HankBulloughMellencamp

If the Bills bring Wade back as the DC, I would love it --- just like ~99% of Bills fans. Because only then could we be sure the Bills defense would not show much of a drop off. Not that it is certain that this would come to pass, but it would certainly be the perception for 99% of their customers. And I would certainly believe Russ Brandon also realizes this. Russ probably would not make the call, but I would bet dollars to donuts that he would help sell Wade on the gig if Whaley/Marrone felt like he was the best choice. And Wade is smart enough to realize we have a ton of real talent on that side of the ball ... heck, on the defensive line alone. I am sure Russ could then explain how Ralph is barely even around, no longer making decisions, and how Russ does not have his shine box anymore. And the payoff for Russ would be in ticket sales, something he has proven he knows how to do, and seemingly against all odds. It would almost be just as if the Sabres were to bring fan favorites like Ted Nolan and Pat LaFontaine back into the organization. Hey, wait a second

Thank you, I agree completely with your post. I was very impressed with what Pettine had to say about Marrone in thanking him for the opportunity he now has. It is obvious that Pettine wasn't sneaking around to his Cleveland interviews without the full support of Marrone. Doug obviously helped tremendously in prepping Pettine to give him the best chance to land the Cleveland job. Perhaps it was just our HC fulfilling what he may have promised Pettine when he brought him over, but Pettine was in the right place at the right time. I do think it is a big loss for the Bills, but not an insurmountable one. They should (again) have a very good defense.

If you enjoy these, and have not yet seen "substitute teacher", it is frickin hilarious

I really liked what Perry Fewell did here as an interim guy, and I really think he will one day make an excellent HC. Hiring Gailey over him seems silly in hindsight. He may be somewhat of a token interview now, but I would bet having worked for several years under a certain HOF coach like Coughlin has only made him even more prepared for his next (real) chance. He injected some life into a Dick Jauron-captained Costa Concordia. I will be rooting for him.

Those guys will likely get promoted and/or go with him. O'Neil was the first guy he brought, and would certainly seem to be in line for a DC job in Cle.

Lack of playoff success nothwithstanding, I also thought Marty was an excellent HC, especially as a motivator. He got fired by AJ after going 14-2, and it is still quite unbelievable to me.

Agreed, I recall almost no one being excited when Chan was finally hired. We only warmed up to him when he jettisoned Trent and his team began to show some offensive excitement. This is Pettine’s first ever NFL head coaching interview (and soon to be 2nd), so it makes sense to go through it as a learning process, no matter what the deal is with the team in question. But Pettine also strikes me as the type of guy that would (eventually) fit in very well in a town like Cleveland, after the initial “we didn’t get the hot candidate” nonsense wore off. His father was a legendary coach in his own right, as I understand. I liked how he came across on Hard Knocks while with the Jets, and I was quite happy to see Marrone recruit him here as soon as he was hired. The Jets OWNED the Bills while he was their DC. And I am not in the “but we sucked vs. the run” crowd … I think what he got out of our existing defensive talent plus his scheme was borderline incredible. A top ten D is a top ten D, and I think that is all he has ever produced in the NFL.

An excellent post that handicaps the situation very well, I think. The fact is … it’d have to be awfully toxic in CLE for Pettine to say no to a bona-fide job offer to become an NFL Head Coach. And who know about their one year change of heart, or what this Haslam guy’s deal is, but Lombardi and Banner have been around, and they do have talent there. So I don’t blame him one bit for entertaining the idea. He’s a very good head coaching prospect who almost has to take this shot if he gets the offer, even if he will face a tough sell to the fans. Once Pettine’s in as a HC, then he’s really IN --- the experience will breed many more opportunities for the rest of his career. Caldwell and Whisenhunt just got another chance … I’d bet Chud and Shurmur eventually get 2nd chances too. But until then, he can’t say he has NFL HC experience.

If Pettine gets the Cleveland gig, and Wade doesn't want our DC job, I'd bet George Edwards, Jerry Gray, Ted Cottrell or even maybe Walt Corey might be interested!

