A Few Thoughts About The Game, in no particular order.....

[HeHateMe]

The Bills were penalized 15 times in this game. Do you know how many penalties the Jets (the team the rambunctious coach was fired from) were assessed in their game against the Titans? Three times. Which team do you think has more discipline? Which team plays with more team intelligence? Coaching isn't a factor?

 

Where I respectfully but strenuously disagree with you is your static approach toward coaching and systems (schemes). The NFL of today is about constant changes being made to the game and the necessity of adapting. Rules change, interpretation (emphasis) of rules change, personnel constantly changing, injuries, cap departures and additions. There is nothing static about a roster and the game. There can be dramatic changes in personnel due to injuries from the beginning of the season to the end of the season. What a coach wants to do and what a player is capable of doing has to be factored in.

 

When your coach is locked into a scheme and the personnel changes result in an inability to run the scheme the HC has to be able to adjust. You hold to the view that Rex needs to be given time to get his own players to run his stuff. What happens when teams with smarter coaches adjust their schemes to render your installed scheme less effective? What happens when rule changes and interpretations make the system you are so invested in less effective? You have to be adaptable and you have to be flexible. Being married to a system is not a smart approach to take in an environment of constant change.

 

The team that Rex took over was a playoff caliber team. The games against the Chiefs, Giants, Jaguars and this Eagles games were winnable. The margin between winning and losing is very small. I submit that the difference between being a playoff team and not was directly due to the caliber of coaching.

 

Rex is simply being Rex. The organization got exactly what they hired. That is why he is not only a bad hire but a dumb hire. Talking big is not coaching big. Coaching matters!

 

Well said.

[RevWarRifleman]

I do, but the Bills players have nobody to answer to. They are THE most penalized team right? They must not care what Rex thinks.

 

It would be hard under any conditions watching Rex destroy the team. The fact that we had to listen to his grandiose claims how he was going to make us a "bully" that other teams would not want to play makes him that much harder to bear.

 

Imo Rex Ryan is a Jauron type loser except he has a big mouth. At least with Jauron we could lose in peace.

Bill, I love this point! Well said, sir. Its frustrating, just downright frustrating isn't it?

[Koufax]

Super disappointed with the outcome.

 

Very disappointed with the overall performance of the defense, and the inability of Rex to get the most out of them in his scheme. There of course should be some adjustment period on both player and coach, but since it was such a strength under Schwartz, this has been a big disappointment that Rex couldn't make more seamless adjustments. I don't think Rex forgot how to coach, and I don't think our players forgot how to be talented (although the Kyle and Aaron injuries are very disruptive ones). This needed to be done better this year since we weren't in a new coach rebuild, and we have paid the price for it being botched.

 

Medium disappointed with the offense. Tyrod is in year 1, and he needs to be a more complex passer capable of reading the defense and not just being a deep ball or scramble guy (although those are really key weapons too). Roman/Tyrod have to get the ball to Sammy more as the broken record continues to say.

 

No, I don't think Rex was a bad hire (our HC walked out on us for contractual/situational reasons, and I think Rex was as good a fit for this team as there was, although Schwartz could have made for a smoother transition, I don't think he is as good a head coach, and a better DC). I don't wish Rex is gone next year for a void. I am withholding judgment on Roman right now, but have some doubts.

 

I expect better from this team and this coaching staff. I think I would like tweaks to each, and it is not time to blow it up.

 

And by the way, our job now is to beat the Redskins. We still have paths to the playoffs with help, and have to keep playing for that goal.

[BuffaninATL]

 

What head coach was available that matched your requirements? Most NFL coaches have a system they run. The Jets coach hasn't adapted sh&^! He is coaching the same way he did in Arizona. Watch more Jets games. I am not that impressed. And no, Bowles is no better than Ryan. You are overreacting to the last few games. That's ok, that's what most fans do.

 

No he is not, I would submit he is offering a macro analysis of Rex and IMHO he is spot on. Rex's M.O. goes well beyond "the last few games"; this M.O. is his legacy and is the main reason I would nominate the Bills for the biggest underachieving team in the NFL this year.

 

The Bills were penalized 15 times in this game. Do you know how many penalties the Jets (the team the rambunctious coach was fired from) were assessed in their game against the Titans? Three times. Which team do you think has more discipline? Which team plays with more team intelligence? Coaching isn't a factor?

