BigBuff423

I've lost nearly all faith and confidence in the Head Coach and Offensive Coaching Staff....Defense has been stellar, no two ways about it...but losing to KC at HOME, was the dagger in the heart IMO...could be wrong, and would be nice...but considering the remaining schedule, I just don't see it....and if that's the case, I really, really hope Pegula ushers the Marrone Era out with the bath water, cuz that damn baby done drowned.

The analogy is that when Sanchez was run out of NY, he was left for NFL dead, many calling him a bust and saying he's terrible...and maybe he is. But in Chip Kelly's Offense compared to the Offense he was a part of in NY, he seems to be doing well so far and that when it comes to the Offense of the Buffalo BILLS and the constant turnover at QB, Coaching - and specifically HC - makes a real difference. Sanchez was assumed to be washed up and done and "never has-been", but so far, the early indications are that he can run Chip Kelly's Offense and do so with some proficiency. When you look at the EJ Manuel and Kyle Orton led Buffalo BILLS' Offense, there is real ineptitude and that seems to indicate to me that Marrone is not capable of developing an NFL QB nor handling an Offensive scheme at the NFL level. Significant under-achieving has been the tale of this season, and we can make it about many different things, but ultimately it comes down to coaching....Sanchez is just a representation of what we already knew, but it highlights, at least IMHO, the very big difference good coaching makes and maybe more so than at any other level, how the NFL turns on a Coaching dime. There are multiple examples in my mind, Arians, Kelly, Gruden before, Reid in KC last year and so far this year, Holmgren with the Seahawks, Walsh, Shula, Levy, too many to mention...how a good to great HC can turn a team around in record time, more so now than ever before. If anyone has read my previous posts leading up to this year and including the early part of the season, I was on the Marrone Bandwagon, but after watching the last five to six games, I have abandoned ship. If, which to me is unlikely, the BILLS make the playoffs I understand but would not like the decision to retain Marrone as HC, but if they miss the playoffs it would seem like a perfect opportunity to bring in a HC that can immediately WIN. This BILLS team is not what it was five or six or even three years ago...there is talent at nearly every position, save the QB - the most important, and with the right HC and securing a good, NFL QB of the future this team can be good for a very long time. Whaley has done a good job overall, missed on back-up QB and a couple FAs but otherwise stellar job. I like what DW has done, but Marrone and his OFFENSIVE staff, need to be shown the door, IMHO.

Take a look at Sanchez and tell me Coaching doesn't matter....more to the point, that I've lost my patience with Marrone and the Offensive coaches. Sanchez with the JETS, was burnt to a crisp, done...in Chip Kelly's Offense, early indications are he's been resurrected - just in time for Christmas. Marrone - exit stage left.

One of the above posts said BILLS to play Jags in Week 7 in London, assuming that and @bandit's statements are true, doesn't that mean week 8, would be the Bye week for the BILLS? Assuming that was what you were getting at....?

^^^^this

I'm already excited about Sunday....looking forward to hopefully a great game by the BILLS at The Ralph! Lasagna and meatballs, and the BILLS....plus, Fall weather...that's what it's all about...not life in general, just football Sundays.

That would give the Browns 3 1st Round picks....wow!

And for someone who has watched more Foles than myself (based on previous post), I'll defer to your insight.

Fair question, but your original question was answered in all those comments / quotes and the QBR stats I provided. However, I can't say I've seen him "a ton" either, so I'm basing it on statistics, aforementioned scouting report coming out of college two years ago and the fact that he's had a rough half to this season, but a phenomenal one last year, Kelly's first season, and still has posted better numbers than any QB (Orton is the exception, for now) the BILLS have had in nearly 15 years....so to me, assuming nothing on Orton be it good or bad for the remainder of this season, Foles' promise would be too good to pass up unless Eagles want 3rd Round Draft pick or higher or if Foles tries to command elite QB money...otherwise, as I mentioned in an earlier response, paying Foles Fitz type money would seem to be a wise investment on the potential return....JMHO of course.

