For Everyone Who Wanted Rex Fired...

[Fan in Chicago]

You're laughing at me?

 

Because the professional football team you profess to like underperformed?

 

Nice life.

 

You have spent a lot of posts over the last several weeks directly and indirectly defending Ryan. I get it, you want to absolve him of blame and deflect it to injuries, players not doing their jobs, not being prepared etc. But you make that singular point about Ryan being above blame. When somebody disagrees with you, you start making tangential arguments, then proceed to make no substantial rebuttals and end up accusing the other poster of reading (in)comprehension or misunderstanding your point.

 

I have resisted getting into these arguments with you because it is really a failed cause trying to make a reasoned argument with you. I happen to think that Ryan's failings are too many for him to ever win more than one or two playoff games (at best) if all the stars align properly. You think otherwise. I get it. But to repeatedly hammer home the same point and then resort to accusing others of not getting your point is getting beyong tiresome.

 

You may choose to put the obligatory smiley/sarcastic emoticon or otherwise try to discredit what I am writing but the fact remains that you should have realized that there is a very good reason why you are getting the resistance for this stand of yours. And it is not for the fact that people disagree with you - it is because of the way you choose to lay your case and try to defend a position.

[The Big Cat]

 

You have spent a lot of posts over the last several weeks directly and indirectly defending Ryan. I get it, you want to absolve him of blame and deflect it to injuries, players not doing their jobs, not being prepared etc. But you make that singular point about Ryan being above blame. When somebody disagrees with you, you start making tangential arguments, then proceed to make no substantial rebuttals and end up accusing the other poster of reading (in)comprehension or misunderstanding your point.

 

I have resisted getting into these arguments with you because it is really a failed cause trying to make a reasoned argument with you. I happen to think that Ryan's failings are too many for him to ever win more than one or two playoff games (at best) if all the stars align properly. You think otherwise. I get it. But to repeatedly hammer home the same point and then resort to accusing others of not getting your point is getting beyong tiresome.

 

You may choose to put the obligatory smiley/sarcastic emoticon or otherwise try to discredit what I am writing but the fact remains that you should have realized that there is a very good reason why you are getting the resistance for this stand of yours. And it is not for the fact that people disagree with you - it is because of the way you choose to lay your case and try to defend a position.

 

I'm fully aware of what's causing what you refer to as a resistance. And anyone who wants to make this about me moving forward, I'm all for it. I love me some me.

I'm also open to constructive criticism in the PM box.

[Kelly the Dog]

 

I love me some me.

Unfortunately, the other 7.4 billion...

[boyst]

Coaches like whats his name in Minnesota, Rivera and Bowled were not top tier, grade A candidates.

 

This is just hilarious. Its right up there and the same theme as "hey, I've heard of him, sign him."

 

Names do not mean anything. There are at least five coaches out there undiscovered who will lead a team to the playoffs in the next 5-6 years with better success than Marrone, Ryan or Even jauron

[billsfan_34]

 

I'm fully aware of what's causing what you refer to as a resistance. And anyone who wants to make this about me moving forward, I'm all for it. I love me some me.

 

I'm also open to constructive criticism in the PM box.

Could you put others above yourself? And if you have can you tell me how? For instance- being a Marine I had to think about my brothers in arms before myself. After I retired I never had to work again but I chose to go to nursing school (which is a grinder) so I could take care of OUR vets at the VA- they are seriously messed up and need people who can relate to them. I learned by doing that I am a happier person, much more open minded and im making a difference even if I just touch one every day. This isnt an attack, just a suggestion. When someone says "I love me some me" it screams a self-centered egotistical maniac. Just think about it thats all.

[billsfan_34]

I would've been ok with Roman as HC. He wasn't the problem.

I would of as well but I was really pulling for Hue Jackson and then bam Rex came along. Im surprised Roman hasnt even gotten a sniff yet Mularkey is going to the Titans and it looks as if Marrone will land somewhere- ah the good ole boy network, kinda like Rex's staff. Thurman and Crossman have no business coaching as coordinators at the NFL level.

