One more vote for change ...

[Lori]

Maybe Bills' owner was right about talent

 

Chuck Pollock

Olean Times Herald

Saturday, Dec. 13, 2008

Last Sunday after the 16-3 loss to Miami, in a rather bizarre meeting with the media just outside the lockerroom at Toronto's Rogers Centre, Ralph Wilson, the Bills' 90-year-old owner, offered a couple of interesting observations.

 

First he stifled his resigned laughter long enough to admit of his team's pathetic performance, "I'm getting used to that ..."

 

Then, when asked about the multi-year extension supposedly granted to head coach Dick Jauron after the Bills' 5-1 start, Wilson pointedly declined comment.

 

He was quoted as saying, "I'm sick and tired of (answering questions about) this contract extension ... I'm not going to talk about that."

 

To me that was code for, "Yes, he has a contract extension ... and no, there's no way we're going to announce it after we've lost six of seven games."

 

That's understandable.

 

It's hard to conceive of a scenario where Jauron would be invited back, short of winning out and defying the astronomical odds to make the playoffs.

 

How do you fire a coach you just extended?

 

Given the circumstances, how do you not?

 

Yeah, it figures to be a multi-million dollar buyout and it's reasonable to wonder how the Bills can afford to do that.

 

The realistic answer is, they can't afford not to.

 

NFL teams frequently make mistakes on high draft choices and end up eating millions in guaranteed signing bonuses.

 

Why not for a coach?

 

The reality is this.

 

Russ Brandon, the Bills' chief operating officer, isn't a football guy, he's a marketing guru.

 

And as a very bright man in the ways of public perception, Brandon knows he can't "sell" Jauron's return to the franchise's cynical faithful, no matter how he's packaged.

 

AND THAT leads to Ralph's other contention.

 

Of the loss to Miami, he maintained, "We just don't have the talent..."

 

That might have been his spontaneous effort to deflect some of the criticism from Jauron, but in truth the team owner might be onto something.

 

For eight years, the Bills' current vice presidents of personnel acquisition - John Guy (pro) and Tom Modrak (college) - have gotten a pass.

 

Wilson, maybe accidentally, broadened the blame last Sunday.

 

Modrak, in particular, has been bullet-proof.

 

He's turned down offers to be general manager of other NFL teams, preferring to stay in his area of expertise ... college scouting.

 

Modrak even survived the purge of the man who hired him, Tom Donahoe.

 

He's been the brains behind Buffalo's last seven drafts.

 

Since 2002, the Bills have drafted 56 players and 31 of them are still with the team, 19 as starters, full- or part-time.

 

Of course, there was the Mike Williams disaster in the first round seven drafts ago, but it's a mistake virtually every other NFL team would also have made.

 

Williams is one of the 25 draftees no longer with the team, but some of those - Justin Bannan, Coy Wire, Mike Pucillo, Willis McGahee, Sam Aiken and Mario Haggan, among others - are playing elsewhere.

 

So Modrak's record of selecting players with professional ability has been good.

 

But are they top-level performers?

 

Buffalo's only draftee since 2002 to make the Pro Bowl was cornerback Terrence McGee ... and that as a kick returner.

 

It could be concluded the Bills have drafted reasonably well, but not well enough to join the NFL's playoff strata, coaching notwithstanding.

 

AND WHAT about Guy?

 

It can be argued that the Bills' recent high-profile free agent signings haven't upgraded the roster in any major way.

 

After watching them for two years, do you really think guard Derrick Dockery and tackle Langston Walker are worth a combined $70 million?

 

Has Robert Royal been the answer at tight end?

 

Where's the splash from defensive tackle Spencer Johnson?

 

Even linebacker Kawika Mitchell hasn't been a difference-maker.

 

And center Melvin Fowler was unable to retain his job.

 

Clearly, the trade for Marcus Stroud was an inspired move, at least to this point.

 

But when it comes to free agents, the Bills have signed way too many Larry Trippletts, Mike Gandys and Jeff Poseys and not nearly enough Takeo Spikes, London Fletchers and Troy Vincents.

 

The point is, it's not all coaching.

 

And assuming Ralph is right about the lack of talent, the front office AND the roster might just be due for a major off-season shake-up.

 

(Chuck Pollock, the Times Herald sports editor, can be reached at cpollock@oleantimesherald.com)

Reprinted with permission.

[reddogblitz]

Reprinted with permission.

 

I don't buy it. The Bills have good enough talent to be in the playoffs this year. Letting us get closer against Cleveland, letting ML run in the Q4 against 49ers and we're tied for first in the AFC East.

 

It's not a lack of talent. It's mostly bad decision making by Dick.

[KOKBILLS]

I don't buy it. The Bills have good enough talent to be in the playoffs this year. Letting us get closer against Cleveland, letting ML run in the Q4 against 49ers and we're tied for first in the AFC East.

 

It's not a lack of talent. It's mostly bad decision making by Dick.

 

Agreed...

 

I've kinda made My points adnauseum lately about this Team, the talent, and Jauron's lack of ability to be a winning HC in the NFL...And again, just for the record, it is a fact The Bills are not the most talented Team in the NFL...But there was enough talent to get to 5-1...Enough talent to Score 54 Points in a Road Game...Enough talent to be in everyone of these last 6 losses late in the Game...The Bills have not been blown out since Arizona...And that was a while ago...They lost Home Games to Poor Teams, they have not had a consistant answer to a 3-4 Defense Yet this Year, and regardless of talent, they certainly look confused and unprepared...That's Coaching Folks...

 

Furthermore, Jauron has plenty of say on personnel so He can't skate there either...And I still wonder why some of the Players The Bills have added...Names like Dockery for example...Were SO much better elsewhere than they have been here...Could Coaching be part of that? How about developing Draft Picks that become impact Players...Plenty of NFL Coaches do that...Do The Bills Coaches?

 

Dead Dick's a proven loser...He's got to go...The Bills still need to do better in the Personnel Department and Scouting...But IMHO that does not take Jauron off the hook whatsoever...

[Bleed Bills Blue]

I don't buy it. The Bills have good enough talent to be in the playoffs this year. Letting us get closer against Cleveland, letting ML run in the Q4 against 49ers and we're tied for first in the AFC East.

 

It's not a lack of talent. It's mostly bad decision making by Dick.

 

I agree. It's hard not to come to the conclusion that a good head coach would have found a way to secure at least two additional victories this year. In the end that may not have been enough (to reach the playoffs), but at least it would have made watching Bills football between Thanksgiving and New Year's a lot more fun.

 

Another year at the NFL banquet table and we're left with only crumbs.