Rubes

This. CJ has been in the league for several years, and has never even slightly improved at pass blocking. While it's not the #1 responsibility of a RB in the league, it's still an important one, and CJ is just not very good at all at blocking. One of the worst plays of this past season, don't remember who it was against but it was later in the season: CJ blew a block on a pass-rushing defender, who came free at Orton but managed to miss him and fall to the ground. Orton danced around long enough for the defender to get back up and sack him from behind. After missing his block on the defender, CJ merely stood around and watched the defender get back up and make the play. Didn't even make a half-hearted attempt to stop him. I lost any remaining desire to keep CJ on the team at that point. He can be a home run hitter, but he has no interest or ability to become even average at his other responsibilities.

I've always thought this as well.

I've never been able to hook up with a Bills Backers group here, not sure where they've been. I heard of one near Park City, but that's not exactly convenient. Is there one in the Salt Lake area these days?

As I've mentioned in the past, my worst possible Super Bowl is Green Bay-New England*. I can't believe how close both of those teams were to losing last week. It makes me sick. If somehow we get an Indy-Seattle game, I'd be ecstatic. Please make it happen.

For what it's worth, George R R Martin (of Game of Thrones fame) is a big Jets fan. He seemed to think Rex is a good coach who got shafted by the GM and was sorry to see him go, especially to a division foe. But he also isn't too worried because he knows he's in a similar situation without a QB and won't go anywhere without one.

Rich Eisen @richeisen He, and this, is gonna be fun. RT @ByTimGraham: I see Rex Ryan has visited @BigTreeInn. His arrival in Western New York is official now.

Well done, well done. Someone should cross-post this to the Jets board.

I don't know if he'd be a good HC, but you have to admit the idea of Rex getting canned in NY and coming to Buffalo, while Marrone quits in Buffalo and goes to NY, would make for some pretty compelling **** for the NFL.

Quitter.

Jesus, I can't believe we have to go through this again.

That article is dated today, but it reads like it was written at the beginning of the season. Still with the impending doom about Toronto? One winning season in the last 13?

That's a Bingo.

I don't see much happening myself, but if anything does happen my guess is that it would be a 1 or 2-year extension for Marrone and staff, and maybe Marrone getting more say in the roster. If a Polian thing happens, I doubt that would happen until February.

Tim Graham @ByTimGraham Expected to stay, but deadline for him to opt out is midnight tonight RT @BOyouRock anything on Marrone yet? What are you hearing?

Tim Graham @ByTimGraham Word to me today out of Oakland: Brandon to Raiders might've been a thing if Pegulas weren't new Bills owners. Brandon staying with Bills.

Pretty straightforward. Can you wrap your head around it now?

Marrone was given one at the very start of the season, without having all of the minicamps and training camp to get him up to speed on the offense. Hardly an ideal situation. Plus, Orton was as mediocre as they get, and I'm sure you blame Marrone's offense for Orton being way off target on many of his throws. He now has even less than Orton going into next season. The issue here isn't whether or not you think Marrone stinks, but whether you, as Marrone, would want more security going into next season without a decent QB on the roster.

I agree with that. If anything, I would see this as an attempt by Marrone to get a few years added to his contract. I'm sure he's thinking that he's heading into the final year of his contract without an answer at QB, so the chances of the team regressing next year are not insignificant. If I were him, I wouldn't want to have to make a case for an extension after next season, knowing I don't have a serviceable QB on the roster going into the season.

Why anybody would want to get rid of Brandon is beyond me.

Ha, I see what you did there.

Well, to be honest, I'd have to go back a couple of years to see who was available, whether in the draft, through FA, or by trade. I don't know. It's not my job to know. All I can say is that there is a real possibility that Marrone feels like he was given the shaft -- rightly or wrongly -- by having to start the season with EJ/Thad/Tuel. I don't know if Marrone was totally on board with drafting EJ, maybe he liked him but not in round 1. Maybe there was pressure from Nix/Whaley to grab someone that year in the first round, regardless. Maybe Marrone was okay with drafting EJ, but wanted someone a bit more reliable than Kolb to start things out so EJ could sit and learn. Maybe there was a different vet he liked better, but Nix/Whaley didn't agree, or didn't do what it took to get him. I have no idea. What I do know is that the combination of EJ-Kolb/Thad-Tuel was not a recipe for success, and I still think it's possible that Marrone was not totally on board with going into the season that way.

I think that sounds pretty reasonable, actually.

Your internet snarkiness aside, I'm sure as a head coach you would have been happy with EJ, Kolb/Lewis, and Tuel going into your rookie season, just because hey, no Manning.