Mister Defense

This is a nonsensical conversation since Ryan's defense in New York had not been good in years. They were not mediocre, but worse than that. I think the best they did in that period under Ryan was 19th in points allowed. So, if the Bills bring in all of the right players than they too can be that good soon? What a waste, how silly. The writing, the stats, are on the wall. Time for the Bills to move on.

The problem with posts like this is that you give no specific reasons why Ryan should be retained as a coach. Implying that cutting him loose will lead to more of the same is not a reason to keep a head coach who seems to have undermined a team rather than moved it to its potential. "The Bills keep changing coaches so let's stick with this one, even though almost all objective evidence indicates he has failed and will continue to do so" does not seem like a logical reason to stay the course.

Huh!? I did not know much about McCoy, had rarely seen him play prior to this year. I was disappointed early... But, no one watching the Bills, unless they are blind or ignorant, trying to prove themselves right in a prediction, would say he was not an excellent, way above average running back for the Bills this year. Fast, elusive, showing much more power than he was said to have, excellent hands--and gives it his all on every play. The Bills payed too much for him, yes, but they pay too much for many: Mario and Clay, for example. But McCoy is excellent, will be a cornerstone of this team's success next year with a new coach. Come on; ridiculous post. Comically lacking in facts, reality. This is clearly a great running back, one who has not lost anything.

In his last four years with the Jets their best year defensively in points allowed was 19th in 2013, and the Bills are 17th this year. The Bills will be wasting money no matter who they bring in as Ryan has proven himself to be a poor defensive coach over the last five years. They will be spinning their wheels, in my view, with very little hope for success. Signing bonuses and salaries for the kind of veteran, big time talent that most seem to indicate is needed to make this defense work will be wasted money, leading to more of the same mediocrity or worse. This was a loaded team defensively, and Ryan trashed it with his poor schemes, lack of commitment, and lack of discipline. Time to move on, clearly.

In Ryan's last two years with the Jets they had the fewest takeaways in the history of the modern NFL era. This year the Jets are 3rd best in the league in takeaways. Looking at things like the dramatic, completely unexpected, drop in sacks and big plays this year by the Bills, and seeing this defense regress as they did, you can't look at stats like that and not draw some conclusions about the coaching ability of Ryan.

In his last two years with the New York the Jets had a NFL record low number of turnovers for a two year period. No team in the modern era of the NFL had fewer takeaways in a two year period. This year, the Bills experienced a significant decline in their takeaways. They were 3rd in the league in takeaways in 2014 and, thus far, have fallen to 18th in 2015. Watching the games this year that was obvious; my expectations for a big play to turn things around were very low as the season progressed, and the diminished number of turnovers was a big part of that. The cornerstone philosophy of Ryan's defense is to disrupt and confuse offenses, so it would make sense that mistakes by the offense would be a big part of that, with significant big plays like takeaways and sacks. But the Bills regressed dramatically this year under Ryan in both areas. (As we know, the Bills were #1 in the league in 2014 in sacks per game, with 3.4 per game, the best in the league, and they are 30th in the league in 2015, with 1.4 sacks per game.) This team was stacked and they regressed in almost catastrophic ways in these two vital areas, ones that a disruptive defense like Ryan's should enhance, not destroy. The players comments now are merely more confirmation of what we have all seen--and what the statistics so clearly highlight. Rex will go, I think, as the Pegulas aren't blind. They did not think this would happen-ever-under Ryan. Their first instincts on him were correct. So, how are the Jets doing this year in takeaways, one season removed from Ryan as their coach? They have an average of 2 takeaways a game this year, which is third best in the NFL, up from .8 a game, and last, in 2014 under Rex Ryan.

Now, with the season over, isn't this fact extremely telling when it comes to Ryan's coaching? The Bills, a very talented team, won two games in a row ONE time this entire year--one time. The game has passed him by, or he doesn't care very much, doesn't work like the great coaches do--whatever it is, he ain't the guy. He took a very talented team and undermined its potential. The guy cannot win two games in a row, yet again, more than one time in a season, and with this team? I know it may still be wishful thinking, but I really believe Ryan is one and done. I think that the Pegulas will see that they will waste considerably more money by getting rid of players and bringing in new ones than they will by firing Rex now and cutting their losses. This staff cannot even get the basics right, so stand almost no chance of being successful in the league. Maybe for the first time ever I will not be disappointed if the Bills lose the last two, as this may all but assure a coaching change next year.

Support for this comment, anything to back it up? I say that if the Bills end the year playing like this, and the defense continues to look like one of the worst, rather than the best, than the Pegulas cut their losses. It will be clear to the them that they made a big mistake.

Yes, but it seems really obvious. I hope it is. Mario is a dominant force on the defense, but just like almost all of the Bills players now, not on this defense. If the Bills now start getting rid of players not meeting their potential on this very poorly coached defense, the 7-9, 8-8 type of records the Bills will still be able to pull out despite their head coach will become 3-13, 2-14 after he is fired at the end of next year (though I am now thinking at the end of this year, despite the $$). I think Whaley and the Pegulas see what we see and won't let that happen, know, like us, that they have likely made a bad mistake in hiring their head coach. They won't jettison players that they know are good/great to bring in ones that better fit the scheme of a head coach who is on very thin ice this year and who seems destined to fall through soon. Just as a business should not let their top talent go because a poorly performing new CEO doesn't work well with those people. It is a recipe for a precipitous fall.

