ESPN news is reporting that Jerry Gray is

[dave mcbride]

Ding, Ding, Ding, Ding!

We have a winner!

 

Frankly I think Jauron's going to work out just fine and count me as one of the believers when it comes to him creating a very good defense. Williams' and Gray's obsession with an essentially meaningless title was an indicator that their priorities were skewed. I'll take a high-middle tier ranked defense anyday over a stat-spouting-press-clip-reading-self-aggrandizing-pompous-pretender-led phoney defense.

Give me one that can stop an opponent late in the 4th Quarter from jamming the ball downfield. Gray's defenses had inflated stats because few opposing coaches ever thought they needed to score more than 17 points to beat The Bills. Why air it out when you can count on wearing them down?

584048[/snapback]

you're forgetting about points off of turnovers, perhaps the single most important stat in determining who wins games. the bills were near (or at) the top of the league in 04 after being near the bottom in 03.

[Nanker]

you're forgetting about points off of turnovers, perhaps the single most important stat in determining who wins games. the bills were near (or at) the top of the league in 04 after being near the bottom in 03.

584080[/snapback]

 

I think of 2003 as the year Gray learned the Zone Blitz schema from LeBeau and 2004 as when Gray called Blitz-Blitz-Blitz like a laboratory rat hitting the bar to deliver more crack. It worked down the stretch in 04 against a weak schedule but came crashing to earth in 05. Actually, the wings came off in game 16 of 04.

 

I remain unconvinced that Gray is Head Coach material in the NFL. Frankly, I don't think he's proven that he's a great Defensive Coordinator yet.

[Lori]

Unfortunately, there is a lot of truth to what was mentioned in this thread.  At least under the Donahoe regime.  I think he "learned" to make a lot of decisions to please the fans, disregarding what was right or wrong for the team.  He learned that very early on when he was practically hung for deciding to send Flutie walking.  He stated it was his "Internet persona" who had said weeks earlier the opposite.

 

As Coach, Marv made the unpopular decision more than once.  I expect he will do the same as GM, when he feels it is right for the football team.  It will be Brandon's job to market his product and not his own.  That was perhaps a flaw in making TD both GM and President, he had to weigh selling tickets with winning games.  Marv's job is a little easier, win games, don't worry about trying to make every fan happy.  Wins create happy fans - just ask the 80,000 who sold out the Bills consistently in the 90's, even with the "bickering" Bills.

584045[/snapback]

I was thinking about that TD quote myself, earlier today. It was easy for Donahoe to give a glib answer when he was on the ESPN payroll -- "Flutie's 21-9 as a starter, what's the question?" -- but once he actually got to Buffalo and examined the situation from the team's point of view, he ended up picking RJ instead...

 

Marv has already made one "unpopular" decision since coming back; Sherman's W-L record would have made him a much easier 'sell' to a still-surly fan base/local media. But he chose Jauron instead, even though he had to figure he'd take a P.R. hit for it. For that reason, I'm not buying into the idea that Jauron's only here because he's a Friend of Marv.

 

Will hiring Jauron end up being the correct call? Way too early too tell... but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt, and at least wait until he's actually coached a game or three here before declaring his tenure an unmitigated disaster.

[MadBuffaloDisease]

For that reason, I'm not buying into the idea that Jauron's only here because he's a Friend of Marv.

Jauron said in that interview yesterday that he's never met Levy before, or that they weren't friends.

[Lori]

Jauron said in that interview yesterday that he's never met Levy before, or that they weren't friends.

584117[/snapback]

They've met, but you're correct - I think Jauron said he spent more time talking to Marv during the interview than he did the entire time he was coaching in Chicago.

 

I was addressing the perception that Marv had any ulterior motives for picking Jauron over Sherman. Guess I could've done a better job.

[SnakeOiler]

I saw Jerry Grey this AM on a downtown street corner...he was wearing a dirty trench coat....walking down the street mumbling, "blitz.....blitz.....red dog....blitz....bring the blitz...."

[sarpilot]

I knew when he blew two coverages against Bebe and Reed in the comback game he was going to have problems with defense.

[D' men]

I saw Jerry Grey this AM on a downtown street corner...he was wearing a dirty trench coat....walking down the street mumbling, "blitz.....blitz.....red dog....blitz....bring the blitz...."

584286[/snapback]

 

really........