All_Pro_Bills

What Parker is doing is representing the interests of his client in a way consistent with Byrd's objectives and instructions. Parker isn't out to screw the Bills for some personal satisfaction. As I always believed, Byrd's main goal, for whatever reason, appears to be to get out of Buffalo. That's what Parker is setting up here. From what I hear of the money offer from the Bills it sounded more than reasonalbe and subject to a little negotiation back and forth on duration, guaranteed money, and total dollars. You'd think two motivated parties could get a dealfrom there that would make both sides happy. But you can't negotiate with somebody that is not interested in negotiating.

I'm not sure that Marrone was unhappy or had any desire to replace Pettine at the end of the season. But once it became clear he was going to be hired by Cleveland and the opportunity of bringing in Schwartz presented itself he acted quickly. It could have been a plan or maybe he just stumbled onto a potential upgrade through a series of unexpected events.

Good points and to summarize your detailed analysis, the advantages of running a no huddle/hurry up are negated if you don't score points or sustain a significant number of high play count drives. And the Bills did not score enough points and had too many 3 and outs which rendered that approach a tactical disadvantage. Hopefully, learning curve of the coaching staff isn't too steep here and they make some adjustments.

Having people leave for promotions can be an indicator of a well run,high performance organization. At least it is in the business world and I don't see much different between that and the coaching profession. Sports is after all, an entertainment business. I'm not saying the Bills are in this category yet but losing people isn't always a bad thing. It means competitors value your people so there is some recongnition that you're doing something right. Organizations like this, tend to attract good people. People interested in doing a superior job and moving up in their respective industry. The fact the Bills landed Shwartz, apparently their first choice for the DC job, is in my view an encouraging sign that the culture here is changing for the better. The next step is to get some results on the field next season. As for Pettine and his coaches, no hard feelings and good luck to them in Cleveland except when they play the Bills.

Maybe Life Alert can do a commerical deal with the woman he left to die in the street?

Coaches leave teams all the time. It happens every year. Its not so much the coaches that are important but rather the philosophy and system being employed by the team. What you need is a DC that understands that and can execute that system. In this case, Marrone wanted to run a pressure type defense vs. something like read and react and found Pettine (who had the experience and knowledge to run and design the details) to execute that system. Lets see who they bring in prior to hitting the panic button.

If the Browns do hire Pettine then good luck to him in Cleveland. But the way the entire process is being played out the past week tells me they like Mike but they seem to be holding out for someone they like better that might pan out. If it doesn't they have their backup plan in place. Either way there are only 32 of these jobs out there for the coaching profession. I'm probably in the minority here but I think the Bills will be okay here. Pettine brought a more dynamic scheme to the Bills defense but it is in no way unique or groundbreaking. Many other teams run similar systems. So while identifying and hiring a replacement DC is a major task its no reason to panic. Other than a philosophical difference in approach to bring more pressure on the QB which lead to more sacks and turnovers the Bills defense still gave up way too many yards on the ground and way too many big plays over 20+ yards. They surrendered about a FG less per game 2013 vs. 2012. I'm not attempting to downplay the contributions Mike made to the team, rather pointing out that everybody is replaceable.

I would be shocked if Cleveland offered the job to Pettine given the circumstances of the Browns current situation. The most likely scenario is an NFL team wouldn't hire a DC with just 1 season of experience away from his mentor. The wildcard here is that we're talking about an owner and front office that appears dysfunctional so maybe they buck the odds..

Along with all those Super Bowl Champions hats and shirts for the losing team that get produced before the big game!

The Lynch trade comes up every time Seattle makes some noise. But the Lynch trade might not be the worst all-time for the Bills, not even close. For old-timers (sorry for that label guys) who lived through the AFL days trading Daryle Lamonica to the Raiders might be remembered as the worst trade ever. Lamonica finished his career with a 90% winning percentage, highest in the history of pro football.

Didn't see this discussed anywhere today. SI's latest mock draft version 4.0 has Bills taking TE Ebron with their pick at 9. Good choice but If it falls this way I would prefer either Watkins or Mosley. http://nfl.si.com/2014/01/08/2014-nfl-mock-draft-johnny-manziel-2/ Thoughts on the three?

