Pros and cons of keeping Rex next season

[yungmack]

Honestly I think you gotta keep Rex. The Bills can't keep switching coaches every 2 to 3 years and expect to ever get anywhere. However Rex really needs to change the culture of this team. It's getting to a point where teams are just doing what they want to our players and nothing is happening. Teams are taking cheap shots on us on a weekly basis.

This idea of coaching continuity makes sense...if you have the right coach. The downside of continuity above all else sometimes gives you a Jeff Fisher or a Marvin Lewis.

I'm not a Rex fan. I hated the hire and was ready for him to be gone after least season and after the first 2 games this year. Of course, I'm not the one paying him to coach or not coach. My personal feelings aside, I actually am in favor of keeping him for another season. The offense has made some great improvements and there are some bright spots on the defense, notably the linebacker play and the pass rush. While I don't think Rex will ever win a Super Bowl, I don't think the team has Super Bowl talent anyway, and I agree with the other posters who make the continuity argument. I also applaud Rex's improvement. Last year, he was awful with challenges (the KC game comes to mind) and this year, he addressed the issue and there is great improvement. And, as mentioned above, the offense and defense have both shown some improvement, and that is without many key players such as Watkins, Dareus, etc.

 

One other item to note is last night's game. This was a big game on a big stage in a very tough environment against a strong opponent. While they ultimately fell short, they played hard and were very effective, particularly on offense. After the Seattle took the big lead late in the first half, and the debacle with the FG attempt at the end of the first half, the team could have folded its tent. Many previous Bills teams have done just that in similar situations. This group fought hard and got themselves back into a position to potentially win the game.

 

Very good point.

I don't think rex is the problem so much as Whaley. This roster's been paper thin forever.

And this is not...

[....lybob]

Rex and Whaley aren't great but don't think it can't get worse it could be much worse- I'm not a fan of getting rid of someone unless you have something better- do they have a Watson AI for football?

[Gugny]

Pros:

[BillsFan130]

How's 3 and out been working for the last 20 years? From what I have seen Rex is improving as a coach. I think he continues. What the guy who gave him a 5 year contract thinks is what really matters.

Yes I agree with you. I am not a huge Rex fan, but I do hope they give him another year

[John from Riverside]

Guys....Rex is not going anywhere

 

The guy has not played with his best player on the O and the D side of the ball all season....had a 4 game winning streak....and this team is probably going to string together another one before the season is over.

 

but they have to do something about this secondary......the drop off from when Donnie Henderson was here is so dramatic it cannot be overlooked.

[GunnerBill]

So from week 7 (the Jags loss) of 2015 I was firmly a Rex "OUTER". I am not normally a hire 'em, fire 'em type. I wanted Marrone to stay, I thought we were right to stick with Jauron as long as we did (and right to can him about when we did) and thought Chan maybe should have got an extra year. I like continuity and I value continuity. I was just so frustrated with the defense last year and none of the attempts to rationalise it from many good posters on this board convinced me that Rex was anything other than the primary fault for that.

 

However, I promised to "reset the clock" in the pre-season and judge him this year just on the job he does this year first and foremost. At the moment I am not actively a "Rex must Go" guy. I think he has done a better job this year than last, he takes some credit for the very brave decision he took to change OC after week 2, and the defense whilst not where I think it should be has got a bit better (needs to be more consistent). Whether he should get another year or not will depend for me on the stretch run. If he can get us to 6-6 and in the mix with 4 to play I think he makes a strong case for staying even if we end up 8-8. If, however, we are 5-8 only to run the table against the Jets, Miami and Cleveland in back to back dead rubbers (for all involved) then I think the Bills should consider a change and I will advocate for change again. The team is so darn inconsistent and remains inconsistent in the areas a Rex Ryan team and a team built this way (money on defense) should not be in my view.

