All_Pro_Bills

Based on QB rating stats on ESPN.com Fitz is ranked 15th with a rating of 87.5. Whether anybody wants to admit it or not, this team is not losing because of the play from the QB position. Fitz will never be a top 5 QB but I see a lot of his mistakes as being situational, the result of being put in circumstances that require taking some outsized risks. And he doesn't have the talent or ability to pull it off most times. So sure, a QB upgrade would be nice but the discussion takes the focus off the number one problem, the defense is awful. Maybe the worst in team histrory. 31st in yards allowed per game, 32nd in rushing yards allowed per game, 21st in passing yards allowed per game. 31st in points allowed Responsibility for this resides with the coaching staff, specifically the defensive coordinator and the head coach. Unfortunately there is no accountability here since the right thing to do here would be to have fired Wandstadt at the bye and promote on of the position coaches to the coordinator role. I can't imagine anyone doing any worse than Dave has to this point in the season.

The defense has given up 30+ in 5 of 9 games. Its been so bad that I felt that giving up 37 to the Patriots was a 'pretty good' performance. Need an upgrade on the field and in DC role.

I don't question the play call although it would have been preferable to leave absolutely no time on the clock for the Pats offense if the Bills took the lead. Fitz had perfect protection on the play so there was no need to force a throw into that spot. And the receiver admited he should have run a route underneath the defender vs. behind him. If it was up to me I would have run something to get the ball into the hands of my playmakers either Johnson or Spiller but all that right now is just Monday morning QB and 2nd guessing on my part. The biggest disappointment was a comeback win here could have been a defining moment and turning point for this group. Much like when the Kelly led Bills beat Miami with Jimbos QB sneak into the end zone as the game ended many years ago at the beginning of the 90's Bills run of dominance. At the end of the day it was only another in the string of heartbreaking losses for the 21st century version of the Bills and the Bills fan nation.

That PI call against Gilmore on a ball that sailed out of bounds way beyond the endline was a terrible call. Worst case he was hand-fighting with the receiver but the ball was clearly uncatchable. Several other bad calls with many of the offensive holding calls being ticky tack marginal at best, That said, the Bills could have and should have won the game but as has been typical they could not finish. That's the real problem, not the ref's (although they sucked).

Or drug the gatorade supply in their locker room before the game with qualudes and replace the oxygen tanks on the sideline with nitrous oxide! That would give the Bills a good chance of winning the game.

This is the problem. 'Changes' are made with the expection that improvement is being addressed but in reality its just another version of the same product. The current Bills are never, ever going to put out 'market' rate pay for a top coach and general manager. I don't have the figures but I suspect the Bills front office and coaching payroll ranks near the bottom of the league. Chuck Knox might be the last 'big name' coach Ralph hired. Spending doesn't always get you success but it does get you a better chance at it. As stated many times in many threads, don't expect any drastic improvement off or on the field until there is a transition of ownership. And then we'll have to face the posibility of relocation. The loss to the Titans was a big blow to their playoff chances. They'd be 4-5, assuming a loss next week, but in a position with several more home games and a weaker schedule to make a run. But at this point in time they look like the 4th best team in the division. Best case, IMO, they go 2-4 in division games and that doesn't get a sniff of the playoffs.

It's hard to believe those Steeler throwback uniforms were considered stylish during an era.

I think most fans in general are completely frustrated by what has been perpetual mediocrity for the past 13 seasons and different people have different ways of dealing with the situation. That's why you see statements like you quote above. Some will tune out, some will voice disapproval, some anger and frustration, some will continue to believe. I have my own way of dealing with it and at one time or another have acted out in the 4 ways I noted (there are more for sure). The fact is we all want to see a competitive and winning Bills team. What makes this most difficult is being emotionally invested in the result but having no ability to influence the outcome. Unfortunately, the only people that can act to rectify the problems with the product do not appear to be listening. Watching and analyzing the games leads you to the conclusion that something is fundamentally wrong with how this teams ownership/management/coaches approach the game, generates some credibile solutions and suggestions for improvement, but yet nothing is changed either year to year or week to week.

I recall the Bengals under Sam Wyche ran some no huddle prior to the Bills fine-tuning the approach.

If given the opportunity he might turn out to be a great NFL head coach but when you're talking about the Bills bringing in such a candidate for the HC position the arugument is nothing more than hypothetical because it's never going to happen under the current ownership structure. The Bills modus operandi (hope I spelled it right) is to sign up 'B' level head coaches and coordinators for less than average salaries to work in less than optimal working conditions.. There are a many reasons for this, and they've been pretty well discussed elsewhere. Realistic expectations need to be set or else disappointment is sure to follow. Don't expect the Bills to ever show up at the dance with the prettiest girl in school. It ain't going to happen.

