Stevie talks Bills in SI.com interview

[mattsox]

It really is too bad that Greggo Marrone could not figure out a way to work with Stevie. It should not have been that difficult, but with limited coaching experience and a thin skin it seems like it was not meant to be. I think SJ will do well in SF. It was nice having a guy that loved being a Bill. I think Eric Wood loves it, Freddie loves it and CJ says he loves it. I hope Sammy adopts SJ's mind set in many aspects. When Greggo Marrone is inevitably jettisoned after this year maybe we will get a coach more capable of dealing with pro players and situations.

 

Absolutely a horrible trade. SJ was Buffalo. We needed him this season to get us where we want to be. Rookie WRs hardly ever make an impact in the first season. This "All-in" BS is exactly that. BS. This team should make a big stride this season, with no SJ or Alonso, I'm not so certain this team will be good enough to fight for a playoff birth.

 

I firmly believe Marrone is gone along with the whole Front Office after this season. The new owner will bring in someone with credibility as GM and HC along with an NFL OC.

Edited August 12, 2014 by mattsox

[Rockinon]

Subtly throws the QBs under the bus.

I don't think he did that. But maybe a little smack talk challenge to get them fired up.

[bladiebla]

Subtly throws the QBs under the bus.

 

Lol, jeah, that is what stood out to me as well. Stevie clearly wasnt a fan of EJ. Otherwise <3 Stevie, hope he does well.

 

Absolutely a horrible trade. SJ was Buffalo. We needed him this season to get us where we want to be. Rookie WRs hardly ever make an impact in the first season. This "All-in" BS is exactly that. BS. This team should make a big stride this season, with no SJ or Alonso, I'm not so certain this team will be good enough to fight for a playoff birth.

 

I firmly believe Marrone is gone along with the whole Front Office after this season. The new owner will bring in someone with credibility as GM and HC along with an NFL OC.

 

I absolutly hated the trade as well, however Mike Williams is clearly showing why the trade was made.

[eball]

Absolutely a horrible trade. SJ was Buffalo. We needed him this season to get us where we want to be. Rookie WRs hardly ever make an impact in the first season. This "All-in" BS is exactly that. BS. This team should make a big stride this season, with no SJ or Alonso, I'm not so certain this team will be good enough to fight for a playoff birth.

 

I firmly believe Marrone is gone along with the whole Front Office after this season. The new owner will bring in someone with credibility as GM and HC along with an NFL OC.

 

This is the sort of post it could be fun to dredge back up in a few months.

[Mr. WEO]

Absolutely a horrible trade. SJ was Buffalo. We needed him this season to get us where we want to be. Rookie WRs hardly ever make an impact in the first season. This "All-in" BS is exactly that. BS. This team should make a big stride this season, with no SJ or Alonso, I'm not so certain this team will be good enough to fight for a playoff birth.

 

I firmly believe Marrone is gone along with the whole Front Office after this season. The new owner will bring in someone with credibility as GM and HC along with an NFL OC.

 

SJ will prove to be the easiest Bills #1 WR to replace since...well the #1 WR he easily replaced: T Owens.

 

It's nice that SJ has found work, but he wasn't bringing the Bills anywhere. He was the best option on a team with no really good options at WR for his whole career here.

 

I think even the most ardent fans of vanilla, I mean SJ, will forget all about him and his outstanding achievements in mediocrity once Watkins starts cranking it up.

[thewildrabbit]

Glad to see he is being classy about the situation. I wish him luck.

Same.

 

Glad to see him get a chance to play for his home town team. I think the 49ers may end up in the playoffs again this year.

[4merper4mer]

Absolutely a horrible trade. SJ was Buffalo. We needed him this season to get us where we want to be. Rookie WRs hardly ever make an impact in the first season. This "All-in" BS is exactly that. BS. This team should make a big stride this season, with no SJ or Alonso, I'm not so certain this team will be good enough to fight for a playoff birth.

 

I firmly believe Marrone is gone along with the whole Front Office after this season. The new owner will bring in someone with credibility as GM and HC along with an NFL OC.

 

I don't think Whaley will be gone. I hope not. He has provided Marrone with a lot of young talent. I want Marrone to succeed but simply can't imagine it happening due to his thin skin and inflexibility. Here is the real trade we made:

 

Stevie and Hilliard for Yesman and Hackett.

 

Would any other coach in the NFL have made those decisions? Would Whaley have done it if his coach were capable of dealing with funny t-shirts?

 

I don't think after this year anyone could really ax Whaley. Even if EJ doesn't work out at all Whaley still has a list of draftees that have performed. I guess if Watkins stinks, but he won't.