 

So at the moment (a bit like my position on Tyrod) I am still there to swayed like a voter in a swing state....... some might wish to think of Rex as the bombastic Donald Trump in this scenario but I think he is actually more the "better the devil you know" Hillary Clinton equivalent. Rex is what he is at this stage - a mediocre NFL Head Coach. I don't believe he will ever lead this team to a championship but he might be the guy to keep the show on the road one more year try and get an even more definitive view on Tyord (If Rex stays TT is our 2017 starter without question) and giving Whaley who I think has been a solid (not great) GM one more shot to get this team over the hump.

 

It is up to Rex now to deliver some wins and prove he is the right man at least for 2017.

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

Pro: you can lose perennially and still be media relevant

 

Cons: the perennial losing thing

[BarleyNY]

Rex's defense no longer works in the NFL. You just can't regularly leave CBs on islands like that anymore. And he won't change. That's the reason I'd like him tom sooner rather than later. That said, I expect him to be back for one more season.

[CardinalScotts]

crossroads for me personally ....but he's not going anywhere unless its a total not playing hard calapse - but the crossroads IS to make a run at the playoffs. Get to 5-5 and it's a 6 game sprint

[Mr. WEO]

Guys....Rex is not going anywhere

 

The guy has not played with his best player on the O and the D side of the ball all season....had a 4 game winning streak....and this team is probably going to string together another one before the season is over.

 

but they have to do something about this secondary......the drop off from when Donnie Henderson was here is so dramatic it cannot be overlooked.

 

 

He had a 4 game string against a bunch of backup QBs. He's 1-5 against starters this year.

 

I asked this upthread...is there any 2016 final record where the Rex-should-stay posters would change their minds? There has to be, no??

[Gugny]

Last time a Rex Ryan-coached team had a winning season: 2010 Jets. That and 2009 were his only winning seasons. In 2009 the Jets were the best D in the league; in 2010, #3.

 

Long story, short - Rich Kotite would have won with those teams.

 

Rex is all show. He talks the talk, but hasn't walked the walk in a very long time.

 

Pros:

Neat truck

Funny pressers

"Exciting" football

 

Cons:

No playoffs as long as he's here.

[bobobonators]

 

 

He had a 4 game string against a bunch of backup QBs. He's 1-5 against starters this year.

 

I asked this upthread...is there any 2016 final record where the Rex-should-stay posters would change their minds? There has to be, no??

4-12.

[KD in CA]

 

 

He had a 4 game string against a bunch of backup QBs. He's 1-5 against starters this year.

 

I asked this upthread...is there any 2016 final record where the Rex-should-stay posters would change their minds? There has to be, no??

 

Sure there is....the answer is, it depends. A record needs to be evaluated in context so I can't give you a hard number.

 

If they finish 4-12 and the team clearly quits on him, than of course he should go. But I didn't see much 'quit' on Monday night.

[klos63]

Not Rex's fault that Gilmore went from a top 10-15 CB to one of the worst CB's in the entire league. As others have stated, his defense is dependent on lock down CB's and right now, he has none. He has pretty much worked wonders with the front seven this season. He deserves another year and he'll get one.

Good post. Pretty much where I stand.

Maybe not bringing back Donnie Henderson has hurt and bringing in Ed Reed obviously hasn't helped. Maybe Rex deserves some of the blame.

[Nihilarian]

 

 

He had a 4 game string against a bunch of backup QBs. He's 1-5 against starters this year.

 

I asked this upthread...is there any 2016 final record where the Rex-should-stay posters would change their minds? There has to be, no??

Beat me to it. Ryan's defense plays well against bad QB's and poorly against the better QB's and this showed last year too. The only big name the team beat was Andrew Luck who was clearly injured and went 2-5 in 2015.

 

This year the Bills beat the Cardinals in Buffalo and for some reason, the Arizona coaches had a brainfart and attempted to emulate the Jets with constant deep passes instead of simply attempting to move the chains and make first downs.