For me, it would be a combination of some of those things above: but Foles' 2014 QBR while middle of the pack, is ahead of Russell Wilson, Matthew Stafford, and Matt Ryan, with his 2013 QBR being 4th in the league behind Peyton, Rivers, and Brees but ahead of Rodgers, Luck, Ryan, and Brady; just posted 411 yards against the Arizona Cardinals. The following is a quote from NFL.com for the Combine regarding Foles, note, they advocate a West Coast style that doesn't require him to throw deep, yet Foles has many deep balls in Kelly's system: Analysis Strengths: Foles has a strong arm that gets him through various other hitches in his game. There are times when Foles throws the deep, cross-field out-route off his back foot -- while facing pressure -- accurately and with ease. Though he is not the most athletic quarterback, he avoids pressure in the pocket and has a good sense of how and when to extend a play to his advantage. As a deep passer he has strength but can struggle with accuracy at times. His accuracy is evident in his short-to-intermediate throws, where he can put it right on a receiver or give him the proper lead. He would be more valuable in a West Coast scheme that would allow him to make quick decisions and not be forced to unleash deep throws on a consistent basis. He is an excellent game manager, moving the ball in bunches up the field. He is extremely poised in the pocket and rarely lets a heavy pass rush rattle his throws. Couple that with his on field production, and to me there is a young Flacco that still needs some development but could become a pure pocket passer in Buffalo's style of Offense that helps them gain real production from the QB position.

I suppose it really is the fact that I don't know you, and given it's in written form, it's sometimes difficult to decipher when someone is being ball-breaking sarcastic and when someone is being condescending and dismissive...my apologies for presuming the latter.

First Sir, I have appreciated your feedback and responded maturely and appropriately, ^^^this was neither of those things and its unnecessary. The fact that someone disagrees with your opinion, in a forum designed exactly for that, shouldn't put you on the defensive so much that you can't simply "agree to disagree", but instead revert to sarcasm and pointed barbs that are unwarranted. However, to answer your question, I didn't hear Chip Kelly say he didn't want Foles, I read the article that said the GM has "soured" on him, semantics I realize, but Chip Kelly's evaluation of Foles as the QB did not enter the discussion until you brought it up. As for being "smarter", I never met Chip Kelly so I can't answer that question honestly. What I will say, is that a number of GMs feel the need to move on if a player has not lived up to their expectations and performed according to their demand. And, given that Foles threw just 2, I repeat 2, INTs to 27 TDs last year, is it possible that this particular GM has other reasons for wanting to move on, assuming that's true?? As I stated above, I'm not claiming he's perfect or Andrew Luck, in fact in my former post I intimated that we, as fans, need to appreciate the significant talent that Luck, Rodgers, Brady, Manning, et al. truly are and bring some reasonable expectations to bear...however, if "reasonableness" is too much to ask from you, then Sir we have met the end of the discussion and realize that courtesy and polite debate is too much to ask of you. Orton is playing very well, and conceded that point, but Foles at 25, with a greater promise seems to be worth more in return on potential investment, IMO

Fair enough, we shall agree to disagree....but I think Foles is a significant improvement over what the BILLS have right now, despite Orton playing well...I think Foles is a guy who could lead the right team to a lot of wins....would he do well in Jax right now? Nope...Cleveland? Probably not....but I think Foles has the potential to be something similar to Flacco, and given the recent Super Bowl win for the Ravens, I'd take that every year for the next 6 to 10 years and not look back...

