Mikie2times

I'm not the least bit worried about Incognito. I think that was calculated risk and we came out way ahead. I have no problem taking a guy with potentially massive upside who has no choice but to walk on egg shells. This wasn't like before. He knows his NFL career is over if he has any semblance of a screw up. I also think he's a locker room leader. Pricks, especially in football, can often times take on leadership roles (Big Ben). People who played with him do not share the same opinion of him as the rest of the general population. I also don't think he's as hideous as he's made out to be, to go back to Big Ben, you want to talk about a SOB? Try Rape and dozens of accounts of sexually aggressive exploits. Nobody discusses him in the same way as Incognito. Hell, Ray Lewis got away with murder and now he's revered as a saint (thank you jesus, thank you jesus, thank you jesus).

My response would be why would he make the kick harder? A overinflated ball travels a shorter distance vs a ball that is either at normal or low inflation levels in the kicking game.

I wonder if Vegas had odds up, Rex Ryan developing a franchise QB or Mark Brunell knowing the game better than anyone, which would be the bigger long shot. To your credit I would say in that context Ryan wouldn't be the underdog.

I think the logic makes sense, but I also think it has too much of a vacuum disposition. X's and O's, yes I think Rex understands offense. At the level the NFL plays, as far as coaching offensive players to give them that microscopic advantage, one that is absolutely required for success, no, I don't think Rex has any understanding of that. For example, is he going to watch a QB drop and notice that the footwork was just a shade off, the arm angle wasn't high enough, the motion is somewhat flawed, the Receiver was not using the correct footwork out of certain breaks, the lineman not using the correct footwork out of blocks. I know he can answer all those types of things as they relate to defensive players. He knows the X's and O's and he knows the proper technique and how to coach it. While it's just an opinion, I don't think he understands offensive technique at an NFL level, he might understand the X's and O's, but not all the millions of details within it. Which is likely what makes him such a great defensive guy, that complete understanding of the entire side of the ball.

-I would make Spikes a priority resigning. He led our defense emotionally, if you watch any of the inside type footage he is always leading the team and discussion. So I think he brings a lot to the table from a leadership and nastiness standpoint. -After Spikes I would like us retain Searcy, he seems to have a very good thing going with Williams, again, more inside TV footage, I just liked how they interacted and I like Searcy as a player. -Easily is a ST beast so I'm on board for him. - I would let Jerry go, rather use the money elsewhere. We have a lot of cap space and a GM ready wanting and able to make multiple splashes. I think he will do just that. - With Roman coming on and our need at Guard, I feel very confident the Bills will add Lupati who is an absolute mauler. - We absolutely must have a RZ target/large target, as well as a good TE in Romans system. I expect us to get Thomas and pay big to do it. - We need a power running back, Murray will be available IMO, as the Cowboys focus on Dez, but I see that as an overpay deal compared to Ingram. Fill in the rest with some solid under the radar guys, a good draft, and playoffs it is!

Yes and I think now is the perfect time to implement it. Football schemes go in and out of style based on how many teams are using it. Once so many teams adopt the same style that style becomes easier to defend as you prepare for it all the time. The historical response for NFL teams is either to reinvent or rewind. Right now teams are building defensive rosters more suitable for stopping the pass. It's inevitable some teams will eventually break away from this pass happy approach. With that, you generally hear coaches reference strong defense. It's just an all around physical style that isn't the norm right now for NFL teams. We seem like we could be one of the potential drastic teams to play this way. I think it's silly we haven't seen it sooner as these teams can go deep and you don't need an elite QB and as we know very few elite QB's exist.

I think this could be a fun thread. So many opinions and predictions have been thrown around these forums over the years. Almost all of us have played MMQB. So in the spirit of the TBD forum genius I encourage you to locate the post that made you look like and NFL shark. I'm not looking for the posts that predicted Dick Jauron would eventually be fired. Only the great calls you have made over the years, maybe about future draft picks, players, coaches, situations, anything in which you got it right like a boss. If you can't find the link, just post the story, obviously the link is the fun part. I like to read the old threads, the nostalgia, how the board was in the past. I forget just how many heated topics have come and gone. I loved Ngata but I think that was pretty common, so I will say my best MMQB moment was Kyle Williams. I predicted good things, others did as well, but this was the white guy high energy era for the Buffalo defense and a lot of people wanted to put Williams in that group. He was also a late draft pick. I will say, I never thought he would be this incredible. Circa 2006, makes me feel old. http://forums.twobillsdrive.com/topic/49689-kyle-williams-will-start-at-nt/

