Rubes

Ian Rapoport @RapSheet The #Jets need a new offensive coordinator: Chan Gailey, just shy of 65, is retiring. No more Fitz-Gailey magic.

I get what you're saying, it's not unreasonable. From my perspective, though, every team has injuries, and it's up to the coach to make sure performance doesn't suffer significantly when personnel are substituted. Even when the defense was at mostly full-strength -- against Pittsburgh and Miami -- they woefully underperformed.

Preparation preparation preparation preparation preparation

Maybe EJ will have a stellar game against the woeful Jets, and Whaley will announce that he's going to be the starter going into next year. Then, watch Bills Nation collectively implode.

Seriously, you aren't kidding. According to the books, he's been a member here since Sep 16th of this year. That's 103 days he's been here, with a total (so far) of almost 3400 posts. That's an average of about 33 posts a day. Every day. Of posts like this. And yet, it seems like an underestimate.

Whenever I think of Andy Reid, I think of Bill Cowher. People were so critical of Cowher not being able to win the big one, yet he was the head coach for 14 years in PIT and did a damn fine job with only a single SB appearance prior to his last season. Before 2005, his last season, he had only four losing seasons, five AFC Championship appearances, and the one Super Bowl appearance, losing to Dallas in 1995. Yet his reputation was a good coach who couldn't win when it counted. In that last 2005-06 season, of course, they did, and now he's a legend. Good thing they didn't decide he was incapable of winning the big one.

I think they let him play out the last one. No real reason not to.

Well, at the very least we have two apparently solid backups in Kujo and Groy. I thought Groy was just absolutely horrible the first few times I saw him, but he's developed into a capable backup for Wood. If we can find a solid RT in place of Mills, that's a pretty good OL for next season.

It was a horrible call because Dolphin defenders were pushing into the Bills backfield all day. That is not the situation to run a slow-developing play that spends a lot of time in the backfield.

Ah, the irony.

I find it a bit easier to think about what needs to happen for us to be eliminated for good. As far as I can tell, only three games (the three 8-6 teams) can directly eliminate us -- assuming we beat Miami: Saturday TEN-JAX and CIN-HOU: if both TEN and HOU win, we are out. Sunday BAL-PIT: If the Ravens win, we are out. Otherwise, we are still barely alive in Week 17.

I feel a great sense of pride reading this thread!

I think I'm with you on this, but I'm not certain. I mean, from my own experience and standpoint, when the Bills win I'm much more likely to click on all the News articles, to see all the good stuff. When they lose, I'll check out one or two to justify my misery, but other than that, I prefer to stay away. In other words, for me: more wins, more clicks. I'm more interested in the positive than the negative, at least when it comes to my sports teams.

It just seems to me like he'd be the kind of head coach that I would want for my team...a guy who is extremely well respected by players and coaches around the league, an inspiring leader who isn't wedded to a particular offensive or defensive system, a guy who isn't necessarily going to bring a group of cronies with him. He can hire guys for the offense and defense and let them do their jobs, and hold them accountable if they're not producing. A guy who could get out of the way, yet still be someone players look up to and want to play for. Personally I would rather we didn't blow things up yet again, but if we did, this is the kind of guy I'd like to see.

The 12 best NFL coaching candidates, and the one that teams are too scared to hire Yes, I know...it's LaConjecture. But Toub is an amazing special teams coach, and some of the great things other NFL people have to say about him would make me interested in giving him a shot if Rex is canned. Here's a guy who can come in and hire good OC and DC people without being a specific "offensive" or "defensive" guy taking over one side of the ball. Fire away.

Very INteresting.

Three stories in the Buff News today with some serious questioning of Rex Ryan and his talk. Seems like the News is getting tired of his act. Is Shaq Lawson starting for Lorenzo Alexander this week? Nobody knows The Sammy-got-stepped-on story from September seems kind of serious Jay Skurski's 3 Bills thoughts: Rex Ryan edition I know the News hasn't always had the greatest relationship with the team, but this seemed pretty bold all in one day.

I'd say losing to the Browns, while beating Pittsburgh, Miami, and the Jets, where a win against the Browns would have ensured a playoff spot.

Damn it, just when I finally get out, you pull me right back in. !@#$!

They did several blitzes with LBs and DBs. What they need to do is execute it better.

The Bills blitzed plenty of times, from all positions. They never got anywhere near Carr. For me, one of the biggest disappointments of the second half of the season is the complete disappearance of a pass rush.

Awesome!!

One stat I hadn't really considered until someone posted it is that the Bills are 6-3 since ditching Roman. Good grief.

So what's to stop the Ravens from just punting it out of bounds and ending the game? Or would that be considered a defensive penalty?

O'Leary seems to be coming along as a player. He was a fingertip away from a great TD catch yesterday.