 

Where I respectfully but strenuously disagree with you is your static approach toward coaching and systems (schemes). The NFL of today is about constant changes being made to the game and the necessity of adapting. Rules change, interpretation (emphasis) of rules change, personnel constantly changing, injuries, cap departures and additions. There is nothing static about a roster and the game. There can be dramatic changes in personnel due to injuries from the beginning of the season to the end of the season. What a coach wants to do and what a player is capable of doing has to be factored in.

 

When your coach is locked into a scheme and the personnel changes result in an inability to run the scheme the HC has to be able to adjust. You hold to the view that Rex needs to be given time to get his own players to run his stuff. What happens when teams with smarter coaches adjust their schemes to render your installed scheme less effective? What happens when rule changes and interpretations make the system you are so invested in less effective? You have to be adaptable and you have to be flexible. Being married to a system is not a smart approach to take in an environment of constant change.

 

The team that Rex took over was a playoff caliber team. The games against the Chiefs, Giants, Jaguars and this Eagles games were winnable. The margin between winning and losing is very small. I submit that the difference between being a playoff team and not was directly due to the caliber of coaching.

 

Rex is simply being Rex. The organization got exactly what they hired. That is why he is not only a bad hire but a dumb hire. Talking big is not coaching big. Coaching matters!

 

excellent post. My only hope is that someone @ 1 Bills Drive is listening. I believe what Rex has done is nothing short of an embarrassment to the owner, fans, & city. And I don't want to hear any more of this crap about "we need another year or two" for the players to adapt to Rex's systems. Bulls*it.

[jeffismagic]

 

No he is not, I would submit he is offering a macro analysis of Rex and IMHO he is spot on. Rex's M.O. goes well beyond "the last few games"; this M.O. is his legacy and is the main reason I would nominate the Bills for the biggest underachieving team in the NFL this year.

 

 

You're just getting emotional as a fan. The Bills are not some super team held back by Rex Ryan.

 

The over / under for Bills wins before the year began was 7 or 8 wins. We are right on schedule.

[Agent 91]

 

BTW, the Texans didn't lose sleep over Mario because they thought they had some future double digit sack guys in the wings behind him.

 

That failed.

 

They ended up using a #1 overall pick on Jadeveon Clowney to replace Mario as a bookend to JJ Watt.

 

Just like the McCoy deal money was the most important factor.

 

As for your take in this thread.......I think some people on here obviously work in environments where leadership above them isn't as critical to day to day production as it is in an NFL locker room.

 

The NFL is a grind and the depth chart nature of the business means that the people above really need to keep A LOT of order.

 

It's not easy to keep guys on point when personnel are constantly coming and going whether via transactions or injury.

 

So saying it's just "on the players" discounts the fact that personnel is very fluid and initiation/training time is very short so what needs to be consistent is the organizational message so that personnel can step in and know exactly what is expected of them.

I see where you are with it. I just feel like technique breakdowns come from a lapse in technique... ie laziness. I speak mostly to jumping offsides. Also to holding. Get those hands inside and move your feet. Defensively the center will give clues 100% of the time. Anyone who has played on a d line knows. And there is no excuse for jumping early. Jumping late... thats different. But i honestly understand what you are saying

[BuffaninATL]

 

You're just getting emotional as a fan. The Bills are not some super team held back by Rex Ryan.

 

The over / under for Bills wins before the year began was 7 or 8 wins. We are right on schedule.

 

No I am not getting "emotional as a fan". You don't know me from Adam so stop pretending like you do; it is undermining your credibility.

 

I objectivity evaluate everything I see during each game and look for cause/effect & tendencies. I never said they were a super team, but they have underperformed and Rex's incompetence has cost them at least one game (KC) if not more.

[jeffismagic]

 

No I am not getting "emotional as a fan". You don't know me from Adam so stop pretending like you do; it is undermining your credibility.

 

I objectivity evaluate everything I see during each game and look for cause/effect & tendencies. I never said they were a super team, but they have underperformed and Rex's incompetence has cost them at least one game (KC) if not more.

 

You said the following "I would nominate the Bills for the biggest underachieving team in the NFL this year." That sounds like a fan who had their heart broken.

Edited December 14, 2015 by jeffismagic

[JohnC]

 

 

excellent post. My only hope is that someone @ 1 Bills Drive is listening. I believe what Rex has done is nothing short of an embarrassment to the owner, fans, & city. And I don't want to hear any more of this crap about "we need another year or two" for the players to adapt to Rex's systems. Bulls*it.

