Lombardi1

Yes, so true, and anyone with even an ounce of class would have thought so just as well. I would never wish a friendship with Doug "abandon ship with a mere text" Marrone upon anyone...there are true friends in this lifetime, and then there are fake, phony, fair-weathered self-centered classless ones like "Mr. MereTexter"... What owner in his/her right mind would entrust their franchise and fanbase to someone who leaves his men behind, while he tip-toes away like a mouse quietly into the night?

The thing with rats when they abandon ship is they don't know the water is even deeper outside of it... Well said

Good for Mr. & Mrs. Pegula to keep the process professional. Class acts. Why Brandon is still around though worries me, especially after his support of Doug "abandon ship with a mere text" Marrone. With "friends" like Brandon tossing your money around on an inept coach who needs his counsel really... Hopefully, Mr. & Mrs. Pegula keep him at arms length during the entire process, and then respectfully show him the door.

Yes, you are absolutely right...Doug 'abandon ship with a mere text" Marrone blinked...kudos to Mr. & Mrs. Pegula for giving him enough rope to hang himself (and there I was thinking Tessio of Godfather fame was the lowest rat ever, setting up Michael because the grass looked greener on the other side of the fence. Marrone clearly demonstrated where his allegiance and loyalties lay, "ME, Myself and I". A class act he's not. Too bad he didn't have a tour of duty in the Marines (he would have learnt to never, ever abandon one of your own, and leave them in limbo while sneaking out of town like a two-faced coward). There are stand up guys in this world and then there are those who abandon ship with a mere text.

Amazing how Lombardi managed to win the first two Super Bowls without a franchise QB. Moreover, taking nothing away from the position of QB, what good is a franchise QB if he plays in front of a shell shocked, injury plagued O-line in disarray? A defense in name only? A receiving core with stone hands? RB's who get more yardage running off the field after yet another 3 & out series of downs?, etc., etc...my only idea of a franchise QB is Joe Montana or Tom Brady, otherwise any other QB is only as good as his teammates' timely contributions. Franchise? when a QB can walk on water, and win a Super Bowl in his sleep then I'll crown him franchise, otherwise, he is simply part of a total team effort, no offense to any prima donnas out there who think otherwise (Cutler, RG3, Johnny "bigmouth', etc. you know who you are...grow up! Play the game for your teammates, not your social media following, &%$#$ clowns). Franchise QB my arse. The wise thing to do is go with EJ, draft a QB in the latter rounds (think Tom Brady), add a seasoned veteran with some zip in his arm and bounce in his step to insure the team is shored up adequately at the QB position (but to mortgage the old homestead for a franchise QB, pffft). To think we need a franchise QB to be competitive is to suggest Lombardi was lucky with the lowly drafted Bart Starr. It takes a great deal more than mere luck and a franchise QB to compete in the NFL. Some coaches know this, obviously Doug "abandon ship with a mere text" Marrone doesn't get it. Total waste of the organization's time this year w/his inept handling of stunting EJ's growth, the same EJ who could easily eclipse offensive records IF he had a smart. innovative coach akin to the likes of Chip Kelly.

No, on the contrary, Chip Kelly just got promoted to even a higher plane of overall influence within his organization, while "The Texter" is blaming everyone and everything under the Sun for his failures than the image in his mirror. Guess it's not easy knowing that Chip Kelly is soaring much higher on his coaching merits than on a self inflated ego much ado about nothing. Jim Schwartz and the ST's play carried the Bills to a winning season. Doug 'abandon ship with a mere text" Marrone couldn't carry Coach Kelly's water bottle. Can only image EJ's rapid advancement if he had someone of Coach Kelly's caliber developing him, anyone but Marrone and his inept OC will suffice. Well said. Moreover, any championship caliber coach is more than capable of winning with EJ in the mix. Thank goodness Jim Plunkett was spared of Marrone and his inept OC.

