RuntheDamnBall

Please direct me to all the noted head coaches who have superior records with Jay Cutler at the QB position, and read up a little bit on how often Cutler was injured behind that line. Lovie could win with Rex Grossman and has been competitive in the NFC-C with lesser talent on offense than just about every team in the division most seasons.

That two-timing SOB sure knows how to get off on the wrong foot. I'll bet he even just wrote this to every season-ticket holder and then sent it as a form letter to save money. Russ is cheap!

I'm glad Andy Reid didn't tweet any side-boob.

No one thinks if they hire Whiz and bring in Horton that Horton won't get looks next year for a HC gig? That's what scares me - we bring in a guy in part because of the people he'll bring with him, only to lose them after a year.

Gotta be very cautious if bringing in Whisenhunt with Horton in tow. Why, you ask? Well, if Horton is getting interviews right now, he is likely to depart in the near future, possibly as soon as the following season. So, the Bills have to ask themselves if they can live with that possibility, and ask Whisenhunt what his plan B is when Horton gets a HC position. Idle speculation here, too, but what IF (and this is a big if) they really like Horton, and might be going back to Whisenhunt for that second interview to ask if he would be interested in being Horton's OC in Buffalo? I'm guessing that's less than likely, but it's not out of the realm of possibility.

The Bears are a team that have always competed with Green Bay, a team that has usually featured some great TE play. I'd love to see the numbers of how they've fared head-to-head. It seems like the Bears are always in the mix with Green Bay even though it appears GB is usually more offensively talented.

If the front office is doing its homework, they are going to grill Kelly on all sorts of questions about his understanding of the differences between NFL and college ball. I feel at least a bit more confident on that front with a team including Whaley and Brandon doing that job.

Please, share your whole analysis beyond won-lost records.

I am intrigued by Kelly after reading the Grantland article. He seems like a guy who really knows his stuff and has a great mentality for a HC. The things that give me pause are the precious few precedents of successful college coaches who have never set foot on an NFL field, and the shared duties of HC / play-calling.

I see Whisenhunt like I see Wade - a guy whose team got sucked into an unsuccessful ride with what they thought was a promising QB. You trade for Kolb or Rob Johnson (or draft Leinart) and you have to play those guys, because too much is invested in them and expected of them.

I'm thinking I see a guy who improved each of the team's first three seasons, took his team to the Super Bowl, and almost won it. QB struggles and KW taking on too much of the personnel role can explain the subsequent seasons, which still include a .500 season. In case we needed reminding, the Bills haven't even gone .500 since Mularkey.

Some of us feel that coaching had a lot to do with it. Buddy really should have done more at lb but we all know that.

Yes, indeed. I recall it as if it were yesterday.

Against whom, exactly?

You're either a selective reader or you have a gift for fictionalized interpretation.

It sounds like it. I like the fact that Whaley is in on this decision and is meeting directly with candidates. That is in fact a major change from Nix doing the recommendation for the ultimate hiring by Wilson.

Yet Chris Peterson and Chip Kelly are in demand here.

I understand all skepticism and I feel some of it myself, but simply having a guy who doesn't have to ask Mr. Wilson for changes big and small like hiring new scouts, explaining and installing a football analytics division, improvements to strength / conditioning & facilities is big. And I am especially encouraged that the pay restrictions and personnel meddling that coaches have had to deal with could be coming to an end. The fact that he is young and around the facility every day has to help, too. The staff now knows explicitly whom to answer to and won't have to wonder if Wilson is behind a decision or not.

To the OP - nice thoughts. I can't say I'm excited about Marrone, because the optics suggest a cynical "upstate NY native" buzz would drive the hire in part, and SU is kind of small-time, weak conference at this point in time. He may be good, but I have reservations and would rather see him turn SU into a national contender before taking that risk.

Guessing the latter. He has had four teams reach out to him according to several NFL beat reporters.

Oh, he often throws there, it just doesn't appear so because it's within that nine-yard "Fitz radius" of the WR. The draft chart is heavily weighted towards QB these days, so regardless of what you think, there will be a round higher value on a lot of these prospects. You just don't see many diamonds in the rough making it to the 4th and beyond at this point. Call it the Brady factor.

Oh, Kool-Aid. What is this "Kool-Aid" you speak of? Oh, wait, you mean like I am brainwashed and about to kill myself with bad Kool-Aid. Oh, I get it. That's a really clever, underused reference. Anyway, this is just a lot of glass-half-empty whining as I see it. Wood and Levitre alone didn't make a good line, so don't kid yourself. Nix added to the line every year until it had both talent and depth. Losing Levitre this year would be horrific, but if Brandon is to be believed, nothing is holding the team back from keeping him aside from the team's own level of interest. If they botch that one, I'm already on record as saying I will be most furious about it. Doesn't change the fact that the OL and DL are in the best shape they've been in for years. Turning areas that were consistent problems over the past decade into assets is something to be pleased about, no matter how you spin it. And the "none of which helped them win games this year" comment is rich. Managing personnel is an additive process until you get it right. If it's somehow Nix's fault that D Nelson got hurt this year, or that the offense didn't use Chandler as much as it needed to, or that Moore's emergence came late, or that Pears got hurt, I don't know how to help you. The fact is that they've got good pieces that they obviously need to add to. That record of under-the-radar pickups suggests you can trust Nix/Gailey on that front to add more role players and depth that will eventually get them over the hump. Consider that SF didn't fully dismantle their roster when Harbaugh came in. He identified a team that had a lot of what it needed, continued to add to them, and used them effectively. A good coach coming in will see many of the same things here, with the obvious deficiencies at QB and LB that need to be addressed this offseason. I'm not asking you to love Nix or praise him, but I think it's not out of the question that he can do the job if the shackles are really off when it comes to team resources. If he can't get the QB and HC picks right, it's a setback for everyone, and I think everyone realizes those will be critical choices.

If he doesn't end up in division or with one of the few other teams I hate - all unlikely - sure, why not? He can draw up some nice plays. He just shouldn't be in command of personnel or an entire team / game management, as he isn't very strong in those areas.

You know, many HERE wanted Leinart. He was a consensus first-round QB as Barkley is today (though many of us have heightened reservations on him precisely BECAUSE Sanchez and Leinart have had mediocre careers). Don't treat it like the Cards made some colossal mistake. They drafted their QB of the future, I'm sure the rookie coach Whisenhunt was supportive of that decision but also had to hitch a wagon to his QB. Many coaches would not let a player lose his job to injury. Collarbone is significant and lengthy enough for a QB that things lined up. I'd give Whisenhunt a little credit for bringing in Warner and knowing what to do with him. Come on. Can you not say that most coaches would do fairly well with that arrangement? That's ludicrous. Shanahan has two titles and led a strong Raiders team before Al Davis lost his mind for the 30th time.

Lovie Smith would certainly not be the cheapest choice and maybe not the safest - he comes with an open question with regard to his choice of O coordinator. The safest choice would probably be Marty Schottenheimer - he has produced (and plateaued) everywhere he has gone. I see Wade Phillips is on none of these lists... wonder why!