their offensive scheme until late into the 3rd quarter is a big reason as to why EJ looked so lost in that game. Bills fans stating that Nathaniel Hackett is in over his head is not an overstatement. The Bills need a surgeon with a scalpel, and instead have a simpleton with a dull chisel

The Raiders aren't playing for no stinking draft pick. That entire team is playing for their jobs, as is the HC who wants the job permanently. They have a rookie QB starting, and have the worst offense in the league in yards, and an almost equally bad defense. Still they beat the Chiefs, 49ers at Oakland the last three weeks. QB Derek Carr's record is 2-12 with 18 TD's, 11 INT's This could be a big time trap game should the Bills play down to their opponent.

To the less stubborn, and more open minded fans. Think about what Aaron Rodgers would look like with a lousy offensive coaching staff, behind a bad O line, with a WR corps that has a 2nd year player as the most experienced man. Then think about how Aaron Rodgers looked like yesterday with a great coaching staff, great receiver corps, and decent line playing against a strong defensive unit when things don't go your way. Lets face some facts here, the Bills offense has played against better defenses this season. The Lions #1, Denver #4, Jets, Miami, KC, SD all have top ten defenses. Kyle Orton has never looked as bad as Rodgers did yesterday, and in fact did enough with the offense to seal the win, as 4 FG's helped get that win. Given the QB's current surrounding cast I'm not ready to indict the QB, and throw him in the trash.

and that just by seeing who is on the field, and what formation the Bills are in... I'd have to say that most of the Bills fans out there just don't get the nuances of what a top NFC OC could do vs what we are currently seeing on the field. Most all of them just want to point at the QB, and always will, as blaming the QB is always the easiest solution. Hackett does indeed need to go, and the Bills need to hire an OC with as much knowledge about the offense as Schwartz has on the defense. I think the results here would be rather spectacular in terms of scoring TD's. Anyway, I've changed my stance on Marrone after learning that he wanted Urbik out of there, and the FO told him he is a fine OG. I'm thinking he is being overruled on the players he wants, and doesn't want. So, not much he can do, but make do with what players he has on offense. Now all I can do is hope that the Pegula's hire that senior adviser. While Whaley has done a brilliant job in every other aspect of the team, I just don't get the bad O line acquisitions, and the desire to retain some sub par players. Lastly, we might have to endure another year of this regime intact, along with the same players. I just don't get how these changes to the OC & line weren't thought out, and proper choices made last off season.

Offensive

Can'tHackett

Jim Schwartz has got to be fielding the best Buffalo Bills defensive team I've ever seen. I've been a Buffalo Bills fan longer then I can remember, and I can remember OJ running the rock. First shutting out Peyton Manning's steak of 51 straight games with a TD pass last week. To shutting down the hottest team, QB in the NFL in Aaron Rodgers this week. The cheese heads left the stadium crying real tears. Man 0 Man what a great defensive effort! Aaron Rodgers 17 / 42 185 yards,0 TD's, 2 INT's- 34.3 QBR This QB has only thrown 3 INT's all year up until this game, and all 3 were tipped.

I love me some Fredex!

Buffalo change play callers? So much running

A championship defense shutting down the hottest QB in the league....with an expansion team offense.

you are correct in that TP stated recently that he would wait, and depending on how the team performed he might not hire a consultant at all. I think its now a forgone conclusion to expect a consultant to be hired, and even changes to the offense. These new owners have a history of hiring some very smart people to help run their businesses. I suspect they have already made some contacts and are simply waiting for the season to end to make announcements.

Out of courtesy to the former CEO, I would think that the Pegula's gave him the season to see if the people he had a hand in hiring could get the team to the playoffs. They realized how much the former owner trusted Russ Brandon to name him CEO, and wanted to give him the full opportunity to see if the all the "continuity" talk he was making would prove fruitful. I'll bet that even after the season ends and the teams offense is still in the bottom 10 in the league, that Brandon is still talking continuity. Fortunately, I believe that the new owners will hire a senior NFL consultant, and perhaps even someone like Bill Polian. Then I believe that the new adviser will suggest hiring a team president to run the football side of operations like Green Bays GM Ted Thompson. From there I would think that changes will be forthcoming on the offensive side of the ball. Pure speculation on my part...along with a whole bunch of hoping.

ouch To the OP's question, only on offense...only on offense

Money reasons. He is the last of the big paychecks to the drafted #1 QB's. Unless he renegotiates. No, bad teams retain the same FO staff of losers like Detroit did with Matt Millen as team president for 7 years. In Buffalo's case they were held back by a micromanaging owner the last 15 years. A man who notoriously was always interfering where he had no business being involved in, as he was the team president. When he was no longer able to be in complete charge of the team he made the marketing / money man in Russ Brandon the CEO. The top of the food chain in the buffalo Bills Org. You know, the marketing guy that is supposedly not involved in the football side of things that has a radio show on a sports talk show. The Bills have new owners who have already shown that they are apprehensive in making changes unless they are warranted. I would say the way this offense has been run this year that changes are warranted. The QB's all regressed, the O line regressed to one of the worst in the NFL. The run game regressed. 24th to 28th most of the season is bad in my view. Why on gods green earth would anyone in their right mind want to keep the current offensive coaching staff? I suppose there were fans who wanted to keep George Edwards, Dave Wannstedt too.

