Wayne Arnold

https://www.facebook.com/JosinaAndersonESPN/posts/1313598585363788:0 via Josina Anderson: My full phone conversation with Buffalo Bills DT Marcell Dareus on Rex Ryan's firing: On his reaction to Rex Ryan being relieved of his duties: “I like Rex (Ryan) personally. I don’t like to see anyone get fired. At the same time I feel like everybody’s job is on the line. Everyone is fighting for their position. So, we’re at a point where we have to make a change—not everyone in the building.” “My prayers go out to his family, to him and his brother. I wish him the best of luck, but we got to make this run. It’s looking like next year is going to have to be that year, and I hope we make the best decision for that to happen.” On his thoughts on the Bills defense now: “I feel like we have a pretty good team on paper and we have phenomenal athletes, phenomenal players. We have to play. Just put us in the position, and let us play. His defense and the way he coached it was great, but his defense was a little much for the athletes that we have…Over the years that I have been here, there were just so many coaching changes.” On why the defense seemed to regress under Ryan: “I feel like we should’ve been just more aggressive on defense…because that’s the kind of players that we have. We want to put our foot on the pedal and keep it down knowing what we’re doing, and being strategic on what we’re doing. Not trying to matchup with this team, or that team. We want to have our identity (knowing) this is who we are, and what we’re going to do.” “It was just too much detail for a lot of guys, and I feel like for a lot of guys it was too much going on for them to check here and check there, if this happens and that happens. Then nine times out of ten, a team will throw something out there that we weren’t prepared for, and then the adjustment to it, we had to get use to and try to make it happen and make plays.” On when he thinks things turned for the worse for the defense during Ryan’s tenure: “I feel like things changed when Aaron (Williams) got hurt…communication just started to (fall) off, not just on the back end, but across the whole board for the defense. Then, people started getting hurt, injuries started occurring. We started to bring people in and communication was just thrown off.” “We’ve learned the defense this year and we have played it pretty fast and we have played it pretty good, but with injuries brings new players (and) younger players up; and from there you have more injuries. Then from there you simplify the defense to the point where everyone can play fast. There always was just constantly a change with whatever was going on and how everybody was playing it.” On his thoughts on Anthony Lynn being named interim head coach: ‘We have one game left and we have to go out there and end on a good note. We’re playing for our organization…and we’re also playing for our jobs, just as much as his.” “It was just too much detail for a lot of guys, and I feel like for a lot of guys it was too much going on for them to check here and check there, if this happens and that happens. Then nine times out of ten, a team will throw something out there that we weren’t prepared for, and then the adjustment to it, we had to get use to and try to make it happen and make plays.” On when he thinks things turned for the worse for the defense during Ryan’s tenure: “I feel like things changed when Aaron (Williams) got hurt…communication just started to (fall) off, not just on the back end, but across the whole board for the defense. Then, people started getting hurt, injuries started occurring. We started to bring people in and communication was just thrown off.” “We’ve learned the defense this year and we have played it pretty fast and we have played it pretty good, but with injuries brings new players (and) younger players up; and from there you have more injuries. Then from there you simplify the defense to the point where everyone can play fast. There always was just constantly a change with whatever was going on and how everybody was playing it.” On his thoughts on Anthony Lynn being named interim head coach: ‘We have one game left and we have to go out there and end on a good note. We’re playing for our organization…and we’re also playing for our jobs, just as much as his.” “It was just too much detail for a lot of guys, and I feel like for a lot of guys it was too much going on for them to check here and check there, if this happens and that happens. Then nine times out of ten, a team will throw something out there that we weren’t prepared for, and then the adjustment to it, we had to get use to and try to make it happen and make plays.” On when he thinks things turned for the worse for the defense during Ryan’s tenure: “I feel like things changed when Aaron (Williams) got hurt…communication just started to (fall) off, not just on the back end, but across the whole board for the defense. Then, people started getting hurt, injuries started occurring. We started to bring people in and communication was just thrown off.” “We’ve learned the defense this year and we have played it pretty fast and we have played it pretty good, but with injuries brings new players (and) younger players up; and from there you have more injuries. Then from there you simplify the defense to the point where everyone can play fast. There always was just constantly a change with whatever was going on and how everybody was playing it.” On his thoughts on Anthony Lynn being named interim head coach: ‘We have one game left and we have to go out there and end on a good note. We’re playing for our organization…and we’re also playing for our jobs, just as much as his.”

I just got banned on BBMB for criticizing Whaley. They're doing their best to squash any blame that may be attributed to their GM.

I still don't believe that report. Rex wasn't fired because he didn't make the playoffs. He was ultimately fired because he killed the defense.

Then he should stop getting his ass roasted for long touchdowns by dime-a-dozen wide receivers.

Dak is the final nail in Whaley's coffin for me. Dak carried Mississippi State to relevance during his time in that program. Cardale couldn't even start a full season before losing his job. Cardale isn't even in the same stratosphere as Dak. And this isn't hindsight. Whaley preferred to spend his 3rd rounder on an irrelevant defensive lineman as opposed to a franchise-changing QB talent. His indecisiveness with regard to drafting quarterbacks is beyond puzzling and the reason he needs to be canned.

Twelve dicks on the field for the Buffalo defense. 5 yard penalty.

Good luck with that, Tyrod.

If the Bills finish the season 6-10 or worse, he could be going somewhere...

Injuries are part of the game. They should never be taken into account for coaching evaluations. I like Rex and think he's doing fine at this point, but I am concerned that the defense is still not nearly the force we all were expecting. The defense has gone from bad to average, which is improvement I guess but we need it to be great.

Breaking flabbergasting news: The greatest quarterback of all-time passes for lots of yards. Tomorrow's news: Donald Trump likes himself.

Probably the best and most accurate description of a prospect I've ever seen.

Sunday is basically Eagan's try-out opportunity to make the Patriots roster at some point over the next couple years.

Plot twist - Gisele is Satan.

I'd like to see blue helmet w/ red jerseys one of these years.

Correct.

No point in watching the game, then.

PPG can be incredibly misleading. Garbage time points, fluke plays, etc. DVOA takes everything into account.

It's a white-out

Surprise (Offense) - John Miller Surprise (Defense) - Lorenzo Alexander (obviously) Disappointment (Offense) - Sammy Watkins Disappointment (Defense) - Marcell Dareus, Stephon Gilmore Not sure what you've been watching but this isn't even remotely true.

Offense - 17th Defense - 5th Specials - 12th

Taylor's accuracy has been fine. Anticipation and progression speed have been his flaws since last year.

Unless it's Tom Brady.

The top three receivers to start the season were not available on Sunday. What do you expect a GM to do that he hasn't already done? You're working with a 53 man roster, which means you can only keep five or six receivers.

I don't accept your apology. Words hurt.