Nihilarian

You know what, both EJ and Taylor looked bad when they had to throw the ball 30+ times a game. Conversely, both looked good when they didn't need to throw more than 30 times a game and the run game was working to the tune of 30 rushes a game. It looks to me like Greg Roman has the formula on how to develop an inexperienced QB by pounding the rock while letting him find the receiver in single coverage. How long it takes is another question.

If there were rumors of Whaley wanting Hue Jackson I didn't hear / read of them. What I do recall is Russ Brandon telling the new owners that "they" would know who to hire after they spoke with him. My thoughts derived the way they did because of the Mike Pettine hire fresh from Rex Ryan's team to run the Bills 2013 defense. Pettine was on Rex's defensive staff as the DC from 2009-2012, and then why not bring in the master to make the defense even better. If I'm not mistaken both Whaley, and Brandon met with Pettine before the team hired him.

Perhaps my definition of a disaster is different from yours, but going from #2 in 2013, #1 in 2015 to now #30 in sacks is a disaster in my book. Even big stink, no blitz Dave Wannstedt had 37 sacks. The Bills are currently at 20 sacks with two games to go. That was a top 5 defense last year and the supposed defensive guru took it to 21st now. I could see the offense struggling with basically a rookie QB behind center, but the offense was actually the highlight of the season with Shady and Taylor. The defense and lack of team discipline are the reasons this year's team is 6-8 record and out of the playoffs. Bills fan anticipated greatness, and instead we got a sloppy version of Dick Jauron who had no Mario, no Dareus, no Hughes.

I have a difficult time believing that these new owners were so full of themselves that they made the decision to hire solely on who they liked as their new head coach. It's been my contention that either Doug Whaley, Russ Brandon or both gave the new Bills owners the pitch that Rex Ryan was the right guy considering Ryans past history of building great defenses. Clearly those two didn't want any more of George Edwards- Dave Wannstedt type seasons. Yet that is exactly what they got with Ryan, and, of course, the penalties, sloppy play, lack of team discipline. It is my take that both men heard about the near Polian hire and asked for more time to show that they could build a winner in Buffalo. Like I said, that if the Pegula's hire the right NFL experienced man to run the football operations side of the team then the fans should be very happy in the days to come.

Last year even the NFL wanted the new team owners to hire an NFL experienced senior adviser, and they declined for whatever reason. I'm thinking Russ Brandon had a lot to do with that. Just think if this new hire doesn't want to keep Rex Ryan after this year then the Pegula's will have over 24 million in lost money due to Rex's contract, and St Doug's walk away clause.

This is all really good news to me because this org does need some serious NFL experience at the top of the football operations flow chart. I'm hoping for a team president of football operations. If so, then there could be some exciting days ahead on the horizon for Buffalo Bills fans!

My theory may be a bit far-fetched and it will ultimately depend on whether or not Rex Ryan survives this offseason. Meaning either Ryan had a lobotomy and has almost completely forgotten how to blitz this season or has balls the size of twin moons of Titan and took it upon himself to purposely submarine his own defense by not blitzing to achieve another goal. That goal being to see a different GM in Buffalo next year. A winning season would certainly complicate things. "The fact Ryan is the head coach, with four years left on his contract after this season, is not viewed as an impediment in the Bills' ability to attract other people to run the football operation, the source said." http://bills.buffalonews.com/2015/12/20/pegula-listening-to-outside-advice-on-bills-personnel-matters/ Now imagine what a hero Rex Ryan will look like next season when he asks his DT's to actually rush the passer and starts blitzing more than 10% like he has almost all this year. Perhaps up to the 50% in what made those 2009-2010 Jets teams so good on defense. If this year's defensive scheme and other issues aren't contrived to lose games. Those other issues being the lack of team discipline (penalties), the sloppy play with miscommunication, the missed tackles, the poor special teams. Then this HC might just be the worst since Hank Bullough!

It really is an unusual situation with this entire regime because in my view the bad season all belongs to the new head coach and the defensive coaching staff. There must be so much going on in the backround that the fans simply don't see or hear. Whaley can complain all he wants but the Bills basically have a rookie QB out there and he needs to take what the opposing defense gives him rather than throw 40 times a game into double coverage. I think there is certainly more to it than what you list. Russ Brandon was and still is the CEO of the entire football team and it would fit that he would nudge Rex Ryan towards these new owners who know literally nothing about hiring an NFL head coach. The Pegula's are listed at the very top of the flow chart but then how much do they know about running an NFL team? I think there is another article out there suggesting that these new owners might be done listening to the status quo. http://bills.buffalonews.com/2015/12/20/pegula-listening-to-outside-advice-on-bills-personnel-matters/

Tyrod Taylor isn't going anywhere and this offseason should be interesting to see who stays and who goes at OBD.

