Has one win (Pats) ever changed a perception so much?

[Virgil]

As I think about Marrone moving on, I can't help but wonder, is it the result or the action that's bothering us? After the Raiders game, we all figured we would end 8-8. Many thought Doug would quit if he wouldn't fire Hackett.

 

Now, we win that game, finish 9-7, and now we lost the great coach. The same coach that lost to the Texans and Chiefs, basically keeping us out of the playoffs. Granted, still the same coach that beat the Lions, Pats, and Packers.

 

I'm just trying to keep perspective. This was a coach that I wasn't completely sold on and I think used the high of a final win, against the rival Pats where we've never won before, and walked out on a cloud.

 

I still see a few other ways where the end result was the same an no one cares.

 

End of the day, the only thing I'm really sad about is the lack of stability. If we fired Hackett and brought in a solid OC, I would have been happy. Now, there is a sign of rebuilding. And I'm hoping that the info about Whaley and Brandon not knowing about the Polian thing isn't true. Because then we have two guys running the show that know they aren't wanted.

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

I have said this before-- but this really was a 6 or 7 win season.

 

We won the Lions and Vikes games based on Kyle Orton 4th and 20 conversions! We played a game when the Pats rested their stars. Those three games there could have easily swung us to 6-10.

 

But, I guess wins are wins, and we were a 9-win team, and Marrone is going to sell that to the teams he interviews with.

[boyst]

saying we should have lost to detroit and new england includes saying we should have won against oakland and houston.

 

you can't count wins like that. most of us counted detroitn and new england as losses at the beginning of the season and houston and oakland as wins.

 

marrone beating new england didn't change anything, he is still the coach that took a team to a loss in oakland.

[FireChan]

I have said this before-- but this really was a 6 or 7 win season.

 

We won the Lions and Vikes games based on Kyle Orton 4th and 20 conversions! We played a game when the Pats rested their stars. Those three games there could have easily swung us to 6-10.

 

But, I guess wins are wins, and we were a 9-win team, and Marrone is going to sell that to the teams he interviews with.

 

Moral losses. Classic.

[Dirtbag]

But, I guess wins are wins, and we were a 9-win team, and Marrone is going to sell that to the teams he interviews with.

since that pats game was pretty much a preseason contest, i don't count it. if i were to count it, i would also include the other preseason games. so, they actually went 10-11. another losing season dammit!

[Rob's House]

I think of it as an 8-8 season because I don't give any credit to the Bills for the NE win. Beating NE in a straight up game would be huge for me, but winning a meaningless game where they rested Brady for half the game doesn't really count for much. Had the Bills won the Raiders game and lost to NE it'd be a whole different story, but every time playoffs were a realistic option Marrone's team fell short.

 

8-8 is still a big improvement over the last decade, and I'd have still argued that Marrone deserved to stay, but that gimme win at NE does seem to cast this season in a falsely positive light.

[Kelly the Dog]

I have said this before-- but this really was a 6 or 7 win season.

 

We won the Lions and Vikes games based on Kyle Orton 4th and 20 conversions! We played a game when the Pats rested their stars. Those three games there could have easily swung us to 6-10.

 

But, I guess wins are wins, and we were a 9-win team, and Marrone is going to sell that to the teams he interviews with.

One play we win two other games. It works both ways.

 

The funny part to me is before the Packers game everyone was down on Marrone. The Bills won and a huge portion of fans were all over Marrone. Polian said he should get some coach of the year votes. The next week they lose to the Raiders and everyone is down on him. Te next week they beat the Patriots and the Bills have a winning record and he's a star again. Especially in the national media who don't follow the team like we do.

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

Moral losses. Classic.

 

In all seriousness, if I am a GM and I want to interview and determine how Marrone really did, I wouldn't just take the 9-7 record at face value, and would look behind the games a bit more. For example-- KC and Den losses were good, well-coached games by the Bills. Those should go into the equation. Same with the rather miraculous Det and Minn wins, which I would view more skeptically. And the NE win would be irrelevant.

[Kelly the Dog]

I think of it as an 8-8 season because I don't give any credit to the Bills for the NE win. Beating NE in a straight up game would be huge for me, but winning a meaningless game where they rested Brady for half the game doesn't really count for much. Had the Bills won the Raiders game and lost to NE it'd be a whole different story, but every time playoffs were a realistic option Marrone's team fell short.