Don't think the Bills should pull the plug on EJ after season one but they need to have a viable "Plan B" for the 2014 beyond Tuel and Lewis. That plan might not be selecting another QB at #9 in round 1 but it should include taking a look at free agent veterans and determining which can be a clear upgrade in proven performance (not potential) over the current #2 and #3 QB's on the roster now. They can't go into the 2014 season banking on improvement from Manuel and if it doesn't materialize be faced with the prospect of accepting another 6-10 season. The defense should improve with a season of the new system under their belt and the likelihood of plugging in 1 or 2 upgrades to the starting lineup has the potential to be top 5 against run and pass. And on the other side of the ball addressing needs at WR, G, and TE (maybe OT) could solidfy this unit. And even if EJ improves to the point of just average it should be enough to post 3 or 4 more wins. But if he doesn't you better have somebody on the roster that can take over.

The draft class looks to be very deep this year so trading back to collect a few more picks might be a good strategy. But that might work against finding somebody willing to trade back unless its a team that's in love with a particular player. Maybe Dallas would jump at the chance to pick Manziel for example, because Jerry likes to make a splash and draw the spotlight (and maybe truly has lost confidence in Romo depite public statements?). The decision to accept a trade-back offer might boil down to the difference between selecting one 'game changer' vs. two 'good' players. Given the Bills have a few holes, but not as many as year past, is this the right approach? I am not sure. Lets say Mack is still on the board, which seem unlikely to me right now at #9. If you can get one guy to potentially set up your defense to be dominant top 5, run and pass, does it make sense to trade back and pick up a guard and tight end on the other side of the ball?

Kudos to the OP for the lengthy analysis of the options presented. Whether I agree or not I am impressed by the amount of thought and effort that went into it. In my view it will be a major mistake for the Bills to go into the 2014 assuming that EJ Manuel, or Lewis, or Tuel, can be a consistent and competent starting NFL caliber QB in 2014. EJ's grade to this point is incomplete given his the amount of practice and playing time he missed in pre-season and the regular season. His performance was uneven and in my opinion even declined as the season progressed. The team needs to consider a veteran free agent option. I wouldn't go so far as to suggest they should pursue a guy like Cutler but there will be some options out there that should be considered in the event EJ does not progress. Unless they believe Lewis or Tuel will be adaquate in place of EJ you can't take that risk. The bottom line is that given what we've seen to this point I can't see how anyone can conclude with any certainty that EJ is up to the task of playing the NFL QB position at a high performance level. High enough to get this team into the playoffs and make the one or two big time plays needed to win those close games that will get the team to the 10 or 11 win level. The Marrone plan was for year one to be the time for on the job training for EJ. The fact that circumstances prevented it from producing the desired result doesn't mean it shifts to year two. With the foundations of a solid defense and the expectation that a few weak spots on both sides of the ball are going to get addressed this team can't afford to 'nurse' a 2nd year QB while all other areas of the team are 'playoff ready'. They owe it to the fans and veteran players not to 'waste' another year on developing a QB that may or may not develop. Spend the money to bring in somebody that has already demonstrated the abiltiy to do the job.

The Bills need to assess the available free agent veteran QB's available bring one of them in to be that leader and potential starter should EJ not improve enough to earn the starting job. They can't devote season-two of the Marrone era to another year of on-the-job rookie QB training experiment. That is what this season was supposed to be about but injuries and the missed playing time didn't let that happen. Year one was about putting in the foundation, year two is about seeing some success and pushing for the playoffs not repeating the failed mission of training a QB while another season of every other players careers are wasted. Year two is about results and not promise, period. Nothing less.