At what point did I say I know everything? Do I know more compared to somebody who is willing to dismiss an entire post based on a grammatical error? I find it likely. It's not certain. My grammar is pathetic, does that mean every aspect of my intelligence is? The spell checkers have always bothered me. It's douchery at it's finest. It's a GD internet forum. Simple typo, ask yourself, did you understand what I meant? Sounds like you did. I also guarantee the original poster did in fact read the whole thing. He just wanted to make a point about a grammatical error because that's how those people act on the internet. Which adds what as far as conversational value? Ok, I agree he hasn't had the player to groom. But nothing in his coaching background suggests any offensive experience, let alone QB coaching experience. He's universally described as a defensive guru. As some have pointed out, this idea of grooming a QB might even be a flawed notion as the cream will rise to the top. Further, I think you took my post a little off it's intended path. I think Roman will get us outstanding QB play, I just don't think it will be based on him turning a QB we have into this franchise concept. It will be because he runs a very QB friendly system and we will get good QB play as a result of that system. It's all just opinion, but as far as Ryan goes, you would probably have to ask 100 experts if his skill set is designed to "groom QB's" before one of them says yes. Not just the talking heads either. He's about the most obvious one way (defensive) coach in the league. The thought of Rex Ryan grooming a QB seems as likely as his father "grooming" a QB. Why does QB development sound like a day at the dog salon?

That's really the point of the thread Chris. I know for myself, I have had the "we need a franchise QB" mindset for probably ten years. I suppose the next best thing to having a franchise QB is having unified system between the HC/OC/DC, that is designed to be competitive if you lack that franchise QB so few people have. I don't think we have ever had such a unified approach since the drought started. The combination of outstanding run game and outstanding defense has won plenty of Super Bowls. Certainly got plenty of teams to the playoffs. A franchise guy would be icing on the cake at this point, but I expect we will make the playoffs next year and we will do it without major changes at QB. It might not be Manuel starting, but somebody without a huge profile or the typical franchise aspirations is what I see happening.

People like you top the scale of annoying. It's a message board, late night post. I'm typing fast and getting on with it. "I" Formation. Is that better? How about focus on the content. If you would like to talk X's and O's and not make this English 101, I would happily circle around you like the 90's Bills circled the wagons.

Your right, he wasn't. In one interview I saw, he said he had been waiting for an OC gig to open up while he was taking some lay low time coaching High School. Then he said Harbaugh contacted him, which is when he went to Stanford. I assumed that OC gig had indeed been what he signed on for. Still I wouldn't dismiss his work at Stanford, I assume he played a big role in the offense seeing that Harbaugh felt fit to bring him from a non OC college role to a NFL OC role.

Smooth: Not happy with the signing of David Lee, thought we could have done better. Skycap: I think we need more focus on a TE and some offensive lineman, maybe a bruising running back, all realistic things we can add vs so much Franchise QB focus, something that is unlikely to be obtained based on what we have to obtain it this season. I think we could add another mobile late round QB. Kelly: I agree, it's the player first and foremost, but when you don't have the player I think some coaches are better at making it look like you do vs others. I feel Roman is that guy. Perhaps not the best developer of passing QB's, but his system is phenomenal at making average QB's play better. Hondo: So much has been posted, I'm sure my points have been covered. I still see literally everything from the press focused on franchise QB which is why I wanted to speak my peace. I think Smith did well with Roman because I think any QB improves tenfold with a running game. Throw Kap in, Roman was able to focus on his incredible mobility. He also got the same benefits Smith did by just having a very good ground game.

