BillsVet

It's a great decision by the Bills. Eliminate a QB controversy by taking the leading replacement candidate out of the field. Thigpen is horrible and no sane Bills fan would suggest him to replace Fitz. So, deal for a guy they tell us can't possibly understand the playbook and pay him to do nothing. In no way is TJack some sort of answer, but if anyone thinks that Fitz performance yesterday will win games against better and average teams, look out. No team flubs up the QB position as badly as Buffalo. So it appears in Year 4 of their rebuild (2013) they'll finally search for a real QB.

Because a win over the Cardinals automatically removes blowout losses in three of their first 6, including 2 division rivals. I want to see this team against Houston and New England before anyone declares them improved or on the path to the playoffs.

Chan shoulda been tested when he all but declared and subsequently went with Trent Edwards as his starting QB two years ago. His bad decisions aren't reserved for only he field.

It helps that Arizona's QB's throw INT's before Fitzpatrick could.

Fire Curtis Modkins immediately!

If you take away those two games and the blowout loss to NYJ, they're 2-0. People are panicking because they've given up 1,200 yards in the last two weeks like it hasn't happened in 60 years. It's only 6 quarters they've played poorly in the past 2 weeks.

http://www.wivb.com/dpp/search/Schobel-questions-lack-of-direction The current issues are reminiscent of the situation 3 years ago in the final days of DJ. One wonders if contractually the players aren't permitted to criticize the team. For a franchise with 12 straight non-playoff seasons, dubious HC hires, GM searches restricted to inside the organization, an elderly owner, and what looks like another bad season on the horizon it's time someone did what Schobel did 3 years ago.

I don't know why the Bills locker room has always been quiet. No one's asking for crazy outbursts, but Tashard Choice should be one of the last guys to get up and say something. Where's Kelsay, Kyle Williams, and a few others? IIRC, Aaron Schobel said something about the team after the Tennessee loss in 2009, which was DJ's final game. I'm not demanding the HC go right now, but I believe a veteran speaking up could get people out of their comfort zones. Problem is, Gailey seems in shock right now over what's transpired.

6 RW decisions for which Brandon cannot get around that have destroyed the reputation of this franchise since 2000: 1. Ordering Wade Phillips to start Rob Johnson in the 1999 WC game against Tennessee 2. Firing John Butler after a low-ball offer. 3. Suing Phillips by claiming the former HC had quit 4. Hiring Marv Levy 5. Promoting Russ Brandon 6. Hiring Buddy Nix Brandon, no matter how much he talks, cannot deny the franchise could not find veritable candidates for the GM and HC jobs. And the reason remains his boss who runs this team like it was 1970. I just wonder if Brandon has the guts to tell RW that no one wants to work for the organization and that picking Nix and Gailey were emergency hires that predictably have not worked either. Brandon does a solid job of marketing a perennial loser, but it's not getting easier. 44k ST sold even with the biggest signing of team history suggest people aren't buying tickets until this team begins winning again. At the rate they're going it's anyone's guess when that'll happen. Imagine what league personnel types were thinking at the 2008 combine when Smithers was sitting in the stands watching prospects. Little wonder that draft became one of the worst, if not the worst in team history.

The root of the problem is Nix A) not drafting defense very well, despite 5 1st-3rd round picks in 2010-11 and B) switching defenses twice in 3 seasons. When you can't add talent and compound that by switching scheme so frequently, it's hard to build a good defense. Meanwhile, Chan promoted his friend DW who appears to be about 20 years behind the times with his 4-3 under scheme that just allowed 1,200 yards in 2 games.

Kelsay is the best post-game quote reporters typically get after losses. He's good for not criticizing anyone while saying they need to work harder the following week. I honestly believe you could tape his reaction after some defeats and play them every time they lose.

Worst case scenario would be Buffalo going any other route but QB with their first round pick next April. I really don't believe Fitz will suddenly get red hot like he was to begin last season, but Buddy seems afraid to take a QB. OTOH, he'll deal for QB's not smart enough to pick up Chan's thermonuclear offensive system and those he cuts in pre-season.

If Fitz played against the Bills defense, he'd probably be a decent QB.

Teams aren't winning with defense like they used to. The game is being won obviously with a top QB combined with outstanding receivers. New England, New York Giants, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, New Orleans, etc. As much as I like Dareus, a good DT isn't worth more on the modern football field than a good WR. And without a doubt AJ Green is that type of threat that makes life easier for that QB. But in Buffalo, Nix has exactly 1 pick in the top 3 rounds at TE or WR, never took a QB, and the time will come when it's proven his old-school mindset didn't fit with the modern game. And this is coming from a guy who liked the Dareus pick, like so many fans did at the time. Problem is, Nix is getting paid to be no less than at or perhaps ahead of the curve. Instead, he remains behind the times and spent a lot of resources building a (flawed) defense while neglecting the offensive skill positions.

Fitz and Cassel were drafted in 2005, not 2007. Nix has had 3 drafts to address the position and hasn't elected not to, going with 5 journeymen from 2010-present (Edwards, Fitzpatrick, Thigpen, Young, and T Jack). Ponder and Dalton look to be the best of the 2011 class, while 2010 has thus far yielded little. Rebuilding without a QB is unique outside of SF who have defense and coaching to off-set that.

Not to mention they converted from a 4-3 to a 3-4 and even found players to fit that scheme. When the front office and coaching staff are on the same page, amazing things like being the top defensive unit in the NFL can happen. But then there's Buddy, who admitted he's scouting and trusts that Chan will get things taken care of. No wonder this team is going nowhere fast.

Perhaps the players look at their leadership and question who's sailing this ship. Gailey and Wannstedt haven't done jack in the NFL since the 90s. Curtis Modkins is a glorified coffee fetcher, and the many of the other position coaches are Gailey cronies. Meanwhile, the GM was retired and the owner is never around. They have talent, but not at the positions which matter most like QB, CB, WR.

Nix hired Gailey and signed off on jettisoning Edwards for Wannstedt. He is directly responsible, and that's before we even begin discussing the 2010 and 2011 drafts which so far aren't in-line with a guy some people once called "a top 5 talent evaluator." They have exactly 1 decent contributor from the 2010 draft and 2011 is heading downhill fast. Maybe it was all A.J. Smith in SD and Buddy was just along for the ride after all.

I'm not sure if it's Gailey, Nix, or both who settled on Fitzpatrick. Either way, combined they're 0 fer on QB decisions in less than 3 seasons. First Trent, and now RF as the starters not to mention the acquisitions of Thigpen, VY, and T Jack.

Well Bill, DJ should be available after the season when we predictably need another DC. Maybe Buddy was scouting players and coaches this weekend on his west coast sojurn. Either way at this point it feels like this is a runaway train that no one can stop.

Awesome.

Wannstedt's already quit at least one job in his career.

So Buddy is being out-done by the guys he fired? Modrak and Guy? Awesome.

He can't pick up the playbook by the end of the season. Way to avoid a QB controversy...just say the other option can't learn fast enough. This is what we've devolved into.

Hey, it's only 1 game!