Archives for January 15, 2015

‘”Do I need to do a better job of maybe building a quarterback and all that kind of stuff? Sure, certainly,” Ryan said when asked about the lessons he learned with the Jets. “We can’t lose games because of the position. We’ve got to take care of the football. We’re going to run the football, but we’re also going to be able to throw the football.”‘

‘The only change from what was in place with Marrone is that Ryan will report directly to club owners Terry and Kim Pegula, as will Whaley and Brandon.’

‘”Fourth in the league is probably a little disappointing, to be honest with you, because that’s not where my expectations are,” Rex Ryan said Wednesday during a news conference introducing him as the 18th head coach in Bills history. “I know we’ll lead the league in defense. That’s just the way it goes.”‘

‘Ryan had Bills fans at hello. He lived in Toronto for eight years. His father, Buddy, coached at UB. Later, when Buddy coached for the Jets, Rex came to Buffalo to see games at the Rockpile. He gets this place. He knows what makes people tick, and he pushed all the right buttons Wednesday.’

‘”You do the best job you can,” Ryan said. “I used to always tell my players ‘Don’t listen to that little voice. That little voice tells you “That’s all you got.” But there’s another voice that if you ask for a little bit more, you can get it.”‘

‘”I’m not going to let our fans down,” the bombastic Ryan said early on during a lively 50-minute Q&A with the media. “I’m not going to do that. I know it’s been 15 years since the Bills made the playoffs. Well, get ready man, we’re going. We’re going. Am I guaranteeing a Super Bowl and all that? I’ll tell you what I will do; I will guarantee the pursuit of it. Through hard work, through preparation, we’re going to see how many teams match our work ethic, and all that.”‘

‘”I really don’t think that the Buffalo Bills at 9-7 … needed to have a young coach standing in their locker room,” Pegula said. “I thought we needed to go with somebody who had done it before.”’

‘”He’s not a phony, he’s going to tell it like it is,” Kelly continued. “The media and the players see it in him; what he says he backs it up. Everyone respects him as a coach and I don’t think there’s many players out there who wouldn’t want to play for him.”‘

‘According to advanced metrics website Football Outsiders, the Bills ranked 30th in the NFL in 2013 in special teams efficiency, but they soared all the way to fourth in 2014, and the reasons were plentiful.’

‘”I recognize that we’re kind of a little different, but quite honestly, I’ve been part of record-setting teams that base out of a 4-3 and I’ve been part of record-setting teams that base out of a 3-4,” Ryan said Wednesday. “One thing you’ll find out about me is that it’s not ego-driven. We’re not going to definitely play a 3-4 or a 4-3, for that matter. We’re going to have in our arsenal the ability to do anything. As an opponent, you’ve got to prepare for everything because, if not, I’m going to find out what you’re not prepared for and I’ll attack you appropriately. That’s how we play defense. We play defense based on our personnel, not just the scheme. I don’t try to put a square peg in a round hole.”‘

‘”Well, I’m not concerned at all,” Ryan said. “Right now, we’re obviously in an evaluating process right now, in particular about the quarterback position and other positions as well, so we’re just getting on the job. I can’t tell you who that quarterback’s going to be right now but when you surround a quarterback with outstanding players, it’s not just about one man. It’s about every man. Not just one man, and I think that’s where our focus is going to be. Do we want to develop a quarterback, not just a franchise quarterback? Of course, but we’ll take steps.”‘

‘He said he the report that the Bills were his third choice was “definitely false.”‘

‘There are reports that Doug Marrone interviewed for job as offensive coordinator in Jacksonville. How the mighty average have fallen.’

‘”I also like the fact that we now have an offensive coordinator joining the team from San Francisco,” she added, referring to Greg Roman. “I think between the two of them it’s the right formula we need.”‘

‘The Bills are going to the playoffs for the first time in 15 years. “I am not going to let our fans down. Get ready. We are going to the playoffs. We’re going.”‘