I'm not clear how you can say TL was 'awful' yesterday. His stat line was a respectable 16 for 29 for 247 yards and 1 TD with 4 sacks. While he missed on a few passes he was also victim of a couple drops, notably Grahams 4th down drop that hit him in the numbers. The typical kind of bonehead play or two the Bills throw in that blows any chance to win games against good teams. And given the conditions Brady was less than exceptional yesterday too. The Bills did not lose the game as a result of Thad Lewis' performance. Regardless, I do tend to agree with Bill in NYC's assessment that if you had to pick EJ or TL to play a game right now all things equal you'd have to pick Lewis. Its a matter of observed performance over potential. A big part of this season was about finding out if Manuel was going to be 'the guy'. Given time missed that is inconclusive. The Bills simply cannot afford to go into next season assuming Manuel is going to be the uncontested starter. Frankly I didn't see enough good things out of him to determine if he has the 'it' factor to be a franchise type QB and if he can't shake the injury bug durability issues are going to creep into the conversation. What concerns me most with EJ is that he was advertised as having a strong arm but I did not see much throwing into tight coverage, zipping the ball, putting some hard, tight, fast throws on the target. He seemed tentative, to be aiming the ball, and floating the ball. Minimally, the Bills need to bring in another veteran to do more than mentor EJ. They need somebody that can push him and if needed be a competent starter to point a lot more points on the board next season. We can't waste what is expected to be an improved and possiblly elite defense with a few additions stacked with veteran players and another year of Fred Jackson and Spiller with on-the-job training of an unproven QB. The Bills need to win in 2014, nothing less is going to be considered success.

Like Benjamin too but I think he's going to be a 2nd round selection pending the BCS title game and Draft Combine to give teams more info. Mack LB or Lewan OT in round one and Benjamin in the round two would fill 2 of 3 critical needs and the Bills have signifcant cap money to sign Byrd and pursue free agents..

The longer Cowher is out of coaching the less likely it is for him to return. He's got a pretty good in-studio gig right now with CBS. Not a lot of travel, much less stress, and a lot less demanding of his time than an NFL head coaching position. I'm not clear why a guy in his position, considering he's already achieved the ultimate goal of winning a Super Bowl, would be interested in any NFL head coaching job right now considering the demands of the job. As for Marrone, I think its a way too early after just one season to conclude the guy doesn't have what it takes to be a successful head coach. The problem we as Bills fans have, me included, is that after 14 seasons of not sniffing the playoffs we've become understandably impatient. We've been patient for the entire 21st century and have gotten nothing to show for that, we want to see some results ASAP. And if we start to get that Groundhog Day sense that we've seen this before then all the alarms start going off. I understand the OP's point of view but I believe the team and staff has a different 'feel' at the end of this season and I expect Marrone is going to assess the season, learn from what worked and what didn't, then make some changes, and deliver.

Over these 4 games the Jets turned the ball over 18 times vs. the Pats 2. That pretty much says it all..

I'll be satisfied if the Bills defense shows no fear or awe and gives Brady and NE's offense the same inhospitable and physical treatment they just applied to the Dolphins. There's nothing to lose here. Play aggressive, physical man-to-man at the line of scrimmage and knock the receivers off their timing and cross patterns. Bust up those set pick plays, the crossing patterns over the middle and to the sidelines. Cover the 15+ dump-offs to the the RB circling out of the backfield that always go for decent yardage. Be ready for those triple set quick screens to the left and right. Bring pressure on Brady up the middle, get your arms up in the passing lanes, get in his face, put him on his back side a dozen times. On offense protect the football, no cheap turnover points. And if they happen to win I'd consider it a little something extra to toast on New Years Eve!

Yesterday's win was a great effort against a Miami team fighting for a playoff spot but also to me a hollow victory. It left me asking where this effort was coming off the bye week when it would have mattered against the Falcons, Steelers, and Buc's? Win 2 of those 3 and we'd have a great shot at the final playoff spot and next Sunday's game would mean something. Now, while a Bills win might make us feel better going in to the off-season for all practical purposes all it does is drop them out of a top 10 spot in the draft. I don't see the Bills beating NE next week with the Colts and Bengals right behind them for the #2 spot and a bye week at stake. If NE loses and Cincinnati and Indianapolis both win they'd all finish at 10-5. I'm not clear on all the tie breakers but the Bengals beat them in week 5. I hate but in some ways respect that team and I suspect they'll come in and take care of business with the 2 seed on the line. On the positive side I see a Bills defense (that gave up too many big plays all season - 20+ yards) that has evolved over the course of the season and has the potential to become a top 5 with an upgrade at OLB to go along with a year of experience with Pettine's system. The offense needs upgrades at WR and O-line (and TE?) along with EJ staying healthy and demonstrating some signiciant improvement in playing the pro game. A veteran back up without a concusion history too. Keeping Byrd would be a plus. Also need a new punter because it looks like Moorman is done.

