st pete gogolak

On losing out on Polian. Biggest mistake the Bills ever made (and that's saying something!) was giving Polian the boot in 1993. Let that sink in a little. 1993!!! I'm a huge Bill Polian fan but twenty two years later, I'm perfectly ok with him not taking a job with the Bills.

Although nothing's guaranteed, I think this can work out tremendously in the Bills' favor. The biggest problem on the team was Marrone's offense (not Hackett's offense) implemented by Hackett. If Marrone stayed put, odds were overwhelming that Hackett would have stayed put as well. I'm in favor of promoting Schwartz to HC (he's smarter than Marrone for starters) and making Pepper Johnson DC. Terrific continuity on defense and an opportunity to revamp the offense. Go out and get an experienced OC (Trestman?) and an OL coach better than Morris and you've upgraded all-around. Granted the QB situation stinks but go out and get a veteran FA QB who is better than Orton (Matt Moore and Mark Sanchez aren't great but they're at least on a par with Orton), and let the vet compete with Manuel in camp. Upgrade OL and TE in free agency, add a RB and maybe another QB in the draft and at a minimum, the team is primed to make a playoff run in 2015.

Once again, this isn't Nate Hackett's offense. It's Doug Marrone's. Hackett's only job is to implement Doug Marrone's offense. If Marrone is still here, so will Hackett. I think the best we can hope for is the hiring of an offensive "consultant" (somebody with gray hair that won't be hired by anyone as an OC (e.g. Gailey, Martz) ) and/or a new OL coach.

If it happens, it's certainly not the end of the world. Make Jim Schwartz HC, Pepper Johnson DC and hire an experienced OC, a really good OL coach and a QB coach.

Baltimore's defense was arguably one of the greatest defenses of all time. Even that defense could be beat given the rule changes since 2000. If you mean put all of our eggs in the EJ Manuel basket, there's no reason to do that. Sign a veteran QB, if there is a prospect who merits a second or third round grade, draft him and let them duke it out in preseason.

So it's harder for a lineman to go outside in (from tackle to guard) than inside out? Did he finish the sentence, "for example, all you have to do is look at Erik Pears' play this year".

I've come around full circle on Hackett. Not that he knows what he's doing (he doesn't) but he shouldn't take the blame for this offense. Some OP posted an article laying out the argument that this is Doug Marrone's offense. All Hackett is doing is implementing it. It's like blaming Curtis Modkins for Chan Gailey's offense. I think the best we can hope for is to bring in an offensive "consultant" (similar to Dick LeBeau in 2004) to bring some different ideas and a fresh perspective. That and a new offensive line coach.

Hey, if he does retire, I think we just found our new offensive coordinator!

This is stats versus eyeball test. If you have watched his last few games, it really does appear that he is pretty close to being done. I think it's 50/50 at best that he comes back next year. If he doesn't and some really good veteran QB unexpectedly hits the market (Brees, Eli, etc.) that's just another team that will be hot and heavy in the QB market.

For those of you keeping track at home, the statistical probability of missing the NFL playoffs fifteen years in a row is 0.087%. If my math is right, that's about a 8 to 9 chance out of 10,000. Of course, that's "coin flip" probability. It doesn't take into account management, coaching, having a franchise QB, injuries, dumb luck or thousand other variables. It does, however, point to how staggering it is to miss the playoffs 15 years in a row!

I don't think the article is implying that Hackett is qualified. I think it's implying that Marrone is unqualified to run an NFL offense.

Just out of curiosity, went to Hackett's Wikipedia page. What a joke. He's 35 years old and four years ago (four years!) he was Syracuse's QB/TE coach. Two years as Syracuse's OC qualifies him to be an NFL OC? He is utterly unqualified to be an NFL OC. I'd take Gailey in a heartbeat. I'd take Mike Martz in a heartbeat. If for some bizarre reason, he stays as OC, bring in a Gailey or Martz or someone similar as an offensive "consultant" like they did with Dick LeBeau in 2004. If I remember, that was the year we fielded the #1 defense in the entire league with the immortal Jerry Gray as our DC.

If the Bills had their current team in 2012 and Peyton Manning was released by the Colts and shopping around for a team, I have to believe he would have seriously considered the Bills. Maybe that's what we hope for. It won't be as good a QB as Peyton but if a quality veteran is released for whatever reason (Eli?) and has his pick of teams, the Bills will definitely be in the running to secure his services.

Polian had nothing to do with drafting Jim Kelly. In fact, if you remember an ESPN special a few months ago about the '83 draft, the Bills front office came off as absolute idiots. They had the #12 and #14 picks and liked both Marino and Kelly. So instead of making a determination which one was better or which was more likely to sign with Buffalo (hello - both Kelly and Marino were Pittsburgh guys. Marino went to Pitt, Kelly to Miami. Again, hello!!) they figured one or the other would be there at #14 and picked Tony Hunter at #12. Morons.