Bingo. I would not have cared one bit if Marrone would have sat Marcel the whole game vs. NE. It is a good thing to show the players that b.s. is just not going to be tolerated. I mean, really now, to be late again the day after you just got served is a borderline insubordinate, brash move. A coach who would have flinched would have undermined their authority and lost a ton of credibility. Sure seems like Belichick might have even IR'd #99. Not stepping up to that nonsense would probably have been quite disappointing to Fred, Kyle, and the other players who already know how to be a pro. Wake up, Marcel. You finally had a good year, made a lot of big plays, and even got some Pro Bowl votes. You're a big boy, now ,,, act like it.

I would agree, Woodman. I have always admired the work of Zimmer, and his no-BS approach with players is quite rare & something I think is always very respected. If a coach can earn it & command it to just the right degree, that is. To me, Greggo went overboard for that angle here, and obviously failed as a HC. Judging by the way players seem to have responded thus far to Marrone, I think he also may have 'it'. To me, Marrone and Zimmer are similar in a lot of ways ... no-nonsense, highly respected by former bosses, coaches, players, etc. Hard Knocks only further sold me on Zimmer, and I think what he has done with a knucklehead like Pac-Man Jones is special and rare. No other coach was able to get through to him and get the most out of that talent – Zimmer basically gave him what career he still has. But the fact is … they will each have a very hard time longer-term if they don’t get the QB position on their team ironed out first.

Exactly. The NFL is very savvy & opportunistic to float this idea out there after a full weekend of incredible ballgames. They are striking while the iron is HOT! Of course NFL fans will want more of that action! Adding another team means two additional games will occur, and that is a tidy 50% increase in all playoff/premium-priced revenues generated during wildcard weekend.

As a fellow Polish American, and with all due respect, you are dead wrong about this. And Shawn Powell’s work with the Bills is a perfect example. I am sure he kicked bombs with great hang time in practice, well enough to get called back when Gailey/Nix cut Moorman. But he then hit liners that outkicked his coverage when it mattered. And unless this improves, I doubt he will last long with Cincy. Whaley said what he had to regarding Moorman. He was less than stellar, but at times did offer impressive hang time. The NFL punting fraternity is very much like the NFL Head Coaching fraternity … once you get in, then you are really IN. With head coaches, you have a staff of assistants that worked under you that then become quasi-indebted to you. Many of them land gigs down the line, and this usually leads to a coordinator and/or position coach job down the line as the coaching landscape changes. With punters, so many good ones have to play the waiting game. Only after you finally get your shot do NFL teams really then know that you can perform as one of the 32 best in the world. It took Sean Landeta several tries before he became entrenched with the Giants, and then he played up until he was looking like Dennis Farina out there. Same with Chris Mohr, Moorman, and almost every other veteran guy out there. Even if you are lucky to get a shot as a rookie (ex: Zoltan Mesko) and then get replaced, you are often the first guy other teams will call.

Ma’am … did you notice that the color of your hair … matches the color of these tires? --- Kurt Russell in “Used Cars” (describing a Clark Griswold-looking station wagon to a brunette)

Thank you. Mack doesn't end up in the top 10 on Kiper's board simply by accident or laziness. He is very disruptive in the run game, and rushes the passer well. Ohio State wasn't too concerned about him, and he nearly took over that game. And Anthony Becht, who made a living trying to block guys like Mack, was effusive in his praise for #46 when Becht did color for the Bowling Green game at the Ralph. Mack has the most forced fumbles (and is tied for the most tackles for loss) by anyone who has ever played college football. EVER. People like Jerry Sullivan, who always need to use statistics to be convinced of a player's worth, often miss or don't understand the real game, man-on-man, that is being played during each snap on the field. Man-on-man, Mack was clearly dominant and nearly unblockable. Not saying he has to be our guy at #9; just saying we could do far worse than him ... an Aaron Maybin he is not.

