Nihilarian

Show me the link for the all 22 like you posted about! Mario has been injured, and has been ill too. This isn't about one player its about the entire defense!

Show you the proof? Watch the games! But OK! When Ryan has his defense rush the passer and Blitz they have been highly successful i.e. that second Patriots game! When Ryan was able to get pressure on Brady 50% of the drop backs. Then from week two, "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 That enough proof? To rush the passer 50%, and have it effectively work to rushing the passer less than 10% and get scorched in the passing game.

It really is and a few Bills fans stalwarts who refuse to see the truth of the situation, and blindly keep defending this head coach. What does it say to everyone when you have the players themselves complaining about the scheme and how they are being utilized in it since training camp. OK don't believe other fans, but at least, listen to what the Players themselves have been saying. This article was written after that week two debacle against the Patriots, http://bills.buffalonews.com/2015/10/07/bills-d-line-experiencing-disconnect-with-scheme/ "In another significant change, Kyle Williams often finds himself lining up outside, in a standing position, rather than inside and in a three-point stance as he was last year. He also will move laterally, in an effort to draw blockers from other defenders." “We play better up front when they just let us go,” Dareus said Wednesday. “... Now we have more responsibilities and more things going here and there. It’s just playing inside the defense and playing under control, so that the blitzing schemes and everything fit perfectly. What those two players are talking about is being used for gap control, dropping into pass coverage over being used to simply rush the passer. Really, link the article then!

The entire key difference to what Ryan did with the Jets, and what he did this year in Buffalo was the lack of blitzing. Last year the team was 1st in sacks, the year before was #2 in sacks to now 30th isn't an easy feat to accomplish. Why don't you want to listen to the players themselves calling out their coaches over a bad scheme? Read the article! It will tell you that the Defensive linemen are being asked to drop far, far to often into pass coverage. That the DT's are being asked to control the gaps over rushing the passer. Then there simply enough blitzing being called. Watch the games and you would see the Bills rarely send more than are defending, and when they do blitz itrs very successful.

Fixed!

Seriously, it's almost comical how some posters are so blindly loyal that they simply refute the truth over, and over. Marcell Dareus has been very vocal about how he is being used in Rex Ryan's defensive scheme since training camp. This is a fact! Since that time in week six Mario Williams joined him in publically stating its the scheme. "Mario Williams doesn't like what Rex Ryan did to the Bills defense, and he's right" Read the article! http://www.sbnation.com/2015/10/21/9581575/mario-williams-marcell-dareus-rex-ryan-buffalo-bills-defense He simply changed his defensive play calls and scheme for this one singular game, and it was highly successful. Which leads to a better question in why hasn't he been using that scheme all year, and why not use it for the remaining games? Rex Ryan was able to have his defense get to Brady on 20 of his 40 drop backs which is 50%. The Bills had Brady so flustered that he was literally screaming at his offensive line. The sad truth is Rex Ryan went back to his craptastic scheme he ran in that first Patriots game the rest of the year, and that is the reason the 2015 Buffalo Bills are currently 30th in QB sacks!

Exactly! The injuries are NOT an excuse because the Bills showed that horrible, terrible passive 10-15 yards off the line, no pass rush scheme since week TWO! And everyone was healthy at that point. Rex Ryan apologized and said it was all on him, and he would fix it. He never did! All season we saw that same craptastic defense except for the next Patriots game in which the defense was able to pressure Brady on 20 of his 40 drop backs.

The Dean really hit it out of the park with many great posts! The Dean, "If true, this is my worst nightmare coming true. The Rex hire has put this team into full rebuild mode, which is NOT what this team needed. The Rex hire is tearing the team apart, IMO. I just have to hope it won't end up in a disaster. Waiting a few days, they could have had a shot at Fox, who is CLEARLY a far superior HC than Rex." FearTheLosing, "I just don't get the love for a loud mouthed jerk like Ryan. I loved watching the Bills beat his team 2x this year, and I would have preferred to give Schwartz a shot at HC instead. For the record I would have preferred Pettine as HC over Marrone. Like I said, "Although, I can see the defense being just as good this year without Schwartz, and yet I'm not sure how it helps that 20th ranked offense. You know, the one with the bad line, no first round draft pick or veteran QB. " The Bills lose the HC that took them to 9-7* mostly because of the #3 defense. Then just hired a coach that went 4-12 and gave him a million and a half dollar raise, and with a 5 year contract no less. Only in Buffalo..."

I really like this idea mostly because Schwartz deserves another shot as HC, and Pettine would do so much better as DC with a solid run game offense that would help keep the Bills defense on the bench and fresh. Just remember the Bills were running that hurry up and punt offense in 2013 with Hackett running constantly up the middle with Spiller. What I like better is hiring Bill Cowher to be the next Bills HC, and let him pick his assistants. I'll bet he would keep Greg Roman because he is a run first HC, and who knows for the DC job, perhaps Pettine. Cowher is about the only man I can think of would give Bill Belichick a run for the division.

I think everyone and I mean everyone expected this year's defense to be great and not just a little great but 1985 Bears that Rex's Dad was the DC for - 2000 Ravens great that Rex was the D-line coach of. The Indy game was an anomaly because the Bills didn't really blitz that much and actually got it done with great coverage from the secondary. The Bills Defense only sacked Luck 2x and got two INT's, and one fumble recovery. What we know now is that that Indy team that was supposedly SB bound was instead bound by a bad team around the QB, and it was the first of many bad games for the QB of the decade in Andrew Luck. The smelly stuff from the ceramic convenience really hit the proverbial fan in the next game when Rex Ryan had his DB's playing 10 to 15 yards off the line. His DT's covering the gaps, and at times dropping into coverage along with the DE's so at times the defense only rushed with three players. This was the base defense we saw all season that let every opposing QB the Bills played look like all pro's because they had all day in the pocket to throw. Tom Brady scorched the Bills defense in that game for a record-setting Buffalo Bills franchise worst 466 yards passing allowed by one player. The first of many bad days for the Bills defense. Just a reminder for those that still want to defend Ryan. The entire defense was healthy at this point. Why Rex Ryan has insisted on continuing to run this passive soft cover defense most of the year leaves me thinking he did it on purpose. He would say it was all on him, and he would fix it, then never did. The lack of sacks is a direct result from a lack of blitzing, lack of defensive linemen rotation and having his DT's in gap control rather than rushing the passer, having the defensive linemen dropping into pass coverage far, far to often. For the bad defense alone he should be fired. Then there is being #2 in the NFL in penalties. Poor game, red flag, and clock management at times. which is something you might expect from a first time HC. Meanwhile, the NY Jets have a new HC with Gailey as the OC, and Fitz as the QB. They are currently in the playoff race at 9-5. Think the Jets fans are happy that Rex Ryan is the Buffalo Bills head coach? Or the Patriots fans?

More years of Rex Ryan... Can we ask his clone, Hank Bullough, to coach a few more years too? Some of knew after one year of Jauron, one year of Gailey, one year of Marrone and this hire is even worse then those.

I knew after week two that this team had serious issues on defense in playing that soft cover passive defense against the Patriots, and I also knew then why Dareus was complaining publically about that early. I just didn't think it would end this badly.

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.