My take is this entire season was purposely schemed to achieve a specific result not very different from the one you are hinting at and I'll leave it at that.

I seem to remember what this coaching staff has been asking Dareus to do this year and that he has been complaining about it publicly since training camp. You can't rush the passer, and work the gap control too. Why this defensive guru has castrated these superstar players on defense I'll never understand, and the defense this bad with no pass rush affects the entire team! I suspect it will be a strange and interesting offseason filled with upheaval for Bills fans. Merry Christmass to you and your family Bill, and to all Bills fans everywhere.

I'd have to say it all starts at the top of the flow chart with the Bills being run by a marketing guy the last 8 years or so. Russ Brandon is still the team's CEO, and sitting at the top of the flow chart. A lot of bad football decisions have come down the pike in all that time because the team had no viable NFL experienced GM after Tom Donahoe was fired all the way back to 2005. Marv Levy wasn't qualified to be an NFL GM and was only here because his old friend the owner asked him to be. Buddy Nix was 70 years old retired ex-assistant GM and director of player personnel and he was never an actual GM before the Bills. Current GM Doug Whaley was a rookie GM when he replaced Buddy Nix in the 2013 offseason. When you don't have a really good experienced football man at the top then it all filters down to every hire, and player acquisition becomes somewhat questionable. Clearly it looks like the Bills made the wrong choice for new head coach, and the team he came from is now 9-5 as the 5th seed in the playoff picture I'm hoping these new owners hire that football czar they talked about hiring the last offseason, and they were in talks to hire ex-Bills great GM Bill Polian. This team is still in desperate need of a senior experienced football man at the top of the flow chart to keep the marketing guy, and new owners out of the football operations loop. JMHO

I didn't say they were "the" problem. I said the entire team is an undisciplined mess at times and it has been. The special teams unit last year was one of the best in the NFL, and this year has been bad with the coverage units. This is with basically the same players, and same coach. The offensive line has had its share of penalties this year, and every time the offense does that it's a step back and a drive killer. Lack of discipline still falls on the HC because the buck stops with him. Rex's big problem is that he isn't calling many blitzes at all this year! His Jets teams 30 to 50%, and this year 10% or less. I'm complaining about the lack of pass rush / sacks because of the scheme this year defense is utilizing. Mostly because the DT's are being asked to work the gaps rather than rush the passer, and Ryan is having the D-linemen dropping into pass coverage far too often like a zone blitzing team would. Then the defensive line rotation isn't as often this year as it was last season causing those highly paid pass rushers to wear out. I believe Mario missed some time / games due to a foot injury and has had an illness as of late. (flu?) He has missed practice for both at times. I'm not going to make excuses for the players when they don't make a play because I don't know how much the injury affects their performance. It looked to me like all four Bills D-linemen went right after Bradford on this play and while Mario ran the arc he was pushed past the QB. While Marcel Dareus beat his man, that Eagles OG wisely pushed Dareus away from Bradford while the QB stepped up between the gaps to throw the ball. The Bills rushed only four and the Eagles kept six in to pass block, and the RB released when he saw only four Bills rushing. While there was some pressure on the play from Dareus the QB quickly sidestepped and stepped up through the gap to throw. I can't find fault with any of the Bills players, and on that particular play, the Bills front four just didn't get it done. Therein lies my complaint with the play calling this year in only rushing four. As a coach if you see that you can't get to the QB by just rushing with the front four, then wouldn't make you think to blitz just a little? Plus the soft pass coverages with the Bills DB's 10 yards off the line, and the safety even deeper. Then that pass play took a full four seconds to develop. When the QB isn't getting hit or feeling heavy pass rush pressure it emboldens them to take more chances. Anyway, on that particular pass play the Eagles just got lucky and hit the deep pass. JMO Dave Wannstedt spent the entire 2012 season mostly rushing just the front four with minimal blitzing, and he still managed more than sacks the Bills have this year. Dave 36 / Rex 19 with three games to go.

It really doesn't make sense to fire Rex right at this point in time simply because the team still has a small chance to make the playoffs. Then Ryan could easily step up his blitz scheming, and start asking all his D-linemen to pass rush more. Once the season ends we will see.