 

8-8 is still a big improvement over the last decade, and I'd have still argued that Marrone deserved to stay, but that gimme win at NE does seem to cast this season in a falsely positive light.

To be fair it should be an 8-7 season if you do not count that as a win. It wasn't an obvious loss because they did actually win the game. Brady did little in the first half. Granted, if they played Gronk it would have been tough, but we didn't have dareus or gilmore. In the three games against the three Hall of Fame QBs, two on the road, they threw zero TD passes.

[FireChan]

In all seriousness, if I am a GM and I want to interview and determine how Marrone really did, I wouldn't just take the 9-7 record at face value, and would look behind the games a bit more. For example-- KC and Den losses were good, well-coached games by the Bills. Those should go into the equation. Same with the rather miraculous Det and Minn wins, which I would view more skeptically. And the NE win would be irrelevant.

 

Of course. Marrone wins a close game and it's luck. Belichick wins a close game and it's because he's a winner.

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

One play we win two other games. It works both ways.

 

The funny part to me is before the Packers game everyone was down on Marrone. The Bills won and a huge portion of fans were all over Marrone. Polian said he should get some coach of the year votes. The next week they lose to the Raiders and everyone is down on him. Te next week they beat the Patriots and the Bills have a winning record and he's a star again. Especially in the national media who don't follow the team like we do.

 

I think we all wanted to see him really turn over a new leaf with this franchise. But the reality is that he was a fraud-- maybe in the same way Billick was a fraud in Baltimore. Winning games in spite of himself. Maybe he will prove me wrong with his next gig, but I doubt it.

 

Of course. Marrone wins a close game and it's luck. Belichick wins a close game and it's because he's a winner.

 

Wins don't really tell you enough about a head coach's credentials, IMO. I think the circumstances have to be considered. At least that would be my view if I were looking at HC candidates.

[FireChan]

Wins don't really tell you enough about a head coach's credentials, IMO. I think the circumstances have to be considered. At least that would be my view if I were looking at HC candidates.

 

They used to tell you enough. I remember 6-10 seasons that we were 3 plays away from being 9-7. It didn't matter because you are what your record says you are. But once you get to 9-7, wins are no longer enough, time to invalidate them.

Edited January 2, 2015 by FireChan

[apuszczalowski]

Are people really dumb enough to believe that Marrone is getting interviews from other teams solely because the Bills went 9-7 this year and beat Green bay & New England?

 

Are people really that stupid that they believe the teams interviewing him have no clue about him aside from the wins and loss records?

 

Just because you believe that he didn't deserve to have a 9-7 record this year or that you don't want to count certain games cause you didnt feel the Bills deserved to win, NFL front offices are smarter then that

[KD in CA]

The girl always becomes much better looking the moment she dumps you.

[Nick the Greek]

I have said this before-- but this really was a 6 or 7 win season.

 

We won the Lions and Vikes games based on Kyle Orton 4th and 20 conversions! We played a game when the Pats rested their stars. Those three games there could have easily swung us to 6-10.

 

But, I guess wins are wins, and we were a 9-win team, and Marrone is going to sell that to the teams he interviews with.

Come on. You could easily go back to the Jauron/Gailey years and find games we shoulda won to bump our overall record to 9-7. There were a lot of close games.

 

It just doesn't work that that tho.

[transient]

As I think about Marrone moving on, I can't help but wonder, is it the result or the action that's bothering us?

 

For me, it's the action. While I was ok with the organization going "all in" with the goal of making the playoffs, I'm no longer so sure that these were Marrone's intentions. I can't help but feel like the day he sat EJ was also the day he decided he was likely going to opt out of his contract, and so he needed to do everything in his power to make himself look good. I can accept Whaley's decision to mortgage the future in an effort to remain a part of that future, and while I can appreciate the business acumen that Marrone brought with him to his departure, as a fan I can't help but feel like I was burned by a douchebag that was making decisions impacting the future of a franchise that I don't think he had any intention of being a part of after this season. It's reminiscent of John Butler's last season before jumping ship to San Diego.