The Big Cat

You're assuming that his press conferences tell you everything to know, which I happen to believe is the opposite of true. You're also glossing over the fact the learning pains from schemes DO happen, but also that they happen more acutely when you're running excessively complicated schemes on BOTH sides of the ball, and that has been a huge undiscussed factor when it comes to penalties this year. It's not just about being rudderless and undisciplined. If you want to be pissed at Rex Ryan and Greg Roman for foisting complicated schemes on our players, fine. If that wasn't your expectation, fine. Just know that it should have been. I like that Rex Ryan has been consistently successful in the NFL since most of our players were in high school. I like that he's had success as a head coach. I like that he's not a micro-managing hardass like Marrone. I like that he doesn't coach from the podium (seriously, Bills fans need to accept this very basic fact). I like that our players love him and want to play hard for him. I like that he identified Tyrod long ago and once he finally got his hands on him, knew enough to know what he didn't know and let his OC do his thing without interference. I like that--in spite of highly visible mistakes against KC--he's very good at challenging and making in-game decisions. I like that he knows what he's all about and wont--to the chagrin of Bills fans everywhere--change. The man knows what he's doing. Players will be added and set free to run the systems he wants to run, and I have full confidence that if Tyrod, Sammy and Shady can stay healthy for 12+ games in 2016 and that if it clicks with the defense between now and September, 11-5 is a very reasonable expectation next year. Bills fans tend to forget how he wanted to bring in David Harris. Has anyone paused to think what his loan contribution to this defense might have been this year? It could have helped tremendously. He brought over one player...I'll say that again...ONE player (Alex Carrington) who had previously played in his defenses. Bills fans can't just ignore the learning curve and call it an excuse. It's a reality. And one that we were all well aware of heading into the season. By god we should have been, we've seen coaching changes before. Why Bills fans always think the next one will right the ship will forever baffle me. If only you could communicate like a third of the intelligence you think you have...

Thank you for illustrating why your point was over-simplified.

You've taken an opposition stance at the close of a season that has been a disappointment to all Bills fans and you want me to convince you that there's reason to be optimistic about the coach you've pinned all the blame on. You've given me a fools errand.

You're not being unreasonable. We've had nothing but coaching turnover throughout this playoff drought, and that's the one thing fans want to keep the same. It's ludicrous.

That is a woefully simplifed recount of what happened from 2009-14, a time span that included a GM change, three OC's and five different starting quarterbacks NOT named Tim Tebow.

This is no place for reason.

There are 10 referees in the NFL with 20-27 years of experience. They're the same ones not flagging Shula's Fish.

He's not leaving. Do whatever you have to in order to cope with it now. They won't fire him and they shouldn't. Four head coaches since 2010 is patently insane. Six DC's in as many years is even worse. You're going all-in emotionally on a stupid idea. The sooner you come to grips with that, the better off your cardiac health will remain.

I take it you don't believe cutting Mario Williams will either.

Did they know in year one that each of those guys were home runs? I doubt it. Was Ron Rivera a home run in year one when he went 6-10? Was he a home run in his second season when they went 7-9? He has as many wins through the first 13 games of his fifth year, as he had in his first two years combined. And oh, by the way, the only won seven games last year. Should they have moved on this past offseason? They didn't. I hear what you're saying, but it doesn't take away from the importance of building a system. And Bills fans don't want to hear this, but I don't think we'll know that for sure until this time two years from now. On that point, I think we'll probably have to agree to disagree. See above.

We have schemes on both sides of the ball that, going into the season, everyone knew were extraordinarily complicated. Bills fans need to take a step back and examine the so-called undisciplined, un-fundamental play as a product of scheme uncertainty. By all means, that's no the end all be all for what's ailed us, but we can't just simply overlook that guys are playing hesitantly, unsure and frustrated, and that trying to execute in these complicated schemes means having your concentration compromised. You know what helps this? CONTINUITY.

Firing Rex Ryan would be monumentally stupid. Firing Rex Ryan would make the 2016 coach the fourth Bills HC since 2010. The Steelers will be on their fourth coach since 1966. Do Bills fans not understand the correlation between continuity and consistency? In fact, let's look at the top teams in the NFL and how far back you have to go to count four different coaching regimes. Again, with the Bills, you need only go to 2010. Green Bay ('92), New England ('91), Cincinnati ('92), Carolina, only four HC in the entire history of the franchise (dating back to '95), Denver ('95). So yeah, let's just keep doing the one thing we HAVE been doing: cycling through coaches like toilet paper. It's never worked for us, and it's something successful teams don't do.