After we signed Rex Ryan, all my attention shifted to OC. Ryan has never developed a franchise QB and he won’t all of a sudden develop into a sharp offensive mind. What does Ryan bring to the table? Ryan is the best defensive mind in the NFL, which is certainly valuable enough to warrant a HC position. Still, with no QB, his detractors have a point, is the best defensive coach in the league the right fit for a team that needs so much offensive help? A lot of discussion from the introductory Press conference laid out the path this team will take. Ryan said he appreciated Brian Billicks approach, basically said here are the keys; go do what you do best. He was hands off and allowed Ryan to grow the defense under his direction. He said he believes in that same philosophy. The Bills liked Roman, they liked him enough to interview him for the HC. Over and over we heard Ryan say how in sync he is with Roman. Ryan kept saying he wanted to build a bully, Pegula referenced Roman making the statement of being a “nightmare” to play. Hand and hand with the Rex Ryan approach to football is a power running game. It's clear to me Ryan has no problem giving Roman the keys to the offense in the same way Billick gave Ryan the keys to the defense and that's exactly what I expect him to do. I watched a lot of Stanford when Greg Roman was the offensive coordinator. Then you follow Roman to San Francisco and what he implemented there. Stanford ran a pro style run heavy offense under Roman. I often remember 2 and 3 TE sets, a ton of eye formation. They just pounded the ball repeatedly. The 49ers ran a lot of similar personal groupings as far as FB’s and multiple TE’s, but they would often split those players out and motion them into a more normal alignment like the eye formation. Roman’s offensive line concepts are regarded as some of the more complex in the NFL. His run block action simulates spread concepts, but often times manifest themselves into power rushing concepts. We saw the 49ers go to a lot of read option and Pistol formations. In one of his press conferences a few years ago prior to the Super Bowl, Roman glowingly speaks about the Pistol offense and its versatility. What started as a question about Romans ability to develop a franchise QB (this word we keep hearing all the time), ended in a completely different direction. No, I don't believe Roman is best at developing a franchise QB, at the least, QB passing is not his strong suit. That said, he doesn't need to develop a franchise QB to get to the level we want to achieve. Kap is not a franchise QB in a traditional sense, Romans system made his skill set into a very productive QB, so productive it gave the appearance of being a potential franchise guy. But Roman does not care about QB development in the way most OCs cling to it as life or death and having to be thru the air. He values production, namely ground production. He reduces the reads a QB has, he runs an inordinate amount of times, and has a scheme that provides better angled blocking assignments vs defenders compared to his counterparts. Essentially, he provides the most user friendly QB system possible and in that reduces the need for the QB to have to be elite in the passing game. As Ryan is the zen of defense, Roman is one of the top zens of running. Just as Ryan pointed out in the presser, the two have such a perfect blend of style. So perfect, it’s my opinion a franchise QB is not required, nor will that be the profile of this team. We will focus on being the best punch you in the face team on defense, which is a given, and on offense we will do the same. For me that’s exciting. Franchise QB or not, this staff seems to be completely united in playing a demoralizing brand of football. Something I have seen people begging for years for on these forums.

I think Marrone had some options, he and his agent felt like jumping ship was the best business decision. At that point he said screw it, I'll over play my hand, if they bite, great, if not, I'll be somewhere better. We didn't bite and I don't think either anticipated the fall out of him deciding to say no thank you to a job only 32 people in the world have. It left a really bad taste in players and fans mouths and I imagine in the NFL owners circles he came off looking very poor. I doubt he ever becomes an NFL HC again.

Rex is a players coach, but lets be quick to define how he is a players coach as we heard the same things about Jauron. It's not because he's soft or a nice guy, it's because he relates to his players. What a great feeling it must be for players to have a Coach like Rex, brash, confident, and imperfect, acting completely different then the other 32 coaches in this league, most of which will put you to sleep. He says the wrong thing, he says whats on his mind, he's emotional and unapologetic. All things I feel players find refreshing. Pete Carroll is a players coach, not in the same ways Rex is, but in similar ways as far as how much his players relate to him. As for his past, several exceptional coaches have found greatness in the second go. What a learning experience New York must have been for Ryan. Now we get to be the beneficiaries of that knowledge. A lot of times it's just little things, little things that can go a long way. For example I all but guarantee Rex V. 1.0 would have never considered the notion of retaining Schwartz. I think Rex V 2.0 is smart enough not to break something that is this good. He doesn't need his fingerprints all over the defense. It doesn't have to be the Rex Ryan lead Bills defense. I think he's content just having a great defense and winning. On top of it all, clearly that path must go thru New England, a team led by a defensive coach who struck gold after initial failure, the same situation we hope to see in Rex. Well if anybody can devise a plan to bother Brady/New England/BB it's Rex. Do not underestimate how much that played a role in this. If New England didn't make us a whipping boy for 10+ years this team would have made the playoffs, maybe a couple time. We have had some solid starts since the drought started, whats been consistent is NE crushing those solid starts and our inability to play for a division title because of the dominance the Patriots have over us. Even during our best stretches since the playoff drought, the best I ever thought was Wild Card. NE just made the division seem like and impossible goal.

Love the move. I wonder if Rex and Schwartz can coexist though. I don't see Rex just being a manager of JS, he's too hands on and one of the best defensive minds in football. These guys also have some egos. He wants it to read the Rex lead Bills defense and with a 4-3 hands off approach it won't come off that way. In a perfect world I hope Rex and JS can get together, incorporate some 3-4 into the 4-3, for JS this could be a great learning opportunity that could springboard a future HC offer. Bills have the players to run either scheme. If JS and Rex can't coexist, that's fine, I love JS like everybody else, but Rex is elite and I don't have an issue seeing what he can do with this talent.

He has Track speed, led the league in YPC in 2012, 3 of the last 4 years he's averaged at least 4.5 yards per carry and eclipsed 5 or more yards per carry 2 of the last 4 years. Define explosive?

