LABills08

If we get a new coach, 1st pick is a QB.

It was crazy to me how Jauron wanted to run a 4-3 in our division. I agree the 3-4 is much better, but it requires SIZE. You need to have a big nose tackle and linebackers who can really get a push on the O-line. The Bills as a franchise had a lot of success running it back in the day of Ted Cottrell. Biggest reason I think a 3-4 is necessary is so you can move Maybin outside to be a blitzing line backer.

How about Brad Johnson?

There is a lot to like about Zimmer. However, I am wary of hiring another DC to serve as head coach. This isn't because I have a problem with defensive coordinators as head coaches. If you look at the best NFL coaches many have a strong defensive pedigree. But, a lot of these head coaches also have/had a very strong, independent play caller on the offensive side. Unless the Bills sign a strong offensive coordinator, I'm not sure I'm happy with a Zimmer-type hiring.

Not sure why Shanahan isn't above everyone side from Gruden and Cowher. Why isn't Holmgren on your list?

No offense, but there is no way the Bills will interview 4-5 coaches for the HC job, and then decide to hire them all in different capacities. That is just crazy talk.

Oh god. They are going to show him how the team is playing to see if will excite him? Don't show him what he is getting himself into! Just hire him!

Wow. We are in the company of some pretty awful teams. I'm not sure we can "out-bad", any team ahead of us except maybe the Redskins. And then again, the Browns did beat us...so.

This is step 1. Step 2 is hiring outside of the organization for both GM and Head Coach. My biggest worry is that Fewell or April take the team to 7-9 and pull an upset or two that gives Ralph an excuse to promote either of them to HC. I have no problem w/ the Bills winning, but I do have a problem with Ralph playing it cheap going forward. Fewell and April are great guys I'm sure, and April has always been a top special teams coach. But neither are what the organization needs right now.

I think it is completely fair to, at this point in the season, give Maybin some harsh criticism. Regardless of how long he held out, he should be making some plays. At the same time, those of us who watched Maybin in his 2 pre-season games were quite impressed. Yes, he performed against much lesser competition than the starting Tackles he is no facing, but he still showed he is capable. I don't think we can oversimplify here and say the guy is a bust simply because of his poor stats. I say this for 3 main reasons 1) It is pretty clear what his struggles are watching him on tape. He simply has no other move than trying to go around the Tackles. No Tackle in the NFL is going to have a tough time stopping Maybin from going around him when he knows what is coming. If he develops a move inside and still is struggling, I will call him Erik Flowers 2.0 just like everyone else. 2) Our D-Line has struggled mightily for a good long while. I suspect not all of this has to do with the personnel and the coaching is at least part to blame. It is no coincidence that we have seen certain D-lineman leave the Bills and flourish on other teams (Hargrove, Bannan to name two). The only two capable pass rushers on this team in the past 10 years have been Marcellus Wiley and Schobel. No linebackers aside from maybe Spikes were capable of pass rush. So I mean, yes, I think Maybin is raw and we were not in the market for a raw DE this offseason. But, part of me has to believe good coaching could fix some of these poor techniques he is using. 3) The guy is a good fit as an outside linebacker in the 3-4. At least that is how I see it. There is a chance he is a bit too tall and lanky for that role, but it makes sense from a skill set vantage point. I'll wait until next season to see if the coaches can figure out a way to use him. He is obviously a good athlete. There is always a place for that on a football team. But, I understand the frustration about him as a 1st round pick, especially in comparison to who we could have drafted.

Ugh. I was one of those out there that thought Orakpo was Gholston 2.0, but clearly I was wrong. I think Maybin is completely undersized at DE. At the same time, Jauron gives most of the snaps to Kelsay. And if it isn't 3rd down and Kelsay needs a breather, you'll see Denney in there. For a team that generally relies on rookies to step in and take on starting roles, Jauron has always been tentative about giving rookies time over some of his favorite veterans.

Not watching the game, though I just saw the stat sheet. Seems like the same old story: -Completely unbalanced offensive gameplan that demonstrates how lacking our coaching is. Our RB's each see the ball less than 10 times and a non-QB has as many TD passes as our starting QB. Still have no presence in the middle. -Our defense does the whole bend and not break thing up until the 4th quarter when they can't get off the field. -The opposing team's running back tears through our linebackers -Byrd gets an INT -We don't have any sacks. Sound about right?

Didn't watch the game, but from the sounds of all the reviews, it was just like every other game. Whether the Bills Win or Lose, the feedback is always the same. Nothing has changed. The team has made no strides towards figuring things out. We are still stuck in the purgatory of mediocrity. In fact, we might even be below mediocre if you take into consideration the massive failures of our offense. There is no way Jauron would be re-hired on another other football team. What is interesting to me, is when you look around the league at head coaches under fire, I don't think there are any coaches with as terrible a track record as Dick Jauron. Would I want Tom Cable or Jim Zorn coaching my team? Hell no. But their failings as head coaches are at least NEWS worthy. At least they are new to the gig of being an NFL head coach. Jauron has been coaching the same way since he was hired and his failings are nothing new. And his track record of failure extends far past his tenure with the Bills. I assume that is why no one is talking about it, but it just makes it even more sickening. And the fact that there is ABSOLUTELY NO guarantee that Ralph will fire him is even more mind boggling. Just listen to what opposing defenses say about our offense. This offense is Jauron's child. He is responsible.

