Bills1218

I was watching Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back this morning before work (classic flick). As soon as "Bad Medicine" started playing, I swear I had a pavlovian response and shut the movie off. Bon Jovi cut us deep.

As usual, Barnwell posts an interesting read from a stats geek perspective on each team's strength of schedule for 2015. There are some holes in his analysis (looking at last season's performance doesn't reflect offseason changes, Vegas over/unders aren't incredibly accurate), but this strikes me as an innovative way of looking at schedule difficulty (especially with the usual crew of beat writers already latching on to our road trips and predicting 9 wins or fewer). Based on last season's results, Barnwell pins us at only 19th or 20th toughest schedule in the league... And the current Vegas numbers are even better - putting us at the 8th-easiest schedule in the league... This is the easiest I can remember a schedule being for the Bills in recent memory. Of course, all that's irrelevant since we're clearly going 19-0...

Not appreciating what Orton brought to the table is such a classic Bills fan move. The dude has a cannon for an arm, is light years ahead of EJ, and took us to our first winning season in a decade. He's not a franchise QB for the next 10 years, sure. But he's easily the best QB we've had since Bledsoe, and he is way better than any of the options we have on our roster right now, available in the draft, or attainable through a trade/free agency.

Gronk likes to goof off and have fun like anyone his age, but he's hardly a locker room cancer or a me first guy. The average NFL career is 3.5 years. Given his injury history, good for him that he's having fun, putting away some money, and playing for the team that wanted him when he came out of college.

I would really hate this as our QB next year, but Brian Hoyer fits this description.

I know I would. Heck, I'd have seconds. Then polish it off with a tall cool Budweiser.

Virgil

Say what you will about the Son of Bum, but he knows how to win in the regular season (please don't start the 'game's passed him by' nonsense). I wouldn't be upset if they brought him back for Round Two.

Eric Bieniemy is the running backs coach in KC. Obviously this whole process is a favor to Chris Berman so he can bring back his "Eric Sleeping With Bieniemy" line... //Please don't actually interview Charlie Weis.

He's out of the loop because he's gone out of his way this year to vouch for Marrone, 'he changed the culture,' etc. and now he's got egg all over his face.

1) Cowher Power 2) Jon Gruden 3) Reich 4) Schwartz 5) Kiko as player-coach

What makes you think it's boilerplate for coach contracts - can you even think of one analogous situation? Did Singletary have it in SF when York took over? Sparano in Miami when Ross took over? Spagnuolo in SL when Kroenke came over?

Hey bros, see below: While Marrone was negotiating an extension beyond the two years remaining on his four-year, $16 million deal, uncertainty over potential organizational changes influenced his decision, according to sources. [http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/12104824/doug-marrone-opts-contract-buffalo-bills] Now let's finally get rid of Brandon too.

Carucci reported it last night. It also doesn't take a rocket surgeon to realize it's the smart play for Marrone to make right now: However, league sources familiar with the situation said the clause was included when the Bills hired Marrone in 2013 as a safeguard because of the prospect of the team being sold, which happened when Terry and Kim Pegula bought the franchise last October. If Marrone was unhappy with the new ownership, or anything else, he would be free to seek employment elsewhere after his second season at the helm. The chances of that happening seem slim, league sources say. They say the more practical application of the three-day window is for Marrone’s agent, Jimmy Sexton, to talk with the Pegulas about a contract extension for his client and perhaps seek a pay raise and more control over the 53-man roster. http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/bills-nfl/marrone-not-expected-to-use-contract-out-20141229

I'll start by admitting that I haven't always been the biggest fan of Coach Marrone's. I love the intensity he brings to his job and his enthusiasm for the game, but sometimes his weakness at managing the play clock and pace of the game goes beyond the pale (see: punting on fourth and one, not calling a timeout when special teams took the field against the Chiefs offense, etc.). That said, it seems he really has the Bills by the horns right now with this opt-out clause. He can use his leverage to demand a contract extension from the new regime - whatever your opinion is of Marrone, I think everyone agrees that you don't get a contract extension for peaking at 9-7 and a game out of the playoffs. Ultimately, the fault for this situation has to lie with Brandon, as he was overseeing the football operations during the final years of Ralph's tenure, and could have held strong on offering a three-year contract that didn't give away the Bills' bargaining power. Whatever ends up happening in the next couple days with Marrone, Whaley, et al, it's now clearer than ever before for me that Pegula needs to completely divorce Brandon from the team's football operations. Let him handle the things he's good at - namely selling tickets and marketing the franchise - but his involvement in the football operations side of things has gone on far too long. Please stop letting him completely undermine the football side of things.

Watch him become HC/GM for the Bears now. They'll win a minimum eight straight Super Bowls.

Worst news ever. End of an era.

I'd be shocked if there's something in his contract stipulating that he has to answer specific questions about Whaley/Marrone. But yes, if he's truly not on the football side of operations, then it should be Pegula/Whaley/Marrone speaking on behalf of the team at an event where media is present. Simply put, Brandon has no authority to assess the coaching staff or front office. Go Bills.

Here's what I'm unclear on - when Pegula took over the team, the coverage indicated that Brandon would stick to marketing/communications for the team and Whaley would oversee the football operations. A wall of separation, if you will, that was demonstrably absent during the final years of Ralph's tenure. Flash forward to a couple weeks ago and Brandon is quoted as saying that Marrone has done a great job changing the culture and he's happy with him. If Brandon is strictly on the marketing side, he shouldn't be commenting on the coach's performance. And at the very least, he shouldn't be doing so in a public setting. I'd be more than relieved if Pegula/Whaley were the only ones commenting on the football team itself. Let Brandon stick to his strengths - namely selling a product that's been moribund for more than half my lifetime at this point. But if he continues behaving as if his opinion on the GM/coaches/players has any consequence, then he should be the first one shown the door.

Heading down to Miami a week from this Wednesday to see the Bills squish the fish. Going to the game with a college buddy who's a lifetime Dolphins fan (I try not to hold it against him), and I'm wondering if anyone on here has made the trip to Sun Life Stadium in the past. Are there any good bars or clubs to check out around the stadium (bonus points if they're Bills friendly). And any advice on where to sit in the stadium? Hoping not to give up an arm and leg on tickets. Go Bills!

Maybe it's just habitual at this point, but I've got a bad feeling about this season. EJ's looked weak in camp, no marquee upgrades beyond Sammy, and Marrone's seemingly lost the respect of the team based on today's news. Hoping I'm wrong, but I'm prepared for the worst and a housecleaning after the new owner takes over.

This is really outstanding. At the end of the day, we know Pegula will keep the team here and JBJ might not. A bird in the hand, and all that... Go Bills.

As a great philosopher once said, "This aggression will not stand, man." Time to show strength in numbers - https://www.facebook.com/stopbonjovi

Already up on Deadspin with no official comment from the Bills. Nice to see they're handling this crisis (whether health-related or just caused by some intern posting a template by mistake) with their trademark grace and poise under pressure. Hope this turns out to be a false alarm, but in the era of Twitter and Facebook, it's malpractice for the Bills to wait on getting the facts out.

Bro, do you know anything about the Contract Clause? Contracts are fairly binding in the US of A.