And you may be right...or you may be wrong. I'll say this, if this same question was posited last year, how many would have jumped at it? And, given the fact that Orton is making $5.5 million this year, I don't think it's outside the realm of possibility that if he makes it to another team, he gets an average of $10-12 per year...and, let's think of it this way: assuming Foles is a QB that can produce positive gains consistently, stabilize the position, and lead the Offense, given the drought of QBs the BILLS have had over the last 15 years, isn't he worth nearly the same amount of money the BILLS paid Fitz? With the BILLS contract, Fitz averaged $9.8 million with $24 million guaranteed....Foles who threw just 2 INTs last year, something that infuriated most of us when Fitz would throw INTs constantly...and yes, it's a new year and Defenses have adapted to Chip Kelly's Offense, and I'm not saying that Foles will be this football god in QB form, but it's hard to argue against a guy who has been much better than all of the QBs the BILLS have had since Flutie...and Orton has done really well, all things considered, but the season is not over yet, and to be honest, I think I'd rather pay an extra $4.5 million above Orton's price for next year, to secure a guy that will be 25 for the duration of next regular season and has played well, to great, for most of his young NFL career....is Foles perfect? Well, if he was, the Eagles wouldn't "possibly" be moving on from him...but considering he's started for just a year and a half, has shown development and played well for a playoff team, that seems like a no-brainer to me... As BILLS fans, we have to adjust our perspective. Sometimes I think we expect too much, essentially perfection and we have to acknowledge another Andrew Luck is not happening anytime soon, and I for one do not want to wait 15 years for a good Offense...this year, has been up and down and I've really enjoyed watching Orton play well, mostly, but he is not the solution to the QB question for the next 6-10 years, and Foles is probably as good a prospect as you're going to get at this point, given his resume and yet youth...JMO

According to the Newark Star-Ledger, the Eagles GM "soured" on Nick Foles prior to his injury and said, "The organization isn't sold that he's the guy going forward. Let's just say the way things were going, he wasn't going to get a contract extension that's for sure". The report went on to say that next year Foles will be entering his final season in his Rookie contract from 2012. This is *NOT*, and I repeat *NOT*, intended to be a hijacked thread about how "EJ sucks", but rather an evaluation of improving a very important position, regardless of who mans the QB position unless it were someone of Luck, Rodgers, Brees, Brady, Manning ilk. Would you be opposed or for the acquisition of Foles, assuming the report on the GM's "soured" take is true? If the Eagles were willing to trade Foles, what Draft pick and / or player would you give? If he was strictly a FA because of being cut after the season, would want to sign him and how much money would you be prepared to extend to him? Personally, assuming the Eagles didn't require more than a 4th round selection, I would certainly trade for him regardless. If he was a FA, I would be prepared to give him good to decent money, in the $10-12 million per year range for 4 to 5 years. To me, Foles is a very good QB that could be fantastic and it would certainly answer the QB position for quite some time. Please understand, I'm not suggesting the Eagles will trade him or that they will cut him, or that if they did trade him they would accept compensation in the form of a 4th Round pick. The point of this post, is that according to some real reporting, the Eagles GM may have already moved on from Foles and I send it out into the TBD cyber-sphere to discuss if he is a QB us fans would like to see in a BILLS uniform, and if so what price or compensation would you be willing to give in order to obtain his services at Quarterback.....

Believe it or not, used Kelce as my last pick in FF Draft, and he's been pretty good...not Gronk status, but pretty good for me.

If the BILLS are to Draft another QB, which I'm hoping they do, my personal preference would be to Draft a college QB that has played in a Pro Style Offense for at least 2 years, as a starter...he doesn't have to have the arm of Superman, but he would need to have a strong "enough" arm, be accurate, smart, and able to move WITHIN the pocket...no more read option offenses please...the best QBs, not named Russell Wilson, generally have good pocket presence and know how to move thing the pocket while keeping their eyes down-field. And, I want a guy who's done it in a Pro Style Offense....but that's me. So, while Wallace is intriguing and maybe he'll turn into a good QB, I would rather not. JMO

To be fair to Cleveland, they've been "sneaking" out wins all season....other terms it could be said, they are "finding" ways to win...Cleveland will be a tough one.

