Fitz / Gailey and some facts

[BillsFan130]

First of all, how do you know what makes a good head coach? Did you think Harbaugh was a good head coach before he went to SF? What about Shanahan, the guy on track for his THIRD straight ten loss season.

 

So what good head coach are you talking about that's on the market and ready to lead his new team to the superbowl but won't come to Buffalo? Is it Gruden? Cowher? the guys that won't coach ANYWHERE in the league?

 

You sound like Sully. Is that where you get your information on the available HC's and their refusal to coach here? Yikes. Free agent players, you might have a point, but unless you run in coaching circles you have no clue.

 

what do you mean? harbaughs potential was through the roof coming into the nfl. he was the best available coach coming out of college so yes i would say alot of people thought he was going to be a great nfl head coach, just like this year chip kelly is the highest coach maybe coming out of college. buffalo is not going to get a highlynamed coach is what im saying, we might hit a diamond in a rough but we are not going to get a big coach coming outta college or a proven coach coming here and thats pretty much a fact so im not sure what your trying to argue here

[Billy in 4C]

Case against:

 

- The last two years are among the historically worst defenses in team history (and that includes some terrible years)

- We are virtually elimintated from the post-season by mid-November in all 3 seasons with 3 months of NFL football to go

- We still don't have a franchise QB on the roster

- We continue to be out-coached in close games

[Omar Little]

The existence of this thread only further convinces me that the Bills fan base has the largest amount of idiots per capita in the NFL.

Edited December 3, 2012 by Barry Zuckerkorn

[sodbuster]

So, you're saying going from complete crap to mediocre in three season is where we need to go or should be happy with? While what you presented here is good and all - THE BILLS are still at the bottom of the NFL after 13 seasons. It took Chan/Fitz/Wanny three years to make us mediocre! GREAT!

 

STATS! Really? Stats? NOT WINS? Stats? Really?

 

This is a great reason for me to continue to spend my money to see them play?

 

Fitz doesn't have a lot of what Luck has ---- WINS! That's what matters most.

 

PLEASE see Chan's winning percent in three seasons. PLEASE!

 

Garbage is what this is!

All of this, but the bold especially. Ugly wins are still wins. I hate to bring up the poster boy for wins with absolute garbage stats...

[Best Player Available]

we do need an upgrade on fitz and gailey but heres the reality. the QB class for 2013 is weak and no good head coach wants to come to buffalo. everyone always says lets take a chance on a qb in the first round well remember when we did in 2004 with jp losman? if there is no qb you are confident in dont take him and as bad as this sounds, try to draft a qb in the 2nd-4th round and start fitz next year and have the young QB learn under for a year

Good point, and a likely scenario. But do you really want to draft a middle of the road rookie quarterback. And, have him sitting on the pine "learning" from Fitz?

 

Big shout out to Gailey who with a lead yesterday, let Lindell hit a 50 yard FG in the rain and wind. Obviously,a lot safer kick than in a dome when he passed on it a week earlier. Thanks Chan!! it was so exciting!

[Maury Ballstein]

Tar and Feathers, Pitchforks, Get em out!

 

Clear out the whole coaching staff and all of the QB's IMO.

[Captain Hindsight]

I hope the keep Gailey. I really do.

[G-Daddy]

Nothing changes until ownership does, aren't we all used to that, especially the past 13 seasons?

Edited December 4, 2012 by DGW54321

[KGun12TD]

Bingo.

 

You think this is bad...try the JETS forum. I live in NYC and have to deal with those morons.

[CardinalScotts]

Wins are a team stat not QB..that is a weak argument

[kasper13]

[HOUSE]

Even my aunt says Fitz has got to go, and she's dead.

[KGun12TD]

Even my aunt says Fitz has got to go, and she's dead.

 

Ha ha ha ha ha! I can't stop laughing!

[TheFunPolice]

Shanahan is on his way to a 10 loss season? Really? Do Bills fans actually watch other NFL teams/games?

 

Washington has one of the best young QBs in the league, they just won a huge primetime game, they are right in the thick of the playoff hunt and 1 game back of the "world's champions" (to use Chan's term) in the division and the future looks bright as can be for that team. That's all without 2 of their best defensive players who went on IR early in the season.

 

But yeah, Chan Gailey and Ryan Fitzpatrick are certainly better than Shanahan and RGIII. Yuppers!

