Sisyphean Bills

like Duke Preston like Melvin Fowler to the tune of 19-23.

Well GG, let me rephrase it slightly, as I was not suggesting Millen as an example of good football management. The goal of any team is to win. (I don't think Millen was intentionally trying to fug up, but given the results, I guess it is possible. As you imply, he tended to hold the wrong end of the hammer.) It doesn't follow that any GM/Pres., even one that sucked and is out of work, would be smiling his arse off if he picked a guy that has gone 19-23 over one that went 10-32. Either way, it is NOT the results required; again, the goal is winning, not losing but losing somewhat less frequently. So, if Millen had stuck with 1-4 Jauron, he'd almost certainly still be fired and Detroit fans would not be thrilled. The second part is pretty simple. The Bills haven't made the playoffs this century. This is not a successful franchise at this point. Only an imbecile would want to go down the exact same path as the Bills have as their chosen road to success. There are much better models out there: the Patriots, the Giants, the Colts, ...

Of course, it is more complicated than this. Having no pass rush makes interceptions very difficult, but a more complete answer is more like the following. Pressure will help the secondary by forcing the QB to make his reads quicker, etc. But, it also works the other way as well. If the secondary has good, tight coverage then that gives the front time to get to and harass the QB. Of course, the scheme matters because even if the players are good in coverage, if they are told to play off, give receivers clean releases, etc. then the front doesn't have time to get to the QB, the secondary is too loose, and the whole defense gets methodically picked apart. Finally, if the defense can't play the run or is playing from behind on the scoreboard often, then it will typically be behind on down and distance, which gives the opposition the initiative.

A crap poll. The "20 games" thing is simply brilliant. Jim Kelly was 6-14 in his first 20 games. The Bills obviously should have cut the bum.

Actually, Matt Millen was trying to build a winner. The Bills "blueprint" this century would not be considered by any but the most daft.

Actually, I thought there was quite the opposite backlash at the time. Millen wanted a coach to install some toughness and demand some accountability from the players. He certainly didn't want a coach like Jauron or Mariucci because his locker room was in open revolt and had tuned out their coaches and were just going through the motions. Jauron got his trial by fire and failed. No talent, not the right players, and injuries. Oh, and assistants that let him down.

I'm not sure that 5 years is all that quick. He is a nice guy after all.

Whatever, man. You can stop hurting yourself trying to force words into my mouth.

Wasn't one of the arguments used on JP that after 20 games a QB is a "vet" and any fan can tell if the QB is good or not? Well, guess what? Trent's played in 20 games. And, he looks like crap and admits he is confused on the field at this point. I think he is telling the truth. It's not like Dick changes things up radically on our end, so maybe it hasn't occurred to the coaches that other teams do change it up.

If Jim takes that job, he's a moron.

We don't know what the reasons were behind Donahoe's hirings. He sent his own mixed messages even. Was Gregg Williams the best candidate he'd ever interviewed or was it, like he said later, that the fans don't know all the constraints and parameters? Donahoe was a control freak, that much we do know. Though, how much a fear of "another Cowher" is anyone's guess. Smith may have entertained the idea of splitting with Butler, but he and Butler were good friends, had worked together a very long time, and scratched each others backs. When Butler jumped he made damn sure that Smith had a lilly pad right next to his. Yeah, I don't understand why Mort persists with the notion that "Donahoe wasn't the problem". At the very least, it takes two things rubbing against one another to create friction. Mort should be smart enough to realize that. Donahoe did NOT build a solid football team in Buffalo. He did some good things and some bad things. He was what he was. And, yes, bottom line, there would be no Buffalo Bills without Mr. Wilson. As Bills fans, we owe him our respect for that. And, I do believe he wants to win just as badly as anyone else.

This point goes hand in hand with the mythos of "the team plays hard and keeps it close". Keeping it close is not a question of effort; it is a strategic decision. The defense we run is all about not letting the opponent make big plays. Forcing them to march the ball down the field by stringing together successful plays. They either shoot themselves in the foot or are successful. But, if they succeed, they usually chew up a lot of clock, which means they'll have fewer possessions for the rest of the game in which to build up a huge lead. With some dramatic big plays on special teams, the Bills can hang around and stay in the game. For extra credit: do you think it is mere coincidence between the style of defense we play and the number of injuries that sack the defense as the season goes on? Is that suger? I thought it was soap bubbles.

He might even be able to show Trent how to wear a hand muff properly!

Imagine that!

Let me sum it up this way. If the Bills had hired Schottenheimer and given him 3 years, they'd be going to the playoffs.

Can he rush the passer?

It is deliciously ironic that Bills fans don't want Marty as their coach, a guy that has won everywhere he has ever been, and who has built teams with good defense and pounding running games; and, they're argument is that "Marty has never won a Super Bowl." Yet, some were content to wait and see if Dick Jauron, a guy who's lost everywhere he's ever been, could find the open end of the paper bag.

Well, you are free to disagree all you want. I agree that the center of the Bills line sucks, btw. Especially the C position, where the Bills don't have any good options. OTOH, Lynch is far too prone to dance around in the hole and try to turn a clustertuck into something shiny. Fred Jackson comes in and looks better because he just takes the ball and hits the crack and runs downhill. Lynch has to realize he's not going to take every hand-off to the house.

Rumors and such: Polian had a disagreement with Littman and was fired. Butler and Smith blew Ralph's inquiries into their contract off, pissed him off, and bolted to the Bolts. Mike Mularkey just up and quit on Ralph amid rumors of incompetence. Tom Donahoe parted ways very, very badly. Gregg Williams refused to sign his extension and coasted out the revolving door on a lame duck year. Wade Phillips refused to toe the line and fire some of his staff and got fired. Rumors were that Marv Levy retired (the first time) over some staffing squabbles. He then more recently left a major rebuild project after only 2 years. Chuck Knox skipped town to take a gig with the Seahawks. Lou Saban quit on Ralph twice. Now there are some rumors that the Jauron contract extension (from Sully) isn't real, isn't signed, or may not take effect without certain performance outcomes... The Bills haven't exactly been run like the Pittsburgh Steelers.

FWIW: Marty said on Sirius that he has "no interest whatsoever in getting back into coaching." He might actually mean it. Who knows?

Besides, it's better to promote from within. "Turk Schonert! Come on down!"

You really cannot blame the play-calling or the coaches or the OL or the receivers for passes that come out of a clean pocket all wobbly and off-target. That's totally on the QB. It's his job to be able to throw a football.

The problem with that theory is that unless someone can get Marshawn to actually fuggin hit the hole, the offense isn't going to move the sticks enough and running the table becomes an impossibility.

I don't buy the concussion idea. The concussion was on Oct. 5th. This last game was Nov. 17th. That's over 6 weeks for recovery. That's plenty of recovery time. (Although, he was confused about his hand muff. ) He looked more like a guy that threw some bad balls into a defense he wasn't expecting and wasn't prepared for early in the game and who was maybe then told, "Throw one more and you're done." Or maybe he is in desperate need of some glasses.

Yeah. I'm thinking Jauron may be a goner after this season. The Bills could run the table, I guess; but, that's not very likely. It does make one feel very dejected. Jauron getting the boot means the boulder rolls all the way back to the bottom of the mountain; and, Sisyphus will have to start all over. Yet again.