 

It seems plain to me that the Marrone hiring was a mistake but there is an unwritten rule about firing a guy after one year. We have to let him flail about for a while. I think the new owner will spring for a high profile coach. A coach that is not all bluster like Marrone can get the job done with this roster. To be totally fair to Marrone, part of the problem is that he had to have bluster to him to build credibility at first. It was his first gig as an NFL HC and he was competing with gurus like Chip Kelly. Where he fell short was in not using that initial phase to build relationships with players and other coaches. Instead he seems to have become defensive and blocked out any contradictory opinions. That is why Yesman will be coaching special teams as long as Marrone is here and it is why Hilliard is gone.

 

The best result for this year will likely be Whaley assessing the current roster and extending any keepers. That way the new coach will be set up to hit the ground running in 2015.

Edited August 12, 2014 by 4merper4mer

[eball]

I don't think Whaley will be gone. I hope not. He has provided Marrone with a lot of young talent. I want Marrone to succeed but simply can't imagine it happening due to his thin skin and inflexibility. Here is the real trade we made:

 

Stevie and Hilliard for Yesman and Hackett.

 

Would any other coach in the NFL have made those decisions? Would Whaley have done it if his coach were capable of dealing with funny t-shirts?

 

I don't think after this year anyone could really ax Whaley. Even if EJ doesn't work out at all Whaley still has a list of draftees that have performed. I guess if Watkins stinks, but he won't.

 

It seems plain to me that the Marrone hiring was a mistake but there is an unwritten rule about firing a guy after one year. We have to let him flail about for a while. I think the new owner will spring for a high profile coach. A coach that is not all bluster like Marrone can get the job done with this roster. To be totally fair to Marrone, part of the problem is that he had to have bluster to him to build credibility at first. It was his first gig as an NFL HC and he was competing with gurus like Chip Kelly. Where he fell short was in not using that initial phase to build relationships with players and other coaches. Instead he seems to have become defensive and blocked out any contradictory opinions. That is why Yesman will be coaching special teams as long as Marrone is here and it is why Hilliard is gone.

 

The best result for this year will likely be Whaley assessing the current roster and extending any keepers. That way the new coach will be set up to hit the ground running in 2015.

 

Second post in the thread worthy of archiving for later retrieval. You guys kill me.

[Homey D. Clown]

I am not one of those who immediately dislike a player, or downplay their skills once they leave Buffalo, but Stevie, along with Peters and Byrd is definitely a lost talent, unlike the useless services of 'Lil Donte, Lynch, and Posluzny.

 

I will Miss Stevie's enthusiasm for the game most of all.

[CountryCletus]

 

 

SJ will prove to be the easiest Bills #1 WR to replace since...well the #1 WR he easily replaced: T Owens.

 

It's nice that SJ has found work, but he wasn't bringing the Bills anywhere. He was the best option on a team with no really good options at WR for his whole career here.

 

I think even the most ardent fans of vanilla, I mean SJ, will forget all about him and his outstanding achievements in mediocrity once Watkins starts cranking it up.

 

^^^ THIS!!!!!

[Maury Ballstein]

I am not one of those who immediately dislike a player, or downplay their skills once they leave Buffalo, but Stevie, along with Peters and Byrd is definitely a lost talent, unlike the useless services of 'Lil Donte, Lynch, and Posluzny.

 

I will Miss Stevie's enthusiasm for the game most of all.

 

Agree except Marshawn might belong in group A. His broken tackle stats are insanely good.

[reddogblitz]

I don't think Whaley will be gone. I hope not. He has provided Marrone with a lot of young talent. I want Marrone to succeed but simply can't imagine it happening due to his thin skin and inflexibility. Here is the real trade we made:

 

Stevie and Hilliard for Yesman and Hackett.

 

By Yesman I believe you mean Crossman? Yeah he should have been fired after the last game last year. This is bad decision on Coach Marrone's part and smacks of cronyism run amuck IMHO.

 

Actually the trade was SJ for Bryce Brown. That's a good trade in m book.

 

Would any other coach in the NFL have made those decisions? Would Whaley have done it if his coach were capable of dealing with funny t-shirts?

 

You keep coming back to this funny t-shirt thing. Why would Coach Marrone care about this stuff. SJ's last funny t-shirt incident was in the 2011 season, two years before Coach Marrone arrived at OBD. Do you really think Coach Marrone wants to get rid of him because of that?

 

SJ was traded due to the drive killing drop vs NE in week 1 and the fumble vs the Falcons. And all the other ones during the year. He was totally out of sync with EJ as well. There were many plays last year when after an incompletion where SJ didn't know where the ball was that he would look questionably at EJ and EJ would point to some direction he was expecting SJ to be. He didn't have these issues with Woods or Flash Goodwin. EJ's fault? SJ's fault? Don't' know. Does it matter?

 

It seems plain to me that the Marrone hiring was a mistake but there is an unwritten rule about firing a guy after one year.

The best result for this year will likely be Whaley assessing the current roster and extending any keepers. That way the new coach will be set up to hit the ground running in 2015.