Chip Kelly: 20-12 Doug "abandon ship with a mere text" Marrone: 15-17 and, we'll just leave out the collegiate record comparisons so we don't embarrass "The Texter" any more than his inept ability to be the winner Chip Kelly is. There's winners like Chip Kelly and then there's Marrone, a legend in his own mind. Where Marrone and his inept OC couldn't develop EJ, Coach Kelly could have drawn up plays for EJ's success in his sleep.

To each his own. At least John Anselmo cares more about Marrone than Marrone cared about leaving his assistants in limbo. What type of individual abandons ship with a mere text and leaves people in a jam like that?

Run out of town? Doug "abandoned ship with a mere text" Marrone slipped out of town thinking the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. This year's defense and ST's unit carried the team to a winning season, not Marrone & his inept OC. and in respect to a viable QB, it's not EJ's fault Marrone & his inept OC's combined offensive "prowess' doesn't equate into what someone of Chip Kelly's caliber could have done in terms of really developing EJ. Can only imagine what types of numbers Kelly would have EJ amassing from Day One. We just have to face the truth, Marrone is no Chip Kelly. It's that simple really.

No one is calling Chip Kelly the Messiah, but the point still is someone of Coach Kelly's caliber could have EJ playing to a more elevated level than Doug 'abandon ship with a mere text" Marrone & his inept OC could ever do even on their best days. It's not EJ's fault Marrone is no Chip Kelly. Under Kelly, EJ could have easily amassed an abundance of accomplishments rather quickly; under Marrone and his inept OC, EJ was lucky they didn't blame him for the team's lackluster play all year long down in the Red Zone when EJ wasn't even on the playing field. Championship caliber coaches have a knack for accepting challenges, not abandoning ship with a mere text... A championship caliber coach would have no problem accepting a Bills offer even if he had to pick all the way down in the latter rounds of the Draft. Not everyone like Marrone and his inept OC needs excuses to hide their own shortcomings.

Any time a HC doesn't feel the GM has an authority over him the outcome is the present debacle the organization is facing. Brandon is lucky he hasn't been shown the door for bringing in "The Texter" in the first place. How Ironic that IF Marrone had felt a need to respect Whaley's authority, the Bills--given the outstanding play of this year's defense and ST's unit--could very easily be still preparing for a divisional semi-final playoff game this weekend because Whaley would have impressed upon Marrone "the future is now"...can only imagine how many more times the offense would have lit up the scoreboard with EJ under center throwing to Sammy, Scott C., Mike W., Woods, Hogan, etc.

Whaley Nails It! There's no way anyone would think IF the likes of Chip Kelly was developing EJ rather than Marrone & his inept OC that EJ wouldn't have blossomed into the winner he is capable of being in the NFL. Jim Plunkett found a way to overcome the doubters, found himself blessed with the right coaches and won a Super Bowl. Sometimes it's not the player at fault as much as his inept coaches in EJ's case. Chip Kelly would have had EJ amassing numbers unheard of, but EJ got saddled w/Matexty instead.

Wise statement relative to Whaley not putting all of his eggs in one basket w/EJ, but something tells me though Whaley is much smarter than that. Where I hope the team's new HC will actually give EJ a fair opportunity to earn his keep, I believe Whaley will be smart enough to tap a diamond in the rough QB in the later rounds of the coming Draft, and bringing in a seasoned veteran QB via FA/trade who is genuinely interested in helping EJ shore up his game, while all the while being an insurance policy should his services be needed. IF given time to make some key moves--without the drama of Doug "abandon ship with a mere text" Marrone and his inept OC--I believe Whaley can resolve the situation at the QB position for years to come. What a senseless waste of time this year with St. Doug and his predictable 3 & out shuffle...can only imagine what the right HC & OC can do to develop EJ and elevate his game. EJ was a victim of bad "coaching".

Interesting points, and IMHO your razor sharp perception here isn't far off target if not dead center all the way. Doug "abandon ship with a mere text" Marrone seems to be a vindictive type, so I wouldn't put it pass him to reel Sammy Watkins in some lest Whaley's pick shines even brighter.