Too bad the league isn't as committed to playing as Pegula has said he is to winning. Bettman and a hardcore group of owners were intent on closing down the league and using the lockout as their primary bargaining tool. The lockout coming within days of teams signing big dollar long term contracts with free agents and then moaning about salaries. IMO, they've shown utter contempt for the fanbase of the sport. I for one will not be back when play resumes having decided to take back 80 or so nights to do something else with my time and money. It would be a pleasant surprise to me if more fans took my approach and decided to hold a strike of their own when the league finally decides to resume play.

To take your analogy one step further - everybody needs to be on the same page. Teams that are successful in sports and business, generally have some form of management system in place that serves as the foundation for how the organization operates and behaves. All employees are expected to embrace the system and work within its rules and parameters to assist the organization in meeting its goals. There are many examples, the Patriots, Steelers in football, the Red Wings in hockey, Walmart, UPS, and Apple in business. Just to name a few. They all started with a single vision of the leader whether an owner or a top manager inside the organization. The Bills do not have this leader or visionary in charge since its leader is a 94 year old owner of failing health that needs to be concerned about his own well-being at present vs. the needs of the organization. You can't blame him for that. In many situations such as this it would be prudent to step aside and turn over control to somebody more capable of focusing on the challenges ahead but that is not happening here for reasons undisclosed. So it would appear the Bills are not playing from the same sheet of music. If you asked everyone from the owner on down to the cashier at the consession stand what the Bills 'system' was you'd probably get a 100 different answers, or maybe a rather insightful and honest answer that they do not have one. If you did this in Pittsburgh I suspect you'd get a handful which would more or less be descriptive of the same thing.

You look at the Pats and Jets in our division and see what happens when ownership changes. The Patriots recent success coincides with Bob Kraft taking over. And while Jets fans would probably say Leon Hess was a great guy the team has recently changed course with Woody Johnson. Although the jury is out with this rendition of the team and whether you like them or not they did go to 2 consecutive AFC title games. Other exampes, the Falcons with Blank, change of the guard with the Colts and Cardinals. The steady hand and system of the Rooney's in Pittsburgh.

True. Knowing that ownership change is a certainty, and might come at anytime, will keep the kind of high powered coach we need out of the mix. Simply, very few people are going to leave a steady, and presumably high paying and satisfying gig, to take a pro-level head coaching job knowing that it might be a one year stint since any new owner is likely to take a serious look at bringing in a guy of his choosing.

At 3-6 they’ll be hosting Miami on the national Thursday night game so they have the opportunity to turn things around in front of the entire football world or get embarrassed if they continue to play in the manner seen to date. A slide to 3-7 would pretty much close the book on talk of contending for a playoff spot. Then we’ll be faced with discussing the merits of finishing strong or losing out and getting a better draft position for a shot at one of the ‘franchise QB’ prospects. Along with speculating on the next GM and Head Coach which will probably be disappointing choices to most here and lead to another 3 years of futility as ‘groundhog day’ continues for Bills fans.

Before the season I thought predictions of the Bills making the playoffs were a sure sign that those end of the world prophecies were true. But now with prospects for a playoff spot fading faster than the nighttime temperatures in the Fall I feel certain we'll live to see the 2013 season. As tradition requires, we will be lead to believe that improvements have been made and winning is sure to follow only to be bitterly disappointed one more time.

An interesting article from a Toronto hockey guy talking about the similarities between the Bills and Leafs and why losers keep losing. http://editorinleaf....ses-remain-bad/ To paraphase one moral of the story, stating your accountable, and we'll look at what we're doing, means nothing if you do nothing to follow it up with action. Accountability means the owner holds the GM accountable, the GM holds the HC accountable, the HQ holds his coaching staff and the players accountable. And the players hold each other accountable. And there are consequences to failure. The fact that Kelsay, a player on the defense, has to step up and call people out for lack of effort means nobody in the organization above the level of players on the field is holding anyone accountable for what is going on here. While Mario's performance is an issue, IMO his situation is more a symptom of the problem than the cause of the problem. There a lots of players in the NFL with 'guaranteed' contracts and they are not coasting through the game each week. Ownership is soft, the front office is soft, the coaching staff is soft. So the players play soft too. Years ago I remember seeing a note our VP sent to my boss on a recurring problem. It said 'get results now or I will!' Raplh needs to send one of those notes to Buddy, and Buddy needs to kick some coaching backside ASAP. This team needs to develop a mean and nasty attitude and carry that onto the field against the opposition on every play. You don't get there by making excuses and ducking the obvious.