It's not ridiculous in my view because it's not just about the defense. It's about the entire team being an undisciplined mess at times that can't make simple tackles or continues to make stupid penalties. It's about the HC with the big mouth giving opponents bulletin board material to help motivate them. All season long Bills fans have been desperately clinging to the hope that every game Rex Ryan will get his act together with the defense, the pass rush, the penalties. In week three against the NY Giants the Bills had 17 penalties for 135 yards, and out of those 17 that gave the Giants 7 first downs on offense! Fast forward to week 14 against the Eagles to see the Bills commit 15 penalties for 101 yards with little or no pass rush on Sam Bradford. He was sacked only once in the game by Mario Williams. Stating that, I'm not going to go back and review all those plays. Let's look at that last one to Aghulor in the Eagles game. Bradford out of the shotgun formation and Bills rush only four. He drops back to the Bills 37-yard line and then steps up to the Bills 43-yard line avoiding any rush and hits the WR who had beaten #20 S Corey Graham on the play with a perfect pass. Darby did look out of position five yards to the side. Still the announcers stated that was on Graham who had close coverage but turned his head and loses vision. I don't see that as a DB miscommunication at all. Then, If Bradford had more pressure on him wouldn't have had either the time nor the ability to step up those five yards to throw that deep ball. To the Bolded. Ryan's defense was susceptible to the big play in the past because of all the Blitzing he used to do with the Jets. 2019-2010 to the tune of 50% of the Jets defensive snaps, and 54% in 2010. Then to 33 to 34% in 2011-2012. Just to give that some context to this year in that first game against the Patriots the Bills, "Ryan's defensive game plan couldn't put pressure on Tom Brady -- the Bills disrupted (a sack, batted ball, passed defense or interception) only 9.8 percent of Brady's dropbacks, a lower rate than in any of the Bills' 2014 games" http://espn.go.com/blog/buffalo-bills/post/_/id/21042/bills-breakdowns-vs-patriots-start-with-rex-ryan-defensive-staff We have seen almost similar results in the lack of a pass rush in just about every game this year, save one. Hence the reason for the 2015 Buffalo Bills being 30th in sacks this year! It's not just about the lack of blitzing either, as the scheme Ryan is using calls for the DT's to be more involved in gap control, and the defensive linemen being asked to drop into pass coverage more often. All these new owners need to do is hire an NFL senior analyst like the Jets did last offseason when they hired Charlie Casserly, Ron Wolf. Those men will relay to these new owners what exactly happened on the field this past year, and I'm fairly confident that it will result in the changing of the head coach.

I don't know if that bolded part is true. It is my contention that because there is little or no pressure on the opposing QB they are able to sit back and pick the Bills defensive secondary apart. Meaning they can easily step up in the pocket after a 5 to 7 step drop to throw those deep passes because they have the time to do so. What I saw this year was Ron Darby, and Gilmore playing great despite being hung out to dry with no pass rush. What I didn't see was opposing receivers wide open because of constant blown coverage's, and in fact I saw the opposite with the Bills players still making plays. I can only imagine how freaking great that Bills secondary could have been this year with a top five pass rush. To answer the question, I can only hope that the Pegula's ask Ryan to fire his entire defensive staff, and when he refuses. By those grounds they can fire him, and then not pay him for his remaining contract citing insubordination. Then hire someone who will actually utilize the players on the roster for which they were purposely brought in, and given top money to do. I so want the Bills to hire a head coach that doesn't call the call the offensive or defensive plays or set up the game plans for either, like Gailey, Ryan have done. Or even like Marrone with his helping his good buddy Danny Crossman the special teams coach all year. Probably why the special teams sucked so bad this year because St Doug isn't here holding his hand, and probably why the Bills offense stunk under Maroon because the novice running the offense got very little help. Simply put the Buffalo Bills need to hire a man who is smart enough to beat Bill Belichick, Tom Brady on a consistent basis.

For all those Bills fans out there still intent on defending this years defense... "Say what you will for Rex Ryan, but you’ve never been able to say he doesn’t know how to coach an NFL defense. At least not until this year." This year, Ryan’s first season as head coach of the Bills, his defense has taken an enormous step backward. And in a season when Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor has emerged as one of the pleasant surprises in the NFL, Ryan’s defense is the reason the Bills won’t make the playoffs. "When you look at the statistics, it’s stunning how much worse the defense Ryan coaches this year is than the defense he inherited from last year: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/12/16/bills-defense-has-taken-a-big-step-back-under-rex-ryan/?ocid=Yahoo&partner=ya5nbcs

