2020 Our Year For Sure

Now that the initial disappointment of not getting the guys I personally targeted has worn off, I'm very open to this hire. -I like the idea of having somebody young and hungry in the HC role, after trudging through the Jauron/Gailey years. It's a 24/7, high-pressure job and therefore a young man's game. -Does anybody remember Drew Brees as a Charger? I'd venture to say he was not vastly superior to Fitzpatrick. When Payton and Marrone got a hold of him, his potential was unlocked. Couple that with people saying Nassib was not highly rated, we may have a bit of a QB guru on our hands. -Saw Herm Edwards on ESPN this morning talking about Marrone's time as Edwards' o-line coach here in NJ...Marrone transitioned Brandon Moore from defensive tackle into a Pro Bowl OG. -Marrone was apparently a finalist for the Browns in addition to meeting with SD at length last night. Eagles also appear to have had interest. This is very unlike both the Jauron and Gailey hires in that he was a target of other teams. Schefter calling him the hottest candidate on the market I find very very encouraging. -How about the big brass balls on Russ Brandon? Would've been so much easier to justify Lovie or Whisenhunt to his angry season ticket clientele. Doesn't make this a better hire in itself, but at least he's trying to win rather than trying to appease us. I think there's plenty of reason to be cautiously optimistic here.

I'm getting the feeling the Browns and Eagles are offering a degree of personnel control and our FO has wisely pulled out of the running. While I'm on board with him as our coach, there is so much working against him just in that role that I think him being pseudo-GM on top of it is altogether too much.

lol I love the offseason

Still dont understand why he's hot and bothered over Cleveland but disinterested in our job. What's the difference?

Great news, would much prefer him to Whisenhunt due to successful track record

Well hopefully the new face of our franchise was outright lying to everyone when he repeatedly insisted Nix remains in full control of all football ops.

Great line. Sums up nicely what it's been like to be a Bills fan.

"We're really considering making a push for Alex Smith. What do you think of him? Can you build an offense around him? Can you win with him?" You really don't see the value in that?

When you try to use the cover 2 without pass rushing d linemen it will fail miserably. At that time our only pass rush came from Schobel, if he didn't get through then the passer could camp out. Now we have 4 good-to-great pass rushers across the defensive front. If your line gets a rush it's an effective system. Probably part of the reason Lovie specifically chose us and reached out. The big ingredient for the cover 2 we're missing is a dynamic MLB who can hunt a ball carrier as well as make plays against the pass in the middle of the field.

How was Graham going to "put our offense over the top" when we don't have a quarterback!? Larry Fitzgerald has been a part of some very poor offenses. Peyton Manning (since coming into his own) has not and never will. It's virtually all about the quarterback. This offense wasn't going over the top of anything without replacing Fitz, track star on the outside or not.

Great news if true, but strange that nobody else has picked up on it.

I still don't understand, San Jose. If Whaley is actually the GM and Nix is an advisor, just share that with everyone! We gain nothing by telling everyone Nix is in charge when he isn't. Now we're left in this muddled mess to argue with each other about who's doing what...a lack of clarity and accountability that has become far too familiar.

If Nix isn't actually the GM and isn't actually hiring the next coach and heading the draft...why begin the Russ Brandon era by lying about who's in charge?

But even if you believe Nix is still the GM, he now answers to Brandon. So for football ops the buck now stops with Brandon. Good or bad, that is at least different.

Lovie Smith stands out from the rest of the list-- we're talking prolonged, almost consistent success as a HC in this league. Whoever is running this coaching search, git er done.

I don't doubt the meeting took place, I don't doubt it was emotional for Ralph to officially step down. But every indication we've gotten the last three years is that Buddy Nix has been completely in charge of coaching and players. We have reason to believe Ralph chose Johnson over Flutie, we have reason to believe Ralph wanted that 4th round RB during the Jauron years. We have no similar reports that Ralph has interfered with Nix' GM run in this manner.

Yes, I'm sure Ralph Wilson in an unhealthy state in his Detroit home has been deciding draft picks, coaching hirings and roster cuts for the last three years. Oy vey

Bottom line is we have zero indication that Ralph has made a single decision within the football operation since Buddy Nix became General Manager. The change isnt really from Ralph to Russ-- Ralph by every indication has been out of it for some time. The change is that the football operation will be headed by Brandon rather than Nix.

If you're not happy that the same people who hired Chan Gailey and drafted Troup over Gronk will be hiring our next coach and conducting our next draft, you should just find a new hobby.

The same team that hired the previous coaching staff? What makes you so hopeful exactly?

It's the SAME PEOPLE making the decisions going forward that have bungled their way through the last three seasons. No, I don't look at that as positive.

Nothing has changed today. Brandon has been running the team for awhile already. Nix is still the GM and will one day transition to Whaley, which we already strongly suspected. Disappointing day with nothing to get excited about.

I don't think he would make the trip just for a holiday party. There's been a lot of rumors the past few days and now this seems a strong sign there's a fire behind the smoke.

Have they said who will be the holder on field goals?

If we can hover around .500 through the first half of the season or so, the schedule sets up exceedingly well for a late-season surge. 10-6 wildcard, ousted in the first round on the road in a close one. We finally have an NFL-quality college scouting team. I believe this was our first (if not, second) draft since Nix revamped that department, so we're still getting up to speed with everybody else. Next year at this time I hope to predict a division title.