 

Stats do not tell the whole story. Passing numbers are inflated more every year. Last season a few QBs threw for over 5,000 yards, which stood as an almost unreachable mark for almost a generation. The rules favor the pasing game. It seems like you get a pass interference penalty on about 1/3 deep passes. Illegal contact and holding are also rampant.

 

Fitzpatrick is better than Trent, Losman, Holcomb, Van Pelt, etc. But he is not good enough to win consistently in the NFL. I say that because when it comes to losing about 2/3 of the games he starts, "We've seen him do it!"

 

Dick Jauron won 21 games in his first 3 seasons here. Chan Gailey has won 15 so far. That does not indicate in any way that he is clearly a better head coach than Jauron was.

 

Nix has done okay. Dareus is a bit disappointing, but Spiller is great, and Gilmore looks exciting. Chandler and Mario were good pickups. When you look at the biggest "names" on this team, many were already here when Nix got here:

 

Fitzpatrick

Freddy

Stevie

Eric Wood

Levitre

 

Kelsay

Kyle Williams

Byrd

Wilson

McKelvin

 

In 3 years he should have been able to put more of his own stamp on this team, since we're told how utterly lacking in talent the roster was. That's my favorite argument of all: Dick Jauron was the worst coach in the history of the world (maybe the universe) but he somehow led a team of utter misfits and semi-pro talent to 7 wins in the NFL every year.

[Buffalo Barbarian]

It's been awhile since I've posted, but Bills fans are completely losing their mind with the "Fire Chan" "Fire Wannstedt" and "Bench Fitz" remarks. It's almost as if everyone has forgot where the Bills were less than 3 years ago. So, here is a little history lesson as well as some current stats/facts (This is for you specifically Jerry Sullivan and James Walker):

 

Where we were in 2009:

Offensively

1.) The last time our Offense was ranked better than 23 was in 2004, #7. Under Gailey we have been 28th, 14th, and currently sit 16th. That was 7 years straight of bottom 1/4 of the league in Offense reversed after Gailey's first season.

 

2.) The last time we had a QB throw for over 20 + TD in a season was Bledsoe in 04 and 06. Fitz has now thrown 20+ TDs in 3 straight season. The last time a Bills QB threw 20+ TDs in back to back seasons was....

 

3.) 300yd passer: The Bills went almost 40+ games without a 300 yd passing game, which changed when Fitz relieved Trent and almost upset the Pats in Foxboro in 2010.

 

4.) Sacks -

Jauron- 2006: 40 2007: 26 2008: 24 2009: 32

Gailey - 2010: 27 2011: 29 2012: 31 (4 games to go)

There is some tangible evidence and improvement on D, however slight.

 

5.) Tight Ends (good and Bad): Until Coach Gailey, Buffalo hasn't had a TE catch more than 5 TD passes since my middle school days of Pete Metzelars. We hadn't had a relative TE since my HS days of Jay Riemersma. Under Coach Gailey we've actually turned the TE into a viable option. On the flip side, according to Football Outsiders, we are currently the #1 defense defending tight ends this season. This is against TEs such as Vernon Davis, Rob Gronkowski and Owen Daniels (all of whom played decently, not great, against us might I add). Under Coach Jauron we were consistently one of the worst teams defending TEs.

http://www.footballo...ats/teamdef2012

 

Case against Gailey/Stache:

 

Run Defense (obviously)

1.) In 2009, Jauron's last season, we were ranked 30th against the run at 156.3 ypg and 4.7 ypc (our #2 pass defense was obviously skewed because of the bad run D). In 2007 we were 22nd against the run, giving up 121.6 ypg and 4.3 ypc. In 2007 it was 25th against the run at 4.4 ypc and 124.6 ypg. In 2006 we were 28th at 4.7 ypc and 140.9 ypg.

--- In 2010, our first year with Coach Gailey, we were dead last, 32nd against the run at 170 ypg and a torrid 4.8 ypc against. 2011, we were 28th at 4.8 ypc and 139 ypg. Currently, we are 30th at 4.9 ypc and 139.2 ypg.

 

Our run D was never great with Jauron, but it bottomed out with Gailey and George Edwards. If Wannstedt can continue to have this units ypg decrease the rest of the season, it will be a definite endorsement to stay the course with the 4-3 (and maybe get another MLB).

 

Case against Gailey/Fitz:

1.) Play Calling / untimely turnovers - Neither of these are easy to quantify. There is no stat for INTs when down by 4 in the 4th quarter. There is no stat to say "40+ runs/game leads to a W." All we have is fan opinion. Just like "clutch" it can't be quantified. Does fitz have a poor comeback record? Absolutely. Has our defense lost a fair number of games in the 4th quarter for him (ie: Tennessee this year)? You bet. Has Gailey blown some calls? You know it. Should he run more? No doubt.