I was merely throwing out the 20th in defensive yards because that is a standard (by yards) that most people go by, or otherwise it wouldn't be one of the very first stats you see when you go to a football website and click on team stats. And you seem intent on disregarding the fact that this years Buffalo Bills went from 1st in sacks to near last in sacks at 30th, and that is about the most important stat that most defensive minded coaches care about. Because with that stat comes other stats like QB hits, hurries, pressures. If your defense can't manage to get pressure on the opposing QB all the other defensive stats are basically irrelevant in my view. Rex Ryan was noted for his past blitzing schemes, http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000213665/article/rex-ryans-new-york-jets-returning-to-blitzhappy-ways-in-2013 Great article from 2013 on how Rex Ryan will return to what made his 2009-2010 defenses so good! "The bodacious defensive guru has promised to restore the aggressive mentality that carried Gang Green to consecutive AFC Championship Game appearances in the 2009 and '10 campaigns. During those seasons, Ryan acted as the defensive play caller for units that finished first and third, respectively, in total defense. He utilized blitz-heavy tactics with his initial teams to create chaos for quarterbacks in the pocket, while limiting available seams and creases for runners in the ground game." "Looking at the numbers from Ryan's stint as the defensive play caller, it's apparent that he lives and dies with blitz pressure. He called blitzes on 50 percent of the Jets' defensive snaps during that two-year span, including an astonishing 52.4 percent blitz rate in 2009. Those percentages blow away theJets' blitz frequency over the past two seasons, under the direction of former defensive coordinator Mike Pettine: New York blitzed 32.8 and 34 percent of its defensive snaps in 2011 and 2012, respectively. Interestingly enough, the unit's effectiveness gradually declined over the past two years, finishing fifth and eighth in total defense." I'd have to say every Bills fan in the world was expecting this years Bills to not only lead the league in sacks, and not only be the #1 defense in the league. But they expected greatness, as in 85 bears or 2000 Ravens greatness. Great question because I have been asking that all year, and I also agree in asking why hasn't this years Buffalo Bills defense played all year like they did against the Patriots like in that 2nd game. I disagree its the players or any learning curve. In that second game against the Patriots in week 11 Rex Ryan went back to his old ways of getting pressure on the QB 50% of the defensive pass plays, and it worked so very effectively!! So why on earth did Ryan only apply pressure to 9.8 % of Brady's drop backs in that first game? Thus allowing Tom Brady to set a Bills franchise worst 466 yards passing. If you can dig up the stats for all rest of the games this season you would find similar percentages to the 9.8% of barely getting any pressure at all on the opposing QB. This has a disastrous effect on the outcome of the game as it allows even the worst QB's time needed to make plays. Currently the Bills are 27th in defensive hurries! Currently the Buffalo Bills are 30th in sacks for 111 yards lost out of 850 defensive snaps! How freaking pathetic is that stat! It really is simple math that the 2015 Buffalo Bills simply aren't scheming to get pressure on the QB, because when they do they are very effective at it, Kinda why Marcel Dareus has been complaining about how he is being utilized in this years scheme since training camp! Its not the players, its not the injuries, its 100% the scheme!

I look at things from a different point of view. I want to see my team play the best, and beat them so then they will be the among the best at the end of the year. Be good enough to win the division, and home field throughout the playoffs, and only then do you have a real shot at a championship. The best team in this division is the New England Patriots, and until this team gets a head coach who can beat Bill Belichick, Tom Brady. They really don't stand a chance to go to the final if they can't beat the best.

Simply remind them to re watch that first Patriots game, and then re watch the second game. Two drastically different schemes all game long with two drastically different results. That first game is mostly what we have seen all year with Ryan's scheme in that the defense was in a soft 10 yards off the ball pass cover scheme with almost no blitzing. Aaron Williams, Kyle Williams, and Mario Williams all played in that first game, and the defense still allowed a franchise worst 466 yards passing to Brady. "Rex Ryan, Dennis Thurman and defensive coaching staff: Ryan told his team that this loss was on his shoulders, and so he's a natural place to start in the "down" column. Ryan's defensive game plan couldn't put pressure on Tom Brady-- the Bills disrupted (a sack, batted ball, passed defense or interception) only 9.8 percent of Brady's dropbacks, a lower rate than in any of the Bills' 2014 games -- and he never seemed to have an effective plan for stopping either Rob Gronkowski or Julian Edelman." http://espn.go.com/blog/buffalo-bills/post/_/id/21042/bills-breakdowns-vs-patriots-start-with-rex-ryan-defensive-staff The second game was a totally different story as the Bills were able to put pressure on Brady to the tune of 20 of his 40 drop backs, that's 50% vs 9.8%. The reason being is the Bills played up on the line, and stacked the box. The Bills rushed 6 or more all game long it seemed. The Bills brought so much pressure on Brady, and so much so that he was literally screaming at his offensive linemen. That last game the Bills managed to take Gronk right out of the game, and he only had 2 receptions for 37 yards! The Bills also held the Patriots high scoring offense to the lowest point total for the year in 20 points. The Bills managed to do this without Aaron Williams, without Mario Williams, without Kyle Williams. Its not injuries, its not the players, its 100% the scheme! JMO