Completely agree. Yesterday’s game gets thrown out in my mind. Not having Dareus in the 1st half hurt, but with as hard as it was raining, I think the stats are misleading. The season ending stats bear them out to be a top ten defense, which usually gets you places. I credit Billy Boy with yet another good game plan. Keep giving it to your battering-ram RB (who knows where he is going – mainly N/S). Force the defenders to absorb the blows (with iffy footing to anchor themselves) if they were to stuff him with a clean shot. This also obviously worked on kickoffs, with the same kind of logic. To bring Blount-force down, you had to be willing to get concussed, or hitch a ride & go for the 5-10 yard ride. Pettine has been nothing short of a revelation as our DC, and I hope he stays here for a long time.

Great point, and let me say that I love your threads/insights. EJ's scrambling should really be an asset, but that has not been the case so far. Good scramblers are very frustrating to defend. Aaron Rodgers comes to mind. And from what I saw last night, SF is using Kaepernick's take-off-and-run skills to help keep the chains moving and the defense guessing. And I agree that any thought of restricting EJ to pocket-only passing would effectively reduce his options and effectiveness, and ultimately bring out the punt team even more often. So, if EJ's pocket presence, passing mechanics, and scrambling abilities all improve, I do think he can be the guy we have always wanted. But I really can't see that happening with the information I have available to me at this time. This isn't Children's Hospital ... wishing and hoping just isn't going to get it done.

It takes time to adapt to the NFL game for nearly every QB. And yes, EJ played pretty well in the home win over the Jets, although the windblown TD to Graham coulda woulda shoulda been picked. But I am most concerned with his lack of production in those road debacles like Tampa, Pitt and against the Jets in the Meadowlands. I can count on one hand the number of strikes he has delivered with his whole body into the throw. And I am tired of all the high-arcing floaters that fall incomplete as he throws as if his right and left shoelaces are tied together. I like your quote, and have dreams of him being the guy, but he's gotta step his game up. I really hope I am wrong, but other than the fact that he was our first-round pick, I see very little evidence that gives me confidence he can magically put it all together and be a franchise guy other than he looks the part. I really don't care if he can light up a room upon entry, I want to see him light up a defense or two ... preferably on the road.

Fantastic post. I worry that the book on EJ has already been written by Sexy Rexy (in the Meadowlands), and copied by Pitt and Tampa ... extreme overload pressure whereby he does not ever make them pay by hitting one-on-one matchups quickly. And I understand that the guy has had some knee issues. But his athleticism has not translated into any real scrambling ability/threat thus far. He is quite awkward when he takes off ... almost as awkward as when Jimbo used to run and it was like a car wreck waiting to happen. There is not a doubt in my mind that EJ will be a guy who is continually dinged up and missing time --- these NFL guys close very fast and he doesn't really protect himself. We need to get someone else cooking on the roster. I don't want to just play out the string in 2014 if EJ is again hit and miss and injured.

I was not claiming that Kirk was better than EJ or anyone, I was simply saying that with a guy like McCarron, we would then have a Washington-like scenario, a young backup who could push the young franchise-elect QB. I don't know that AJ would be an immediate upgrade, but he would be a viable option to test drive if EJ does not progress by mid-to-late 2014. I am not turning on EJ and/or writing him off just yet. I realize that he has been dinged up, and that it takes time to adapt to the NFL game for nearly every QB. But I have to admit being quite disappointed with his lack of production in these road debacles like Tampa, Pitt and against the Jets in the Meadowlands. I worry that the defensive coordinator's "book" on EJ is already out there until proven otherwise. He does NOT make defenses pay when they bring the heat, so why should they ever stop doing it? His escapability is now awkward at best, and I am tired of all those high-arcing floaters that fall incomplete as he throws as if his right and left shoelaces are tied together. Read this pre-draft article on EJ. It scares me. http://www.rotoworld...here-to-improve We have a playoffs-worthy defense, and some electric talent on O ... so if we could just get some decent Dalton-esque quarterbacking, we'd be in business. I want a viable plan B developing as soon as reasonably possible.