I drafted him in fantasy, mistake one, fantasy aside, you can't tell me Buffalo had such robust offensive options Spiller shouldn't have been more involved. He's one of the most explosive players in the NFL, contract year, and we barely use him. Sure he got injured, but prior to the injury he wasn't getting a lot I looks either. I thought he was 100% gone entering this year. I can't imagine getting him 10 touches a game made him want to be Bill either, but maybe a coach who likes CJ comes on board and can get his attention. With him off such a bad year maybe the market isn't that favorable. Am I the only one who would like him back? I don't hear anybody really saying his name at all. Right coach, I think he brings a lot to the table. If nothing else in a situational role.

I would pull the trigger on number 1.

Ted Washington in his prime. I don't think he gets near to respect he deserves. From us or the rest of the league. I don't remember the last time I heard his name mentioned.

I wonder how many draft picks these 3 players would be worth.. Brady Rodgers Luck Brady because he's likely the best old man, more gas in the tank vs Peyton IMO. Rodgers because he's likely the best on his prime guy. Then Luck because he's likely the best younger QB. This obviously would never happen, it's just interesting to think how many picks a team would be will to offer for these guys.

Good management, flipping burgers to running an NFL organization, is largely about being able to predict what potential consequences could happen in the future as a result of the actions you take now. Weighing those consequences against the potential benefits and determining what the best course of action is. This is not an easy skill, not for one man or a group of advisors. It takes a special way of thinking to not only predict what potential future events could ocur but at what liklihood is the chance they will. In sum, the Bills failed in this regard when it pertains to the negotiation of Marrones contract.

Genius Chip Kelly wants Mariota more then any team wants any player in this years draft. If he doesn't figure out a way to make that happen obviously Foles would be off the table. As for the people comparing foles to anything we have, dogging him, saying he's not worth it. Most are refrencing one year, last year, his 3rd year in the league. Most sare saying he's a turnover machine. In 2013 he had 27 TD's and 2 Int's. Using that as a basis to analyze his future is just as stupid as using 2014. At the least, that 2013 year shows a better season then any quarterback we have had since Jim Kelly. For his career he has 46 TD passes and 17 INT's. What an atrocity for what will be a 4th year QB. On top of it all he's a downfield thrower, not a check, check, check. If you don't want Foles or think a better, more likely candidate could be avaliable I'm all ears. Based on age, performance, and trade likelihood, he is the best possible option and I'm convinced he will be wearing a Bills uniform next year.

Out of all the QB options that make sense, that seem possible, I see this being far and away the most likely QB to start for the Bills next season. Very strong arm, young, potential for a Franchise QB. His skill set matches with our offensive skilled players. I'm nuetral on him, but for me, he's our best option. So much better compared to say Cutler. A thought that makes me cringe. The Eagles will sell out for Mariota with Chip now in control of all roster decisions. That's his guy, perfect guy for his offense, he already knows more about him then any NFL executive, scout, or coach. He wants a more versitle QB. Somebody that can be a threat to run. I don't think they would go Herschel crazy in an attempt to trade up, but I have no doubt they will aggressivly seek a trade up. When the dust settles, they will deal Foles to us, likely for a 3rd rounder. Which is a bargain for a team acquiring a starting QB. How many starting QB's have we wasted 1st round selections on? I would even sell our 2nd rounder if we had to, not both, but I would be willing to part with a #2 given the nature of our situation and what is avaliable. If we want to talk about potential long term solutions, actual viable ones, I just don't see anybody else that seems attainable, young, and has the skills Foles does. If this does in fact happen, upgrade. Which I suspect will be a theme we will keep seeing as we find ourselves stuck in this period of uncertainty. I think we answer the question marks and not only answer them, but we upgrade them, not only QB but HC. I would feel pretty solid with this core, a good HC, a developing back up Manuel and a starting Foles.

I feel the same way. I think the combination of obsessive fan base, short list of pro teams, small market, and the media coverage probably make Buffalo among the more difficult places to work, specifically for a QB and HC. People want to minimize the crowd/media effect but I don't see it. I watched the same thing happen to Michigan football for years. The Media/Fan base just attacked them relentlessly, as they're probably even ahead of the Lions as the most beloved football team in Michigan. The pressure was so severe and so consistent it removed the ability for decision makers to provide stability in critical areas. What happened for Michigan has been happening in Buffalo for as long as I've been a fan. Why would anybody want to work in that environment? It's not about having thick skin, it's about not having to work in that environment if you don't have too. The flip side to this for the players and coaches, if you want to be immortal, you play in Buffalo. But you have to play well. Jim Kelly will be talked about in Buffalo for decades after Marino will be talked about in Miami. Michigan got that "A" player in Harbaugh, hard nosed, said screw it, I want this challenge. Michigan had deep pockets. We will need our guy to develop on time, time that history has shown to be very limited if you play for the Bills.