Regarding your comments about the interior line, I agree to a point. The point I agree about is that Wood and Levitre have not proven themselves to be the monsters a lot of Bills fans believe them to be. They have not shown they are going to be perennial pro bowlers, contrary to the thoughts of our fan base. That being said, from someone with more astute observations than my own, is there reason to think they will not improve to the point where they can be called pro-bowlers? How much can O-lineman develop w/ experience? I mean a lot of being an O-lineman is strong natural talent. Sure its lifting weights and studying tape. But the top tier O-lineman are so good because of natural gifts: mainly size and their ability to maintain athleticism with their size. So, can they get better? Or did we draft 2 slightly above average players within the first two rounds?

I would argue that the weakest positions on our team are (in this order) 1. OT 2. QB 3. LB I also think our D-line remains immensely overrated. In a perfect world, I could see the Bills fixing OT and QB via draft, DT via trade (Shaun Rogers?), LB via FA. However, I don't see the FO drafting an OT first round. Unless they admit a mistake w/ Bell, how would it be feasible for us to draft an O-lineman? The Bills are notorious for using the draft to accomplish what most teams accomplish with free agency. That is, to replace 3-4 veteran players who either have left the team for greener pastures or who are under performing. As a result, that is why we cannot pile up talented line depth (either Defensive or Offensive). We just have too many holes to fill. Plus, Good tackles and QBs are gone after the 2nd round. The Bills would likely not be a viable partner in a trader for Rogers, and I'm not entirely sure they are willing to sign a starting linebacker. I could see a first round QB definitely. I just think they are going to go linebacker for some reason that might be illogical. But, our linebackers are getting destroyed by opposing o lines.

Disagree. I could find things.

I have to say, I kind of agree. I have said since the New Orleans game, "If you think Trent is bad, just wait until you see Fitz". But, you can't ignore the results. In terms of actual ability, I maintain Trent is better. He has the stronger arm, the more accurate arm, he is taller, and less prone to turnovers. That being said, Fitz appears to have one thing that I haven't seen out of Trent since New England pre-McKelvin fumble: Confidence. Fitz might not be the best QB in the league (or even in the top 25). But, he goes out there willing to take chances, willing to throw the ball into coverage and willing to throw the ball plus 20 yards. He doesn't just "take what the defense gives [him]".

Maybe so, but I don't think there is a shot in hell we draft an LT. This FO is sold on Bell. In fact, if they get a man crush on Jamon Meredith too, we might not draft an Olineman until the 2nd or 3rd.

If Bradford declares, he'll still be drafted in the first round. No way he lasts until the third.

I actually was not all that impressed with Palmer. I think that we fans have a tendency to equate "not playing awful" with "playing well". I don't think Palmer was terrible, but he was an undrafted free agent who is the size of Ellison. I didn't see any flashes other than on that missed pick-6. I'll tell you what, a linebacker needs to make that play. That ball went right through his hands. He was out of place on a LOT of those big runs. Its tough to say what is a bigger concern to me come this offseason.....our linebackers or a huge DT. Maualuga has already shown what a big hitting linebacker can do for a defense, even as a rookie. Also, just a correction, we are 2-4. 2 games below .500. One last point on Ellison. One might find these stats interesting: Ellison: 35 Solo Tackles, 61 Total P. Willis: 35 Solo Tackles, 49 Total I know, I know, Willis also has 2 sacks and 2 INTs and Ellison is making a lot of those tackles 10 yards down the field, but its interesting to note.

I don't think you would see a rotation of Stroud and Rogers as much as you should see Rogers and Stroud taking as many snaps together as possible. That being said, I've been more impressed w/ Williams this year than Marcus, but I think Williams is the biggest benefactor of having Stroud on this team.

Link Very true. I love the positive quotes from all of the players and coaches, but am I the only one who could care less about the outcome of the game because it was the same old Bills from the past 3 weeks? I'm happy for a win, especially because I think the players deserve it. But, aside from the secondary, no one on that team should be patting themselves on the back. It was a game of who could play worse, not who could play better. The playcalling was still pretty terrible, the defense still had no answer to the running game, Jauron again coached to lose w/ the clock winding down, and our QB situation still appears pretty dire. That pass to Evans was beautiful. He showed what he can do if you get him the ball in the open field. No idea why that kind of play has not been run more often with either him or TO.

Can anyone imagine Dick as a politician? Trying to get people to vote for him? This guy doesn't get excited about ANYTHING! Did anyone see how he looked after Lindell made the field goal? I don't even think Dick was awake.

Perfect.

I'm hoping Nelson's injury isn't serious. Concussions are probably my least favorite injury for a player to get.