Only one new starter on defense this year? Well that's odd considering Spikes was gone, Searcy was gone, Aaron Williams has been injured for 10.75 of our 13 games so far, Kyle Williams has been out for 7 games, Bradham has missed 3 games, McKelvin missed the first 8 and Graham is playing a different position. This fallacy that this year's defense is a personnel carbon copy of last year's simply must end. @ChrisTrapasso Perspective: In 2014: #Bills D starters missed total of 13 games due to injury. In 2015 thru Week 14: #Bills D starters have missed 29 games http://twitter.com/C...445403626115073

That's how I see it too. Manny Lawson made similar comments today, that the defense, just now having its 'ah ha' moments, but regrettably too late.

Boy, we sure do remember Pettine and his 28th ranked rush defense fondly, don't we? (that's total yards, to his credit he was 23rd in ypc) Has everyone just conveniently forgotten the fact the the 2013 Bills--for all the flash and pizzazz of sacks and picks--legitimately LOST games because it couldn't get off the field when opponents wanted to run the ball?

My exact thought as I was trying to determine who our alpha is. Again: Earl Thomas, James Harrison: you can't have a dominant defense without one dude who's a no nonsense, talk walking hard ass. I don't think we have that guy, and I think the D struggles as a result.

In fact, several years ago, there was much grumbling from the Pittsburgh defense about Big Ben. They hated that he would throw costly picks to put them in a compromised position.

I don't think we can definitively say that the vacuum of leadership left in Fred's absence would have made a measurable change to our team this year. But it sure seems as thought it may have. Still seems like a steep price to pay. I want to believe they tried to keep him as a coach, just to keep him in the locker room...

I agree with what GG says below. I've always thought of him and Kyle Williams as a tandem. It sure seems like Tyrod is the next closest thing we have. But is it enough to inspire the defense too? I wonder how integrated the locker rooms are these days.

No you didn't. You tried to be clever by asking a disputable question, like you always do. You never actually asserted anything, per always. Go for it. Expressing yourself can be fun! Who do you think the leader was in August? If there was a point you intended to make, clarifying yourself would be critical first step! I totally agree. If we're going to talk about "tone setters," exactly what kind of "tone" is our $100Million Mario setting? This came up again yesterday, so let me clarify. I could really care less about what he makes. But rest assured his team mates care. His salary directly impacts theirs.

Take a stab at making a point. Just once.

Says there's no unity. But suggests it's up to the players to buy-in: http://bills.buffalonews.com/2015/12/14/analysis-lack-of-discipline-lack-of-togetherness-feed-flag-filled-season/ This is a nice little piggy back to yesterday's coach vs. players crap storm. And of course I think we all agree that the coach sets a tone. But it seems that Talley is indicating that all the tone setting in the world doesn't matter diddly if players don't buy-in. Yesterday we asked "who is the leader of this team in the locker room?" I had the same conversation with some off-board buddies and one of them specifically mentioned Talley saying the leader doesn't have to be the best player. Talley wasn't. But he was the undisputed leader of that defense. From what I can tell, and from Talley verifies in the article, there is no unifying player in our locker room. And that's a major problem, folks.

It was a long weekend. Was at the game, had to interface with the inlaws, had a lot of pent-up frustration. Going forward, I promise not to swear so !@#$ing much. It's never personal. That much I can assure you. About 440 miles.

Ha, appreciate you looking out. It's all good! Yep, you're absolutely right. Nor are there able-bodied players good enough to come in and not negatively impact this team in ways it's not talented enough to overcome. Nor are there able-bodied players chomping at the bit to come play for Buffalo like they might be for the team that's been in the SB or conference championship 10 of the last 14 years.

I would have no problem cutting Dixon...however...(see number two below) Seriously, Bills fans need to stop using Bellichick and the Patriots* as a benchmark. Seriously. One, Bellichick is a better coach than Ryan, everyone !@#$ing knows this. And if they don't, it's because they can't admit he's probably the GOAT. Two, when you have the GOAT QB you can make roster moves willy nilly. Guys can get cut/benched because the all-world qb can mask deficiencies in players 30-53. We simply don't have that luxury. And posters acting as if are totally mental if they think we can just wing it and put guys out of a job. You think Buffalo has a tough time attracting FA talent now? Here! Come play for the team that's had the fourth worst record this century, our town has none of the amenities that young millionaires want, and we're likely to cut you if you !@#$ up. Get real, Bills fans. Buffalo can't comport itself this way and you damn well know it. I've shouted about the lockerroom leadership vacuum throughout this thread. Please don't apologize.