No offense but I hate the fact that the Bills went from Number One in the NFL in sacks to now thirtieth. Yea, that's right from 1st to an astounding now 30th! Those stats come with consequences either good if doing the sacking or bad if getting sacked. I'm really very amazed that this years defense is only ranked 20th in total defense, and then 14th against the run with all the gap control they utilize. It really is a tribute to the Buffalo Bills player talent on the defense that they are only ranked 22nd against the pass considering how little pressure they get on the QB. How spectacular is Ronald Darby as a rookie to be starting and playing so well in such a bad scheme. Its seriously laughable anyone here is lauding or defending the 2015 Bills stats when they near the worst defense in the NFL in sacks, and yet have 250 million in their front four. This is like last year when fans defended the near worst offensive line in the NFL, and yet three of the five players on the O line were scrubs. This D line had three pro bowlers on it, and the fourth guy was such a pass rush terror last season that he should have gone too. So many positive things can happen for a defense when it can apply pressure on the opposing QB, and conversely it gives that opposing QB all day to throw with little or no pressure. Allow me to remind everyone that the Bills currently have only 19 sacks with three games to go. 19 sacks, really? My god, no wonder it looks like opposing QB's have all day to throw every game... because they do. Even Dave Wannstadt wasn't this bad in sacks, as his team finished with 36 sacks. George Edwards under Chan Gailey even had more sacks with 27 in 2010, and 29 in 2011, and that was without Dareus in 2010, and without Mario Williams, and Jerry Hughes in 2011! Its not the injuries, its not the players, its 100% the scheme!

NO!

It is almost comical isn't it? Yeah, that last years defense was so overrated, and just not very good. Even though they finished #4 in yards, points, and in total defense. Going from 1st in the NFL in sacks in 2014 where the Bills defense terrorized opposing QB's to now giving them all day to throw in 30th in sacks. 2) Buffalo Bills' defensive line If Jim Schwartz was able to help the Bills' defensive line terrorize opponents without heavy blitzing, imagine how much chaos this D will create with blitz master Rex Ryan at the controls. Ryan's high-pressure tactics will produce more one-on-one chances for Mario Williams and Jerry Hughes on the edges, with linebackers and defensive backs joining the pass rush as fifth and sixth defenders at the point of attack. Kyle Williams and Marcell Dareus are imposing defenders on the interior with the capacity to blow up runs or disrupt passing games with frenetic playing styles. Dareus, in particular, is a dominating force -- with 28.5 sacks in four seasons, including 10 in 2014. Considering the success the Bills' front line enjoyed under Ryan protégé Mike Pettine in 2013 (the unit accounted for 41 of the Bills' AFC-high 57 sacks), the return to a hybrid scheme should keep the group playing at a high level this season. http://www.nfl.com/photoessays/0ap3000000494302 To now 20th in the NFL in total defense, 30th in sacks.

Three pro bowlers from last year, and the fourth on that line should have also been in the pro bowl in Jerry Hughes. They almost all become invisible in Rex Ryan's defensive scheme this year, and mostly because this years Bills just aren't blitzing as much. It is stupid for Rex Ryan to zone blitz because he doesn't have a plethora of star linebackers, and instead has a star studded front four. Dropping an average D linemen into pass coverage isn't going to hurt the team because he isn't a pure pass rusher anyway. Even HoF QB Jim Kelly made the statement that he as a QB would have loved to see rushers like Hughes, Dareus, Kyle Williams, Mario Williams dropping into pass coverage instead of rushing at him. Its not the injuries either because when Ryan wants to blitz his defense is very effective. Just ask Tom Brady about that last Bills- Pats game in which the Bills had pressure on Brady on 20 of his 40 drop backs, and so much so he was literally screaming at his offensive linemen to block better. In that game Mario Williams, Kyle Williams, Aaron Williams were all out injured. So, when Ryan chooses to blitz it works, and this season he simply is choosing to not blitz as much and he would rather have his super star D linemen control the gaps over rushing the passer. 30th in sacks from #1 last year says it all.

Think about that stat most passes defended by Darby, and Gilmore. Then think about why that is. Being 30th in sacks in the NFL is why that is! Its a tribute to both players talent level (Gilmore & Darby) to be left out to dry so many times, and yet only 22nd in defense against the pass. Ron Darby is so good he should be DRotY, and just think how good he could be on a defense that actually blitzes the opposing QB.