I'd draft A.J. McCarron in round 3 without hesitation, probably even in round 2. EJ has already shown to be less-than-Thad Lewis (in my opinion), so why not get a guy with some big-time experience as a leader and winner to offer #3 some franchise-guy competition? It always brings about the best in everyone. Plus, if we don't do this in 2014 ... and EJ continues to struggle with beating pressure defenses and even the simple things (like stepping into his throws), the Bills will certainly need to bring in competition for 2015, so let's get it going now. At worst, we'd have a Kirk Cousins type insurance policy on hand. The best comparison I have heard regarding A.J. is Andy Dalton. Similar in stature, they are guys with (supposedly) a lower "ceiling" than a Manuel, but they are great team leaders & they can make decisions in the pocket to get the ball out to the playmakers. Dalton had a similar 4-year starter pedigree to A.J., albeit from TCU, but he also took the Horned Frogs to the Rose Bowl and won the damn thing. Dalton doesn't get a ton of fanfare, but he's already been to the playoffs a few times, and 2013 will be no different. Sounds pretty good right about now amidst this 14-year drought. Throwing-motion-wise, I think they release the ball in a very similar fashion. And I'd even bet A.J. also has some christian rock on his Ipod, not that there's anything wrong with that.

Bingo, cvanvol, you are yet another who can see the forest through the trees! Sully's overall arrogance and short-term memory issues have grown to be quite tiresome and predictable. He rarely, if ever, goes out on a limb with a position on what should happen in the future. To proclaim SJ13 should be jettisoned for 2014 is hardly doing so, and is among the safer bets he could possibly make at this point. If the Bills do release Stevie, it might then allow a few of his numbnuts devotees to profess "Boy, Jerry called that one, he really knows football and tells it like it is!" Approximately 99% of his columns & opinions are formed on the basis of hindsight & statistics, so he is usually taking positions on things which have already occurred. Won-loss records, relative value of performance vs. draft position, etc ... stats can always be used to say whatever one wants them to say. And as PTR points out, he will often contradict whatever he may have written in the past. Miley Cyrus would certainly be jealous, because it really is the best of both worlds. These days, you don't see him frying the Bills over Mario Williams being a bad investment and/or distraction to the team as he sits among the league leaders in sacks. And he hasn't complained about Manny Lawson's unimpressive credentials lately, but who remembers his God-awful preseason piece of junk that basically made Lawson out to be "pedestrian" and basically not even worth a squirt of piss as a FA signing at ~$4 million per. He implied that the Bengals D improved dramatically once Manny was removed from the regular lineup. Sully heard snickers out of Cincinnatti sources that the Bills would pay him $4mill ... sure he did.

And so it appears as though this rugby guy is already showing more promise as a LB than Kelvin Sheppard!!!

Agree 100%. As a UB grad, I would obviously love to see Khalil Mack stay in town and wreak some havoc on opposing QBs that face the Bills. Versatile LBs who can rush the passer are lethal weapons for any DC who knows what they are doing, and by all indications, Pettine is one of those guys. #46 already owns the NCAA record for forced fumbles, and with 2+ more games left ... needs just 2.5 more tackles for loss to also outpace anyone who has EVER played college football. Let that sink in for a second. This is not an undersized Aaron Maybin emerging after a good senior year. This is a guy who was in full beast mode from the first game of his freshman year, and is now a 240+ lb gazelle who can do it all - and was dominant against nearly all he that faced. We shall see if he truly projects to be picked around the timeframe of Bills 1st rounder in 2014 ... but a player like this is probably our best bet to make the most immediate impact next season. A dominating defense with depth at key spots will rarely (if ever) lay an egg, and we are not very far off from having one that can be described as such.

Very good points! I remember hearing a quote from Mark Asper, the late-round OL we drafted from Oregon a few yrs ago. He was recently re-signed to the practice squad this year, and was then asked about Kiko ... he said something like "I can probably count on one hand the number of times I got my hands on Kiko in practice." This is the polar opposite of what Kelvin Sheppard did for us playing the same position. He made almost no plays because he was always locked up & dancing with the O-linemen as the backs came through.