Prickly Pete

Nope. I have never been a fan of any teams beyond the major sports teams of Buffalo. I live in LA, but don't give a whit about any of the teams in this area.

I think coaching continuity is more important for an offense. It's mostly about the QB's having a consistent playbook, and terminology. Over the years, they can master it, and continually add nuances. On the defensive side of the ball, I think consistent drafting of players for a scheme is more important. They have players for a 4-3, stick with it. Then you draft the right kind of guys, and can plug them in, season to season.

I am on board with this (though I would rather pick up a free agent). The top pick is all about getting a special talent. Another deep threat WR could really help Tyrod, and open things up for Watkins. Right now, the deep safety always cheats to Watkins. He is just hanging tight to see if he needs to commit to Watkins, if he is going to go deep. If they don't know which guy might go deep, it could pull both safeties deep, opening things up underneath. We have seen how, once Watkins gets going, the defense dedicates an extra DB to take him out of the game (usually in the 2nd half). The Bills don't have anyone to take advantage of that. As much as I like defense, I think the rules are definitely tilted in advantage to the offense. They need to get the offense working like a machine. Tyrod needs lots of work, especially in being able to pace the offense, and 2-minute situations.

Is this one draft? What are the chances of drafting an OT, 2 linebackers and a DE, that will all be better than what is already here?

What a mess. Is Whaley going to use the high picks to feed Wrex's Defensive Scheme, get another QB, or help Tyrod? So we need a nose tackle, a middle linebacker, a safety, and a DE. How likely is it they can find guys better than what they have, at all these positions, in one off-season? Not very. But that's not even considering the offensive weaknesses. If there is a good QB prospect, should the Bills select one? I want them to, even though I like Taylor. And what about the O-line? Even if they all stay, it needs an influx of talent. I think a WR that can take advantage of the space Watkins creates would give the offense a big boost. No way they can improve even HALF of these positions in one off-season. Of course, if Wrex could figure out how to use the defensive talent he already has, the needs are cut in half.

Cool, so he is good at finding other people to work with (a nice skill). Maybe he can find a suitable 4-3 DC to takeover the defense he ruined.

Maybe you have already posted it, and I missed it, but what is it you LIKE about what Wrex has done here?

Blahblahblah.... we shall see. Of course, the answer won't come for for another couple seasons....gee, I think we are really gonna enjoy the ride, huh? Another couple seasons, and the defense MIGHT be as good as the defense they already had .

Really? So it's ALWAYS better to keep the coach and turnover the roster instead? Every situation is different...

No.

I expect a complete "Ryanization" of the defense, but I'm gonna B word and moan, and say "I told you so" for the duration of this team's crappy performances. Rex Ryan is on my **** list.

I could easily see them losing any of those games. And division games are different, and often tightly contested.

Better than roster turnover. But fine, keep Thurman the Puppet, and let Ryan and Thurman both learn new tricks. I prefer them having to change the scheme, than bringing in a new set of players for the current scheme. I just think a new guy could help Ryan out with his new tricks, and Ryan could pay more attention to game management duties. It ain't working, and I don't want to sit through more seasons of "learning". The defense had already learned a scheme just fine. ^^^^^^Yeah, Big Cat.

I will find it. I had doubts about Ryan from the start. And as far as the current situation is concerned, I think a new DC should be brought in, and Rex should learn some new tricks, adapting to the players he has. http://forums.twobillsdrive.com/topic/177042-more-jerks-on-the-bills-equals-more-victories/?hl=trashy&do=findComment&comment=3501043

I'm all for continuity. In fact, that is my whole point, they shouldn't have changed the defensive scheme so radically. I'm not for starting up some new continuity after they had already built some up. I don't believe that it is a lack of continuity from the players, but a lack of continuity from the coaches.

They are on pace to break the all time record for penalties. I realize the NFL is calling more penalties too, but that's no consolation. Are these Bills lacking continuity at an all time level? Has there never been another team with more changes? It's not continuity, that's a poor excuse. I saw it coming around week 3 of the season, and THEY HAVEN'T IMPROVED. If it's just continuity, wouldn't it get better as the season progresses? Nope.

Yeah, the last thing I want to hear is that Ryan needs different type of players to fit his scheme, when they had a damn good defense in place (and added the DROY at cornerback). Wrong coach, and fans are stuck with a revamping, and a roster turnover..."Hey c'mon guys, give it a few years".... WTF? People have trashed Chip Kelly, but at least he was bold, and stuck to his beliefs. He got rid of guys that didn't suit his scheme, and gave no f***s.

Yep, the Jets suck. There goes the only win (a team with a winning record) these Bills could hang their hat on.

It's true, I was wrong about them being starters (they all had playing time, and Graham has Safety experience), but Darby is the only starter that wasn't with the team last season. I was responding to the poster's assertion that "this team hasn't been together long". And what about my other points? (crickets...)

Sure Hughes and Dareus can fit in any scheme, but do they fit this one so well that both should be signed to big contracts? Is a guy like Dareus needed, or is he going to waste? It seems like good LB's and having a real NT are key to Ryan's front 7. Other than Tyrod getting experience, I don't know what was accomplished this season.

Darby is the only new starter on the defense. Ryan's Scheme has never yielded many sacks, so that is just a continuation. They could place last in the division, and will likely finish 7-9, with a schedule that included 4 teams from the worst division, and 2 teams from the bottom of the worst AFC division. They have ONE win against a team with a winning record. That's not progress to me. With the offense, I can accept the lack of continuity, but not the defense. And lack of continuity shouldn't lead to ridiculous amounts of penalties, and pitiful Special Teams play. That's not progress

This season was a waste to me. If Ryan had any idea that the guys currently on the defense weren't right for his scheme, they should have traded some of them, or at least not given out big new contracts. Why give big money to Dareus or Jerry Hughes? Why not bring in players that would fit? So NOW they will bring in guys to fit the Ryan Scheme, and we go through more of the "learning process", and then maybe by season 3, the defense is pretty good, but by then other guys have gone into decline (LeSean McCoy comes to mind).

Can the machine also calculate the odds of the Bills finishing last in the AFC East? This seems more likely than the playoffs.

I don't see this as Dareus throwing Ryan under the bus at all. He is saying that the players are at fault too. It's definitely not bickering.

How was the leadership on Ryan's past teams? His policy of not "muzzling" his players is misguided. How many guys on the roster have been to the Super Bowl (I think Graham is the only starter, and Tyrod, as a backup)? How about just the playoffs? McCoy and Lawson Slim pickin's... I wouldn't mind them adding a veteran or two that has been on a Super Bowl team.