[Dave in Avon Lake now]

I'm not a big supporter of Rex, but I am a little surprised by all the negativity on the Board for him. I'd like to see what the off season brings and the cap money is managed to see if the team improves. I realize that includes Whaley and others in the organization, but I am so tired of the coaching carosel we have been through since Levy. If you look at who is in the playoffs you see Belichek, Carroll, Lewis, McCarthy etc. most of whom have long tenures in the league with their teams. Let's get the system down and see what happens. It's nice to say we've had a coach who has finally leveled the playing field where we compete every week. Except for a couple of games we were very competitive and had no real blow outs where the team seemed to stop trying.

[GunnerBill]

. Let's get the system down and see what happens. It's nice to say we've had a coach who has finally leveled the playing field where we compete every week. Except for a couple of games we were very competitive and had no real blow outs where the team seemed to stop trying.

 

I don't actually think this team competed as hard as Marrone's team... especially not as the 2014 team that always looked prepared and ready to play and played hard. The offensive scheme was certainly questionable - but the players knew the plays it didn't take forever to get calls in and the guys played hard in all 3 phases all 16 games.

Edited January 8, 2016 by GunnerBill

[26CornerBlitz]

Don Banks: "They had enough to win" (17:57)

Sports Illustrated lead writer Don Banks joined The John Murphy Show to discuss his thoughts on this year's Bills team, the lack of patience around the league with head coaches, and the upcoming NFL playoffs.

 

[chris heff]

Of course they are viable--as viable as any recently fired HC last year. It's not just me saying this---it's the same every year as HC jobs open up. The OP claiming THIS year's crop in particular as really bad is just not true.

That's true, every year there are guys names thrown around that are like a shinny new toy.

[dib]

I'm not trying to needle you but i dont think you meant vaccine.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

 

I don't actually think this team competed as hard as Marrone's team... especially not as the 2014 team that always looked prepared and ready to play and played hard. The offensive scheme was certainly questionable - but the players knew the plays it didn't take forever to get calls in and the guys played hard in all 3 phases all 16 games.

 

I think everyone has to grant this. Say what one will about Marrone as a control freak or an egomaniac, but he ran a tight ship, no one quit, no one complained to the media, and everyone went hard. Crappy OL blocking scheme and misuse of offensive players, but the team seemed prepared every week and he left Schwartz alone to do his DC thang.

 

I was worried about Rex as a coach messing up our D, but never ever ever did I think I would see the team under-prepared, undisciplined, poor game management, and poor effort at times.

I'm not a big supporter of Rex, but I am a little surprised by all the negativity on the Board for him. I'd like to see what the off season brings and the cap money is managed to see if the team improves. I realize that includes Whaley and others in the organization, but I am so tired of the coaching carosel we have been through since Levy. If you look at who is in the playoffs you see Belichek, Carroll, Lewis, McCarthy etc. most of whom have long tenures in the league with their teams. Let's get the system down and see what happens. It's nice to say we've had a coach who has finally leveled the playing field where we compete every week. Except for a couple of games we were very competitive and had no real blow outs where the team seemed to stop trying.

 

I can't speak for anyone else, but my negativity is because I don't believe we can say we have a coach who has leveled the playing field so we compete every week. I grant no exceptions for "a couple of games". I thought we seemed underprepared and undisciplined in many games and the penalties agree with me, as does the film showing the D players frequently not seeming set before the snap (along with reports of play calls coming in late and late substitutions). This was an issue from the 2nd game on.

 

Very disappointed in Rex. My preseason concerns were around running a D scheme that didn't best use our talent, never did I think all that other stuff would be a factor.

Edited January 8, 2016 by Hopeful

[The Big Cat]

 

I think everyone has to grant this. Say what one will about Marrone as a control freak or an egomaniac, but he ran a tight ship, no one quit, no one complained to the media, and everyone went hard. Crappy OL blocking scheme and misuse of offensive players, but the team seemed prepared every week and he left Schwartz alone to do his DC thang.

 

I was worried about Rex as a coach messing up our D, but never ever ever did I think I would see the team under-prepared, undisciplined, poor game management, and poor effort at times.

 

I'm on record detailing my concerns about this very issue last offseason.

 

I know you weren't thrilled with the Graham story in airport hanger, but to me it was very telling. I'm not a huge fan of Graham's, and much of what he says, writes and tweets makes me roll my eyes since we've all seen what kind of double-back he does to catch you on a technicality, semantic or otherwise, and this was precisely the beef with Marrone in the hanger.