 

I too believe the Coach Marrone hire to be a bad decision. However, he's all we got.

 

As far as the "unwritten rule" goes, I guess the Seahawks aren't aware of it. Jim Mora Jr was their HC for one year before Pete Carol arrived (good thing he didn't know those sanctions were coming to USC ). But yes, it is rare.

[YoloinOhio]

And another interview - he must love all this attention!

Jay Skurski ‏@JaySkurski 7m

Stevie Johnson talks about his time with the #Bills in this @theMMQB interview with @RobertKlemko http://wp.me/p3Dw81-7do

[bladiebla]

What is with all the Marrone hate? I think he's doing a solid job, he should have replaced his OC and ST coaches but overall things are looking up. You can't blame Marrone for Kiko getting injured...

[Maury Ballstein]

What is with all the Marrone hate? I think he's doing a solid job

 

To be determined still IMO.

[4merper4mer]

What is with all the Marrone hate? I think he's doing a solid job, he should have replaced his OC and ST coaches but overall things are looking up. You can't blame Marrone for Kiko getting injured...

 

Keeping woefully ill equipped coordinators because they are yes men is "doing a solid job"?

[eball]

Keeping woefully ill equipped coordinators because they are yes men is "doing a solid job"?

 

Excellent use of the "my opinion is fact" method of posting.

[4merper4mer]

Excellent use of the "my opinion is fact" method of posting.

 

So which part is opinion?

 

Crosmman stinks? LeGarrette Blount called from the end zone and said: Fact!!!

 

Hackett ill equipped? I think the fact that he has never purchased a product made by Gillette , Barbasol or Schick back that up.

 

Give me a break dude.

[Campy]

It really is too bad that Greggo Marrone could not figure out a way to work with Stevie. It should not have been that difficult, but with limited coaching experience and a thin skin it seems like it was not meant to be. I think SJ will do well in SF. It was nice having a guy that loved being a Bill. I think Eric Wood loves it, Freddie loves it and CJ says he loves it. I hope Sammy adopts SJ's mind set in many aspects. When Greggo Marrone is inevitably jettisoned after this year maybe we will get a coach more capable of dealing with pro players and situations.

 

These posts never get old.

 

The preceding sentence is a lie.

 

Absolutely a horrible trade. SJ was Buffalo. We needed him this season to get us where we want to be. Rookie WRs hardly ever make an impact in the first season. This "All-in" BS is exactly that. BS. This team should make a big stride this season, with no SJ or Alonso, I'm not so certain this team will be good enough to fight for a playoff birth.

 

I firmly believe Marrone is gone along with the whole Front Office after this season. The new owner will bring in someone with credibility as GM and HC along with an NFL OC.

 

take Watkins out of the equation. You'd rather have Stevie Johnson than Mike Williams?

[Hplarrm]

I liked SJ for the most part as a player, and was surprised at the trade because I could easily see how he could be a nice complement with his unusual route running skills with the demonstrated great hands and superior YAC performance in college of Watkins. Yet, upon further thought. I was quite pleased with the seeming well-developed chemistry between Robert Woods and EJ. Perhaps we might move forward with multi-year 1000 yd producer, bain of top flight CBs like Revis SJ as our #1 and growingly reliable Woods as our #2.

 

However, the braintrust had a vision. They knew they needed three WRs to be outstanding in the NFL. Also, though SJ was a proven productive player, he like the rest of the world is not perfect. He was a reasonable #1 but not a 1200 yd drop dead #1. Further he did have a history of doing well but had a number of high profile fails as well. His style is that he is virtually impossible to shut down. However, his style is that it is hard for a DB to predict will do and thus to cover him. However, his herky jerky style makes it hard for not only a Revis to cover him but also hard for EJ (or any other QB) to develop a chemistry with him.

 

The Bills braintrust chose another vision. They felt Watkins had the hands, breakaway speed, and also the discipline to practice different releases and get separation. They felt Watkins could easily make EJ's job simpler by getting quick separation but also unlike SJ who needed a little time to get his separation with unpredictable route running but Watkins is unpredictable in which route he is going to run for the DB (the fly patterns and curls look the same until the DB chooses to sit on the curl (but he and the QB have predetermined the run the fly or the DB turns tail to run the fly but EJ/Watkins have predetermined to run a curl.

 

Not only did the Bills plan call for the developing reliable Woods as our #2, but they also decided to go after #1 round physical talent Williams to come back to his hometown of Buffalo with the hope he would deal with the fact he had shown a round 8 character in his first two failed stops. By trading SJ for a pick which ended up being Bryce Brown the braintrust has a plan that looks credible and well executed.

 

I like SJ but I love the potential the O has particularly the potential it has to be productive with EJ being merely adequate because it is too earl in his career to expect reasonably he will carry the team on his tslented but young shoulders.