LB coach Chuck Driesbach relieved of duties

[Mr. WEO]

If he never saw it coming and had no inkling whatsoever, why did the hair go up on his next (sic) when he heard the coach wanted to talk to him?

 

I'm not sure I trust that article. It was mistake filled, poorly written, from his hometown paper. I also find it very, very hard to believe that Marrone or Pettine would not tell him anything whatsoever about what he did wrong.

 

This isn't a very hard question to answer--obviously he and all the other position coaches are aware of what happened to Ike Hilliard when he was called into Marrone's office.

[Gugny]

Your forgetting the Cleveland game as well. That's 2 games where the special teams made a huge difference in the outcome of the game.(Probably the biggest reason we lost both games.)

 

The defense was responsible for most of their losses? I would say incompetent QB play was the biggest reason the team lost more games then won.

You're pinning a game in which Jeff Tuel played significant time (with no Stevie Johnson, nonetheless) on Special Teams?

 

And that incompetent QB play led to nearly 22 points/game ... and more than a few leads that were blown by the defense.

[Kelly the Dog]

Maybe, but he blamed the horrific ST on players. This LB corps does not have the players clearly, but this time it is the non-buddy coaches fault. These could all be the right calls but as more of them get thrown on the pile it looks more like a pile of garbage than pieces of a puzzle.

 

 

 

If Greggo Marrone was better at choosing his words he would have said "we are going to go in another direction" with the WRs. This implies a new style and a better idea or something. Instead he comes out with there is a "difference in philosophy" which clearly implies and inflexibility of Hilliard to adapt.

Difference in philosophy could mean any number of things, including we are simply going in a different direction, and in no way clearly and automatically implies inflexibility.

[reddogblitz]

You're pinning a game in which Jeff Tuel played significant time (with no Stevie Johnson, nonetheless) on Special Teams?

 

And that incompetent QB play led to nearly 22 points/game ... and more than a few leads that were blown by the defense.

 

In the Clowns game we gave up a long punt return for a TD and another to put them inside the 20 I think it was. Yes, Tuel Time played a lot and SJ was out, but those 2 long returns were a huge part of that loss.

 

And yes QB play hurt us as well, and I agree with you that while our D was more fun this year, it wasn't really all that effective.

[thebandit27]

 

 

In the Clowns game we gave up a long punt return for a TD and another to put them inside the 20 I think it was. Yes, Tuel Time played a lot and SJ was out, but those 2 long returns were a huge part of that loss.

 

And yes QB play hurt us as well, and I agree with you that while our D was more fun this year, it wasn't really all that effective.

 

The Bills had come back to go ahead in the Browns game long after the kick return fiascos...that loss goes in QB play IMO

[Kelly the Dog]

This isn't a very hard question to answer--obviously he and all the other position coaches are aware of what happened to Ike Hilliard when he was called into Marrone's office.

So no one was ever called into his office to discuss the team and player evaluations and where we can improve?

 

Granted. there is a stigma in the NFL to "The coach wants to see you and bring your playbook" on cut down day. But a month after the season, when the staff and management has just spent watching game tapes and evaluating all of their players and coaches and where we went wrong and where we can improve, i would imagine Marrone and Pettine have called the coaches into their offices numerous times, sometimes to say "how's the wife and kids, lets go get a beer at the Big Tree."

 

Your forgetting the Cleveland game as well. That's 2 games where the special teams made a huge difference in the outcome of the game.(Probably the biggest reason we lost both games.)

 

The defense was responsible for most of their losses? I would say incompetent QB play was the biggest reason the team lost more games then won.

I'm not sticking up for Crossman at all, I want him gone, too. But so many times on replays you see one guy make a ridiculously stupid play that causes a long return that has zero to do with coaching.

 

I would agree that the defense was far less responsible for most of the losses than the offense. We had a host of problems though, all over all of the teams, O, D and ST, and each blew it at different times that contributed greatly.

[Mr. WEO]

So no one was ever called into his office to discuss the team and player evaluations and where we can improve?

 

Granted. there is a stigma in the NFL to "The coach wants to see you and bring your playbook" on cut down day. But a month after the season, when the staff and management has just spent watching game tapes and evaluating all of their players and coaches and where we went wrong and where we can improve, i would imagine Marrone and Pettine have called the coaches into their offices numerous times, sometimes to say "how's the wife and kids, lets go get a beer at the Big Tree."