Give me a break: the facts that the Bills never beat the Patriots, and that they have not been in the playoffs in almost two decades, has zero, and I mean that literally, to do with the officiating. The Patriots are run like the Bills of the late 80s and early 90s so they win and win and win and win... (If Kelly had taken care of himself physically the way that Brady has that great streak would have likely continued well into the 90s.) The Patriots are a great organization that does almost everything right, while the Bills are not, have not. These threads, and related conspiracy theories, are the definition of sour grapes; absurd, ridiculous...

This is almost as disturbing as the original post. I think these must be some very uneducated and/or warped people... It sucks that the Bills have lost to Tom Brady and the Pats for soo long, but this may be the best quarterback to ever play the game, and still going strong. Who would want to beat the Pats just because he was out, injured? What kind of satisfaction would that be? Reading some of these posts, it's no wonder there is so much bad s**t happening in the world. He prays, and "every week", that Brady gets a "long term injury"! Yikes. How ignorant is this person?

Sean? Greg? Yeah, play really stupid, really dirty football. Good idea. This has worked real well when done this year... You can't beat someone? Cheat, play dirty. What an idiot. Who would want to win at any cost, sacrificing your integrity, your character. BS.

Those stats cover his last three years in New York. That is a decent sized sample. I think the statistic may be relevant and may be telling--the Bills have a very talented team and it is happening here, this year. It does seem to fit with his demeanor this past week, as after a win he seems to not handle it well, like his players don't handle things like adults on the field this year, clearly, as they are on their way to a record number of penalties. You never see a great coach do these things, give the other team ammo. We shall see the tonight and the rest of the year. He does seem to let wins and success go to his head, as they make his bravado come out--not good for a head coach, not from what I have seen in my lifetime as an NFL fan. Kind of reminds me of 'Coach' Dickerson before the Redskins blew out the Bills in the Super Bowl; don't throw sh** it in your opponent's face. Playing a good NFL team is tough enough. But, Bills 23, Jets 16. Go Bills.

I read this a few days ago, and just looked it up to confirm it: Rex Ryan's teams are 2-17 after a win in the last 19 games. Ouch. No matter the quality of the teams, that seems to be a pattern. I think he gets so excited, like a kid, after a win, that he (and, so his teams) are not focused enough the following week. And that is how this season has felt, a convincing win, followed by a big loss, games in which the Bills were, for the most part, dominated, not even in the game. It has shocked us because we see that potential, and then, POW, the Bills, and their fans, get knocked out. I am excited for tonight, looking forward to a big Bills win, and hoping Rex can overcome this trend. But, pretty powerful stat there when you also look at this season to date. If this happens again tonight, well, I am thinking that the Bills should begin to think of cutting their (yes, significant) losses and about moving on next year. And something like making Enemkpali a captain may shed some light on the 2-17 record; in this case, giving a good team, playing at home, and on a Thursday night, even more motivation. Rex is undisciplined, like the Bills are now.

from Rochester to watch the Bills game on a Buffalo channel? Batavia? Will the game be available later Sunday online or on TV?

No, as Wade almost always comes in a turns defenses around or moves them to their potential. He is extremely consistent in this work. He has been doing it for decades. A great coach brings out the potential in the players and team, just as Wade has done and Rex has not. I am convinced that if the Bills look like this throughout the year the Pegulas will just cut their (huge) losses, as they, like me, will then realize this is what they have purchased. Their initial instincts on Rex were correct..

One and done, after one of the most talented defenses in the league takes a huge step back, with almost no sacks, turnovers, big plays--and no chance against good teams. Ryan's time as a defensive guru has come and gone and will never come again. Yikes.

Yup, that would be great, a continuation of the type of big plays he made in preseason games.

Probably objective analysis there, but I am going the homer route myself after reading this, thinking that, after a superb defensive performance on the road last week this defense is highly motivated to prove that they are the best in the league. And this time at home. And for the entire game against a high quality opponent. The defense will take the game over, dominate, Manuel will shine, doing more of what he did in the preseason, and this will be a turning point in the Bills season and future...30-10

uh, yes, as that is why I mention Tasker... Broadcasters should be objective, especially when on the clock for their main gig.

Just now watching last Sunday's Football Night in America... Speaking to Chris Collinsworth, Bob Costas said that the Bengals at 5-0 could be 6-0 heading into the bye after playing Buffalo next Sunday. I am pretty sure Collinsworth responded by saying, "No question. A lock." Did anyone catch this? Correct in the quote? You would never catch Steve Tasker saying something so biased in his position at CBS, and the same could be said for almost all other national broadcasters. If he did say this, and I think he did, I hope this coaching staff is using it as motivation for Sunday.

Harvin 18 on an end around.

Well, maybe; aren't the Bills 3-27 over the last 30 against them? Total domination and cheating has zero to do with it.

Come on all, this is funny! And we could use some humor tonight.. (It looked like the Bills had weak personnel in all defensive positiions. Hope this bad coaching and game planning are not consistent with Ryan.)

It is the naming of Cassel as the backup that is inexplicable--after he was cut, after EJ was announced as the backup, and it seemed that the Bills were set with their #1 and 2. This is the kind of BS move that weak teams make, a Redskins kind of move. It will come back to haunt the Bills in my view. Reminds me of the Lynch treatment and trade a few years ago, one I said was the worst move I had ever seen the Bills make. Good sports teams use and treat their talent wisely, not like this. I hope Taylor is great this week and this year, but his arm strength concerns me. If he doesn't work out now Matt Cassel steps in! Yikes. Did our eyes deceive us in the preseason? This is a really interesting take, and I hope that you are correct. And that EJ is well aware of it if true.