Archives for December 28, 2016

'Russ Brandon and Doug Whaley — or just Whaley, depending on how much Bills PR you believe about Brandon's role in personnel — built the roster. They drafted EJ Manuel, shipped out draft picks for so-so players — Bryce Brown, anyone? — and whiffed on the few they kept. Since Whaley took over as GM in 2013, Buffalo's roster has gone from third-youngest in the NFL to 10th-oldest, according the data compiled by PhillyVoice.com.'

'Defence is the Ryan brothers’ specialty, but the Bills’ defence was a huge disappointment both in 2015 and 2016, as the franchise’s playoff drought extended two more years, to 17.'

'While coaching the Jets for six seasons — and reaching the A.F.C. championship game in his first two — Ryan built a reputation for creating strong, aggressive defenses. He was never able to manage that with the Bills, however, and his teams in Buffalo also suffered from the same shortcoming he endured with the Jets: the absence of a top-tier quarterback.'

'"I have one more shot to be head coach and I have to get it done," a candid Ryan said in January 2015 when he was introduced as the new coach of the Bills. "I understand I won't have another opportunity and don't want another opportunity. This is the shot that I want."'

'Ryan welcomed former Bills greats who had become disillusioned. He succeeded a money-grubbing coach who quit on his players and bolted town with a cowardly group text, a thin-skinned insecure man with a penchant for condescending co-workers and players.'

'In what would be a most bizarre turn of events, Coughlin is considered a leading contender in Buffalo to replace Ryan, who within hours of being fired Tuesday is a hot ticket in television. ESPN is interested having him in studio for this weekend and/or the playoffs and then making him part of their NFL coverage.'

'After Buffalo announced it had fired the blowhard coach on Tuesday, just before the final game of his second season with the team, several Bills players showed how Ryan could be a role model — in that they were outspoken in defending him.'

'For weeks, there have been rampant reports and rumors that the Bills planned to fire Ryan. But for the Bills to do it on a Tuesday before their season finale reeks of some behind-the-scenes confrontation between Ryan and team management.'

'“That’s bad. It’s just bad,” Sheldon Richardson said Tuesday. “He wants to win the game, so he puts his best players out there and he gets fired for that. It’s kind of bad.”'

'The networks were lining up for Ryan after the Jets fired him in 2014. He nearly took a job there before deciding to keep coaching with the Bills. Ryan was known for his press conferences, so he should be entertaining on TV, but he will need some coaching of his own on how to express himself on the air.'

'Management’s patience with him grew thin after he was unable to make good on his lofty promises. The Bills finished 8-8 in 2015 and are currently 7-8. They haven’t made the playoffs in 17 years, the NFL’s longest active postseason drought.'

'Ryan, meanwhile, may not get the chance to be a head coach again. It is highly unusual for a coach to be fired twice and then get a third job, and Ryan isn’t likely to get another look. His track record is too predictable for another owner to buy into his act. Perhaps he is better suited for a career in the media.'

'Ryan's next stop almost certainly will be as a well-paid television analyst, since he's not going to get hired as an NFL head coach next season — or ever again.'

'How did those boasts, promises and guarantees turn out? Let's take a look…'.

'Ryan knows and loves the New York market. Jets owner Woody Johnson likes Ryan. The strong presence of Ryan could help solidify Todd Bowles' coaching staff, presuming the Jets retain Bowles for a third season in 2017.'