 

But is the answer to fire them? Not a chance. Need proof? Look at a few current coaches who really struggled, didn't make the playoffs early on and who's fan bases wanted them canned - Marvin Lewis, Lovie Smith, Gary Kubiak. All 3 of them have teams in playoff contention. I won't go into history, but Buddy has been around enough. You don't blow it up every 3 years.

 

Where we are with Fitz?

1.) He is currently ranked? Right above Joe Flacco and right behind Phillip Rivers. He is sandwiched between a couple of 1st round picks.

 

What do Bills fans want?

 

There isn't an RG III or Luck in every class. You can't want a team to win and still have a shot at these players! When we were top 3, the best QB, Cam Newton, was gone before we had the option. Tanking the season is now how you progress. You develop a winning culture, and seeing as Fitz is better than 15 other QBs in the league right now, there aren't many better options out there. It should be noted he has better stats (completion %, TDs, INTs and Rating) than the following "Big Name" guys: Flacco, Palmer, Cutler, Eli, Bradford, Stafford, Vick, and Luck. Bills fans can't have it all. Fitz doesn't have the Yards per attempt of Luck (6.6 to 7.1) but he has fewer INTs and more TDs.

 

 

Bottom line - This team will be in far worse shape losing these 3. Buddy Nix is right - stay the course. Improve the Defense. Get a 2nd WR, draft better tackling LBs, stay healthy, and get better play from the young CBs. This team isn't far off. They just aren't going as fast as we fans want.

 

Well written but what we really want is a QB that is physically able to play the position and coach that isn't pass happy. Give me the Chan from the Bill Kower era and now we are talking

[TheFunPolice]

Well written but what we really want is a QB that is physically able to play the position and coach that isn't pass happy. Give me the Chan from the Bill Kower era and now we are talking

 

Don't forget that the Chan from the Cowher era answered to Cowher and was issued instructions on how to craft his offense

 

The Chan of today is enjoying no boss year and is having fun doing whatever he wants

[thewildrabbit]

I'll bet those KC Chief fans were excited about their "pistol" offense that Chan ran there in 08, as he made a very average QB light it up and look good in a 2-14 season. Sound familiar?

 

Norv Turner inherited a 14-2 team with a top 5 QB on the verge of the super bowl and turned then into a 4-8 marvel, I wouldn't want him as the Bills HC either. So far Chan Gailey hasn't even duplicated moron Jauron's feeble record of 7-9.

 

 

Gailey has had 2 of the best RB's in the NFL all season, and only utilized them properly in one game so far this year! The Jags game both RB's finally saw 42 touches vs 17 attempts for Fitz. Final score 34-18.

 

You gotta remember that Gailey chose to stick with Fitz the last 3 years when he easily could have drafted and been grooming a rookie QB. Dick Jauron managed to get a 4th year so I don't see why RW won't give another moron a 4th year

 

Those 2 buffoons (Nix & Gailey) will finally get fired when the current owner passes ....so we wait.

[8-8 Forever?]

I agree with the OP. When Nix & Gailey took over it wasn't similar to Harbaugh coming to SF that just needed tweaking. It was an all out rebuild. Sure, a lot of the pieces were there, but a lot weren't. 7 of our opening day defensive starters, and 6 on offense (including Spiller), weren't even on the team. If the team closes out the season strong you definitely bring these guys back.

Not sure. Wood, Johnson, Hairston all out now... I can see this thing degrading ... this team just gets destroyed with injuries. its really amazing.. who the heck plays center now?? but no, starting over would be a bigger disaster. this is a mediocre franchise in general. competitive, yes, championship possible? no.

Edited December 4, 2012 by 8and8Forever

[BillsFan-4-Ever]

Look at it this way. Last year when the O Line had more than one injured player the O fell apart!!!

 

I kind of see that as an improvement in depth.

[Turbosrrgood]

2.) The last time we had a QB throw for over 20 + TD in a season was Bledsoe in 04 and 06. Fitz has now thrown 20+ TDs in 3 straight season. The last time a Bills QB threw 20+ TDs in back to back seasons was....

 

 

Nice post, but Drew Blesoe's last year in the NFL was in 2006, and he threw 7 TD's with the Dallas Cowboys. You were probably thinking of 2002 and 2004 (His last with the Bills).

Edited December 4, 2012 by Turbosrrgood