Odds are that he is going to be given a year or two before he will be dispatched. Eventually his record and abilities will catch up to him. My biggest fear is that he will have more say on personnel this offseason. Then this woeful franchise is going to have problems. The problem with a coach such as Rex is that he is not an utter incompetent----he is basically very mediocre. His performance as a HC will not result in a quick jettison but the frustration will steadily build until there is a critical mass of futility. By then we will be approaching two consecutive decades of non-playoff participation in a system designed for parity. How embarrassing is that!!!!

 

Let's face it. The Pegulas" were enamored with the glib coaching candidate when he was interviewed. More emphasis should have been placed on his record than his engaging personality. When you make bad decisions you have to live with the consequences. You get what you deserve to get. Some people are impressed with the Rex vaudeville act, not I.

[yungmack]

When you have a head coach whose "system" is incompatible with the abilities of the players, and the coach is unable or unwilling to adapt his system to the skill of his players, and the players are unable to succeed in that system, the only options team management/ownership has are to replace the coach,or replace the players. I know what I would do. It will be interesting to see what the Pegs do; it will signal what sort of teams we will have in the years ahead.

[Nihilarian]

Odds are that he is going to be given a year or two before he will be dispatched. Eventually his record and abilities will catch up to him. My biggest fear is that he will have more say on personnel this offseason. Then this woeful franchise is going to have problems. The problem with a coach such as Rex is that he is not an utter incompetent----he is basically very mediocre. His performance as a HC will not result in a quick jettison but the frustration will steadily build until there is a critical mass of futility. By then we will be approaching two consecutive decades of non-playoff participation in a system designed for parity. How embarrassing is that!!!!

 

Let's face it. The Pegulas" were enamored with the glib coaching candidate when he was interviewed. More emphasis should have been placed on his record than his engaging personality. When you make bad decisions you have to live with the consequences. You get what you deserve to get. Some people are impressed with the Rex vaudeville act, not I.

I'm earnestly hoping this is not the case at all, and I have some thoughts on the head coaching / GM situation.

 

Last off season the new owners were looking to hire an NFL "czar" (experienced NFL team adviser / president) to run the football side of operations, and contacted ex Buffalo Bill GM Bill Polian about the job. He agreed to take over at some point, and then backed out once Doug Marrone walked away from the team. The NFL even advised the new owners to hire a senior adviser, and for whatever reason they chose not to.

 

My thinking is that once Russ Brandon / Doug Whaley heard that the new owners offered Bill Polian a job they both panicked because they both realized their jobs might be at stake. Polian had stated that if he took the job he would probably hire AJ Smith as the new GM, and hiring Polian would bring an abrupt end to Russ Brandon's involvement in free agency, and the NFL draft. Bills inside info person who posts in this forum "Leroi" has recently stated that Brandon has been involved in the draft process since Marv Levy retired as GM 2008-2015.

 

Stating that I'm also thinking that Rex Ryan was nudged towards new ownership by Whaley / Brandon because of his history in building top defenses, and the Bills defense was / is loaded with top defensive talent. Rex Ryan himself recently stated that he has never had a defense worse then 11th in sacks, and he has had a reputation of constantly running an overload blitz with his defenses. Its what Pettine ran under Rex Ryan with the Jets, and what Pettine ran in Buffalo as the Bills DC. See the correlation of wanting Rex Ryan because of Pettine in thinking they would get the same defense that Pettine had run, only this defense would be run by the "master" himself.

 

 

Now fast forward to this year, and these new owners might not be so happy with what was nudged their way by Whaley / Brandon. I'm really hoping that they hire that senior adviser like the NY Jets did to hire Todd Bowles considering the Jets are now 8-5 with a solid shot at the playoffs after being 4-12 under Rex Ryan last year.

 

I have no desire to see these new owners do anything other then hire a team president to run the football side of operations like they initially intended. I might recommend a man like current Packers GM Ted Thompson who might just take a promotion to be the Bills team president. Then let him make the decisions on if he wants to keep Rex Ryan as HC. This would also move Russ Brandon out of the football operations involvement, and let him run the Sabres / Bills financial side.

 

If anyone on the planet is smart enough to determine if Tyrod Taylor is the answer at QB its Thompson. A man who had enough football acumen to see Aaron Rodgers could replace Brett Favre before he even started an NFL game. look at all the WR's the Packers have obtained over the years with just #2 picks. The Bills could still keep Whaley as GM, and give him some help in making the final football decisions. Hiring that team president would also take the owners out of the football operations loop. JMO

Edited December 14, 2015 by Nihilarian

[BuffaninATL]

 

You said the following "I would nominate the Bills for the biggest underachieving team in the NFL this year." That sounds like a fan who had their heart broken.