Just look back to what George Edwards did with all the talent on defense 9 of 11 starting players were either 1st or 2nd round draft picks. Then Dave Wannstedt took over, and was actually worse. The Bills hired Mike Petting, and the change was startling with blitzes all over the place. Now this season with just rushing the same from four that Pettine had, and even minus stud LBer Kikio. Schwartz to his credit is fielding a top 5 defense, and looks to be easily good enough to help a team with a decent offense to a playoff berth. On offense last year the new HC didn't hire a QB coach, and didn't have a veteran QB on the roster to help guide the three rookie QB's on the roster. Now this year all three of those QB regressed badly, Tuel on the practice squad, Thad Lewis is gone, and I'm thinking if EJ wasn't a #1 pick he also might join Tuel on the PS. Anyway, EJ regressed and was benched. Kyle Orton is just an average Joe at QB, and yet the morons running the offense this season continuously call for 40+ passes a game while rushing it only 20. This last game against Denver it was 57 passes, 16 rushes. All this passing with not much rushing has always been a formula for losing, and its usually what you see from the losing QB on a losing team. This offense is ranked 24th to 28th, and is a bad team with some great to superstar players. You don't see other teams using their star rookie WR's as decoys! The current coaches couldn't figure out how to get Spiller in space like Gailey used to do. The run game is predictable, and simplistic with 70% of the runs right up the middle. The offensive passing game is simplistic, and limited to the limitations of the play caller. Bills fans KNOW that a change in coaches on the offensive side will be similar to changing from the bad DC's (Edwards & Wannstedt) to Pettine, Schwartz. Plus, if the Bills make the right choice the first time in an OC next year the offense could get so much better right away.

good stuff, thanks for posting I don't think the Bills will have any trouble signing any new HC or OC they want, as the new owners are 100% dedicated to winning, and are some of the richest in the league. Marrone was hired by the old regime with Russ Brandon at the top of the food chain. The Bills can now afford one of the higher priced head coaches, like the Bill Belichick's, Pete Carroll's, Sean Payton's, Jim Harbaugh's, Tom Coughlin's of the world. Shoot, they could even lure "the Chin" out of the TV studio if they so desired.

First thing the Pegula's should do is fire the offensive part of the scouting staff, or whomever oversees that part of the scouting dept. If the Bills hadn't been able to trade up for Sammy the first two picks would have been Eric Ebron, Cyrus Kouandjio Some people, somewhere are giving Whaley some really bad advice.

From what we can gather after EJ spoke to the media not long ago, he is learning quite a bit from watching Orton in the film room, as he directs what plays he wants to run during the upcoming game. He is learning the line protections, learning to read the defenses, and watches Orton on how he changes the play or switches up the primary target. After having read that I'm 100% positive that Hackett is basically worthless to the younger QB's in just about every aspect, and almost equally worthless to Orton. Nobody is saying Kyle Orton is great, and what some of us are trying to relay is that he is nothing more then an average. But, he is being held back by someone who knows less then he does about NFL play calling. Orton would benefit greatly by having someone like ex Colts OC Tom Moore guiding him. He would benefit greatly with a better line, and actual run game that worked to get first downs when needed. But then, so would EJ.

If he should get anymore of that innovation next season he shortly will turn invisible.

The game was close enough that a good onside kick, then 40 yards and a TD when the Bills offense is actually scoring TD's in the red zone, and its a tie game. I'd call that pretty close! The offense has been bad the last year with other QB's who all regressed under the current OC. Strange that 2nd year QB's all should deteriorate so profoundly, and so quickly. That is what we call the Can't Hackett effect! I'll bet that if you asked his teammates if they wanted him as the starter it would be a resounding yes! Orton can't make up for a lack of run game like the one helping Fitz win games in Houston, and he can't make up for the bad O line like the one that is helping Tony Romo. Orton certainly can't make up for the bad coaching like the one that is 9-4 in Philly with Mr Butt Fumble starting or the one that is 11-3 with some complete scrubs at QB. I have to think that both Bruce Arians, and Chip Kelly would love them some Kyle Orton right about now.