RealityCheck

For those fans that say if a play fails it is the wrong call, at what point are the players responsible for a failed play?

The physical universe and all it's subdivisions can be reduced to mathematical expressions. The concept is sound despite the obvious struggles to properly identify the actual variables at play and then the pain of creating formulas to plug your variables into. As complex as analyzing football appears to be it will eventually be broken down fairly accurately with the right algorithms. Granted it may take decades to completely hash out but it can be done. Far more complex systems than football have been broken down into fairly accurate tables of statistical probabilities. The one aspect of football that might be the most problematic is the fact that emotion is the ultimate X-factor. In many sports strong emotional states of mind lead to mistakes. In football, that aspect alone can overcome a variety of measurable deficiencies in your team.

If those coaches really think that those rosters are better then have at it. I would rather lose the perception competition and win then the other way around. Winning would solve many problems.

It is a million to one that this happens. JMO. But I am with you on this if it were to happen. I will always root for ex-Bills that did their best while with the team.

Thanks for having posted that. I think it was WEO also who posted, perhaps months ago, that Fitz will always regress to the mean regardless of how well he plays in short bursts. His mechanics are pure garbage and he gets too greedy on third down when all he has to do is dump it off underneath for an easy conversion.

The NFL knows that they will approach a point of diminishing returns soon based on Americans' diminishing income, increased debt, the slow transition to ala carte TV viewing, and the latest CBA. We all know it costs serious money to be football fans and most of the ones I know are already maxed out in that sense. Greed is one thing, but the reality is that the NFL is in a tenuous financial position moving forward, and the bulk of there money comes from people who themselves are in major debt. The corporate sponsors are in the same boat. If and when the municipal bond bubble bursts it could theoretically freeze the majority of investment in new facilities and renovations for a long time.

That's an improvement over 2012.

This isn't baseball. Having watched both QBs play in the past 2 years tells me all I need to know. BTW, tell us how their stats compare over the last 2 years. Better yet, compare their stats in the playoffs for the past 2 years.

I don't see what the big deal is. Anything that anybody says is generally a half truth since self-deception is so prevalent in the human condition. You have to make judgements based on actions. If the guy is staying put then what's the big deal? The man took the job primarily because they will pay him. If he stays because they paid him more, then good for him. Whatever his motivation is why can't the fact that he is remaining as HC be acceptable?

Holmgren is a relic with a good resume, but a relic none the less. His ability to assemble a great staff got him to where he was. Favre helped a little bit too.

Chip Kelly is a guy that I would like the Bills to have as an OC for obvious reasons. As a HC at this level and with the CBA's practice rules I think that the chips are stacked against him somewhat. In terms of play design he is not reinventing the wheel, he is just trying to spin that wheel as fast as he can. I think that the real question is, can he implement his practice philosophy at the NFL level which is really the pillar of his success in college?

I would take Rapelessburger over anybody else.

Here is a metric that I would like to know. A QB ranking based on performance stats taken on their last 3 possessions of every game when the score range of losing by 13 through leading by 2. That might be revealing about the QB while putting in perspective the team's overall trajectory in adverse conditions vs the QB's ability to overcome said adversity. Before Haley I would bet that Rothlesberger is one of those QBs that would be at the top of those listings, Brady too. My idea of a franchise QB is a guy that if he has a 2 minute drill to work with while trailing by no more than 6 points that you can pretty much count on him to march down the field and score the TD. JMO. The final 2 minute drill is where we learn to love or hate our respective QBs.

This is the million dollar question. The head coach is literally at the mercy of the coordinators they chose. They often chose familiarity over quality. Who they hire as coordinators and their respective philosophies is my chief concern too.

Why would McCoy leave Manning after 1 season? If the dude can rock out a few Super Bowls with the greatest QB ever, he would make a hell of a lot more money later. Perhaps an office with really nice furniture and a fake shrub in the corner.

On that note...

Smith is likely to be a FA before April fools day, so the concern over draft picks is likely unwarranted. Why give up picks when the odds favor him being cut long before the draft. Given the teams needs and the QBs available in the draft, I would think that WR or LB would be targeted in the first round. Cutting Fitz, signing Smith after he is released, keeping the first round pick, and still having a second round pick to possibly spend on another QB is not the worst scenario moving forward. I hope they draft another tackle too.

Not to be a wise guy but what exactly is Chip Kelly doing scheme wise that hasn't already been done in the NFL?

For those of you who use the Jets game as your body of evidence to say that CJ can't be "the guy", then explain to me what the Jets did to limit him in that game. I saw a Jets D focused completely on stopping CJ and gave up some big pass plays because of it. Besides, the O-line struggled mightily to run block in that game and who won again? With competent QB play I would welcome any defense to load up and stop CJ at the line of scrimmage if it opens up the passing game and we win. If he gets 180 yards on the ground and we lose, what good is that? The Jets sold out to stop the run which opened up the field down the stretch. I personally could care less what a win looks like as long as it's a win. When CJ is on the field every defensive player has to be alert to where he is at all times. No other offensive player on this team warrants that, it's not even close. So why have him on the sideline if he isn't hurt?

I could care less what the reporters track record is. The fact is that the 49rs are about to get it on in the playoffs with Kapernick as the starter. I can think of a number of scenarios where unloading Smith in the offseason may not make sense based on how their playoff run goes. Until the 49rs season is over Smith's future is as murky as ever. If Kap gets knocked out of a game and Smith delivers, things can change. If Kap gets knocked out of the game and Smith looks terrible, that too could change things. Too many what ifs to bet either way in my opinion. At least for now anyway.

I wish Chan well. I hope he is a success at his next job.

I'll take Romo if we can get TO too.

Nobody listens to Whaley anyway. He is just an assistant pimp.

The question is, who is willing to go back in time and right these wrongs while the rest of us get over it already?