 

At the same time, though it illuminated other aspects of Marrone's personality and way of doing things that are curious indeed, and were certainly perceivable during his time in Buffalo.

 

Included in that MO was his meticulous planning and Bellicheat-esque rigidness. And, to your point, it worked pretty well last year.

 

And when Rex came on the scene, I was very vocal about what we stood to lose in subsequent sea change to Rex and HIS way of doing things. Any Bills fan with two brain cells to rub together could/should have seen the massive gamelong whiffs that accompany Rex's style.

 

It's always seemed as though Rex doesn't understand the concept of a jab, that he lives and dies by the haymaker.

 

However, I don't think Marrone's method of jabbing and grinding your opponents/players to a nub is sustainable in the NFL, and that eventually his personality will clash with locker room leadership, at least to the extent that veterans would rather play elsewhere and be treated like a man.

 

That is a problem Rex has never had, or least didn't have until this year.

 

The concern that I made very clear last year about Rex was that lack of stability, that fans should be braced for dingers and K's.

 

I do, however, believe he has an OC and QB now that, in theory, should have drastically minimized some of those epically head-scratching performances that he had in spots in NYJ.

 

I never thought that the defense would flatline the way it did. But, as I've said continually for weeks now, I trust history and that those mistakes will sort themselves out. When he was in New York, at the very least, his defense was consistently good and didn't trend toward the liabilities that his coaching style might breed.

 

So, as Bills fans, knowing that Rex isn't the kind of micro-managing hardass in the same realm as Marrone, Bellicheat, etc, we either have faith that the one thing he does do well returns to form. Then, coupled with what appears to be his best and most stable offense (and it's not even close) the outlook seems bright.

 

But, admittedly, not being a micro-managing hardass leaves the door open for a turd or two over the course of the season. Let's hope he's building the kind of locker room leaders (and I actually believe that he is) who will minimize those.

 

That's the give and take of being a "players coach." They're vulnerable to being weaker when they're not being babysat like they were under Marrone. But they're positioned to be stronger when they accountability comes from within.

 

This is a vast summary of everything I've said about this team for the last year, and what I will continue to believe to be true.

[2020 Our Year For Sure]

 

I'm on record detailing my concerns about this very issue last offseason.

 

I know you weren't thrilled with the Graham story in airport hanger, but to me it was very telling. I'm not a huge fan of Graham's, and much of what he says, writes and tweets makes me roll my eyes since we've all seen what kind of double-back he does to catch you on a technicality, semantic or otherwise, and this was precisely the beef with Marrone in the hanger.

 

At the same time, though it illuminated other aspects of Marrone's personality and way of doing things that are curious indeed, and were certainly perceivable during his time in Buffalo.

 

Included in that MO was his meticulous planning and Bellicheat-esque rigidness. And, to your point, it worked pretty well last year.

 

And when Rex came on the scene, I was very vocal about what we stood to lose in subsequent sea change to Rex and HIS way of doing things. Any Bills fan with two brain cells to rub together could/should have seen the massive gamelong whiffs that accompany Rex's style.

 

It's always seemed as though Rex doesn't understand the concept of a jab, that he lives and dies by the haymaker.

 

However, I don't think Marrone's method of jabbing and grinding your opponents/players to a nub is sustainable in the NFL, and that eventually his personality will clash with locker room leadership, at least to the extent that veterans would rather play elsewhere and be treated like a man.

 

That is a problem Rex has never had, or least didn't have until this year.

 

The concern that I made very clear last year about Rex was that lack of stability, that fans should be braced for dingers and K's.

 

I do, however, believe he has an OC and QB now that, in theory, should have drastically minimized some of those epically head-scratching performances that he had in spots in NYJ.

 

I never thought that the defense would flatline the way it did. But, as I've said continually for weeks now, I trust history and that those mistakes will sort themselves out. When he was in New York, at the very least, his defense was consistently good and didn't trend toward the liabilities that his coaching style might breed.

 

So, as Bills fans, knowing that Rex isn't the kind of micro-managing hardass in the same realm as Marrone, Bellicheat, etc, we either have faith that the one thing he does do well returns to form. Then, coupled with what appears to be his best and most stable offense (and it's not even close) the outlook seems bright.