Do the Bills organization want more catchy sound bites amid even more of a playoff drought? If so, retain Russ Brandon Are Mr. & Mrs. Pegula serious about changing the culture at OBD? If so, show Russ Brandon the door. Building a championship playoff caliber contender year in and year out takes more than hollow, empty phrases like "lead the charge" or "it's our time". How about canning Brandon, and let the team do their talking on the field.

You're just making good sense. Sometimes it's not the players, it's simply their misfortune of having to endure inept "coaching".

A valid point, thanks for sharing

A good question, and as you know already the only thing truly wasted this season was how Marrone and his inept OC utilized EJ. Total waste of time for the entire organization. A decent HC with at least 2 more years on his contract would have played EJ's arse off and left the organization better off for it in terms of making off season decisions, but not Doug "abandon ship with a mere text" Marrone and his inept OC. Total waste of time (in fairness, Marrone owes Mr. & Mrs. Pegula at least $4 million in damages if not more for wasting the time of the entire organization).

With the multi-dimensions EJ brings to the table, all he needs is the right HC & OC to tap into his natural gifts. The likes of Chip Kelly, IF he had actually signed here, would have already had EJ amassing so much in productivity all over the field, especially on 3rd down when opposing defenses had to choose between stacking the box and containing EJ (risking one on coverages downfield), or falling back into coverage and watching him akin to SF's CK scamper for a hugh chunk of yardage before gracefully sliding into 3rd base). The problem with EJ isn't EJ as much as who happened to be "developing" him this past season. Amazing that Chip Kelly would have someone of EJ's potential soaring high, yet Marrone sits him. Go figure. Guess that's the difference between Chip Kelly's two years in the NFL (20-12) and Marrone's (15-17). Thank goodness Super Bowl winner Jim Plunkett didn't take too much to heart about what folks had to say about him in his formative years in the NFL. Sometimes, it isn't the QB, it's who is "coaching" him.

Good thing, because unlike Marrone's hasty exit, something tells me Whaley is MUCH more of a class act on his worse day than Matexty on his best.

A pretty fair assessment of all of the above, Billsfan1959. The grass isn't always greener on the other side of the fence. Do what you can with what you got is the most sensible approach here. I'm not saying don't add a QB or two, just do it sensibly within the realm of investment long term, not add more unnecessary distractions. Translation: fetch a diamond in the rough at QB in the later rounds (think Tom Brady), and add a Fitzpatrick minded veteran with some zip in his arm and bounce in his step, and then let EJ sink or swim fairly (not pull him in the 1st inning like Doug "abandon ship with a mere text" Marrone and his inept OC did). Total waste of time for an entire organization's long term outlook.

Cheers!

With all due respect to FA and the draft, hopefully the incoming HC & his OC plan to go with Whaley's wishes to develop EJ, because right now we really need to set our focus upon complimenting center Eric Wood with some help upfront on the O-line. Hell, it doesn't matter if Brady's your QB if the O-line is tamer than a lame-lamb. Let's develop EJ, and get Woods & Co some help.

In the world we live in today, where instant gratification is the norm, much can be said for a young man who has his captaincy stripped, and benched while still playing at .500 so early in the season. Rather than sulk and become a distraction and potential league embarrassment for his team, he sucked it all up, kept his composure and handled the setback akin to someone with more maturity beyond his years. I say give the kid a chance to play, and then there will be no ifs and buts about whether or not he's capable. What Doug "abandon with a mere text" Marrone and his inept OC did to set this organization so far back is beyond a waste of time. It should be illegal to waste the time of an entire organization based upon questionable 'coaching" tactics. A whole entire year wasted! Edit: I mean/meant no disrespect to EJ with the "kid" reference, he is a man in my book. Maybe not The Man yet, but a Man where it counts for the remainder of his life. Stay classy young man, and remember plenty of people thought Jim Plunkett was a bust too.

I understand your concerns fully, especially any notion that Hackett is "good". IF Hackett had even a slim chance of hoping the next HC of the Buffalo Bills would even remotely think of retaining his "services", he may want to turn off the cartoon network and get a dose of reality. Marrone and Hackett = inept. It's that simple really.