 

The other two wins came against the 1-7 49ers and the 3-5 rams. The Bills managed to beat the Patriots in New England when they were forced to start a 3rd string rookie QB who was injured because they had no other QB on the roster.

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

 

 

He had a 4 game string against a bunch of backup QBs. He's 1-5 against starters this year.

 

I asked this upthread...is there any 2016 final record where the Rex-should-stay posters would change their minds? There has to be, no??

This observation is also material to the perception that this defensive scheme is an antiquated relic from football past.

[BarleyNY]

Not Rex's fault that Gilmore went from a top 10-15 CB to one of the worst CB's in the entire league. As others have stated, his defense is dependent on lock down CB's and right now, he has none. He has pretty much worked wonders with the front seven this season. He deserves another year and he'll get one.Good post. Pretty much where I stand.

My issue with the lockdown CB comment is that the recent WR friendly rule changes have made it nearly impossible for even the best CB to be that good. I don't know that there are two lockdown CBs in the league now. Even some of the best CBs are primarily zone CBs now. For example, Josh Norman pretty much played exclusively zone last season in Carolina.

 

I think Rex would be having a lot more success if his CBs could bump and grab all the way down the field, like they used to be able to do. I just don't see how that kind of defense can be successful today and Rex doesn't seem to be changing. I'll say this though, his safety situation isn't helping him either. Maybe that is hindering him.

[Mr. WEO]

My issue with the lockdown CB comment is that the recent WR friendly rule changes have made it nearly impossible for even the best CB to be that good. I don't know that there are two lockdown CBs in the league now. Even some of the best CBs are primarily zone CBs now. For example, Josh Norman pretty much played exclusively zone last season in Carolina.

 

I think Rex would be having a lot more success if his CBs could bump and grab all the way down the field, like they used to be able to do. I just don't see how that kind of defense can be successful today and Rex doesn't seem to be changing. I'll say this though, his safety situation isn't helping him either. Maybe that is hindering him.

 

Don't you have to be less than arm's distance from a wide receiver to bump and grab him?

[BarleyNY]

Don't you have to be less than arm's distance from a wide receiver to bump and grab him?

Bumping a WR can slow him down and take him off his route. So can the grabbing that CBs used to be able to get away with. Even CBs being able to rest a hand on a WR was huge. It allowed the CB to look back to see what the QB was doing while still keeping track of the WR. If he changed direction, the CB knew it immediately. None of that is permitted anymore. That's why passing and receiving numbers have skyrocketed.

[Virgil]

Rex was brought in because of his defensive mind and history with taking a team to the AFC Championship game. With that, here are my pro's and con's

 

Pros:

• Offensive Continuity - I believe the offense is getting better and will continue to do so. If you bring in a new head coach, you will pry lose Lynn as the new coach will want his own guys
• National Attention and Demeanor - Rex has gotten a ton better with the media in regards to not being so obnoxious. I've been happy with how he's carried himself this year. I also believe that he is the reason for our two primetime games.

Cons:

• The defense has gotten worse. We went from top 4 to the 15-20. I don't see it turning around. He gets the flashy plays with sacks, but we aren't generating turnovers and gives up the big plays. We've gotten gashed by the Dolphins, Seahawks, and Pats (yes they gash everyone, but it's still our job)
• I assume he's asking for positions in the draft and FA. We've gone big on defense and left ourselves weak at WR and OT.
• So far, 0-2 when should have been 2-0 based off quality of opponent. We didn't show up for either game. While all of our games except the Pats was winnable into the 4th quarter, results matter and he's not getting us here.

 

I think they will bring him back, but I can't give you a strong reason as to why they should. There is nothing besides Lynn and TT progressing to make me believe his team will get any better. And in his system, we will occasionally need to put up 35 points a game to win. If Lynn is the offense, and the D is erratic, what exacly is Lynn bringing to the table?

 

I know it won't happen, but I really do believe that Schwartz and Lynn could have this team in the playoffs.

 

Lastly, !@#$ Dareus