 

But, admittedly, not being a micro-managing hardass leaves the door open for a turd or two over the course of the season. Let's hope he's building the kind of locker room leaders (and I actually believe that he is) who will minimize those.

 

That's the give and take of being a "players coach." They're vulnerable to being weaker when they're not being babysat like they were under Marrone. But they're positioned to be stronger when they accountability comes from within.

 

This is a vast summary of everything I've said about this team for the last year, and what I will continue to believe to be true.

What I continue to believe is true TBC is that you're debating the exploits of two different types of turds. I think this is a team as talented as any in the NFL that, despite mismanagement, dragged two bad head coaches kicking and screaming to middling records.

 

We've had bad coaches heading our Bills for a long time but its also been many years since we gave those bad coaches a strong roster on both sides of the ball like we are now, hence the slightly better results post-Gailey. Mike Mularkey circa '04 (who I was real excited about after 9-7 in his first season) just told me this concept sounds familiar to him.

 

Players' coach vs. disciplinarian is always an intriguing conversation but in this case I think its worth remembering how terrible you have to be to play Colin Brown at guard over half a season. That we can even debate Rex vs. Marrone is quite damning of Rex' ability as a head coach.

 

I don't know about you but I want for the Bills a coach who is not even in the same ballpark as Doug "New York Guy" Marrone and who, with comparable talent, would leave Dougster coughing on fumes rather than finishing even worse.

[26CornerBlitz]

@SportsBoyTony

Your NFL team's head coach sucks at clock management (according to Twitter). Yes all 32.

[Rico]

Of course you are.

 

 

When the best you can say about the HC is "at least he's not one of these guys", you probably should resist the urge to start at thread like this...

[The Big Cat]

What I continue to believe is true TBC is that you're debating the exploits of two different types of turds. I think this is a team as talented as any in the NFL that, despite mismanagement, dragged two bad head coaches kicking and screaming to middling records.

 

We've had bad coaches heading our Bills for a long time but its also been many years since we gave those bad coaches a strong roster on both sides of the ball like we are now, hence the slightly better results post-Gailey. Mike Mularkey circa '04 (who I was real excited about after 9-7 in his first season) just told me this concept sounds familiar to him.

 

Players' coach vs. disciplinarian is always an intriguing conversation but in this case I think its worth remembering how terrible you have to be to play Colin Brown at guard over half a season. That we can even debate Rex vs. Marrone is quite damning of Rex' ability as a head coach.

 

I don't know about you but I want for the Bills a coach who is not even in the same ballpark as Doug "New York Guy" Marrone and who, with comparable talent, would leave Dougster coughing on fumes rather than finishing even worse.

 

To some, what I'm about to say is either "changing the argument" or "an excuse," neither is true, but, as far as evaluating Rex based on the notion that this roster is, as you say, "as talented as any in the NFL," I have to stop you right there.

 

I simply don't believe that's true because of two very important factors:

1. The middle of the defense was gutted by injuries and the loss of Brandon Spikes and
2. Unlike 5-12 other NFL rosters, we are without the one position that can and does, by and large, mask talent deficiencies everywhere else on the field: QB.

I believe factor (2) alone shuffles us to "roster talent" that, on paper, at best, as it pertains to personnel good enough for wins and losses, shuffles us to the back end of the top third league wide.

 

Add in what the defense suffered this year in terms of injuries AND the fact that we had a backup QB literally give a game away, and I can't sit here and say "with the talent this team has Rex had no excuse to go 8-8 and the fact that we did must mean he's a lousy coach."

[FireChan]

 

@SportsBoyTony

Your NFL team's head coach sucks at clock management (according to Twitter). Yes all 32.

 

Rex Ryan isn't on there.

[John from Riverside]

My thought is this

 

Rex Ryan is here another year

 

and

 

Rex Ryan is here another year

 

so all this whining is pointless.......we have to hope that Whaley and Rex can work together and get it figured out.....which Rex HAS done in the past to the tune of TWO AFC championship games with the jets

[FireChan]

In fact, I'd say it could be argued that 8-8 was a testament to a well-coached team, given all the circumstances.

Would you argue that, though?

 

And anyone who watched the Bills would probably argue otherwise. They were many things this year, but "well-coached?"

Edited January 8, 2016 by FireChan