But except for a few 'improvements' (Gilmore, M. Williams) this is the same group as last season. So you'd expect the results to be slightly to somewhat better. IMO the source that spoke the quoted title of this thread is either lying or totally delussional. There is a lot wrong with this defense which can be proven just by looking at the results. There's nothing wrong but you are consistently giving up 35+ points per game, over 500 yards, and guys are having career games against you week after week? Come on Bills, be honest with yourself. This defense is too passive and predictable. The pass rush is mostly 4 man standard straight ahead rush with no stunting, moving players around, or blitzing, Sending DE's and DT's into pass coverage is insane. The linebackers always seem to be out of position. Receivers are running free and open consistently. You got 7 or 8 guys in coverage but the receiver catches the ball and you're watching the game on TV waiting for a defender to appear on the screen. Who are these guys covering, what are they doing during the play? This group needs an aggressive, in your face type defensive coordinator that is going to push them and kick them in the butts to either play the scheme well or will adjust the scheme to suit the situation or the ability of the players available. We don't need a guy that appears to sit calmly and casually up in the sky box calling plays down to the sidelines sucking down a couple beers and eating hot dogs. This team needs some positive emotion and that's not coming from the current DC. And if Mario doesn't care what people think then he's got a real problem with dealing with accountability. I saw Merriman taking his spot late, a guy that was on the street earlier last week. Say what you want about Shawn but at least he brings some emotion and fire to the party. We need all 11 guys playing that way not just sleepwalking through the game.

Or we are. Watching the games, thinking improvements are being made, and expecting them to win!

It would be a pleasant surprise if Wannstedt was replaced during the bye. Whatever he's trying to do it's not working, that has to be clear to everyone including the HC. The numbers speak for themselves along with the 'career' games that opponents are having against this 'D' so far this season. No more excuses or explanations please. This defense sucks. The decision to make a change all boils down to accountability. Are people doing their jobs in a competent manner and getting results? If not, changes are needed and if no changes are made it points to a lack of leadership holding the members of the organization (on and off the field) accountable the results. The marching orders to change something need to come from the top. The owner and GM should be totally livid and demanding of action at this point. But given his age and health I suspect Ralph is more of an absentee owner at this point so don't expect any demands for change to be generated out of ownership. And I suspect Nix isn't going to take action either since its likely he's going to give way to Whaley this offseason when Gailey is fired and we start the 'rebuilding' process yet again with a new coaching staff. My hope is enough of the Steelers culture has rubbed off on Whaley so he can bring a new approach to the Bills next year.

Pathetic. Absolutely nobody stepped up to make a play when it mattered down the stretch. On offense, defense, or the coaching staff. Complete choke job in the final minutes. Coaching staff has no situational awareness during critical points in the game. Not going for 2 rather than take the extra point to go up 34-28? They believed their defense was going to pitch a shutout the rest of the way? Are they watching? And those plays prior to the Fitz int. Hey, run the ball and the clock and make them burn their timeouts. And Wanny's defense is awful. No creativity whatsoever. Its like I'm watching a pre-season vanilla defense out there in week 7. And Mario Williams? I see Merriman lined up in his spot late in the 4th. A guy that was on the street last week subing for a $100 million player. Wanted: New HQ, new DC, new QB, new owner. And getting rid of Moorman, that new guy sucks. 21 yard kick when they needed a boomer. This team is unwatchable and might be the worst Bills team ever vs. expectations. Watch (or don't watch if you prefer) absolutely nothing happen or change during the bye and a blowout loss to the Texans in two weeks.

I am not clear why they even need to report injuries? To be fair to the opponent? For player 'safety'? So people can adjust their fantasy team line ups? My suspicion has always been that the true value is with bookies so they can factor in who might or might not play into the point spread. But then, the NFL says they don't condone gambling so that can't be true.

The key need for the Bills is QB and until that is resolved you can get anybody you want at WR and the difference is going to be marginal. Look at the Manning brothers, Brady, or Aaron Rodgers. Doesn't seem to matter much for those guys who is lined up at WR. That's what a good QB will do, make everybody better. We don't have that, that's what's missing. Solve that problem as priority #1. If you can get a guy like Bowe at a reasonable price then get him but don't think that solves the problem. WR is not THE problem.

Reality is the team is going to win or loss with Fitzpatrick this season. Neither Thigpen or Jackson look like solutions. I am not even sure why the GM felt the need to acquire Jackson but that's a story for another thread. Fitz is a likeable guy and has some good qualities but his lack of accuracy is a real liability. But as Buddy might say you dance with the date you brought to the ballroom. Like it or not barring any serious injury or revelation by the coaching staff we're stuck with Fitz for the season Acquiring a franchise type QB to lead this team has to be the priority next offseason. Outside of shoring up the LBer's and finding another WR this team has no more important need. I'll support the team for the remainder of the season and hope for the best with a wildcard spot a possibility. But until they commit to resolve the QB situation, which has been lingering since Kelly retired many seasons ago, this team will not take the next step to compete with the elite teams of the league for a title.

A quick glance at the schedule and results weeks two through five shows teams that played Thursday night at 3-5 the next week.