 

OK Jeffismagic, you now have shown a complete lack of credibility. I do stand by my comment about the Bills underachieving. I say that with objective analysis, as in the ability to see the myriad of ways the Bills have managed to implode and lose games they should have won.

 

My heart is not broken over a game or a team, so STFU. This is about calling it like I see it. I can easily go through the litany of FACTS which are the root causes of this underachievement.

Odds are that he is going to be given a year or two before he will be dispatched. Eventually his record and abilities will catch up to him. My biggest fear is that he will have more say on personnel this offseason. Then this woeful franchise is going to have problems. The problem with a coach such as Rex is that he is not an utter incompetent----he is basically very mediocre. His performance as a HC will not result in a quick jettison but the frustration will steadily build until there is a critical mass of futility. By then we will be approaching two consecutive decades of non-playoff participation in a system designed for parity. How embarrassing is that!!!!

 

Let's face it. The Pegulas" were enamored with the glib coaching candidate when he was interviewed. More emphasis should have been placed on his record than his engaging personality. When you make bad decisions you have to live with the consequences. You get what you deserve to get. Some people are impressed with the Rex vaudeville act, not I.

 

agreed JohnC, good take - FACT, not emotion jeffismagic....

[JOE IN HAMPTON ROADS]

 

No he is not, I would submit he is offering a macro analysis of Rex and IMHO he is spot on. Rex's M.O. goes well beyond "the last few games"; this M.O. is his legacy and is the main reason I would nominate the Bills for the biggest underachieving team in the NFL this year.

 

 

excellent post. My only hope is that someone @ 1 Bills Drive is listening. I believe what Rex has done is nothing short of an embarrassment to the owner, fans, & city. And I don't want to hear any more of this crap about "we need another year or two" for the players to adapt to Rex's systems. Bulls*it.

 

For anyone still doubting Rex's ability to negatively affect a team, just look at the Jets. They are SAILING to the playoffs. It's like an impediment to their success has been removed, and years of unmet expectations are flowing into a new destiny of victory.

 

Oh and I hope when he leaves, someone doesn't sell his truck to ISIS.

[jeffismagic]

 

OK Jeffismagic, you now have shown a complete lack of credibility. I do stand by my comment about the Bills underachieving. I say that with objective analysis, as in the ability to see the myriad of ways the Bills have managed to implode and lose games they should have won.

 

My heart is not broken over a game or a team, so STFU. This is about calling it like I see it. I can easily go through the litany of FACTS which are the root causes of this underachievement.

 

agreed JohnC, good take - FACT, not emotion jeffismagic....

 

The biggest underachiever is not the Bills. Take a look at the over under for Bills wins before the year started. Bills were at around 8.5

 

Now let's see what their record is in a few games and you can repeat that statement.

 

Also, you should look into a team like the Baltimore Ravens if you want to talk about disappointment.

 

I'm a Bills fans too. But you need to step back from the hyperbole here.

[artmalibu]

Rex said he would not let the fans down. He lied!! Its like he is trying to get fired. If he were a man he would resign.

[Gray Beard]

I'm earnestly hoping this is not the case at all, and I have some thoughts on the head coaching / GM situation.

 

Last off season the new owners were looking to hire an NFL "czar" (experienced NFL team adviser / president) to run the football side of operations, and contacted ex Buffalo Bill GM Bill Polian about the job. He agreed to take over at some point, and then backed out once Doug Marrone walked away from the team. The NFL even advised the new owners to hire a senior adviser, and for whatever reason they chose not to.

 

My thinking is that once Russ Brandon / Doug Whaley heard that the new owners offered Bill Polian a job they both panicked because they both realized their jobs might be at stake. Polian had stated that if he took the job he would probably hire AJ Smith as the new GM, and hiring Polian would bring an abrupt end to Russ Brandon's involvement in free agency, and the NFL draft. Bills inside info person who posts in this forum "Leroi" has recently stated that Brandon has been involved in the draft process since Marv Levy retired as GM 2008-2015.