When the forecast calls for snow in NY/NJ metro area you'll see the first ten minutes of the local news devoted to stories about the impending storm focusing on the forecast, the preparations of local towns and cities, and interviews with individuals they can find (usually at the store buying shovels and salt). The supermarkets are total choas the night before, people emptying the shelves of all the bread, milk, and eggs in the store. Why they don't have enough food at home already for one day is never questioned nor is what appears to be a local traditonal of eating eggs and drinking milk when it snows. Living in NJ and being from WNY, it's a constant source of entertainment and humor for me. This all for what usually amounts to 3 or 4 inches of snow. And since most drivers don't understand the concept of altering their driving behavior to align with the road and weather conditions there are usually a lot of accidents. I suspect they'll have a significant snow removal force assembled for the SuperBowl but if its a lot of snow it might be a problem. And nothing much they can do about the cold temperatures.

Would love to see the Bills knock off NE but I doubt it will happen. Because it just cannot be allowed to happen. Call me cynical but the league won't want it to happen and the officials will make sure it doesn't. Just like they've done 2 or 3 times for them already this season. With the Bills leading by 2 points with under a minute left they'll get flagged for a 40 yard PI call on 4th and 20 from the NE 10 when replay shows the defender never touched the receiver. A couple more plays and they're in position to kick a 52 yard FG to win the game. And since nobody ever seems to miss a long FG against the Bills the home team gets into the playoffs a 24-23 win. And we get to watch the stinkin' replay of the kick all night on ESPN/NFL Network without mention of the bogus PI call.

Jerry Jones believes he's doing a fantastic job as GM and hiring someone to act as GM is unnecessary. If you understand his view of what the GM is expected to do in his organization you'll know why. Jerry thinks the job of the 'personnel guys' is to bring the facts about a specific player to the owner, lay out their arguments, present the alternatives, and then sit back and let the owner make the final decision. The GM in his mind is absolutely not a person that is capable or empowered to make a decision without full involvement and consent from the owner. This isn't meddling, this is micro-managing the organization and having such a bloated ego that you believe you're the smartest guy in the room no matter what the subject. I'd be surprised if the guy in the mail room can lick a stamp at Cowboy Stadium without getting approval. Business marketing, football personnel, deep space astronomy, you name it. Jerry's the guy. And after all, its his money and the Cowboys are the 'toy' he paid for. Why should he pay somebody else to play with it? He won't get rid of Romo if only because doing so will be an admission that his judgment about TR was incorrect. And for an ego-maniac to admit they are wrong is near impossible. So maybe the folks here thinking he might target Manziel are right because in Jerry's world the Cowboys always believe the team is just one player away and Johnny Football is the guy that can create the buzz they need to keep the dream alive for at least another season.

The real problem is the Bills had no 'Plan B' here and the value of Levitre is relative to the alternatives the team has available. Which given what we've seen from the play at the LG position all season was nothing much. Maybe he wasn't worth $8 Mil per season but facing the alternative of a substandard offensive line (with a rookie QB) it might have made sense in that situation. Especially when you have no cap issues to contend with. If you've got another player ready that will give you the same or close to the same level of play then making the decision solely based on money might make sense. Look at the Steelers for example. They've let players walk (LB, WR etc.) during the course of time because they had other players on the bench being groomed that could fill the spot. The mistake the Bills have consistently made is not re-signing players at a position where they have no viable back up on the roster and then they fail to acquire legitimate alternatives. Letting players go based on a proven system of roster and cap management is one thing but letting them go and having it result in your team being weaker or creating a hole is a good way to 'run in place' forever. Let's see if this Brandon/Whaley/Marrone team approaches this differently or not.