 

Come on! Yeah, he knows they are in there watching the tapes. After Ike, he knows there's blood in the water. He can read the papers about "Crossman is retained".

 

And with a straight face, you are saying he should have reasonably assumed that the HC suddenly wanted to call him into his office to ask how his family is doing or invite him for a beer?

 

There is no way you believe that.

[GA BILLS FAN]

Maybe ST is next in line --- first, they evaluated the offensive coaching staff and fired WR coach --- then, they evaluated defense and fired ILB coach -- next, they evaluate ST and fire Crossman ?? ---- maybe ? --- on ST discussion --- I think they cost us 2 games --- but more importantly, I can't recall one game changing return --- on a team with McKelvin, Spiller, Goodwin, Graham, Easley --- not one game changing return ??? ---- that's an indictment --- I'm not saying CJ should be returning kicks --- but watch some of his college highlights -- in fact, he was just named to the all ACC BCS era team as return specialist --- watch some film on Graham and Goodwin in college --- that's what's puzzling -- on top of the inconsistent kick/punt coverage

[Kelly the Dog]

Come on! Yeah, he knows they are in there watching the tapes. After Ike, he knows there's blood in the water. He can read the papers about "Crossman is retained".

 

And with a straight face, you are saying he should have reasonably assumed that the HC suddenly wanted to call him into his office to ask how his family is doing or invite him for a beer?

 

There is no way you believe that.

My point was, position coaches are called in to talk to the coach for all kinds of reasons. And if the Bills, after one month of evaluations (easily enough time to believe that you indeed have been retained and your job is safe) of players and coaches had decided to retain Dreisbach because he was doing such a good job, but wanted him to alter his tact and emphasis from more of A to more of B, they would have called him into their office and explained such to him. You can't honestly believe every time the head coach calls a position coach into his office during the first month or two after the season it's to fire him. I would bet you Anthony Weaver and Jim O'Neil and Donnie Henderson have been called into his office, too in the last month.

 

it's impossible to believe that two things simultaneously happened. 1) He had zero idea

[Coach Tuesday]

I think you are giving way, way, way too much credence to the reports that we fans get from the reasons these coaches are fired. Chances are, Marrone likes Hilliard and Dreisbach as men and as coaches. That's why he hired them in the first place. And chances are if Marrone thinks that these guys made some absolute coaching blunders and bone-headed calls or player evaluations he is NOT ever going to say that publicly, so the guy can get his next job. These guys usually choose their words carefully about firings, for many, many good reasons. And guys like Dreisbach, to his hometown paper in a 10 minute interview, are not going to say "I let the team down", or "I blew it this one game" They are going to protect themselves. I'm sure it came as some surprise to him. It probably didnt to Marrone and Pettine.

 

More to that point, we as fans just never know. It could be about LB gap control, or it could be that the guy was messing around with expense reports, or young secretaries. We have no idea. There are so many factors that can go into it.

 

And as to your earlier point, I know I'm one of the star, secure young employees at my job, but the hairs on my neck still stand up when the Boss Man calls me into his office. That never goes away.

[thebandit27]

Maybe ST is next in line --- first, they evaluated the offensive coaching staff and fired WR coach --- then, they evaluated defense and fired ILB coach -- next, they evaluate ST and fire Crossman ?? ---- maybe ? --- on ST discussion --- I think they cost us 2 games --- but more importantly, I can't recall one game changing return --- on a team with McKelvin, Spiller, Goodwin, Graham, Easley --- not one game changing return ??? ---- that's an indictment --- I'm not saying CJ should be returning kicks --- but watch some of his college highlights -- in fact, he was just named to the all ACC BCS era team as return specialist --- watch some film on Graham and Goodwin in college --- that's what's puzzling -- on top of the inconsistent kick/punt coverage

 

If they did fire Crossman, do you think fans on this board will railroad Marrone for saying that they needed better ST players and then firing the coach?

 

Serious question, but I'm not expecting you to know how every fan will react...just putting it out there as a general question to the masses...

[DDD]

Outside of Pettine, Marrone's coaching staff is unimpressive to say the least.

[Justice]

Hmm. Interesting move considering Hughes and Lawson both improved from last year. Kiko played excellent as a rookie, too.