 

Stating that I'm also thinking that Rex Ryan was nudged towards new ownership by Whaley / Brandon because of his history in building top defenses, and the Bills defense was / is loaded with top defensive talent. Rex Ryan himself recently stated that he has never had a defense worse then 11th in sacks, and he has had a reputation of constantly running an overload blitz with his defenses. Its what Pettine ran under Rex Ryan with the Jets, and what Pettine ran in Buffalo as the Bills DC. See the correlation of wanting Rex Ryan because of Pettine in thinking they would get the same defense that Pettine had run, only this defense would be run by the "master" himself.

 

 

Now fast forward to this year, and these new owners might not be so happy with what was nudged their way by Whaley / Brandon. I'm really hoping that they hire that senior adviser like the NY Jets did to hire Todd Bowles considering the Jets are now 8-5 with a solid shot at the playoffs after being 4-12 under Rex Ryan last year.

 

I have no desire to see these new owners do anything other then hire a team president to run the football side of operations like they initially intended. I might recommend a man like current Packers GM Ted Thompson who might just take a promotion to be the Bills team president. Then let him make the decisions on if he wants to keep Rex Ryan as HC. This would also move Russ Brandon out of the football operations involvement, and let him run the Sabres / Bills financial side.

 

If anyone on the planet is smart enough to determine if Tyrod Taylor is the answer at QB its Thompson. A man who had enough football acumen to see Aaron Rodgers could replace Brett Favre before he even started an NFL game. look at all the WR's the Packers have obtained over the years with just #2 picks. The Bills could still keep Whaley as GM, and give him some help in making the final football decisions. Hiring that team president would also take the owners out of the football operations loop. JMO

Please let this happen! This is exactly what I have been hoping for. I have said in other posts that it is unlikely that Rex will be fired with his current contract, so let's hope they bring in somebody with real football knowledge and experience should be brought in to be Rex's boss.

[Beerball]

That's ok, that's what most fans do.

Lucky for us you're wise to this and willing to point it out to the rest of us.

 

Rex Ryan has ruined a perfectly (very) good defense. If you believe that he told the Pegulas and that he'd completely overhaul that 2014 defense I have a bridge to sell you. Ruined it. Now we get another 3 year rebuild that will be cut short after the second year when the house is cleaned which will then be followed by another 3 year rebuild which will be cut short by....

 

 

I think you catch my drift.

[BADOLBILZ]

Rex said he would not let the fans down. He lied!!

 

He meant to say he would not let us up. Now he has us pinned down with his sweaty hangers swinging just inches from our face. Gross!!!

[jeffismagic]

Lucky for us you're wise to this and willing to point it out to the rest of us.

 

Rex Ryan has ruined a perfectly (very) good defense. If you believe that he told the Pegulas and that he'd completely overhaul that 2014 defense I have a bridge to sell you. Ruined it. Now we get another 3 year rebuild that will be cut short after the second year when the house is cleaned which will then be followed by another 3 year rebuild which will be cut short by....

 

 

I think you catch my drift.

 

You bring up an interesting detour.

 

What did Rex tell the Pegulas and what did he actually think he could do with the players he inherited in Buffalo?

 

Unfortunately, we will probably never know what Rex was thinking.

 

I agree that Ryan's hire was not a short-term good fit. But I also think Mario and Kyle are old. Even if Rex could coach a 4-3, he can't make Mario younger or Kyle stop getting injured.

 

I do blame Rex for Dareus. It seems crazy to pay a guy all this money and then just have him play as a run stuffer only. If Rex needed another big body he should have got one.

 

I hope somebody asks Whaley what is going on with Dareus and his usage.

[BuffaninATL]

 

The biggest underachiever is not the Bills. Take a look at the over under for Bills wins before the year started. Bills were at around 8.5

 

Now let's see what their record is in a few games and you can repeat that statement.

 

Also, you should look into a team like the Baltimore Ravens if you want to talk about disappointment.

 

I'm a Bills fans too. But you need to step back from the hyperbole here.

 

we can agree to disagree - it sounds like I had expectations different than just the over/under. I firmly believe (and still do) that the talent is there for a better record. Maybe we can debate about the overall # of wins/losses, but I am also interested in the qualitative factors; the lack of discipline, Rex's incompetence, not putting players in positions to succeed, questionable personnel moves ( IK, anyone? ), poor in-game management, this team not being ready to play, lack of in-game adjustments, etc. etc. Why is it that most of us seeing this tire fire can see things for what they are and we hear the same nonsense from Rex - "well, we'll have to go back and watch the film"

 

Again, I respect your point of view but don't confuse me with an emotional fan - and please don't tell me what I need to do. I deal with objective facts, not hyperbole.