Hairston's a free agent after this year. To me, Hairston is one of the biggest mysteries of any Bill ever. He looked great at RT as a rookie, even decent at LT as a rookie. Thought he was going to be our RT for 10 years. Then he missed the year with the mystery illness. I don't recall him ever even being on the field after that. I assume that they don't make an attempt to resign him and Kujo is our no. 3 tackle next year.

So Cincinnati gets a 15 yard taunting call when a player does the money sign in Manziel's face. Manziel flashes the money sign after scoring a touchdown against us. No call. I'm sure there's a reason why one is taunting and the other isn't but if someone knows I'd like to hear it.

I watched most of the St. Louis - Arizona game last night and it struck me that the Rams are the Bills doppleganger. Really, really good defense. Tremendous front seven. Some talent on offense. Mediocre offensive line. Lousy quarterback. Shaun Hill looks like he should be in an over 40 slow pitch softball league instead of an NFL starting quarterback. Given all of that, why in the world would the Rams cut ties with Sam Bradford? I understand that he's due a ton of money (maybe he renegotiates to lessen the cap hit), but I just don't see the Rams cutting him unless they find a replacement that they think is an upgrade (Griffen, Cutler, neither of which is much - if any - of an upgrade). It also shows the folly of the criticism of the Watkins trade (at least the criticism that we will miss the opportunity to draft a franchise QB. Tell me what franchise QB the Rams will draft after finishing 7-9?

So I'm reading the Tampa Bay Times sports section and they have an article on Jacquies Smith, a DE with six sacks who was picked up on waivers after the season opener. He had two sacks against the Lions and is looking to be a "double digit sack guy" this season. Then I read he was picked up on waivers from the Bills! Is that right? Does anybody remember this guy? I don't. It says something about our talent level when a Bills reject can approach double digit sack numbers. Too bad he didn't play offensive guard.

I'll admit to a partial mea culpa in regard to the penalties (the "big four", ignoring the obvious head butt on Lee Smith that wasn't called even though a ref was looking right at it): 1. Defensive holding on Robey - assuming the call was on A. Williams (again what is basis for this? pure speculation?) it appears to be a very ticky-tacky call. Denver receiver appears to run right into him. Even if flag was against A. Williams still think it was a bad call. 2. Holding call on Kyle Williams. I'll concede on this. Dumb, dumb play. Don't think the guy he was engaged with would have had shot at Graham but it's possible. To me, this was biggest call of the game. If we punch it in from the 20 and go up 10-7, totally different game. 3. PI call on Gilmore. Bad call plain and simple. Ball got there same time as Gilmore. Hit was legal. 4. Call on Graham on Gilmore return. l'll concede on this one as well. Couple of questions. Was play by Denver player legal? If not, why wasn't it called? It's frustrating that an out and out dirty play gives Denver an advantage. Bottom-line, whether deserved or not, the penalties killed us. Incredibly frustrating game to watch.

Really? They got them all right? Please elaborate.

If firing Hackett isn't a possibilty, how about bringing in a "consultant" like they did in 2004 with Dick LeBeau (number one ranked defense that year). Someone with some experience. I'd be happy with Chan Gailey or Mike Martz.

I'm curious what is the NFL's best spin on the four key calls: Robey defensive holding - it was pretty clear Robey didn't commit foul - no PI, no defensive holding, no illegal contact. Speculation that call was on A.Williams and that they just got number wrong. Couple of things about that. Is that random speculation or is that from the league office? Anybody see any film of A. Williams on the play? Also, that seems incredibly incompetent to call erroneously call the number of the guy who just made what appeared to be a great play. Graham pick - holding call on K. Williams. You can see Kyle engage an offensive player. if it was holding, it wasn't blatant. It seemed at best an incredibly ticky - tack call under the circumstances. Gilmore PI - got there same time as ball, legal hit. Is there any spin on this? Just seems to be a bad call Gilmore pic - Graham personal foul - this seemed to be ultimate phantom call. Has anyone seen any film showing anything Graham did which would justify a flag? Doesn't seem like you can spin this either.

OK, one more in regard to Manziel's post-game reaction. Doesn't that end the speculation of whether he was trying to throw the ball or bring it back into his body? He said it was a fumble. HE SAID HE WAS TRYING TO BRING IT BACK TO HIS BODY!! That's relevant - maybe not to the ref's ultimate call, but it's relevant to this discussion as proof that the ref blew the call.

Last post on this because it's clear that I won't change your mind and you won't change mine but you have to admit that it is far, far from obvious that he is following through on his throwing motion when he is initially hit by KW. It is just as plausible (in my mind much more likely) that he is trying to bring the ball back into his body to protect from a fumble. It's obviously a relatively close play. The key is how it's called on the field. It's not supposed to be a de novo review. It was ruled on the field as a fumble. If the ref was following normal protocol it should have been affirmed. For whatever reason, maybe he forgot the tuck rule had been changed, he blew the call.

How can you possibly say it is unrefutable that he is throwing the football when he is hit? It certainly appears that he's actually bringing the ball back into his body before he is hit. Again, that's beside the point, The call on the field was a fumble. There is no unrefutable evidence to overturn the call on the field. Case closed.