To be sure, these next several weeks will be a tell-tale sign of how the BILLS' season fares, but I agree with some others in stating that this week's Kansas City game will be a very important one. The Chiefs are a solid, if not very good team and the BILLS need to win against a good team at home, only to be a short week against a sneaky good Miami team that just laid the wood to the Chargers...so, while the games against NE, Denver and Green Bay appear to the toughest of the season as a whole, this week will have a significant effect on the remaining schedule and the BILLS' season altogether. Lose at home against a tough opponent this week, and the remaining schedule seems nearly impossible, to win enough to get to the playoffs. However, beat the Chiefs at home this week, and they're on the heels of NE going into Miami, while NE has a brutal schedule left...however, as is every year, it would seem the BILLS schedule has all of a sudden become even more difficult with Cleveland and Miami resurgent.

That's fantastic!! And all really good information / insight...and I've liked Doug Whaley since he was promoted and have really liked him since he started making the decisions, it makes my opinion of him even stronger to know that he's a well-balanced, down-to-earth type of guy and a decent and humble man in person...that's great! More importantly, it's tremendous to see his thinking and why the BILLS do some of the things they do...also, the point about the Steelers and Big Ben...worth taking note from his perspective. Either way, thank you for sharing the experience...good stuff.

That really is some good stuff....thanks for sharing bandit...inside information on blocking schemes and assignments, helps us all keep things in perspective if we're willing to admit our own lack of understanding when it comes to gap assignments and player responsibilities...also, explains why guys like Osemele (sp?) get good contract extensions and most of us say, "Who?', or Boling...and we scratch our heads and yell to the FO, "Why not Boone??!!", yet, these guys at least in these highlights quietly do their job well, with no fan-fare. And, thanks for updating periodically as well!! Keeps it fresh.

The only problem I have with that, and to me waiting until the 3rd round is fine too based on scouting, is that by 2016 that means the BILLS could very well be Drafting their next QB, which would be hopefully in the bottom of the 1st round, and then forced to start a Rookie QB, which many of us (and maybe you too, not sure) think is not a good strategy. To me, in today's NFL, you don't want most Rookie QBs being thrown into the fire, but you can't given them two or three years either, just not the way things work anymore. So, ideally it would be one year. And, to fair, this coaching staff thought EJ was ready, and we see how that worked out...so, given how much deeper this team is in so many ways, I'd rather they spend a 2nd or 3rd round pick on a qualified QB THIS upcoming Draft, and let that guy work behind Orton and allow EJ to beat *him* out for the spot, that way in 2016 this team isn't "all in" on EJ only to find out he can't do it and thrust another Rookie into the lion's den...we may disagree with how to get there, but I think we agree on principle: the right QB for the job, both short-term and long-term, but those two are probably not the same QB.

If Orton continues to play like he has, and hopefully just a bit better, throughout the rest of the year and the BILLS make the playoffs with him leading the Offense and producing points, it's not like he's old by NFL QB standards, so I'd be fine with Orton...but still think I'd Draft a 2nd round QB this year....there are plenty of good to great QBs to Draft in the 2nd or 3rd round every year, but you do have to find and mine for the right one....I've said it before, if I was in the FO, my only goal for QBs would be to evaluate as often and as in depth as possible the QBs in college that have led a Pro Style Offense for a minimum of two years...again, JMO

And I'm hoping the BILLS won't / don't wait 10 years to find out....sorry, but the NFL has changed. I haven't given up on EJ, but given the plight of a losing culture at OBD, I'm also not willing to just give-up an entire year so the QB can learn the position....if this team were the Jags or to some extent the Browns or Raiders, where the re-building process had just begun, then fine...I'd suck it up for a year or two at max, but with the talent and capabilities at nearly every other position, I don't want to wait for the rest of the team to age out beyond productivity for the QB. To me, this highlights why the change on the Offensive line needed to be made, and in regards to Pears - still does...Kujo and Richardson will hopefully turn out to be very, very good but they're young, especially Kujo as he came to football late in his young life, but this team is too good to forego an entire season with bad blocking so they can learn...JMHO

Funny how that happens....it's like...it's happened before...somewhere, sometime