[Big Turk]

As pissed as many (including myself) are about the retention of The Danny, I think the fact remains that - as bad as ST were, they didn't really put us in a position to lose many games other than the Blount Show. The defense sucked all year. Kiko Alonso had a fine rookie campaign, but let's not call him "great," quite yet. As a few others have pointed out, the guy was all over the place. The defense gave up a lot of points and were responsible, in my opinion, for most of Buffalo's losses this year. Crappy LB play was a big part of that --- regardless of the level of talent he had to work with. Teams were running at will ... when everyone knew they were running. This firing doesn't surprise me that much.

So Cleveland setting franchise records for punt return yards in a single game didn't count? Neither did the TD the dude scored apparently on a punt return that sparked them...

[Kelly the Dog]

More to that point, we as fans just never know. It could be about LB gap control, or it could be that the guy was messing around with expense reports, or young secretaries. We have no idea. There are so many factors that can go into it.

 

And as to your earlier point, I know I'm one of the star, secure young employees at my job, but the hairs on my neck still stand up when the Boss Man calls me into his office. That never goes away.

On the first point, agreed.

 

On the second point, I have no idea what your title or standing is, and I know what you mean. But the position coaches would be the equivalent of upper management, who would have to talk to the bossman in his office far more times than the hotshot star young employees.

 

The whole point is, as you stated, we just don't know. I find it impossible to believe he had no idea, he thought he did a great job, they never had a bad word to say about his job performance during the year and they never told him anything before, during or after firing him a month after the season. That seems farcical to me.

[GA BILLS FAN]

 

 

If they did fire Crossman, do you think fans on this board will railroad Marrone for saying that they needed better ST players and then firing the coach?

 

Serious question, but I'm not expecting you to know how every fan will react...just putting it out there as a general question to the masses...

I suspect that if they do fire Crossman it would come with some explanation along the lines of "ST performance was not acceptable and it was both coach and players" -- without explanation, I think most "rational" posters would understand that. However, to your point, there would be a vocal minority that dumps on Marrone for reacting to fans or showing inconsistency in his thought process -- personally, I'd welcome it as nothing more than a careful and deliberate evaluation that led to a dismissal of an under-performing coach.

[Coach Tuesday]

On the first point, agreed.

 

On the second point, I have no idea what your title or standing is, and I know what you mean. But the position coaches would be the equivalent of upper management, who would have to talk to the bossman in his office far more times than the hotshot star young employees.

 

The whole point is, as you stated, we just don't know. I find it impossible to believe he had no idea, he thought he did a great job, they never had a bad word to say about his job performance during the year and they never told him anything before, during or after firing him a month after the season. That seems farcical to me.

 

Agreed. Or looked at another way, if he had that little self-awareness, it was probably justified...

[Gugny]

So Cleveland setting franchise records for punt return yards in a single game didn't count? Neither did the TD the dude scored apparently on a punt return that sparked them...

I still blame that loss on poor QB performance.

 

However ... two important points that I feel the need to reiterate:

 

1. I, too, am unhappy that The Donny is still here.

2. The defense was to blame for WAAAAAYYY more losses than Special Teams (or QB play, for that matter).

[K-9]

Hmm. Interesting move considering Hughes and Lawson both improved from last year. Kiko played excellent as a rookie, too.

 

Driesbach coached the inside backers. I doubt Lawson and especially Hughes, spent much time with him. While Kiko played extremely well at times he, along with Moats and Bradham, were often bad at their jobs. I don't put that on Driesbach as much as I do the players though.

 

GO BILLS!!!

[Kelly the Dog]

Hmm. Interesting move considering Hughes and Lawson both improved from last year. Kiko played excellent as a rookie, too.

I understand that Hughes is listed as a LB, and I'm positive that the position coaches work together every day with the players. But Jerry Hughes, for all intents and purposes, lined up as a DE and rushed the passer fabulously, and was usually terrible when asked to do more of the linebacker duties. I don't totally blame or give credit to the coaches on that, the guy is a pure pass rusher. That is his talent and we let him do it. But without knowing who told him or taught him to do what, I don't think much credit at all should go to the LB coach for Jerry Hughes success.

 

I thought Lawson was pretty good, but pretty much as advertised. Smart, skilled, pretty good at everything but not great at anything.

 

Kiko was Kiko. I would like to think Dreisbach played a part in his strong play.